Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / Nov. 26, 1981, edition 1 / Page 9
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■uraday, November 26. 1961 Letter Two independent coun- Imen were defeated in the ivember 3rd municipal actions in Eden ton. What •es this mean? First consider recent story. A few years ago Horathal n against Harrell for nyor and lost. Hornthal anained on Council. So net time Roy got Steve ampton to crowd Hornthal i the ward level. Hornthal ten ran for the at-large sat. That Roy got Fenner ' run against Hornthal. enner lost. So Roy had not delivered l his promise to put a Mack a council. In the meanwhile Harry pruill had marriage dif culties. Roy harassed pruill unmercifully egarding his residency uring these moments and pruill resigned. So Roy got brother-in-law teve to nominate Fenner >r Spruill's vacant seat, iurroughs, Ricks, Hornthal, nd Hollowell elected W. Tivott 4 to 1 to fill the acancy. Again Roy had failed to eliver a seat to Fenner and he Civic League. But years earlier Roy had lelped elect Burroughs. Vhen it became obvious hat he (Roy) could not keep ip with his school teacher’s (uestions, he reneged and ried a third time to elect r enner. An apathetic public lelped Roy succeed. In the sxchange though Edenton slacks lost their best friend >n council. The poor turnout means :he continuation of Roy Harrell as mayor. It also neans that we will continue x> see his immaturity as a community officer. For after several terms of office Roy still has not learned to work with independent and capable talent. When a councilman questions an empty answer Roy works to defeat or reassign his instead of being grateful that the councilman was alert. This suggests jealowy of those in depeadent of his clique. The latest example was recently when Roy appointed most experienced council left (Hacpthal and Hollowell) to trivial committees mostly while the critical finance and utility committees are loaded with inexperienced people whom Roy helped elect and whom Roy may more easily guide as Roy thinks best. Criticism has already emerged. In the November 20 Daily Advance, Roy offers to “entertain any motion regarding appointments if a councilmember would bring it up at the next meeting.” Roy, that’s a sham offer— you’ve got three votestFenner, Griffin, Hampton) and so who breaks a 3-3 tie vote but the mayor. An have you ever reversed yourself! The losers in all of this will be the people and future of Edenton. No one, black or white, young or old, rich or poor, is well served by council composed of three yes-men and their tie breaker sponsor. What Roy Harrell has done by working against Burroughs and Ricks and by loading the most important committees of council with inexperience is say to all of Edenton, “Do it my way at: else!” Roy is saying,” Don’t give Edenton the best of your experience and talent unless you clear it with me first!” We join Edith Bunker in telling Archie Bunker and Roy Harrell, “Don’t stifle us!*' Why is “my way or else” so dangerous? It is dangerous because a council of “yes” men is a sterile affair, a council of moral midgets and in tellectual dwarfs. Everyone--black and white-worth his salt knows that he or she alone does not thathe cannot profit from a turn if nrfntnet umi? Anil will vug u u against you: Ana will Plmplv Pnu UosmlPb viviri/ itoy Harreii s record does not siisisin To The Herald Ecftor: welcomes ideas or actions his vision for Edenton? different from his own. It seems that his loyalty is Does anyone therefore only to winning for the sake expect Fenner or Griffin to of winning because the very demonstrate backbone or men who press questions on original and independent timely topics and whose thought in view of Roy’s talents can assist in the moves against Burroughs solving of tough issues have and Ricks? Can we expect been purged by Roy and his them to be anything else clique, other than rubber stamps So the issues remain for Roy? unsolved and the hour grows And can you imagine what late, might happen if, wonder of Mark my words, even now wonders, Steve Hampton Roy is planning to run ever spoke out for an in- someone against Hollowell dependent council? Would and Hornthal in two years. Roy purge his own family? He will charge them with not An so we ask, To what is contributing to the council Roy Harrell loyal? 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Ji- llr—^s cciiteffs THE CHOWAN HERALD Concerned Citizen Expresses Views Toward Local Political Picture that the contributions which Hornthal and Hollowell might make was limited by Roy himself when he put them on trivia committees. And this Roy does because he cannot work well with talents greater or different from his own. Edenton as a beautiful and innovative town is slowly failing. Roy is not altogether to blame though. Apathetic voters (actually non-voters) must share this indictment because their silence implies consent to Roy’s view of “Do it my way or else.” So what will happen in ’B2 and ’B3? Will Hornthal continue to initiate new ideas or will the indifference of many bring him to the slow death of “Why should I care if no one else cares?”? ‘Will Hollowell eye the town’s finances even though he has been purged from the Finance Committee and exiled to the “Trees”. Will Privott bring out the diversity in the black community or will he be intimidated by the Civic League? Will Privott remember that Burroughs and Ricks sustained his nomination out of con viction, not convenience? Will Fenner remember St. Paul’s appreciation for the different members of the Body of Christ and the absolute necessity of each to the success of the whole and thereby show maturity lacking in his sponsor? Or will Fenner let past disappointments govern him now? Will Hampton remember that he is first a councilman for the people of his ward? Will he work to resolve difficulties in the Town Charter in favor of an in dependent and strong council-at least save the taxpayers money by abolishing the council! Will Griffin hide behind “listening to the people” and in effect listen only to Roy? Will any of these men have enough guts to tell Roy when he is in order, when he is out of order, and so remain faithful to their obligation to vote their own ballot? This whole matter con cerns more than Edenton. It concerns all of Chowan County for the very simple reason that the reputation of Edenton sets that reputation of Chowan County and not Page 9-A vice-versa. Maybe things should not be this way but that’s how i see it. And so citizens beyond the city limits should chastize those who do not vote and speak to those who do, particularly to six councilmen. For whatever Edenton needs now, it does not need a rubber stamp council of three yes-men and a tie breaker. Where is Edenton going? And does anyone care? John A. Mitchener, 111
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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Nov. 26, 1981, edition 1
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