27 minute read
Cherokee approves $25 million for TN development
In 2019, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians purchased both the 198-acre Dumplin Creek property and a 122acre tract on the other side of Interstate 40. EBCI image
Cherokee approves $25 million for Sevier County development
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
After a 15-minute closed session discussion, Tribal Council voted unanimously Oct. 29 to allocate up to $25 million to develop the 197.5-acre property it purchased last year in Sevier County, Tennessee.
“What we can disclose is we have a letter of intent for a ground lease for a major retailer,” Kituwah LLC Director Mark Hubble said after the closed session discussion. “And the return on this is 36 percent, and that’s conservative, and it’s immediate. That’s about the safest return you can get.”
Tribal Council purchased the property, located along Interstate 40 at Exit 407, in July 2019 for $13.5 million. The tribe also owns 122 acres on the other side of the highway, which it bought in February 2019 for $7.5 million. It charged its business arm Kituwah LLC with developing the properties in order to further diversify the tribe’s income, and in September Kituwah announced that it would create a mixed-use development envisioned as an “experiential destination” on the 197.5acre tract.
Last December, Tribal Council shot down Kituwah’s first pitch for the property, which asked the tribe to allocate $30 million to bring in the story-themed resort Ancient Lore Villages and receive 40 percent ownership of the company. However, the current development effort has at least one link to the previous one. This time around, Kituwah hired Knoxville-based OE Experiences to help the tribe plan the development and seek out partners. That company was founded earlier this year by Matthew Cross, who at the time of the December vote was CEO of the company that would have developed Ancient Lore Villages.
The funding request approved last week was submitted as a walk-in resolution during Annual Council. It stated that Kituwah LLC had already received more than $4.7 million in economic development commitments from the county and state and that the tribe’s $25 million would help cover infrastructurerelated expenses such as engineering, roadwork, site work preparation, utilities, grading, electrical and professional fees. The Secretary of Treasury will decide the most appropriate fund from which to allocate the $25 million, the resolution said.
“Immediately upon the allocation of this round of funding, the value of the 407 project will increase to more than $52.5 million, representing a 36 percent increase in the value of
not only this investment but on the initial cost of the purchase, all in less than one year,” the resolution reads.
After the resolution was read into the record, Principal Chief Richard Sneed requested that the Council move into closed session.
“I think it’s important that that Council be aware of potential lease opportunities, and the revenue that would be generated by that,” Sneed said. “However, I don’t think that’s something that should be discussed on air.”
Council accommodated that request and voted unanimously to move into closed session, returning to open session 16 minutes later.
“I’m sure I’ll be back over here at some point for different projects,” Hubble said as the body prepared to vote, “but it really doesn’t get better than this.”
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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
The Macon County Republican political machine just keeps on cranking out winners.
“I appreciate folks’ confidence in me, in all seven counties in the district. I’ve always served in a non-partisan way and I’ll represent Democrats, Republicans, and everyone else the best I can,” said Rep. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin.
Corbin will now move on from the House seat he’s occupied for four years into a Senate seat held for a decade by fellow Franklin Republican Jim Davis. Davis announced his retirement last fall, while simultaneously endorsing Corbin.
Back in March, Corbin easily survived a primary challenge from promising Republican newcomer Sarah Conway, earning more than 78 percent of the vote in the seven-county (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain) Senate District 50.
That level of support is not an aberration for Corbin, who won his two previous House elections in a deep-red four-county district (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon) with 73 and 72 percent of the vote totals, respectively.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting on the night of Nov. 3, State Board of Elections results showed Corbin with a 67 to 33 percent lead over his Democratic opponent, first-time candidate and Canton homemaker Victoria Fox.
Fox faced an uphill battle the whole way. Corbin’s name recognition — after spending years as a county commissioner and school board chairman — in both his home county of Macon and in his fourcounty House district made him a heavy favorite in the race. His work across the aisle in Raleigh also earned him no small measure of respect from moderate Democrats in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
Corbin said when he announced his bid that Senate leadership assured him his seniority in the House, where he served as deputy majority whip, would transfer over to the Senate should he prevail in his race against Fox.
If that’s the case, that’ll go a long way in helping to fill the shoes of Sen. Davis, long considered Western North Carolina’s most prominent voice in the General Assembly.
Gillespie keeps far-west House seat in GOP hands
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
Franklin Republican Karl Gillespie will now become the third Macon County commissioner in the last decade to make the jump to Raleigh to represent the citizens of North Carolina’s westernmost counties with his convincing win over Murphy Democrat Susan Landis.
