Wayne Week — Nov. 24, 2024

N E W OL D NORT H M E DI A PR E SE N T S A W E E K LY N E WS M AG A Z I N E

NOV E M BE R 24 , 2 024

N E WOL DNORT H .C OM

Yes.We should all be thankful.

The last year has provided numerous examples of how, when this community sticks together and shows courage, drastic change can be made in Wayne County.

A reflection from our editorial staff

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SPECIAL REPORT: Former WCSO major's attorney asks judge to avoid sending his client to prison

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 24, 2024 Volume 2, Issue 13

NEWOLDNORT H .CO M

EDITORIAL EDITOR Ken Fine

4 Council selects search firm

After Goldsboro City Councilman Chris Boyette made one final attempt to convince the majority of the board to forgo a search and hire Interim City Manager Matthew Livingston, the council selected a search firm to begin the process of finding the man or woman who will replace Tim Salmon.

EDITOR Renee Carey DESIGN DIRECTOR Shan Stumpf PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Casey Mozingo

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WAYNE WEEK (ISSN 2993-9666) is published weekly — except the week of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and July 4 — for $125 per year by New Old North Media, LLC, 219 N. John Street, Goldsboro, NC, 27530. Periodicals postage paid at at Goldsboro, NC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WAYNE WEEK, 219 N. John Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530.

6 County spoils Coram's party

County leaders decided to freeze outgoing Register of Deeds Constance Coram's procurement card the day after she lost her bid for re-election, preventing her from following through with a plan to throw a going away party using tax dollars.

8 WCDS baseball lawsuit dismissed More than a year after a retired Army officer sued Wayne Country Day because homerun balls were allegedly damaging his property and triggering his combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder, the case has been dismissed.

10 On holiday

As is our tradition, there will not be a Dec. 1 edition of Wayne Week, as we, like you, will spend the days leading up to Thanksgiving to prepare for the holiday.

16 Worth's attorney asks for leniency As of Friday afternoon, former Wayne County Sheriff's Office Maj. Christopher Worth will know his fate, but before the judge handed down his sentence, an attorney for the former deputy submitted a lengthy request to spare him time in prison.

20 Spectator

The Goldsboro High School varsity boys and girls basketball teams defeated rival Charles B. Aycock Nov. 19, but the Golden Falcons will have a chance at revenge this week.

COVER DESIGN

BY SHAN STUMPF

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NEWS +VIEWS Council selects search firm for next manager After a last-ditch effort to hire Interim City Manager Matthew Livingston failed, the Goldsboro City Council authorized Mayor Charles Gaylor to execute a contract with Chapel Hill-based Developmental Solutions.

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ith support from Councilwoman Beverly Weeks and Mayor Charles Gaylor, District 2 Councilman Chris Boyette tried one last time to convince a majority of members of the Goldsboro City Council to forgo a search for a new city manager — and instead, execute a contract with Matthew Livingston, the man who has, for the last nine months, held the position in an interim capacity.

His argument during the council’s Monday meeting was much the same as the one he delivered during an interview for a story that appeared in the Nov. 17 edition of Wayne Week.

The contract Livingston had presented — one Boyette and Weeks said the council asked him to prepare — was a “sweetheart deal.”

His service to date had been of a high “caliber.”

And should, down the road, the council decide to move forward with a search, it could always be done “another day.”

“I just really would like to see us come together and approve Matt’s contract that we asked him to get together,” Boyette said. “I just can’t see doing (a search) when we have the caliber of person that’s willing to continue service to the city.”

Weeks agreed.

But Livingston’s performance was only part of her reasoning.

A group of department heads had fought for their current boss — and expressed concerns about replacing him — she said.

“We had department heads that came to us and said, ‘If you continue with this search, it’s

BY KEN FINE

Matt. It has everything to do with the process.

Let’s not sit here and feel like we have done the best business practices over the years. I’m not saying this council as a whole. I’m saying over the years.”

Moments later, a 4-3 vote made it official.

A search was going to happen.

And when the council shifted the discussion to which firm would be hired to conduct it, Boyette asked Livingston what many inside City Hall and beyond have been wondering since the idea of conducting a search was first broached.

“Will you be putting yourself forth as a candidate?” he said.

“I don’t know, to be honest with you,” Livingston replied.

• • •

going to push back some of the projects that we’ve been working on as a team,’” Weeks said.

And the cost associated with seeking a different leader would be “six figures.”

“You’re not just talking about the search fee,” she said, adding that her calculations revealed a price tag of “anywhere between $115,000 and $125,000.”

But when she noted that as a CEO, she would not consider it a good business prac-

tice to look beyond a formidable internal candidate simply for the sake of sending a message by doing a search, Councilman Roderick White pushed back.

“If it was a private entity and you were the CEO, you probably wouldn’t have the track record that the city of Goldsboro has. We’re not doing business above board,” he said. “So, with that, it’s important that we be transparent with the process. It has nothing to do with

Goldsboro has not formally named a city manager since Tim Salmon, the man who held the job at the beginning of year, resigned in February.

But as of Monday evening, the road to doing so began, as the council voted to execute a contract with Developmental Associates, a North Carolina firm responsible for helping the city find and hire several of its current department heads.

Mayor Charles Gaylor stipulated that the fee “not exceed $26,000” and said he was confident the organization would deliver.

“Bottom line is they do good work,” he said. “I have no doubt that they would bring forward exceptional candidates.”n

SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS Want to sound off on the issues we’re covering?

Send your thoughts to letters@newoldnorth.com and we just might publish them in a future edition of Wayne Week. Word count is not overly important, but please identify yourself by name and the city or town you reside in.

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County officials play party pooper

Outgoing Register of Deeds Constance Coram wanted to use tax dollars to fund a party before she leaves the courthouse after failing to secure re-election, but her procurement card has been deactivated to prevent “abuse.”

