i
Lawyer sends complaint to
Lumbee officials on Hoke repairs
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A Fayetteville law firm has sent a
letter of complaint to Lumbee Tribal
Government administrator Leon
Jacobs, complaining of substandard
repairs allegedly completedon homes
of seven tribal members in Hoke and
Robeson counties, according to
Donnie Jones, a Hoke home repair
contractor.
Jones released a copy of the letter
to news media yesterday that was
mailed to key members of the Lumbee
Tribe on Monday. Jones and wife
Cathy, his sister-in-law Shirley
Bullard, Ruth McMillan, Helen
Locklear, and Hoke residents Robert
BullardJr. and Dorothy Locklear hired
Thorp, Clarke & Neville law firm in
Fayetteville to represent them.
Based on the al legations voiced by
the seven primarily senior citizems,
the law firm urged the Lumbee Tribe
to help resolve problems encountered
by some of these property owners
after their homes were renovated. The
seven charged discrimination in an
application, favoritism shown to con
tractors not qualified to complete re
pairs, plumbing backing up, a house
fire caused by substandard work, and
electrical wiring problems.
“My clients desire to settle this
situation with the Lumbee Tribe and
the Housing Department in a manner
that does not bring further public at
tention to the Lumbee Tribe,” J. Tho
mas Neville wrote. "It is their desire
to reach an amicable solution."
Jacobs said none of the complain
ants had ever formally filed a com
plaint with the, Lumbee’s grievance
committee, a protocol under the tribal
policy. Jacobs said they have assisted
many Hoke residents. There exists a
current backlog of 2,000 applicants
— some applying as long as four
years ago — to receive renovations
from the popular home repair and
emergency assistance housing pro
grams.
“Mrs. Bullard last indicated to us
that she loved her house,” Jacobs said
of two-time renovation projects to
satisfy Bullard. “We basically gave
her a new house.”
Jacobs said the allegations are un
true after he was told about some of
the contents contained iff the letter.
As of yesterday, Jacobs said he had
still not received the letter from
Neville.
“1 am not obligated to answer an
attorney,” Jacobs said. “I will respond
to tribal members, but none have con
tacted me at this time.
“We have been cordial and fair,
helping people in Hoke just like any
one else we would in our tribe.”
During the last two years, the U.S.
Housing and Urban Development
agency conducted some inquiries con
cerning Lumbee housing practices,
freezing some of the annual funds
temporarily. Jacobs said the tribe is
currently in good standing with HUD
and no funds have been withheld for
2005. Some of the tribal housing fund
was cut because of Congress “tight
ening its fiscal belt” last year, he added.
Funds dispensed to Lumbee housing
efforts run one year behind after they
are dispensed by the federal govern
ment.
"We have resolved all our issues
with HUD,” Jacobs said. “We have
accountability and are moving for
ward in our housing program.”
Neville, on behalf of his clients,
alleged the Lumbee officials were
giving “preferential contract award
ing” to contractors that were not based
on the lowest bid or the “quality of
work.”
"These individuals(allegedly)ben-
efited financially as fellow Lumbee
tribal members were systematically
exploited and left, in many cases, to
live in substandard housing,” Neville
wrote. "The Housing Department
(Lumbee’s) has a fiduciary relation
ship with the homeowners in that the
members of the Housing Department
occupy a relationship ot special trust
and confidence.
“Therefore, a false representation
is a breach of their fiduciary duty of
utmost loyalty to the tribal
homeowners...”
Neville detailed to Jacob's in his
letter that after a Lumbee-hired con
tractor performed McMillan’s home,
it “caught on fire” in 2004. A nail that
was driven into an electrical wire lo
cated in the attic was the cause of the
blaze, Neville wrote of McMillan's
allegation.
"The Housing Department
(Lumbee’s) refused to pursue the
matter any further and informed Ms.
McMillan, an elderly lady, she should
have the fire department to burn her
house down,” Neville wrote. "The
Housing Department stated that the
fire was caused by Ms. McMillan’s
stove. However, Ms. McMillan (said
she) did not have a stove in her house
at the time of the fire.”
Bullard said via the telephone yes
terday that she has gone through two
rehabilitations on her home by the
Lumbee housing program, which is
funded by HUD. She said her home
still has not passed county inspec
tions because of repeated violations
on repair work by the tribe. She al
leged her front porch is on the verge
of “falling off” and plumbing repairs
are “inferior” that cause her washing
machine water to back up into her
toilet or vice versa.
After numerous complaints, she
said the tribal-hired contractors did
correctly install an electrical circuit
breaker box in her home that was
creating a fire hazard when she com
plained to Hoke commissioners. This,
after county commissioners Charles
V. Daniels and James Leach visited
Bullard’s home along with other com
missioners, Linda Revels, former
Hoke planner and current clerk to the
board. County Manager Mike Wood,
and a representative from Congress
man Robin Hayes’ office. They pre
viously met with Jacobs at Bullard’s
modest home to resolve some issues.
Mrs. Jones said her home is in "bad
shape” after undergoing repairs from
the LumbeeTribe’s housing program.
She said her new kitchen floor that
was laid with plywood is flipping up
because it is unsecured properly and
other substandard repairs such as leak
ing windows are causing problems.
“I think these contractors may not
know what they are doing,” Mrs. Jones
said. “How many times do they have
to do it to get it right?”
Her husband, Donnie Jones, said
he was the lowest bidderon numerous
contracts for the Lumbee housing pro
gram that were awarded to other con
tractors. Thorpe, Clarke & Neville
also addressed his concerns in the
letter sent to the tribe.
