BRIDGEPORT, W. Va. — Bridgeport has appointed a new mayor to fill the vacancy left by Mario Blount eight days after his resignation and four days after he pleaded guilty to federal drug charges.
City recorder, and acting mayor, Robert Greer was nominated and unanimously chosen by city council to take the lead.
“It’s a honor to be selected by my peers for that position and I look forward to serving out the balance of the term, which is two years and nine months,” Greer said. “I’m looking forward to meeting more of my neighbors and working with the city leaders and management so that we can have a better Bridgeport.”
With the appointment, the council then had to backfill positions, beginning by appointing member Melissa Matheney as the new recorder to fulfill the remaining 9 months on Greer’s term.
Greer said Matheney, as the most senior member of council, has the experience to take the job and expects her to approach it with her own style.
“Each recorder has the same role but each of us handles it very differently,” he said. “I handled it differently than my predecessor and I’m sure she’ll do a fine job, even if it’s different than I’ve handled it over the last several months.”
Also, by a vote of 3-2, council selected former member Dr. Harry Murray to fill Matheny’s nine month term.
With new leadership in place, the task presented is to move the city forward.
“I look forward to restoring the faith of the community in the governing body and, in particular, the mayor’s position,” Greer said.
Part of restoring that faith will be continuing to conduct business in the same hard-working manner as when Blount was mayor, but without the outside turmoil.
“I don’t believe that there’s been any accusations that his actions in his capacity as mayor were inappropriate or otherwise,” Greer said. “I’m confident the surrounding cities, the county commission will be quickly restored, their faith in Bridgeport.”
The new leadership will be sworn into their new position at city council’s next meeting on September 22.