Modern Day School-Raising in Harnett County

Modern Day School-Raising in Harnett County

Vice Chairman Gary A. House

Harnett County Board of Commissioners

Over the last eight years of being a commissioner and 24 years of being a certified public accountant in Harnett County, I have had the opportunity to traverse the county many times foraging many relationships.  All of the communities in Harnett County have some of the best people in the world.  Many have gone out of their way to be kind to me.  Frankly, there are many places in Harnett County in which I could be happy living.

I have literally spent many thousands of hours doing volunteer work, coaching, civic clubs, etc. in Dunn, Erwin, Coats and around the county.  My duties as commissioner have often taken me to the other side of Harnett County to Anderson Creek.  Most of my calls as commissioner came from the Anderson Creek area.  I always went when there was a problem no matter from where the call came.  I have spent most of my professional career in Dunn but practiced in Lillington for a few years.  I know this county well.

I think overall the communities in Harnett County get along well.  However, I have detected some animosity by some but not all residents based on geographical location.

I personally feel very comfortable with the people of Erwin and Dunn.  I spend a lot time in both communities.  However, I often hear that there is a fairly strong rivalry between the two towns.  Personally I view the two towns as one.  Perhaps this lingering rivalry goes back to the old football days between Dunn and Erwin High Schools.  Perhaps it is more.

I often hear particularly from the Lillington area that Dunn thinks it is the center of the universe and gets everything it wants.  Conversely, I often hear that Dunn thinks Lillington is the center of the universe and gets everything it wants. 

What perturbs me the most, however, is many people try to use the Cape Fear River to split the county in half.  It causes me great displeasure hearing people say “this side of the river” and “that side of the river.” 

My district as commissioner encompasses much area on both sides of the river.  I have always seen the Cape Fear River is the link between the county not a barrier.

I often hear from people of Anderson Creek that they have always been treated as the red-headed step child of Harnett County and Dunn rules everything.  I, as commissioner, have given Anderson Creek much more attention than they have had in the past.  I hear from Dunn that the Western side of the county has always ruled Harnett County.  I have always addressed Dunn’s issues when they were brought to me.  I believe I have been successful in looking after both sides of my district.

As you can see, there are lots of conflicting perceptions about where the power lies in Harnett County.  In my opinion, most of the perceptions are distorted.  We have a lot of caring people in Harnett County and I am fortunate enough to personally know a lot of them

However, one thing disturbs me is the overcrowding of our schools.  Some attempt to say this is a problem for “the other side of the county.”  The infrastructure problems do not exist just in Western Harnett County.  They exist in Northern and Central Harnett County as well.  Even Triton has capital improvements that must be addressed.  I never heard a word about the County using tax dollars from Western Harnett County to build Triton, Coats-Erwin Middle, Dunn Middle, Harnett Primary, Coats Elementary and Angier Elementary.

One commissioner keeps playing a political ploy that we need a special tax district in Western Harnett County so it can build its own schools.  He knows this is not permissible in the State of North Carolina nor is it fair. 

The only way that I think a special tax district would be fair is if the taxes collected paid for activities such as recreation and libraries—services typically provided for by taxpayers in municipalities.  This kind of special tax district is permissible.

Since there are no municipalities in Western Harnett, that area will never have the municipal amenities that Dunn, Angier, Erwin, Lillington and Coats enjoy such as increased police protection, libraries and recreational programs.  These amenities and others will come once areas in Western Harnett incorporate.

But schools are different.  We are obligated by the State of North Carolina to educate the children in Harnett County no matter whether they are home grown or transferred here by the military.  The Federal and State government have not stepped up to help us in this mandate. 

We have a massive problem.  It is true that we do not have the overcrowding problems in our schools in Eastern Harnett but we used the tax dollars generated from across all of Harnett County to get into this position.  I know of no check written specifically from Eastern Harnett to pay for the schools that we enjoy.

We were helped in Eastern Harnett. Now our neighbors in Northern, Western and Central Harnett County need help.  We all need to put aside any geographical biases that we have and realize that we are neighbors no matter what side of the river we live on. 

What happened to the days when a barn burned down and our neighbors showed up to help us build a new one?  What happened to the days when a family moved to the community and the neighbors showed up to help them build a home before the winter cold set in?

Neighbors used to help neighbors.  When one was in need, someone showed up with a bushel of corn.  I realized that life is a little more complicated now.  There are many of us who are struggling.  They struggled in the olden days too but neighbors were there for neighbors.  They cared.

One day in the near future, Buies Creek Elementary, Erwin Elementary, and Gentry Primary will need to be replaced.  I do not want the people from Western Harnett yelling that they do not want their tax dollars going to this side of the river.

One day in the near future, Benhaven School will need to be replaced.  I do not want the people in Eastern Harnett yelling that they do not want their tax dollars going to that side of the river.

We are a county.  We should have unity.  We should help our neighbors.  We should be there for each other.

With the massive problems we have, it is time to have a modern day school-raising---neighbor helping neighbor no matter where you live.

Is Our Water Supply in Jeopardy?

Is Our Water Supply in Jeopardy?

