Info for the North East Chatham Coalition

[Pat Barnes]

Mama Cash,
                I would love to be a part of that group. Would you pull that old thread up, and we could start over?
     I have been asked for a couple of years now, if I would be willing to be a part of such a group, and would I be willing to help organize it? Yes, and yes. It would be a group that transcended party lines, and now is the time.
     If you were laughed at, maybe it was by folks who didn't want their thunder stolen, or simply refused to believe it was possible. Anything is possible, with hard work, and a determined attitude.
     Budman, would you like to join? I don't need to be one of the leaders, I'd be willing to be a foot soldier. But I would lead if asked, and only in the direction the citizens wanted. Finding common ground for all would be the No. 1 priority. And the power would not be bestowed to a steering committee whose members had political aspirations, but to a group of citizens who took family, and community as the basis for decisions made, and actions taken.
     Oh my Lord, it does sound daunting, but it is possible.
     There are currently 30something different groups in this county- they all have their agendas. Is there one that takes all Chatham into account?
     The one that says they do has shown they don't. And that's a fact.

[mary51802]

I do not know but all the folks at the Harpers Crossroads car show last week and in the Bennett cafe sure are Republicans as well as my neighbors along 902. Some say they are independents that are unhappy with the current BOC and like myself had to vote them in to dethrone Bunky.

I know tons of folks at Falls Church Baptist and up to Bear Creek but have heard no one saying they have voted Democratic. There may be some I do not know of, agreed but we will see this November.

I agree with NatRbt that both sides are a bit extreme but sometimes it is the choice of a lesser of 2 evils. I may have voted for them but they have done so poorly I will not again.

My personal opinion is until this county does NOT become so polarized, there will not be much hope for a prosperous county overall, and why would ANY of us wish that upon ourselves? (Of course, unless more fuel to the fire to complain on here).

I remember a couple of years ago starting a thread about uniting the county as a whole ...starting a task force or coming together for the good of the entire county ...only to be laughed at and told it would never happen and the thread died. No one would post anything positive on it. So ...you are both right in that until everyone quits thinking it is someone elses job and no body cares about us over here then nothing good will come about for the entire county. the folks in the NE ...many of them have no clue as to the rich resources and wonderful folks who live in Bear Creek or Bennet, Silk Hope or Moncure. But they can not be held in contempt for the BOC and their rotten decisions, either.

I know mammacash.... They seem to concentrate on the NE only. All these towns out here matter too and I have never seen a BOC member out here or talking about the SW. Granted there are a lot of farms but agriculture is key to the county and all the towns have a lot to offer. I know people that come from Durham to the Bear Creek Fruit cake bakery. That could be developed into a Christmas destination with ornament stands, hot chocolate stands, etc. The BOC could also get the larger farms to do tours to see a commercial operation and see they are not evil as some sustainable advocates would have us believe. We have everything from Longhorned cattle farms to black angus and more.

[beinginferior]

George told Barry Hayes on the radio this weekend that he either wanted to or had started a task force to unite both sides of the county,  and that he was 'very upset' that it had failed.  He said it was a leadership issue. 

Damn George,  what the hell did we elect you for,  if not to lead. 

[mary51802]

START one now? A little late I fear. The people out here are verry unhappy and November is just a wink away!

[Snowball]

George told Barry Hayes on the radio this weekend that he either wanted to or had started a task force to unite both sides of the county,  and that he was 'very upset' that it had failed.  He said it was a leadership issue. 

Damn George,  what the hell did we elect you for,  if not to lead. 

The commisioners who largely represent the western side of the county should take a leadership role too. They could start with their presence and appropriate attention to issues in their districts.

[srvfan]

George told Barry Hayes on the radio this weekend that he either wanted to or had started a task force to unite both sides of the county,  and that he was 'very upset' that it had failed.  He said it was a leadership issue. 

Damn George,  what the hell did we elect you for,  if not to lead. 

The commisioners who largely represent the western side of the county should take a leadership role too. They could start with their presence and appropriate attention to issues in their districts.

they may live in those districts and in title/theory they may "represent" those districts, but until we have voting by district chances are they will still be elected by and therefore feel a larger need to listen more to voters outside their districts

[mary51802]

I did not think they had districts? All three are county commisioners right?

[Silk_Hope]

Voting by District are ugly words to many but in order for the districts to be properly represented it is necessary. Wasn't it the Coalition that fought against the idea last time it was put out for a vote?

[truedemocrat]

Voting by District are ugly words to many but in order for the districts to be properly represented it is necessary. Wasn't it the Coalition that fought against the idea last time it was put out for a vote?

They did fight the issue last time around.  IIRC, it was because they felt that the census data used to create the new districts was too old and that the map was created to cause 1 of the BoC members to "lose his seat" and would have been in the same district as George Lucier.  I think that it was Patrick Barnes that would have been lumped in the same district. 

