week of 1/22/03
 
 
 
  Political action group wants to be a voice of the people
By Scott McLeod

The new Haywood County Political Action Group will hold regular meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the former Democratic Party Headquarters on North Main Street.


A new organization with a list of members long active in Haywood politics hopes it can become a springboard for better communication on important issues.

“Our main goal is to educate the public. We want to be a voice for the people and their concerns,” said Joe Edwards, a building contractor who has made two unsuccessful bids for a seat on the county commission.

Earl Lanning, who is acting as the public relations director for the new group, said the lack of communication between the citizenry and commissioners on the justice center project was a catalyst for the group.

“That was one of our inspirations,” said Lanning.

Edwards said the group would probably take stands on individual issues and buy advertising space, but it would not endorse candidates or provide financial support to them. Individually, members may run for office or endorse candidates.

“We don’t want to neuter our members. We don’t want them to lose their individual identity,” said Lanning.

Lanning said ending the east-west division in the county is one goal of the group. Also, Edwards said the group would make sure to get involved in both municipal and county issues.

While the group is calling itself a political action group, it is non-partisan and therefore does not have to register with the board of elections as a political action committee.

At the Jan. 21 county board meeting, Ralph Ferguson spoke as a member of the Haywood County Political Action Group and encouraged commissioners to take action to return tax money to residents who overpaid due to mistakes concerning well and septic tanks valuations.

Other members of the board of directors include former county commissioners Grover Bradshaw and Wade Francis, former Waynesville alderman James Williamson, Sheriff Tom Alexander, Ralph Ferguson of Fines Creek, Howard Leatherwood of Allens Creek and Carol Moore of Waynesville.