March 21 - 27, 2019
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Sheriff Danny Rogers, predecessor BJ Barnes clash over transition Danny Rogers tells Summerfield Town Council ‘papers were destroyed, computers were taken out,’ prompting a denial by Barnes backed up by an internal county audit by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers told the Summerfield Town Council last week that former Sheriff BJ Barnes and others on his staff impeded his transition into office by shredding documents and removing computers. “When we came in, we didn’t have
interview last week, Barnes, a Summerfield resident, said, “Long and short of it, he got himself elected to a position that he doesn’t know anything about. He’s trying to cover his tracks.”
Danny Rogers
BJ Barnes
any way to start other than starting from ground zero,” Rogers told the council at its March 12 meeting. “What do I mean ground zero? Papers were destroyed. Computers were taken out. So we had nothing, we had no information, didn’t know where to start.” Barnes, defeated by Rogers last November after serving as sheriff for 24 years, denied Rogers’ claims. In an
An internal audit by Guilford County released last week found that neither Barnes nor his staff wrongfully destroyed documents or removed computers ahead of Rogers taking over the Sheriff’s Office in early December. After the new sheriff raised concerns, Guilford County’s Internal Audit Department investigated four complaints by him: the disposal of documentation needed by his administration, the removal of computer equipment, and the use of external storage devices by the departing sher-
by PATTI STOKES STOKESDALE – By far the majority of Stokesdale Town Council’s votes at the March 14 monthly meeting were split 3-2, with Bill Jones and Tim Jones being outvoted time and time again. Throughout the almost four-hour meeting, the
Your Questions ..........................4 Calendar Events .......................6 Celebration/Welcome ............7 Crime/Incident Report .............8 NWO Business & Real Estate ....9 Business/Real Estate Briefs ....10 Long-neglected Summerfield Square welcomes new tenants
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Council grapples with expenditures, investments, procedures Council members often split on how to handle town business matters
IN THIS ISSUE
A Kotis Properties’ worker drives a Bobcat into the vacant space at Summerfield Square where Golden Antiques will soon relocate from Stokesdale. Workers removed floor tiles as part of refurbishing the space............12
two men expressed frustration over fellow council members’ decisions to allocate funds for items ranging from picnic tables to park maintenance, and how to proceed on other town business matters.
Summerfield Town Council ....20
Emotions escalated early in the meeting, beginning with the period designated for Finance Officer Alisa Houk (also the town clerk) to give a financial update.
Classifieds ...............................27
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Student profile.........................23 Grins & Gripes .........................24 Index of Advertisers ...............31