The Goldsboro City Council takes the first steps to filling the new vacancy in the Mayor’s Office.

As he continues to fight health issues, Chuck Allen announced he was resigning as Goldsboro’s Mayor last week.

At Monday’s meeting, the council officially accepted Allen’s resignation.

However, Councilwoman Brandi Matthews asked to delay setting the process for filling the vacancy until one absent council member was present.

Matthews also voiced her displeasure with making the council — not the citizens — responsible for choosing Allen’s successor.

City Manager Tim Salmon says this is the same process used to fill the recent District 1 vacancy on the council.

In the end, the Goldsboro City Council declared the mayor’s seat vacant, which sets the process for appointing the next mayor.

However, the council did not set any dates for the appointment, giving Councilman Taj Polack the opportunity to give his opinion as the process is finalized.