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WEEK Wayne

THE BIG PUSHBACK

More than 100 town residents converged on the Pikeville-Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department July 8 to confront Mayor Garrett Johnston and the overwhelming majority called on him to resign. He did not.

BY KEN FINE and RENEE CAREY

JULY 14, 202 4 Volume 1, Issue 47 NEWOLDNORTH.COM

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EDITOR Ken Fine

EDITOR Renee Carey

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4 Goldsboro loses a giant

During our week off, Wayne County lost one of its most beloved leaders. Wayne Week Editor Ken Fine shared his thoughts about former Goldsboro Mayor Al King on our sister website, NewOldNorth.com, the day after his death, but we felt the need to republish it here — to allow those who are not active on social media an opportunity to remember the man so many in this community revered.

6 Fine wins big in state contest

Wayne Week Editor Ken Fine will be bringing 10 journalism awards home from Raleigh in mid-September — honors he earned for everything from reporting and feature writing to photography.

10 Special Report: Pikeville - Part Two

More than 100 town residents converged on the Pikeville-Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department July 8 to confront Mayor Garrett Johnston for comments he made about Police Chief Rodney Jarman, citizens, and former and current town employees. The vast majority called on him to resign. He did not.

12 Pikeville leaders seek legal remedy Commissioners said they are looking into ways to remove Mayor Garrett Johnston from office should he continue to refuse to resign his post.

14 Government change off the table

After state agencies — and House

Majority Leader John Bell — expressed concern in Wayne Week about Pikeville board’s unanimous vote to buck the advice of the state and change forms of government, commissioners reversed the decision.

18 Cops investigated mayor in 2022

Two of the men Pikeville Mayor Garrett Johnston targeted during a January conversation that was recorded without his knowledge were involved in an investigation into his alleged theft of $500 worth of town property.

12 The Spectator

For the third year in a row, Wayne Week Editor Ken Fine has been named N.C. Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year.

IN MEMORIAM

Goldsboro loses a giant

Al King did not serve for money or power. He simply wanted to make Goldsboro a better place for his family — and ours.

BY KEN FINE

Editor’s Note: The following piece was published on NewOldNorth.com during our off week, but we felt strongly that those readers who are not active on social media and online sites have the opportunity to remember the late Al King.

Family.

In places like Wayne County, that word means so much more than blood ties and a last name.

Here, it’s about bonds.

And July 2, thousands of people in this community lost a brother.

I feel fortunate to count myself as one of them.

That’s why it’s been so hard to get to the “news” in this tribute — as, once I learned my old friend was receiving hospice care, notgood-enough draft after not-good-enough draft got deleted.

It’s not that I don’t know what to say about Al King.

It’s that I’m not quite ready to acknowledge that he’s gone.

I’m certain I’m not alone.

The first time I met him, I was a rookie beat reporter and he had been Goldsboro’s mayor for more than three years — a post he accepted after the city’s longtime leader, Hal Plonk, died and the City Council deadlocked as they tried to find the right person to replace him.

King would tell me repeatedly over the years that his ambitions never included being the person tasked with filling the shoes of a man so many revered.

But he put off retirement because he believed — to his very core — that Goldsboro needed him.

And unlike so many who rise to power and allow it to consume them, King seemingly never did.

All he wanted was to leave a better community for his children and ours.

It really was that simple.

During our initial interview back in 2005, I asked him how it felt to ascend from the self-described “poor kid who used to walk along the train tracks” to get from Mount Olive to Goldsboro to the county seat’s first black mayor.

I’ll never forget his response.

“Really, Ken?” he asked, a smile creeping across his face. “You have to have a more interesting question than that, young man.”

That was the Al King I knew — a man who had little interest in labels or how local historians would remember him.

What mattered to the mayor was how he made people feel — how the issues he tackled and the votes he cast would impact those who came after him.

Race, religion, and other identifiers?

They never seemed to motivate the King I spoke with nearly every week during his 14 years as the face of Goldsboro.

“We’re all just people, man,” he said to me in early 2007 ahead of an event where he was set to receive an award from the NAACP. “So, how can we make Goldsboro a place people would be proud of? That’s it. When we start talking about black and white and all that, we’re looking for a fight. And what happens at the end of a fight, Ken? Someone always loses. Well, what’s wrong with wanting everyone to win?”

Beyond the politics, King was a kind, decent man who never forgot where he came from.

He was known for firm, long handshakes and as a man who put a premium on eye contact.

When he met you, he remembered you, so when you crossed paths again, it was like seeing an old friend.

And like any good friend, he was someone you could count on.

If Al King he gave you his word, it meant something.

