Comment: A tale of two towns

Southern Shores and Nags Head have always been different political animals. For over a decade Southern Shores politics has been punctuated by fractiousness and volatility. By contrast, Nags Head government has been relatively peaceful, with stable town managers and town commissioners who were able to avoid open factions and deep divisions.

Southern Shores continued its tradition with the recent firing of Town Manager Charles Read, who served barely two years as manager. His predecessor, Carl Classen, served about two years before he was removed in what amounted to a 3-2 vote by the Town Council. Classen was not a favorite of then-Mayor Don Smith, while Read was seen as a Smith ally. Newly elected Mayor Hal Denny was not a fan of the Smith administration or his allies, so Read had to go.

The long-time battle between Smith and Denny has had a direct effect on the town manager situation. Under urban government theory, town managers serve at the “pleasure of the council.” They are full-time managers of the bureaucratic machine — elected councils tend to be composed of people with daytime jobs. In addition, they add continuity to project management as council members come and go in the election cycle.

A case can be made for managers serving too long, but in Southern Shores, the constant changes represent a dysfunctional political system. Examples such as the failed canal dredging project are the type of issues that demand administrative continuity.

In Nags Head, the town has always prided itself on stability and consensus. Board of Commissioner votes were not always unanimous, and sometimes the board disagreed with the town manager. But Webb Fuller was manager for 23 years, and while an interim manager lasted only a short while, Cliff Ogburn appears to be settled in. Mayors Bob Muller and Renee Cahoon presided over relatively friendly boards of commissioners.

Lately though, Nags Head is starting to resemble its northern neighbor. In November 2009, Commissioner Bob Oakes defeated incumbent Cahoon for the elective office of mayor. Three months later, the Board of Commissioners, over the sole objection of its new mayor, filled Oakes’ unexpired board seat with his defeated opponent, Renee Cahoon.

At the Feb. 3, 2010 Board of Commissioners meeting, the situation appeared to deteriorate further. First, Commissioner Wayne Gray publically chastised the mayor for “not communicating” with his board members. The board then proceeded to overrule Oakes on a routine reappointment of a Planning Board member, replacing a well thought-of incumbent with a new member. Commissioners continued the rebellion by tacking onto Oakes’ proposal for funding beach nourishment a controversial and politically unpopular call for reinstatement of a county 1 percent sales tax. Once again, Oakes expressed opposition, and once again the commissioners ignored him.

Voters in Nags Head must be wondering why they bothered to change mayors if the Board of Commissioners seems bound and determined to challenge him on a regular basis. Voters in Southern Shores may be used to this type of government, but Nags Head residents are not.

It seems both towns need to get their political houses in order, and quickly. There are issues aplenty throughout the county, and none of them has obvious or easy solutions. Petty in-fighting and power plays will not help Dare County work though the tough issues that are before all its elected officials.

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