Talking about the tax man
Thursday's county commissioners meeting saw the board reinstate suspended tax director Jenks Crayton on a 9-2 vote. Democrats Bruce Davis and Skip Alston voted against the measure.
But that's not all that happened.
Commissioners quoted Scripture. They rehashed old battles. They talked about how they arrived at their positions regarding Crayton's reinstatement, and how their votes would help them sleep at night.
Crayton had been on leave since early April, when Democratic commissioners ordered an investigation of the tax department by the N.C. Department of Revenue. The inquiry found no evidence of wrongdoing, but some board members weren't satisfied.
Scoop's got audio of everyone who made extended speeches Thursday except Democrat Kirk Perkins, who spoke near the end of the meeting after our recorder had filled up. The recordings are presented in chronological order from top to bottom.
Skip Alston: (14:50) voted against reinstatement
Billy Yow: (3:55) voted for reinstatement
Jenks Crayton: (8:27) answering questions about certain tax parcels from Alston, Davis and Carolyn Coleman
Bruce Davis: (14:24) voted against reinstatement
Paul Gibson: (2:04) voted for reinstatement
Trudy Wade: (2:02) voted for reinstatement
Steve Arnold: (5:37) voted for reinstatement (Arnold's microphone is off during the first part of his remarks. It comes on later, but only after a shrieking sound from the mic. Be aware as you listen.)
Linda Shaw: (3:25) voted for reinstatement
(Democrat Kay Cashion and Republican Mike Winstead did not speak on the matter. Both voted to reinstate Crayton, as did Perkins and Coleman.)
Comments (2)
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Thank God! It's about time some of the people on the Board of Commissioners got smart,grew themselves a backbone and voted what was the right thing to do, not what Skip Alston told them to do! This was a witch hunt from the get-go. After three investigations proving that Mr. Crayton has done absolutely nothing wrong, you would think that Alston and Davis would have the common decency to back down and allow Mr. Crayton to continue to do the excellent job he has done for quite some time. But, no, they still voted not to reinstate. I certainly hope the Board votes to issue a VERY PUBLIC APOLOGY to Mr. Crayton, but, alas, it will probably follow the Alston party lines, unless those new backbones that have just been grown can stay strong and harden into steel.
Personal note to Mr. Crayton - I'm not on the board, I am just a Guilford County resident and voter, but on behalf of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, you have my sincerest apologies for the defamation of your character and the slandering of your good name.
Posted on May 23, 2005 4:18 PM
The Democrat clowns would vote to burn the courthouse if their leader Skip Alston said to.
Posted on May 24, 2005 10:03 PM