And when he coined the phrase about Seymour Johnson Air Force Base — how it was “the home of the best fighter wing on planet Earth” — the retired airman meant it. He didn’t deliver those words so they could end up on a T-shirt or become a campaign slogan.

So, when he came across a man or woman in uniform — as he did during one of our many walks through a downtown he was, at the time, championing — he stopped, shook their hand, and thanked them for their service.

And during those exchanges, never once did I hear him introduce himself as the mayor of those airmen’s adopted hometown.

He was just another patriot who was grateful for the many sacrifices he knew, from firsthand experience, they were making.

King was a true servant leader — a man involved in seemingly everything who gave his time whenever and wherever it was needed.

And while he bemoaned the fact that his duties required him to keep putting off a trip around the world with his son, he considered it an honor to serve the citizens of Goldsboro.

No, it was not about how much power he could wield or money he could make.

It was about continuing a lifetime of service to others — from the city’s project housing communities to Pill Hill.

For that reason, nobody owned Al King.

And those who mistook his easy and affable manner as weakness — who challenged or threatened him with consequences if he took a particular position on an issue — well, they were in for a rude awakening.

the example he set.

And there are many Goldsboro leaders today who could benefit from a deep dive into how he managed his time on the City Council.

He was firm when he needed to be and courageous when it was necessary.

He was feisty enough to make sure that anyone who crossed him knew they had made a mistake, but he was kind enough to be there for a struggling family or a youth who needed a guiding hand.

His heart was as big as a mountain. That’s why he was special.

And our hearts are with his family as they continue to say goodbye to someone who meant everything to them. We know it’s never easy.

And unlike many who rise to power and allow it to consume them, King seemingly never did.

He lived and spoke his truth, confident that if the city he loved couldn’t handle it, they would send him on his next adventure on Election Day.

They never did.

We have said it before.

When you lose leaders like Al King, they are not as easy to replace as one might think.

That’s why long after he passed the torch, he remained an influential voice — the type of person the next generation of elected officials went to for advice.

And if you kept a sharp eye open, you might have caught a glimpse of him holding court outside Starbucks or Café Le Doux.

His mind might not have been as sharp in these recent years as it once was, but he remained unafraid to call things for what they were.

King was a common man at heart, with the flash of a person who had been places and who knew what having a hometown meant. He loved his cars. He loved to golf. And man, how he loved his wife and children. So, all of us could learn something from

But we hope they know that there are thousands of Goldsboro and Wayne County citizens who will never forget him.

We will remember the lives he changed through his mentorship.

We will remember the fierce defender of Goldsboro and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

And yes, we will remember the long, firm handshakes — and how, in a moment, he could make you feel like you had value beyond what you believed.

In our view, there can be no greater tribute to any man than the acknowledgement of that.

And there is no one who deserves a tribute more than Al King.

Family.

In places like Wayne County, that word hits a little different.

And that Tuesday evening, all of us who were lucky to know Al King lost a piece of ours we know we will never be able to replace.

But we can honor him by remembering his vision for a Goldsboro prosperous enough for everyone — by fighting for every single citizen.

We here at Wayne Week will.

Rest easy, Mayor.

As you watch over this city you so loved, we can only hope what you see — the people you touched carrying your torch — makes you proud. n

Wayne Week editor wins big in state journalism contest

Ken Fine has now earned more than 50 state, regional, and national awards for reporting and photography during his 20-year career.

The results of one of the biggest journalism contests in the nation are in and Wayne Week Editor Ken Fine will bring 10 awards — including his third consecutive Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year honor — home to Goldsboro this fall.

Fine was recognized by the judges for his feature writing and for excellence in reporting on a variety of issues, including the city’s gun violence and homelessness epidemics, and has now earned more than 50 state, regional, and national journalism awards during a career that

BY RENEE CAREY

has spanned more than two decades.

He also impressed judges with the camera, as in addition to the coveted Hugh Morton award, he won honors for sports, feature, and news shots captured during the 2023 Charles B. Aycock High School graduation ceremony, Wayne County’s annual Veterans Day Parade, the Goldsboro High School boys’ basketball team’s playoff run, and CBA’s “Future Falcon Night” last fall.

Fine will accept the awards in midSeptember during the North Carolina Press Association’s Annual Convention

in Raleigh. But he contends that while it is “always nice to be recognized” for his work, the real victory is for the community he loves and the neighbors he works to support.

“It sounds cliché, but the real award is the relationships I have built with the incredible people who live in this county and the trust they have in our team to tell stories we hope — and believe — are making an impact in their lives,” Fine said. “The truth is, my wife and I have raised both of our children in Wayne County for a reason. We see such

incredible potential here. But the funny thing about any community is how fragile it is — how vulnerable it can be when nobody is keeping an eye on the people in power. So, doing what we do, it’s honestly just our way of paying back our friends and neighbors for this awesome life my family has been sharing with them for the last 20 years. And we’ll keep it going as long as they keep supporting us.”