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BY KEN FINE AND RENEE CAREY

ays after she was ousted from her she was warned by then-Finance Director Alpost, overwhelmingly, by voters, lison Speight to “never” use her county proWayne County Register of Deeds curement card “as an extension of your perConstance Coram started planning a party — sonal card or personal finance in any manner one she intended on financing with tax dollars. whatsoever” — and had her card suspended According to emails sent by Coram that for 60 days by then-County Manager Craig were obtained by Wayne Week as part of a ful- Honeycutt — after a series of “questionable filled records request, the outgoing ROD at- purchases” were flagged by staff, Coram used taxpayers’ funds to pay for tempted to verify, multiple a trip to Dallas, Texas, and times, that she could use a hotel stay in Maryland. her county procurement • From June 7 to June card to fund the party.

9, Coram spent $170.68 But she did not send at a Holiday Inn Express those inquiries to the counin Montgomery County, ty Finance Department.

Maryland — just outside Instead, she asked of Washington, D.C — Franklin County ROD prompting Finance DirecBrandi Brinson. tor Angie Boswell to re“Since I am leaving and mind her that the money want to thank staff and was owed and “personal citizens, is it allowed that use of County credit cards we can use our purchasing is prohibited.” card for existing [sic] our • In August 2021, department,” Coram wrote Speight said she was “exNov. 11. “Of course it would Constance Coram tremely concerned” about be within reason.” hundreds of dollars in And when she did not purchases made by Coram receive a reply, she reached out, the following day, to Watauga County using her county card. The ROD, back then, admitted to using taxpayer funds for meals ROD Amy Shook.

“I am allowed to use my purchasing card given to her staff — which the county claimed for an existing [sic] gathering, right?” Coram were “in lieu of allowing them lunch hours.”

• Coram also said some of the flagged 2021 wrote Nov. 12. purchases reflected fulfilling a “vow” to “do But Shook did not respond either.

And more than a week later, she has still what I could to assist as many people as possible,” after she “discovered the conditions that not asked county officials for guidance.

Should she attempt to use the card, howev- some of the citizens of Wayne are living in.”

• Coram came under fire for linking the er, Coram will be in for a surprise.

Foreseeing “potential abuse,” the Finance county card to Cash App and sending $211 in Department deactivated her card the day after public funds to one of her employees through the platform. Speight, who seemed floored by she lost her bid for re-election.

“We were concerned that there could be the purchases, was particularly concerned by abuse of the P-card between the election and Coram repeating that she used her p-card when her exit of office,” county spokesman Joel Gil- she had “over-extended” her “personal funds.”

As of press time, it remains unclear whether lie told Wayne Week. “And given the history, management is confident taxpayers would Coram is aware that her purchasing card is no longer functional or if an inability to fund her have supported such a measure.”

That history of abuse of county funds, which party with county funds will change her plans.

Regardless, as of Dec. 2, she will no longer has been well-documented in previous editions hold the post, thanks to a 12,000-plus Elecof Wayne Week, includes the following: • This summer, less than three years after tion Night victory secured by Tina Arnder.n 6

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SOUND O F F

A FEW POINTS ... FOR THE RECORD After reading the last few publications from Wayne Week and receiving multiple inquiries from concerned citizens and employees of Goldsboro, I felt compelled to write this letter to the editor regarding the important discussions surrounding the City Council's decision on whether to initiate a search for the next City Manager.

In the most recent edition of Wayne Week, it appears a member of the City Council perhaps inadvertently misrepresented the terms within the former City Manager Tim Salmon's employment agreement with the city. If one reviews the Letter of Understanding that functioned as his official Contract of Employment that I acquired through a public information request from the previous City Clerk, Melissa Capps, and City Attorney Ron Lawrence on September 18, 2019, it’s apparent the City Council was never held hostage, due to a perpetual contract, from terminating Mr. Salmon as City Manager at any time the City Council saw best for our city.

Unless the Letter of Understanding was renegotiated and if that is the case, this document is accessible since it is considered a public record.

While the Letter of Understanding did not specify a date for when both parties would formally acknowledge the end of Mr. Salmon's employment, it included provisions to avoid the presumption that the Letter of Understanding was a perpetual contract, absent any opportunities for review, renewal, or termination, the document explicitly addressed the possibility of termination. Clearly, in Section 9 of the Letter of Understanding it is stated Mr. Salmon would undergo an annual evaluation by the City Council as a whole or a designated committee related to his “performance, salary, and benefits” and “serve at the will of the City Council and your employment can be terminated at any time.”

This means “without cause” the City Council could have terminated him at any time of his employment and for any reason, provided that the termination

was not unlawful, at least annually if he was not meeting acceptable performance standards.

Examples of such unacceptable performance might include misusing federal COVID funds or submitting late audits that affect the economic growth of the city by causing an inability to secure loans and loss of the City’s bonding and credit ratings.

Realistically, can any citizen genuinely think that former Mayor Chuck Allen would have encouraged his fellow council members to vote for a perpetual contract without ensuring that the City’s interests were protected by including a termination clause in favor of the City?

I recognize the valid concerns raised by both citizens and city employees regarding the events that have unfolded since 2019, including issues related to misinformation and allegations involving an elected official possibly engaging in bribery to secure a benefit that might influence official actions related to a potential search.

Although the immediate reaction may be to conceal difficult truths and avoid addressing uncomfortable issues, this approach will not contribute to a prosperous and united City of Goldsboro. We must never evade perceived disagreements or organization expenditures to ignore potential warning signs or compromise our deep commitment to improving our wonderful city.

It's also important to understand that striving for what is right and responsible in times of perceived conflict should not be seen as controversial.

Confronting perceived conflicts with the intention of doing what is ethical and responsible demonstrates courage, builds trust and reliability among our community, and encourages innovative and efficient strategic thinking.

This approach will ultimately enhance both social and economic vitality for all citizens in our great City of Goldsboro.

Shycole Simpson-Carter Goldsboro, NC

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his spring, they won a staggering 28 games — and tore through the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association playoffs to bring a state championship home to Goldsboro.

