To the editor:

It’s been said that local government paints a picture of the community they serve. If this is true, the picture painted by our Board of Commissioners at this month’s meeting would scare the pants off of any prospective business looking to locate here. The citizens of Beaufort County should demand that their Commissioner, no matter which representative they consider theirs, uphold a certain standard that any outsider would think acceptable. This was not the case at the April Commissioners meeting.

When Commissioners start calling their fellow Commissioners names, interrupts them with laughter and resort to showboating just to get attention, this is a clear indication that they do not have enough facts on their side to win the argument. In any type of organization, the minority doesn’t always get their way, that’s why they’re called the minority. No matter which side of the jail issue you are on, decorum and proper meeting etiquette should always be upheld in order to present an impression that this county is led by ethical and professional leaders. Again, this was not the case at this month’s meeting.

The people of Beaufort County should insist that we are represented by adults. Sometimes, children can somehow get a seat at the table. When that happens, it is up to the adult leadership to control their childish outbursts and lead the meeting in a way that insures their views are heard but civility and rule of order prevail. If these types of meetings are to be avoided in the future, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners should use the power of the gavel to make sure that only one person speaks at a time, and that each speaker address the chair, not other Commissioners. These are basic rules for respectable and successful meetings. These are rules that should be and will be enforced at Beaufort County Board of Commissioners meetings if the public demands it.

 

Larry Britt

Chocowinity, NC