The little things
It's not unusual for the Guilford County commissioners to sail through big important decisions but get wrapped up in nasty quarrels over what should be routine matters.
So as you might expect, the commissioners voted to give Dell $7.1 million in taxpayer funded incentives with nary a harsh word spoken Thursday night. But the claws came out during a discussion over giving various staff members raises and bonuses.
Because this wasn't the most salient part of the meeting, we didn't include much about it in our newspaper story today. So in case you missed it on television, we here at Inside Scoop are happy to present a sample of dialog from County Commissioner Playhouse.
Speaking parts in this scene are assigned to commissioners Mike Barber, Carolyn Coleman, Bob Landreth, Jeff Thigpen and Billy Yow. The setting is the commissioners hearing room in the Old County Courthouse Thursday night at the end of the commissioner's regular meeting.
The commissioners emerge from a back-room closed door session after evaluating whether to give raises to some of their top employees:
(The following dialog is transcribed from an audio tape made during the meeting.)
Landreth: On the sheriff, a raise for the sheriff, do I have motion?
Thigpen: I move that we increase the sheriff's salary to 3 percent.
Barber: Second.
Landreth: Please cast your votes.
Yow: Mr. Chairman, may I please speak on the motion.
Landreth: Yes sir.
Yow: I am not against the Sheriff's performance, I think he's done a great job. I will not as an elected official of this county sit no longer and allow this board to be no more responsible than what they are about evaluating our employees.
We go back there in a room and look at each other and say 'well, let's give them 3 percent because that's what we done last time.' We never evaluate them on the performance of the job, they never evaluate them on their achievements, or they never look at their accomplishments.
All they see is, is it white or black. So that's an issue. If it's black, we agree to racial the diversity going here and making enough people feel bad to get the votes to get the raise. If he's white, well then we don't like him and he's done this and he's done that.
I've heard this for four years now. I will be voting against the sheriff's 3 percent but I would very graciously vote for a 5 percent. Thank you.
Barber: Madam Clerk, just a point of information, the Sheriff is white.
Various commissioners: chuckles.
Thigpen: Uh, Sheriff, you are white?
Barber: He's bearded, he's white and bearded.
Landreth: Yes ma'am (indicating Coleman).
Coleman: It seems like we can never get through a year without Mr. Yow raising the issue of race.
Yow: Tell the truth Ms. Coleman. It started in the back room, now tell the truth.
Coleman: (Begins to respond but is cut off)
Yow: Mr.Yow didn't start it, Mr. Alston did. Commissioner Davis did. Our upcoming chairman started this. He's back there with nothing because he doesn't have the ability to count, because he can't count to six. He said this in the back like this...
Landreth: (Bangs gavel). Just a moment, I'm ruling you out of order.
Coleman: Mr. Chairman ...
Barber: Point of information, Mr. Alston and Bruce (Davis) are black.
Thigpen: You are black aren't you?
Various commissioners and audience: (laughs)
Barber: Thank you Mr. Thigpen.
Landreth: Now just a moment ...
Barber: And bearded, neither bearded.
Landreth: Ms. Coleman had the floor.
Coleman: I just find it interesting that when I raise an issue in executive session about using an evaluation form I didn't get the support of Mr. Yow on that. Now he's come out like it was his idea and he wants to use and evaluation form. But I' glad you're learning from me Billy.
Yow: Madam Chairman...
Coleman: The point is, we never discussed race when we talked about the Sheriff's salary and really wish you would not bring that into this meeting.
Landreth: We have a motion on the floor, please cast your votes on 3 percent for the Sheriff.
Yow: (Speaking to Coleman) While we vote I would like to say that I'm supporting an evaluation form. That's been asked for four years, two years prior to your arrival. This board chose not to use one.
Landreth: Please cast your votes. (Waits a moment). It passes on a 9-2 vote. (Yow and Mary Rakestraw voted against.
Scoop: We could go on with discussion that followed on the heels of that vote, but you get the idea.
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