THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605050065
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SERIES: Decision '96
LENGTH: Long : 265 lines
DISTRICT 1
Roanoke Island, Dare County mainland
REPUBLICAN:
Richard Johnson
Age: 41
Home: Manteo
Occupation: Telephone technician for Carolina Telephone
Education: Graduate of Manteo High
Membership: Telephone Pioneers; Babe Ruth League; teaches Sunday
school at Manteo Baptist Church.
Family: Wife, Cheryl. Children, two sons: Rich, 15 and Chad, 13.
Richard Johnson, a 41-year-old Manteo native, said he thinks the
timing of his incumbent opponent's announcements about raises for
county employees, laptop computers and supplements for teachers, and
the new Fessenden recreational center in Buxton, is too convenient.
``I'm not against most of these projects; the merit is there,''
Johnson said. ``My question is the timing of these announcements. I
think they're trying to buy an election.''
Johnson said he believes in a conservative approach to county
spending, and more open and accessible government. A proponent of
televised county meetings, Johnson said the commission meetings
would better attended if they were held after 5 p.m. rather than the
current 9 a.m.
Johnson also said he wants to change at-large voting to voting by
district.
Hiram C. Gallop
Age: 83
Home: Wanchese
Occupation: Retired sea captain
Gallop, a retired sea captain from Wanchese, has been a tireless
critic of the county commissioners for many years.
Last week, Gallop was arrested and charged with nine felony
sexual offenses against minors, including statutory rape. A court
date, at which time Gallop will enter a plea, has not yet been
scheduled.
Gallop, 83, did not return messages on his answering machine
seeking comment. His name will remain on the ballot Tuesday.
DEMOCRATIC:
Joseph Hassell
Age: 63
Home: Mann's Harbor
Occupation: Retired Ford Motor Co. mechanical engineering
supervisor. Started Outer Banks Cleaning Service, a janitorial
business.
Military: U.S. Navy, six years active duty.
Education: Business administration and engineering courses in U.S
Navy.
Family: Wife, Shirley. Children: two sons, two stepsons, one
stepdaughter.
Joseph Hassell, noted for his flamboyant and critical campaign
ads, says the county has to act more responsibly toward its
citizens. More input from the community must be encouraged.
Hassell, 63, is a native of Buffalo City, a now-abandoned timber
town near East Lake. He left the area to join the military, serving
during the Korean War and Vietnam.
Hassell has been married for 19 years to Shirley Hassell, who was
elected to the Board of Commissioners District 1 in 1994.
Clarence Skinner
Age: 64
Home: Roanoke Island
Occupation: Associate broker with Jim Perry and Co. in Kill Devil
Hills.
Education: Bachelor's degree, University of Nebraska, major
business, minor, political science. Five years of professional
training, including electronics, navigation and electronic warfare.
Military: U.S Air Force, retired major.
Membership: Dare County Technology Advisory Board.
Family: Wife, Rose. Three children and five grandchildren.
Incumbent Clarence Skinner says he is seeking his second term on
the board because he wants to help maintain careful development of
Dare County.
Skinner, 64, was instrumental in setting up the county's
technology board and supported the many public works projects
recently started or completed by the county.
His district, which includes the mainland, has unique needs
compared to other parts of the county because it is more isolated
and spread-out and has a higher percentage of senior citizens,
Skinner said.
With the steady growth continuing, Skinner said the county must
take care to balance services, costs and environmental impact.
``Our biggest challenge is how we manage development and how we
work with other local governments and their citizens,'' he said.
``It could impact of quality of life if we don't manage it
properly.''
DISTRICT 2
Kill Devil Hills, Colington, Nags Head
REPUBLICAN:
William J. ``Bill'' Hauschild
Age: 62
Home: Colington Harbour
Occupation: Retired general manager of a small wire rope company
in Connecticut.
Military: U.S Navy 1955-57
Membership: Baum Senior Center, Senior Games and other volunteer
work.
Family: Wife, Ellie. Children, six girls.
Bill Hauschild says he is making his second attempt at a county
commissioner's seat because he believes there has to be choice.
``I guess it's a strong desire to establish a two-party system in
Dare County and make the people familiar with the Republican
Party,'' Hauschild said.
Hauschild, who moved to the Outer Banks 10 years ago from
Connecticut, said county politics is a closed circle.
``One of the most important things is to get rid of this attitude
of fear the county employees have - they're absolutely afraid to
discuss issues,'' he said. ``It's a tyranny, really.''
Stephen S. ``Steve'' Sawin
Age: 58
Home: Kill Devil Hills
Occupation: Owner/manager of Anchorage Motel in Kill Devil Hills.
Real estate broker. Former chemistry teacher at North Carolina State
University and Manteo High School
Education: Doctorate in chemistry from University of Wisconsin;
bachelor's degree, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Membership: St. Andrew's by the Sea Episcopal Church, volunteer
church activities. Volunteer, March of Dimes Walkathon.
Family: Wife, Karen. Children, one girl, two boys. Three
grandchildren.
Steve Sawin believes that a responsible government should plan
for the future needs of its citizens.
Sawin, who moved here in 1972 from Delaware, says decisions
should not be made by county lawmakers until county residents and
taxpayers are informed about the proposals.
