The "New" Iron Triangle

The "New" Iron Triangle
By Commissioner Gary A. House


Recently, my good friend Larry Parker also known as the Old Master wrote a column in the Dunn Daily Record that indicated that a new iron triangle may be forming among the Harnett County Board of Commissioners.

I have always touted the Old Master's accuracy rating as 95% to 99%.  I almost always agree with his writings and predictions.  He almost always hits the nail on the head.

However, in this instance, the Old Master read his crystal ball incorrectly.

It was the Old Master that coined former Chairman Tim McNeill, former Commissioner Dan Andrews, and Commissioner Beatrice Hill as the The Iron Triangle.  There were lots of 3 to 2 votes of the County Board during McNeill's reign as chairman.  Commissioner Jim Burgin and I almost always were the 2 in those votes.

The Iron Triangle appeared to stick together no matter what.

Well, McNeill gave up his seat to run unsuccessfully for NC State Senate and Andrews lost his seat to Gordon Springle in 2012.  Thus, The Iron Triangle was broken.

I know that many assumed that there would be another iron triangle between Burgin, Springle and me.  Needing a new chairman, I nominated Burgin.  He became the chairman in 2012 on a 3 to 2 vote.

The assumption that another iron triangle between Burgin, Springle, and me proved to be false rather quickly in 2013.  I have never and will never vote against what I believe is in the best interest of Harnett County.

Burgin and I talked many times about the need to rotate the chairman each year like some other counties do.
When the time came in 2013 for the annual reorganization of the board, Hill nominated Commissioner Joe Miller to be chairman.  Commissioner Springle nominated Burgin.  Agreeing with Burgin in our past conversations, I saw the need to rotate the chairman each year so I cast my vote for Miller.

That vote is apparently why the Old Master thinks there may be another "New" Iron Triangle forming between Miller, Hill and me.

I have enjoyed getting to know Miller and Hill since the current board was formed.

No, there was no deal of any kind between Miller, Hill, and me over vote for chairman nor over any lawsuit.

I never talked to Miller or Hill about dropping any lawsuit.

I never talked to Miller about voting for him to be chairman.  Hill talked to me about the new chairmanship but even she did not know how I was going to vote that day.

The casting of my vote for Miller was, in my opinion, in the best interest of Harnett County for the upcoming year.

I will continue to vote for what I think is best and will not be part of any iron triangle.  I will vote my conscience regardless of which commissioner supports or opposes certain issues.

I truly believe this is the way all governments should function.

So Old Master, I am sorry to report that you called this one wrong.  There is no "New" Iron Triangle.  That philosophy left when McNeill and Andrews walked out the door.

I have faith that the Old Master will call the next 99 correctly.

I forever will be a fan of the Old Master......

Thank You

Thank You
By:  Vice Chairman Gary House

I want to take a few minutes to express my sincere appreciation to all of you who have supported me over the last few years and to explain some things and actions to you.

When Commissioner Tim McNeill sued me a couple of years ago, my attorney advised me not to say a word about anything to anybody during the process.  She told me to trust no one.  I took that advice even though I was continuously blasted.  McNeill did not produce any witnesses that could verify  the claims in his lawsuit.  I have always vehemently denied his allegations.  Throughout the proceedings, it became apparent to me that my resignation from the county board was the goal of that lawsuit.

When I did not resign, Harnett County initiated another lawsuit against me and Randy Rogers while McNeill was chairman.  Allegations in that lawsuit were also false.  This time, my attorney who was a different attorney gave me two options.  I could remain quiet during the process or I could come out swinging and bash the county over the head with the knowledge that I had.

I chose to remain quiet and let the process work itself out.   All the while, I took continued abuse from a faceless group of people.  Only a couple of them chose to reveal themselves even though I know who the faceless ones  are.  After the County put the same settlement agreement in front of me for the third time that asked me to sign things that were not true, gagged me from speaking, and prevented me from requesting public information, I decided that I could be quiet no longer.

I started using FaceBook as my primary method of getting information out to you.  I even told you it would be coming for a few months and to block me for a those months if you did not want to read it.  Very few of you chose to block me.  Many of you repeatedly thanked me for the information that I was putting out to you.

It was not until I started speaking that the County began negotiating seriously.  I was forced into a corner and the only choice I had was to come out swinging.  I assure you that I always spoke the truth.

My posts about the County will slow down significantly.  I will still let you know what is happening in our County but it will be done in a different manner.

I thank all of you for your patience and understanding in this matter and I will continue you to serve you to the best of my ability and I will continue to look after your money...

Many Thanks,
Gary A. House
Vice-Chairman of Harnett County Board of Commissioners

Sauer Grapes

Sauer Grapes

By Commissioner Gary A. House

When the Harnett County Board of Commissioners hired Scott Sauer as county manager some five years ago, I would have preferred to have had Tony Wilder in that position; however, I was happy with the hire of Sauer.  He interviewed very well and knew how to answer all the questions without hesitation.  He even knew how to initiate conversation with me.  In hindsight, in my opinion, he may have been prepped beforehand by someone who wanted him in that position.   He even got  a good recommendation from our human resources department.