“We’re very happy with the results. We spent the day traveling through the district, visiting the polls and visiting folks, and I look forward to serving the citizens of the 120th District,” said Gillespie.
Gillespie defeated Landis in N.C. House District 120 by a margin of 74 to 26 percent, with 98 percent of precincts reporting on the evening of Nov. 3.
He entered the race last fall, the result of a domino-effect among Macon County legislators.
Longtime senator and former Macon County Commissioner Jim Davis, R-Franklin, announced he wouldn’t seek reelection to his Senate seat and endorsed current District 120 Rep (and former Macon County commissioner) Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, in the race to replace him.
Gillespie stepped into the void created by Corbin’s departure, and also stepped into a heavily Republican district where Corbin won his two terms in the House with more than 72 percent of the vote, each time.
In light of Corbin’s victory, the Western North Carolina counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain will now see the tag-team legislative duo of Sen. Corbin and Rep. Gillespie, as opposed to the previous lineup of Sen. Davis and Rep. Corbin.
All three have prioritized issues that seem to affect the far west disproportionately, like the opioid crisis and access to rural broadband.
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER NC House 119
Western North Carolina’s longest-running political Mike Clampitt (R) 54% feud, between two men whose families have plod- Joe Sam Queen (D) 46% ded about these here hills and hollers since before the United States was even established, has once again Haywood County have only been able to choose between come to a conclusion. Queen, a Haywood County Democrat, and Clampitt, a
“I’m very appreciative to God above for the second Swain County Republican. opportunity to go back to Raleigh and represent the peo- Clampitt’s victory was his second in five tries against ple of this district. I want to thank everyone who volun- Queen. The race has historically been one of the closest in teered and voted again,” said Swain County Republican the state, and the fortunes of Clampitt and Queen have STAFF WRITER he abrupt departure of Western North Carolina’s congressman, Asheville Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, wasn’t the only surprise of the 2019 candidate filing season — four-term Burnsville Republican Rep. Michele Presnell unexpectedly called it quits as well, throwing open Democrats’ best opportunity to claim the seat in nearly a decade.
They’d tried in the previous two elections, running Canton Democrat Rhonda Cole Schandevel and dumping tons of money into the race only to see Presnell prevail by double-digits both times.
This year’s race wasn’t nearly as high-profile as in past years, but Dems still couldn’t pull off a win in the 118th District, which includes Madison, Yancey, and parts of Haywood County.
“I’m amazed. I had not anticipated this great of a margin. This many people putting their confidence in me is shocking and amazing. Again, I’m just humbled,” said Haywood County Republican Mark Pless, who is only halfway through his first four-year term on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners.
Pless defeated Dem candidate, Canton labor union official Alan Jones, with 64 percent of the vote and all precincts reporting late on the night of Nov. 3. Jones received 36 percent of the vote.
Retaining the seat was important for Republicans, largely been tied to how voters feel about Mike Clampitt other candidates on the ballot — especially presidential candidates. In their first matchup in 2012, Queen bested Clampitt by 3.4 percent. In 2014, Queen’s margin grew to 5.2 percent. But in 2016, with Donald Trump on Republican presidential ballots, Clampitt squeaked out a win on the coattails of a huge western surge for Trump; Clampitt prevailed by less than 300 votes out of more than 35,000 cast, good for a margin of 0.78 percent. In 2018, as backlash against the Trump presidency ensued — resulting in huge gains for Democrats on the federal level, including reclaiming the U.S. House of Representatives — Queen reclaimed the seat by 4.6 percent. In doing so, Queen helped Dems break a Republican veto-proof majority in the Republican-dominated North Carolina General Assembly. Because flipping the House or the Senate Mike Clampitt, who prevailed with 54 percent of the vote Clampitt’s victory will again aid in the Republican effort over incumbent Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, who to advance their agenda in a North Carolina General received 46 percent of the vote. Assembly where both chambers are tightly controlled by
Since 2012, voters in Jackson, Swain and parts of Republicans.
Pless prevails in quiet District 118 race
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
doesn’t appear likely for North Carolina Democrats,
NC House 118
Mark Pless (R) 64% Alan Jones (D) 36%
who saw their 2018 veto-proof majority in the North Carolina General Assembly evaporate, thanks to wins in the House by candidates like Waynesville Democrat Joe Sam Queen in District 119.