He also said he wants to change the ``insider tone'' of county
government.
Sawin was defeated in the 1970s in a run for Kill Devil Hills
mayor. He has served on the Kill Devil Hills Planning Board.
William J. ``Bill'' Stover
Age: 72
Home: Kill Devil Hills
Occupation: Retired manpower specialist, New Jersey Department
of Labor
Military: U.S Navy, WWII tour
Education: Bachelor's liberal arts, Trenton, N.J. Industrial
Tech
Membership: St. Andrews Episcopal Church; Lions Club; American
Legion Post 26; Disabled American Veterans, Post 24; U.S. Coast
Guard Flotilla, 1607.
Family: Wife, Ruth. Seven children.
Bill Stover is making his fourth try for elective office because
he is determined to break up what he calls the ``good ol' boy
system'' of Dare County politics.
Stover ran for county commission in 1988 and 1992, and made a bid
for mayor of Kill Devil Hills.
``If one party gets too entrenched, it's dangerous,'' he said.
Stover said he thinks the voters are ready to elect a candidate
like him.
``I have a lot more to offer than my opponents,'' he said ``I
have more experience and I feel I have a good grasp fon the issues
and can solve them with hard work and common sense.''
Stover, 72, also said that year-round residents and taxpayers are
not getting their rightful share of the county pie. If elected, he
said, he would make sure taxpayers knew exactly what the county debt
load is and what is owed.
DISTRICT 3
Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk
DEMOCRATIC
Martin Booth
Age: 53
Home: Southern Shores
Occupation: Retired executive, Exxon Corp.
Education: Bachelor's degree in engineering, N.C. State
University, Raleigh. Master's in business administration, City
College of N.Y.
Membership: Elder at Outer Banks Presbyterian Church.
Family: Wife, Nonie. Two sons, Wyatt and Tyler.
To have change, Martin Booth says, he shares the responsibilty to
bring it about.
``I've had dissatisfaction with some of the policies that are
being made,'' he said. ``And finally, I found myself looking in the
mirror and saying `Who's going to do anything about it?' ''
Booth, 53, said he wants to see Dare County schools become more
competitive nationally.
``We have a good school system,'' he said, ``but there's room for
improvement.''
Booth also said it is important to achieve a balance between
economic growth and environmental protection. In the process, taxes
have to be kept down.
``I think people need a fair return on their tax dollars,'' he
said. ``We need efficient government.''
Samuel O. ``Sammy'' Smith
Age: 53
Home: Kitty Hawk
Occupation: Funeral director at Twiford Funeral Home.
Education: Attended College of the Albemarle and Elizabeth City
State University.
Military: U.S Army sergeant, police and medic corps
Membership: The Masons, Babe Ruth Little League; serves on the
board of Albemarle Mental Health and Regional Medical Center.
Family: Wife, Jackie. Children, four daughters and five
grandsons.
In his quest for a second term on the Board of Commissioners,
Sammy Smith says he wants to ``continue serving the people just like
I have in the past.''
Smith, 53, said he's proud of what the board has accomplished
during his tenure, citing improvements in several water systems in
the county and a new recreation facilty and ambulance station.
If re-elected, Smith said, he will work to have the roofs
repaired on school facilities and drainage ditches in the county
cleaned to reduce mosquito infestation.
DISTRICT 4
Avon, Waves, Hatteras, Frisco and Buxton
DEMOCRATIC:
Jack Quidley
Age: 47
Home: Buxton
Occupation: Restaurant owner, Smokin' Chicken in Buxton, and
Pop's Raw Bar in Buxton. Former recreational coordinator for
Hatteras Island.
Education: High school graduate
Military: U.S. Navy
Family: Wife, Carol. Five children.
Although several people asked him to run for county commisioner,
Jack Quidley says, he seeking the office so voters will have a
choice on Election Day.
Quidley, 47, has never sought an elective office before, but he
said he has always been involved with the community.
Because of the remoteness of his district, Quidley said he
believes it is most important that the needs of seniors and youth
are met.
``Naturally, my goal is to keep taxes down,'' he said. ``But I
also want to make the area as attractive as possible for senior
citizens.''
Quidley said he worked to get a recreation field for youth in
Buxton, and he believes the more recreation that is provided for
kids, the less trouble they'll get into.
``The children are our future and the senior citizens are our
history,'' Quidley said.
Quidley said he intends to work hard for county residents no
matter what their political affiliation.
``I'll listen, I'll work hard and I'll do what I think is best
for Dare County,'' he said.
Joseph ``Mac'' Midgett
Age: 55
Home: Rodanthe
Education: 11th grade
Family: Wife, Marilyn. Two children, one boy, one girl.
Incumbent Mac Midgett has lived on Hatteras Island his entire
life and says he has been a vocal advocate for county taxpayers
during his term on the county commission.
In seeking a second term on the board, Midgett said he wants to
work toward ``better schools, better EMS, better roads and cheaper
taxes.''
Midgett, 55, said his primary concern is ``education - we've
about got everything else we need in our district.''
- Catherine Kozak
KEYWORDS: ELECTION NORTH CAROLINA DARE COUNTY BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS PRIMARY RACE PROFILES PLATFORMS by CNB