Philip D. Brown

Richmond County Daily Journal

While double-digit unemployment rates and economic insecurity dominated much of the news in Richmond County over the course of 2009, residents turned to their elected officials for help with their current situation and to spur growth in the future.

January 2009 saw a number of firsts for Richmond County, as those elected in November of 2008 were installed in office.

Rockingham native Wayne Goodwin became the first Richmond County native to hold statewide office since the 1920’s when he was sworn-in as the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner.

Goodwin and his wife, N.C. Rep. Melanie Wade Goodwin, made history on several fronts through their combined forces in Raleigh in 2009.

Goodwin’s installation to his post meant the two were the first couple in North Carolina history to hold office with one on the Council of State and the other in the General Assembly.

She had previously become the first woman to be elected to the North Carolina House from a district that included Richmond County and the first to give birth while in office.

Rep. Goodwin and N.C. Sen. Bill Purcell represented Richmond County through one of the most difficult state budget sessions in memory. Some $1.5 billion was cut from the budget to balance it.

In September, however, Rep. Goodwin announced she would step down from the legislature, citing personal reasons.

Local business owner, and son of former Richmond County Sheriff R.W. Goodman, Kenneth Goodman announced he would run for the seat, and no other candidates have publicly announced they will challenge him in 2010.

Rep. Goodwin would also receive the Citizen of the Year Award from the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce in December of 2009.

Also in January, Richmond County was represented at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, who carried the county by a slim margin in the 2008 election.

Also taking office in 2009 was U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, who hails from Biscoe in Montgomery County.

He replaced five-term U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, who represented the eighth district for 10 years.

In August, Kissell would host a stop on The White House Rural Listening Tour at the Cole Auditorium on the campus of Richmond Community College that brought U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to town.

Also attending the meeting was U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.

Municipal elections in November saw Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin and Hamlet Mayor Jeff Smart fend off challengers for their offices, while each city had one new council member elected.

In Rockingham, Rockingham City Councilwoman Shirley Fuller was ousted by 27-year-old Travis Billingsley in his first attempt at public office.

In Hamlet, former Councilman Jesse McQueen decided to run for mayor and vacate his seat on the council, which was won by former Richmond Community College President Dr. Diane Honeycutt in a contested race.

The Town of Ellerbe also saw new blood come into the fold, when 25-year-old Olivia Webb was elected mayor in her first attempt at public office.

Dobbins Heights also received a new council member in Charles “Romeo” Jones, who also sought public office for the first time.

Four-term Richmond County Sheriff Dale Furr announced he would not seek re-election in September, setting up what promises to be one of the more interesting local races for 2010.

Already, three candidates have declared their intentions to become the third sheriff of Richmond County since 1950 (Goodman 1950-94 and Furr 1994-2010).

They are former Rockingham Police Chief Eddie Martin and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Major James Clemmons and Captain Wendell Sessoms.

Housing Authority

A storm was blowing up on the horizon for the Rockingham Housing Authority even before 2009 was ushered in, but by the end of the year the agency would have a new director, new officers on its board of directors and one official facing felony charges while others remain under investigation.

The trouble began in August 2008 with a meeting between then-RHA Chairman Ed Ormsby, Vice Chair George Stone, Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development officials, who expressed concern about the agency’s management practices.

In March of 2009, Rockingham Police Chief Robert Voorhees requested information related to those concerns, but then-RHA Director Gracie Ingram didn’t provide them.

After 14 years with the agency, Ingram was first suspended with pay in May, then fired on June 16.

Interim Director Jim McCaskill assumed the temporary position a week after Ingram’s suspension, and he was responsible for dropping the ax on RHA employee Bruce Stanback, who was the director of an afterschool program run through the agency.

Stanback was the former chairman of the RHA Board of Directors and Richmond County Board of Education, which he still serves on. His hiring by the agency was a conflict-of-interest because he was hired while serving on the board. He was also identified as a target in the federal investigation of the RHA.

In June, RHA Housing Specialist Mildred McSween was arrested and charged with four felony county alleging she falsified evidence on a public housing application. The case was brought before a grand jury and McSween was indicted, with Ingram listed as a co-conspirator on her arrest warrants.

In August, current Chairwoman Denise Sullivan replaced Ormsby and current Vice Chair Cohen Cox replaced Stone. New board members were Joe Mendola and Ron Ballard.

McCaskill would hold the director’s post until December. Angela McGill who formerly worked for the High Point Housing Authority was hired for the post.

Among the reforms she is instituting at the agency are the formation of a resident advisory panel so those who live there have a voice in the agency’s decision-making process.

Rockingham Fire Department

Another storm blew into the Rockingham when 10 of the city’s firefighters filed a lawsuit in March alleging they were owed money for back overtime.

The 10 had formed a local chapter of the AFL-CIO labor union the International Association of Fire Fighters in November 2008.

The lawsuit would later be amended to include charges of retaliation for filing legal action, after two of the union chapter’s officers were terminated in the weeks following the lawsuit being filed.

Finally, in November a deal was reached between the firefighters and the municipal government to settle the issue out of court.

While both parties have agreed to the terms of the deal, details are not being released until approval is received from a federal judge in the court where the suit was filed.

It is clear that the two firefighters who were terminated will not get their jobs back, however.

Ellerbe

Ellerbe got in line for a wastewater regionalization project with Rockingham last year, which would open economic development opportunities for the town, as well as do away with it’s outdated sewage lagoons.

The GoldenLEAF Foundation of Rocky Mount also got behind the effort, contributing $1 million to its funding through a community initiative grant that saw lesser amounts go toward sewer expansion into East Rockingham and renovations to the Forte Building at RCC.

Education

In September, RCC President Dr. Sharon Morrissey announced she would resign her post in 2010 to assume a position with the state community college system.

In December, RCC Executive Vice President Dr. Dale McInnis was nominated by the RCC Board of Trustees to be her successor, and the college’s seventh president. A decision will be made by the state board this month regarding his eligibility, but he has gained prior approval to hold the position.

n Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.