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Four Seasons Politics

LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: They won't take yes for an answer

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Local students winners in 11th Congressional District art contest

Students from Henderson County won second and third places in the annual 11th Congressional District Art Competition sponsored by U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows. This year’s competition had 71 submissions overall from 47 different students across the district. The winning entry, Hands in Motion, was done by Pisgah High School’s Rosalyn Mary White—art student of Dustin Keyes. Second place, for Galaxy, was by Joshua Grady, of East Henderson High School, taught by Robert Wallace. Curious CowsThird place, for Curious Cows, was by Hannah King, of West Henderson High School, taught by Kelly King. Judges were Yona Wade, Jill Stepp and Eugenie Fein.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Newman, Hollocker 
spar over openness, drug court

Mary Ann Hollocker describes herself as “a daughter, wife, mother, attorney, magistrate and professor at Brevard College” but not a politician. “I’m running because law enforcement asked me to run,” she said during a district attorney candidate forum. “This is not a personal attack against Mr. Newman. I just think with my skill set I can do a better job.”A county magistrate for the past four years, she said she hears “first-hand how upset they are about how their cases are being handled. And I think with the skill set I have and experience I can fix those problems.”Newman dismissed that, pointing to his record of trying more cases, adding victims assistance personnel and aggressively prosecuting violent crime.“Because I’ve defended, I can size up a case quickly, I recognize issues very quickly,” he said. “I know the conversation that are occurring in the jails. I get it. … I’d like to know how many first-degree homicide cases Ms. Hollocker has prosecuted. I’ve prosecuted and defended many of these.”The forum at times became contentious, with Newman saying Hollocker had “interviewed” for a job in his office and Hollocker firing back that she had merely handed him a resume at a Republican Party event. As a deputy prosecutor in Hawaii, Hollocker tried everything from traffic tickets to murder, handled her own appellate work and “had a very strong working relationship with both law enforcement and victims,” she said. “The district attorney’s office most important will be open to the public during regular business hours.”Newman just as aggressively defended the move as a security measure that protects his staff, witnesses and crime victims. Newman and Hollocker meet in the Republican primary May 8 for election as the top prosecutor for District 42, made up of Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties. No Democrat filed for the seat. Here is the district attorney Q&A. Citizens own the courthouse, yet the D.A.’s office is locked and open only for appointments. No human being answers the phone and you have to leave a message for Greg Newman or his staff and those messages are not responded to. Newman: “To get in my Hendersonville office you must call. This is the reason why. When I became D.A., the office was open to the public. People would leave court and they would come in the office and many times they were upset about what happened to them in court, or they’d just come to the D.A.’s office because we seemed to be a clearinghouse for other offices. They’d send people there to ask questions like who is my lawyer? When is my court date? A lot of these people were criminal defendants, people we were prosecuting. We would have victims of crime there, we would have witnesses there. It was a volatile situation. Then we had an incident, which is why I closed that door. We had a man that didn’t like the decision I had made, barge in on a secured door, assaulted the lady that was working at the front desk and I determined at that point … that my folks shouldn’t have to put up with that. That shouldn’t have their safety jeopardized working in my office. Whoever says they don’t get an answer, we do have people that answer the phone and if it’s not answered immediately we call you back. We’re not ignoring calls. But we do control who comes in there” including witnesses and victims who help with prosecution. “I make no apologies for maintaining the safety of these good people.” Hollocker said when she worked as a prosecutor in Hawaii, “We had threats, we had problems, we dealt with it. I don’t think that you close a public office to the public. He’s claiming that criminals come in. Well, what about the victims? I can’t tell you how many times I hear in the magistrate’s office, I called the district attorney’s office, I can’t get through. There’s a sign in the clerk’s office that says, ‘We are not the district attorney’s office. We cannot help you. We don’t know why their office is not open to the public.’ If they’re not answering the phone, it’s going to be a problem. It’s trickling down to other offices. All the other offices are open to the public. So why is it just the district attorney’s office the past four years that’s had the problems. If I’m elected, the office will be open during regular business hours.” Newman: “She doesn’t work in the courts. She doesn’t represent anyone. She hasn’t prosecuted anyone here. So there’s a lot that goes on that she doesn’t know because she’s not in the courts. When she talks about these great relationships with law enforcement I hope she’s more specific.” He said he works closely with all eight police departments and three sheriff’s offices in District 29B. “Trust me, if there’s a problem, these sheriffs and police chiefs would let me know that. We communicate very well. … The law enforcement community backs us, we back them, the results speak for themselves.” Hollocker: She said she’s in court as a small claims judge and also worked in the clerk’s office before she became a magistrate. “Criminal charges start in the magistrate’s office. I take them out. I was a victim of crime, in small claims court, where the defendant perjured herself. An investigator came and investigated the case. We took out charges and only several months later did I find out that the case had been dismissed by the district attorney’s office and the reason was ‘not in the state’s interest to prosecute.’ Neither the investigator or myself was called and told why and this happens all the time. Mr. Newman can deny it if he wants to. I met with the Transylvania sheriff’s department as well as the police department and they are not happy either.” Newman: I know the case she’s talking about. I’m glad you brought it up. I was made aware by one of my assistants that Ms. Hollocker removed a lady from a house (in an eviction), I’m sure she owed her money. We were aware because we were already prosecuting (the tenant) for a very serious crime. And then I see this charge for perjury. The problem is, that lady still had procedurally a right to appeal that decision, to have a brand new hearing with an arbitrator. Procedurally, you can’t go charging people when they’re still within their right to appeal. I don’t think there was anything malicious about it. … We don’t dismiss cases unless there’s an issue with the evidence. This idea that before you make a decision, he has to ask permission (of law enforcement), wrong. Discussing it is good, if you need more information, we do that. But we have the duty and the obligation to make decisions about what to go forward with. We don’t defer that or give that to someone else to do.”   How would you handle a case of an individual using deadly force to protect himself or herself? Newman said he supports the Second Amendment. Law enforcement would investigate and bring a charge or not. “We will consult with law enforcement if they ask our opinion about what to charge. Sometimes that happens. We do that most every day frankly. I want to be clear, we depend on people trained to do the investigation and those are your law enforcement detectives and police officers and then take the evidence to us and we use that evidence in prosecuting cases.” Hollocker: “Like Mr. Newman, I support the Second Amendment. The district attorney doesn’t investigate such a case. That would be law enforcement. There are times when deadly force is justified.” What makes you the best candidate and in what area would you challenge yourself? Hollocker: “My skill set is secured because I was a prosecutor for 10 years in Hawaii. I handled all my own appellate work and argued before the Hawaii Supreme Court. For five years I was assigned to family court handling domestic violence and those are some of the toughest cases because your victims will not cooperate with you. You need to figure out a new way to prosecute a case when you have uncooperative victims. It’s very difficult. I was very successful at it.” Newman: “I’ve been practicing law and trying cases for 28 years, 18 of these here at home. I also did my own appeals in the state of Ohio. I’ve done it here in North Carolina. The private practice part, where you do civil as well as criminal work, has made me a better prosecutor.” What changes would you make to the organization? Hollocker: I would move towards having specialized assistants, specializing in specific types of crime, and cross training them, and what I’d like to do is have them travel through the three counties so that law enforcement can work more closely with an assistant who is well educated on the laws that they’re prosecuting. (To prevent burnout) I’d do two- to three-year rotations.” Newman: “I like the setup we have. Philosophically, I do not want my folks to specialize. I want them to do all areas, because we have to prosecute all types of crime, all types of assault, drug felonies, property crime. I don’t want them spending all their time all over the highways driving between the counties. That’s inefficient.” What’s your position on a drug court? Newman: “Our obligation is pretty straightforward. We are to prosecute people that violate the law. I typically resist the suggestion to start what I call boutique courts. They sometimes appear to be very good on the surface. … I have found that these various courts typically are supported by the Democratic Party. Democrats really push these things because they want to try to solve everybody’s problems and they forget the personal responsibility part of things. I work with rehabilitation services in specific cases when I think it’s appropriate. To expect me to go to court and have a judge say, ‘You’re going to go and get treatment and everything’s going to be solved’ is a pipe dream. We’re about holding people accountable.” Hollocker: “I disagree with Mr. Newman. I don’t think this is a party issue. Here in Henderson County we’ve got an epidemic with drugs, methamphetamine, heroine, prescription drug abuse. Drug courts are not for drug dealers. Drug courts are for offenders who are committing crimes because they have a drug problem. … Drug court is very difficult, it’s not easy. There are severe consequences if you violate conditions in drug court. It’s not for violent offenders. It’s for offenders who want to get control of their drug addiction.”   When moderator Bill Fishburne called for questions from the audience, Cheryl Stuller asked Newman about the lack of response from his office when a case was pending against a suspect charged in a crime at her Mills River dog-washing business. “I called to find out what happened. I never got a return call,” she said. “I never got a return call from your victims’ advocate either. I had to do all the legwork myself.”“I’m sorry to hear that was your experience,” Newman said. “We handle a lot of cases. I think most of the time we get it right. There are going to be cases that maybe weren’t handled right.”         Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Dct. 4 candidates oppose parkway, Saluda firing range

