On May 25, 2022 Mecklenburg County Commissioner Ella Scarborough, 75, died in Charlotte, NC. In the 1980s Ella became the first black female Charlotte city council member.

Ella had not attended a county meeting since October 2021 due to medical issues. The commissioner was still paid her salary of $50,000 a year which included general expenses, car, and technology allowances.
In December 2021 Ella wrote an email to County Manager Dena Diorio saying,
“I’m writing today to inform you that I will be out for the foreseeable future as I am still dealing with health challenges.”
Ella went on medical leave in early 2022.
Ella graduated from South Carolina State University and obtained a masters degree from a university in West Virginia. Ella was a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.