But of the Wayne Country Day baseball team’s 16 home wins, none were celebrated on the team’s diamond located off Country Day Road — the result of a lawsuit filed against the school that claimed homerun balls hit by the Chargers were triggering a neighbor’s combat-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.

Parents of some WCDS players were outraged — characterizing the circumstances as everything from “unfortunate” and “heartbreaking” to “complete and utter bull (expletive removed).”

And one even told Wayne Week that the school had “really let these boys down” — and speculated that “the way this situation has been handled is going to have consequences for Country Day and this program.”

Fast forward to the start of the 2024-25 school year.

The Chargers’ championship coach is now based at Eastern Carolina Academy, a “baseball academy” that doubles as an academic environment located off Buck Swamp Road at C35 Sports Complex, the facility the Chargers paid to host their home games during their championship run.

And just a few weeks ago, after a four-hour mediation between WCDS officials and the man who filed the lawsuit, the grievance was voluntary dismissed with prejudice after the parties reached “an agreement on all issues.”

It is unclear Wayne whether, now the issue has Country Day that been resolved, homerun the defending champion ball lawsuit state Chargers will take to their dismissed home diamond this spring.

BY KEN FINE

• • • The lawsuit was filed Aug. 9, 2023, by a retired Army brigadier general, who claimed that homerun balls had repeatedly damaged his property and inflamed his combat-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.

He asked a judge to grant him a restraining order for what he characterized as “trespassing.”

But WCDS would ultimately fight back that November — requesting a dismissal while threatening to take legal action of its own.

As part of the grievance, Ralph Griffin, whose home is located on a lot beyond WCPS’ baseball diamond’s outfield, asked for five different sets of damages “in excess of $25,000.”

The document, which was obtained by Wayne Week, alleged the following: Griffin and his wife own a home located at 411 Tryon Drive — property that “shares a boundary” with WCDS — and at the time they purchased the property, there was a “mature line of trees” along the boundary. But the trees had to be removed “in order to accommodate drainage equipment necessary for the building permitting process in order to construct the 8

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Griffin’s home.”

And with the trees gone, baseballs hit during the Chargers’ practices and games “regularly and repeatedly cross over the property boundary,” and have “caused and continue to cause property damage to the Griffin’s home and property.”

The lawsuit also alleged that Griffin, having served in the Army for nearly 40 years, developed post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that has been exacerbated by the stress caused by his issues with the WCDS baseball team — that since 2018, when balls land in his yard and “collide with his house,” the veteran “begins to experience increased symptoms and interruptions from his PTSD,” including “disrupted sleep, restlessness, increased fear, nightmares, and traumatic flashbacks to service-related memories of explosions.”

His desired resolution to the matter was as follows: • The first claim for relief was for what the lawsuit alleged was “Trespass to Real Property.” Griffin was seeking damages in the amount of “in excess of $25,000.”

• The second claim for relief was for what the lawsuit alleged was “Negligence.” Griffin was seeking damages in the amount of “in excess of $25,000.”

• The third claim for relief was for what the lawsuit alleged was “Negligent Infliction of Severe Emotional Distress.” Griffin was seeking damages in the amount of “in excess of $25,000.”

• The fourth claim for relief was for what the lawsuit alleged was “Intentional Infliction of Severe Emotional Distress.” Griffin was seeking damages in the amount of “in excess of $25,000.”

• The fifth claim for relief asked for a “Permanent Injunction.” Griffin asked for a jury trial, damages in the amount of “in excess of $25,000,” and a restraining order that could prevent the Wayne Country Day baseball team from “causing trespass to (the Griffin’s) property from baseball hits from (WCDS) onto (the Griffin’s) property.”

But WCDS’ attorney, Savannah Story, argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed — citing that the school believed Griffin’s claims were “barred by the statute of limitations” and factually inaccurate.

And the school demanded, among other things, that the retired solider, who Story claimed created the problem by knowingly purchasing a lot behind a 50-year-old baseball field and cutting down trees that would have guarded his home from longballs, pay WCDS’ legal fees.

The school denied that balls were hit into Griffin’s yard “regularly and repeatedly.” “(WCDS) has minimal baseball games and practice activities that cause baseballs hit by (its team’s) players and other baseball teams to cross the boundary,” the Defendant’s Motions, Answer & Affirmative Defenses read.

And it denied that baseballs “currently continue to trespass onto and damage (Griffin’s) property.”

But perhaps the most interesting defense offered by WCDS was that Griffin, himself, was negligent — that when he purchased the property beyond the school’s baseball diamond, he was aware that the ballfield existed and still chose to build a home and to remove the tree barrier that would have protected it from homerun balls. “(Griffin) purchased the property described in his complaint with full knowledge that (WCDS’s) property was used as a baseball field. Further, (Griffin) includes in his complaint that he removed trees from his property that provided an additional barrier to reduce the number of baseballs that enter his property,” the school’s response read. “Defendant’s property has been used as a baseball field for over fifty years, the use has been open and notorious, and the substantial identity of the easement has not changed for at least twenty years. Therefore, any allegation off trespass against (WCDS) must fail.”

How, then, the parties reached an “agreement on all issues” is unclear, as attempts to obtain comments from Griffin’s attorney, Josiah Corrigan, and WCDS were unsuccessful.

And as for the answer to whether the Chargers will take to their home diamond when they begin their state title defense in the spring?

Calls made to — and an email sent by — Wayne Week seeking that information were not returned by the school. n

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ON HOLIDAY

We noted it in the Our Take section of this week’s edition, but in the interest of ensuring everyone receives the message, we thought it was best to let our holiday scheduling announcement stand alone.

There will be no Dec. 1 edition of Wayne Week, as we will take the days leading up to Thanksgiving to, like all of you, prepare for what we hope will be a joyous time surrounded by those we love.

The same will be true in late December when, as is our tradition, we will pause for the Christmas holiday.