For more on Fine’s third consecutive Photographer of the Year award, see the Spectator pages at the back of this week’s paper.

If you have been with Wayne Week since the beginning — or signed up within our first few weeks — you are nearing the end of your 1-year subscription period.

{ our TAKE }

WE'RE ALL WADING THROUGH IT

We don’t know about you, but yes, we are tired. The negative stuff we have had to wade through over the last few days, months, and really, years, have been hard to take.

So many of us have had so much to deal with in our own lives — concerns about our kids, our budgets, and our futures — on the heels of the stress of the pandemic and its aftermath.

And then there is the division and hatred in this country — and the lack of confidence in the people charged with running it.

Sadly, that part is not over yet.

But lest you think that there is no hope, take a gander at what happened this past week in Pikeville.

Here’s a brief history for those of you who might not know the whole story.

The mayor of that town, Garrett Johnston, got caught running his mouth and proclaiming his disdain for everyone from the police chief and his officers to the town manager, local residents, and nearly every town employee.

His comments were vile and disrespectful — and in terms of what he said about the aforementioned town employees, illegal. He also blustered about how in control he was of the town and how he had House Majority Leader John Bell — yes, that one — just chomping at the bit to give him money.

Spoiler alert: Uh, no.

Pikeville’s good fortune — the $1 million appropriated to the town in the state budget — had nothing to do with Johnston, but everything to do with how Bell watches out for Wayne County in Raleigh.

Don’t believe us?

Ask Bell yourself. We did.

Anyway, we received a tape of that fourhour conversation from a concerned citizen — as well as a tip about a notice taped to the front door of Town Hall about a public hearing to discuss a looming decision to change the town’s form of government (obviously a poor attempt to pretend to let the public know about a critical discussion about its future).

We at Wayne Week reported on both. And now, there is no change in government and the mayor is busy explaining away all those unfortunate comments he made.

He said it is what we all do when we are frustrated. We say things we shouldn’t.

He even tried to throw shade on the people who released the tape — saying it was an embarrassment for the people of Pikeville that they perpetuated by airing the town’s dirty laundry in public.

And, of course, he trotted out allegations of the “fake media” and “selling newspapers” accusation everybody throws out when

confronted by their own bad behavior.

We have seen quite a bit of that lately — interestingly enough, from another elected official who is also from Pikeville, our former school board chairman.

But this time, the community did not buy it.

And that is because there is a change a coming.

Yes, we are all still worried about our families and our finances.

Yes, we are still nottoo-confident about the people we have in charge — anywhere.

But we are no longer willing to sit back and swallow the guff they are spewing.

That’s why there were 100 people at this week’s Pikeville board meeting — nearly all of them calling for their mayor to apologize and resign.

after it bailed out the last arrogant failure in Pikeville’s leadership vacuum.

And that’s why he failed to mention, during his “apology,” why he received, according to several witnesses inside Town Hall, several boxes “full” of gifts from his daughter’s college soccer coach — a man Johnston has touted as someone who is going to bring programming to the $400,000 soccer complex he intends to build with the $1 million Bell secured for the town.

The self-proclaimed 'million-dollar mayor' had his chance Monday night. None of us should forget how he chose to sidestep that opportunity.

You know, the same people Johnston said, “didn’t know what the hell was going on” because he had them completely bamboozled and they could not make decisions without the wisdom of their “million-dollar mayor.”

(Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)

But when, after Johnston asked them if he should resign, they cheered, the Mayor Wonder said he had a dilemma.

He said that for everyone who was calling for him to step down, he had just as many people telling him to stick it out.

And, as you probably won’t be surprised to hear, none of them could be there for the meeting that night.

Yeah right.

Those small-town folk didn’t buy it either.

So, Johnston is still in the mayor’s seat — and he even went so far as to imply that the tapes, which we, and Police Chief Rodney Jarman, have heard in their entirety, don’t exist.

And while he took some time to “apologize” to Jarman, members of the Pikeville PD, and former and current town employees, he then said he was only apologizing for “talking crap” generally — not for the vile things he absolutely, 100-percent said during that recorded January meeting at his home.

So, no, he is not “atoning” for his mistakes. He is leaning, once again, into his belief that Pikeville residents aren’t bright enough to smell what he stepped in.