With the incumbent Queen again in a competitive race against five-time foe Mike Clampitt, a Republican from Swain County, state GOP leaders couldn’t afford to lose the popular Presnell’s seat. Over her four campaigns, Presnell expanded her approval by voters from 51 percent in her first two bids to 55 and 57 percent in her third and fourth campaigns, respectively.
Now that Pless must resign from the board of commissioners before his term in the legislature begins, the issue of succession arises.
Per Haywood County Attorney Frank Queen, the provision for the replacement of a vacancy in the Board of Commissioners is governed by NCGS 153A-27.
“In essence, the other commissioners appoint for the vacancy,’ Queen said. “The replacement person must be of the same political party as the ‘leaving’ person. The board must ‘consult’ with the county political party for its recommendations, but the board is not bound by the recommendation.”
Cawthorn scores convincing victory
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
It was one of those fairy tales that actually came true.
Madison Cawthorn, a 25-year-old political unknown, pounced upon an unexpected congressional vacancy last December, survived a Primary Election field of 12 candidates to claim a spot in the runoff where he defeated a runoff opponent that was handpicked by incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Meadows and endorsed by President Donald Trump. Cawthorn then ultimately prevailed over a well-qualified former judge and retired U.S. Air Force colonel in the General Election.
“We have come together and we have said that this is enough with the divisive politics, this is enough with career politicians ruining our lives, wasting our tax dollars, telling us what we can do with our faith, what we can do with our children and what we can do with our money,” he told a large crowd from an outdoor stage in Hendersonville shortly after 10 p.m.
Cawthorn came up big on early votes right at the outset, logging 87,000 to Moe Davis’ 46,583, good for a 63 to 34 percent lead. As precinct results trickled in, Cawthorn maintained a 5 or 6 point lead until, with 254 out of 304 precincts reporting, he expanded that lead to 10 points.
“The people of Western North Carolina said that we are sending a weapon to Washington, D.C., to end this divisiveness, to bring America back to what it once was,” Cawthorn said.
Cawthorn’s margin of victory was larger than most expected; a recent redistricting
11th Congressional
Madison Cawthorn (R) 54% Moe Davis (D) 42%
made the district slightly more Democratleaning than it had been during Rep. Meadows’ time, but it was still thought to be 6 to 8 points in the red. Cawthorn exceeded expectations. With 301 of 304 precincts reporting, he held a lead of more than 12 points on the strength of more than 242,000 votes.
By comparison, Meadows won his 2016 race with 230,000 votes, and his 2018 race with 178,000.
The race had drawn national attention, as well as national money. More than $11 million was spent on retaining the seat in a district that hasn’t seen much campaign spending in the past.
Cawthorn will join the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of the minority party, as Democrats aren’t expected to lose control of the House, despite what may happen with the presidential race or the situation in the U.S. Senate.
Two other candidates, Libertarian Tracey DeBruhl and Green Party candidate Tamara Zwinak, both came in with less than two percent of the vote and were not a factor in the final result.
As of press time on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 3, the North Carolina State Board of Elections had reported the following statewide race results, with 98 percent of precincts reporting in the state and federal races.
United States Senate
Thom Tillis* (R) 49% Cal Cunningham (D) 47%
Governor
Roy Cooper* (D) 52% Dan Forest (R) 47%
Lieutenant Governor
Mark Robinson (R) 52% Yvonne Lewis Holley (D) 48%
Attorney General
Josh Stein* (D) 50% Jim O’Neill (R) 49.8%
Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler* (R) 54% Jenna Wadsworth (D) 46%
Commissioner of Insurance
Mike Causey* (R) 52% Wayne Goodwin (D) 48%
Commissioner of Labor
Josh Dobson (R) 51% Jessica Holmes (D) 49%
Secretary of State
Elaine Marshall* (D) 51% E.C. Sykes (R) 49%
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Catherine Truitt (R) 51% Jen Mangrum (D) 49%
Treasurer
Dale R. Folwell (R) 53% Ronnie Chatterji (D) 47%
Supreme Court Chief Justice
Cheri Beasley* (D) 50% Paul Newby (R) 49.9%
Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 2
Phil Berger, Jr.* (R) 50.6% Lucy Inman (D) 49.3%
Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 4
Tamara Barringer (R) 51% Mark Davis (D) 49%
Jackson voters approve pool referendum
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
With 51.41 percent of voters in favor of the measure, Jackson County residents approved a referendum question that will allow the county to borrow $20 million for a new aquatic center.
