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Guilford County commissioners today elected Paul Gibson as board chairman and Skip Alston as vice chairman. Both are Democrats and will serve one-year terms.
The vote for Gibson was 7-4 along party lines.
We'll have more on what this means for the county in tomorrow's paper.
Guilford County will almost surely build a jail in downtown Greensboro. But will you, dear voter, have a say in the matter?
That's what county commissioners will debate early next year after the jail architect unveils the latest and greatest price tag for the project. Officials worry that bond referendum for a new jail will fail, and ever since Greensboro voters OK'd less than half of the bonds this fall, some commissioners have become even more pessimistic.
"I'm afraid that a bond - it wouldn't pass," said Republican Linda Shaw. "What's that going to do? It's going to throw us further behind."
Shaw and others are now leaning toward a payment method called certificates of participation, or COPs. Essentially, it's just a different way to borrow money that charges higher interest, which will make it more expensive to taxpayers.
Estimates show a $100 million jail costing the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $19 annually in county property taxes. (Update after the jump)
All you wonks who crash in front of public-access TV for Guilford County commissioners meetings might see some new seating arrangements soon.
Right now, interim county manager David McNeill and other senior staff sit at a table that faces the board during meetings, a setup that brings to mind a Congressional hearing.
But new commissioners chairman Paul Gibson wants McNeill, or whoever the next manager is, up at the dais with the commissioners.
The reason: Gibson says the manager should freely participate more in the board's discussions. Having the manager up there, he figures, would encourage him to throw out ideas and get more involved in the debates.
Plopping the county's top administrator next the elected board is more the rule than the exception, at least locally. Back in the day, (or, at least, the 1980s) manager John Witherspoon sat with the commissioners.
Guilford County schools superintendent Terry Grier sits with the school board, and city manager Mitch Johnson sits with the Greensboro City Council. High Point does it the same way.
Gibson will probably need a majority of commissioners to approve his idea, so it's not a sure thing. And McNeill's current seat isn't so bad: he's just a few feet from the distinguished group of reporters who cover the county.
Taft Wireback takes a look at the Heart of the Triad project in today's paper:
If the Heart of the Triad is developed right, it could be home to 117,000 residents and 140,000 new jobs in such sectors as medicine and transportation technology, consultants said Tuesday.
But properly coordinated development would leave a third of the area as open space, enable residents to live close to work and create the strong sense of a unique place while boosting the economy by $313 million yearly, they said.
Six local governments must work together for this thing to work, so look for lots of discussion from your local pols in the coming months and years.
Just kidding. This could be pretty helpful before your commute: The City of Greensboro's Web site now provides access to its traffic cameras. Lots o' spots to choose from.
You’ve probably heard Dave Phillips is the latest Guilford County resident to be chosen as a U.S. Ambassador. As Doug Clark points out, the High Pointer joints Greensboro Aldona Wos, his brother and fellow High Pointer Earl Phillips and Greensboro’s Bonnie McElveen Hunter on a pretty prestigious roster.
So here’s Scoop’s question: With all that home-grown diplomatic talent on board, you think they might be able to negotiate a truce between High Point and Greensboro?
Guilford County might find somebody else to run its animal shelter off West Wendover Avenue.
The county pays the United Animal Coalition more than $1 million dollars annually to operate the shelter, but officials say it's time to see if another group could do the job better. Animal rescue groups have criticized the shelter for not working with them, resulting in too many animals being euthanized.
Jason Hardin has the story in today's paper.
Friday update: Shelter operator says, "We want to continue to run it forever." Story here.
I ran into Berkley Blanks yesterday afternoon outside the Old County Courthouse. I hadn't spoken with him since he lost his election rematch with Sheriff BJ Barnes.
Blanks said he wasn't disheartented at all by the result, noting that more than 40,000 people voted for him. (He mentions this on his old campaign Web site.) Thing is, Barnes got nearly 62,000 votes and thumped him for the second election in a row.
When asked if he'd try again in 2010, Blanks said, "Hell, yeah, I'll run again."
He later added: "I started running again the next day."
Blanks has a bit of history on his side. Barnes lost to longtime sheriff Walter "Sticky" Burch twice before finally beating him in 1994. He's been sheriff ever since.
"Third time might be the charm," Blanks told me. "It was for him."
New York Times: "New federal guidelines, along with legislation given a strong chance to pass in Congress next year, will probably combine to make the paperless voting machines obsolete, the officials say."
All North Carolina counties were required this year to use machines that record a "paper trail" of votes. If you voted in Guilford County, you'll recall the cash-register-style paper roll that printed your votes as you cast them.
These folks should be happy about the paper plan.
Indianapolis Colts wideout Ricky Proehl wants the Guilford County commissioners to stop the clock.
His attorney plans to ask commissioners Thursday to postpone a permit hearing for his proposed athletic complex in northwest Greensboro until February. By that time, the NFL season will be over, and Proehl - formerly of your Carolina Panthers and Wake Forest Demon Deacons - may or may not have another Super Bowl ring.