Rebecca McCall recalled that in 1974 “a 17-year-old high school was invited to be part of a planning committee to develop what we now know as Jackson Park.” The new park was named for three-term Henderson County Commissioner Clyde Jackson, McCall’s grandfather, a primary supporter of the park. “That girl was me. It was that year that I set a goal for myself to one day hold the office of county commissioner,” she said during a candidate forum. “That was very forward thinking as no woman had ever held that office.”   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Sheriff's candidates diverge on training center, animal control, body cams

Sheriff Charlie McDonald and challenger Lowell Griffin squared off during a campaign forum last week at Blue Ridge Community College, fielding questions on the proposed law enforcement training center, responsiveness to the Latino community, arming teachers, animal control, sheriff’s personnel turnover and the use of body cameras. McDonald and Griffin meet in the May 8 primary, with the winner going on to serve as sheriff for the next four years barring an unprecedented write-in campaign. No Democrat filed to run.Among Griffin’s priorities are plans to reassign supervisors to patrol duties so they get to know the community better, develop joint law enforcement task forces “to multiply our manpower without adding a burden to the taxpayer,” develop “a process where we have job security and lower the turnover rate at the sheriff’s office” and add body cameras.“Imagine having a community where you knew who was in charge of your community” in police protection, he said in closing remarks. “We need these officers back out here in your community, responsive to you, able to identify problems areas, able to make a difference … We need to revisit our relationships (with neighboring agencies). I want to bring job security to the sheriff’s office. We talked about the turnover, the money associated with the turnover.”McDonald touted reforms that he said has transformed the sheriff’s office into a “premier law enforcement agency” from the one he took over amid turmoil in 2012 following the resignation the previous November of Sheriff Rick Davis.“We have buried once and for all the good ol’ body system that inevitably leads to inefficiency and corruption,” McDonald said. Strategic policing has “enabled us to exceed our crime reduction goals five years in a row.”“We are leading the charge to improve school safety for our most precious resources — our children and our grandchildren,” he said. “Despite what’s being said by those with axes to grind, I would submit that we can’t afford to turn back,” he said in closing. “We’ve shown Henderson County what can be accomplished when an agency comes together as a team to accept necessary change, embrace best practices and organizational management. Morale is high, our staff is well-trained.”Here is the candidate Q&A:   What’s your position on the law enforcement training center? McDonald: “The $20 million training center was never my idea, was never anything I asked for. I asked for an outdoor training facility and outdoor range area multiple times actually. The commissioners in trying to help facilitate our ability to train sought the services of architects that came up with a proposal that would cost $22 million. I talked to commissioners a year ago, one or two at a time, and asked them to table the current proposal at Blue Ridge Community College while we tried to find some land to do something outside. We’re asking our men and women to do more and more and to be trained to a higher level of efficiency. I think everybody understands law enforcement needs to have the ability to train realistically in rapidly evolving situations so they can practice critical decision skills and combat tactics. The only way they can do that is to have a full-service training center where we can have force-on-force options and the ability for officers to train in more than one direction at a time.” Griffin: He became aware of a training facility in Alabama with “different concrete structures, bare bones, very cheap. They’ve created a village (that has) a mock post office, a convenience store, residential structures. With this village, we can employ different weapon systems besides the live fire. We can use that for static targets as well as force-on-force training. If we do this right, we can create a village that becomes a total emergency services training area. … If we decide to go with an outdoor training center, we’ve got to have transparent studies that show the effect on the quality of life of everyone that may be around or affected by that. There are a lot of options. I think we really need to slow down and discuss and choose what’s right.” What are your plans for school safety? McDonald: Shortly after the Sandy Hook shootings, “We put together the adopt-a-school program. Deputies, detectives would go to schools during unannounced times of the day. As we had this last incident in Parkland, quickly we changed the rules about getting folks to be at the schools. We also got permission to pay our off-duty guys to go into these schools that don’t have a standing SRO. In the meantime, Henderson County is going to release money to hire the school resources deputies that we need (next school year).” Griffin: “There’s no bankful of gold anywhere in the world that is worth more than one child is. This was a topic of debate four years ago in this Republican primary. And I agree there has to be a collaborative effort between law enforcement, the school administration and the Board of Education. I know there needs to be some training inside these facilities. We need to practice lockdowns. These officers can have role model in the schools, somebody that can actually spot problems that these children have, even outside the schools.” What is your position on arming teachers? McDonald: “No. 1, it’s not legal in North Carolina. I’ve talked to teachers who don’t want to carry guns and don’t think they should have to. I’ve talk to other teachers who have conceal-carry and would like to be able to and feel like they would be that last line of defense if an active shooter comes into their classroom. I think