Taxpayers Get the Ultimate Ugly Insult | Eastern North Carolina Now

    During he October 7 Beaufort County Commissioners meeting , Hood Richardson made another motion seconded by Stan Deatherage to place a referendum for a new jail at the Chocowinity Industrial site on the ballot for the next general election in 2014. This motion failed with Jerry Langley, Ed Booth, Robert Belcher and Al Klemm voting against. Richardson, Deatherage and Gary Brinn voted for the motion. It is noteworthy that Langley, Booth and Belcher are Democrats. Al Klemm is a RINO (Republican In Name Only). He votes with the Democrats more than the average Democrat votes with the Democrats.

    Jerry Langley made a motion to invoke one of the Board of Commissioner rules. That rule does not allow the issue of jail referendum to come before the Board of Commissioners for another six months. That motion passed four to three with Langley, Booth, Belcher and Klemm voting for it. Making a motion that would block tax payers of Beaufort County from having a say on the spending of twenty million dollars of their money is the "Ultimate Ugly Insult".

    The insult gets uglier. During the November 4, Beaufort County Commissioners meeting a resolution passed that sets the schedule for the construction of the new jail This resolution clearly states new sheriff's offices are to be built at the new jail along with 30,000 square feet of office space for the sheriff and the 911 call center. That is a building 175 feet square. The present faciltiy measures about 40 by 110 feet. The schedule calls for the immediate selection of architects and a construction management firm. According to the proposed schedule it looks like construction is scheduled to begin during January of 2015. The vote was four to three with Langley, Booth, Belcher and the RINO Al Klemm voting for and Richardson, Deatherage and Brinn votiing against.

    The new jail will be a disaster for the citizens of Beaufort County. There is no justification for a new jail. We are permitted for 85 inmates with an occasional need to house as many as 110 inmates. We can house the surplus in the Pitt county jail for a maximum of $400,000 per year. The increased cost of operating , paying the loan and interest will be at least $4,000,000 per year. This is an easy business decision. By not building a new jail and housing inmates in Pitt County we will save $3,400,000 each year.

    The location of the new jail is terrible. The jail will be built on the far southwest edge of Beaufoort County. With the jail and sheriff at the new location, it is only a matter of time until the court house and the lawyers follow. This will contribute to the economic downfall of downtown Washington.
Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson making a salient point at the Candidate's Forum: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    The jail committee did not do studies of alternatives for the jail. This includes objective comparisons of alternatives by outside third parties, and an examination of alternative methods of sentencing convicted persons. It has been determined that the Sheriff has not done a good job of managing the jail and the District Attorney has not efficiently managed his cases. Why should the tax payers pay for more mismanagement?

    The Constitution of the State of North Carolina mandates that debt be approved by the tax payers. The right of a people to determine their future is basic to the foundations of democracy. This right got in the way of the Democrat Basnight Machine. Members of the Democrat Basnight Machine believed they knew what was better for North Carolina than the citizens. They passed laws that allow elected officials to pledge future tax collections to pay for major projects. These laws require only a vote by the elected officials. There was high hope the newly elected Republican Legislature was going to repeal these laws during the 2013 session. They did not. Looks like the Republicans want the same heavy handed privileges the Democrats bestowed on themselves.

    Members of boards of commissioners are no different than members of corporate boards of directors or even nonprofits. Both are elected to make decisions and provide the benefit of their experience and judgement to protect value and promote the future wellbeing of the government, citizens, stock holders, or corporation they represent. In order to do a good job these individuals should be knowledgeable and experienced in sorting thru information and misinformation in order to make the best decision for the benefit of those whom they represent. That is why board members are charged with a fiduciary responsibility. Fiduciary means a legal or ethical relationship of trust. That is the same as to protect and save from harm or loss. One of the definitions of ethical is to conform to acceptable methods of conduct. It is obvious that the gang of four consisting of Langley, Belcher, Booth and Klemm do not understand their responsibilities. Their real world experience is limited which is proven by the fact they have never e had to meet a payroll. They have always spent some one else's money.