Beaufort County Commissioners Pick a Chairman and Vice Chairman | Eastern North Carolina Now

    January 12, 2022 - Publisher's note: Due to a publishing SNAFU, I have been remiss in my duties, here at BCN, regarding the proper categorization of county government publications; in particular, the Enhanced County Government Videos, begun August 1, 2019.

    Therefore, to thoroughly correct this miscue, I will make the proper categorical correction, and bring these archives forward beginning on January 12, 2022; mixing these historical patterns of fact in with the current news of our day. Some posts brought forward will not be video broadcasts, but most informative posts as to who and what you Beaufort County Commissioners are, and how they govern.

The first Beaufort County Commissioners meeting, December 7, 2020, of this first year of this new board began with either a bang or a whimper, depending on your perspective.

    Against the backdrop of an advertised Republican Caucus, which was greatly greatly contended by the county manager and the county attorney, at the behest of 4 commissioners polled (in this secret meeting): Jerry Langley, Jerry Evans, Ed Booth and Frankie Waters; the Beaufort County elected a so-called "Republican" as chairman, and a Democratic Socialist as vice chairman.

    Rather than meet in caucus to discuss Republican business - the election of a chairman and vice chairman is, of course, is typical partisan business, the two "Republicans": Frankie Waters and John Rebholz, who chose not to caucus, as advertised, with the Republican majority: Commissioners Hood Richardson, R, Stan Deatherage, R, and Commissioner-elect Randy Walker, R, instead chose to caucus with the Democratic Socialist commissioners: Jerry Langley and Ed Booth to share power; with the county manager and the county attorney, albeit possibly unintended, providing specious cover to do so.

The affirmitive selection of a pre-determined Democratic Socialist /nominal Republican collaborative hybrid of chairman and vice chairman is shown here in video: Below.


    As planned by the nominal Republican /Democratic Socialist Coalition: John Rebholz nominated Frankie Waters for chairman, and then Ed Booth nominated Jerry Langley for vice chairman. Both votes won the day 4 to 3.

    As planned by the advertised Republican caucus, representing the Republican Party: Randy Walker nominated Stan Deatherage for chairman, and then Stan Deatherage did nominate Randy Walker for vice chairman. Both votes lost the day 3 to 4. When Commissioner Deatherage made the nomination of Commissioner Walker, he stated: 'I nominate Randy Walker, as he was selected by the Republican Caucus, that also, by that same Republican Caucus, did select Stan Deatherage to stand for chairman.'

    It does not take a strong imagination to question to what extent deals within the nominal Republican /Democratic Socialist cooalition may have been struck to keep this unholy alliance vital and rewarding to all players ... all at the public's expense.

    Publisher's note: If you are interested in our Archive of the Beaufort County Commissioners' General Meetings can be found here in this aforementioned enhanced format.

    Additionally, if you wish to catch up on some of the most important Beaufort County Commissioners meeting of 2019 through 2022, click here.