That’s why we have not heard him explain away the “not-so-secret” meeting to overthrow the town’s current form of government in defiance of the state’s recommendation

sitting back and biting their tongues anymore. They are fighting for their community by helping to remove one bad apple at a time.

And while there are still some pretty rotten, stinky apples in charge, we are getting rid of them — slowly but surely — together.

People like Johnston have taken advantage of us as a community.

They knew we were all too worried about the disaster of the pandemic and our own bank accounts to pay too close attention.

And they also knew that there was nobody else really holding them accountable.

Sigh.

The truth is, we aren’t surprised — nor are the dozens of Pikeville residents we have spoken with since the meeting.

People like Johnston are so caught up in their view of themselves that they never learn.

And while commissioners have vowed to look for ways to remove the mayor from office, it looks like a very real possibility that it will be up to voters in November 2025 to send him packing for good.

But that’s where the good news comes in.

What has happened in Pikeville over the last few weeks is just the latest example of a community that is no longer willing to sit back and simply shake its head at the poor decisions and bad leadership that have plagued every entity in this community — from the Board of Education and Register of Deeds Office to Mount Olive Town Hall, Goldsboro City Hall, and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

Those residents stood up and set a standard — and they are now busy holding their leaders accountable.

And that should make every single one of us proud.

You see, really, those small-town folks are just a microcosm of the rest of this city, county, and country.

All of us can — and should — do exactly what they did and will continue to do until Johnston is in the town’s rearview mirror.

They get it.

And it’s inspiring.

So, while we have been humbled over these last few days to speak with many of you — those who have thanked our team for ensuring this type of slime comes into public view — it needs to be said that the changes that are happening in Wayne County are not just because there is a newspaper watching again.

It is also because there are many, many brave community members who are not just

And that is when you get incompetent, selfserving, and, frankly, arrogant officeholders who are there for the paycheck and the power.

But this community deserves better.

And now, we aren’t going to say, “That’s OK,” or excuse away incidents that show us who our leaders really are. They have shown us what they care about and now we believe them.

So, no, Mr. Johnston, the people of Pikeville are not naïve boobs who need your expert guidance to be able to build a great community.

And just like some of your compatriots, you still don’t seem to have gotten the message that when you were voted in, you were not immediately imbued with super-intelligence and infallible judgment that precludes any input from the people who built that town.

You haven’t learned that being a good community leader and an officeholder who

deserves and has earned the community’s loyalty requires doing more listening than blabbing and having a basic respect and love for the people you serve.

We used to have leaders who got it — men like the late Al King who served, not because of the power and perks they could finagle, but because they cared about leaving this place better than how they found it.

And despite the bad actors currently serving on boards across this county, we still have a lot of good ones around — and they are tired of watching the sideshow, too.

So, yes, we are tired of having to point out the bad stuff and to follow the tips and tell the stories. Being a watchdog is never easy. Lapdogs have much easier lives.

But we won’t quit because we have a job to do — because Wayne County, and the thousands of good families who make their homes here, are worth it.

So, we carry on, with the help of our subscribers, advertisers, and the heroes who are not just willing to stay quiet anymore.

And we will dismiss people like Garrett Johnston — people who, even after they are caught red-handed, don’t have the decency to admit it and ask for forgiveness.

The self-proclaimed “million-dollar mayor” had his chance Monday night.

None of us should forget how he chose to sidestep that opportunity.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD!

Otto Hulse Evans, the son of Ben and Hallie Evans and little brother of Norman Lee Evans, was born on Juneteenth weighing 7 pounds 7 ounces. The family are all together at home enjoying Summer 2024. Otto’s grandparents, Lee and Geoff Hulse and Sandra and Eddie Evans, are thrilled — as are his Aunt, Lura Hulse, and uncle, Journey Evans.

SPECIAL REPORT: PART TWO

THE BIG PUSHBACK

BY KEN FINE and RENEE CAREY

Angela Robertson said he had changed — that the decent man she used to know had turned into someone she no longer recognized.

Deborah Herrmann called his actions “corrupt” — and characterized him as an “awful person” who should be ashamed of himself.

Police Chief Rodney Jarman said he could never respect him again — that while he would vow to protect him “as a citizen,” he could not “serve you as a mayor.”

Russell Robertson said he had known him since they were “11 or 12 years old” — that he was certain his “ego won’t let you resign.”

Travis Thigpen said he acted like the “town Fuhrer” — a man who had “disdain” for the residents he was elected to serve.

But of all the 100-plus Pikeville residents who converged on the Pikeville-Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department July 8 — most to confront Mayor Garrett Johnston for comments he made during a four-hour conversation with two town residents in January at his home that was caught on tape and published in the June 30 edition of Wayne Week — none of the overwhelming majority who called on the man to step down from his post was more blunt than Ashley Price, who showed up to the meeting with her 5-year-old daughter.

