Mayor Frederick L. Yates
by Kathy Grear 02/15/2020Spotlight
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Biography: E.V. Wilkins
Wilkins officially entered politics when he won a seat on Roper’s town council in 1967, thus becoming the first African-American elected official in the region since the days of Reconstruction. Wilkins won the area’s mayoral election, thus becoming the first African-American mayor of Roper.
Frederick Lee Yates is a retiree of the United States Marine Corps. He is currently serving his fourth term as the first Afro-American Mayor, for the Town of Winfall, North Carolina.
Under the leadership of Mayor Yates, a new Town Hall Building was completed in January, 2003; seventeen homes have been renovated under a block Grant from the Department of Commerce; a new fire department has been built, and new trucks purchased; Winfall Landing Park was built on the Perquimans River; and the installation of a $6.4 million sewer system throughout the entire town of Winfall.
Mr. Yates is very civic minded, and serves on many boards around Eastern North Carolina which includes: Trustee Board Member Elizabeth City State University; Trustee Board Member Roanoke Missionary Baptist Association; and Deacons’ Ministry of Melton Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where he is a member. He is also member of Meridian Lodge #18; President of North Carolina Eastern Civic Group, which consists of 23 eastern counties; President of Perquimans County NAACP; and an Advisor on the Policy Committee for Albemarle Head start and Hertford Rotary; member of the board of directors of EIC.
Mr. Yates is very active in church, community and civic organizations. He is a unique “people-person “who is consistently concerned about the welfare and the betterment of others.
Mayor Frederick Lee Yates is married to Arlene, and together, they are proud parents of six.
