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No problem Van Zant.
One of my first understandings about being an honest, and thus successful politician was "not being a weasel."
Commented: Saturday, June 7th, 2025 @ 1:48 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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The distinction most people are upset about has nothing to do with "exploring the possibility of closing Snowden." The problem comes with entwining that exploratory process with a formal school closing procedure. The public would stand for a study or hearings. The public would not stand a "study" or mandatory hearings to be checked off as part of a school closing process. That's what I'm hearing from lots of people, and I think they are right.
Thanks Stan - For not being a weasel.
Commented: Saturday, June 7th, 2025 @ 6:18 am
By: Van Zant
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Terry Williams: I don't care about your private discussions.
My point was, and is that nothing matters in governing unless the People's Business is discussed "in the room where it matters;" the public's open meeting room. That is where I draw all contrasts; that is where the public is put on notice, and that is where the politicians, moreover, are put on notice as well.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 3:21 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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Stan - I agree with doing the public's business in public. When I speak of who I speak with privately I do not insinuate those persons are board members. I'm speaking of residents and private citizens who contact me per a phone call or face to face. Thank you for the conversation.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 2:53 pm
By: Terry Williams
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Yes Sir Stan, I agree with you about keeping it all out in the public so we can see what is all about.
I will always keep my money on you Stan when it comes to doing what is right.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 2:10 pm
By: Richard Marvin Butkus
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Terry Williams: For me, as an elected official for many decades, the essential governing is always conducted in the public's open session, in that big public room, paid for by the public, and recorded for posterity.
What is advocated for the public is best done there, where there can be open debate, where words matter, and that very special historical record can be made and preserved. In that big open room, where no doors are locked and all of the public is welcome, is where good government takes place. That is where my best words are spoken as all of this is the People's Business. Terry, I think it would be wise if you could join me there, in that public space.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 1:46 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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Stan Deatherage, I'm not going to engage in a public debate with you on my actions. You have an opinion and I can respect that opinion. Who I spoke to privately concerning the situation is not the issue. I serve with many intelligent and thoughtful board members. Just as I approached Snowden, they are capable of doing their own research and making their own decision. In closing I do appreciate the fact that you are willing to sign your name to your responses just as I have.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 11:59 am
By: Terry Williams
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Yeah, Answer the question Terry Williams.
Commissioner Deatherage answers all questions, and is accountable to his people. Answer the damn question.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 11:43 am
By: William Bonney
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Terry Williams, I work three very important jobs, so making it to every school board meeting to close the Snowden School, and every Public Hearing to speak to the utter fecklessness of that impractical position of the Beaufort County School Board was an impossibility for me ... However ...
When I did attend a Public Hearing, or a Beaufort County Commissioners meeting, acting as my constituents' representative, I spoke ardently, passionately against closing Snowden School, and even proposed solutions to keep Snowden School open and viable ... In fact, I am still working, even now, to keep Snowden School open as an educational space, a continued solution for educating our children here in Beaufort County, in Aurora, NC, here now still as an elected Beaufort County Commissioner for this entire county of Beaufort. Furthermore, my long history as a governing representative of Beaufort County is such that when I latch my purposeful sights on an issue to make things right here in my county, as its astute representative, I purposefully govern as one lone voice, one lone vote, and I never stop until that purpose is brought into fruition, or, unfortunately, I lose because there are just NOT ENOUGH other smart politicians /governing leaders here in Beaufort County, and even then, should I temporarily lose as my constituents' representative, I continue to work to make an uncontrollable wrong as much right, as is possible, through the democratic process ... Elections ... Yes, elections, because the changing of the proverbial incompetent guard, the removal of irresponsible politicians does make for profound consequences here in this Representative Republic, here in Beaufort County as well. Now, Terry Williams, Beaufort County School Board Member, as you "represent the Chocowinity School district as well as the entire county:" Did you ever speak "ardently, passionately against closing of Snowden School," and where and when did you do it? When and where did you make your representative stand in an open public meeting ... Your passionate declaration, one publicly made before it was all just too late? I have more questions still about the closing of Snowden, but why don't you start by answering this one very simple question.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 8:39 am
By: Stan Deatherage
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Let me set the record straight on my vote because a lot of these comments are so wrong. I voted to explore the possibility of closing Snowden because it's been a topic for years and needed to be settled once and for all. I attended every regular board meeting hearing public comments, the forum in Aurora hearing every comment, the board meeting at Southside hearing every comment. I spoke with residents, parents of my Chocowinity school district and walked both Chocowinty schools to get a feeling what closure would mean. I then attended the board meeting on June 3rd to cast my vote. I represent the Chocowinity School district as well as the entire county. In my opinion my final vote to leave Snowden open was what my district, at least all those that spoke with me and contacted me, wanted. It is my job to represent my district and I am very comfortable with my final vote. Nothing political went into my decision. I am my own man and make my own decisions.
Commented: Friday, June 6th, 2025 @ 7:02 am
By: Terry Williams
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For more enlightenment about the School Board, I looked up the vote on the motion on the TENTATIVE vote to close Snowden which was necessary in order to start the state process of closing Snowden School. Without this step there could not be final vote to close the school.
