Mayo: Move was just dirty politics
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 7, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Wayne County Commissioner Ray Mayo blasts his fellow board members Tuesday for what he called "dirty politics" that led to his removal from several key committees, including the commissioners' facilities committee and the county Development Alliance.
Wayne County Commissioner Ray Mayo Tuesday morning said "dirty politics" by fellow commissioners had cost him reappointment to several key committees.
Mayo was not reappointed by Chairman Wayne Aycock to either the facilities committee, which he had chaired, or the county Development Alliance.
Elected officials should be able to vote their conscience and speak their mind without fear of retaliation, Mayo said. Mayo said he was "appalled" by the retaliation he received from the board and the reasoning he was given for why he was not reappointed to the committees.
He did not elaborate on the reasons he had been given.
Aycock thanked Mayo for his comments.
"I don't necessarily agree with you on some of them, but that is our prerogative," Aycock said. "I made the decisions on what I thought was best for the county, and I am sticking by those decisions. We will move forward in the county."
The committee issue is the latest conflict between Mayo and some fellow commissioners.
In 2013, Mayo was elected vice chairman of the board of commissioners. Traditionally, the vice chairman has moved up to chairman the following year. However, Mayo, a Republican, was not elected chairman after a bipartisan coalition led to the election of Aycock, a Republican, as chairman and Democrat Ed Cromartie as vice chairman.
This past July, after months of contentiousness, Aycock dissolved the appointment committee, which was chaired by Mayo. Aycock then named an all-new appointment committee.
Last month, Aycock and Cromartie were re-elected chairman and vice chairman respectively, by the members of the board.
Despite being "upset" by the choice, Mayo said he still looks forward to serving on the board.
"If I am singled out, so be it," he said. "I have been there before. I will continue to state what my political beliefs are, and I am going to stand behind my convictions.
"If I get the pushback that I have obviously gotten, I want the commissioners to band together with me and say, 'Look, Wayne County is not going to tolerate it.'"
Mayo said that when he ran for office his message was "loud and clear" -- that he is a "citizen servant" and not a politician.
He said he believes in a government of common sense, transparency and integrity.
"I believe elected officials have a responsibility not only to inform citizens of decisions that affect them, but also to provide citizens with solid reasons why we make those decisions," he said.
Mayo said he requested a meeting with Aycock about the committee appointments on Dec. 16 -- the same day they were announced. The meeting was held that same day and was also attended by Commissioner Joe Daughtery, whom Aycock had appointed to the facilities committee along with himself and Commissioner Joe Gurley as chairman.
"I guess this is where we are going to find what our political side is," Mayo said. "What our honesty side is. How transparent we are going to be. But I asked Mr. Daughtery and Mr. Aycock why I was removed from the facilities and WCDA committee.
"I never dreamed of the answers that I got. I never dreamed that would happen here in Wayne County -- the Bible Belt of eastern North Carolina. The reasons that I was given, I would never dream that it would happen, and I, as an elected official, would get the political pushback that was relayed to me."
Mayo did not specify what the answers were, and neither he nor Aycock would comment further after Tuesday's meeting.
Mayo said he was upset for the simple reason that political pushback, better known as "dirty politics," is accepted by every public entity in the state and nation.
Mayo said that he is asking the residents of Wayne County to put an end to political "pushback" that is unjustified and that could cause a commissioner to be unable to perform his or her duties.
During Tuesday's meeting, Mayo asked County Attorney Borden Parker if there any statutes or rules that say that an elected official, such as a county commissioner, does not have the right as a commissioner to express their concerns and decisions they make.
"In other words, are we allowed to vote no on an issue, and not expect any repercussions to the point that it just hurts that commissioner's ability to do his job and citizens?" Mayo said. "Are there any ethics rules or anything that cover that?
"Not to my knowledge," Parker said.
"So whenever a commissioner or any of us takes a stand on something, then we have to be ready to take whatever comes with that," Mayo said. "Is that correct?
"Generally speaking the board has not had personal attacks against them," Parker said.
How about as far as political attacks, Mayo said.
"Each individual member of the board determines what his or her politics are and did what they believe was in the best interest of their own politics," Parker said.