there’s a place for that. The most responsive law enforcement can get there within three minutes. The SRO may be halfway across the campus. I think armed teachers, properly trained and properly vetted, should be allowed.” Griffin: “It’s one thing to carry a gun. It’s another thing to have the mindset to actually use that gun in the use of deadly force. Not all teachers probably qualify to carry a gun and discharge it safely in the chaos when there’s a crisis going on at the school. It has to be a collaborative effort to identify a teacher who has the mindset, who has the skills to maintain the security of a weapon on the school grounds and to be able to discharge that weapon in a manner that’s not going to put anybody else in danger should a crisis occur. I do agree there are those that are capable of doing that.” Why doesn’t the sheriff’s office enforce animal control inside cities? McDonald: “Because it’s illegal.” A citizen complained that the sheriff’s office is not authorized to enforce city ordinances “and basically said we were kidnapping animals. … We don’t have the legal authority to do that” except through an agreement between the city and county. Cities chose not to pay for the service from the county. “I think the county and the municipalities would be better off if we did it all. It’s easier on the animal shelter, it’s easier on the health department and it’s easier on our deputies. The problem is we can’t do it when we don’t have the resources. The bottom line, this has nothing to do with my stance. It really rests on the Board of Commissioners and I support why they took the position that they did.” Griffin: “Folks in the municipalities, they pay county taxes, too. I would like to go back to the Board of Commissioners, work with the municipalities and work out an agreement to where we could enforce these animal enforcement laws inside the municipalities. A lot of these municipalities add a significant amount to the county tax base. I believe that I could reallocate resources, that I could work with the commissioners and work these municipalities to ensure they get the services that they’re entitled to.” Is the sheriff’s office better than four years ago? Griffin: “What we’ve seen in the sheriff’s office is a tremendous turnover rate. We’re looking at right now, a 50 percent turnover rate. There are tremendous officers that are still there. Henderson County lost a lot of talent and experience. Taxpayers invested tens of thousands in training. What should have been a county asset has been pushed aside.” School safety and animal control remain unresolved. “I can’t say it’s better off.” McDonald: There has been turnover. “I’ve said this from day one. If you don’t have character and ethics to wear the badge honorably you’re not going to stay at our office. By the same token, we are recruiting some of the brightest people we’ve ever recruited. We’re attracting from other places.” Griffin: “The mantra that I’ve heard is loyalty over skill set. The only loyalty I’m going to demand is going to be loyalty to you, the citizens of Henderson County that we serve. … We have lost over 100 personnel at the sheriff’s office. It takes $100,000 to $150,000 to replace that person. You’re looking at $10-15 million in what you the taxpayer has actually paid.” McDonald: “No. 1, anyone who runs an office or organization has the right to expect that the the folks that work for them carry out their duty. I was hired by the citizens of Henderson County to do specific things, I promised them I would and I haven’t broken a promise yet. But when I find folks within my agency who can’t buy into that mission and who would be subversive and counterproductive I don’t care how much training they have I’ll pass and I’ll go get another one.” In turnover, “22 percent resigned for higher paying jobs, moving away, starting businesses or scheduled health issues, 25 percent retired; 33 percent retired or resigned in lieu of termination and of those 55 percent (were for) unbecoming conduct, ethics or policy violation, 17 percent work performance, 8 percent criminal acts and 17 percent subverted the sheriff’s missions and goals.” How effective is the sheriff’s at working with the Latino community? McDonald: “My commitment is to anybody who lives this county, whether they’re here on a visa or not, I don’t ask about that. My deputies don’t ask about that when we do our job. Our job is to provide safety and security.” Griffin: The sheriff ought to be mindful of the economic contribution Latinos make. “There are actually industries here that would fold without these folks. We have to have a relationship. I would actually like to establish a liaison for the Latino community. We have to earn trust. … They can help us root out the bad actors in their community.” What’s your position on body cameras? McDonald: “When we start accepting things like this they take us down the slippery slope. Before we jump at something that looks good, we’ve got to think it through. Body cameras have caused officers to second guess or to hold back. Body cameras hold us to a level of visual acuity that a human being doesn’t have. A body camera can see many many times more clearly and more detail than the human eye can, particularly when a human being is under stress. The camera doesn’t have the information that the officer has. If the state were to mandate I would have to. If my deputies asked for it I would do that. If you carry yourself ethically and properly and you don’t generate a bunch of complaints that are verified and validated I trust you.” Griffin: “Contrary to popular belief, we have suspects that are right. I have spoken to many officers whose agencies employ body cameras and the vast majority are pro-camera. We’ve already got cameras in the cars. Sometimes officers are at a disadvantage because the suspects are able to produce more visual evidence than the officer during an arrest. Almost every one of you out there carries a video camera with you. I know of one case right now where we’re going to use body-cam footage in a homicide trial. It is basically a fundamental piece of technology that need to employ here.”             Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

