Justice Center splits county

In Haywood County, election results show there is more support than I originally thought for building a large downtown justice center.

A whole lot of verbiage and ink have been exhausted discussing the cost, location and plan for the $35 million (give or take few million) justice center, parking deck, courthouse renovation and jail. The issue was like trench warfare for the existing county board and it led to the creation of at least one grassroots political group that worked behind the scenes and in public to downsize the project. The local school system was drawn into the fray, a foray that made for an interesting sideshow after the superintendent used school system letterhead to encourage school employees to get involved in the issue because it would sap money that might otherwise be used for educational spending.

We in the media haven’t stay on the sidelines, either. The justice center has been the subject of lots of editorial comment and news stories in this paper, in The Enterprise Mountaineer and in the Asheville Citizen-Times. WLOS-TV had also given the issue lots of air time.

Three commissioners supported the project. Two others — Wade Francis and Mary Ann Enloe — wanted it changed. Most of the news stories, it seemed, focused on those who were asking that the whole project be downsized or altered. Two political forums had the courthouse as the only subject.

In the end, though, the results showed many people want the project to go on. Although Mark Swanger garnered the most votes, and he supports a review of the project, Kirk Kirkpatrick supported the project and ended up coming in second.

Kevin Ensley’s third-place finish may have had as much to do with his party affiliation than his stand on the justice center. In the last several county board elections in Haywood, Republican have won seats on the board. They organize and support their candidates. That pattern held during this election cycle, so it’s likely that party affiliation had a lot to do with Ensley’s win.

The current justice center plan has about as much support among registered voters as it does detractors. Like the nationwide GOP-Democratic reality, the county is more evenly split on this issue than many want to admit.

Two other points jump out from Haywood’s county board race.

One: Swanger goes into office with a mandate. Usually, when a politician begins talking about an “electoral mandate,” it’s a good time to run and take cover. Too often that’ a good indicator that a pet project or something immensely unpopular is about to be rammed down the taxpayers’ throat, all in the name of popular support.

Swanger’s margin of victory and his overriding message — institute a more defined, orderly process for taking up issues and making a decision on them — is a worthy one. Time and again over the last decade I’ve watched the Haywood board take up important issues that were not on the agenda. I’ve fired off many editorials and columns while fuming about decisions that excluded the public from having a say. Swanger will change that, as he did on the school board.

Two: Never in 10 years has there been such a qualified slate of candidates running for the board in the general election. In most county board races in Haywood, there have been one or two candidates who made me cringe in fear that they might just luck up and win. Of the seven who made it to the general election this time, any three would have made thoughtful, decent commissioners. That, as much as the justice center split, is why this election was so close. I hope that some of those who did not win will give it a try in the future. incumbent Mary Ann Enloe, Mark Clasby, Donna Forga and Brandon Gilland could all do the job, and they are heads above many of the candidates who have tried in the past to win seats on this board.

Macon’s brawl ends in KO

Never have I seen such a slugfest in a local election as occurred this year in Macon County. Three Republican commissioner candidates ran a “take no prisoners” campaign and were soundly defeated. What this spells for Macon’s future is pretty clear.

The background is complicated, convoluted and somewhat nasty. First, a proposed land-use plan floated by a county-appointed task force raised the ire of many residents. Way before the election, meetings with hundreds of residents were held to rally against the proposal.

Out of that group came three candidates. In the primary, a popular Republican incumbent and county board chairman was defeated. The anti-zoning slate gained momentum with the primary win, but they created a fissure in the local Republican Party. The candidates began railing against County Manager Sam Greenwood, accusing him of corruption and launching a plan to have the residency of one GOP candidate challenged.

In the end (and after some of the most clever yet negative local political ads I’ve ever seen), the trio was defeated. Democrats swept the ticket.

What’s the message? Without doubt, voters thought the accusations of malfeasance in the county administration were simply untrue. Also, one must assume that by splitting the Republican Party the trio lost a lot of potential support in a county that has a lot of Republicans.

And three, and I personally hope this holds true, there is support in Macon County for some kind of land-use planning. Despite the vocal and large turnout out at meetings organized by those against the plan, those who won support land-use measures. Fast-growing Macon County needs to bring this issue back to the table before the next election.

Good people often lose

I read somewhere last week about a man who told a friend who was in another political party that he would never let their political differences get in the way of their personal relationship. Strongly held yet opposing views are absolutely necessary and shouldn’t be construed as good versus bad. Unfortunately, civil discourse may be a fading commodity in this country.

Two decent leaders from opposite sides of the political spectrum who lost in this past election were Sen. Dan Robinson (Democrat) and Rep. Marge Carpenter (Republican). During the campaign,

Robinson, the former college professor and WCU football coach, served ably in the N.C. Senate. His accomplishments were many, but I particularly remember his role in getting money for the cleanup of sediment in Lake Junaluska. He fought for local bills that would help Western North Carolina. I heard first-hand accounts of how he went to bat for citizens here whenever he could.

Robinson was loser in the legislative redistricting battle, which pitted him against Macon County incumbent Bob Carpenter (also a bona fide good guy who will serve WNC well). He lost the election, but Robinson should go out with his head held high.

Carpenter also worked hard to serve those in her district. I remember seeing her throughout the district talking to constituents, whether it was at an important meeting or a bluegrass festival in Bryson City. She took her role as a public servant seriously and was not in politics for her own betterment. She told me often that she was not a politician, and her actions proved it

This past session she fought hard against some of Gov. Mike Easley’s blunders, and she was a strong ally of those who convinced the governor to give back the money he diverted from the Friends of the Smokies license plate.

Party affiliation has nothing to do with character, despite what many seem to believe. Robinson and Carpenter served this region well, and they should be commended for what they did in Raleigh during some tough budgetary times.

(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)