Davis, Barfield fire back after Berger says ‘I will come down on you like a hammer on a nail’

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It seems that New Hanover County Commissioner Brian Berger’s tardiness is not just affecting his schedule. Berger was late again today, which caused him to miss a crucial vote that will greatly affect his future on community boards.

At Thursday morning’s New Hanover County Commission meeting, Berger was late and missed his chance to discuss and vote on the consent agenda. It including approving a list of new committee assignments made at thursday’s Agenda Briefing.

After a 4-0 vote, the commission moved on until the open comment section when Berger brought the issue back up.

WATCH THE ENTIRE EXCHANGE BETWEEN BERGER AND BARFIELD AND DAVIS

“If you rip off the tax payers, undermine the rights of all citizens, the constitution, which justly limits the rights of the government and politicians, if you abuse your position, regardless of what position that is, to corrupt government in any way or deceive the people, you will not meet anyone more committed and fearless than I am,” Berger told fellow commissioners. “I will do everything in my power and abilities to come down on you like a hammer on a nail.”

Commissioner Jonathan Barfield shot back. He told Berger his constant tardiness is a major issue that paralyzes his voice and vote.

“It’s incumbent on all of us, Mr. Berger, to show up to our meetings on time,” Barfield said. “And the citizens who watch our meetings, you can go back and look at all of them in our archive, you can see any county commissioner meeting for the past six or eight times or better, commissioner berger walks in late, so I don’t think he’s serving the citizens when he’s not here to vote the items on our agenda because he’s late.”

Chairman Ted Davis also called Berger out saying he needed to be truthful to the public.

“Part of being a good commissioner and someone in the community that they can look at with respect and credence is someone that straightforward and honest,” Davis said.

Davis says Berger scheduled a meeting with him before the Agenda Briefing Thursday. He says Berger never showed and was late to the regularly scheduled meeting.