While the measure gained overall approval, only four of the 13 voting precincts returned majority yes votes. Caney Fork, Cullowhee, Sylva-South and Webster — all areas clustered around the planned location for the poll — said yes while the remaining precincts returned majority no votes.
The referendum vote was the culmination of years of planning and discussion. During a survey conducted as part of a 2013 recreation master plan update, 86.4 percent of respondents said that a centrally located swimming pool is “important” or “very important,” and a follow-up survey in 2019 showed 68 percent of respondents saying that they’d support construction of a pool even if it meant raising taxes. An effort to get a referendum question on the 2018 ballot failed, but this time around voters had the chance to weigh in.
Now that voters have approved the $20 million general obligation bond, commissioners must take a final vote to actually borrow the money. When asked last month whether that vote would come before or after newly elected commissioners are seated, Chairman Brian McMahan said that was yet to be determined. However, both sitting commissioners and all the candidates running for a seat on the board have been favorable toward the project.
Construction on the pool is expected to begin in June 2022 and wrap up in January 2024, with designs calling for a 30,800-square-foot addition to the existing Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. It will include a six-lane competition pool as well as a leisure pool complete with a splash pad, adjustable volleyball hoops, a vortex therapy pool and a competition pool. The facility will also feature locker rooms, a party room and renovated classroom areas.
The total project is estimated at $19.95 million with $380,000 in annual operating costs. Based on current tax values, an additional 2.26 cents per $100 on the county’s existing property tax rate of $38 cents per $100 would be required to foot the bill. Of that amount, 2.22 cents per $100 would go toward the debt payment, so that portion of the tax would disappear once the 15-year loan term is complete. Jackson County just completed a property revaluation, and appraised values are expected to rise significantly next year, which could decrease the rate increase required to pay for the pool.
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
The Democratic majority on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners will strengthen to a 4-1 hold following Election Day results. In District 3, Republican Ron Mau will pass the torch to fellow Republican Tom Stribling, but in District 4 Democrat Mark Jones will take the seat currently held by Republican Mickey Luker.
Stribling logged an easy victory over Democrat Susan Bogardus, taking home 54.24 percent of the 20,652 votes cast in that race. Meanwhile, Jones’ victory over Republican Mark Letson came with a razorthin margin — he won by just nine votes, with 50.02 percent of the 20,739 votes cast. However, there are not any provisional ballots at play in that race.
Jones congratulated Letson as having run a great race to come so close to victory.
“He still has a potential career to help our county and citizens out,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting sworn in and hitting the ground running. There’s a lot of issues that need to be addressed in Cashiers and Jackson County, and I’ll jump in there in December and start moving them.”
Meanwhile, Stribling said he was not surprised by his comfortable margin.
“I’m not surprised at all,” he said. “I attribute it to me being out and about, talking to people and going to meetings
Wingate to take the bench in District Court
Wingate will claim a District Court judge seat in the 30th Judicial District and will be and going to see the fire departments and the VFW and talking to local folks and picking their brains.” In 2016, District 3 Republican Ron Mau beat out incumbent Democrat Vicki Greene with 53.2 percent of the vote. Similarly, District 4 Republican Mickey Luker overcame Tom Stribling Jones that year with 53.3 percent of the vote. Voter turnout was much higher this time around than the 66.98 percent of 28,195 registered voters who turned out in 2016, with turnout Mark Jones this time around coming one of the youngest judges in the state.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting after 11 p.m. Nov. 3, Wingate received 65 percent of the votes on election night, compared to his Democrat opponent Justin Greene, from Bryson City, who only received 35 percent across the district.
“I’m thankful to God for this blessing and I’m thankful to my family, friends and all my supporters for their hard work and giving me this opportunity,” Wingate said. “I start-
Jackson County Commission District 3
Tom Stribling (R) 54.24% Susan Bogardus (D) 45.46%
Jackson County Commission District 4
Mark Jones (D) 50.02% Mark Letson (R) 49.98%
in at 72.07 percent of 29,593 registered voters.
Stribling, 56, is a first-time contender for political office. Originally from Hawkinsville, Georgia, he has lived in Cullowhee for the past 16 years and owns Stribling Land Corporation, whose services include grading work and site development.
Jones, 61, is a well-known name in local politics, having previously served on the board from 2006 to 2016. He’s a fifth-generation Jackson County native who has spent his career in hospitality, currently working as front manager for Mica’s Restaurant & Pub in Sapphire.
