Coun­cil to consider Ward 3 candidates – Rocky Mount Telegram

The Rocky Mount City Council is set to consider the appointment of a replacement for the vacant Ward 3 seat among other topics Monday evening.

The council will discuss the five candidates for the seat during its 5 p.m. Committee of the Whole workshop prior to the regular meeting.

Councilman Andre Knight maintains one of the candidates is ineligible for the appointment due to residency and voter registration issues.

The Rev. Richard Joyner moved into Ward 3 in mid-April. He won’t be eligible to vote in the ward for another few weeks. That should disqualify him, Knight said.

During his interview for the seat last week, Joyner said he made sure he was eligible.

The other candidates are (Read more)

Rocky Mount City Council Appointment To Replace Judge Lamont Wiggins In Ward 3 Pastor Richard Joyner Residency Controversy

It will be interesting to see how the council votes on the appointment on Monday May 14.

Pastor Richard Joyner has done some good things and like in many instances he get credit for some things that others have not and do not because I know that some others were a part of some things he has done and is doing but these folk names have not been mentioned. I am so glad that I can speak to that I know for myself.

It is funny how I have followed Joyner and other voters in Edgecombe County and I know that he has been registered living at a residence on Hwy 111/122 a road that I travel daily and I know he does not live there. I have always been told he lives in Greenville which is close to the church he pastors. However he is the chaplain at Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount.

Pastor Joyner is seeking the appointment for the vacancy in Ward 3 and it has been reported that he moved in the Ward on April 16 and also April 17. I don’t know the correct date. It appears that he went to the DMV and got his address changed on his driver’s license. While he was there he changed his voter’s registration.

I question if Pastor Joyner has met all of the qualifications to be appointed. If he is then good luck.

However I would find it hilarious that the council would appoint Pastor Joyner to the seat over looking the other candidates who all have lived in the Ward and those who have been actively engaged in city government over the years faithfully.

I have been in some conversations with some folk about the appointment and they want to talk about it ain’t right for folk to question his residency eligibility. Really? So how do one justify the works of Joyner that has nothing to do with city government, going to the meetings knowing the issues and more. Yes he can learn all of that but why choose someone that don’t have a clue versus someone who already knows.

I hope the Rocky Mount City Council will make sure that if they choose Joyner that they have done their homework on the residency concerns and it will leave no door open for further actions.

Rocky Mount Charter says: Must be 21 years of age, be a qualified voter, registered in the ward and must be able to vote in the ward.

But then again this may not be a controversy because Joyner said he made sure he was eligible. Well let’s hope so for his sake.

Letter to the Editor: Don’t prematurely condemn mayor-elect – Rocky Mount Telegram

It is my desire to shed light on the venerable character of Robert Williams Jr., the newly elected mayor of Sharpsburg.

Robert is a member of our congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church and has been a member there for over 22 years and currently serves as a deacon. Robert has faithfully served our church, his communit, and his country with both dignity and honor.

Robert has served both as a soldier in the United States military in the Middle East and as a peace officer in North Carolina. He is a man of character who believes in serving others.

On Tuesday, May 8, after Mr. Williams’ electoral victory, he was pulled over while allegedly driving under the influence, among other alleged violations. Indeed, I am concerned about the circumstances around the post-election traffic stop that gave rise to the incident and the subsequent charges. We expect the truth of this escapade will be revealed in the courts, but we know the man who has sought our votes is a man who respects and obeys the law. (Read more)

An Open Letter To Edgecombe County Democrats

Last year we the Edgecombe County Democratic Party elected new party officers who consist of 6 members the chair, 1st vice, 2nd vice 3rd vice, secretary and treasurer. I voted for Bronson Williams who was seeking the office of chair over Lawrence K. Taylor. However after Taylor won I talked to him and also wrote a letter supporting him.

After Lawrence had the 1st meeting and several others I refuse to allow folk to make me look ignant. I asked Taylor to resign on several occasions in writing and he has refused. I have asked him during a meeting/s. He even responded that he would resign the day that Willoughby Funeral has my body.

I delayed the writing of a petition to remove Taylor and was going to do it after the convention. I only need 3 names and atleast 4 or more folk told me they would sign so 1 plus 4 equal that’s right. However I was going to ask all the executive committee members to sign knowing that they all wouldn’t but to see how many would.

I wrote a petition a little over around a month ago and shared it with a couple of folk and asked them did I cover everything. One person said I needed to add something so I told them to look over it and add whatever. Some folk told me they wanted to deal with the issue of the party during the county convention so I went to the meeting ready. I even received several phone calls from Rev. Roosevelt Higgs for weeks and I would ignored them and let him leave me messages. On the morning of the county convention and I said let me see what he is up to since he is calling on this day. After talking to him he shared with me some conversation around Taylor saga and the convention. Higgs talked about Commissioner Viola Harris about the use of the college and I will not go into detail. He talked about the Democratic Women and named Sarah Peveler questioning voicing her concerns about the state of the party.

