Date: Sun, 6 May 2018 15:33:08 -0400
From: eleanor smith
Subject: RE: Signs and the Race for Sheriff of Chatham County
When you mess up you should fess up.
The Crutchfield campaign violated the Pittsboro political sign permit by installing signs larger than 12 square feet.
Based on campaign financial reports that can be viewed publicly, both campaigns paid for sign permits in Pittsboro, so neither campaign one can plead ignorance of the rules.
The campaign for Sheriff by Pittsboro Police Chief Crutchfield did in fact violate the policy and neither his campaign nor the Town of Pittsboro rectified the simple violation.
The campaign should have moved the signs to areas that were permitted in the County.
End of story.
Instead, tt seems to this old soul that the Crutchfield campaign doubled down on recalcitrance and that the Town stood by and did nothing.
I wonder if a citizen or business owner would receive the same consideration for their simple violations?
On another note, this situation made me a lot more interested in the race for Sheriff and I gotta say that I do not understand why a sitting Chief, who was supported for his job by the current Sheriff Mike Roberson and predecessor Sheriff Webster, would run against the people whom he worked with and who helped him obtain his current position.
In my time we had colorful terms for such actions, but I guess today it has become ok to bite the hand that feeds you.
I have asked folks why Mr. Crutchfield wants the job and what I get in response is that this is his dream job.
Well that is nice, but it says nothing about policing practice, policy or a vision for the future.
Of course since the Sheriff can hire and fire deputies and staff at will, I imagine that this race is really about a jobs program for former deputies and others in the area who are no longer with the department.
Again, not a reason for the citizens of Chatham to change horses.
Eleanor