Elect Bob Kirby

The following are excerpted from a brief address given by Mr. Bob Kirby to the Chowan County Board of Commissioners during the Public Comment portion of the BOC Meeting on March 5, 2018.  Mr. Kirby is the Republican Candidate for Chowan County Commissioner, District 1 which is encompasses the Northern Portion of the County.  The Election will be held November 6, 2018.

“One of the cornerstones of my campaign will be a pledge for open government, meaning a government which holds that citizens have the right to the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight.  As background, only a very limited amount of your time as commissioners, is spent making decisions which are not open to public scrutiny and comment.  That being said, as commissioners you are quite rightly afforded a benefit in preparing for these Commission meetings because you are sent by e-mail what is commonly referred to as a “packet” prior to each meeting.  You would not be able to function effectively without this background information, and at your retreat last week you expressed a desire to get this information much more quickly than you are presently receiving it.  Alas, the general-public does not receive such detailed information at all.  I therefore pledge that if elected I will encourage my fellow commissioners to join me in directing the County Manager and/or Clerk to the Board to deliver by way of e-mail a packet all pertinent (non-closed session) data to all citizens who request such information in advance of each Commissioners Meeting.  I further pledge that in the interest of an open County Government that I will encourage my fellow commissioners to join me in directing the County Manager to have prepared and published on a suitable internet platform audio and video records of all public portions of the Chowan County Commissioners Meetings.  Of course, there’s nothing stopping the present County Commission from “stealing my thunder” as it were and adopting these two important open government initiatives immediately.  I challenge you to follow my lead and join my call for open government.

Looking at the topics for this evening, and focusing on one specific Agenda Item, the public sees, “9.  Sheriff Radios.  The Sheriff will provide the Board with a request to purchase radios for Sheriff patrol cars.”  My initial reactions – (1) “What?  The deputies do not have radios?”  (2) “Did I miss something during the last budget cycle, because I don’t recall seeing a request for Sheriff Radios then.”  Absent any back-up to the Agenda, I am in the dark.  This morning, I made a call to a County Commissioner and to the Sheriff and was able to get a little bit of background.  I learned that the Deputies DO have hand-held radios, however they are at least 10 to 15 years old and they sometimes have spotty reception.  The new radio proposal is for vehicle-installed radios which will supplement the hand-held devices.  I also learned that no, I didn’t miss a budget line item.  This is a new topic which appears to be fallout from your recent decision to lease vehicles.  Apparently, we citizens will realize a bit of a short-term budget windfall.  I call on all County Commissioners to wisely apply any unanticipated windfall to budget line items such as facility maintenance and Capital Outlay which are quite obviously more urgent than supplemental radios.”