June 4, 2008 - 4:23pm

Orange Council alliance will try to vote mayor-elect into office today

ORANGE - City Council allies of Mayor-Elect Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., intend to try to vote him into office as acting mayor at a special meeting tonight, a month prior to his swearing-in ceremony.

The mayor's post became vacant last week when Mims Hackett pleaded guilty to attempted extortion. City Council President Lisa Perkins became acting mayor according to state statute.

But councilmen Ed Marable, Jr. and Hassan Abdul-Rasheed wonder about family ties between Hackett and Perkins and suggest that Perkins's temporary succession of Hackett violates the spirit of the state statute.

Orange sources say the pair of councilmen intend to introduce a resolution removing Perkins from the position of acting mayor and installing Mayor-Elect Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., who's due to be sworn-in on July 1.

They have the support of At-Large Councilman Donald Page, but getting that additional necessary vote they need for a majority may be more problematic.