A resolution to censure Wilmington Councilwoman Zanthia Oliver failed to pass Thursday night.
Councilwoman Shané Darby introduced the resolution, which would formally condemn Oliver for a 2020 misconduct incident where Oliver voted for the City’s FY 2021 action plan despite it listing an organization run by Oliver’s brother as a potential beneficiary of city grants.
The Wilmington Ethics Commission received an affidavit in April 2022, and imposed a public reprimand on Oliver in April 2023. Councilman Chris Johnson says he thinks that was enough.
“As a council we can’t sit here and turn swords toward her and disapprove and bat her down, she’s already been drug through the mud enough," Johnson says. "I get what happened, as an official reprimand for council I don’t think we should take that step.”
Other members of council did not deny that Oliver committed wrongdoing, but echoed Johnson’s sentiments, voicing desires to move on and focus on legislation. This included Oliver herself.
“This has been discussed and has been handled, and that’s all I have to say," Oliver says. "The ethics committee gave me my reprimand and I’ve accepted it. And I’m done with this conversation.”
But Darby says that punishment didn’t come with any real consequences.
“There is no process of accountability for city council people," Darby says. "The only way really for city council people to be held accountable, like I can’t be fired, I can’t be removed, the only thing I can do is resign or people can not vote for me in the next session, there’s really no way of holding city council people accountable when we do things that are unethical.”
Darby says the $450,000 in mishandled funds that went to the organization, Our Youth Inc., must ultimately be paid back by the citizens of Wilmington.
Councilwoman Maria Cabrera called the resolution unnecessary and uncomfortable.
"And be what it may, we want to lead by example," she says. "Let’s start by leading with example to respect each other enough to do the business, and respect our citizens in Wilmington to do the business, and not be doing these foolish things on this floor.”
Councilman James Spadola was the only other member to support the resolution.