With that said, we understand that “the news” never stops.

So, with that in mind, this is what we are going to do: Should any story of significance unfold during our scheduled breaks — we publish 48 weeks a year, only taking off the week of Easter, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas — coverage will be available on our digital platforms.

They include our sister news website, NewOldNorth.com and our Facebook pages, “New Old North” and “Wayne Week.”

That information will be relevant over the coming days, as former Wayne County Sheriff ’s Office Maj. Christopher Worth was scheduled to be sentenced by a federal judge Friday, just a few hours after our press deadline for this week’s edition.

So, if you find yourself curious about the conclusion of that story — a legal odyssey we have covered extensively since Worth and former WCSO Drug Unit Chief Michael Cox were indicted in August 2023 and taken into custody by the FBI — be sure to jump online for the details as they emerge.

We hope all of you have a blessed Thanksgiving and we look forward to seeing you again Dec. 1, when we expect to be able to share some exciting news about the future of our newspaper.

Until then, be well — and please accept our thanks, from the bottom of our hearts, for your support of local, independent journalism. __ Ken and Renee

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W { our TAKE }

YES. WE SHOULD ALL BE THANKFUL.

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e feel like we always write the same thing for Thanksgiving.

But the truth is, some things just have to be repeated.

How much we appreciate the trust you have put into Wayne Week, and the support you have given us over the past year — that’s the first “What are you thankful for?” that comes to mind.

We know we would not be here without you.

So, thank you. Really.

You matter to us much more than you know.

Your comments, your congratulations, and your encouragement are the fuel that have made the long hours and the tough days well worth it.

And it helps that you know, deep down, that we are doing this because we care about this community’s future. We always have.

So, we appreciate you for giving us the chance to prove it over and over again.

It’s a special thing.

But as we reflect on another year that is just about in the books, we are taken aback by one incredibly important accomplishment of the past year.

It is not the awards we have brought home to Wayne County.

And it is not the fact that we have brought a meaningful newspaper to your homes — and that so many of you love engaging with a print medium that is saying the tough stuff fairly and with the community’s future in mind.

It’s what we have done together.

We have changed this community — and we’ve done it side by side.

The changes that have taken place in Goldsboro and Wayne County over the past year have been made possible in large part because of people like you who have spoken up about what is going on in your community.

You have not sat back silently and watched while incompetents and dishonest actors messed up your city, county, or school district.

It wasn’t enough to simply shout at the wall anymore.

You have let us know where to look, and we have found a lot.

And because we have turned on the spotlight, we are getting better — better leadership, better decisions, and better representatives.

We are not just settling for “whoever” anymore.

We are demanding more.

So, we marvel as we look at where our

county school district is today — not perfect and still with a long way to go, but a far cry from the financial dumpster fire that was the norm just a few short years ago.

You demanded better — and held those who were elected to bring about accountability — and now we are headed in the right direction.

All of that scrutiny, all of those tough commentaries and heavy questions, they came about because you had concerns and were not afraid to share them.

You did that. We just delivered the message.

The same is true for the city of Goldsboro.

We remember the old days — the embarrassment of a dysfunctional council and a city manager who just did not seem to be able to right the ship inside City Hall.

We were tired of the drama and so were you.

So, you did something about it.

And now, we have City Council members who seem to be unwilling to settle for the old days — and people who are holding those who want to take us back there accountable.

They cannot be threatened into silence, and they won’t sit back while rules are broken, and outrageous statements are made.

The people who are tipping us off about what is going on in your city care about making sure Goldsboro is a strong, vibrant place.

They have decided they are not OK with watching someone destroy it again.

Thankful? That doesn’t even do them justice.

New leadership is coming for the county, too.

And there will be some changes, we hope, in the coming years as commissioners navigate planning for Wayne County’s next act.

There are still quite a few people who need to be scrutinized — and we are watching — but we feel a new wind coming, a group of county leaders who understand that this is the time to play big, not shrink into “Well, that’s just how it is.”

We will see if they are ready for the challenges ahead — and the work that will be required to really make things happen.

And we are prepared, with your help, to make sure they do.

There are many other areas where we are grateful and optimistic — even if it is natural to feel that way as a new year appears on the horizon.

We think there have been some serious steps taken to make this community a safer place.

We trust that the right man is in charge at the Goldsboro Police Department, and that he and his officers are ready to get the job done.

We know that his team feels the support of the community — your support — and that matters.

So, we are looking forward to the day when the drugs, the criminals, and other lawbreakers make the choice to move on to the next

city because there is a police force and a community here who mean business.

We see the early signs already, and we are eagerly anticipating the next steps.

You did that.

Your support. Your comments. Your tips.

That is how we pushed the conversation about making this community safer and ensured the GPD got the raises needed to fill its depleted ranks.

That is an accomplishments we simply cannot take for granted.

You also have supported discussions about the future of youths in this community — especially those who are from disadvantaged homes.

You have talked about the hard stuff and ignored those who seek to divide us.

You reminded the “village elders” about a community that, once upon a time, had standards and families who took care of one another.

That is a significant step.

And we are also grateful for some of the people who have stepped up in the last year or two and said, “My community needs me.”

While not every bid has been successful, you have made a difference just by mounting the challenge.

We like to think you are going to be part of the conversation moving forward, so please keep standing up because we need you.

And to those who have been entrusted with the honor of representing your fellow citizens, we have been pleased with what we have seen so far.

It is easy to sit on the sidelines and criticize. It is much harder to put your name on a ballot.

Overall, we think this community has chosen well — and we are grateful that so many more people are making their voices heard at the ballot box.

But we need even more.

So, does Wayne County still have challenges ahead?

Of course.

While so much is getting better, there is still work to be done.

But you would be surprised at how much of a difference you have made and how much more we can make together.

Here’s a perfect example: A group of folks in Mount Olive decided that they were not going to sit back and just let decisions be made about the future of their community without speaking up.

