Today's News

CALABASH—Town commissioner Jody Nance says he did nothing improper last week when he voted for his sister to serve on the town planning and zoning board.

Mayor Anthony Clemmons, whose brother chairs the P&Z board, says the same thing on Nance’s behalf.

Nance said Monday he didn’t feel it necessary to announce at commissioners’ March 8 meeting that Sonia Climer is his sister prior to voting for her to serve one of three vacancies on the P&Z board. The vote for Climer was 3-2, with Clemmons casting a tie-breaking vote.

You, as a member of the public, have a right to attend an open meeting.

It’s the law.

As defined in North Carolina General Statute 143-318.10, official meetings of public bodies are open to members of the public.

A public body is defined by N.C.G.S. 143-318.10 as “any elected or appointed body, committee, commission, board or other group that is composed of two or more members who are authorized to exercise legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative or advisory functions.”

CAROLINA SHORES—As a town committee investigates costs, a resident questioned why the town wants to have a park and gazebo.

Resident Jim Parsch, speaking at the town board of commissioners meeting last Thursday, said it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money.

He said he doesn’t believe people are going to use the facilities and that it ought to be something that’s put on the ballot and voted on.

If you want to know who’s bankrolling your favorite (or least favorite) candidate, all you have to do is ask—it’s public record.

That’s right, campaign finance reports, which detail who’s giving money to whom, and who’s spending money on what, are public record, available for public inspection.

You just have to know where to look.
Here in Brunswick County, campaign finance reports for county and municipal candidates are kept at the Brunswick County Board of Elections, Building H, at the county complex in Bolivia.