Perhaps it was simply a lapse in judgment — a case of the Mondays that resulted in a vote that can be characterized as both out of touch and counterintuitive.
But David Ham’s lone “no” when it came to the question of funding a $10,000 contribution to the upcoming Dillard-Goldsboro Alumni Homecoming weekend wasn’t the worst part.
The mayor’s rationale, ripe with contradiction, is what really left people scratching their heads.
So, let’s rewind to earlier in the Goldsboro City Council’s pre-meeting work session — to a discussion about potential funding for non-profit organizations.
The basic premise here is that every year, the council appropriates tax dollars to non-profits that are active in the community. Everyone from the United Way and Wayne County Museum to the Arts Council of Wayne County and Boys & Girls Club have benefitted from this practice.
Some have argued that individual residents should be the ones to make the decision about whether to give their money to such organizations — that the government should not make that call for them with their taxes.
But others, including those council members who continue to be elected after making such decisions on their constituents’ behalf, feel strongly that supporting these groups is good for the city.
Councilwoman Brandi Matthews noted that it seems the same organizations get funded every year — leaving out up-and-comers who are making a difference, but need more money to increase the scale of their service.
The reason is because those traditionally funded groups have been properly vetted and have shown results year in and year out — justifying the expenditure.
And when Ham and others said so, via a vote where they struck down Ms. Matthews’ recommendation that certain stipulations be lifted to give the “little guy” non-profits what she characterized as a fair shake, it seemed reasonable.
But the truth is, the “right” thing to do lies somewhere in the middle.
New non-profits that have shown results, including several mentioned by Ms. Matthews, should get a fair crack at some of that money, regardless of how long they have been in business.
But the city should be cautious and thoroughly vet those organizations to ensure tax dollars aren’t going to bad actors who are using those funds for personal — not community — enrichment.
Here’s where things took a bizarre turn for Ham.
After voting to restrict allocations to properly vetted organizations with a longstanding history of service to Goldsboro, he voted against giving the Dillard-Goldsboro Alumni $10,000 for its Homecoming event.
Forget about the fact that the Homecoming weekend is, other than the Wings Over Wayne Airshow, the biggest tourist event in the city — one that pumps millions of dollars into local coffers as alumni swipe their cards at local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and boutiques each Memorial Day weekend.
That, in and of itself, is more than enough of a reason to give the group $10,000.
It is, in other words, more than a good investment that leaders know, full well, will be returned hand over fist.
That’s why the city gives money to Wings Over Wayne and other community events.
But this particular non-profit also has an unmatched track record of service in Goldsboro — providing scholarships to high school seniors, computers to at-risk youth and programming that enriches the local school district, particularly on city campuses.
Ham wasn’t hearing it.
And this was after it was noted that late Mayor Chuck Allen gave thousands of dollars to Dillard-Goldsboro because he understood, as Allen often did, that it was “good business.”
So, how did Ham justify being the lone “no” vote?
Well, he didn’t.
Before it happened, he reminded the room — as if any of us need a reminder — that the city was currently under investigation.
He said now, more than ever, use of tax dollars needed to be “ethical” and “legal.”
The city attorney and finance director both affirmed, in response to those comments, that a contribution to Dillard-Goldsboro was justifiable.
But Ham still voted no.
Does it seem odd to anyone else that the mayor is suddenly so concerned about the city’s finances?
Goldsboro’s financial house has been ablaze for years.
Where was this fiscal responsibility when the city’s Finance Department couldn’t complete standard audits for years, which led to this problem with the state in the first place?
Where was his public call for the ouster of the City Manager or Finance Director?
Where was his recommendation to bring in a private finance expert to get Goldsboro’s financial house in order?
It never happened.
And for those who will blame-shift and defend the city manager, finance director or Ham for his silence, let us remind you that Wayne County Public Schools was in financial dire straits — to the tune of millions in debt.
The superintendent met the chopping block.
The finance officer did, too.
And the Board of Education brought in an outsider to clean up the mess.
Yes, the district still has problems.
Yes, COVID-19 funds helped save its hide in the short term.
But heads rolled because that is what happens when a screw up of this proportion goes down on someone’s watch.
Not, apparently, in Ham’s view. He would rather tackle the real fiscal irresponsibly — a very doable $10,000 donation to one of the most prolific non-profit groups in the region.
Luckily, every single other member of the board ensured the city did the right thing by Dillard-Goldsboro.
So sure, it might have just been a lapse in judgment — or, more likely, a vote Ham believed would make him appear to be fiscally responsible while the state continues its investigation into what State Treasurer Dale Folwell characterized as, at best, embarrassing ineptitude.
But in our view, the Goldsboro mayor revealed far more Monday than he likely intended to.
It will be interesting to see if he survives it politically.