In Jackson County, commissioners must reside in the district they represent but are elected by all county residents. District 3 includes the Cullowhee, Savannah and Webster precincts, while District 4 includes the Canada, Caney Fork, Cashiers, Glenville
BY JESSI STONE NEWS EDITOR
After spending more than a year campaigning across Western North Carolina, 31-year-old Republican Kaleb
and River districts.
District Court Judge
Kaleb Wingate (R) 65% Justin Greene (D) 35%
ed this campaign in May 2019 and there are no words to express my appreciation to the voters in the 30th Judicial District for the confidence they’ve placed in me. I will work hard, follow the law and will always strive to be fair in every decision I make.”
Even though Greene has many more years of practicing law under his belt, Wingate worked hard to get his name out there and was favored by Democrats and Republicans alike, especially in his home county of Haywood where he received 65 percent of the vote.
Wingate had to first get through the Primary Election back in March, facing three other Republican candidates — Haywood County lawyer Jim Moore, Macon County lawyer Rich Cassady and Clay County lawyer Mitch Brewer. Even with all the candidates on the ballot, Wingate was able to avoid a runoff, defeating his opponents with nearly 39.6 percent of the vote. He received a total of 9,700 votes. Moore was the runner up with 8,189 votes.
This was Greene’s second attempt at securing a District Court judgeship. He first ran back in 2010 when he was about Wingate’s age, but was defeated.
Wingate’s win means that five out of the six District Court judges in the seven-county district are residents of Haywood County.
Young Republican to join Macon commission
BY JESSI STONE NEWS EDITOR
Josh Young, a young Republican in his first attempt to run for public office, will join the Macon County Board of Commissioners after receiving large support in his hometown.
Young received 14,709 votes (73 percent) in Macon County Tuesday night for the District 2 Commissioner seat compared to his Democrat opponent Betty Cloer Wallace who received 5,339 votes (27 percent).
Two incumbents will claim their second terms on the Swain County Board of Commissioners after being the top vote-getters out of four candidates.
Republican Kenneth Parton had the most support with 3,415 votes (28.5 percent), while Democrat Roger Parton was the second votergetter with 3,018 votes (25 percent).
“I hope the voters put their trust in me and know me to be someone who works for Swain County and for no other reason but to do my best for the people,” Parton said. “I’m looking forward to working on some issues we’ve
A pair of Republican incumbents seeking to retain their seats will remain on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners after they topped two upstart Democrats.
“I think we’ve been doing a good job and the vote indicates that. We’ve got some big issues coming up and we’re going to have to tackle those in a conservative, cost efficient manner,” said Kevin Ensley, the current board chairman who will return for his fifth fouryear term after claiming about 32 percent of the vote.
“I’m humbled once again at all the support. People trusted me with their hard-earned money not only in my first term but now in my second,” said Brandon Rogers, the board’s vice chairman, who earned 35 percent of the vote.
As in past years, voters could select any two of four candidates running — two
Republican Paul Higdon, who has served two terms as a commissioner, was unopposed this year and will take on a third term in the District 3 seat.
Young will be replacing Republican Karl Gillespie, who served one term as commissioner before deciding to run for Kevin Corbin’s seat in the sate House. Gillespie also won his race tonight with 74 percent of the vote. Young’s Josh Young win means the makeup of the Macon County Board of Commissioners will remain the same for now — one Democrat, four Republicans, and all male.
Wallace is a sixth generation Maconian
Swain incumbents retain commissioner seats
BY JESSI STONE NEWS EDITOR
with years of experience working in K-12 pubalready taken up — move on the animal ordinance and trying to figure out new library plans and working on trying to continue to move Swain County forward.”
Parsons first joined the board in 2017 when he was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the passing of Commissioner David Monteith. He then successfully ran to complete the remaining two years of Monteith’s term on the board in fall 2018. Parsons previously served on the Swain County School Board for 16 years.
Parton was the top vote-getter when he was elected to his first term in 2016 with over 28 per-
Haywood Republicans win another term on commission
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
cent of the vote. He ran on the promise of makDemocrats and two Republicans.
When they last ran in 2016, Rogers, a firsttime candidate, led the ticket with a surprising 31.97 percent of the vote. Ensley was just behind him with 29.95 percent. Two Democrats, Steve Brown and Robin Greene Black were both far behind them, each with less than 20 percent of the vote.
In 2018, Republicans Tommy Long and Mark Pless won seats on the commission, giving the commission a Republican majority for the very first time and leaving veteran Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick as the board’s lone Democrat.
