News-Record.com

Matt, your last two paragraphs disappoint me. Could it be that a few disgruntled employees are finding a way to harass their boss and your reporting it gives it credence?

This sentence is particularly disturbing: "Democrats also have fielded complaints about Crayton's management style, though the state inquiry has not addressed those issues"

Those "anecdotal" reports were withheld from some commissioners and shared with Mr. Crayton's attorney and the public ONLY TODAY after all this time! Where is your copy and why aren't you first determining that they're credible and newsworthy prior to implying that they are?

A second reading shows me that you were quoting Nate. Apologies. My comments are directed to Nate.

Is Guilford County required to reimburse the state for the "enormous number of man hours" spent in this investigation since it did not find anything.

I can see where the Democratic commissioners would be suspicious of the report since it said that it found "no evidence" (underlined in the report) of wrongdoing, not that there was no wrongdoing. I surmise that, from their perspective, the investigation was not thorough enough or misdirected because the investigators didn't find the evidence (a la WMD).

Bruce Davis and Paul Gibson are going to steal a vacation from taxpayers to Hawaii.How much can the Democrats steal.

this investigation was never about "favorable tax treatment".. it is all about some whining former or current incompentent tax department employee that happens to be friends with alston and davis. commissioners gibson and perkins may be embarassed over this and realize they may need to distance themselves from davis/alston. commissioners cashion and coleman don't have a clue and are just fluff.

Sue,

Thanks for your comments. I hope you enjoyed your foray into commissionerland. I'm sorry you were disappointed with part of our online story, so please let me explain.

At the start of the inquiry a few weeks ago, David Baker told me that his work would not address certain personnel-related issues raised by Democrats, including allegations about Crayton's work ethic and leadership style. We wrote a story about it, and we've told readers that Republicans say the charges are coming from a small, disgruntled group of current and former tax department employees.

The sentence you cite simply reminded readers of the scope of the state's investigation.

Regards,
Nate

Wish the County Commissioners would look at Tax Waste with the same fervor that they use to look at the Tax Director.

Nate, I think your final 2 sentences leave an implied "there's more," without mentioning that Bruce Davis didn't give copies of the 26-pages of "anecdotes," which seem to be the crux of the "more" to anyone except Democratic Commissioners until yesterday. In fact, he said that he didn't want them. Why didn't you write that whatever this implied set of accusations was wasn't important enough for Bruce Davis to give to Jenks Crayton's attorney until *yesterday* (or to the Republican Commissioners)? If they were credible, where were those 26 pages? Why weren't they the subject of the investigation?

This is self-generated smoke and by leaving it out, you left an implication of "more" that frankly, I'm hard pressed to believe is there.

I understand your not taking a side in this; that's good reporting. But damning by implication without substance and not including that these anecdotes have been around for a while without being shared with the commissioners or Crayton's attorney? I expect more even-handed reporting on a significant local topic.

to jwg:
I asked that question of John Hammer of the Rhino Times. If the Whitewater investigation cost was public info, was this one? He said he'd find out how much it cost and report it. I'd like to see the N&R do the same.

This whole episode is very disconcerting. Appears to be two different issues: 1) wrong doing and 2) management style.
Seems that the perceived wrong doing has been cleared up and the commissioners should let it go. As to management style, the commissioners should let this go too. Why? The county has a human resources department and if there are that many dis-satisfied employees with a department head, then they should follow the appropriate channels and file grievances accordingly. The commissioners are way out of line on this one.

I'm not sure Bruce Davis and Skip Alston are in the position to be critical of anyone's management or leadership.

We are all but miniscule bits of dust, part of a mound of earthen dirt, being carried through the ether on the back of a turtle.

Sue,

And who is footing the bill for Mr. Crayton's legal representative?

Can he put this on a county expense account?