The Beaufort  County Dart Game | Eastern North Carolina Now

A look at history tells us the over whelming majority of decisions that have had bad effects on humans have been made by governments.  This begins with tribal chiefs, to kings and queens, to dictators and elected leaders.   The great advances to humanity have been made by individuals, the printing press, the invention of anything from the wheel to the light bulb to modern drugs.

Beaufort County Government is no different from any other government.  Beaufort County has made a lot of bad decisions.  Some of these are:  the road to nowhere (US 17 Bypass), the overbuilding of schools (50 percent empty and still wanting to build more schools),  failure to reduce taxes in the face of surpluses, the  County Industrial Park (a lot of money for no value land and a large environmental liability), the two million dollars paid for a set of jail plans that was not built, millions to expand the internet into areas where nobody lives, and of course “giving away” a hospital system, and the list goes on and on.

Beaufort County is still making bad decisions.  During the November meeting commissioners voted to spend $280,000 to build a (dirt) pad for an industrial company.  Problem is, there is no industrial company.  We are building the pad because we think there may be an industrial company in our future at the purported industrial park on US 17 south of Chocowinity. You may remember that this is the site we were told would host an algae growing facility. 

The main reason the Gang of Five (Randy Walker, John Rebholz, Frankie Waters, Jerry Langley and Ed Booth) voted to spend the money is they are getting a $400,000 grant from the North Carolina Railroad.  The total cost is $680,000.

The proposed industrial property south of Chocowinity is 246 acres in size and has been owned by Beaufort County for more than 15 years with no industrial development.  We paid about 1.8 million for the property based on the theme “if you buy it they will come.”  How did that work out for you?   That is the same theory behind building the dirt pad for the industrial building that we have no prospects for.

One bad decision after another.  We have had a 1.8 million dollar “investment” sitting cleverly disguised as a soy bean field, for more than 15 years and now we are spending another $280,000 because someone is giving us $400,000.  Now, when the county bought this land it removed it from the tax rolls.  The County does not collect the taxes a private owner would be paying.  Wonder if it has occurred to the financial wizards that if this site were such valuable asset and this phantom company was such a good deal why would it need a handout from the taxpayers?

The dart game comes into play because we have no idea of the size of this phantom industrial company, what size their plant might be or where they will want to locate it on the 246-acre site.  There was talk about locating the pad to suit the railroad spur.  Maybe the phantom company will not want a railroad spur at all. I have seen several railroad spurs at plant sites. Just like the details of the pad, no one knows about the length or layout of the rail yard except the phantom industrial company.  These Titans of Investing your money will throw a dart at the 246 acre site and build the building pad wherever it hits.

Take a look at the Gang of Five.  How many have ever built and operated an industrial plant.  How many have shipped by rail.  How are they living of their personal investments?  (I am not talking about retirement plans from employers).  Do you reckon they would be acting differently if the law permitted the taxpayers to sue them like shareholders can sue management for bad decisions causing them losses?  The uninformed and inexperienced always rush to make bad decisions.

Where is the $280,000 coming from?  The answer is your pocket.  This is part of the 5-million-dollar surplus that should have been returned to the taxpayers this year.  These same commissioners refused to give a tax reduction so they could play monopoly with your money.

The $400,000 from a so-called “grant” is your money too.  The North Carolina Railroad is owned by the State.  They got the railroad during a downturn in the economy.  The State of North Carolina has no reason to be in the railroad business.  This is another way government can reward their buddies with contracts and seats on boards of directors.

We are better off with our $280,00 in the bank and even better off if it were returned to the taxpayers as a tax reduction.  A $680,000 dirt pile that may never be used, is simply a bad investment.

The Gang of Five is backing the Register of Deeds decision not to have paper copies of the deeds.  All paper copy filing of deeds and other documents historically filed with deeds was discontinued during January of this year.  This situation places a major risk on the public.  When the internet is down or deed files have been hacked, the public will not have access to chains of custody and other important historical recordings.  Several commissioners believe people should have their own deeds that it is not a duty of the government to have paper copies of these documents that guarantee property ownership and succession.  There is a lot of North Carolina law that says differently.

I along with Commissioner Deatherage strongly oppose this decision made by an uninformed and ignorant Register of Deeds.

A request for $372,000 was made to remodel the abandoned (by Vidant) medical facility in Aurora.  This was denied until more investigation can be made to see if there is any future for medical care in Aurora.  I am opposed to spending this kind of money on the facility even if someone can be found to open a medical care facility there.  Vidant has managed to leave very little medical care in Belhaven and Aurora.  This, after we gave them the Beaufort County hospital.  More bad decisions by government.

Filing by candidates for the 2024 elections begin on December 4^th of 2023.  We need more experienced business people in commissioner seats.  We would have less spending, lower taxes and smaller government.  Registration begins at Noon December 4.