“I think the tribe retaliated against
me because 1 had helped my sister-in-
law Shirley out to try and get her
home repaired properly,” Jones said.
“I do not care how far we have to
take this matter,” Shirley Bullard said.
“We are going to get satisfaction and
not be treated like second-class citi
zens or tribal members.”
Thomas
OcIoIht 12, 2(105
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{Continued from page I A)
deal with people. Sometimes
you have to go also by what your
heart tells you,” he said.
"There is no excuse for breaking
the law, but you have to bend a little
bit and sympathize with people.”
A native of Scotland County and
resident of Hillcrest, Thomas was
appointed by Raeford Police Chief
Kevin Locklear as assistant police
chief in May 2004. From his position
as sergeant in major crimes and drug
investigations, Thomas was desig
nated as major by the Raeford Police
Department. He has held his second-
in-command position for almost one-
and-a-half years.
"We have come through the ranks
together, and I want to commend
Major Thomas because he has really
worked hard to contribute to this de
partment,” Locklear said. "He has
been a real valiuible asset to us. He
has always been dedicated. Even
though we open at eight o'clock in
the morning, he has always ;irrived at
six-thirty.
"I think he has earned his retire
ment, and it is well deserved. How
ever, we are losing a great officer.”
Locklear indicated he has no im
mediate plans to conduct a search for
a replacement for Thomas.
Thomas said he would also miss
the daily rapport with Locklear and
the rest of the staff.
"Chief Locklear is running the
police department the way it should
be run and according to the North
Carolina law," Thomas said. "He and
I grew up in the Raeford Police De
partment along with the late chief
James Murdock and the late chief
Zeke Wiggins.
"They inspired us. We put a lot of
their ideas and instructions into what
we implemented later on to improve
the department.”
Thomas especially thanked
Locklear and retired Raeford city
manager Mike McNeill for giving
him the chance to succeed as assis
tant police chief.
"I thank them for having the faith
and trust in me and for believing in
my abilities,’.’ Thomas said. "A lot of
people in this town have helped me
over the years.’'
Thomas remembered one bitterly
cold Christmas Day when he was on
duty at a street corner. Raeford resi
dent Bobbv Carter.broueht him ham
biscuits for breakfast because noth
ing was open on the holiday, a tradi
tion Carter continued for years.
“Those things you do not forget,
and you always appreciate it,” Tho
mas said.
Thomas also recalled a close call
when he responded to a riot at a local
juke joint to provide mutual aid to the
Hoke Sheriff’s Office.
“We were shot at through the back
side glass of my patrol car,” Thomas
said. "Dodging that bullet, I always
was grateful that it missed us.”
Thomas will continue to super
visebudgetary issues, equipmentand
personnel needs until he retires the
first of the year. He will later volun
teer as a member of the Raeford Po-
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Formerly a resident of Laurinburg,
Thomas, 58, rose through the ranks
from police officer to sergeant in less
than one year after being hired by
Wiggins in 1987. Thomas was pro
moted to his former investigative po
sition in 1997.
Prior to his tenure in Hoke, Thomas
served as lieutcnant/chicf jailer with
the Scotland County Sheriff's Depart
ment between 1979-1986. He served
under the administration of former
sheriff Alfred While w'here he was
first hired as a deputy.
A decorated military veteran of the
Vietnam War, Thomas left the service
to accept a position as a police officer
with the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment of Washington D.C.
Thomas remembered the inaugural
ceremony of the late president John I-'.
Kennedy.
“Back in the 'bOs, President
Kennedy's speech always stuck in my
mind,” Thomas, paraphrasing it, said.
‘Some people see things as they arc
and ask why, and dream of things that
could be and ask why not.’
"That has always been my philoso
phy."
Thomas was also on duty as a po
lice officer in the nation'scapitol dur
ing some major tragedies.
“I was there when Marlin Luther
King was assassinated and when
Bobby Kennedy was killed," Thomas
said. “It was tough at that time.
“I worked in downtown Washing
ton at the headquarters because of the
riots that ensued after Dr. Ki ng’s death.
“I also remember standing on pa
rade in dress uniform for 11 hours at
the funeral of Bobby Kennedy.”
Thomas returned to Laurinburg in
1987.
“The most important thing I will
miss about police work is the chal
lenging aspects of it,” he said. I like
solving cases and bringing people to
justice to answer for the crimes they
committed.”
Among the many people Thomas
thanked for their friendship and sup
port are Locklear, Murdock, Wiggins,
Captain John Pierce of the Hoke
Sheriff’s Office, a former Raeford
police detective. District Attorney
Kristy Newton and DA special inves
tigator John Joseph, retired DA Jean
Powell and the Rev. Bishop Oscar
From left, retiring Raeford Assistant Chief Greg Thomas and Chief
Kevin Locklear.
Cunningham.
“I also want to express my grati
tude to all the court personnel and law
enforcement I have worked with over
the years," Thomas said.
Thomas is a member of the N.C.
Police Executive Association. He is
also affiliated with the Robeson
County Law Enforcement ExeciiliNC
Association.
Thomas is a member of the Word
OI I ile Church where C'unningham
olliciales. l liomas serves on the Praise
and Worship Team and also sings in
the Adult Choir and the Men’s Choir.
Thomas is married to Glendora
Thomas. I le has three children from a
previous marriage. Daughter Vanessa
'Thomas resides in Laurinburg. His
sons, the Riv. Gregory 'Thomas Jr.
and Reginald 'Thomas, both live in
'Tennessee
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