By By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE
Daily News Correspondent
PINETOWN — Two tables told the story just inside an entrance to Northside High School.
At one table stood Andy Fisher, a member of Voice of Truth and Experience, a political action committee.
VOTE is backing town council candidates Jay Wilkins and Chad Bond and mayoral hopeful Dr. Charles Boyette, according to campaign literature.
“Our purpose is to try to bring our community together,” said Fisher, speaking for VOTE.
“It’s time to respect our people,” added his wife, Karen.
At the other table stood Phillip Reynolds, who was handing out campaign fliers for incumbent Mayor Adam O’Neal and council members Howard Moore and Steve Carawan.
Reynolds voiced his support for the current mayor and two councilmen.
“What I have against the competition is they’re not telling the truth,” he said. “Now they (the incumbents) haven’t done everything perfect because nobody does that, and they’ve put up with a lot of opposition that wasn’t necessarily true.”
These two factions provided a glimpse of what was to come Thursday night during a candidates forum sponsored by the Beaufort-Hyde News.
According to Kellie Hopkins, Beaufort County’s elections director, VOTE was formed on Sept. 10. The PAC has reported total receipts of $1,139, Hopkins said.
Each of VOTE’s contributions has amounted to $50 or less, except two. The largest single contribution to VOTE was made by Boyette, who gave $100.
Thus far, VOTE has spent $601.20, Hopkins related.
Another PAC is campaigning for the O’Neal faction, according to reports. That PAC is the People’s Partnership for Belhaven, originally formed on July 18, 2008, elections records show.
The People’s Partnership was inactive until recently, but the PAC is reportedly running ads in local media.
Inside the NHS auditorium on Thursday, Belhaven and Washington candidates were gathering before 7 p.m. to answer questions from the public and the media, but charges and countercharges proliferated before the opening remarks.
“The current administration has done things to—” Andy Fisher began.
“Show favoritism,” his wife concluded.
The Fishers said that the Belhaven Town Council, led by O’Neal, canceled a sewer-extension grant to the George Ebron Industrial Park, costing the town about 40 jobs that would have been brought by a relocating business.
Asked about that claim prior to the forum, O’Neal said, “Their promise of jobs is a fairy tale. My opponent (Boyette) is always talking about jobs he’s going to create. I’ve yet to see one.”
If these were insider arguments, some of the forum’s audience seemed to be on the inside.
Scattered applause followed some statements from candidates on both sides, and some of the audience members who asked questions aimed specific concerns at targeted office-seekers.
Ellen Allen asked O’Neal about several lawsuits she said had been filed against the town during his administration. She focused mainly a lawsuit she said involved O’Neal and his real estate business.
“Why is it the town is paying the legal fees for that?” she asked.
O’Neal blamed his opponents for being litigious, asserting that members of the opposition were “suing me for things I have not done.”
“The last two police chiefs my opponent hired ended up in handcuffs,” he stated. “That’s a problem.”
Boyette wasn’t there to speak on his own behalf. He was attending a medical conference, according to moderator Sonya Shamseldin. A high school student read Boyette’s written opening statement and responses to questions.
An attempt to reach Boyette via cell phone was unsuccessful on Friday.
Elaine Hudnell asked why a local cable ad favoring O’Neal, Moore and Carawan carried no required source disclosure.
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” O’Neal said. “I can take a look at it.”
He said he had handled his own ads in the local newspaper.
“But it is saying to vote for you,” Hudnell said of the cable ad.
O’Neal answered that he is proud of the number of people involved in the campaign, and added that this election will be important and could be close.
Hudnell asked if O’Neal would look into the ad issue.
“Sure,” the mayor said.
Asked about job performance matters, O’Neal said, “First off, employees are the business of the town manager.”
Boyette doesn’t live in town, he said, referring to an often-debated controversy about Boyette’s residence. Boyette maintains two homes, one outside of town limits and one inside, his supporters have said.
“A jury said he doesn’t live in town,” O’Neal said.
A jury did find that Boyette lived outside of town, Hopkins confirmed. The county Board of Elections determined later that Boyette was eligible to vote within the town limits, she said. The board considers Boyette eligible to run for office.
Also featured during the forum were candidates for Belhaven council and Washington mayor and city council.