They did not just accept the party line.

They did their research.

And because they did not stop, they did not shrink back, they have started holding their leaders accountable — even though it hasn’t been easy.

They made sure that they had a say in what Mount Olive would become by doing the work.

And people like that inspire us.

They know who they are, and yes, they are making a difference.

We are thankful for you, too, because of the example you are setting about holding your ground in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

What a lesson to share with the next generation.

So, do you see, now, what we see?

Do you see that hope out there on the horizon?

Do you see the possibilities?

If so, it might be worth sharing at your table this Thanksgiving.

And speaking of the holiday, we will leave you with this: As is our tradition, will be taking a week off from Wayne Week for Thanksgiving.

Consider it our way of remembering what is really important.

But don’t for a minute think we are not still watching.

And we hope you will be, too.

We are thankful to be part of a community that isn’t willing to settle, isn’t willing to be silent, isn’t ready to make nice, but still has a heart so big that there is room for anyone — even those who faced the perils of Hurricane Helene in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Your compassion, your generosity, your willingness to not just talk but to volunteer, that is another thing that makes this community so special.

And our team is thankful that we will have a ringside seat to what you do next.

God bless you all, and may you have a Thanksgiving full of family, friends, and the confidence that the best is yet to come.

We will see you Dec. 1 — ready to close out 2024 with an eye on what promises to be a bright, bright future because of the village that makes up what we will, again, proudly declare the greatest slice of Eastern North Carolina. n

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SHOWING PROMISE

omething important happened at the Goldsboro City Council meeting this week — and this community should be proud.

But the end result was not the victory.

At least, not entirely.

What caught our attention was the process.

Here’s what unfolded: Councilman Chris Boyette presented a compelling case to forgo a formal search and, instead, hire Interim City Manager Matt Liv14

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ingston — citing his performance, as well as a proposed contract that he felt was very advantageous to the city.

He was looking to save the city the expense of what he considers an “unnecessary” search.

And he should be commended for showing what you do not see often these days — common sense and accountability when it comes to spending someone else’s money.

It is why we supported Boyette’s candidacy in 2023 — and it was a reminder that his

leadership is something to keep an eye on moving forward.

And he was right about one thing: There are some positives associated with keeping Livingston on — not the least of which is the contract offer, which is limited to two years, with a reasonable separation agreement if things don’t work out.

But then, something else happened.

The Goldsboro City Council had a thoughtful — and respectful — conversation.

Would that have ever been possible a few years ago? Not a chance.

There was Hiawatha Jones — a true servant leader known for sitting back and listening and only opening her mouth when she feels compelled to make a meaningful statement.

She disagreed with Boyette, but ensured she noted, for the record, that she appreciated Livingston and his accomplishments.

She insisted her belief in a search was about little more than having enough respect for her

constituents to give them no reason to doubt that this board was about transparency.

And while Boyette might well be right — and Livingston could very well end up in the manager’s chair when the dust settles — she sent a powerful message about the “right way” to do things.

Roderick White said his mindset was similar — that the public deserved to know that the council had done everything in its power to avoid the “backroom” deal-making that has become all too common on local boards.

And others, including Mayor Charles Gaylor and Councilwoman Beverly Weeks, made their cases directly, without crossing the line of decorum.

In the end, the same 4-3 vote to conduct a search that unfolded in a closed session last month was recorded again — this time, in the sunshine for all to see.

But those on the losing end moved on to the next item on the agenda like the professionals they were elected to be.

And yes, that is something to applaud.

So, while it would be perfectly understandable if Livingston left City Hall deflated Monday evening, we hope he — and everyone else on the losing side of that vote — remember a few things as the city moves forward.

First, when you pick the wrong person — and we are certain that conducting a search will ensure Goldsboro does not — it is really hard to get rid of them.

Need a perfect example of the consequences of a bad pick?

Look no further to look than the county Register of Deeds Office.

Constance Coram’s ineptitude and seeming disregard for the importance of the office she held cost this community headaches and money.

And, amusingly enough — in an OMG sort of way — Coram STILL doesn’t get that the county credit card is not her personal ATM. This time, she was caught trying to seek “advice” on using it for a farewell party for her staff before she leaves office.

Shocking huh?

And because Coram was elected, she was even tougher to get out of office.

Thank goodness the voters took care of that.

And because we never miss an opportunity to remind you, add the curious case of Constance Coram to the list of reasons why elections have consequences.

But the ROD’s case is also a good example of what kind of damage a poor personnel choice can inflict on a community.

We are just counting ourselves lucky that county leaders had the foresight to cut off Coram’s credit card as soon as she lost her re-election bid.

See?

Making sure applicants jump through all the hoops matters.

So, we cannot afford a hire in this city of anyone because of their personal connections, political affiliations, or because it would be easier just to say yes and move on.

And there is simply no way to NOT do the vetting, reference checks, and other due diligence that is critical for a hire of this magnitude.

By the way, in many, many organizations, even if there is a leading candidate internally, companies do not just hand over the keys.

They look around just to be sure that the critical leadership slot that they are filling is going to go to the best candidate.

The good news? If Livingston has the credentials and passes the vetting, he should have no trouble being the lead candidate.

“take a side.”

There are many reasons why, but the most important is that quality employees should not be put into the delicate and difficult position of having to take such a stand.

Asking them to speak up for a city manager candidate — especially one who is currently their boss — is not only unethical, it is detrimental to future relations with the new hire.

What if someone isn’t sold on Livingston?

What if they have some concerns?

Do you think those employees will feel like they can be honest?

And what about Livingston himself?

Will he be OK with a department head or city employee who mentions honest concerns about his leadership?

He would be a saint if he did.

So, no. We don’t think any city employee —

And voters have shown that they are not shy at all about sending anyone who thinks otherwise out the door.

So, while it stings, Jones was right.

This is not an insult — or disrespect or a lack of acknowledgment of the work that has been done to date.

