|
In
a place called Bubbling Waters two people named NoPat and NoSue
wanted to use their land as they saw fit no matter what impact it
had on their neighbors and no matter what impact it had on the air
and water.
Two
people named Will and Sweet came to town to protect the people and
work to protect the air and land from uncontrolled growth and polluting
industry. They also worked to dispel the lies and misinformation
spread by NoPat and NoSue...
Watauga
County Commissioner Pat Wilkie, running for re-election, read the
above "short fairy tale" to approximately 130 members
of the Watauga County Democratic Party Saturday during her few minutes
addressing the assemblage.
The
party faithful gathered in the Watauga Courthouse for food, fellowship
and an afternoon's work. County parties were gathering from the
coast to the mountains to elect district and state convention delegates,
hear from national, state and local office seekers and kick off
the 2002 campaign.
In
addition to her well-received fairy tale, Wilkie said that the major
challenges facing the county were growth and land use issues; water
and sewer concerns as the county continued to grow and education,
school and recreation concerns. "How we decide these issues
will affect our children and our grandchildren," Wilkie said.
Commissioner
Sue Sweeting, also running for re-election, said that she saw the
major problem facing the county as working through a balanced budget
problem and the funding problems handed down by the state.
"We need to meet the needs of the county while money is being
taken away by the state, hopefully, with a property tax reduction,"
she said.
Sweeting
said additional problems are improving the county's emergency communications
system currently limited to 60 percent of the county; repairing
the roof on Hardin Park Elementary School; continuing to upgrade
county and community buildings and expanding and upgrading the science
labs at Watauga High School.
Dave
Robertson, running for the third contested seat on the Board of
County Commissioners, said that improving the equipment and training
of firefighters, rescue and first responders and addressing the
problems with a shortage of affordable housing were high on his
priority list along with attracting better-paying sustainable jobs
and protecting the county from polluting industries.
Hal
Harrison was appointed by Gov. Mike Easley to a seat on the Superior
Court. The seat was recently created to help cure the trial overload
in the 24th Judicial District and Harrison is running to hold on
to that seat. He is a native of Mitchell County and has practiced
law for 22 years in the trial courts.
"The
law prohibits my making promises,"he said, "but I promise
I will be fair, honest and impartial." Glenn Hodges, running
for his fourth term as Watauga County clerk of court said, "Alcohol
abuse among young people is the biggest problem facing the county.
I see it through the court system.
"I
don't see parents getting too concerned about it. I'd like to require
all high school students to spend one day in district criminal court
to see what goes on."
Hal
Isaacs, running for Watauga County sheriff said that drugs and young
people were his biggest concern and, if elected, he will ensure
that the DARE program is continued in the schools to provide drug
abuse education.
Isaacs
said that, if elected, he would leave the office as is in order
to sit down with and evaluate each employee one on one. He said
that the sheriff's department has good qualified people and he wants
to evaluate each one to determine strengths and weaknesses.
Jerry
Vaughn, also running for sheriff, said that the biggest challenge
is providing adequate law enforcement services within the financial
means of the county and department.
"A
leader can command respect,"Vaughn said, "and doesn‚t
need to demand it."
Vaughn promised a more open sheriff's office if elected, offering
an open door policy to all citizens and employees.
Jim
Deni, running for a nonpartisan seat on the school board, said that
one of the most critical decisions the new board will make is the
hiring of a new superintendent of schools and new school principals
with the planned retirement of Dick Jones and the anticipated retirement
of several school principals.
"The
superintendent surrounds himself with a team so the vision of the
superintendent, the team and the school board is important,"Deni
said.
He
also said that ensuring that more students read at grade level and
actions to reduce the high school dropout rate are major challenges
facing the new board. A number of candidates were unable to attend
in person but sent greetings to the convention and representatives
to ask for support.
Unable
to attend were Phil Ginn, running for Superior Court; Andy Reese,
running for re-election to the nonpartisan school board; Dan Hense
and Ray Warren running for the state House of Representatives.
Also sending good wishes and requesting support were Erskine Bowles,
Elaine Marshall and Dan Blue running for the U.S. Senate. Following
the election of delegates and the comments of the candidates, the
party adopted two resolutions.
One
resolution offered appreciation and support for Wilkie and Sweeting
and condemned recent attacks on the two during the county GOP convention.
The
second resolution also offered support for Jack and Nell Vines in
the continuing problem they are having with a fuel spill forcing
the evacuation of their home of 40 years. The resolution requested
investigations into the actions of county and state officials in
reacting to the spill and in helping the Vines family.
The Vines family was present and thanked the Democratic Party for
help and support.
|
