Bald Head Island residents call for manager to go

BALD HEAD ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — Bald Head Island residents pointed fingers at village management during a village meeting today.

After nine public safety officers were disciplined recently, including five who were fired, for personnel matters, residents say they want to see change in leadership.

There was a full house at the Bald Head Island council meeting

“One comment said, “We need to ask the right questions,” Resident Marilyn Ridgeway said.

Ridgeway says she came asking questions for several concerned residents. That concern, she says, lies in the village’s manager Calvin Peck.

“Because he has an agenda and he wants to be in control,” Ridgeway said. “He’s not a leader. He’s a boss. It’s my way or the highway.”

Ridgeway handed the council a packet she says is full of examples where Peck has broken the personnel policy.

“There are too many for me to list,” Ridgeway said.

Ridgeway says this is the third time she has brought this issue to the table in the last two years. She says she never gets a response.

“Calvin doesn’t have to speak to people,” Ridgeway said. “You’ve understood that. He doesn’t speak to people. He doesn’t speak to citizens either.”

So, she left the meeting with one last question.

“I’m tired of being asked, Why don’t they just fire the village manager?” Ridgeway said. “That is our last question.”

That decision is up to the council.

“They have to make some decisions,” Ridgeway said. “Do they think this administration is salvageable? I personally don’t think it is.”

He won’t respond to the media either. Today Peck refused to talk to WWAY. The members of the Village Council also hurried out of the meeting without talking, just as they did at the meeting in September 2012 when Ridgeway first raised issues about Peck. A village spokeswoman said she would not talk on camera because her hair did not look good.