LIVE COVERAGE: Sheriff's debate

Opening remarks: Griffin goes first, opens with his standard minibio that he's served the public for 35 years (fire and rescue), the last 26 in law enforcement, too. He would redeploy some of the brass to the streets and have them involved in the communities they cover.   McDonald touts his record of reform andreducing crime, reforming the department after Sheriff Rick Davis resigned amid a scandal. First question: What's the status of the $20 million range. Why not use Edneyville training center. "That's not a done deal," McDonald said of the training center and firing range proposed for Saluda. "Here's what the problem. We're asking our men and women to do more and more and be trained to a high level of efficiency ... They may not respond the way they need to respond." Griffin said he's trained across the U.S. In Alabama, he saw an idea of a "bare bones" training center that mocks a village, with a post office, houses. We can employ different weapon system besides the live fire," he said. "If we do this this right we  can create a village that becomes a multipurpose training center," use for fire and EMS, too. "If we decide we've got to have transparent studies that shows the real effect on the quality of life of ev that might be around or affected by that. ... There are a lot of options we really need to slow down and discuss and choose what's right." Rebuttal: "It's not necessarily a done deal. We've had offers from citizens in the community to help us find an area," McDonald said. The training needs continue. Griffin: "We have to have ongoing training. It's got to be realistic, it's got to be dynamic." SECOND QUESTION: What plans to you have for school safety? McDonald: Started the adopt a school program, where deputies dropped in on schools, ate lunch, checked in. In 2016 deputies made 3,747 random visits. After Parkland, he stepped up the drop-in visits and also paid off-duty officers to increase those. "We're wearing our men and women on their off days to be able to cover these schools," he said. He said he had received confirmation that County Manager Steve Wyatt's recommended budget would put deputies in all schools — without a tax increase. Griffin: It has to be a priority. "There is no bankful of gold anywhere in the world that's worth more than one child is." Deputies in schools was a topic four years ago, he said. He recommends practicing lockdowns, he's for SROs in schools, protecting children and serving as a role model. "We've got to get back to looking at school safety realistically" and harden each school against attacks. McDonald: Safety starts with a mindset. "It doesn't matter how much money yu spend or how many people you put in there if the people don't buy into and use the system consistently." QUESTION 3: Arming teachers. McDonald: No. 1, it's not legal in North Carolina. He's heard from teachers who oppose it and those with conceal-carry permits who are silling to.  "I think there's a place for that. I think we ought to be able to give them that opportunity." Griffin: "It's one thing to carry a gun and it's one thing to have the mindset to use that gun in deadly force." It would have to be a collaborative effort of all parties, for training, vetting. "I do agree that there are those that are capable of doing that." And that was allowed, he would have no problem with them defending classrooms. Question 4 Why doesn't sheriff provide animal enforcement inside cities. "Because it's illegal," McDonald said. A citizen claimed sheriff's deputies were "kidnapping animals." Commissioners were willing to pass an ordinance but the cities passed on the cost of picking up the cost. When he came into office, he asked the cities again. "I think the county and the municipalities would be better off if we did it all." He doesn't have the money, he said. "The bottom line is this has nothing to do with my stance. It really rests on