CCTA Watchdog Report -New Bern Board of Alderman -Special Supplement

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO CCTA WATCHDOG REPORT

NEW BERN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, MAY 11, 2013

On Friday, May 10th, Ward 2 Alderman Victor Taylor announced he would join Ward 6 Alderman Dana Outlaw in petitioning New Bern City Manager Mike Epperson to convene a special called meeting of the New Bern Board of Alderman (BOA). This will be announced in a timely fashion in accordance with the NC statutes which require 48-hours' notice to the Board members and the public.

Based on recent accounts in various local media of statements attributed to Alderman Outlaw, the subjects of this meeting are to be Mayor Bettis's legal entanglements and actions of this week, to discuss whether Mayor Bettis should resign, and the leadership and direction of the City. This week's events that brought the Board to this point began with Mayor Bettis being cited at 7:49am this past Monday morning with a DWI and two infractions of failure to maintain lane control and designated lane violations. The Havelock PD press release states the investigators said the charges are based on how Mr. Bettis was driving, as well as results from field sobriety tests.

Less than 48 hours later, a 911 call to Carteret County dispatch recorded his wife accusing him of abusing her by shoving her down stairs and choking her. The next day, Thursday, Susan Namowicz, Bettis Law Firm's business manager who also said she was the family's personal assistant, conducted a press conference to convey a prepared statement from Mayor Bettis succinctly stating that he would be taking a 2-month leave of absence "to take care of his family". Mr. Bettis was not present at this event. His assistant said the mayor wanted her to read his prepared statement "in which he could not be here for which he is in court - delayed in court - as he is an attorney". It is Alderman Outlaw's conviction that the mayor should resign both as a result of his actions during this week as well as his intended length of leave, which he believes "leaves the city in a void of leadership that is not good for the city". When asked her opinion of the impact of Mayor Bettis's circumstances on the city, Alderman Sabrina Bengel has been quoted in the Sun Journal as responding , "As mayor pro tem, I will lead the meetings in his absence - he is still mayor of New Bern. The publicity has not affected city staff. The work of the city is going on, and it is good work". Mr. (City Manager Mike) Epperson is at the helm, and it is business as usual."

According to a brief that City Attorney Scott Davis gave at the 3-6-13 BOA meeting, this special called meeting will be a public meeting. However, as Alderman Outlaw pointed out in a 5-10-13 Sun Journal article, it is possible the Board could vote to go into closed session at some point during that meeting. Late Friday afternoon, a new BOA agenda was posted for a regular meeting to be held on Tuesday, May 14th @ 7pm, presided over by Mayor Bettis. This meeting date was previously listed on the BOA Calendar for the FY2013/14 city budget overview (Agenda Item #5). However, Agenda item #24 is listed to be a closed session, although no statute is cited that would give a clue as to what would be discussed. Petition of Citizens is also on the agenda at item #3. This is the opportunity for the public to address the Board for four (4) minutes on concerns they may have.

Other possible items of interest to CCTA members are:

(a) Agenda item #4. "Adopt Resolution Authorizing City to be a Co-Applicant with New Bern Housing Authority in the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant and Authorizing City Manager to Sign Memorandum of Understanding.

(Ward 1) The New Bern Housing Authority has requested the City partner with them on a Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant. The grant assists with plans for modernization of public housing as well as overall improvements in the surrounding community. The grant will require a dollar-for-dollar cash match over the next two years of an amount not to exceed $30,000. The Resolution authorizes the City to join the Housing Authority as a co-applicant and authorizes the City Manager to sign a Memorandum of Understanding and to approve the expenditures up to $30,000 for the required match."

(b) Agenda item #8. Adopt a resolution approving Interlocal Tax Collection Agreement wherein the County and City tax offices are recommended to be consolidated effective 7-1-13.

(c) Agenda item #14. Adopt a resolution approving financing terms for Advanced Metering Project (AMI/DSM) and the Hwy 17S Sewer Improvements Project not to exceed $1.4 million and refinancing four (4) debt contracts totaling $15,960,528.92 to save the City $1.5 million.

(d) Agenda item #16. Adopt a resolution to provide for the creation of a new position of MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) Administrator under the Development Services Dept. Funded by an 80% match from the U.S. Dept of Transportation and a 20% match from local member jurisdictions. Membership consists of New Bern's director of development services, MPO coordinator, city engineer; Craven County's planning director and operations and facilities director; town managers from Trent Woods, Bridgeton and River Bend; CARTS; Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority; New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce; and federal, state and local transportation officials. The pay scale range is $36,978 to $60,181.

