Election 2010
Barbara Garrity-Blake
Candidate for State Senate
Barbara Garrity-Blake teaches anthropology for Mount Olive College and
runs a small
business with her husband. She has been long involved in
fisheries and
public access issues, serving as Governor-appointee to the state Marine
Fisheries Commission for three terms and spearheading the working waterfront
initiative (SB 646). She is a member of Carteret Catch Advisory Board and
co-founder of the Gloucester Mardi Gras. She organized the NC Humanities
Council-supported program “Raising the Story of Menhaden Fishing” and has
written two books.
"I am qualified to represent the citizens of Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico counties because I am not a career politician, but a long-time member of this community with first-hand experience of many of the issues we face. I have raised a family here; I work as an educator and run a small boat-building business with my husband. I love this area, made up of hard-working, independent people who want to make an honest living and provide for their families. But I have seen our region decline – jobs are disappearing, the workplace is over-regulated, and people are falling on hard times! I am running for the NC Senate against Jean Preston, a long-term incumbent, because I cannot stand by as our communities decline, and as urban powers to the west gain undo influence over eastern North Carolina and threaten to drain away our resources. I know I can provide the effective leadership and fresh energy that we need to meet these challenges. I will work hard to find innovative ways to bring people together and make government work for our citizens, so that we can realize the great potential of our area and get people working again in Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties!"
Visit Barbara Garrity-Blake's Website OR Email Barbara Garrity-Blake
Craig Lewis
Clerk of Court
Full name: Howard Craig Lewis
Office seeking: Clerk of Superior Court
Address: 1602 Shepard Street, Morehead City, NC
I was born July 10, 1954 in Carteret County and raised in the community of Harkers Island. I have long family roots in Eastern Carteret County.
I graduated from East Carteret High School in June l972. I have served as Deputy Clerk & Assistant Clerk of Court under two former clerk’s Mary Austin and Darlene Leonard. I was appointed Clerk of Superior Court on September 1, 2009 by the Honorable Benjamin G. Alford to fill the unexpired term held by Darlene Leonard.
The Clerk of Superior Court is a Constitutional Office and the hub at the center of all judicial proceedings in each of the 100 counties in the State of North Carolina. The Clerk of Superior Court is vital to the local administration of justice and is a complex and diverse position. The Clerk of Superior Court is solely responsible for the retention, management and integrity of every case filed in the General Court of Justice in North Carolina.
The Clerk of Superior Court has five main responsibilities: (1) As Judge of Probate, the clerk has exclusive original jurisdiction over matters relating to the probate of wills and administration of estates, including appointing personal representatives, auditing those representatives, and removing them from office if necessary. The clerk also presides over many other legal matters including adoptions, competence and guardianship proceedings, legitimations, names changes, condemnation of private land for public use, partitions of property, foreclosures and many civil hearing.
(2) As record keeper, the Clerk of Court is responsible for filing processing, indexing, and maintaining every piece of paper filed each year. All lawsuits, civil actions, criminal proceedings or other matters brought before the court are filed in the Clerk’s Office e. These records must be secured and maintained in a safe place. (3) As Comptroller, the Clerk of Superior Court is responsible for receiving, investing, and distribution of millions of dollars each year the come from court fees, traffic citations, fines and other related activity. (4) As administrator, the clerk is charged with performing multiple ministerial acts such as the issuance of summons, setting up court file, docketing and indexing. As leader in my office I supervise 22 employees. There are six divisions (criminal, civil, juvenile, special proceedings, estates, and bookkeeping) with Assistant Clerks, Deputy Clerk and a Bookkeeper that staff the divisions.
The NC Clerk of Court proudly serve the citizens in their counties, lead their individual office teams and cultivate positive relationships in each community across the state.
I have attended numerous courses and seminars sponsored by the Administrative Office of the Court in leadership, estates, guardianships, and adoptions and other function of the Clerk’s Office. My experience and dedication to the office of Clerk of Superior Court and to the citizens of Carteret County qualifies me as a good candidate for the position. I believe that my ability to be fair and non-judgmental; my ability to listen and understand problems of those who utilize the court system makes me a good candidate to continue serving as clerk. The employees of the clerk’s office have and are in process of being cross-trained. My office has become one out of 88 counties in the state to implement and use the NCAWARE warrant repository system. NCAWARE gives us a newly designed computer database which protects law enforcement officers and the public by providing the information needed to take dangerous, habitual criminals off the street. Pay NC Ticket has also been implemented. This will enable the public to pay certain tickets on line.
For many years, the Carteret County Clerk of Superior Court’s office has
consistently been one of the most efficient, competent, and well-run clerk’s
offices in the entire state. The clerk’s office has continued to perform to
a high level of proficiency and professionalism under Craig Lewis’s
leadership.
The Clerks of Superior Court must have a keen knowledge of the laws that
govern all the duties of his office. He must know how to use the General
Statutes in looking up the laws. He must be aware of the many changes that
are made in the laws each time the Legislature meets. Each time the
Legislature meets the changes in the laws affecting the Clerk of Superior
Court is greater than any other part of the Court System.
Contact phone - 252-342-2929
Wade Nelms
Commissioner
Carteret County, Dist. 2
Greetings constituents and fellow taxpayers,
I am County Commissioner Wade Nelms, your elected commissioner from
District 2 in Carteret County. As we approach Nov. 2nd, please take just a
moment of your time to allow me to ask for your continued support over the
next four years.
Four years ago, I promised that I would treat all citizens with dignity and respect and be a voice for the people and not just special interests in Carteret County. I have worked hard on behalf of the citizens, and while I have been outspoken about open government and conflicts of interest, I have voted conservatively with the Board to keep your tax rate at 23 cents per $100 of valuation since 2007. I have also strongly endorsed moving forward with the current tax reval, but demanded values and schedules that fairly value property across the county.
My opponent Bill Smith says he wants smaller government and common sense. He has not explained how he plans to accomplish that, but has only said, “I’m not a politician.” I am not a politician either. I am a humble public servant of the people with a proven four year record of service.
In an interview with the Carteret County News-Times, my opponent said he
does contract work for current Commissioner Pat Joyce. His wife is employed
by Joyce and Associates, owned by Pat Joyce. How could he believe the people
would vote to endorse a continuing dynasty of special interests and
conflicts of interest?
I do not have that conflict of interest! I owe no allegiance to Pat Joyce or
any other politician.
As I have talked with constituents over the past couple of years, they have
called me, “the voice of reason for Carteret County.” I am honored by that
compliment and with your vote of confidence on Nov. 2nd; I will continue to
be “the voice of reason” for the citizens of Carteret County.
Best regards and God bless,
Wade Nelms
Commissioner Wade Nelms
Carteret County, Dist. 2
P. O. Box 818
Newport, NC 28570