the Board of Commissioners and I support why they took the position that they did." Griffin: He would work out an agreement "to where we could enforce these animal enforcement laws" inside city. The cities add a significant amount of money to the tax base. "They're already contributing a significant amount to the county budget overall." Question: How well does the sheriff's office work with Latino community? McDonald: "My commitment to anybody who lives in this county. what, i don;t ask abut that, my deputies don't ask about that when we do our job." Griffin: "There are industries that would fold without that community. I would actually like to establish a liaison for the Latino community. We have to earn trust in this communities. ... so they can help us  point out the bad actors in their community." Question 7: What's your position on 287g, the program in which local law officers work with ICE. Griffin: He would need to study it more. He wants to catch "bad actors." "I don't want to use it as a tactic that's going to intimidate the Latino community that this county relies so heavily on." McDonald: "Obviously Mr. Griffin doesn't understand. It has nothing do with the roundup this weekdn. That was federal officers taking care of federal laws and federal warants." The sheriff's uses it in the jail to run records of people already arrested to identify immigrants that have a record. After the question about 287g, a program widely mistrusted by immigration activists, the Latino protesters in the back of the room made a little noise, held up signs and walked out. QUESTION: How much have you raised? Neither knows what the exact number is. What's your position on body cameras: McDonald: He does not support it for the sheriff's office. "They take us down a slippery slope without thinking about the ramifications." Body cameras can cause officers to second-guess. The camera can't hear what the officer can hear. Studies show that officers in some cases were a lot less pro-active. "If the state were to mandate it I would have to. If my deputies came to me and asked for it I would do that." He trusts officers without use of body cameras. Griffin: "Transparency for the public, safety for the officers. I have spoken to many officers that used body cams and the vast majority are pro-camera. We've already got cameras in the car. ... I have one case right now where we're going to use body cam footage in a homicide trial. We want to prosecute these domestic violence cases ... It's often difficult to be able to portray to the court such an emotionally charged situation. Many times this footage will allow us to prosecute those very cases. It's basically a fundamental technology that we need to employ here." McDonald: "We were making cases and getting them to hold up in court long before body cameras came along." At times body cams make the officer look like he's done something wrong. The footage can be misleading. The sheriff's forum is wrapping up with little fireworks. Both came across as experienced lawmen, who are not that far apart on the basics. They differ on body cams — McDonald against, Griffin for — and the law enforcement training center. McDonald again touted his reforms; Griffin said he would make sure the command staff and rank and file did not have to put put loyalty above performance. McDonald said in his closing statement that many of those who support Griffin "worked to subvert" reforms the sheriff's office needed to make. Griffin promised "community involvement officers" who would know the people and police effectively. Joint enforcement teams have fallen away, he said. We have to have this partnership for more efficient law enforcement. He promised less turnover and more job security, again pledged to use body cameras.     LIVE COVERAGE. RETURN TO THE LIGHTNING FOR MORE     Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Ward blasts board over county manager bonuses

