THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 5, 1996 TAG: 9601050466
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
The chairman of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission will leave his job at the end of next month following reports the agency reduced penalties for lawbreakers.
Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. on Thursday accepted the resignation of Marvin Speight, 72. Speight had written a letter to Hunt on Wednesday about his decision to retire as of Feb. 29.
``The governor has made it clear that business as usual is not OK at the ABC Commission,'' said Rachel Perry, spokeswoman for Hunt.
Speight was appointed by Hunt to the post in 1993, and served in the same position for the governor from 1977 to 1985.
``I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve you and the citizens,'' Speight wrote. ``I feel much was accomplished toward the betterment of the ABC System.''
The Charlotte Observer reported last month that the panel has cut its fines for rule-breaking almost in half during Speight's most recent term. In some cases, bar and restaurant owners who had served minors or broken other rules lobbied Speight personally and had their penalties reduced.
Hunt told Speight - a longtime fundraiser for the governor - that he had to go, according to the newspaper, citing sources close to the resignation discussion.
Perry declined to say who initiated the resignation, but said Hunt ``wants the current system of ABC laws and penalties re-examined and strengthened.''
Ronald Dale, the director of the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, said the commission will lose a lot of valuable experience when Speight leaves. Dale questioned privately last year about the way the commission handled repeat offenders, the newspaper reported.
``He's got an enormous amount of knowledge about the job,'' Dale said.
Some of Speight's friends said the chairman has been ill over the past several months and had talked about resignation this year even before the recent criticism.
Secretary of State Rufus Edmisten said he was sorry to hear about the departure of his longtime friend, who had his start operating a Farmville gas station.
``I know he never thought he was doing anything wrong,'' said Edmisten, who late last year decided not to seek re-election in 1996 because of a stinging state audit.
``He just thought he was helping people.'' by CNB