SOUTHPORT — Southport voters chose to bring back its former mayor, Joe Pat Hatem, on Tuesday, ousting his rival that he lost to by only two votes in 2023.
READ MORE: ‘ICE the alleyways’: Southport aldermen seeking abandoned property claims after Hatem controversy
ALSO: Southport alleyway debacle: Alderman, former mayor allege political motives, misuse of funds
“I’m very happy,” Hatem told Port City Daily Wednesday. “Very happy for the people that worked on the campaign … for my wife, Tish, I’m just very happy for her because this is her sixth campaign. I can think of no one who came through six of them for mayor — maybe except for Mayor [Bill] Saffo — locally and first, our citizens, I’m happy for the city.”
Hatem was Southport mayor from 2019 to 2023, when he was voted out by a narrow margin in favor of his colleague, Alderman Rich Alt. Alt took the lead by three votes at the canvass after the race originally was called for Hatem; a recount affirmed Alt’s win, but by two votes.
The results, though they won’t be finalized until the Nov. 14 canvass, were not nearly as close this go-round. Hatem received 1,208 votes compared to Alt’s 848.
Hatem said his campaign strategy included putting ads in the State Port Pilot every week for 13 weeks, going door-to-door placing flyers in people’s hands (not their doorframes) and meeting in small group gatherings hosted by neighbors. The mayor-elect also praised his two social media managers, both recent college graduates.
“We did very little social media last time, we had very strong social media this time with our communications director and campaign manager — young people that knew how to navigate it,” Hatem said.
Coupled with his message, Hatem said the campaign peaked at the right time. While much of his messaging has focused on his previous record with the town, he has committed to improving Southport’s infrastructure and preserving its natural resources if elected again.
However, Hatem has also spent a considerable amount of his campaign fending off accusations from his opponent and the public, most notably over an alleyway in which one of his Southport properties encroaches into.
When the Hatems bought the property in 2020, they filed a declaration of withdrawal for the alleyway, which they claim the house has obstructed since the house was built around 100 years ago. The declaration cites North Carolina law that allows private individuals to claim government property — rights of ways, alleys — that have been “abandoned” by a municipality for 15 years or more.
The city’s position is that the alleyway was never abandoned, and thus it has asked Hatem to remove the declaration, which was filed when Hatem was mayor but without the city’s knowledge. Both Hatem and Alderman Robert Carroll have claimed Mayor Alt brought up the declaration to smear Hatem ahead of this year’s election.
Port City Daily asked Hatem if he thought the alleyway debacle affected Tuesday’s election; he said yes but in his favor.
“It was something that should have been handled administratively,” he said. “Could have been handled by the city manager, city planner, and we could have worked that out in a much better way. It was used as a political weapon, so to speak. And I think citizens saw that and said, ‘No, no one should be using their office for personal political gain.’”
Port City Daily asked if the mayor thought the town had been moving in line with his vision for the city since he left. Noting the “wonderful foundation” he left behind, Hatem admitted some of what he wanted to accomplish have not yet come to fruition. This includes the replacement of the iconic Southport Weather Tower and restoration of the Brunswick County Historic Courthouse.
He also pointed to the waterfront stabilization project, a multi-year initiative to combat ongoing erosion threatening infrastructure and properties along the 4,000-foot shoreline. The project has received a $5-million state grant.
“Infrastructure is always a big issue, whether it’s maintaining and improving our city buildings, our roads, we want to make sure that we’re providing the services that people need,” Hatem said.
Until he takes office, though, Hatem said he is going back into the neighborhoods to connect with voters and meet with each alderman as well.
“I want to listen so I don’t know if they voted for me or not, and I want to hear from everyone,” Hatem said.
Port City Daily reached out to Mayor Alt multiple times for comment but did not receive a response by press.
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