It is how a major hire should be conducted.

EVERYWHERE. And where such hires aren’t done that way — like in the past in the county school district — you end up paying, in damage to the reputation of the organization and the bottom line.

Goldsboro cannot afford that.

This community is facing some significant work in the coming months — and there seem to be bright spots as it relates to the future of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

We simply cannot afford to screw this up again.

And there is something else we have to keep in mind as we continue our search for a new city manager.

No current employees should be asked to

especially some of our most valued and trusted staff — should be asked to walk what is a shady ethical line.

Employees don’t choose the boss. Period.

It never works.

And consider this, too: Perhaps there might be some places where there needs to be a fresh set of eyes, like, you know, in the city Finance Department.

So, every candidate, including Livingston, should be asked the tough questions.

There can be no sacred cows, and, frankly, Livingston should not be beholden to anyone because “they spoke up for him.”

That’s how you choose a professional for the office.

And if Livingston is that professional, he would want it that way.

Of course, some employees in the city government don’t want to take a chance on a new boss. They went through some stuff with the

previous one and Livingston is a known quantity.

So, it is understandable that they might want to stick with what they have.

But we don’t hire them to pick the city manager.

We have a City Council and mayor for that.

And we think we have a good group in place to make that choice.

Goldsboro has made some major decisions that are setting the city up for a bright and prosperous future.

The days of the bickering, race-baiting council are over.

We are getting rid of inefficiencies and setting our sights on growth and prosperity.

We have leadership in place that is committed to doing things the right way — not the easy way, the “how we have always done it.”

And voters have shown that they are not shy at all about sending anyone who thinks otherwise out the door.

We aren’t going to put up with the dishonest, disingenuous, and divisive actions we have had to endure in the past.

And because of that, this community is poised to face bad news head on, to make difficult decisions, and to set the course back to true north.

Sounds like a great place for a city manager with a little bit of creativity, some hutzpah, and the skill and guts to speak up for a community with a rich history and a bright future, right?

When you get a leader like that, you don’t just keep a community stable, you watch as it lives up to its potential.

That’s what we need now.

Is Matt Livingston that person? We will see.

He will have the chance to make his case.

But if he chooses not to — we really hope he throws his hat into the ring — we feel we will find the right person.

And one more thing.

When we do, we should be prepared to pay that person what it will take to get that kind of city manager in Goldsboro.

This community deserves no less.

The days of assuming that “nobody wants to come to Goldsboro” are long gone.

The 2023 elections made sure of that.

So, let’s move forward with a belief in those council members who have more than earned our benefit of the doubt as this process plays out.

And let’s pat them on the back for the way both sides of Monday’s debate demonstrated how a critical decision that was decided by a razor thin margin can still unfold in a respectful way.

Goldsboro’s next city manager, whomever they might be, should consider themselves fortunate to be walking into that type of dynamic. n newoldnorth.com

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WORTH’S LAWYER ASKS FOR LENIENCY Former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office major was set to be sentenced Friday.

BY KEN FINE AND RENEE CAREY

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is lawyer said Christopher Worth’s newly minted felony status would leave his ability to gain future employment “in question” — that he stood to lose his 30-year pension and would live the rest of his life in a “continued cloud of shame, stress, and fear.”

And that — and probation and home confinement, should the court order it — was, he argued, a sufficient punishment for what attorney Kelly Greene would later claim was a crime that saw “no measurable loss” absorbed by the victim, the Wayne County government, in one of the most talked about criminal cases in the community’s recent history.

The following “Motion for Downward Variance and Sentencing Memorandum in Support” — which was obtained by Wayne Week — was submitted by Worth’s legal team Nov. 15, a week before the embattled former deputy was set to be sentenced by a federal judge for his role in a mail and wire fraud conspiracy he pleaded guilty to earlier this year.

And while, unless the hearing was delayed, Chief United States Judge Richard Myers II has already revealed whether or not Worth will spend the holidays in prison — that information will, as soon as it is available, be published on the New Old North and Wayne Week Facebook pages, as it was not available by press time — the document is likely the last thing Myers considered before doing so.

(Editor’s Note: The following motion has not been edited.)

In considering this sentencing range and a downward variance therefrom, Worth respectfully requests this Honorable Court consider the following: HISTORY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF WORTH When Christopher Worth was 10 years old growing up in Wayne County, his elementary school was across the street from the local fire department. It was just one of many aspects of his upbring that founded his sense of community. One day while in the Fourth Grade, Worth heard the sirens of the fire department roar and empty out of the firehouse garage. It was just some mid-day excitement at school that was fun for he and his buddies, but otherwise Worth did not pay it much mind. Later that day, he was called to the principal’s office to be picked up by mother and father. Their house had burnt to the ground, and everything was lost. Those fire engines earlier in the day had gone to contain and hose down the ruble that was left of Worth’s and his family’s possessions.

While Worth’s immediate memory is blurred by that fire and its aftermath, it would define the trajectory of his life. He watched the firemen manage the embers of his family’s home. He was taken care of by local law enforcement, comforted and looked after as he tried to make sense of what was happening. The community took the entire Worth family in, housing them and feeding them for many months as they got back on their feet and were able to rebuild their lives.

Worth’s takeaway from this experience was not sadness from the toys, bike or sports equipment he lost; rather, what Worth holds onto from that day and the months that followed, with crystal clarity, is what he observed in the career public servants — the firemen, the EMTs, and law enforcement — and their efforts to manage a crisis and keep a community feeling safe and secure. He was also profoundly affected by the public service he benefitted from as a community member from family friends, the church, and his seemingly boundless neighbors. As Worth grew into a young adult, he aspired to be both a career public servant and a community public servant. He did just that.

At 14 years old, four years after the fire and as early as he could, Worth joined the local junior rescue squad in Wayne County. When Worth turned 18, he joined the local volunteer fire department and worked to become a certified EMT for Wayne County. His training in these emergency service-areas launched him into his law enforcement career with Wayne County. But for the issues now before this Court, Worth’s career has been exemplary.

