THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 28, 1995 TAG: 9511280294
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HERTFORD LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
The members of the Northeastern Economic Development Commission can't seem to steer clear of stormy weather.
The pump-priming commission planned to meet at Corolla's Whalehead Club on the Currituck County Outer Banks this week but for reasons that suddenly became murky the session was canceled a few days ago.
The commission, which hopes to spend more than $1 million on Albemarle area good works by next June, now plans to hold the gathering planned for Corolla in the Albemarle Commission building in Hertford on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
``I'm referring all questions about the change in plans to the Development Commission in Hertford,'' said John Mulvey, Currituck's economic director.
Jimmy Dixon, a Pasquotank County commissioner who is chairman of the economic panel, said only that Currituck officials had requested that the planned Corolla meeting ``be delayed.''
Reportedly, Currituck planners hope to get a funding grant from the commission to help restore and redecorate the historic Whalehead Club, but think they should wait for a more auspicious time to charm members of the panel.
The commission temporarily froze all major cash grants until the dust settles from an ongoing internal ruckus that resulted in the firing of Estelle ``Bunny'' Sanders, the group's tourism director, and James Lancaster Jr., the paid executive director.
Both Sanders and Lancaster made $58,000 a year before they were dismissed late last summer. So far neither has been replaced, but Dixon said he hopes to present names of candidates for executive director soon.
Meanwhile, when the commission meets this week in Hertford instead of Corolla, there may be more bad news from Sanders.
``My attorney is considering adding a wrongful discharge lawsuit to my earlier suit against the commission,'' said Sanders on Monday. ``So it now looks like we'll claim damages.''
In her first action filed in Perquimans County Superior Court after she was fired, Sanders accused the economic commissioners of violating the state's closed-meeting laws when they went into executive session to discuss terminating her. But Sanders in that action did not specifically seek damages.
Ironically, the principal order of business listed on the commission's Wednesday agenda this week is a ``closed session to discuss pending lawsuit.''
In her initial suit, Sanders quoted minutes of the previous closed-door sessions to argue that commission members decided to fire Lancaster so it ``wouldn't look bad'' when they fired Sanders.
Sanders is the daughter of Mayor E.V. Wilkins of Roper in Washington County. Wilkins, a former chairman of the trustees board at Elizabeth City State University, is an influential Democratic party leader.
``Those commissioners are spending a lot more money on me than they are on economic development,'' Sanders said Monday.
``If all 15 members of the commission go to that meeting on Wednesday they'll each get $100 for their time and probably other expenses.'' said Sanders, ``The lawyers will cost at least $200 an hour; it'll add up to enough to help some community project somewhere.'' by CNB