This year’s contest had Ensley and Rogers facing Democrats Leah Hampton and David Young. Hampton, an author, came away with 17 percent and Young, owner of Mad Anthony’s owner, also finished with about 17 percent.
Had they won, Young and Hampton would have swung the commission to a 3-2 Democratic majority.
Republican Commissioner Mark Pless, only halfway through his first term, decided to run for the N.C. House seat vacated by Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville. Pless’ victory means he’ll be leaving his board seat before his legislative term begins, likely in December. lic schools, university systems and the Department of Public Instruction. She ran for a commission seat in 2018, didn’t garner enough votes to beat the two incumbents running for re-election.
While Young is new to local politics, he ran on a “common sense” platform that entailed less regulations and more conservative spending practices. The fifth generation Maconian worked as a utility lineman for eight years before starting his own business in Macon — Young Tree Service.
The voter turnout numbers in this election were impressive and Macon was no exception. Nearly 62 percent of Macon County registered voters cast a ballot during early voting — that’s nearly as much as the total turnout during the 2016 election (69 percent). The overall voter turnout for 2020 was over 76 percent — (20,748 out of 27,162).
ing sure county money was spent wisely and distributed to all parts of the county. He was able to unseat Democrat incumbent Steve Moon.
Democrat candidate Phillip Carson was hoping to rejoin the board after losing his reelection to chairman in 2018 to follow Democrat Ben Bushyhead. However, Carson came in third with 2,782 votes (23 percent).
H. Robert Lowe, a 28-year-old Republican running for public office for the first time, came in fourth place with 2,654 votes (22.18 percent).
Turnout in Swain County was strong with 70 percent of registered voters — 7,080 out of 10,088 — casting a ballot. During the 2016 election, Swain’s voter turnout was at about 59 percent.
Haywood County Commission
Brandon Rogers (R) 34.51% Kevin Ensley (R) 31.92% David Young (D) 16.92% Leah Hampton (D) 16.64%
County Attorney Frank Queen said Nov. 2 that the board must “consult” with Pless’ party, the Haywood County Republican Party, on his replacement and will end up appointing a Republican.
The race itself was viewed as a referendum on Republican leadership; a controversial “Second Amendment resolution” had been demanded by some Haywood residents back in February, but many Republicans weren’t happy that the board instead passed a softer “Constitution-protecting” resolution with no teeth.
Then, just as the Coronavirus Pandemic set in, Haywood commissioners enacted several restrictions on movement that pleased some and angered others.
Now, the challenge for the board moving forward will be to deal with the lingering fiscal impact of the pandemic, which has accelerated in recent weeks.
Incumbents keep control of Haywood
School Board news BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Five seats were up for grabs on the Haywood County Board of Education this election — two in the Waynesville district, two in the Beaverdam district and one for school board chairman. Of the five available seats, incumbents won four.
Chuck Francis took the chairmanship again, with 72.92 percent of the vote. Francis has served on the school board for 20 years and as chairman for 16. He has now been elected to another four-year term as chairman. Daran McAdams initially mounted a challenge against Francis for the seat, but dropped out earlier in the election. He dropped out too late to have his name removed from the ballot, but still received 25.77 percent of the vote.
Despite challenges from four new candidates, school board incumbents won both open seats in the Beaverdam district. David Burnette had the most votes with 26.16 percent, with Ronnie Clark receiving the second-highest at 22.03 percent. Both Burnette and Clark were elected to the school board in 2016 and have now been elected to serve four more years. Three of the four candidates challenging the incumbents in the Beaverdam district were Black, any of whom would have become the only Black member on an all-white board. In the Waynesville district, newcomer Logan Nesbitt won the most November 4-10, 2020 votes with 31.46 percent. Incumbent Jim Francis came in second, winning his seat again with 26.46 percent. Challenger Danya Vanhook finished close behind with 25.63 percent. Nesbitt will be the only new member to begin serving on the Haywood County school board. “I’m shocked. I figured that we had a lot of support, but I’m overwhelmed. I’m blown away by the support in Haywood County,” Nesbitt said. “I just want to thank everybody for voting, period. Regardless of who you voted for, it’s our constitutional right. Obviously to my voters, I’m extremely grateful. You saw something in me that I Smoky Mountain News promised to you — it’s time to get to work now.”
Nesbitt said he looks forward to getting involved in the school board meetings, and getting the job done for students, faculty and parents. 9