“I’m trying to raise her, if you do something wrong, you are accountable. How am I supposed to teach her to be accountable whenever our leadership will not do that?” she said. “You said it. Cool. I don’t agree with it. I don’t think anyone here agrees with it. But you need to be a man and you need to stand up and be accountable for it. You need to resign. Nobody wants you here.”

Johnston did not resign Monday.

In fact, he did not even apologize for the substance of the conversation he had with those town residents back in January — nor did he offer an explanation for the gifts he allegedly received from his daughter’s college soccer coach, a man town employees say the mayor has been championing as the person who will one day be paid to bring programming to a proposed $400,000 soccer complex.

Instead, Johnston said he was sorry for “talking crap when I get frustrated.”

He claimed, despite his words to the contrary, that he liked Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff and thought Jarman was a “great leader” of the Pikeville PD.

And while he said, “I do condemn taking a recording in my private home,” he refused to admit the conversation happened — referring to the audio file as “alleged,” even after Jarman acknowledged that he, too, had heard the four-hour tape and confirmed its existence and authenticity.

But two things were clear Monday evening.

More than twice the number of people who cast votes that ultimately put Johnston in office cheered loudly every time a speaker demanded his resignation.

And the mayor has no intention of stepping down.

It has been nearly two weeks since Pikeville residents read what many have characterized as “disgusting” and “hateful” comments Johnston made about everyone from Biggerstaff and Jarman to former and current town employees and residents.

And while many acknowledged that everyone says things they regret from time to time, the mayor, they contended at the meeting, crossed a line — and that they were disturbed by the fact that he had refused to admit he said what he said and apologize.

“I know that in the beginning, when you started this position, you were different. I would have willingly voted you into office, because you were the kind of man that would give the shirt off your back to someone. You were all about community,” Angela Robertson said. “And I’m not holding it against you that you got caught on a recording. But the problem is, you did get caught. And now that things have been said, they cannot be unsaid. To me, you have shown absolutely no remorse. … There’s only one way to show you are actually remorseful for your actions. Either stand up and say it or you need to show that you really are sorry and resign. Because I really hope you can be the man you used to be and not the one I see before me now.”

Katie Chegwidden agreed.

“We’re not infallible. We all talk about each other. We should do better. Unfortu-

nately, we just get caught sometimes,” she said. “And if you get caught, the thing to do is take responsibility for your actions, genuinely apologize, genuinely mean it, and if you can’t do that, you have no business being on this board.”

But some were a long way past forgiveness.

“I read it and then it got me thinking about something. I’ve known the boy half my life. Is it true? But I’m gonna remind you of something that happened in my front yard right before I came to that board meeting two-and-a-half years ago — of a conversation that me and you had that I told you

But I'm gonna tell you, I don't think this town is gonna stand behind you, OK? I know I don't and never will again.

if I ever came to a town board meeting, I would bring up,” Russell Robertson said. “Everything that the paper said you said about your plan for Pikeville, you almost said verbatim to me two-and-a-half years ago. So, whether or not they recorded you, whether it was in malice, I’m here to tell you I could care less. I have no malice toward you … but I’ll tell you this. I know your ego won’t let you resign. You do what you want to do. But I’m gonna tell you, I don’t think this town is gonna stand behind you, OK? I know I don’t and never will again.”

And Jarman, in a moment that brought many in attendance to their feet, offered the most direct rebuke.

“The damage has been done with your words and your actions. In four hours of recorded audio, all of which I have listened to in-depth, you undermined the hard work of so many for the selfishness of one,” he said. “I stand before the board, town staff, residents, and the community as a whole, not only to identify a problem but to provide a solution. I will continue to protect you as a citizen, but I cannot serve you as a mayor. I respect the seat in which you sit, but not the person who sits in

it. I will always do and stand for what is right in this department and this community and therefore, in unity with them, I stand and demand your resignation. Sincerely your — no, sincerely, the community’s — chief of police.”

Johnston wasn’t moved.

He said that “whatever was in the paper” was taken “completely out of context.”

He said he took “fully responsibility” for “any unkind words I have said” before referring to the recording that outed those words as “alleged.”

He told Biggerstaff and Jarman that he has repeatedly heard statements similar to those he said “allegedly” came out of his mouth and “shut that kind of talk down more times than not.”

And then, he said he would take the hit because “that’s my job as mayor” without coming clean — and implied that the publication of his words was an attempt to destroy Pikeville.