At the county convention I asked questioned the chair about the if the convention had a quorum, questioned the agenda and questioned the treasurers report along with another democrat. So after the convention Rev. Roosevelt Higgs called me and said man I didn’t know you were going to do that he thought the Democratic Women was going to do it. Well I support the Democratic Women and I guess he don’t realize that.

I have been pulling out sections in the Plan of Organization educating the executive committee on what we should be concerned with that has been related to conducting the business of the party. Folk don’t have to take my word for when I speak they can look at the section that I pulled out for them so you can read and comprehend it for yourself. If you can’t comprehend it then ask somebody.

Last week should be confirmation that I was correct on what I was saying. Sarah Peveler Democratic Women chair attended the meeting and Lawrence and his mother showed up with 3 pages of delegates at the District Convention in Durham. That was another insult to me and other Democrats. This was the 1st district convention I have missed that I know other than when I was redistricted out and was in the 2nd Congressional District for a short time. So last year I was redistricted back to the 1st congressional district.

During the district convention last year it was agreed upon to move it to Durham and I was excited about attending. I kept contemplating on going up to the morning of the convention. I chose not to go since I was not a delegate and if I had gone I was going to voice my concerns about the status of Edgecombe County so to not further embarrass me and Edgecombe County Democrats by trying to get our county in compliance I said I ain’t going. I hated not going because I know my good friend Andre Vann of Durham and his committee was going to welcome us to the campus of NC Central. So folk I try not to speak out about things sometimes but it was a good thing that we didn’t host it this year where it normally is.

It is funny to me that Edgecombe County during the convention last year we were recognized for all precincts being in compliance and was all loaded in Vote Builder. All counties that were in that status were to receive $100.00 from the State Party. But the reason why all precincts were in compliance is because Clee Atkinson campaigned the county seeking support to be appointed for Sheriff and the several precincts that were not in compliance were brought up to status. So it was not the Rev. Roosevelt Higgs that did that. Actually he was acting a damn fool and hindering the appointment process. Because Don Davis was called in he entered the information in Vote Builder since he was called in by Higgs to do the appointment of the Sheriff process.

Some question who the delegates to the State Convention are. I say plain and simple as it stands if the information that was supposed to had been sent from the County Convention in a timely fashion per the Plan of Organization has not been done why do they think that we have delegates to the State Convention.

It is clear that the former chair Rev. Roosevelt Higgs had nothing to do all the precincts being in 100 compliance when he left the office last year and now this year I say we don’t have any precincts in compliance because the information has not been sent to the State Office. Now if the precincts that turned in their information which I understand were 5, they would be in compliance.

I think I have made my point about the status of the Edgecombe County Democratic Party. Since I have been a member of the county party and been serving in that capacity since the late 80’s I can’t remember the county party ever being out of compliance such as the mess we got now. I have been fighting to make sure we followed the Plan of Organization all of the years because I know the plan and has served on a committee to make changes to the plan.

I was in a conversation recently with someone and they said to me that when it comes to the Edgecombe County Democratic Party. They said that I should not say anything sometimes let someone else say it. Who in the hell is that someone else? Why has that person not said anything? I said I refuse to allow mess to go on and not say anything. I said when no one says anything then I have to say something. I said I be done my homework before I get to the meeting so I know where some folk stand and that is with me on the issues that I have raised. But I recognize and understand they don’t say anything for fear of being singled out but you see I don’t have that problem single me the hell out because one thing about it you may not like what I say and how I say things but one damn thing I say is challenge me on the facts that I speak.

Oh I ain’t mad with them for singling me out because I know that I am right about what I say and I don’t need anyone to validate it publicly. They got to live with knowing and not speaking up. They will have to pay for going along with the lies and the not following of the Plan of Organization.

In my closing I am for truth no matter who it is for or against. I have no permanent friends no permanent enemies only permanent interest. As it relates to the Democratic Party of Edgecombe County I am on the side of truth and if the truth ain’t in you then don’t talk to me. If you scared say it and get out of my way.

Now I want to leave you with this promise. As long as I am a precinct chair and have a voice and a vote in the Edgecombe County Democratic Party when we have Executive Committee Meetings the moment that mess is wrong I am going to speak up. I will not go along to get along. I don’t support mess that ain’t right and will vote against the majority every time and ask that the record show such. However my videos don’t lie.

So I will continue to attend the county meetings and will call out mess. Anyone that has a problem with that so be it.

Curmilus Dancy II
Precinct Chair