Onslow filing off to slow start

The first day of municipal filing had a smaller turnout than expected.

Four people filed Monday for available seats in the Onslow County municipal elections in November. The filing period closes at noon on July 17.

The rainy weather conditions may have affected the filing turnout, said Rose Whitehurst, director of the Onslow County Board of Elections.

"It's less than we thought we would have for today," she said.

Jacksonville City Council members Alva Williams and Jerome Willingham filed to retain their seats as did North Topsail Beach Mayor Donald Martin.

Robert Warden, a member of the Jacksonville Planning Board, filed for an at-large seat.

Warden said he decided to run for office because he was born and raised in Jacksonville and has been active in city government as a former member of the Water and Sewer Advisory Board and a current member of the Planning Board.

"I've always had an interest in the City of Jacksonville and city government and have had a desire for a while to run and just felt like the timing was right," he said. "I just would love to be a part of continuing the growth and the well being of the City of Jacksonville."

Warden said he plans to campaign based on his life experiences.

"I've been in the private business world for most of my life, and I know how important watching your pennies and your nickels and dimes are; and I just feel like I've got something to offer the city as far as some experiences," he said.

Martin said he plans to campaign on subjects he's supported in the past including lowering taxes and beach nourishment.

"I got an early start to make sure everybody knows what I'm trying to do," he said.

Williams said she wanted to file on the first day because she believes "in laying your cards on the table."

"It has taken us this long to start to recover from the actions of the previous council's wasteful spending of your tax dollars," she said in a written statement to The Daily News. "If this election hinges on the firing of the city manager, then I say elect candidates who will re-hire the city manager and waste your tax dollars. It was the former city council who signed an open contract with the $90,000 severance agreement that this council had to honor."

Willingham said this time around he plans to campaign on the same items he ran on before and has always supported, such as preserving the residential integrity of the Bell Fork community, improving recreation in Jacksonville and bringing waterfront access to Georgetown.

 "The things I ran on before were to bring certain improvements to the city within the parameters of good financial management," he said. "There are things that I want to continue."

Contact Molly DeWitt at 910-219-8455 or mdewitt@freedomenc.com.