By Leanne Cloudman

Staff Reporter

Lcloudman@yadkinripple.com

Rumors are running rampant in Yadkin County. One of the biggest topics of conversation at the moment is, who went to the state for help? How many people are supporting this? Can they really make a recall election happen? There is speculation about whether there was a specific target among the commissioners and if so, who the target may be.

All the commotion is over a bill introduced in the North Carolina House of Represen-tatives by Representative Darrell McCormick that could lead to a recall election in Yadkin County.

The Yadkin County Commissioners voted 3-2 on Wednesday, March 25, to send a resolution to Representative Darrell McCormick opposing the legislation.

Board chairman Chad Wagoner was adamant that this legislation be stopped.

“If we sit back and passively allow bad legislation to go through, it looks bad on the county,” he said. “Typically, legislation on a local level comes from a local board and then the state’s help is requested, not the other way around; in particular, when it does not have the backing of the majority of the local board.”

Commissioner Tommy Garner considers this a vendetta.

“I campaigned on the promise to do what was best for the majority of the people of Yadkin County. Since I’ve been elected I feel like I have done exactly that in the decisions that I have made, ‘though many of the decisions that have been made were opposed by some who are very vocal,” he said. “ I have voted for things that will move the county forward. In order to accomplish this, it has been necessary to make financial commitments.”

Commissioner David Moxley sees a recall election as being another cost to Yadkin County.

“The Board of Elections would have to give us an exact amount,” he said. “Anything right now that is pulling the county apart, we don’t need. In the current economy, we need to pull together.”

Commissioners Brady Wooten and Kevin Austin voted against sending the resolution to the state.

“I think we need to stay out of it,” said Wooten. “If the people want a recall election, I have no problem with that. This is part of the democratic process. The citizens have the right to hold their elected officials accountable and I don’t think we should do anything that would take that away from them.”

“As chairman of the Yadkin County Republican Party, I will say that the recall movement has not originated from within our party organization,” said Austin. “I do feel, however, that a majority of Yadkin County citizens support such an idea.

“People are very mad and frustrated that there is nothing currently that can be done to remove elected officials who they believe are failing to represent them,” he said. “Personally, I feel there should be a statewide recall provision, but without that in place, a local bill is the only option.”

Wagoner believes the bill will put an additional burden on the taxpayers. This could potentially affect the entire board in the near future.”