NHC Commissioner speaks out against county’s DEI office and policies

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County Commissioners have started working on their 2026 budget and one commissioner wants to eliminate an entire department from that budget.

During the January 21st New Hanover County Commissioners meeting, the board discussed the Commission on African American History, Heritage, and Culture’s request to declare the day as a National Day of Racial Healing.

Commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of the request, with Commissioner Dane Scalise the one dissenting vote.

“I believe many of our proclamations and resolutions of late are misguided and inappropriate for our public work,” Scalise said.

He read from a prepared statement about his issues with both the proclamation and the county’s Office of Diversity and Equity.

Scalise said the office and its policies have negatively affected the county and that he will not support any more similar proclamations and suggested policies.

“We have gone far a field of what we should be focused on and are losing sight of our primary responsibilities to our citizens. We should not allow a race-based and legally dubious ideology to yield the power of the county. As such moving forward, I plan to vote no on all such proclamations and resolutions that are not directly related to the county’s most fundamental work.”

Fellow commissioner Rob Zapple voiced his support for the proclamation during the meeting and said the county needed to continue to help the community help from a dark part of its history.

“As a community, we are still struggling to provide an equal education to all of our children,” Zapple said. “So a proclamation that urges racial healing and affirms the inherent value of all people seems both right and appropriate way to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

A spokesperson for New Hanover County sent WWAY a statement that said:

“The New Hanover County Office of Diversity and Equity works to ensure all residents can access core government services by removing barriers, improving engagement, and enhancing service delivery. The office leads efforts in language access, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, workforce engagement, community outreach, and policy guidance to help departments better serve the county’s population. Through collaboration with county agencies and community partners, it supports initiatives that address public health, economic stability, and access to essential services. These efforts align with the county’s shared values of professionalism, equity, innovation, integrity, stewardship, and accountability, ensuring all residents can effectively engage with county services.”

WWAY reached out to Commissioner Scalise on Thursday, but he declined to speak with us.