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Four Seasons Politics

FLETCHER Q&A: Whiteside challenges Mayor Moore

Hendersonville Four Seasons Politics

Candidates field questions on water, greenways, 7th Avenue

Candidates for the Hendersonville City Council are unanimous in their opposition to efforts by the Henderson County Board of Commissioners to encroach on the city’s independent authority over its water system.   Read Story »

Hendersonville Four Seasons Politics

20-year-old City Council candidate announces write-in campaign

John Moore, the 20-year-old community college student who has appealed an Elections Board ruling that he's too young to run for office, has launched a write-in campaign for a seat on the Hendersonville City Council. After the county Board of Elections ruled on July 20 that state law requires candidates for office to be at least 21 years old, Moore appealed to the courts. It's up to the state Supreme Court to resolve a conflict in state law, which says a qualified voter who is 21 years old "shall be eligible for election" to office, and Hendersonville's charter, which says only that candidates for mayor and council "must be a resident and a qualified voter of the City." Moore says state law tilts in his favor. When state law and city charter conflict, "the charter procedure shall control," the general statute says. Because a legal fight between Gov. Roy Coopeer and the General Assembly has left the state Elections Board with no appointed members, Moore's relief was at the state Supreme Court only. He is represented by John Noor, of Roberts Stevens in Asheville. The North Carolina Supreme Court could rule on his petition on Nov. 3, Moore said, five days before the general election. Early one-stop voting in the municipal elections started on Thursday.     Read Story »

Saluda Four Seasons Politics

SAMPLE BALLOTS: One-stop voting opens today

One-stop voting for the 2017 municipal elections opened Thursday and continues through Saturday, Nov. 4. The Board of Elections at 75 East Central Street (off Spartanburg Highway behind O'Reilly Auto Parts) is the only early voting site. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20 and Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 30-Nov. 3 and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Griffin to run for County Commission

Tim Griffin, who ran a close race for the Henderson County Board of Commissioners four years ago, announced Monday that he will run again in 2018. "I feel strongly that better communication and cooperation is a necessity between Henderson County and all the municipalities within," Griffin said in a news release. "We need to provide for the proper infrastructure to attract the industries that will allow for agriculture to flourish. We need to support the school board and continue to provide the highest quality of education possible for our students. We have to pursue avenues for affordable housing to make it affordable for families to remain in Henderson County. Our budget needs to remain revenue neutral for the foreseeable future with budgeting concerns being approached in a conservative manner." He will run for the Republican nomination for the District 4 seat currently held by Tommy Thompson. "I prefer not to make a commitment one way or the other right now" on his plans, he said. Here is Griffin's announcement: I have called Henderson County home for 52 years. I have fond memories of growing up in Henderson County as I witnessed the county itself grow. I am a graduate of East Henderson High School and attended Western Carolina University. I have completed extensive training and education in the public service sector.During my early teens my parents instilled in me the values of serving and giving back to society. I entered the fire and rescue service over 34 years ago and have served as a firefighter, both volunteer and career, for over 34 years. Basically I have based my entire life on public service and assisting the people of Henderson County. I retired from law enforcement in Henderson County after 30 years of service. I currently hold the positions of reserve police officer with the City of Hendersonville, assistant chief as well as sitting member of the board of directors of Dana Fire and Rescue, and currently am employed full time as a firefighter/engineer with Etowah Fire and Rescue.Faith is an important part of my life. I attend The Bridge Church where I also serve on the Board of Trustees. For many years I have enjoyed raising money to benefit causes that have touched my heart which include the Special Olympics and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.I am married to the tremendous and supportive Paula Caulder Griffin and the proud father of two daughters, Jordan McCarson and Lindsey Griffin. Raising a family in Henderson County has been an extraordinary experience for me. I have been asked by many people to seek the position of commissioner and one of the reasons that I have accepted the challenge is to ensure that the quality of life in Henderson County remains an exceptional place for other families to grow and thrive. As a commissioner I will endeavor to be your voice for the community concerning issues such as education, agriculture, and emergency services. Anyone that knows me realizes that I have never met a stranger and am willing to discuss ideas with anyone. I feel that a commissioner shoulders the responsibility of listening to and acting in the best interests of the citizens of Henderson County. My door will remain open to your concerns.I look forward to hearing your questions and concerns as we move forward. We will be providing more information as we move forward through a website and Facebook page that will be released soon.Thank You For Your Support.       Read Story »

