Commissioners dance around meddling with boards for which they have no authority

ELIZABETHTOWN — Commissioners for Bladen County spent the majority of their Monday meeting discussing whether to meddle with two other county boards, and on the rising COVID-19 numbers.

The commissioners do not have jurisdiction over either board discussed — one for elections, which is an appointed group, and one for education, which is elected. The county does provide funding toward each. The coronavirus update has been a regular part of meetings since March 2020, and Dr. Terri Duncan provided the latest information.

The commissioners are sending a letter to the Board of Elections asking that it “consider for the citizens an opportunity to have public comment” at meetings. The motion passed 5-4 along party lines, with Republicans Ray Britt, Charles Ray Peterson, Dr. Danny Ellis, Rodney Hester and the Rev. Cameron McGill in favor.

Wayne Schaeffer brought the matter forward. He’s the chairman of the county’s Republican Party. He said the election board, for about a half a year, has been reluctant to allow anyone from the public to speak at meetings. He acknowledged the rules allowing the Board of Elections to act in such manner, and said he was interested to see if county commissioners would question that process and ask why the policy persists.

“I find it suspicious, and reprehenisble,” Schaeffer said.

Britt, the chairman, said he was a 15-year member of the elections board and “never had to face that particular issue.”

“They operate under direction of the state and state law. Even though we budget them, we have no authority,” Britt said.

Peterson supported Schaeffer and requested a letter to be sent. Democrat Michael Cogdell asked that the board attorney speak to the election board, rather than sending a letter.

It’s not the first public speaking issue for the Board of Elections, led by Gov. Roy Cooper appointee Louella Thompson. She infamously declared in January 2020 that law enforcement would be used should anyone stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance at a board meeting. She later walked back those comments, but not before statewide notoriety had been achieved.

The county has a nasty elections history, one that drew national publications here and intense scrutiny following the 2018 scandal involving McCrae Dowless. Documentarians and book authors have since profited trying to tell the story.

In another incident, one of the former board members the state Board of Elections purposely tried to clear out so the county could move forward from that 2018 saga — Al Daniel — sat front row and participated as did county Democratic Party Chairman Rev. Larry Hayes in the board’s discussions at the first meeting Thompson chaired.

The election board previously posted an agenda before meetings for public viewing. Thompson and the board stopped that; the panel is not required to inform the public in such manner. The board has more recently posted topics on its landing page at the county government website.

Schaeffer said, “I ask that this restriction from public comments be set aside. I don’t think it is in the best interset of the public, to continue that as a policy regardless of the parliamentary procedures. It would enhance the understanding of the voting public.”

The commissioners spent a significant portion of the meeting discussing, in essence, the definition of “timely manner” as it relates to the Board of Education coming to meet with them about the new school in Tar Heel. Britt, the chairman, advocated to allow the school board to meet next week and then come forward. The commissioners’ concern is seated in the cost of the project, estimated to be just more than $47 million.

The board met in closed session to discuss personnel but took no action before adjournment.