THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 13, 1994 TAG: 9409130344
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
A Dare County deputy has been appointed to fill a vacant seat on the town's Board of Commissioners.
William Morris Jr., 39, was named to the post on a 3-1 vote by the board. Morris, a Norfolk native, was selected from a list of eight candidates.
Morris replaces Mayor Pro Tem Lacy McNeill, who died in June. Morris, Neil White and C.E. ``Smokey'' Broughton were nominated for the job. Morris was nominated by Commissioner Duncan Wright; Broughton, by Commissioner Lurana Cowan; and White, by Commissioner E.M. ``Coy'' Harbeson.
Mayor Terry Gray supported Morris, saying the deputy's work with the county's DARE program and his experience in financial goal-setting ``would be an asset for the town.''
When the final vote came, Wright, Cowan and Gray voted for Morris, and Harbeson voted in opposition.
Before the vote, the selection process was criticized by Barry Jones, president of the Kill Devil Hills Taxpayers Association, who called for the commission to establish a policy of succession, as it has for the mayor's office.
``I feel the town manager and the board should set a policy for the selection of a new commissioner,'' he said. ``I don't want to knock the other candidates, but since the candidates are not going to be interviewed publicly, I think it should be limited to people who have sought the office in the past. The people will then know the principles that these people stand for.''
Later, speaking as a private citizen, Jones called Morris' selection, ``a good choice.''
``I think he's a fair individual who will do the best job he possibly can,'' Jones said.
Morris has been with the Sheriff's Department for four years, and is the father of three.
Two Dare County employees, Wright and Morris, are now members of the commission. Both said there would not be a conflict with either job.
``I know there is a concern about my working for the county,'' Morris said, ``but that's not going to be a problem. I work in law enforcement for one of the best men I could work for (Sheriff Bert Austin). I'm not worried about any outside pressure.''
Wright said he would not be intimidated in matters where there was a conflict between the town and the county.
``It hasn't happened often, but there have been times that I've defended this town to the hilt. I'm not intimidated at all.''
Bill Stover, one of the applicants for the vacant seat, said he had contacted the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and that there is no conflict of interest because the two commissioners work for the county.
In other business, the commission discussed a proposed Dare County convention center that has been the subject of a recent feasibility study.
Members expressed concerns over how the project would be funded.
Harbeson said he was opposed to a convention center, and expressed concerns that by building it, the county would become ``another Myrtle Beach (S.C.), Virginia Beach, or Ocean City (Md.)''
Gray said he wanted to keep an open mind.
``I don't want to close my mind to the fact that there may or may not be a need,'' he said. Gray also called for more information concerning funding and costs. by CNB