Hendersonville Four Seasons Politics

McGrady to seek re-election

Rep. Chuck McGrady announced on Tuesday that he will seek re-election to another term in the North Carolina House of Representatives following meetings with Henderson County business and community leaders. McGrady has served in the state House for seven years and is a former Henderson County Commissioner and Flat Rock Village Council member. “After consulting with a wide-range of Henderson County’s business and community leaders following the recent legislative sessions, I’ve decided to seek re-election,” McGrady said. “There is still work to complete on some difficult water and sewer issues affecting Henderson County, and my background in local government and as an environmental leader make me uniquely qualified to help resolve these matters.” “Similarly, Henderson County’s craft brewers, cideries, and wineries seek changes to outdated state regulation of alcoholic beverages, and as co-chair of the House Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee, I’m well-positioned to help them continue to grow.” These industries have a statewide annual economic impact of over $3 billion and provide tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. McGrady admits to having vacillated on re-election in 2016 and this cycle. Two years ago, he said he was ready to retire if state Sen. Tom Apodaca would stay on. But when Apodaca, a more senior member, resigned in the summer of 2016, McGrady stayed on. This year, he said he would have been ready to go if a qualified candidate had come forward. “While it has been a great honor to represent District 117 in the NC House, I hadn’t expected to run for re-election again,” McGrady said in the news release. “However, several well-qualified leaders in Henderson County indicated that they were not yet ready to run for the House seat in 2018. By 2020, I expect that several strong candidates will step forward to run for the seat.” McGrady is co-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, which writes the state’s annual budget. In recent years, he’s played an important role in securing funding for a number of local-area projects, including a new medical school, improvements at the DuPont State Recreational Forest, and renovations to both the WNC Farmers Market and the WNC Agricultural Center. He’s worked closely with Henderson County’s economic development arm, the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, to attract new companies to Henderson County by reforming burdensome state regulations on business. District 117 includes about two-thirds of Henderson County, and freshman Rep. Cody Henson (R-Transylvania) represents southern Henderson County. Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson), who represents all of Transylvania and Henderson Counties and part of Buncombe County, is also a freshman, having replaced Sen. Tom Apodaca in 2016. McGrady is the senior Republican House Member from western North Carolina and is a key lieutenant to House Speaker Tim Moore, who has tapped McGrady for a number of leadership posts. Former House Speaker and current U.S. Senator Thom Tillis also named McGrady to key positions, including co-chair of the House Education Appropriations Committee and, following the coal ash spill in the Dan River in 2014, the House’s lead sponsor of North Carolina’s first-in-the-nation coal ash management law. “Henderson County has been blessed by a series of strong legislators that have represented the county over the past three decades — including Republican Senator Tom Apodaca and Democratic Senator Clark Plexico, and Republican Representatives Larry and Carolyn Justus — all of whom served as committee chairs while serving in the legislature. I’m seeking reelection, in part, because Henderson County needs my experience and seniority in the legislature at this time.”       Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

4 SEASONS POLITICS: Democratic Women, Freeman endorsed

Democratic Women celebrate 40th anniversary The Democratic Women of Henderson County will celebrate its 40th anniversary at an annual fall luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 12, at the Hendersonville Country Club, with North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin as keynote speaker.The organization looks back 40 years to its formation in 1977 when 144 women became charter members, led by Mae Alexander, Phyllis Capps, Elizabeth Clark, Billie Dalton, Pat Gossett, Lucy Miller, Marilyn Miller, Ruth Semashko, Bea Sumner and Sylvia Waters.The DWHC founding members saw the expansion of women into the workforce beyond traditional roles; the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case; and the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). To buy tickets to the luncheon or to learn more about the organization, call 828-692-6424 or visit MYHCDP.COM. Health care on menu at Democratic breakfast Speaker Lance Goller, MPA, will speak about the current health care debate during the Henderson County Democratic Party’s monthly breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at party headquarters, 905 Greenville Highway. All-you-can eat buffet is $9 for adults, $4.50 for children under 10 and free for first-time attendees. Meadows endorses Freeman’s re-election U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows has endorsed Mills River Mayor Larry Freeman for re-election in the Nov. 7 city election.Freeman was first elected to represent Mills River’s Town Council District 1in 2009 and was re-elected without opposition in 2013. For the past four years he has also served as the town’s mayor, which is elected by the council.“In the years that I’ve known him, Larry Freeman has been an outstanding friend and a rock in the Henderson County community,” Meadows said. “His strong and steady leadership has been critical not only to serving the people of Mills River locally but also in assisting people like myself as we look to serve and meet the needs closest to home.”Freeman faces Brian Caskey in the District 1 race. One-stop voting starts Oct. 19.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Cities honor McGrady for sinking billboard bill