Plans for the complex - dubbed "Proehlific Park" - call for baseball and soccer fields, basketball courts, a weight room, and a study hall off Horse Pen Creek Road.
The planning board approved request 7-0, but neighbors want the commissioners to reverse the call. Neighbors say there's no need for a sports complex in an area with lots of school fields and a YMCA. And they're are worried that the park will increase traffic and drag down property values.
If past decisions are any indication, commissioners will probably grant Proehl's request to delay the hearing.
Michelle Jarboe wrote about Proehlific Park in October. Click below for that story.
The sales tax came up during Cap Beat's chat with the governor today. Mr. Easley says legislators should talk about keeping that extra quarter-cent around for awhile.
The governor's comments brought to mind something Billy Yow mentioned the other day: once government installs a temporary tax increase to pay for something, it is notorious for leaving it there to pay for something else.
Easley may be proving him right.
The folks who run the Guilford County animal shelter want county commissioners to know how wonderful they are.
... city bus?* You're in luck.
Starting Jan. 2, the Greensboro Transit Authority will provide 30 minute service on buses routed out of The Depot. Here's an explanation of what that means. Mostly, it translates into shorter waits at bus stops.
*Admit it. Scoop hooked you with the Rolling Stones reference in the headline. Song lyrics (and facts about the 1986 Mets) ... that's pretty much what we've got to offer here.
"... never weak but always strong, to protect you and defend you ..."*
Well, the ballots are in. Greensboro residents want a cyborg as their police chief, according to a summary of comments at recent public meetings.
The people say they want someone who will "do right thing, not popular thing," but will "represent (the department) in public relations." He or she should "stand on his/her own, not suck up to the boss," but "be answerable to the city manager and the public."
In short, the chief should be "a little bit George Patton" while also being "open to other perspectives" and "a good listener."
That's really not much to ask, now is it?
Our favorite suggestion under qualities wanted in a new chief: "Can pick locks."
*We'll award a coveted Scoopy to the first person who names the song referenced in the headline.
You remember how we went to all the bother of putting a paper trail on the electronic voting machines so that is something bad (or malicious) happened we’d always have the paper to count?
It’s a pretty sound idea, unless of course the paper doesn’t print right, or at all. (Click here for story).
One amusing bit that I didn’t put in this story: State law apparently still requires a paper-based audit, even of machines where the printers have failed. What to do? Easy: print out the data from the machine and count that. Yes, in the case where the independent paper record was not available, the elections folks counted by had the exact same thing that was counted by computer.
Jenks Crayton is out as Guilford County's tax director. Scroll to the bottom of today's story for details.
A deal between Crayton and the commissioners had been in the works for awhile. Crayton has been unable to work for much of the year as he recovers from what he has called complications from an emergency surgery, and it became clear that commissioners probably wouldn't reappoint him when his four-year term ends in June.
The vote was 7-3, with Democrats Skip Alston, Bruce Davis and Carolyn Coleman voting no. Alston said he was glad to see Crayton go, but he said he didn't want to give the tax chief four months pay "for doing nothing," so he voted against the resignation agreement.
Crayton has long had detractors on the board, but in recent months his Republican allies weren't jumping out to defend him like they did last year, when Democrats accused him of all sorts of tax-related misdeeds.
"We came for his defense because he was innocent outside of how he was accused," Republican Billy Yow told me last night. On why Crayton was inclined to quit his job, Yow said: "I guess he has reasons beyond discussion."
Crayton didn't attend the meeting, and he hasn't returned a phone call. I'll try to update this post if I can get up with him later today.
More on Crayton's many run-ins with the county commissioners here, here, here, and here.
Even more from Allen Johnson here, here, here, and here.
And even more from Doug Clark here, here, here, and here.
Guilford County Commissioners are apparently happy with Mr. Thigpen's performance as Register of Deeds, so they awarded him that healthy bump Thursday.
Thigpen, a former commissioner, has been working to modernize the deeds office, making it easier for lawyers and title searchers to research property records. The office installed a new computer system this summer.
Thigpen is happy, too. His salary jumped from $93,121 to $100,571. Both figures include a $300 monthly car allowance.
Another Guilford official, Sheriff BJ Barnes, got a 5 percent raise Thursday. His salary went from $123,429 to $129,600. It includes a clothing allowance of about $83 per month.
Voters elected Thigpen and Barnes, but the commissioners are responsible for evaluating them and setting their pay.
A look at the party makeup of boards of county commissioners statewide following last month's elections.
Republicans have been chipping away at the Democratic majority for years, but they've still got a long way to go at the local level.
This happened early Wednesday morning, waaaaaaaay past our deadline:
GREENSBORO – City Council unanimously agreed to give Manager Mitchell Johnson a $4,250 raise early Wednesday morning.