“It’s not just my reputation they are trying to destroy. It’s everybody on this board. It’s the people in this town. It’s certain individuals that work for this town. You want to sell me in the street, you have that right, but these guys don’t deserve this stuff being publicly put out there,” he said, declining to acknowledge that every former and current town employee he spoke about gave Wayne Week their blessing to publish what he said. “If your job was to run my reputation down, then you’ve done your job. But leave these people alone. They don’t need this information out there.”

But the moment that earned Johnston the most reaction came at the end of his statement.

“As far as whether or not I’m going to resign, that’s something I have to think about. There’s as many people — many of them couldn’t be here tonight and I’m sorry they can’t be here to speak for themselves — but I have a lot of people telling me, ‘We don’t quit,’” he said. “How many politicians take hits worse than this? They don’t quit. Would you respect me for just walking away?”

In unison, dozens of people shouted, “Yes,” and broke out into thunderous applause.

“There’s just as many of you who wouldn’t,” he replied. “So, what am I to do?”

It is unclear whether Johnston will, indeed, continue to work through whether or not to step down.

But a petition demanding his resignation is gaining more names every day and the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to censure the mayor Monday, called on him to vacate his post immediately, and vowed to investigate potential legal pathways to forcibly remove him should he fail to do so. n

PIKEVILLE RESIDENTS, LEADERS LOOKING FOR LEGAL REMEDIES

From a request of the General Assembly to allow a change to the town charter to reporting an alleged illegal receipt of gifts by Mayor Garrett Johnston, Town Attorney Harry Lorello has his hands full.

Pikeville Commissioner Matt Thomas said he and his fellow board members would continue pursuing a legal solution should newly censured Mayor Garrett Johnston refuse to resign, as town residents, employees, and elected officials continue to fume over comments the mayor made during a four-hour conversation with two town residents in January that was recorded without his knowledge and published in the June 30 edition of Wayne Week.

But with no recall election process available to North Carolina voters, it would likely take an act of the General Assembly — and the rewriting of the town charter — to forcibly remove Johnston from office. And even that might not be a viable option.

Sources inside Town Hall have cited House Bill 1062, which was filed in May and passed its first reading before being sent to committee, as an example of what Pikeville leaders might attempt.

The bill, sponsored by Brunswick County Republican Rep. Frank Iler, aims to allow the Town of Leland to amend its charter to “provide a procedure to recall elected officials, subject to a referendum.”

But should it pass — and currently, its fate remains unclear — Leland voters would, in their best-case-scenario, not be able to vote on removing officeholders until the November 2025 election, the same day Johnston, should he choose to run again, would be up for re-election anyway.

The potential of a legal pathway to remove the mayor is not the only discussion being had with Town Attorney Harry Lorello.

Residents also implored him, during the Board of Commissioners’ July 8 meeting, to look into Johnston’s alleged receipt of “two boxes full of gifts” from a man the mayor has said would bring soccer programming to the town after a $400,000 soccer complex is constructed.

The man also happens to be Johnston’s daughter’s college coach at Mid-Atlantic Christian University.

Emails obtained by Wayne Week via a

records request fulfilled by the town detail how Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff reacted to what he perceived as something he was obligated to report.

“I will leave out name and any details out at this point, but whom do you report or ask if there is a possible conflict of interest or ethics violation for receiving gifts from someone you are doing business with and spending a large amount of public funds on a project that greatly benefit the person giving the gifts,” Biggerstaff asked Lorello.

The attorney responded.

“Tim – thanks for asking. Can you please provide the specific details of what you or the staff witnessed?” he wrote. “You can omit the receiving party’s name at this time, but I’d need the details down to the T. This may be innocuous, or it may be very serious, it’s very fact dependent.”

Biggerstaff replied with a detailed accounting of the events that unfolded. (Note: This a word-for-word transcription of the email sent by Biggerstaff to Town Attorney Harry Lorello. It has not been edited for spelling or grammar.)

“Jim Givargis, soccer coach from MidAtlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City, NC and previously known to be working with elected official on future soccer program development for Pikeville, come into the town hall on Friday, May 10th asking our clerk if the elected official was here. Wendy said no and that he doesn’t have an office in town hall. Mr. Givargis then said he had called that elected official but he didn’t answer. Mentioned he was supposed to be in Pikeville by 10am but he had gotten lost and it was now after 12. He said he had some gifts for him and asked if he could leave them here in town hall. Wendy referred him to me in which he told me the same thing. I said he could put it in the back room. He went to his truck and brought in two boxes full of items. He told me that he was out of town for the official’s wedding anniversary so he brought the family some gifts and other items. In the box he showed me a personalized soccer ball, a cook book for official’s wife, a collectible wine bottle from the 1980 something World Cup with wine in it, a medieval style helmet for the daughter, a tshirt with the town’s