Not long after the announcement of his hiring, a few friends from Sampson County thanked me profusely for taking him from them.  That seemed odd to me but I was happy with the hire.  I have said many times that I learned more about Harnett County in six months under Sauer than I had learned in the previous two years.  He gave us loads of information and gave the appearance of treating all commissioners equally as he had promised in his interview.

Randy Rogers came to see me the first time in August after Sauer was hired in January  He came to me with information obtained from the Harnett County School Board via a public records request from the Daily Record about the construction of the replacement of Boone Trail Elementary School.  I listened intently.

In our many discussions on this subject, he began telling me things that were happening in public utilities.  In the beginning, it was difficult to believe some of the things he was sharing with me.  Some of those allegedly  involved, I considered friends.  It took quite a bit of time for it to sink in that truth came from Rogers lips.  Much of the information he shared with me was and has been corroborated by other employees and former employees.

One thing I do remember Rogers sharing with me early on was that then Public Works Director Rodney Tart was driving a Mercedes that Engineer Hiram Marziano used to own.  I took that with a grain of salt because I knew all county employees know to keep arms length transactions with county vendors.  I happened to mention the Mercedes to Sauer one day.  He became very interested in this issue.  He asked me if there was any proof that I could bring him.  Yes, Sauer asked for the information to be brought to him.

I contacted Rogers and he produced a picture of the vehicle license plate.  A few days later, Sauer informed me that the vehicle was registered in Tart's name.  He called Tart into his office and inquired about it.  According to Sauer, Tart said the vehicle came from a used car dealership in Greensboro.  Peaking Sauer's interest, he decided to investigate further.

He sent Staff Attorneys Slusser and O'Leary to Asheboro to interview Marziano about the vehicle.  For some unknown reason, Tart weaseled his way into the car.  According to Sauer, Marziano claimed that he had sold the car to Tart.  He even pulled out an amortization schedule showing the monthly payments.  Amortization schedules can be produced on the internet in a matter of minutes.  Nevertheless, Marziano confirmed that the vehicle was purchased from him while Tart claimed it was purchased from a Greensboro dealership.

Sauer appeared very upset that Tart and Marziano told different stories.  Sauer never told me whether he thought the vehicle was sold at fair market value or less.

On the way back to Harnett County from Marziano's office, Tart allegedly began making inappropriate comments to O'Leary.  She filed a complaint with the County.

Sauer became very upset about that he thought Tart had lied to him and about the comments made to O'Leary.  He brought the information to the Board of Commissioners.  Sauer recommended termination of Tart.  I do not recall if a formal vote was taken by the Board on termination since Sauer had full authority to do it on his own because Tart's position was not an appointed position.  I do remember it being a consensus among all Board members to support Sauer's decision.

Later Sauer came back and informed the Board that he had terminated Tart.  One Board member appeared to reverse his position and said he only thought Tart would be suspended temporarily.

As I recall, Tart was given the opportunity to retire in order to avoid termination.

The Board instructed Sauer to go to public utilities, make inquiries, and report back to the Board with anything he found wrong.  To my knowledge, Sauer never made the inquiries among employees that I remember him being instructed to do.

I think Sauer stepped on some pretty big toes with the way he handled the Tart situation.  After that event, in my opinion, Sauer's performance dropped off dramatically.  It appeared that someone may have instructed him not to mess with the Good Ol' Boy System in Harnett County.

Over the next couple of years, in my eyes, Sauer's performance, in my opinion,  became so lacking that I had to support Commissioner Jim Burgin's motion to terminate him.

Sauer admitted to the new Board that it was he who instructed David Senter to add me to the suit against Rogers.  The Board never voted to add me to the suit as attested to by Burgin and Wilder.

Some time between Tart's retirement and Sauer's termination, a faceless, cowardly cyber(s) stalker appeared.  I blocked myself from reading the garbage a couple of years ago.  I am certain I know who is involved in this continuous harassment.  I always thought Sauer was above it because he had a lot to lose even though others were telling me otherwise.

A few months ago, I got a few friend requests on FaceBook from a lady that I did not know.  Her name was Tuesday Price.  I had heard the day before that Sauer had a girlfriend named Tuesday.  Just to be sure, I declined her as a friend.  Then all of a sudden, according to my sources, Ms. Price starting posting along with the faceless, cowardly cyber stalker.  Then, I heard Sauer and Price married which is verified on Price's FaceBook page.

Since the marriage, Price's postings have apparently escalated.  Price may be posting on her own but I have a hard time believing that since she came from a different county and I do not know her.

Somehow I doubt this lady is making these atrocious FaceBook postings.  I am not even sure she knows about them...

In my opinion, this just may be a case of Sauer Grapes...

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