“ Public service is at the core of Christopher Worth.”

Public service is at the core of Christopher Worth. It has defined his career, his work, his family, his friendships, his faith and his community. This is resoundingly and sincerely exhibited in the multitude of character letters submitted on Worth’s behalf. There is little by way of this sentencing memorandum that can add to the many voices of family, friends and community shared with the Court in their statements. However, this memorandum can affirm to the Court, with great ease and pleasure, that the man referenced in the letters submitted to this Court is the same man the undersigned has come to know through representation in this case over the last two and half years.

Worth’s career at Wayne County Sher-

iff’s Department, spanning over 30 years, is marked by many significant highlights and accommodations. He reached the rank of Major and was thought to be a meaningful potential candite for Sherriff. While the facts and circumstances of this case have caused him immeasurable shame, embarrassment and fear, he has never lost his deep respect for what good law enforcement is, should be, and his devotion to it. His eldest son is now a sheriff’s deputy with Wayne County. His younger son just graduated from high school in May. As is referenced in the character letters, in August of 2022, Worth managed an active shooter crime scene. On that day, three Wayne County Sheriff ’s deputies were servContinued on page 18

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Continued from page 17

ing Involuntary Commitment process and were greeted with gunfire. All three deputies were shot, and one deputy died from the incident. The active shooter scene lasted nearly nine hours with the shooter barricaded in a residence. As stated by one of the deputies on scene: “[Worth] was immediately tasked with the incident command of this chaotic situation and flawlessly ran command all the while managing the emotions of himself and all other employees on scene. [Worth] had to make difficult decisions that day and he made them all with the best interest of the Sheriff ’s Office, and the community he served. Not once did Chris ever take nor did he want credit for [this] extremely important role.”

Worth is a devoted husband, father, mentor, church-member, and active contributor to his community. Both financial upheaval at this point in his life, with a 30 year pension in the balance, and the embarrassment he feels to be answering to a federal indictment, he has many regrets about the choices made that have brought him before the Court. These regrets, however, are confined to the four corners of the Superseding Indictment and are substantially overshadowed by the vast majority of his career and his continued devotion to the people, place and community he holds dear.

NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENSE Worth is extremely remorseful and embarrassed about the decisions he made and that have resulted in his federal prosecution. His conduct in this case is not consistent or emblematic of the life of service he lived for the 30 plus years before this offense — one of hard work, education, selflessness with his family and community, and being a mentor and counselor to the many he has worked with in various roles with the Wayne County Sheriff ’s Department.

As noted in the PSR and Superseding Indictment, Worth worked for co-defendant Michael Cox (“Cox”) at Eastern Emergency Equipment (EEE) from 2006-2021. PSR ¶ 46. Worth was not promoted to Captain in charge of support services until 2016.

He adopted the bidding process and procedures, including the use of EEE as a primary vendor for Wayne County Sheriff ’s Department, as that utilized by his predecessor in the support services position. EEE was a favored vendor even before Worth took over the position in 2016 because they were local, responsive, familiar with Wayne County Sheriff Department needs, famil18

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“ Worth is extremely remorseful and

embarrassed about the decisions he made that resulted in his federal prosecution. ”

iar to the Sheriff and thus produced a known and reliable product/service. However, Worth fully acknowledges his status of employment at EEE and his work relationship with Cox through EEE made it a conflict of interest when he became in charge of support service bidding. Worth was then put in the position to be awarding contracts to his own place of employment that would result in his direct compensation, and this crossed a criminal threshold where the bidding process was truncated or directly violated.

It is respectfully asserted herein that there was no actual loss to Wayne County in funds, product or service. Moreover, the $44,.461.00 Worth received over this four year period was compensation for work completed at EEE to fulfill Wanye County needs. Regardless, Worth fully acknowledges he was conflicted in his role in charge of support services while also an employee at EEE, and this conflict crossed a criminal line when, despite this conflict, Worth expedited and/or skirted Wayne’s County’s bidding process in favor of EEE on various occasions.

THE NEED FOR THE SENTENCE TO BE IMPOSED Worth prays of the Court for a sentence that spares him custodial imprisonment. The process of his criminal prosecution and now felony status have in themselves levied a severe punishment on Worth — his ability to have any final employment is in question, the potential loss of his 30 year pension, and a continued cloud of shame, stress and fear. Worth will not and does not fit the statistical mold of an individual likely to be a recidivist of any criminal conduct. This is evidenced by his age and any lack of prior criminal history and his deep rooted, well-earned community support.

Therefore, and understandably, this Court’s focus will likely be on issuing a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the offense, promoting respect for the law and issuance of a just punishment where Worth was a public official at the time of this offense. Additionally, the Court will likely be concerned with broadcasting a message of deterrence to those in public service who otherwise might be tempted to utilize their position for self-dealing.

It is respectfully submitted that, in weighing the nature and circumstance of the offense with considerations of the need for the sentence to be imposed, Worth highlights that despite the perceived self-dealing and skirting of the Wayne County bidding procurement policy, the work needed for the County was furnished with no measurable loss. While Worth accepts responsibility for his improper handling and apparent self-dealing, it is respectfully asserted this is different than a plain scheme of fraud where the County is left holding some monetary debt or loss. What of course is of greatest significance to Worth and his own remorse, is that his conduct has fed the narrative of Wayne County being corrupt and mismanaged, and thus contributed to the loss of the public trust and to the erosion of faith in community government and institutions. This is particularly shameful to man who’s life work was aspiring to build a safer, more trusting and more faithful community. Thus, as it relates to Worth, shame and embarrassment, his felony status, and the potential loss of his pension are sufficient in satisfying what might in other circumstances warrant some active incarceration.

