03/28/2024
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Super Bowl 54 will be played on February 2, 6:30 PM at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida. The Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the San Francisco 49ers in the championship game.

Results of yesterday’s play…
KC Chiefs 35 – Tennessee Titans 24
San Francisco 49ers 37 – Green Bay Packers 20.

One of the best performances of the day was the singing of the National Anthem by Generold Wilson, a retired US Navy Petty Officer, at the Chiefs-Titans game. I am no music expert … I enjoyed his music … thought it was a great job, and he was performing in sub-freezing weather.

The more I hear about the confusion at the local Board of Elections, I am convinced the average citizen has limited knowledge about who is in charge of local government. We elect county commissioners and think they are in control of all. … Far from it…

State law determines the responsibilities (governance) of the agency. … The local Board of Elections is the product of the local political parties making recommendations to the Governor, who appoints board members. Bladen County pays the salaries of the employees, and provides office space. The State Board of Elections plays a huge role in the overall process, and some federal rules and regulations must be adhered to. It’s not as easy as many would have you believe.

In fact, county government is complicated, period. … For instance, the Clerk of Court office is a state office, but county provides the space as well as courtrooms, salaries are paid by the state. Register of Deeds office is a county responsibility. County pays the salaries, provides the space, etc. Department of Social Services is a combination of local government, state and national. County Extension office is a combination of primarily county and state government. Public schools are state and local responsibilities, both provide funding and they must abide by federal rules and regulations. It began years ago with state providing salaries for employees and the county providing the facilities. Over the years, it has become more of a blended process … mostly determined at the state level.

Bladen County sheriff is governed by local, state and some federal rules and regulations, but local government provides the facilities and salaries.

To further complicate the issue, the Clerk of Court, Register of Deeds, and the Sheriff, all elected officials do their own hiring … not so in other agencies. … The hiring in the Register of Deeds office and the Sheriff’s office is determined by the level of funding by county commissioners. The Clerk of Court funding is from the state.

I repeat, county government is complicated, governed by local, state and sometimes federal law. Governance can be a nightmare. … County government does, for the most part, what is allowed or ordered by state government … but there are exceptions.

I do not have all the answers … but did work with various agencies, and all 100 counties, statewide, for nearly 25 years … but so much has changed and more changes are made every time the NC Legislature is in session.

Point is … County Commissioners have complete control over very few offices … many are shared with state and federal government, as is the case with the Board of Elections.

Confused????? so am I.

A reminder of the Martin Luther King, Jr. parade today in Elizabethtown…

I’ve learned … that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them…

I’ve learned … that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks…

To all … Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence.

robert g hester
rgh4612@gmail.com
910-876-2322

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