[Snowball]

I did not think they had districts? All three are county commisioners right?

They have districts. For information, see
http://www.chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=31
and click on "county commissioner districts."  It will show a county map with each commissioner's district.

[natvrabit]

I do not know but all the folks at the Harpers Crossroads car show last week and in the Bennett cafe sure are Republicans as well as my neighbors along 902. Some say they are independents that are unhappy with the current BOC and like myself had to vote them in to dethrone Bunky.

I know tons of folks at Falls Church Baptist and up to Bear Creek but have heard no one saying they have voted Democratic. There may be some I do not know of, agreed but we will see this November.

I agree with NatRbt that both sides are a bit extreme but sometimes it is the choice of a lesser of 2 evils. I may have voted for them but they have done so poorly I will not again.

My personal opinion is until this county does NOT become so polarized, there will not be much hope for a prosperous county overall, and why would ANY of us wish that upon ourselves? (Of course, unless more fuel to the fire to complain on here).

I remember a couple of years ago starting a thread about uniting the county as a whole ...starting a task force or coming together for the good of the entire county ...only to be laughed at and told it would never happen and the thread died. No one would post anything positive on it. So ...you are both right in that until everyone quits thinking it is someone elses job and no body cares about us over here then nothing good will come about for the entire county. the folks in the NE ...many of them have no clue as to the rich resources and wonderful folks who live in Bear Creek or Bennet, Silk Hope or Moncure. But they can not be held in contempt for the BOC and their rotten decisions, either.

I know mammacash.... They seem to concentrate on the NE only. All these towns out here matter too and I have never seen a BOC member out here or talking about the SW. Granted there are a lot of farms but agriculture is key to the county and all the towns have a lot to offer. I know people that come from Durham to the Bear Creek Fruit cake bakery. That could be developed into a Christmas destination with ornament stands, hot chocolate stands, etc. The BOC could also get the larger farms to do tours to see a commercial operation and see they are not evil as some sustainable advocates would have us believe. We have everything from Longhorned cattle farms to black angus and more.

IMO, it is NOT entirely about the BOC. The issue also involves mayors and down the ladder being willing to communicate.
BTW, Southern Supreme (the 'fruitcake place') has done an excellent job of building its own business and reputation based on quality. It is already a Christmas destination and destination at other times. You are late in the game on the discovery and promo on that one, but thanks for the reminder to folks!

[chrstnhsbndfthr]

Perhaps Pam Stewart and Walter Petty can pull it off, especially if Cross and/or Bock could be convinced to vote with them.  We certainly need some alternative ideas on the BOC. Lucier, Thompson, and Vanderbeck have failed to lead. Taking orders from the likes of Jeffrey and Hammond has proven a failure for the county as a whole.

[djkelly]

Commissioners have to live in their respective districts but everyone in the county votes in every commissioner race.  It's been quite common for more conservative candidates from the western part of the county to win in their district but lose the election due to the much larger number of more liberal voters in the Northeast.

Unfortunately the last time the issue of district voting was raised it was tied to redistricting and to specific candidates and allegations of ulterior motives.  The true reasons for and against it weren't well presented.

Tom Vanderbeck was an especially harsh critic of district voting.
http://www.chathamjournal.com/weekly/news/politics/district-voting-61017.shtml

[chrstnhsbndfthr]

The commissioner candidates did say they would work on the redistricting issue, to approach it fairly, some even expressed interest in a five/two or four/three split between being elected in district and county wide, but none seemed interested afterward.

Commissioners have to live in their respective districts but everyone in the county votes in every commissioner race.  It's been quite common for more conservative candidates from the western part of the county to win in their district but lose the election due to the much larger number of more liberal voters in the Northeast.

Unfortunately the last time the issue of district voting was raised it was tied to redistricting and to specific candidates and allegations of ulterior motives.  The true reasons for and against it weren't well presented.

Tom Vanderbeck was an especially harsh critic of district voting.
http://www.chathamjournal.com/weekly/news/politics/district-voting-61017.shtml

[Chathamoriginal]

George told Barry Hayes on the radio this weekend that he either wanted to or had started a task force to unite both sides of the county,  and that he was 'very upset' that it had failed.  He said it was a leadership issue. 

Damn George,  what the hell did we elect you for,  if not to lead. 

Can't build a task force when all you know and associate with are from the either the democrat party and more likely the left of the democrat party. They don't know the people, their histories, the towns etc etc. Can you picture Lucier popping into Rufus' for a Rufus Burger? If by chance you can picture that what level of "being comfortable with the locals" do you think he or Vaderbeck would be. Would they recognize one single face there or in the whole town of Goldston, or Bennett, or Bonlee etc. unless they were an organic/sustainable "farmer"

Lucier et al have made no genuine gestures to the west side nor do they intend to.They dont know the people at all and they never will.

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