State Port Pilot, 05.08.24
Approximately 15 years ago, I was happy and proud to be a member of the Brunswick County (BC) Planning Board. It was a period in which BC was the 14th fastest growing county in the United States. This dramatic growth in population has continued and is reflected in the increase of staffing and funding in the planning department as well as other departments, especially the sheriff’s department. If it is true that the number of eligible voters has increased by 70% since 2010 and no full-time Board of Elections (BOE) employees have been added to the six-member staff since 2016, it would be mind-boggling if the B.C. Board of Commissioners would refuse a budget request for a public information officer and campaign finance person.
Based upon the discussion in a recent budget workshop, commissioners are aware of the numerous changes in voter laws made by the N.C. General Assembly in recent years. As for campaign finance, I had a 12-year relationship with the BOE staff as treasurer for a county political party and/or my political campaigns. My initial attitude was, “Can’t we round everything to the nearest dollar?” The BOE reply, in so many words, was “No! You must account for every penny.” This professionalism was reflected in the state and national recognition received by the BOE in recent years. It was also reflected locally in a GOTV workshop that the BOE Director conducted at my church two years ago. Although the attendance was extremely low at the evening (after-hours) workshop, the director acted as though 50-100 people were present. There is an old saying, “You don’t miss your water until the well runs dry!” Commissioners should not let the BOE “well” run dry.
William Flythe
Southport