I would like to thank State Auditor Beth Wood and her staff for their hard work in today’s audit that found misappropriations of funds in East Laurinburg. In addition, I am asking the North Carolina General Assembly to immediately decharter East Laurinburg.
Nearly six months ago the Local Government Commission – made up of myself, the State Auditor, Secretary of State, Secretary of Revenue and others appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tempore – passed a unanimous resolution asking that the town be dechartered. This occurred before the findings by Auditor Wood and her staff.
There is no transparency, governance or audits of taxpayers’ money in the town of East Laurinburg. In fact, in next month’s election no one has filed for three vacancies in government including the mayor and two open Town Council seats.
I’ve been a motorcycle mechanic for over 53 years and there is no tool in anyone’s toolbox that can fix East Laurinburg. It needs to be dechartered immediately and local law enforcement needs to pursue the auditor’s recommendations.