Telling the truth

By: | Mooresville Tribune
Published: April 21, 2010

Telling the truth

Fred Coggins -- a candidate for the Iredell County Board of Commissioners -- made no secret during a candidates' forum Wednesday night that he believes the late Godfrey Williams and current Commissioner Marvin Norman were negligent in their duties in missing several board meetings due to grave illnesses.
We see it differently.
Both Williams, who died last month after a battle with pancreatic cancer, and Norman, who has successfully overcome serious heart problems, have been dedicated public servants and have been vigilant in attending as many meetings as they could. Commissioner Steve Johnson has never missed a regular meeting in his 16 years on the board.
Instead of honoring their commitment, Coggins has chosen to drag their names through the mud -- along with commissioners Ken Robertson and Scott Keadle -- and is doing so with misinformation and outright lies.
Both Norman and Johnson very gracefully adhered to the rules of the candidate forum prohibiting engaging in debate or dispute with other candidates -- although Coggins' continued insults likely made that a very difficult task.
So we will take this opportunity to make the truth of the situation clear.
The record speaks for itself concerning the dedication shown by the entire board of commissioners. In what can often be a thankless job, they give up much of their time and energy working for the county. Whether you agree with their politics or policies, it is hard to question their commitment.
Williams' legacy, the commissioners and the other candidates for the board -- as well as the voters -- deserve better than what Coggins has been dishing out.
Voters need only listen to Coggins' statements to get a clear picture of the kind commissioner he would be. That should make decisions at the ballot box easier for all in the May 4 primary.

To see a video of the candidate forum, visit www.statesville.com this afternoon.

Telling the truth

Share This:

More from this channel:

Reader Comments

Deal of the Day

Most Popular

More Ways to Connect

Snap Photos