Vice Chairman Gary A. House

Harnett County Board of Commissioners

To Frack or Not to Frack?  That is not the question. 

Governor Pat McCrory recently put his signature on documents fast-tracking hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in North Carolina. We may begin seeing fracking wells as close as Lee County as early as 2015.

Some land in Lee County has extensive layers of shale a few thousand feet under the surface.  Fracking would allow oil companies to shoot water, sand and chemicals into the fracking wells in order to extract natural gas.

Let me set the record straight.  I am for energy independence and finding alternative sources of fuel.  However, I do have some concerns about fracking.

First of all, at the Fracking Forum hosted by NC Senator Ronald Rabin in Angier last night, Lee County Commissioner Jim Womack, who did all of the talking and answered all questions, unintentionally brought to light some problems with fracking that I may not have given proper thought to in my reading on the subject.

What happens to the water and chemicals that are injected into the ground in order to extract the natural gas?  Mr. Womack said that it could be cleaned and reused over and over again.  He did talk about putting  the waste in sewer systems to get rid of it.  There was also mention of holding the water in open water pits instead of contained water tanks. 

With the breaching of the water pits related to the recent spills of coal ash, I have serious concerns about North Carolina allowing water pits to hold the waste of the fracking industry.  Any breach would likely end up in groundwater that people use for wells or would end up in the Deep River.  The confluence of the Deep River and the Haw River form the Cape Fear River near Jordan Lake.  Anyone who knows me knows how deeply I care about the Cape Fear River.  It is Harnett County’s most valuable natural resource and its biggest recreational asset.  Any spills of fracking waste in Lee County could end up affecting Harnett County.

Another concern that Mr. Womack tried to skirt around was the lack of disclosure of chemicals used in the fracking process.  He claimed that the chemicals were a trade secret and were protected just like trade secrets in other industries.  It is protected by the Constitution of the State of North Carolina.

We, the citizens of North Carolina, have a right to know everything that potentially affects our health and well-being.  Mr. Womack said that some of the chemicals could potentially cause cancer in large enough doses.

Mr. Womack claimed in order to get fracking companies to come to North Carolina, we must protect their secrets and we must make it easy for them by letting them have open water pits.

Why has Mr. Womack not fought for full disclosure and enclosed water tanks?  He says that is an issue for the General Assembly.  In my opinion, if he truly cared about the health, safety and welfare of his Lee County constituents and the rest of us downstream, he would be addressing the General Assembly to make sure fracking is as safe as possible and not making it as easy as possible to lure fracking companies to North Carolina.

If North Carolina truly has enough natural gas reserves, the fracking companies will come no matter what restrictions North Carolina puts in place.

When asked a question about the studies performed by Cornell University and an engineer and a leading authority of fracking Dr. Anthony R. Ingraffea, Mr. Womack paused and said with a slight stutter that he was not impressed with the work of Cornell University.  Perhaps the research of Cornell University did not support Mr. Womack’s position on fracking.  Mr. Womack later said we must rely of engineers and geologists.  Perhaps Mr. Womack did not realize Dr. Ingraffea was an engineer.

Mr. Womack claimed fracking does not cause earthquakes.  A simple google on the internet will tell you that earthquakes have occurred in areas of fracking that have not had them in the past.  Seismic activity has increased.  Commonsense will tell you that anytime you fracture shale or rock underground that there will likely be changes of some sort in the geology of the area.

By claiming that North Carolina took two years to write the rules of fracking and we would not have the issues that other states like Texas, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma have had with fracking, he inadvertently admitted that there are issues with fracking.  Does he expect us to believe that the states that have experienced problems with fracking jumped right into it without having studies and rules in place?  I do not think any of us are that naïve.

NC Senator Rabin hosted the event and answered no questions.  I realize that Senator Rabin is not an authority on the subject of fracking.  But it would have restored some confidence in him if he had answered the questions that he could in order to show that he had the competence to vote on the issue of fracking. 

It should be noted that Representatives David Lewis and Mike Stone, who support fracking, did not bother to show up at the event to support Senator Rabin.

I will get back to the original question.  Is our water supply in jeopardy?  Honestly, I do not think anyone can answer that question with certainty.  I know the potential exists for health, safety, pollution, air, water, cancer, respiratory, spills, and contamination issues among many other risks.

Mr. Womack raised more concerns for me last night than he relieved.

The one thing I know is we must protect our people, our water and our land.   The effects have the potential to be long-term and devastating.  

A Hero Among Us

A Hero Among Us

Gary A. House

Ever since I played my first organized baseball game when I was eight years old, I have always had a strong love for the game.

One of the first things I wanted to do upon completing college was to coach little league baseball.

In 1991 I found myself sitting in the Erwin Parks and Recreation office in the middle of my first little league draft.  I drew the first pick out of the hat.  I drafted a hard throwing, very athletic Jason Ennis with my first pick.

This pick irritated one of the other coaches in the room.  You see, his uncle Ashley Godwin was sitting across from me glaring at me.  I had a player that Ashley desperately wanted.  Ashley was a wise ole veteran baseball player and coach.  After all the players were selected, Ashley started proposing a series of trades that would land him his nephew Jason. 

