LAURINBURG — Hundreds of people came out to the Laurinburg-Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce Fall Candidate Forum on Monday night.
The three-hour event was held at the Storytelling Arts Center in downtown Laurinburg and ended up with standing room only. St. Andrews University Professor Larry Schulz moderated the event while the Junior Service League kept time.
Many of those running for state seats and federal seats were unable to attend and sent representatives, though some challengers were in attendance like U.S. House of Representatives candidate Jeff Scott, State Senate candidate Helen Probst Mills and State House of Representatives candidate Russell Walker.
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Sheriff’s race
Republican incumbent Ralph Kersey and Democrat challenger John Martin were the last of all of the candidates to speak, but had a whirl-wind of questions to answer. Martin didn’t waste any time going after Kersey and questioning what he had done during his time as sheriff.
During the media portion of the questions, Sandy Callahan with WLNC asked the candidates what they would do to decrease the crime rate.
Kersey answered first, listing the numerous crime prevention projects deputies work on and said there has been a 24.9-percent decrease in crime since he took office in 2014. He attributed the decrease to the programs stating they are working and he will continue them if he’s re-elected.
Martin countered with a program titled “Badge with a Bible,” which would pair deputies with pastors throughout the county to allow them to know the congregations in the county. But Martin had more — he had statistics from the North Carolina Department of Justice.
“You’ve got to be careful about statistics; he gave a number of about 29 percent,” Martin said. “I can tell you this since 2015, the homicide rate has more than doubled. From 2015 to 2016 he had 302 burglaries, he solved 37; from 2016 he had 246 burglaries, he solved 35.”
Martin gave several more statistics and questioned why there were so many families not seeing justice being done and believed a better job could be done.
“… he can spit out all the numbers he wants to,” Kersey rebutted. “This is what gets me, I’m speaking this stuff straight from the heart, from the mind — he’s sitting up here reading it off a piece of paper.”
Kersey offered up on something he had written down which was a 35-percent decrease in incidents compared to his predecessor, with 12,554 fewer incidents reports.
The two went back and forth throughout the remaining questions, including those from the public that ranged from turnover rates to budgets to drug care and follow-ups. One of the questions asked if either had ever used deadly force, what the circumstances were and the race of the victim (and) while the question was given to both candidates, Martin took it as a question directed at him.
Martin explained he had fought for his life and showed pictures of his uniform and head after the incident. Martin also calls the question low and that it was a tragic incident for him and the man he killed.
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Board of Education
All candidates for the Board of Education were in attendance with the exception of Darrell “B.J.” Gibson Jr. Many of the questions given to the candidates were about the school floor plan and funding, better schools, consolidation and naming the schools.
At a previous forum, someone had asked the question whether the new school would be named I. Ellis Johnson since they were shutting the school down (and) what the procedures are to naming a school.
Summer Woodside, Herman Lee Tyson Jr., and Raymond Hyatt all brought up procedures in place currently that involves facilities, students’ and parents’ input when it comes to naming new schools.
Jacob E. Pate and Tyson each said would vote to have the school named I. Ellis Johnson (but) the other candidates, including Gary Mauk, wanted to leave it up to the community and bring ideas to the board.
“Naming a school is a very sensitive subject,” said Hyatt. “You’re combining two schools both with separate identities — I don’t think it’s any more fair to name the school I. Ellis Johnson than it would to name it South.”
Tyson added in a request for those who were in attendance to come to board meetings and talk to the board about the various subjects.
“Community, I’m asking you to get involved in your children’s lives,” Tyson said. “Our children are our future, don’t put the blame on the board if you do not come to the board and present your case.”
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County Commissioners
Spring Hill challenger Bo Frizzell, along with Stewartsville challenger Tim Ivey and incumbent Carol McCall, all attended the candidate forum. Spring Hill incumbent Betty Blue Gholston did not attend the forum and had no one representing her. Laurinburg Mayor Matthew Block, who will be on the ballot for the Stewartsville seat, did not attend after announcing Sunday night that he was dropping out of the race.
The topic of the quarter-cent sales tax referendum and the community center were two hot topics for the candidates. All three were in support of a community center, but Frizzell and Ivey questioned the building and location of the planned one.
Frizzell asked why there couldn’t be small community centers in each community — and the issue of traffic in the area could increase with the community center at the Morgan Complex. Ivey hadn’t seen the full project or numbers for the center but he did agree with the referendum going through as long as it goes to the community center — but wanted to focus on District One in Laurinburg.
McCall said even if the multi-generational building doesn’t go through, the referendum will go to Parks and Recreation, which will give them money to expand programs and add more as well.