In the early morning of May 10th, City Attorney Scott Davis was kind and patient enough to participate in an email interview with me. It centered around the subject of Mayor Bettis's leave status and his continuing to be paid despite the manner in which his leave of absence came about.

On the subject of leave benefits and procedures for elected officials: Mr. Davis stated that "elected officials are not subject to the city's personnel policies regarding leave. Therefore, the Mayor's leave is general in nature unless the Mayor decides to provide more specificity". I asked him if Mayor Bettis informed anyone on the BOA, the City Manager, someone in Human Resources or Mr. Davis, himself, that he was embarking on this 2-month leave of absence prior to issuing his statement through his representative at the May 8th Noon press conference? Mr. Davis replied, "The Mayor did not inform me of his plans. I do not know what he may have told others. To what may be a minor point, it's not been made clear to me what the Mayor intends by his "leave". I don't know if he will be performing some functions but not others, or none at all, or for exactly how long. Under such circumstances, the Mayor Pro Tem performs the functions of the Mayor to the extent necessary".

On the issue of the Mayor's and other elected officials' pay for both leave and active status: Mr. Davis explained in our email interview that "city employees are subject to different rules regarding pay and compensation, and have different benefits regarding sick leave and vacation" as compared to elected officials. "City employees may or may not receive compensation while on leave depending on the facts". Elected officials are not required to be placed in a designated leave status such as sick leave or personal leave or vacation/annual leave. Mr. Davis said, "I'm not aware of any public official of any local government that I represent who has not received pay while on leave. There may be examples out there of which I'm not aware". I asked Mr. Davis if the Board could hold a BOA meeting during which an amendment to either the budget or to Mayor Bettis's employment contract could be motioned and voted on should it be determined by some means that it is no longer incumbent on the city to pay him while he is on this leave of absence. Mr. Davis answered, "No. Public officials have no employment contracts. The Board sets its annual compensation (and the Mayor's) as part of the annual budget ordinance. Once fixed, it may not be changed until the next budget year".

In a Sun Journal article posted @ 3:57 pm on Friday, May 10th, City Mgr Epperson said that Mayor Bettis sent him a clarification to his leave period stating it will be less than the 2-months he originally released to the public. Mayor Bettis said it was possible that he would not be attending BOA meetings for up to six (6) weeks. Mr. Epperson was also reported to have said that the Mayor's primary activities are presiding over the BOA meetings and some ceremonial roles. (This reporter would add that another primary duty is that the Mayor is allowed to vote on all issues coming before the Board). Mr. Epperson said that Mayor Pro Tem Bengel will assume those duties, or possibly delegate some of the ceremonial duties to other Board members. Mr. Epperson also said that as of (this 3:57pm posting) the afternoon of May 10th, he had not heard a request for a special council meeting from any Alderman.

The Board and city staff are currently in the process of formulating the FY2013/14 budget. Regarding the budget There is one more public BOA meeting for the budget overview presentation on this Tuesday May 14th @ 7pm and two more public budget workshops (5-21-13 and 5-23-13, both @ 6pm) to be held. When the budget ordinance is passed, it will become effective July 1, 2013. If Mayor Bettis's stated 60-day leave was to be calculated from the date of his assistant's press conference on May 9th that would put his return at noon on July 9th, 2013. An earlier return at six weeks would bring the date to June 20th.


Rhonda Taylor
CCTA Watchdog Reporter for City of New Bern
New Bern, NC

NC INSURANCE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE DEBATE! September 17, 2012

North Carolina Candidates for

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER DEBATE

Monday, September 17th, 2012, 11:30 – 2:00 PM

Sanitary Restaurant, on the Waterfront Morehead City, NC Lunch Special $10

Featuring Wayne Goodwin and Mike Causey

 

Candidates for NC Insurance Commissioner

Reservations required by emailing ncdoidebate@gmail.com

Sponsored by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors – Carteret County

This week, both Crystal Coast Tea Party Patriot groups meet:

Weekly meeting of the Crystal Coast Tea Party Patriot @ the Golden Corral in Morehead City on Tuesday, June 18, 2012 beginning at 6 PM

and the Up West Crystal Coast Tea Party Patriot group will meet @ Ribeyes Steakhouse in Cape Carteret on Tuesday, June 18, 2012 beginning at 7 PM


Over the last few weeks, CCTPP members have heard from most of the candidates who will be running in the Second Primary Election (commonly called the Run-Off Primary) on July 17, 2012. Tuesday night, in preparation for the run-off election, we will be discussing each of the candidates and voting on which of the candidates best represents the Tea Party principles of Fiscal Responsibility, Limited Government, and Free Markets. We plan to distribute our list of recommended candidates at the July 4th parade in Beaufort, and in the Carteret News Times prior to the election on July 17th.

