Soon we won’t have Penny Rich to kick around anymore. In yesterday’s primary, 
Rich edged out county commissioner incumbent Pam Hemminger and came in second behind Mark Dorosin. Because no Republican candidate is running for a seat on the Board of County Commissioners, Rich and Dorosin will fill the two open seats come December.
A volunteer handing out Dorosin and Rich postcards (I won’t use his name because I didn’t tell him I’d quote him) said he was tired of the current commissioners allowing the county manager to lead them around by the rings in their noses. We’ll grant you that Rich probably doesn’t let anyone lead her around by any of her jewelry. Watching the fireworks of Rich and Orange County manager Frank Clifton battle for power will be more entertaining than anything the town can come up with for the July 4th shows it plans to resume.
Rich’s departure will leave an open seat on Town Council. Chapel Hill residents who want a shot at it must notify the town in writing that they’d like to be considered. Each applicant will address Town Council at a meeting in November, and the Town will vote on who will finish out Rich’s term.
Despite a valiant effort by Orange County voters to keep the state from embarrassing itself, voters across the state came out 3 to 2 in favor of the state’s first constitutional amendment, a shrill screed that defines narrowly who can and can’t enjoy the benefits and protections of marriage. Voters in Orange County voted more than 4 to 1 against Amendment One. Same sex couples married in one of the eight states or the District of Columbia that have laws on the books allowing marriage between people of the same gender must surrender their marriage licenses at the border. Though Amendment One can’t stop people from falling in love, making a lifelong commitment to one another and creating a family together, it can prevent businesses from offering benefits to spouses of workers who don’t fit North Carolina’s narrow definition. Thus the amendment is expected to have a negative effect on our state economy because companies will be averse to setting up shop in a state that discriminates against some of their talent.
It almost makes you want to move to Arizona.
– Nancy Oates
CitizenWill
/ May 9, 2012Nancy, do you know for sure it will be an appointment instead of a special election?
PhSledge
/ May 9, 2012Oh, surely we can still find ways to kick Penny Rich around. I bet we won’t even have to try very hard to find a reason.Give her sometime and she’ll provide us with more of her self-branded ignorance and nonsense, only now in a larger arena.
Nancy Oates
/ May 9, 2012Rich and Dorosin will be on the ballot in November and will be up against only write-in candidates. But unless a write-in candidate gets more votes than either Rich or Dorosin, the two will take office the first week in December.
Jason
/ May 9, 2012Hopefully Penny will be Mexican resort vacation tanned and ready to CATER to the needs of OC while driving and talking on her phone.
Fred Black
/ May 9, 2012Special election? What’s that?
CH II, Code of Ordinaces
Sec. 2.3. – Vacancies in elected offices.
If any elected town officer shall fail or refuse to be qualified, or if there is a vacancy in any elective town office after qualification, or if the holder of any such office be unable to discharge the duties of the office, then such vacancy shall be provided in the following manner:
…
(2)
A vacancy occurring on the council, which occurs during the period beginning with the first day of the four year term of office and ending three days before the end of the filing period for that office as provided by the General Statutes shall be filled by appointment of the town council only until the next general municipal election at which time a member shall be elected to the remainder of said unexpired term. The candidate receiving the fifth highest number of votes (and if necessary the 6th, 7th and 8th highest number) following those elected for full four-year terms, shall be declared elected for the remainder of the unexpired term. A vacancy occurring on the council, which occurs at any other time shall be filled by appointment of the town council for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(Acts 1979, Ch. 1107, § 1; Acts 1981, Ch. 911, § 7; Acts 1995)
DOM
/ May 9, 2012Let’s just hope the council selects someone with a longstanding commitment to helping the community – and ISN’T a career politician.
CitizenWill
/ May 9, 2012Thanks Fred for clarifying. I was thinking it was “next election” not “next general municipal election”.
Stephanie
/ May 10, 2012HMMMM… I hate to let you know but gays and lesbians are prohibited from getting married here in Arizona as well.
Nancy Oates
/ May 10, 2012Fair enough. How about moving to Iowa, the red state that allows same-sex marriage?
JJW
/ May 11, 2012I don’t believe there is any law in NC or Arizona that states a male homosexual can not marry a woman. Therefore, gays and lesbians are not prohibited from getting married, and have the same rights as any other adult in these states.
What is prohibited is a man marrying another man or a woman marrying another woman.
Just trying to be precise in the use of the language.