THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 24, 1996 TAG: 9610240325
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 102 lines
Candidates unsheathed their daggers at the final forum prior to Election Day, delivering pointed blows to their opponents running for the Dare County Board of Commissioners.
``These last few months of campaigns have begun to show the real differences in the candidates,'' said Martin Booth of Southern Shores, a Democratic newcomer seeking the District 3 seat.
Departing from his usual polite, restrained manner, Booth - who had edged Commissioner Sammy Smith in the spring primary - lashed out against Republican candidate Cheryl Byrd. He charged her with promoting a voter's guide filled with ``half-truths and lies,'' not supporting teachers and complaining without offering solutions.
Booth, a retired Exxon executive, said voters should choose him if they want ``factual information'' and a ``thoughtful decision-maker.''
Byrd, a retired teacher and businesswoman from Southern Shores, was momentarily flustered. Then she shot back that she is better qualified, having attended more than 35 commissioners meetings, and ``many other'' meetings.
``I have done my homework,'' Byrd said, adding Booth has been noticeably absent from most meetings. ``Where has he been hiding all these months?''
Their exchange was one of many at the third political question-and-answer session sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Dare County. Earlier forums were held at Kill Devil Hills and Hatteras.
Republican Steve Sawin, challenging longtime incumbent Democrat Bobby Owens in District 2, contended his opponent is part of an entrenched, nepotism-plagued system that intimidates county employees into silence. He also charged that Owens does not live in the district he represents. Owens maintains he has an office in Nags Head, although he sleeps in Manteo.
A 25-year resident of Kill Devil Hills, Sawin said it's not so much that Owens is doing a terrible job, but the GOP newcomer ``is running to be a humble representative.''
``I'm not powerful, I'm not perfect,'' Sawin said, leaning confidentially over the podium toward the audience, ``and like my opponent, I make a mistake or two . . . . ``
Sawin has admitted a sewer system corporation he owned had gone bankrupt, and has conceded it was a bad investment.
Listening poker-faced through most of Sawin's lambasting, Owens by night's end veered away from his opening pledge to ``stand here tonight and be at your mercy'' and not ``to cast blame and find fault.''
Holding up a copy of a political ad paid for by the ``The Alliance for Fair Government,'' a professed nonpartisan group opposed to the incumbent board, Owens said it was unfair because the founders of the group are not identified. And he lobbed back to them a recurring criticism about the present all-Democratic board.
``Intimidation? I say this is like the Ku Klux Klan,'' Owens said, jabbing at the paper. ``Watch out folks, this is a going to be rampant in the next three weeks.''
Owens, who is chairman of the Board of Commissioners, also complained about the ``Dare County Voter's Guide,'' a pamphlet sent to 18,000 homes in the county by the Republican Party.
Hatteras Democrat Mac Midgett, delivering his comments in his typical unadorned manner, acknowledged he may not have kept all the promises he made when elected District 4 commissioner four years ago, but said he'd like another chance.
``If y'all think I'm doing a good job, I'd appreciate your support,'' he said.
Midgett received the biggest reaction from the audience at Manteo High School when he related a story about Doug Price, his opponent. The Republican challenger had asked Midgett to help him resolve a problem he had with the ferry division. Price told him, Midgett said, that he would run for office if the commissioner didn't help him.
``I told him, `What the hell do I have to do with the ferry divison?' '' Midgett recalled. ``The next thing I know, he's running for county commissioner.''
Commissioner Shirley Hassell, a Democrat who has two years left on her term and is not up for election, hissed at Midgett when the audience cheered. She also openly applauded the Republican challengers to her colleagues on the panel.
Price promised he would eliminate nepotism in county government.
``There will be no more favoritism in my commissioners seat,'' he said.
Booth interrupted, saying Price's comments were irrelevant.
``I think that's very rude,'' Price responded after the moderator encouraged him to continue.
Richard Johnson of Manteo, the Republican candidate in District 1, said there should be a balance between Democrats and Republicans on the board because county workers often feel intimidated.
``If an employee in the county has a problem, there's no where to go,'' he said.
Johnson also questioned the Democratic board approving popular services and conducting grand-opening ceremonies shortly before the election.
``It's attempts to buy votes,'' he said. ``Where's the money coming from, folks? We can't keep piling on, and piling on and piling on because when the tax burden comes down on us it's going to hurt and it's going to hurt hard.''
He also said the public should think carefully about building a new high school on the beach.
``There's a lot that goes into this and we need to think it out before we spend $50 million,'' he said.
Clarence Skinner, the incumbent in District 1, said he is proud of the successes in Dare County during his term, citing new recreation centers, water treatment plants, an EMS station and a community center. He then listed probable problems of the future, including planned development and growth, and implied his opponent lacked the experience to contend with the challenges.
``If we are to prosper and move ahead, Dare County will require proven leaders,'' he said. ``Leaders that can cope with changing situations.'' by CNB