Candidates to be considered on Tuesday night are:
NC Lieutenant Governor - Dan Forest and Tony Gurley
NC Commissioner of Insurance - Richard Morgan and Mike Causey
NC Secretary of State - Kenn Gardner and Ed Goodwin
NC Superintendent of Public Instruction - John Tedesco and Richard Alexander

If you don't know anyone of these candidates, please come to the Tuesday night meeting to learn about them. More importantly, please come to vote for the candidates that best represent the Tea Party values.

Voter turnout for run-off elections is historically very low. This is a chance for Carteret County to have a big impact on who the candidates will be in the November 6th General Election. This will be particularly important in the race to elect the Commissioner of Insurance. Come to the meeting to find out why.


Crystal Coast Tea Party
Newport, NC
http://crystalcoastteaparty.com/

CAROLINA JOURNAL: Perdue Flight Provider Seeks GOP Nod

Ramsey’s history of support for Democrats an issue

By Don Carrington. Executive Editor

RALEIGH---Carteret County businessman Randy Ramsey, who has made substantial campaign contributions to Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue, former Democratic Gov. Mike Easley, and the N.C. Democratic Party, is running in a three-way Republican primary for the 2nd District state Senate seat. Ramsey is the owner of Jarrett Bay Boat works, a boat-building company located in Beaufort. He is a registered Republican, but his past support for Democrats, which includes air travel for Perdue and a $2,000 contribution to her campaign in July, has outraged several Republican Party activists.

Before this year, he has given $3,750 to Republican candidates, but more than 10 times that amount to Democratic campaigns and to the state Democratic Party.

Ramsey told Carolina Journal that he gave to Democrats from eastern North Carolina and thought they would help his part of the state, but that he has “been disappointed” in them.

Moreover, either Ramsey or Jarrett Bay is connected with at least four flights provided to the 2008 Perdue campaign, based on records from an investigation by the State Board of Elections. Ramsey says he recalls providing for two of the flights, but the records — provided by the Perdue committee — are spotty and incomplete, making it difficult to connect payments with specific flights.

Two former Perdue fundraisers face felony charges related to unreported or improperly reported flights during Perdue’s campaign for governor.

Air travel for Perdue

Perdue was elected governor in November 2008. Investigations and news reports later would reveal that she made extensive use of private aircraft for campaign and official business without paying the owners. Perdue has attributed the initial nonpayment’s to sloppy work by her campaign staff. A Perdue spokeswoman characterized the free flying for official business as “gifts to the state.”

Through an investigation by the Board of Elections, the public eventually learned that Perdue’s campaign had accepted dozens of free flights. After a hearing in August 2010, the board fined the Perdue committee $30,000.

A spreadsheet listing Perdue’s air travel from 2001 through 2008 became public information during the election board’s August 2010 hearing. That document listed a total of 243 flights, but the details of many of the flights were missing.

The records appear complete for a Sept. 26, 2008, flight in a Beechcraft King Air provided by Crystal Aviation. May 11, 2009, the Perdue campaign committee sent Jarrett Bay Boatworks Inc. a check for $629.34, listing it as a debt payment for air travel related to that flight.

Crystal Aviation is involved in airplane leasing, according to corporation records from the N.C. Secretary of State’s office. Randy Ramsey of Jarrett Bay Boatworks was listed as a managing member in 2004 and as a member in other years.

A Carolina Journal review of Perdue’s campaign reports could not match reimbursements for three other flights involving Crystal Aviation:

• A Feb. 21, 2008, flight listed as New Bern/Charlotte/Chapel Hill/New Bern was attributed to Crystal Aviation Partnership and Trawick “Buzzy” Stubbs. No cost or payment information was listed. CJ could find no record of payment to Stubbs, Crystal Aviation, Jarrett Bay, or Ramsey. Stubbs, a longtime friend of Perdue and the law partner of Perdue’s late first husband, recently pleaded not guilty to two felony charges related to the governor’s campaign funding. Stubbs was identified in the Board of Elections’ report on Perdue’s campaign flights as an architect of an “aircraft provider” program, along with Peter Reichard, the campaign’s former finance director. Reichard took a felony Alford plea in February in the state probe of the governor’s campaign.

