Back to work for John Bell
By Steve Herring
Published in News on March 16, 2016 1:46 PM
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County Commissioner John Bell makes a call to the Wayne County Board of Elections at his home Tuesday night for the results of his primary.
It was back to work this morning for District 3 Commissioner John Bell, who scored a commanding Democratic primary win Tuesday.
Since he faces no opposition in the November general election, Tuesday's win is tantamount to winning re-election.
Bell, the longest-serving commissioner currently on the board, having first been elected in 2000, defeated challenger Constance Bryant Coram by a more than two-to-one margin.
Bell claimed all 13 precincts in the district receiving 2,152 votes (68.49 percent) to 990 (31.51) for Mrs. Coram.
Vote totals are unofficial until the county canvass at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 22, at the Wayne County Board of Elections Office, 209 S. William St.
There was little time for Bell to celebrate, commissioners met this morning having moved the meeting from Tuesday because of the election.
All seven commissioners face election in the November general election, but Bell, 81, was the only one to face a primary challenge.
None of the seven have any opposition in November.
Bell said he simply ran on his record and without any gimmicks.
"I had a lot of people supported me, and they know my record," Bell said. "I ran on my record. I had nothing to be ashamed of.
"Anybody has the right to run. I am not knocking anybody who runs. It's just that I think I have done an outstanding job since I have been a commissioner, and I will continue to do that."
Bell said that if he felt that he could no longer do the job that he would have stepped down and nobody would have had to run against him.
"I think we have a good board, and I enjoy working with those guys, and I want to keep up the good work," he said.
Bell said he thinks that county residents understand that it takes a certain kind of person to operate the county.
There is more to it than just running for an office and sitting on the board, he said.
"You have a responsibility," he said. "I think I have shown that responsibility since I have been on the board. I think the board members recognize what I am doing, and that I am going to make the right decisions."
The office is not a toy to play with, he said.
"I just want to thank the people for voting for me, keeping me in that seat for another four years," he said. "I am proud of the fact they selected me to work with those other six guys."
Bell said he thinks the seven members do a good job together.
"The county has decided what they want," Mrs. Coram said. "I asked to be a new voice, and they decided they wanted to keep the same voices they had. If that is the voice that they want, I am satisfied with that.
"I ran a good race. I wish I had a little more time, but I decided to re-enter the race after I had decided not to."
Mrs. Coram initially filed for register of deeds, but withdrew to file against Bell.
"I feel like I ran a good race, and I am confident that the people's voice has been heard," she said. "I am satisfied with that."
Bell is a native of Clinton in Sampson County and attended public schools in Sampson and Wayne counties graduating from Dillard High School.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in business management/economics/ public administration from Shaw University, where he was a cum laude graduate.
Bell spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force retiring as a master sergeant.
He has served as an intensive probation officer for the state and was the first driving while impaired parole treatment facility manager in the state.
Bell has worked as an assistant branch manager for the Raleigh/Durham District Division of Adult Probation Parole and as the judicial district manager (District 8) Division of Adult Probation/Parole.
Mrs. Coram, 57, is a Goldsboro native, but as a child her family moved to Buffalo, New York. She later lived in Ohio for a few years.
During those years she worked in office management for the Cleveland Bar Association, the Buffalo Museum of Science and Buffalo Child and Family Services.
Since moving back 14 years ago, she has worked at a car dealership, with the office of attorney Louis Jordan and then at the Wayne County Register of Deeds.