Public Comment on Proposed Jail - March 10, 2014 | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Good Evening Mr. Commissioners, and fellow citizens of Beaufort County. This evening it is important to continue to evaluate the process of the jail project. We have discussed the fact that four of you have not done your proper due diligence, have totally disregarded the North Carolina constitution, ignored the petitions of the people, acted like spendthrifts with the people’s money, and like your protégés in Washington DC by your own admission did not even read the contract you approved, with the chairman being quoted as say “I trust the people we hired” to review the document. Gentlemen did you miss the part of the meeting where when asked if he had read and understood the contract, the county attorney stated he had not had it very long and was very busy and had only read some of it, yet the four of you voted to approve this contract. You state you trust the people you hire, yet when they tell you they have not been afforded the time needed to review the contract, you approve it anyway. So you abrogate your responsibility to the staff, don’t allow them the time to do what you ask, and approve the contract? Are you doing this so when there is a failure in the contract you can blame the hired help? Gentlemen, you were elected by the people to protect their rights, spend their money wisely, and be responsible in your actions. Well you have failed in all aspects of your sworn duties. Please before you build this jail in Chocowinity consider this, when businesses look for where to move their operations they evaluate the infrastructure of the area, the local taxes, and the school systems. When home buyers are talking to their realtors, they ask, where is the home located, what is the price, and what school district is it in? Having checked this with many area realtors, I can also confidently tell you that no business or home buyer has ever asked what jail district is the property in. Keeping this in mind please consider that Chocowinity would be far better server, experience more growth, attract more home buyers, increase tax revenues much more effectively with a new middle school than a new jail. Recently I was told that one of you had not talked to anyone in Beaufort County who was against building a new jail in Chocowinity. Gentlemen you need to get out more, read the petitions that have been presented, or just listen to the people who have come before you. Believe me the people are speaking very clearly and they are tired of their constitutional rights being trampled by big government. Again be reminded this attitude of I’ve got a pen and a cell phone that has polluted our government in Washington DC will not be tolerated in Washington NC.

    Thank you for your time.

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