Comments by Befuddled | Eastern NC Now

I know that there are buildings not listed in the tax records, and havent been even before the reappraisals. How does that happen? About 20 years ago, I knew of a whole house that people lived in that wasnt listed in the tax records. Why? Beats me!

Commented: Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 @ 2:58 pm By: Befuddled

So Much is broken locally, it is hard to know where to begin.

Before and just after the Council election, the candidates were anxious to shine sunlight on everything. Now they have hidden themselves in a black hole, where the sun doesnt shine. Everything is done in
secret, and though Davis gives hints at to some of the secrets, it is still only hints.
Did the public scare the new council members into the shadows, or did the Inside-City-Cabal do that?

I'm looking for one of those "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" type of politicians. The County has one of those...he's called Hood.

Commented: Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 @ 11:30 am By: Befuddled

Nick if you cant get the various City Depts to reply to you, what hope is there for the rest of us??? You are in a position of authority, so Do something about it. That is what we elected you for!

Commented: Saturday, January 10th, 2026 @ 10:47 am By: Befuddled

The manager “shall appoint & suspend or remove all city officers & employees… except the city attorney” ... in accordance w *PERMISSION* by the council.

- The manager hires, as long as the council permits it
- The council sets the rules, & can change who hires what.
The council can legally:
- Take hiring authority back.
- Assign hiring authority to an interim manager or even to an existing Dept Head.
- Create a new position and choose who fills it
- CHANGE THE STRUCTURE so that certain positions report directly to the council.
The council is not locked into the default structure.

There is no statute that says the council must wait for a manager to act.
They are not powerless.
The idea that the council could only act on three positions is incorrect.
The idea that they were “powerless” without a manager is incorrect.
The idea that they had no authority to initiate anything is incorrect.

Commented: Monday, January 5th, 2026 @ 10:34 pm By: Befuddled

SOURCES say: A Municipal charter cannot override or diminish authority granted to CityCouncil under NC state law. The charter operates w/in the framework of th GeneralStatutes, not above them.
Under G.S. 160A‑67,146,148
-“govt & general managemt of th city shall b vested in th CC.”
-CCouncil has th authority to “create,change,abolish,&reorganize” offices,positions, depts,&agencies.
-the CM administers th govt undr th general direction&control of CC.

Statutes make clear:
The council is th governing authority.
Th managr is th administrator.
The managr’s powers come from council,not th othr way around.
Council’s authority doesnt disappear when th manager position is vacant.
The charter-section simply describes a council‑manager form of govt,where th council sets policy& th CM carries out admin duties. It doesnt transfer th council’s statutory powers to CM,nor does it
require “all executive action” to pass through a CM.If attempted,it would b invalid bec a charter cant contradict stateLaw

Commented: Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 @ 12:23 pm By: Befuddled

Dont YOU use the YOU word on me!! How dare you judge me. YOU dont know what I and my family and my friends have endured from politicians like KIDWELL!!
That Low Account, Do Nothing for the "little guys" of his district is a sorry excuse for a Representative!! Elected officials like Kidwell hav proven that we "little guys" have no rights in this County. He doesn't have the intelligence nor the courtesy to even explain his
silence on our request for help. We just aren't important people! He can just sit on his high-chair and pretend we don't exist, because these people with lobbies and govt agency can bring him more votes, so that's who he protects. Where the most votes are!
He uses useful-idiots like you for his own ambitions and destroys others like Stacey Davis because he thinks he is a King here in Beaufort County! So as far as I am concerned, he has worn out his welcome and needs to retire to the dustbin of History.
JUST SAY NO TO KIDWELL !!

Commented: Saturday, December 27th, 2025 @ 9:29 pm By: Befuddled

So, does anyone know what happened today with the Board of Elections meeting? Did any of it involve Councilman Tyre and his real place of residence? I've heard nothing on that.

But nevermind, it doesnt matter because we are doomed! Doomed by stupid govt officials. I'm not being sarcastic, I being literal. These people want to live on your taxpayer money, on top of the hill, and for you bothersome humans to just butt out and leave them in peace to enjoy their elitism. And if they arent all stupid, then they are
totally dishonest to the point that I still say we are DOOMED.
There are no smart people in govt except for Trump's cabinet.
Those new city council members are too new to be judged yet.

But Oh my God, look at Minnesota, California, New York, Great Britain, Australia... we are doomed. I live here, but I am wishing I didnt.
I see stupid people.

Commented: Monday, December 22nd, 2025 @ 3:16 pm By: Befuddled

It wasnt incompetence Stan, it was intentional.
And if anyone were to ask me, I'd say that the City of Washington's Administration had a Fascist core. I use that term because it descriptively fits their activities.

Now, when the Council asked for J.R.'s resignation, I thot he was
being pushed out, but after watching his interview on WITN, he claims he is leaving because a candidate insulted him, that politics had "turned."
However he was revealing that actually he had been exposed & the fog had cleared from our eyes and it was time to get out of Dodge...with the help of the out-going Council to fatten his bank acct.