name on it to be approved for future sales, and a sample of turf for the human foosball field he’s designing for the town to build in this new complex. He asked if I knew about the foosball and I said no. He was excited to tell me that he is designing it and will be one of the first one of its kind in the US and that we needed concrete or blacktop for this turf. He also asked to see the future storage space for his soccer supplies so I showed him the space in the concession stand. While there, he spoke about wanting to obtain a booth at the Freedom Fireworks as his friend designs shirts and other things and maybe they could set up and sale items. On Monday, May 13th, the official came over to collect the boxes. Myself and Wendy were away at the time. Our PT billing clerk, Monique, was here when he came to collect them. Witness to the items were Wendy Holland, Rodney Jarman, myself, and my foster son, Landon who was here for a few minutes to visit and get a drink when Mr. Givargis came by. Let me know if anything else is needed or who it should be reported to.”

Assuming the town properly fulfilled Wayne Week’s Freedom of Information Act records request, Lorello has not responded in the nearly two months since Biggerstaff’s narrative was sent. He has also not responded to a request for comment.

North Carolina General Statue 138A-32 prohibits a “public servant” from accepting gifts for a variety of reasons. Among them are if the person giving the gift “is doing or is seeking to do business of any kind with the public servant’s employing entity” or “is engaged in activities that are regulated or controlled by the public servant’s employing entity.”

And given the fact that the coach told Biggerstaff that he is working on the soccer complex project — and several officials inside Town Hall have said Johnston has championed the coach as a future Pikeville contract employee — the mayor receiving gifts from him appears to be a violation of state statue. n

Commissioner Matt Thomas

PIKEVILLE BOARD REVERSES COURSE ON GOVERNMENT CHANGE

The decision came shortly after House Majority Leader Rep. John Bell said he — and several state agencies — were concerned that the town’s Board of Commissioners had voted to buck the state’s guidance and move away from a manager form of government.

The Pikeville Board of Commissioners has reversed its June 10 decision to change the town’s form of government amid backlash from state leaders, agencies, and town residents reported in several June editions of Wayne Week

The move, which would have given Mayor Garrett Johnston and board members control of the day-to-day operations of the town, was scrutinized by State Treasurer Dale Folwell before the commissioners’ initial unanimous vote to buck the Local Government Commission’s recommended form of government.

But those privy to a conversation Johnston

had with two town residents in January — residents and employees who heard an audio recording of that meeting — were not surprised, as the mayor was clear that in order to successfully execute a mass firing of staff, including Police Chief Rodney Jarman and Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff, in what he referred to as “Operation Clean Sweep,” the manager form of government would have to go.

“Just know that there is something called, ‘Operation Clean Sweep,’ that is ready to go into effect,” Johnston said. “We can pick them off one at a time.”

And he implied town residents would be none the wiser.

“Most (Pikeville residents) don’t know what the hell is goin’ on,” Johnston said.

“Some people don’t know that the state took us over, which means they don’t know we’ve been freed from the state.”

The mayor also said several state agencies had given him the green light to push commissioners to make the decision.

“The UNC School of Government is backing this. The League of Municipalities is backing this. And the Local Government Commission has given us the thumbs up,” Johnston said.

But in reality, none of those entities supported the change.

In fact, according to House Majority Leader Rep. John Bell, all were “concerned” by the mere suggestion of the maneuver.

“With the conversations that I’ve had, unprovoked, there’s a lot of people concerned with what’s going on in Pikeville right now,” he told Wayne Week in late June. “I’ve had two different entities approach me. One would be the League of Municipalities and the other would be the LGC. It was labeled to me as concerns with the possibility of changing governments and with the leadership in the town.”

And during her time at the UNC School of Government, Dr. Vaughn Mamlin Upshaw

Continued on page 16

PROVIDING QUALITY, AFFORDABLE INSURANCE SINCE 1927

John D. Lewis Gaston Lewis

panned the form of government Pikeville’s board voted to switch back to.

“There are two major weaknesses,” she wrote. “The first is the absence of any real concentration of executive authority and responsibility, as decisionmaking ultimately rests with the board of commissioners or city council as a group. Responsibility for operating the local government is divided among and shared by all members of the governing board, making it administration by committee. Strong, consistent direction depends on maintaining general agreement, which may be difficult at times. “

And the second, according to Upshaw, is the “fact” that “politicians are not necessarily good administrators.”

“Those who are elected may be popular with the voters, but may be amateurs when it comes to running a county or city,” she said.

Town residents also voiced their concerns.

Darryl Johnson called the idea “ridiculous.”

