By Erin Smith
A long-time Bladen County Commissioner has announced she will not be seeking re-election after 26 years of service. She was first elected to the Board of Commissioners in 1988 and is completing her sixth term in office.
Incumbent Commissioner Delilah Blanks said, “I’m going to move over to the exit lane.”
She was first elected to the Board of Commissioners in 1988 and is completing her sixth term in office.
She added, “It comes time when it’s time to plant, a time to gather. … I believe in those things. It’s a new season in my life.”
Blanks said she felt it was time to give others a chance to serve. She said that she is proud of the number of years that people thought it would be difficult for nine members of the board to get along as far as race relations were concerned; but Blanks said she is proud of the fact the board proved them wrong.
Blanks also said that during her tenure there was a period of time when two women were elected to the board –herself and the late Margaret Lewis-Moore. Moore served on the Board of Commissioners from her election in 2000 until her death in 2010.
Blanks said that Bladen County does have an Indian population and she would like to see them become more involved. “We’ve not been able to get the Indians involved,” said Blanks.”
Blanks said there have been tense moments over the years.
“We’ve had a few fights,” said Blanks.
After taking a moment to reflect on her tenure, Blanks said she wished the board could have been better about expanding job opportunities locally.
“The better educated folks in the county have to leave for job opportunities. They leave behind the most vulnerable –the very young and the very old,” said Blanks.
She added that she was disappointed to learn that the widening of N.C. 87 to four lanes all the way through the county has been reduced in its priority in the state’s proposed transportation plan. Blanks said that Bladen County is one of the few counties remaining in North Carolina to not have a major four-lane highway passing through it.
“It hurts us in terms of economic growth,” said Blanks.
Blanks said she has also lobbied for recreational opportunities for those communities and towns that are in the outlying areas of the county.
When asked what her advice to new members of the board would be, she said, “Whatever you promise the people, you need to try to realize the end result of those promises.”
Blanks said she recognizes that they have an obligation to listen to each citizen of Bladen County and provide the best leadership she can.
Another priority for Blanks is education. She pointed out the county still has buildings that were constructed in the 1950s and the board needs to find some way to improve the buildings and programming offered in the county’s schools.
Blanks also taught Social Work for 22 years at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She helped to develop the Social Work curriculum at the school.
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