Enduring Ashley’s persistence, I finally conceded and traded Jason and a couple of other players for a fireplug name Kevin Davis along with a few other players.

I am certain Ashley thought he came out on top in that trade.  With a team full of 11 year olds, I faced Ashley’s team of 12 year olds three times that year.  In the first game, the fireplug Kevin scored the winning run on risky dash to home plate.  Ashley won the other two games.  His team finished first and mine finished second.

Ashley earned the right to coach the All-Star team and asked me to help him.  We later coached the Eastern Harnett Senior League All-Stars to third place in the State Tournament together.

I continued coaching after Ashley’s boys and nephew were too old to play.  Ashley, a carpenter by trade, focused more on his work.

A couple of years ago Ashley had a medical condition that required part of his leg to be amputated.  He was later fitted for a prosthetic lower leg.

I had kept up with Ashley for all these years.  I needed help with my travel baseball team the Harnett County Venom.  Even though I love teaching kids how to pitch, I knew that I needed help because I could not physically work with the hitters, fielders, base runners, and pitchers.

So I called my former coaching partner Ashley from a couple of decades ago.  Due to his leg issue, Ashley was now on disability.    I asked Ashley if he would come help our pitchers once a week.  Much to my joy, Ashley said yes.  He  has worked with our pitchers.  He has taught them many facets of the art of pitching.    The kids respond very well to the passion in which he teaches them.

It did not take long for me to coax Ashley from our practice facility to once again coaching in our games across Southeastern North Carolina.  Ashley hardly ever misses a practice session or a game. 

Ashley is a strong presence in the dugout.  He brings that old time chatter to the game much like Leo “The Lip” Durocher did for the Dodgers.  He can be seen staring down an umpire.  He lets the umps know when the balls and strikes are not fair to the Venom.  He does it in manner where the kids think he is funny.  But believe me, he is serious.  He is passionate.  He always encourages the players.  The players may not realize the gem they have in Ashley.  He has brought the 1960’s style of baseball to our club.  He has brought back that old time chatter that most modern day players do not understand.

Ashley does not have a kid on the team but he is always there.  His prosthetic leg is always covered by long pants.  Many people have no idea that he has disability.  To him, it is not a disability at all.

Like me, baseball runs in Ashley Godwin’s veins.

I am very thankful that this man cares enough about the kids in our community to spend countless hours sharing his wisdom of baseball and life.

No man stands taller than when he bends down to help a child.  Ashley Godwin is truly a hero among us and to the Harnett County Venom.

Being Videoed Will Not Deter Me

Being Videoed Will Not Deter Me

Vice Chairman Gary A. House

Harnett County Board of Commissioners

I recently viewed a video of me online of my proposing a tax increase in Harnett County’s 2014-2015 fiscal year budget.

Yes, I saw my friend Roger Farina taping my statements.   He was sitting with the Republican Party Chairperson Maggie Sandrock.  I knew that the proceedings were being recorded to use against me in the future.  No, that threat did not deter me from doing what was right for Harnett County.

Mr. Farina and Mrs. Sandrock rarely attend county board meetings and I would venture to say that neither one realize the severity of the problems Harnett County faces.

Mrs. Sandrock took the podium and stated that four of us commissioners were Republicans and we were elected because we ran on a fiscal conservative platform and we promised not to raise taxes.  I did not even know Mrs. Sandrock when I ran for county commissioner.  I made no promises about never raising taxes.  I have always said coming to the taxpayer would be the last resort.  As a matter of fact, I have fought vehemently in opposition to raising taxes.

Mr. Farina has children in the school system.  I have met them and I know Mr. Farina is concerned about their education.

Mr. Farina did not show in his video that my reasoning was we needed to start applying money toward our overcrowded schools, which affects his children.  Our school issues should have been addressed a long time ago.  Fact is the military/federal government has let us down by not assisting with the impact of the influx of military children in our schools.  Fact is our State Legislature has let us down.  According to the NC County Commissioners Association, the State has diverted $8 million of NC Education Lottery money from the construction of schools in Harnett County since 2009.

Without help from the military/federal government and the State of North Carolina, the burden of educating our children falls to the taxpayers of Harnett County whether Mr. Farina. Mrs. Sandrock, the Republican Party, or anyone else likes it.  There is no denying this fact.

Republican Commissioners Jim Burgin and Gordon Springle offered no alternative plan to begin the process of constructing the schools we need.  Even Commissioner Springle stated in the week before we voted on the budget that he saw the need and could support a 2 ½ cent property tax rate increase.

When it came time to vote, Republicans Burgin and Springle chose to let Republican Commissioners Joe Miller and me and Commissioner Beatrice Hill make the hard decision.  A decision Burgin and Springle knew had to be made but knew would not be popular with some.  They were perfectly content with letting us three vote alone.

Mr. Farina’s video equipment may have influenced Commissioner Springle’s vote, but it did not deter Miller, Hill or me from making the right decision for Harnett County.

Yes, future political resumes may have been enhanced by the dissenters but less digging into our fund balance was prevented for at least one more year.

It is time for all to recognize the severity of the needs of our school system.  The can cannot be kicked down the road any longer.