Henderson County Commission candidate Don Ward is questioning the action by the Board of Commissioners granting large bonuses to the county manager, saying the amounts appear to be excessive and should have been approved in an open session. A campaign supporter made a public record request and received a spreadsheet showing County Manager Steve Wyatt’s salary, cost of living increases and bonuses dating back to March 2012. The records show that Wyatt has received $226,700 in bonuses since March of 2016, including a $75,000 lump sum bonus and $14,342 retention bonus effective April 6. His regular salary is $191,227.Ward is running in the May 8 Republican primary against Rebecca McCall for the District 4 seat held by two-term incumbent Tommy Thompson, who is retiring. At a Republican Party-sponsored debate with McCall last week, Ward and his supporters submitted a question about Wyatt’s salary and bonuses, using an old trick he learned from Ab Jackson, the Henderson County sheriff in the 1980s and ’90s. “We’re going to tear the top left corner off each one of the questions,” he told a supporter, so they could see which ones made it to the moderator. Only one did, he said. Wyatt’s pay is a legitimate issue, Ward said, because of the amount but also because of what he describes as a lack of openness.“They’ve been doing this in closed session. In my opinion this should be open session,” he said. “That’s the way we always did. To me this is hidden dollars. They’ve taken the liberty in closed session doing things I think should be in public session. If you look realistically at $75,000 and $90,000, that would pay for almost two school resource officers in our school system. … What is he doing that deserves a $75,000 bonus?”A lot, two county commissioners said when asked to respond to Ward’s criticism.Board chair Michael Edney and Commissioner Tommy Thompson strongly defended the pay increases and bonuses.“In that bonus I would say we did our research for all the counties in North Carolina and found that the amount we were paying Steve via retention or straight-out bonuses or standard salary was in line with the rest of them. “Should we have come out in an open session? I don’t know. I don’t know what the appropriate protocol would be.”“I have no problems with what I voted on. I’d back it up 100 percent. Steve has done an absolutely wonderful job for us and deserves the bonus. Between him and the finance office, they have saved in past 7½ years since I’ve been there millions and millions and millions of dollars — selling stuff at a premium and buying stuff where we could do it (at lower prices). I got no problem saying I voted for that.”The Board of Commissioners sets the salary for the county manager, county attorney, sheriff and register of deeds. (The salary of a third constitutional officer, the clerk of court, is set by the state.)“It was an enthusiastic unanimous endorsement of the fact that he has earned that,” Thompson said of the board's discussion and vote in closed session. “This county has no idea the job that he has. If you look at the hospital, corporations, the head of other institutions around here he’s not making any more money than any of them are. His overall salary is nowhere near what a lot of these CEOs and what of a lot of these corporate heads make. We’re still conservative for the amount (of pay) for what he produces.”Retention bonuses are part of the county’s pay policy and apply to all employees, Thompson said.“Each individual who works in the county has the opportunity to receive a retention bonus depending on what they’re supervisor feels is appropriate for them,” Thompson said. “I’ve always said since I came into the county commission I was never going to balance the budget on the backs of the employees.” Edney said that he had “absolutely” voted for the bonuses. He ticked off numerous reasons why.“He’s the best manager in state, or one of the best,” he said. “Thirty years of service, not all of them here but a number of years here. He has saved the county 10-fold every penny he makes. Good management, leadership. Getting the most out of employees. He’s been a godsend to Henderson County.”Both Thompson and Edney said it’s Wyatt’s fiscal management that has helped the county pile up a fund balance approaching $50 million, a hefty reserve account that keeps taxes low. “He deserves a great deal of credit for that,” Edney said. “He’s doing the day in day out stuff, from the lowest employee all the way to the top. It’s a culture that he creates. … He could be in Wake, Mecklenburg, any of those places if he wanted to making three times the money.”As for approving the bonuses in closed session, Edney said there’s no motive for secrecy.“We release those minutes,” he said. “They do become open. They are open, maybe not immediately.”He declined to offer an opinion on whether the county manager’s pay ought to be a issue in the District 4 campaign.“I made it policy not to get involved in Republican primaries,” he said.Thompson was not so reticent.“If Ward is wanting to make an issue on this thing, those votes were unanimous,” Thompson said. “That was not a 3-2 or 4-1. That was unanimous as to (Wyatt’s) productivity, his ability and his success in doing his job. He can take whatever issue he wants but it’s got nothing to do with running against her. That’s just trying to get his name in front of the people in some form for free advertising.”   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

WHKP to air sheriff's debate

WHKP 1450 AM and 107.7 FM will air the two-hour sheriff's debate live from Blue Ridge Community College on Tuesday  beginning at 7 p.m. The station will also stream the debate on whkp.com. Incumbent Sheriff Charlie McDonald and challenger Lowell Griffin meet in the May 8 Republican primary.   Read Story »