• A May 4, 2008, flight listed as Beaufort/New Bern/Chapel Hill/Beaufort/New Bern also was attributed to Crystal Aviation and Buddy Stallings. The cost column read “cost sheet not completed.” CJ could find no record of payment to Stubbs, Crystal Aviation, Jarrett Bay, or Ramsey.

• A March 8, 2007, flight listed as New Bern/Chapel Hill/Charlotte/Chapel Hill/New Bern was attributed to Crystal Aviation and Buzzy Stubbs. Notes indicate the trip was part official business and part campaign. The total cost was listed as $1,260.60. CJ could find no record of payment to Stubbs, Crystal Aviation, Jarrett Bay, or Ramsey.

Ramsey told CJ the Perdue committee reimbursed him for two flights, but he didn’t remember the details. When asked who asked him to make his aircraft available to Perdue, he said, “I don’t remember — don’t know who asked.”

NCSU board appointment

In June 2009, Perdue appointed Ramsey to the N.C. State University Board of Trustees. Ramsey filled the vacancy left by board chairman D. McQueen Campbell, who resigned at the request of UNC System resident Erskine Bowles.

At the time, Campbell was the subject of news stories and investigations involving free campaign-related flights he had provided to Gov. Mike Easley, for his role in helping Mary Easley obtain a job at N.C. State, and for helping the Easleys purchase a lot in the Cannonsgate development in Carteret County.

In November 2010, Mike Easley entered an Alford plea to a felony charge of failure to report campaign expenditures. Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the evidence against him may lead to conviction from a jury. Easley, the first North Carolina governor with a felony conviction, paid a $1,000 fine.

Party loyalty

The 2nd Senate District is made up of Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico counties.

The other two candidates are current GOP state Rep. Norm Sanderson of Arapahoe and Pine Knoll Shores Mayor Ken Jones. Incumbent Republican Jean Preston decided not to seek another term.

Some local conservative and Republican activists can’t stomach Ramsey as a Republican candidate.

“Randy Ramsey has been a major player in liberal Democratic ‘pay-to-play’ politics and is not representative of the conservative values of the Tea Party, or what we expect of the Republican Party,” wrote Ken Lang of Stella on the Crystal Coast Tea Party’s website.

A letter from Fred Decker of Newport, published in the Carteret News-Times, was also critical of Ramsey, and claimed the Republican state Senate leadership recruited him. “We don’t need people from Raleigh, Jacksonville, and Wilmington telling us whom we should select to represent us,” he wrote.

When asked if he had been recruited to run for the Senate, Ramsey told CJ that “recruited was too strong of a word,” and that he discussed his interest in running with Preston, state Senate leader Phil Berger of Rockingham County, and state Sen. Harry Brown of neighboring Onslow County.

Brown, the Senate majority leader, told CJ that Ramsey approached him about running for the seat and that the Senate leadership had no problem with it. “We were looking for candidates, and Norm Sanderson had not come to us at the time. We try to stay out of the primary,” he said.

When CJ asked Brown if he knew that Ramsey had been an aircraft provider to the 2008 Perdue campaign he said, “I had no clue on the flying.”

Most recent contribution

Last year, Perdue issued frequent criticisms of the budget passed by the Republican-led General Assembly.

Perdue wanted to continue a 1-cent temporary sales tax that was scheduled to expire. She vetoed the budget bill, but the General Assembly voted to override her veto.

”Tonight, the Republican-controlled legislature turned its back on North Carolina’s longstanding commitment to our people to provide quality schools, community colleges, and universities — all to save a penny. I vetoed the Republican General Assembly’s budget because I believe it will cause generational damage to this state,” she said on June 15 after the override vote. “This budget is shortsighted and irresponsible. It cuts a full half-billion dollars more out of education than I proposed in my budget. It not only damages our education system but also hurts public safety, our environment, and our ability to care for those who need us most.”  (EXCUSE ME--BULL#$%T! ~Lynn)

The following month, on July 25, Ramsey made another $2,000 contribution to the Perdue campaign. Ramsey’s donations to Perdue total $16,500. He also gave a total of $7,500 to Easley and $2,000 to former Democratic Senate leader Marc Basnight. Ramsey also gave $5,000 to the N.C. Democratic Party in October 2008 and another $2,500 in April 2010. He has made additional donations to Democrats.

In April 2008, just before the May primary election, Ramsey’s mother and three Jarrett Bay employees gave a total of $9,500 to the Perdue campaign.

Ramsey’s contributions to Republicans prior to this year total $3,750, including $1,000 to Brown and $1,250 to Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry. CJ

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