Beck: Keep schools county schools, not city schools

By: Newton T. Beck | Morganton News Herald
Published: November 01, 2009

Morganton, NC --

I am honored and privileged to write this letter in support of Tracy Norman, a woman of outstanding character, honesty, credibility and integrity. She is an experienced board of education chairperson who has withstood unbelievable bashing from SOS and the SWAT team who either failed to look at facts, ignored them, or possibly misrepresented them to the public.
Do you want a school board that conducts business in the best interest of children, parents and community? A board that isn't intimidated by and refuses to back down to political pressure and bullying by Burke County's elitists?
As a "stakeholder," my answers are yes! A vote for the SWAT team will be a swat against the education of your children. Let me explain why and I think you will agree.
My research goes back to 2002 when Sam Wilkinson and Buddy Armour were getting much support from the elite of our county. A bond referendum for constructing a new high school was defeated by the voters. Instead of listening, Wilkinson and Armour were part of a regime that decided to build not only one, but two new high schools. Thus, when it didn't fit their agenda, they treated the "stakeholders" like disposable garbage. Also ignoring you, they decided to spend $40 million of your money to build the new high schools, failing to insure funding to operate them, and then we ended up paying more than $60 million for the buildings, underestimating the cost by more than $20 million. For a retired teacher (Wilkinson), and businessman (Armour), they didn't seem to understand what it takes to operate two new schools such as staffing, providing teacher and students' supplies and the basic day-to-day operations. Not only did they ignore the will of the people they failed to plan for more than $2 million for operating these two schools each year. The stakeholders of Burke County cannot afford Wilkinson or Armour.
They've talked about legal fees, but why do we have these fees? Perhaps because of David Burleson, Randall Brackett, their failed administration and board members like Wilkinson and Armour who have supported their failed administration. If you think these people aren't tangled tighter than a can of worms, look at who is funding their campaigns. Look at this partial list of contributors to some or all of the SWAT members and ask yourself who owns the SWAT team? At least four are attorneys at Byrd Byrd McMahon Ervin & Denton.
Also pay close attention to these people's addresses. If SWAT is elected are we looking at becoming Morganton City Schools?
n Marsha Riddle, Burkemont Avenue, Morganton.
n Mrs. Perry Beeson, Walton Road, Morganton
n R. Mark Buff, Woodside Drive, Morganton.
n Sara Lou Succop, Riverside Court, Morganton.
n Robert Denton, East Concord Street, Morganton.
n Caroline Ervin, Terrace Place, Morganton.
n John W. Ervin, McConnaughey Lane, Morganton.
n Dick Gordon, Ridgeside Terrace, Morganton.
n Larry McMahon, Riverside Drive, Morganton.
n Ann Moncrief, Robin Hood Drive, Morganton.
n Richard and Shara Owensby, Montrose Street, Morganton.
n Abigail Redman, Camelot Drive, Morganton.
n Edward Grant Redman, Woodland Place, Morganton.
n Joseph Riddle Jr., West Union Street, Morganton.
n Jo Bailey Sitton, West Union Street, Morganton.
n Sam and Laura Aycock, Bost Road, Morganton.
n Jane Sohovich, Belvedere Drive, Morganton.
Keep our schools Burke County Public Schools, not Morganton City Private Schools. Vote for Tracy Norman.

Beck: Keep schools county schools, not city schools

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