State Rep. Chuck McGrady was recognized Friday as one of two recipients of the N.C. League of Municipalities’ Community Champion Award. State Sen. Paul Newton was also honored with the award.The award was presented to each legislator for dedicated support of North Carolina cities and towns during the 2017 legislative session. The presentations took place at CityVision 2017, NCLM’s annual conference held this week in Greenville.Representative McGrady is serving his fourth term in the N.C. House, representing Hendersonville and portions of Henderson County. A co-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, he was a key advocate for the defeat of harmful billboard legislation that the League actively opposed.“I so much appreciate this recognition from my kindred souls in local government,” said McGrady, a former Flat Rock Village Council member and Henderson County commissioner.Outgoing League President Bob Matheny, mayor of Zebulon, praised both Newton and McGrady for their willingness to listen to and consider the concerns of municipal officials.“We truly appreciate your work at the General Assembly and that you are willing to make the sacrifice to serve in Raleigh,” Matheny said.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Griffin challenges sheriff on crime stats, training center

Lowell Griffin, who is running for the Republican nomination for sheriff, rebutted some of Sheriff Charlie McDonald’s claims about crime reduction and questioned the need for a $20 million indoor training center.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

McDonald touts crime reduction, community engagement

Sheriff Charlie McDonald kicked off his re-election campaign before about 100 supporters, casting himself as a leader of ongoing change that has improved his agency. “Why do I want to be here another four years? Either I’m crazy or I have a sense of mission and purpose,” he told the gathering at the Boyd Chevrolet showroom on Sept. 14. “It’s probably both. I really believe if we can stay here another four years we will have firmly turned that aircraft carrier when it comes to how we provide service but also how we train and educate and promote and attract the right kind of people in law enforcement.”A reluctant and inexperienced candidate four years ago, McDonald has over his first term managed to attract support from across the county and throughout the Republican Party. He has a $100-a-head fundraiser scheduled next month at the Hendersonville Country Club with U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows and state Sen. Chuck Edwards as special guests.Appointed in early 2012 after the resignation of Rick Davis the previous November, McDonald has said he faced a major management task in rebuilding training, ethics and morale.“We’ve got professional standards that we’ve never had before,” he said. “We look at our folks not as expendable commodities despite what you may have heard. We do hold folks to a high level of accountability but we invest in them. We invest in them for your sake and we invest in them for their sake because we want that guy who comes in and wants to serve their community 30 years later as they’re retiring.“If morale and work ethic is any indication of how things are going I think we’ve got a tremendously successful sheriff’s office,” he continued. “Why? I’ve got a lot of support from the community. I’m going to need a lot of support from the community as we go forward once we win this election. But don’t ever forget it’s the men and women that do the job, day in and day out, who make me look good and make me proud.”McDonald also pointed to an aggressive outreach campaign and attempts to enlist neighbors and organizations in crime prevention programs and said that targeted enforcement approaches had reduced house burglaries and other crime.“One of our emphasis in the last five years has been, No. 1 return the sheriff’s office back to the community, engage with the community for the safety of itself and be able to work in partnership with the community to be able to enhance our way of life to provide better security and better interaction with law enforcement and the folks who elected us to serve them,” he said.“In the last five years we’ve reduced by four years straight we’ve reduced breaking and enterings and property crimes and Part 1 (violent) crimes by a significant amount,” he said. “If we stay on the track we’re on right now breaking and entering and property crimes has been reduced by 49 percent since we started keeping those records in 2012.“We’re an agency that’s come through a tremendous amount of cultural change. … I can tell you the Henderson County sheriff’s office, five years later, has gone through an awful lot, has endured a lot, is hands down one of the best, brightest and motivated sheriff’s office anywhere in the state of North Carolina.”He said when he encounters peers in law enforcement, they usually praise Henderson County’s sheriff’s office.