Monday’s Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting was filled with a sea of men dressed in purple and gold, the signature colors of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
The men were in attendance to support one of their members, Chancer McLaughlin, who took his oath of office as the first Black town manager of Hope Mills in the town’s 133-year history.
McLaughlin, the town’s former planning and economic development planner, had served in an interim capacity since the former town manager, Scott Meszaros, resigned in February 2023.
Among those in attendance were Fayetteville City Councilman D.J. Haire, also a member of Omega Psi Phi. Traditionally, the oath of office is administered by the mayor, but Mayor Jessie Bellflowers made way for McLaughlin’s father, Robert, Wagram, town commissioner and former mayor, to swear his son into office. The elder McLaughlin and Bellflowers served together as colleagues in Wagram.
Before McLaughlin was sworn in, Bellflowers addressed concerns that residents had about the fact that the town manager position was not advertised publicly.