Bobby Roberson, Washington’s mayor pro tempore, plans to resign from his seat on the City Council on Monday so he can be hired to work as interim city manager when City Manager Brian Alligood begins he his post as the new Beaufort County manager.

Roberson has served as mayor pro tempore for several terms. The council usually elects the top vote-getter in a City Council election to the post. The mayor pro tempore oversees council meetings and takes care of other mayoral duties when the mayor is unable to do so.

Roberson is a former Washington planning director. During his 38 years of working in local government, Roberson served as assistant city manager in Wilson.

Roberson, in a brief interview Saturday, said he plans to serve as interim city manager for only six months. If hired as interim city manager, Roberson said, he would not run for a seat on the council in the fall.

Roberson’s resignation from his council seat so he can serve as interim city manager has somewhat of a precedent.

In March 2005, then-Mayor Stewart Rumley resigned his post so he could be hired as interim city manager to replace Steve Harrell, who resigned March 16 for “personal reasons.” The council then elected then-Councilman Mickey Gahagan as mayor. Gahagan served the remainder of Rumley’s term. In May 2005, the council appointed Richard Brooks to take Gahagan’s seat on the council.

“There are some differences in that process. The first one is I am locked in to only six months. The reason is I’m under the retirement system. So, subsequently, I can’t go over a certain amount of money. That wasn’t on Stewart and Steve Harrell when that stuff came down. That’s one of the primary differences,” Roberson said. “The other thing I think is important is one of the only reasons (I want to do this) is we’re in that transition with ElectriCities, and we need to bring someone in who’s had a little bit of experience with ElectriCities, and I’ve had that. I was assistant city manager … over at Wilson, and my primary responsibility were the enterprise funds — water, sewer, gas and electricity. So, I do have some background in that. I’m looking forward to that transition.”

Roberson added: “But I’m not there yet. They’ve got to vote on me. Hopefully, I’ll have the votes.”

Harrell’s resignation may have been related to delinquent state income taxes.

According to a certificate of tax liability issued by the N.C. Department of Revenue in 2005, Harrell and his wife, Gloria, owed $11,861.32 in delinquent taxes, penalties and interest for tax years 2002 and 2003. The certificate showed the Harrells paid $220.35 toward their 2002 tax bill. A copy of the certificate is on file at the Beaufort County Courthouse.

As of Saturday, it was unclear if the council would immediately appoint someone to take Roberson’s seat on the council, take some time to name a replacement or leave the seat vacant until a new council takes office later this year. The City Council election is set for Nov. 3. Winners of that election would take office in December.

The council may choose anyone it wants to replace Roberson, as long as that person lives within the city limits and meets other qualifications to hold public office. The council does not have to choose someone who ran in the last municipal election.