“We really are the agency that most are measured by,” he said. “We’re just as committed now as we were five years ago when we started to continue to grow, to be responsive to the community, to be able always ensure that you get the professional level of service and courtesy from our folks. I’m amazed day in and day out by the calls and emails and just talking to people in the community who want to talk about and brag on what they see from our personnel.” SHIRTTAILSheriff McDonald is holding a fundraiser at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Hendersonville Country Club. Tickets are $100 per person or $175 per couple. For information or to buy tickets call Doris Hawkins 828.691.9700 or email hawkinsg@bellsouth.net. Lowell Griffin challenges McDonald on crime stats Lowell Griffin, who is running for the Republican nomination for sheriff, rebutted some of Sheriff Charlie McDonald’s claims about crime reduction and questioned the need for a $20 million indoor training center.“The incredible number that stands out is either 42 or 47 percent depending on the meeting you have attended,” Griffin said in a statement. “Any reduction in crime that dramatic would have law enforcement agency heads from across the country visiting to learn how this was accomplished. A reduction in this type of crime would mean the caseload for investigations would be reduced nearly the same 50 percent. Sounds like he could have reassigned detectives if this was actually the case instead of asking for additional personnel.”Griffin, a captain in the Polk County sheriff’s office, said that as a law enforcement instructor, “I completely understand the need for training and more training.” The proposed training center, he added, “is a facility for marksmanship training that offers little to nothing in the way of training for real world encounters. There is no provision for training in the elements, moving and shooting in multiple directions, practicing proper cover and concealment techniques on a tactical approach, etc. As a matter of fact, it offers no more than the current indoor range at the Western North Carolina Justice Academy offers other than longer shooting lanes. This proposal comes with an extravagant price tag and will not meet the needs of the officers.”Griffin, one of about eight officers that McDonald sacked after his election in November 2014, vowed to shield deputies from campaign politics.“I have a plan that I will reveal that will provide increased job security for the employees,” he said. “Henderson County deserves officers that are not afraid to do their job for fear of political reprisal. I envision officers’ productivity increasing as officers feel secure in their careers as they no longer are forced to combine the stresses of the job with political pressures from within.” Head shot ofMiller Miller holding campaignkickoff Thursday at SABFirst-term Hendersonville City Council member Jeff Miller will hold a campaign kickoff celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Southern Appalachian Brewery, 822 Locust St.“I want to invite everyone to come by and visit for a while and have a bite to eat. We promise there won’t be any long speeches or anyone asking for contributions,” Miller said. “This is a time to celebrate the things we’ve accomplished over the past few years and to create some enthusiasm for all we have to look forward to here in Hendersonville.”Miller, who has served on City Council since 2013, decided to run because he felt it was important for there to be a member on the Council who had owned and operated a business in the city.“I never felt as though the Council was anti-business, but I did believe that a majority of its members did not completely understand the ramifications of some of the ordinances they passed,” he said in a news release. “I bring to the table the ability to explain things from the business side as well as understanding, from a resident’s point of view, the impact of Council’s decisions.”He added that his decisions are based on a common sense approach and always built around civil discussion with other Council members and the public.Key objectives Miller wants to pursue in a second term include balancing healthy and planned growth while maintaining Hendersonville’s “small town feel” along with water and sewer capacity/quality, road maintenance and expansion of the Oklawaha Greenway.“I am running for a second term because I would like to continue working with council and staff — there’s still so much to do,” Miller said. Head shot ofMcGrady Cities honor McGradyfor sinking billboard law State Rep. Chuck McGrady was recognized Friday as one of two recipients of the N.C. League of Municipalities’ Community Champion Award. State Sen. Paul Newton was also honored with the award.The award was presented to each legislator for dedicated support of North Carolina cities and towns during the 2017 legislative session. The presentations took place at CityVision 2017, NCLM’s annual conference held this week in Greenville.Representative McGrady is serving his fourth term in the N.C. House, representing Hendersonville and portions of Henderson County. A co-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, he was a key advocate for the defeat of harmful billboard legislation that the League actively opposed.“I so much appreciate this recognition from my kindred souls in local government,” said McGrady, a former Flat Rock Village Council member and Henderson County commissioner.Outgoing League President Bob Matheny, mayor of Zebulon, praised both Newton and McGrady for their willingness to listen to and consider the concerns of municipal officials.“We truly appreciate your work at the General Assembly and that you are willing to make the sacrifice to serve in Raleigh,” Matheny said.   Read Story »

Four Seasons Politics Archive