Hello. I'm new to this site but would like to express my views about the people running for Mitchell County Commissioner.

I'm backing Keith Masters because I feel like he has the most expertise in handling the County's affairs and money. I have been very impressed with him at the Commissioner meetings. I've been to other meetings held by provious Boards and, I must say, he handles the meetings much more professionally than any other Chairman I've watched.

I understand Keith has had experience in dealing with big sums of money and authority from the job he had. I like someone who can make a decision without having to "table" it until the next meeting. I think this is why the Commissioner meetings have gone as well as they have and accomplished as much as they have.

Are there others of you that feel the same way? Let's talk.

I bet FIDEL CASTRO and CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH have a lot of experience with governmental affairs and money as well. As far as what he did in his previous job, who care!!! This election is about what he has done in the past 4 years. I voted for him 4 years ago basically because I didn't know who else was running, but I will not make that mistake again. This time I'm voting for Patrick Phillips.

Wow!! A car salesman for Commissioner. I can't wait for him to get a hold of our fund balance!!!!

What has Keith done over the last 4 years that has made you so unhappy? He's helped get Mitchell County over $5,000,000 in the fund balance, he and his fellow "Good Guys" have brought about a new EDC that will be aggressively searching for good hard jobs for us, he and his "Good Guys" have given us a small tax break among other things. I don't remember any other Board having done as much for us in the same time_frame_. I'm not for Ken H. or Phil Byrd cause I don't think they've really had Mitchell County's interests at heart. Phil can't wait for all the tourists to get into Mitchell County so he can sell them land and make our property taxes go up. Ken H. used to stand up with Keith on the last Board when it was them against Bill B., Billy S. and Harry A. but now, he doesn't know who he's standing with or where he is . I'm not real sure about the ladies running, are you?

Lets see of this $5,000,000 ... When Bill Slagle let our County fund balance was over $4,000,000 and the closing of mental health added over $500,000 to the balance. So interest over 2 years... WHAT HAS KEITH GIVEN US.
Since all of this money is available I can't understand why county employees couldn't get a raise and our school building are in such horrible shape. I'll trade in that EDC that "will" for the real EDC that did agressively seek new jobs and brought 300 jobs in with Genesis and another 250 coming this summer with Spruce Pine LLC. If this new group can accomplish 25% of what the current EDC has done over the past 3 years maybe this will be ok. But I really doubt it after they ticked of the Chamber of Commerce and the 400 business in the county that make up its membership.

As far as the ladies running for County Commisioner Lisa Sparks is on the Town Council in Bakersville and I think she has done pretty well there. I don't know much about Biddix (but she has not done well in past elections.) I have heard "Pink" speak at 2 different events but she has been very unspecific about her stands on issues or ideas. She does seem not to be on either side when it comes to recent conflicts and just like Ken Holifield I think that might really hurt her. Pink also seems more interested in John Wilson for sherriff that in being commisioner herself. In face I'm told she said that at the county republican convention. She also had 1/2 a page complaining about her Ex husband on the John Wilson's web page before they took it down. I think she will do better than expected but right now that expectation seems very low.

I am really concerned about how decisions are being made in this county by the current board. I think everything is pre-decided by three of them before they come into a meeting and then no discsussions of any real merit is allowed. As the Chairman goes around the room, two of them just repeat what the chairman says and sometime four of them. This is not democracy this is just plain not in the interest of good open government. I am so disappointed in Keith Masters. It is his way or the highway. He ran on open government and good government and saving tax payers money. It seems to me he is costing more tax dollars by the way he is doing things. compared to four years ago, how much is their attorney fee? When the Community of Penland project was pulled, was it because one of the commissioners was promised twenty votes by one of the people protesting? That was three hundred jobs and a increase of thousands of dollars in tax money. MaSTERS HAS EARNED HIS LIVING AND HIS RETIREMENT BY WORKING FOR GOVERNMENT. He has no business experience.