Thursday, September 23, 2010
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| Left: Deborah Butler (Staff photo by Patricia E. Matson) Right: Sid Causey (Staff photo by Allison Breiner Potter) |
Butler said she decided to run for commissioner after the poorly handled utility merger, the local Alcoholic Beverage Control scandal and the Titan Cement controversy, which all happened roughly around the same time.
"County government needs to have a broader base," she said, explaining that citizen involvement is very limited, with the same faces appearing again and again. She stated that the commissioners make appointments to about 30 county boards. Butler said she’d reach out to retirees in the area, with their varied experiences and talents, since more participation leads to better decisions.
The county budget is an ongoing issue, because of the economy, she said. She hoped to form a volunteer committee to evaluate details, rotating department by department year-round, rather than just ordering percentage cuts.
Butler said more thoughtful, eco-sensitive zoning is needed to protect the environment, tourism revenues and the quality of life here. She criticized the Titan permitting process and said she understood the need for economic development, but "we have to be careful."
A native North Carolinian, Butler received degrees from the University of Tennessee and Wake Forest University, and was a trial attorney in New York City for several years. When moving back to her home state, she was attracted to Wilmington for its historic architecture, riverfront and nearby beaches. In her 16 years in this county, she has practiced law, started a real estate brokerage and renovated properties.
A lifelong Democrat, Butler said she didn’t think that party was important at the county level; people should vote on a candidate’s character and experience. Since she has dealt with zoning, planning and budgets as a small business owner, Butler said she had the breadth of education and experience needed to be a commissioner.
She added, "I can build a consensus, but I’m not afraid to stand my ground."
Sid Causey also stands on his experience, with 40 years of law enforcement in New Hanover County. As the sheriff from 2002 to 2009, he attended nearly every commissioners meeting and workshop during that time.
Causey said budget cuts and furloughs led him to a financial decision to retire and become a private investigator. Then people started asking him to run for county commissioner, pointing out that he’d be the only true native of the county on the board. After praying about it, he filed as a candidate, just 10 minutes before deadline. He spent just $999.80 in the primary, on bumper stickers, but won enough votes to proceed to the general election.
Causey said he handled a $35 million budget in his last year as sheriff. He defended himself over the question of how many budget amendments he had requested in his term, stating that $309,000 was needed to build an administrative office next to the jail, citing cost savings he had found, and saying that commissioners approved those requests and found them reasonable.
Causey said as a Democratic sheriff dealing with a Republican-controlled board of commissioners, politics needed to be put aside, and were.
Asked about his goals, Causey said safety was important, although crime wasn’t out of proportion for a county this size. He said he loved going downtown and felt safe until 2 a.m. or so.
Regarding the budget, he said the economy would mostly drive what is done: "At some point, if we can’t provide basic services, there’ll be suffering… but we can’t keep taxing citizens out of their houses."
