FRANKLIN COUNTY
REPUBLICAN PARTY
101 WEST NASH STREET
P.O. BOX 909
LOUISBURG, NORTH CAROLINA 27549
(919) 496-1469
www.FranklinNCGOP.com
March 18, 2011
2011 County Convention Highlights
Neal: Take Over
the Board of Commissioners in 2012
Elected
at
March
18,
2011
County
Convention:
Standing,
left
to
right:
Chairman
Jeremy
Neal,
1st
Vice
Chairman
Frank Deatrich,
2nd
Vice
Chairman
Stephen
Phillips;
Sitting,
left
to
right:
Secretary
Stephanie
Ciaramitaro
and
Treasurer
Janet
Barabasz.
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, above and
below, at convention.
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers was the keynote speaker at the annual Franklin
County Republican Party's convention held at the Hobgood Courthouse Annex in
Louisburg on March 18, 2011. Also, elected officials and candidates spoke,
resolutions were adopted, officers and at-large candidates were elected, and
delegates were elected to go to the state GOP convention in June in Wilmington.
Former Franklin County Republican Chairman Larry Norman presided over the
convention.
Ellmers told the 61 delegates and 21 guests that the GOP will press to have
continuing resolutions to keep government's doors open. She said H.R. 1 was
passed which is $100 billion in debt of inefficient duplicate programs and more
accountability is needed in Washington.
The number one spending issue is entitlements, but Medicare will not be
affected, Ellmers said. "We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem," she
added.
The Republican leadership is preserving the America we know for our children and
grandchildren, she said. In 2012, Ellmers said, we need a Republican majority in
the Senate and a conservative Republican in the White House.
Don Lancaster
"It was not a cheap trick on a special election," said Commissioner Don
Lancaster. He, commissioners Harry Foy and David Bunn voted for the special
election to allow the voters to choose the next sheriff due to the abrupt
resignation of Democrat Pat Green in January. He had just started his second
term when he resigned.
Lancaster also supports voter identification, which Democratic Socialists of
America and Progressive Caucus member Sen. Doug Berger opposes.
"We've got a great opportunity for 2012," said Lancaster. He said that we need
to get in front of the young people and tell them the truth.
Glen Bradley
State Rep. Glen Bradley of Youngsville said we had Democrats ruling us for 140
years, but thanks to the voters in Franklin County and elsewhere history was
made. Now the Republicans control both the state House and Senate.
Bradley mentioned several bills he sponsored and voted for and said he voted yes
on stopping municipalties on forced annexation. He also filed House Bill 65
which exempts North Carolina farmers from federal guidelines. He also sponsored
H.B. 241, the Firearms Freedom Act which means that firearms manufactured in
North Carolina would be exempt from federal firearms rules.
Bradley also said we need to replace Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue with a
Republican governor in 2012; need more Republicans in the legislature to
override Perdue's vetoes; and need more Republicans in Congress.
David Bunn
Commissioner David Bunn said he is the newest member of the board and will try
to what is right with the citizens' input. He said there are going to be some
tough issues and "put the train back on the tracks."
He also said we need more jobs in the county for our children and that the
county needs to be seen in a positive light.
Dan Forest, running for lieutenant governor, said new leadership and
conservative leadership is needed in Raleigh. He said a new president is needed
in the White House in 2013, but everything starts at the grassroots level. He
warned that every seven seconds our national debt grows $1 million.
Michael Schriver, who ran against Doug Berger for Senate in 2010, said: "We've
got the ball rolling. It's our job to do what we need to do."
He also said to keep the vigor going and recruit new leadership. Schriver plans
to run for Berger's seat again in 2012.
Wake County Commissioner Tony Gurley said he is running for lieutenant governor
next year. He said that he will be conservative and help the state be more
fiscally conservative if he wins.
Jeremy and Shea Neal
County GOP Chairman Jeremy Neal said this has been his first two years as
chairman and that he has enjoyed serving. He presented the Chairman's Award to
his wife, Shea, for all of her help behind the scenes with politics and being a
good mother. Earlier in the evening, Jackson Neal, their son, gave the
invocation.
Larry Norman
Neal went on to say that Larry Norman helped start the Franklin GOP, and Norman
said that "tonight ought to be a celebration! We won everything (2010)! This
party stands for good and open government. Norman also mentioned past chairmen
who helped build up the GOP and said if it was not for them and party loyalists
we would not be where we are now.
Vernon Robinson
Vernon Robinson, who campaigned for Brad Miller's 13th congressional seat in
2008, spoke at the convention because if Franklin County becomes the 13th
District (due to redistricting) that he wants the county's votes if he runs in
2012.
"Jesse Helms is back. This time he's black," said Robinson to a roaring
laughter. He said the GOP needs to go to black churches as they support the
Marriage Amendment (one man to one woman), explain to the churches that 400,000
black babies are aborted each year and that blacks should have school choice.
By acclamation, the report of the Committee on Credentials by committee
Chairperson Dianna Lee, report of the Committee on Rules by committee Chairman
Steven Buescher, report of the Committee on Plan of Organization by committee
Chairman Danny Pearce, and report on the Committee on Resolutions by committee
Chairperson Stephanie Ciaramitaro were adopted.
The resolutions adopted were: "No cap on number of charter schools," in honor of
former GOP Chairman Astor Bowden, in honor of Mrs. Bobbi Carnes, in honor of
Mrs. Chris Bartley, in honor of Mrs. Alice Mayes and in honor of Alvin Faulkner
-- all who passed away since the March 2009 County Convention.
By acclamation, Jeremy Neal was re-elected as chairman; Frank Deatrich was
elected as 1st vice chairman; Stephen Phillips and Bobby Cooper ran for 2nd vice
chairman, with Phillips winning; by acclamation Stephanie Ciaramitaro was
re-elected as secretary; and Janet Barabasz was re-elected as treasurer.
Members at-large that were elected: John Edwards, Nita Mahoney, Bobby Cooper,
William (Woody) Woodland, Michael Schriver, Dave
Goetze,
David Lee, Yvonne Mizzelle and Don Wright.
Jeremy Neal
Chairman Jeremy Neal concluded the convention by saying it had been a pleasure
being chairman for the last two years and it has been a great time being
chairman. This time, he said, we need to take Democratic Commissioner Sidney
Dunston's, Robert Lee Swanson's and Shane Mitchell's seats away from them in
2012.
"We'll deliver and win," Neal added.