Washington city gov't insider dealing - will there be consequences? | Eastern North Carolina Now

The law is very clear that when a government body is making a decision on property or contracts belonging to or involving a member of that body, that member is not supposed to participate in making that decision.  A few years ago, a Hyde County commissioner was convicted in criminal court when he violated this restriction concerning a contract he had with the county.

Here in Washington, the city council voted to use city taxpayer's money to buy two substandard lots and hand them over to the Washington Housing Authority.  The two lots were owned by Councilman Richard Brooks, although the rest of the council was not told that at the time.  Instead of recusing himself from the discussion and vote, as are required by law, Brooks not only voted for it but actually made the motion to make the purchase.

There were a number of other aspects of the deal that were disadvantageous to the city, and the votes of the other council members reflect their position on other aspects of what was a bad deal for the city.  But Brooks got his majority and his land sale.

There is one other city official who was almost certain to have known the full story when this scam went down, and that is Mayor Donald Sadler.  That is because Mayor Sadler had appointed his wife as a member of the Washington Housing Authoity, and she would have known who owned the lots in question that they were seeking.  Brooks and Sadler are close political allies, and Brooks has been little more than Sadler's rubberstamp as a council member.

This corrupt transaction needs to be fully investigated and appropriate sanctions, whether civil, erhical, or criminal applied to the public officials who disregarded the public trust.  The voters can cast their own verdict on corruption at city hall by removing Brooks and Sadler from their city offices this November.

All city council seats plus the mayor will be up for election November 7.  Click here to see the information on that election.