Johnson, who just finished his first year as manager, will earn $174,250 a year. The salary boost came after a lengthy private discussion among council members about his performance.
The raise is 2 ½ percent, which is the average for city employees.
“The performance that you have displayed, I think, has really risen to the occasion,” Mayor Keith Holliday said.
Johnson, who supervises the police chief, has been at the center of a scandal in the police department.
Most of what the public knows stems from the report produced by the Raleigh-based consulting firm Risk Management Associates. It concluded that former Chief David Wray had “crippled” the force by giving black officers stiffer punishments than white counterparts in similar situations and by intimidating white captains who opposed some of his decisions.
Wray resigned in January after Johnson changed the locks to Wray’s office — a move that drew criticism from Wray’s supporters.
Johnson later learned that certain community leaders had been recorded secretly by a police department employee, something Johnson previously denied had taken place.
Most City Council members have been steadfast in their public support for Johnson’s handling of the situation, saying he performed admirably under tough circumstances.
Johnson, 46, also created a city budget that raised taxes. And he saw passage of five bond projects that will expand city government, including building new fire stations, libraries and various parks projects.
In other business, the council:
•voted to recommend to the Greensboro Transit Authority a new rate of $1.10 per ride for the city’s bus service for the disabled. This would replace the oft-criticized rate of $72 for 60 rides and $15 for 10 rides, which was supposed to go into effect in January.
GTA will take up the issue on Thursday. The city must hold a public hearing before it becomes official, so the new rate could be implemented in February at the earliest.
The decision means the new rates won’t go into effect Jan. 1.
•agreed to give the old Cascade Saloon at 408-410 South Elm St. a landmark designation, despite strong opposition from the N.C. Railroad and Norfolk Southern.
The building is on some of the railroads’ property, and attorneys for those companies argued that they might need to demolish the building in the future.
I have asked quite a few political consultant types over the years why they do phone calls, particularly robo-calls, when they seemed to hack voters off in a big way. The answer typically comes back, “Well, you have to remember, phone calls are cheap.”
Yeah, but are they effective? Someone must think so. From a recent Pew Center report:
Nearly two-thirds of registered voters (64%) received recorded telephone messages in the final stages of the 2006 mid-term election. These so-called “robo-calls” were the second most popular way for campaigns and political activists to reach voters, trailing only direct mail as a key tool of political communication.
Click here to read the whole thing. (PDF)
More from the release:
Some 49% of American adults got direct mail contacts from candidates in 2004, compared with 61% this year. And 10% of American adults were visited in their homes by political activists in 2004, compared with 16% this year. In contrast, the number of Americans getting email political solicitations dropped slightly from 15% in 2004 to 12% in 2006.
So e-mail use dipped a bit while direct mail went up. That seems odd, especially with “You” as the person of the year and all, but I have a dime-store explanation:
Some of the biggest and most savvy users of e-mail in 2004 were presidential candidates. No presidential race this year meant some of the big players in e-mail use were off the board. My bet is you will see a spike in e-mail use in 2008.
Also, a lot of the best campaign e-mail wouldn’t register as coming from a campaign. The type of stuff you get from your mom or sister or neighbor or buddy at work that says what a great guy Candidate X is might have been prompted by the campaign itself saying “write your friends.” But those on the receiving end wouldn’t see it as campaign spam, but as an e-mail from an acquaintance.
As for the direct mail bump, I would bet that has to do with a lack of a presidential contest. More money was available to contests lower down on the ticket, which meant more candidates could do more mailings.
This AP story got me thinking about Greensboro's lagging rate of population growth.
Don Patterson wrote a fascinating piece on this a couple months ago. If the slow growth keeps up, we could face higher property taxes and lose our standing as North Carolina's third-largest city.
Census rankage linkage: N.C. cities; N.C. counties
Ladies and Gentlemen, Inside Scoop proudly presents The 2006 Scoopie Awards, a celebration of the year that was in local politics.
Now let us never speak of it again.
Next week: we solemnly resolve.
“You called me a bad name,” Alma Adams said as she started a phone conversation with your humble correspondent earlier today.
My witty retort: “what now?”
“In the paper, you called me Syso-something,” she said.
Ah, that’s what she meant.
Adams was referring to our recent Scoopies column our award to her of the "The Sisyphus Citation." From the column:
The Sisyphus CitationTo: Rep. Alma Adams
For: Finally getting an increase in the minimum wage to pass the legislature after more than a decade of trying.
The notion of the subhead was a nod to her persistence for pursuing the minimum wage increase for more than a decade. It’s a reference to Sisyphus from Greek Mythology, who was punished by the gods with an interminable, seemingly impossible task. From Encyclopedia Mythica:
In the realm of the dead, he is forced to roll a block of stone against a steep hill, which tumbles back down when he reaches the top. Then the whole process starts again, lasting all eternity. His punishment was depicted on many Greek vases.
Less there be any doubt, it was meant as a friendly nod.