THE KINDS OF SENTENCES AVAILABLE and THE SENTENCING RANGE ESTABLISHED BY THE GUIDELINES and PERTINENT POLICY STATEMENTS It is respectfully asserted that Worth benefits from the § 4C1.1 Adjustment for Certain Zero-Point Offenders. Upon application of the § 4C1.1 adjustment as being a zero-point offender, Worth’s guideline range is 8-14 months (Zone B), resulting from a criminal history category I and an offense level of 11. Application Note 10 under § 4C1.1, suggest the following: “[i]f the defendant received an adjustment under § 4C1.1 (Adjustment for Certain Zero-Point Offenders) and the defendant’s applicable guideline range is in Zone A or B of the Sentencing Table, a sentence other than a sentence of imprisonment, in accordance with subsection (b) or (c)(3), is generally appropriate. See 28 U.S.C. § 994( j).” This same language is in application note 4 under § 5C1.1 (added in 2018 in Amendment 801): “If the defendant is a nonviolent offender and the applicable guideline range is in Zone A or B of the Sentencing Table, the court should consider imposing a sentence of other than a sentence of imprisonment, in accordance with subsection (b) or (c)(3).”

In light of Worth’s guideline range falling squarely in Zone B, and, more significantly, his strong desire to make right by his crime and pay off any restitution in this matter, it is respectfully asserted that imposing a period of probation inclusive of at least four (4) months home detention to serve

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as Worth’s “imprisonment” period pursuant to § 5C1.1(c)(3) is a sufficient and not greater than necessary kind of sentence in the unique case of Worth, his age, and the context of this crime in his life.

AVOIDING UNWARRANTED SENTENCING DISPARITIES The undersigned respectfully concedes this Honorable Court is well equipped to measure the appropriateness of Worth’s sentence relative to those of similarly situated defendants, with like criminal histories and like criminal conduct. Worth reincorporates herein those issues raised above as to his age, his public-service oriented career and his role in his church and family, as considerations that might distinguish him from necessitating a term of imprisonment.

Worth prays of the Court to consider these factors in conjunction with an application through a variance to probation to meet any necessary “imprisonment” period.

NEED TO PROVIDE RESTITUTION Worth entered a plea of guilty in this matter pursuant to the Superseding Indictment. In his Plea Agreement he stipulated to repayment of any restitution amount owed. Upon information and belief, this has yet to be determined, if any. See PSR ¶¶ 105-06.

It is respectfully asserted that a period of probation or some type of home confinement as requested above is a sufficient and not greater than necessary sentence to serve the ends of sentencing in this matter and allow Worth to pay any restitution that might be ordered. As of the date of this memorandum, the future of Worth’s 30 year pension is unknown and he therefore begs of the Court that no fine be imposed should an amount of restitution be established.

PRAYER FOR RELIEF Respectfully, Worth has acknowledged his guilt and accepts responsibility for his actions. He carries with him tremendous shame and remorse for his conduct and fracturing the public’s trust in him, and public institutions generally. He prays of this Honorable Court that he receive a sentence that is sufficient but not greater than necessary — a varied sentence of probation with a period of home confinement. He further prays for any further relief this Honorable Court deems just and proper and humbly accepts any further conditions this Court deems appropriate to impose.

Worth’s journey to sentencing began in August 2023 when a grand jury handed down a sprawling indictment and the deputy — and former WCSO Drug Unit Chief Michael Cox — were taken into custody by federal agents.

And while Cox’s charges — he has pleaded guilty and is currently serving a 74-month prison sentence — would include drug-related offenses, the shared counts were in connection to what prosecutors characterized as the two men “defrauding the people of Wayne County” via a bid-rigging scheme designed to enrich themselves.

Worth admitted, in open court, to being guilty of the indictment’s “Count Two” — a mail and wire fraud charge that could have carried with it a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 — and the details outlined by the government.

They included a series of emails that showed he knowingly split bills, dodged mandated bid requirements, and even ensured “fictitious” quotes were created and submitted to the county to land contract after contract for Cox’s business, which he worked for as a side job.

Among the jobs targeted by federal prosecutors was an “upfit” on Sheriff Larry Pierce’s Chevrolet Tahoe. n

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the SPECTATOR

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Cougars clip Golden Falcons

The Goldsboro High School varsity boys and girls basketball teams defeated rival Charles B. Aycock Nov. 19, but the Golden Falcons will h ave a chance at revenge this week.

PHOTOS BY KEN FINE

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DON’T LET YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

L APSE!

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M AY 26, 2024

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M A RCH 3, 2024

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If the Goldsboro City Council adopts the 2024-25 budget recommended by Interim City Manager Matthew Livington, local residents will be forced to absorb a 15-cent property tax increase and a 7-percent water and sewer rate hike, as leaders look for a way to finance police and fire raises.

WEEK

MIND GA M ES

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A unanimous decision to move Goldsboro High School to a new building has drawn the ire of community leaders, former students, and teachers who fear the school will soon close for good.

SPECIES? ENDANGERED

Dozens have graduated from the University of Mount Olive’s Master's in Counseling Psychology program, but because it is still not accredited, most are unable to find employment as therapists in North Carolina.

BY KEN FINE p. 1 4

Budget Buffet

BY KEN FINE

/ p. 14

BY K E N F I N E / p. 12

NEWS: Court documents filed last week seem to indicate former WCSO deputy has reached a plea deal . p.6

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F E BU R A RY 18, 2024

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ALSO INSIDE

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Coram’s lawsuit thrown out / p. 4

WEEK

NEWS Salmon out as City Manager / p. 8

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WEEK

Local leaders say it’s time to fight back after community was “blindsided” by news of cuts coming to 4th Fighter Wing. / by KEN FINE p. 16

DIGITAL

M AY 12, 2024

THE PROBLEM WITHIN

Two Wayne County public school teachers have been charged with taking indecent liberties with students since Gov. Roy Cooper signed a harsher set of penalties for the crime into law in late 2023.

But those two individuals are only part of a problem the local education community has been dealing with for the last several years.

BY KEN FINE p.12

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