Saluda Four Seasons Politics

BIG CROWD PROTESTS SHOOTING RANGE

A crowd of nearly 200 people gathered at the Grove Street Courthouse on Saturday, protesting a shooting range in Saluda and expressing anger that county officials barred them from a meeting inside where county officials described construction plans to the closest neighbors.Deputies posted outside said they were told that the county identified property owners within a half mile and sent them letters. Those were allowed in. Others, including the news media, were barred from attending.County Manager Steve Wyatt said Friday afternoon that officals and engineers planning the shooting range and law enforcement training center would brief the news media later.At 10 a.m. residents of the Macedonia Road area and other Saluda residents had filled the parking lot and congregated at the front of the courthouse. Later, the crowd stood on the courthouse steps and listened to speakers excoriate the idea of a shooting range and express frustration that the county had closed the information meeting. Most people outside the courthouse said they felt entitled to be in the meeting. Pamela Sacco’s grandfather bought 100 acres on Macedonia Road 100 years ago, she said, and she has been visiting the land since she was a little girl and now lives on it. “When they shoot the bullets they’re going to go over their property and land on me,” said Pamela Sacco, who was denied entrance. “I learned to walk there. It’s in my soul. To me it’s like building something in DuPont Forest. It’s beautiful and pristine and the birds, the geese come into our lake.” Chandler Ward lives close to the property but did not get an invitation to Saturday’s information “I think mine’s close enough to qualify,” he said. “I’m a builder and developer. Ain’t nobody going to buy property to build three or four houses” next to a firing range. Along with his cousin, County Commission candidate Don Ward, he was later admitted inside. “This is a political move by the commissioners to help Charlie win the election,” Don Ward said. “That’s the only thing it helps.” “How many resource officers could we put in the schools for $6 million,” Steve Rhodes asked, provoking one of the loudest cheers. “The issue on the front burner right now is children’s safety. How many school shootings are we going to witness and this clown wants to put $6 million on a training facility. When we already have one that could be utilized. Bullet-proof doors. Metal detectors, something, $6 million to protect our children, not for some guy that’s going to go shootin’ out in the woods.” Four candidates for office showed up, capitalizing on a crowd of likely voters. "That $6 million would have helped my school," said Norm Bossert. "I'm not only retired principle and candidate for state Senate as well, and it bothers me almost more than anything that this is their idea of transparency in government. The doors should be open to everybody. I think it's immoral and unjust to lock people out of a room where your voices have a right to be heard — a room that you paid for." "Personally I don't think it's going to work for the sheriff," Bossert said. "These people are p---ed off. To me if the people didn't care, I'd say OK. They care, this is their neighborhood, where their homes are, where their kids play. I would bet that there are just as many Republicans here as Democrats. This is not a partisan issue. ... Don't we have sunshine laws here in North Carolina. Apparently, they're not as much use today." Sam Edney, a candidate for the state House, called the shooting range an example of “government overreach” that has become common in Raleigh. “How many times have they tried to locate this range?” Edney said. “Four,” people in the crowd said. “Well, you’re doing what Americans do. Your voices are going to be heard and that’s appropriate. I can tell you when I get sworn in my door will always be open.” The Kury family from Spartanburg even showed up "because we spend all of our time and all of our extra dollars there," Mary Kury said. She and her husband, an arborist, and their five children, ages 4-10, visit Saluda as often as they can. "We're always on the river, we're always hiking in the gamelands. The detriment to the natural resources is astonishing. Oftentimes when we stay, we stay in a cottage right up Macedonia Road." "He's quit being a public servant and he's went to being a politician," Rhodes said. "And this right here proves it because he's shutting out the public's opinion. There's a facility right now that's not even being used to its capacity. Why are they pushing for this?" Camp Wayfarer owner Nancy Wilson noted that the Saluda location is the fourth try at siting the training center. "Does that not begin to tell the county commissioners something's out of whack?" At noon, the property owners allowed in still had not emerged and all but two political candidates — Bossert and Edney — and about seven and landowners and the press waited outside a locked door. Everyone else had gone home.       Read Story »

North Carolina Four Seasons Politics

Former BRCC president seeking NC Senate seat on coast

David Sink, who served as president of Blue Ridge Community College for 20 years, is running for the state Senate in Brunswick County on the coast south of Wilmington.   Read Story »

Four Seasons Politics Archive