Government

This seems like a good opportunity for the Commissioners to toss out the current plans which seem to be designed to to widen the north-south divide without increasing the amount of democratic representation for diverse ideas from across the county.

State law says no more than half of a board of commissioners can be elected at-large. But in a proposal the current board of commissioners endorsed in April, Chapel Hill Township would nominate two members; the rest of the county, in its district, would nominate one member; and four other commissioners would be elected at-large.
- heraldsun.com: Commission district plan violates N.C. law, 6/14/06

I must admit I'm confused since the current board is elected 100% at-large. Doesn't that violate the law they are citing?

Just kidding! Thanks to Lance at BlueNC for posting a link to the "County Salaries in North Carolina 2006" report.

Sifting through it for Orange County information, I find:

Est. Pop'n 2005
Approx Valuation 2004-05 (millions)
Chair of Board of Commissioners
County Commissioner
County Manager

129,791
10,600
$15,407 + $3,300 travel
$111,807* + $2,700 travel
$148,633

* That BOC salary has to be a typo!

Board of elections Chair
Board of elections Member
Elections Director
Elections Specialist

$50 per meeting
$40 per meeting
$66,993
$37,364

County Clerk
Planning Director
IT Director
Social Services Director
Sheriff

$66,952
$86,323
$85,233
$97,726
$102,213

Guest Post by Alan McSurely

The Grassroots Impeachment Movement (GRIM) began Four Months Ago in the 4th congressional district when we learned President Bush and Vice President Cheney had ordered the National Security Agency (NSA) to violate the 4th Amendment of the Constitution with an unconstitutional domestic spying program. Up until January 2006, the sporadic calls for impeachment were driven by northern anti-war activists. Bringing criminal charges, or impeaching Bush and Cheney seemed impossible. But the news about massive phone taps, in the wake of Katrina, torture, the Downing Street Memo, and profiteering illegalities in Iraq, caused many ordinary citizens to say, "Enough." We all realized together: 2008 Is Too Late! By mid-January a grass roots impeachment movement had spontaneously begun to spread here and a few other areas—a movement that now has taken roots across the country. A February poll showed 53% of Americans wanted to conduct investigations that would lead to impeachment.