McAllister Begins New Term With Message To Critics And Outside Groups

SELMA, N.C. — Selma Mayor Byron McAllister delivered a strikingly blunt and at times confrontational speech after being sworn in for another term Dec. 9, using the address to praise the town’s progress while sharply criticizing his election opponent, former local officials, outside political groups and what he described as poor communication among town staff.

McAllister, who won reelection in November, opened his remarks by invoking a phrase he said he’d heard from Pittsboro Mayor Cindy Shipp: “Clear is kind.” He said misunderstandings often stem from people hearing “yes” when they are told “no,” adding, “Let me be incredibly clear.”

“Selma is the sugar, honey, ice-tea,” McAllister said. “Selma is amazing. Our geography is unbelievable… We are building a culture that is second-to-none.”

But he quickly turned to the election season, calling it “the recent business of an Election” and saying he had watched how people behaved during the campaign. Mayor McAllister said he commended his opponent for running, joking that doing so while Olive Garden was putting up its sign in Selma “takes some moxie.”

“The voters spoke clearly. We have decided to keep going. No turning back,” he said.

McAllister criticized what he called “enablers” who supported his opponent, likening them to those in a biblical story who wanted to “turn back” despite overcoming hardships. He said those supporters fed his challenger “bad ideas and bad information.”

“My Best Campaigner, my opponent, was left hanging by Enablers… My opponent couldn’t smell the stench of bad ideas,” he said.

He also took direct aim at a former mayor whom he accused of “running around spouting nonsense.” McAllister said he welcomed accountability if Selma were ever to “crumble and decay,” but added, “Hopefully I will have enough sense to go to minding my business when my last term is done.”

McAllister criticized both the Johnston County Republican Party and the progressive organizing group Down Home North Carolina, saying he opposed outside influence in municipal elections.

“JoCo Republican Party – we haven’t heard a word from you in years, now you’re interested? Mind your business,” he said. He added of Down Home NC, “I was not interested in an endorsement from a group of people that do not live in Selma. Stay out of our borders with partisan mess.”

The mayor also directed pointed comments at local business owners and town operations. He said government should not “hold your hand through your operation,” and noted that competition and free-market pressure are part of doing business.

McAllister said the town’s job is to “build and maintain a firm foundation for all to thrive on,” highlighting progress in code enforcement and announcing the launch of a quarterly beautification award. But he said chronic code issues—including deteriorating buildings, off-code construction and poorly kept lots—must be corrected. “Fix it,” he said repeatedly.

He told residents that beginning Jan. 1, 2026, anyone receiving a code-enforcement letter would need to go through the Board of Adjustment process if they seek relief.

The mayor also criticized what he described as slow communication between staff and council, calling for improvements across departments and on the town’s social media presence. “There is no excuse,” McAllister said, adding that council has “less patience with adults” than with his own children when work goes undone.

“At the end of the day, if we fail to get the work done, that is on me, the Mayor,” he said.

McAllister referenced lessons learned from Benson Mayor Max Raynor, quoting Raynor’s statement that “the buck stops with me” following public criticism at a recent Benson meeting. “The buck always stops with the head official,” McAllister said, adding that Selma’s mayor cannot “allow foolishness, incompetence, or greed” to harm the town.

He also addressed a recent council vote rejecting a rezoning request for an affordable housing complex, calling the project “lunacy” given current development pressures. He praised the developers’ professionalism but said the council must maintain “a clear compass.”

McAllister said council behavior itself must improve, criticizing members who speak one way publicly and another privately. “Chasing squirrels slows us down,” he said.

Despite the confrontational tone, McAllister pointed to what he called a cultural shift across town departments, praising police, fire, sanitation and finance staff for community service and improvements. He highlighted Selma’s rapid commercial growth, referencing new and upcoming businesses, and celebrated the town’s appeal in regional development.

He closed by reiterating a message of civic pride. “Selma is amazing,” he said, before ending with: “God Bless the United States of America. God Bless the State of North Carolina. God Bless Johnston County. God Bless the Town of Selma.”