Pender County resident calls for civility among commissioners during tense meeting

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — A Pender County resident is calling for unity and civility among county commissioners following months of controversy, division and heightened security at board meetings.

At Monday night’s Pender County Board of Commissioners meeting, 79-year-old Charles Schoonmaker addressed the board, criticized the treatment of Commissioner Jimmy Tate, and urged members to reflect on their actions.

“I’m speaking tonight on improving relations with each other, especially you commissioners,” Schoonmaker said. “There have been people who have dragged Dr. Tate through the mud. Attacked his businesses, attacked him personally. And we don’t need that here in Pender County. You can move to Washington if you’d like. You’d fit right in.”

Tate was absent from Monday’s meeting due to a personal family emergency.

In recent weeks, Tate has faced scrutiny surrounding an investigation into the finances of the Mount Calvary Center for Leadership Development. He was also been the target of an online cyberbullying attack that included the words “Hang him.”

The controversy has led to increased security measures, including metal detectors outside commissioners’ meetings and Tate hiring his own security.

Speaking with WWAY on Tuesday, Schoonmaker said he felt compelled to defend Tate against what he believes have been unfair attacks.

“It just wasn’t fair,” Schoonmaker said. “The lawsuits that they have brought against him, the state attorney general’s office coming into play, it’s OK to be upset and argue and fuss and cuss, but you don’t fight a man’s income. You have to have some civility in life.”

During his public comments Monday, Schoonmaker asked commissioners to take a moment to consider how their actions have affected Tate and the county.

“I would like, especially the board members, to just sit there for a few seconds and reflect on what you have done, not only to Doctor Tate but to the county as a whole,” Schoonmaker said. “So take a few seconds just to look inside your heart. And I’ll wait.”

What followed was more than a minute of silence.

“The silence was deafening, and also silence is golden,” Schoonmaker said afterward.

He told WWAY he believed his message resonated with others in attendance, including members of the audience, county staff and some commissioners.

“You can learn a lot by not saying a lot, and I recognize that quite a few people there, behind me in the audience, the staff. Some of the commissioners, they took it to heart, and I felt very encouraged knowing that they dealt with reality.”

He added that he noticed people nodding in agreement and received positive feedback following his remarks.

“When I did look back to the audience and hold my face out that direction so I could see their reaction, there were a lot of positive feelings that I could see. A lot of head nodding and affirmation that I had spoken something, and a lot of people today have said, you spoke the truth, you nailed it, wish you’d have done it sooner.”

As he concluded his comments, Schoonmaker encouraged residents to attend future commissioners’ meetings, particularly when a new board takes office.

With my remaining 30 seconds. I would encourage everyone to be at the next Commissioners’ meeting and, for God’s sake, please come to the following County Commissioners meeting when we will see a new board. New people, new ideas, and hopefully some civility.”

He also had one final request for commissioners.

“I don’t want to have to go through a metal detector again.”

Following November’s election, three new members are expected to join the Pender County Board of Commissioners, a change Schoonmaker said he is looking forward to.