“After the mess we just went through less than two-and-a-half years ago, why in the world would y’all want to change back to this form of government? It was such a mess. I mean, it was ridiculous. And I want an answer. Why? Why would you want to go back to that mess? Because you know you’re

going to have every commissioner on here trying to come down here and tell people what to do,” he said during an insufficiently advertised public hearing on the matter that was “squeezed” onto the board’s agenda the same night notice of that hearing was taped to the front door of Town Hall, in violation of North Carolina Open Meetings Law. “That’s why we got rid of the town administrator and got a town manager. The administrator felt like their job was threatened every day. What makes me think you’re going to do any better of a job?”

But the mayor maintained that because he was the town’s leader, there would not be a problem.

“It all has to do with who is sitting in the seat,” Johnston said. “We want to hear what you all have to say because it does help us make a better decision. Most of you know where I live. We do want to do the will of the people, but at the same time, we’re elected to make decisions on behalf of the town in its best interest. Trust the people you elected.”

Since Bell’s comments were published — and the board subsequently voted to reverse course and maintain the manager form of government — the commissioners, through board member Matt Thomas, have offered public support to Jarman, Biggerstaff, and other town employees. n

Continued from page 14

Pikeville Town Hall

SPECIAL REPORT: PIKEVILLE - PART TWO

JOHNSTON WAS INVESTIGATED BY PIKEVILLE POLICE IN 2022

The two men who allege town mayor destroyed and stole $500 worth of town property were among those he told two town residents in January he was going to fire should his desired change of government happen as part of what he called “Operation Clean Sweep.”

According to a Pikeville Police Department investigation report, two of the men Mayor Garrett Johnston denigrated during a four-hour conversation in January with a pair of town residents that was recorded without his knowledge were involved in a case against him that was submitted to the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office for review two years ago.

The document, obtained by Wayne Week as part of a Freedom of Information Act records request, details allegations made by former town employee Robert “Bobby” Hunt and allegedly corroborated by Police Chief Rodney Jarman via photographs taken of the stolen property.

The mayor, according to the report, was accused of stealing $500 worth of metal from

Dee’s Memorial Park in July 2022. But because he was an elected official, the matter was turned over to the D.A. to determine whether or not formal charges should be filed.

To date, District Attorney Matthew Delbridge has not provided Jarman with marching orders on how to move forward.

The alleged incident, which occurred “on or before” July 13, 2022, was reported by Hunt, and the town property — hundreds of dollars’ worth of pieces of metal from what were, before they were destroyed, bleachers — was located in a trailer and allegedly put there by Johnston.

“Digital evidence was received of the alleged metal inside a trailer on the property,” the report reads. “(Hunt) advised to have witnessed the destruction of the property at an earlier date

and once returning to work noticed the property had been removed.”

Fast-forward to January and Johnston’s conversation with two town residents — a chat that was recorded without his knowledge and sent to Wayne Week — during which, the mayor took aim at both Hunt and Jarman.

In Hunt’s case, the Board of Commissioners was planning, Johnston said, to create a new position — one that would render Hunt’s services obsolete.

“The unicorn is the sewer plant operator director over Public Works. The reason why we’re doing that is because if we hire a director, that gets rid of the supervisor role, which is the guy we’re trying to get rid of,” Johnston said. “We eliminate that position altogether which means he has to apply for a different job within the town or he no

longer has a job.”

And as for Jarman, the mayor called him a “no neck,” “big ass,” “narcissist” — and a “manipulator” who, despite having worked in law enforcement since 2009, was not fit for the position.

“There’s not another agency in Wayne County that will hire him,” the mayor said. “That should say something to you.”

It is unclear if Johnston’s plan to oust Hunt and Jarman was a result of their involvement in the investigation into his alleged destruction — and theft — of town property, as he has declined to speak to Wayne Week since he learned the paper was in possession of an audio recording of his January conversation.

An attempt to reach Delbridge for comment on the status of the investigation was also unsuccessful. n

investigation

The

report that was completed by Police Chief Rodney Jarman and submitted to the Wayne County District Attorney's Office.

Three-peat

For the third year in a row, Wayne Week Editor Ken Fine has been awarded the prestigious North Carolina Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year award. The following photos are among those entered as part of the winning portfolio.

the SPECTATOR

Photos by Ken Fine

Speakers Include:

Hal Weatherman - Lt. Governor Candidate, Larry Pierce - Wayne County Sheriff, Tom Kakadelis - Pastor Ed Goodwin - District 1 State Representative, Norm Sanderson - State Senator Sandy Smith - Local Faith Outreach Leader, Trump Campaign Judge Jeffery Griffin - NC Supreme Court Candidate