Commented: Tuesday, November 25th, 2025 @ 11:03 pm By: Befuddled

I saw on Facebook a reel by Nick Fritz who said that the City Council went into closed session and voted to ask Jonathan Russell, the City manager to resign.
Isnt it interesting that all of the City Council members except two, are Now asking for his resignation here at this time, at the END of their time supporting him through it all... thus giving him a big severance paycheck as a send off! How convenient for him and maybe them!! How much money is it? I wouldnt doubt there is more corruption in this as well.
As manager of the Govt, he ran what I termed a secret cabal, a committee of TOP bureaucrats under his command, who made most decisions AHEAD of it being presented to the Council. This decision making body operated out of the public view. I may be wrong, but I dont think that is legal. If the new council want to know more, I can show them.

Commented: Sunday, November 23rd, 2025 @ 8:12 pm By: Befuddled

JS, I personally know LOCAL people who were burned by Kidwell, and for that reason alone, he needs to go! He claims he cant interfere in
local city action but then goes ahead and INTERFERS in city/county
action. I think he should be reported to the ethics committee in Raleigh.
Speaking of "machines," Kidwell is part of a machine as well, and some of his "machine" are petty little people, not part of the Legislature.

Commented: Friday, November 21st, 2025 @ 9:37 am By: Befuddled

Every City Council member that goes to the City Manager & perhaps THE STAFF, to ask that they explain "issues" to the councilman, has voluntarily turned themselves into a walking, talking puppet for the City Manager.

Here's an idea, if you have an issue with the DOT, write your own email to that Dept and ask for explanations. Get a direct reply from the DOT that is not manipulated or tarnished by THE STAFF.

Be your own person, not a lazy clueless yes man.
You know...sometimes people in high levels of govt LIE.

Commented: Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 @ 3:16 pm By: Befuddled

Speaking of power and character:
If you want to judge a man’s character, give him power.
~Robert G. Ingersoll

Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll

But of course there are charming psychotic personalities who know how to hide the fact that they slither on their belly. Think Govt people with influence over small towns.

Commented: Saturday, November 15th, 2025 @ 10:02 am By: Befuddled

I'm sorry JS but Kidwells treatment of the local ppl of his district is a lot more important to me ... because what happens here locally can be a lot more painful and personally painful...than what they do in Raleigh. Kidwell talks out of both sides of his mouth and lies to the local people. He only gets involved locally when it suits him, such as calling for the resignation of a school board member. He plays sneaky insider politics in Beaufort County. The kind of politics that most people here on this site complain about. AND he bends a knee to his rich local donors and powerful influencers.

Kidwell needs to be primaried.

Commented: Thursday, November 13th, 2025 @ 8:47 am By: Befuddled

The problem is that the local GOP Executive committee is loyal to the big dogs in Raleigh and above. NOT to the Local GOP members.

This is because that is where the REWARDS come from, NOT from the powerless WeThePpl of the local description. Everyone is seeking power from the people with the power to give it!! Its heartbreaking.

"Lord Give Me Patience, because if you give me Strength I'm going to need bail money."

Commented: Saturday, November 8th, 2025 @ 11:50 am By: Befuddled

Is everyone here afraid of their shadow?
Mayor candidate Ellen Brabo is suing the Washington City Govt and Mayor Sadler in Federal Court, and yet there is no mention of it here.
It seems to me to be a really Major News Story.

It was reported by WITN last week complete with a copy of the filed lawsuit.
Read it there:
witn.com/2025/10/29/washington-mayoral-candidate-files-lawsuit-against-city-mayor-sadler/
www.witn.com

Commented: Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 @ 12:23 am By: Befuddled

The No Kings movement can be appealing to a wide range of ppl, because it doesnt just apply to the Presidency, but also right here in WashingtonNC, Beaufort and the State, where we too have an
UN-Representative Republic. Even the candidates dont think they are elected to represent us, because if they did, then they would respond to phone calls and emails. When even candidates dont bother to "represent" you, then you know where/who the Kings are.

Both Walker of the Commission and Sadler of the Council both BLAMED the public for high taxes because none of the public showed up to protest an increase. These two are conveniently blind to the fact that we KNOW that the KINGS have quit listening to what we want, a long time ago.

Will the new bunch be any better? Maybe for a few days, until they let the lazy side of their brains take control. Then they become like Kings.

Commented: Monday, October 20th, 2025 @ 11:25 am By: Befuddled

What I want to know is this: Before Keith Kidwell publicly announced that Stacey Davis should resign, did he (as a leader in NC) call her and ask for her side of the story?
Also, I would like to know if Stacey has taken it upon herself to contact Rep Kidwell and tell him her personal side of the story. In the spirit of Charlie Kirk, people should talk to each other.
I have found that far toooooooo many people make far tooooooo many assumptions.
By the way, the link to the Mayoral Forum held at Washington High is at this youtube link: www.youtube.com

Commented: Friday, October 3rd, 2025 @ 10:21 am By: Befuddled