Gang of Four's backroom deal on the jail falls apart | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

    Apparently, backroom dealing continues to be alive and well among the Democrats and RINO Al Klemm on the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners.

    The board voted 4-3 Monday (8-5-13) with Democrats Jerry Langley, Ed Booth, and Robert Belcher being join by nominal Republican Al Klemm to not build a new jail in the Washington Industrial Park but to "investigate" building it in the Chocowinity Industrial Park. There's plenty of "free" land at both places. Free as in "available."

    Republicans Hood Richardson, Stan Deatherage and Gary Brinn challenged the decision saying that other alternatives should also be "investigated" including renovating the existing facility an building a new facility behind and adjoining the courthouse. Those alternatives have apparently been discarded the Democrat/RINO majority.

    We will post the video of the debate when it is made available, but suffice it to say here that there was no - none, zip, nada, nyet - explanation for why the majority had decided to move their targeted site from one industrial park to the other, nor even why they think it is a good idea to build the jail outside of Washington. They have never shared their reasons with the public in an open meeting. But the office wag prognosticated that it must have something to do with an earlier decision by the same group to build a Welcome Center at the same site.

    Instead, it was obvious that the decision had already been made in the back room, or heaven knows where, without the public having the benefit of the discussions leading to the decision. And it was obvious on August 5 that the decision had already been made and the Gang of Four felt on need to explain to the public - who will be sent the bill for this boondoggle - what their reasons were.

    The jail decision is turning out to be a repeat of the decision-making process much of the same group used in spending $39.6 million of a $33 million bond issue that built classrooms where there are no students. At that time it was the same group voting in public on what had already been decided in a backroom somewhere. That was done by Langley, Booth, and Klemm, along with, at the time, Robert Cayton and Jay McRoy. Now Belcher has replaced Cayton as the echo and Gary Brinn shifted these votes to 4-3 from 5-2. Al Klemm continues to cast the deciding vote.

    In steamrolling the votes, Langley also abolished the existing Jail Committee to replace it with one more agreeable to his way of thinking members. Translation: He dumped Hood Richardson. The new committee will "study" the suitability of the Southside Industrial Park site and a design for a new jail.

    The part Langley's motions left out was how to pay for a new jail. Rumor has it that the Backroom Gang had decided that they would finagle financing from the N. C. Rural Center, but the Legislature shut down that money pot. So it's unclear, until the Gang tells us, how they propose to finance their project. Typically, such indebtedness must be approved by the people in a bond referendum. But there was no discussion of Stan Deatherage pointing this out.

    Klemm's seat will be up for election in 2014, although he's voting as though he will not be running for re-election. But one way or the other, the real decision will be made by the voters.

    The ghost of Chickengate returns.

    During the meeting Commissioner Hood Richardson accused some in the majority of cutting secret backroom deals, much as they did with the infamous Chickengate where they tried to swap budget appropriations for personal favors for members of their families.

    In this instance the Observer has information from very reliable sources that Robert Belcher had contact with Washington Mayor Archie Jennnings and tried to orchestrate a deal to place the jail in the Washington Industrial Park. According to our information, Jenkins, to his credit, refused to agree to the deal Belcher wanted (reduced electric rates, taxes and who knows what else) in return for putting the jail in the industrial park and it is rumored "other considerations."

    A meeting of the two boards had been scheduled for July 29 but when Belcher's deal making got shot down by the Mayor, the Gang of Four then decided to spite the City by building the jail in the Southside Industrial Park. We'll have more on this as events develop.

    What remains to be seen is whether the Gang of Four can pull this under the table deal off. The park is on the Chocowinity sewer system, but Washington treats Chocowinity sewer. Whether the treatment capacity Chocowinity already has under contract would be sufficient to handle the jail complex, plus the other development Chocowinity now is anticipating, without having to negotiate additional capacity, is a question yet to be even discussed - at least not openly in a formal meeting.

    Stay tuned. We'll keep you posted as this saga plays out. You can rest assured that the Gang of Four will play some more cards, either on the table or below, and we'll let you know what happens.