Donald Shreve (R) Made the motion to start the school closing process. Daniel Hudson (R) Seconded the motion to start the school closing process. Voted YES to start the process of closing Snowden School T.W. Allen (R) Eltha Booth (D) Gary Carlton (R) Daniel Hudson (R) Donald Shreve (R) Terry Williams (R) Caroly Walker (R) Voted NO to start the process of closing Snowden School Stacey Davis (R) Charles Hickman (R) This should make things a lot clearer about the workings of the School Board. Still, it makes me wonder why some did what they did in the way they did it. Why would some provide a little cover for others. Then again, maybe they are just stupid.
Commented: Thursday, June 5th, 2025 @ 8:11 pm
By: Van Zant
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Thanks are in order to Charles Hickman and Stacey Davis for standing up for and voting in favor of keeping Snowden open. They represented the Beaufort County people's voiced concerns and wishes. It's a shame the school board and county commissioners don't have more elected officials who do this.
What is surprising is that Terry Williams voted against closing Snowden. That should be worthy of applause as well. Maybe he had a change of heart and chose to listen to the people considering he traditionally votes lockstep with the superintendent's agenda. However, this is doubtful and was probably more a case of serving his own interests. He never once spoke out against or advocated for saving Snowden at any board meeting or public meeting concerning the issue. If he were so in favor of keeping the school open, why didn't he make more of an effort to advocate that principle during the lead up to this vote. Maybe he knew the vote to close was already decided before the meeting but wanted to appear to take a stand with a reelection year coming up. Maybe it's unpopular with Chocowinity voters to have Aurora students coming to Chocowinity schools. Either way, kudos to him for voting to save the school.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 4:25 pm
By: John Heermann
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The only difference between a conspiracy theory and the truth is time. Look at how many so call conspiracy theories have turned out to be true.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 3:59 pm
By: Countrygirl1411
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The scuttlebutt I heard was that the phosphate company wants to mine under the town of Aurora and this was a scheme to help make the town go away. Probably just a conspiracy theory but who knows. This dirty deal on their school will kick Aurora in the ass, something Cheeseman and the school board members had to know. They stabbed our people and children in the back.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 3:16 pm
By: Bubba
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I apologize to the general public for supporting and working to elect these no-votes to the School Board. This turned out to be a real mistake. I pray that we will be able to find competent replacements for them in the next election. What about the County Commission and dollars over people? Look at their surplus funds and the recent Reval. Where is the heart of Elthel Booth, School Board; Ed Booth and Jerry Langly, County Commission, who should be champions for the predominantly black students in Snowden. All voted to close the school. Let's be sure that those who go to vote next time never forget. Did this bunch drink the Frankie Waters Kool-Aid on more school consolidation, along with Cheeseman? They just drove the nail in the coffin for Aurora and Created a nightmare for first graders riding a school bus.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 2:26 pm
By: Buzz Cayton
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Someone needs to look deeper at the closing of Snowden Elementary School. This will kill Aurora. Why the push to kill a town? Is it because of the amount of phosphate under the town? Is this to help benefit Nutrien the largest employer in Beaufort County?
Just a feeling but it seems there is more to this than just the school since it will affect the entire town and the future of the town.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 2:14 pm
By: Countrygirl1411
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Cheeseman got the gold mine. The parents, taxpayers, and students got the shaft. Cheeseman's gold mine is another resume entry on consolidation for his next job in a bigger, better paying school system. Everybody else gets a more screwed up school system., but the shaft is a particularly deep one for the people of Aurora and Richland Township.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 2:12 pm
By: Concerned Taxpayer
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John Valley: Yesterday, the following message is one that I texted all Republican School Board Members that came to the Conservative Republican Club asking for that club's political support:
"DO NOT fall into the political abyss of closing Snowden. This is such an extremely obvious vote, with so much on the line for Aurora, you will not survive this politically if you vote to close yet another community school. No one will, when all the other stupid votes the school board has made is factored in; I mean egregiously stupid. Just DO NOT do it."
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 1:56 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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"Conspiracy theorists"-1
GOP-0 tha It seems to me that the Beaufort County GOP is as organized as a "charity" concert on Sunday afternoon. Instead of having a decently unified party, we have a handful of people, that stacked both fronts with autocratic money/land/political barons, who are out of touch with reality and lack common sense. This is a s*** strategy and an even worse endgame scenario for everyone. Jacked up property taxes, a clownshow of a school system and decreasing population certainly doesn't signify positive movement. This is what happens when the retirement community becomes run by the retirees who moved to it.....unprecedented shenaniganry and stupidity both in full force.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 1:27 pm
By: John Valley
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A sad day for Beaufort County. Why are we stuck with such uncaring elected officials? Voters need to do better in the future.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 10:03 am
By: Conservative Voter
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Maybe some of those "Rs" are really Undocumented Democrats. Well, actually more than just "maybe".
It is telling that both school board members whose district's schools were impacted by this voted against it. Why are school board members whose district's schools are not impacted doing this to the southside schools? That is outrageous. Stacey Davis was the only board member on the north side of the river not to suck up to Boss Cheeseman.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 9:38 am
By: John Steed
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When people ask me what is wrong with government and those elected politicians that govern here in Beaufort County, I always answer: "The Beaufort County GOP!"
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 9:14 am
By: Stan Deatherage
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Stan: Ha, LMAO. Yeah, the Rs and Ds seem to mean very little. I suppose Randy Walker and Frankie Waters are opportunists that changed from D to R in order to get elected. I don't know what the deal is with the school board.
 Previously, you mentioned what this says about the local GOP. No doubt they are a problem.
Commented: Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 @ 8:54 am
By: Van Zant
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