Missed signals

We should be using this space to talk about the most important issue facing this community — the recent announcement of major changes at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, how it happened, and what we are going to do about it.

And we will, because that is what an organization that has the best interest of the community at heart does.

But before we do, we have to waste a little time.

And that’s because Goldsboro’s new mayor decided that instead of shutting down what can only be described as a temper tantrum by a City Council member — specifically Mayor Pro Tem Brandi Matthews — he instead reinforced it and used it to scold his fellow council members, and by proxy, New Old North, about the damage “leaks” cause.

So, he let her self-righteously call out “fake news” about her water bill and infer, once again, that she faces an uphill battle and undue criticism because of her race and sex.

The problem is, Matthews knows — as does every single council member who was in that room, including the mayor — that what we printed was not only carefully researched and backed up by numerous sources, but was absolutely, 100 percent true.

Matthews’ characterization of what we reported was not accurate and her accusations — and threats online ordering us to stop “speaking, writing, or mentioning” her “in any capacity” — were irresponsible and, quite frankly, libelous.

It was a classic case of not handling a situation properly.

By the way, for the record, Matthews did get a water credit. Two of them, actually. She admitted it — publicly — at the City Council meeting.

Perhaps she should reread our story. That is literally all we said — that the city finance director named her as an elected official state auditors said received a utility bill adjustment.

And if it was innocent, which we have no reason to think it wasn’t, she could have said so.

We gave her that opportunity.

We told her, in writing, we would treat her fairly.

So, she could have explained that her last credit was given a few months before she was elected to the board — that she was stunned her name was even mentioned by Finance Director Catherine Gwynn.

She could have presented the water bills she waved around at Monday’s City Council meeting and trusted us — you know, the newspaper that endorsed her a few months ago — to set the record straight.

And she could also have raised the question that so many people want to ask: Why was there no policy in place to monitor water credits?

(The council has since approved a whole new set of rules to prevent such a question from arising again, by the way. Wonder why.)

Matthews, instead, ignored our request for comment.

And then, when she found out her name was published, she threw a fit — a loud one.

We can handle it, of course, and we almost ignored it completely, but we decided that she and County Commissioner Antonio Williams, who also misrepresented our reporting in a public tirade, should not be allowed to get away with yet another distraction just because no one is brave enough to confront them.

Bottom line: We stand by our reporting. And we will tell you that there is a whole lot more we have not said — because we are waiting to be sure our reporting is accurate. And we repeat, every single member of the City Council who sat there and allowed Matthews to cry “fake news” heard Gwynn name her and Williams in that closed session.

So, why didn’t they push back?

Well, there are some who seem to be afraid of Matthews, Williams, and other disrupters.

Others think that placating them will ensure “the ship runs smoothly” and public embarrassments like the one that unfolded at both the Board of Commissioners and City Council meetings might be avoided if they “play nice.”

We are not among them.

We have sat by long enough watching the city and the county get mired in constant drama and unprofessional behavior — watching others turn their cheek rather than call the offenders out.

There is no more time for that. And anyone who can’t see that should be removed from office immediately.

This is a time for focus and strength from not only the leaders who raised their hands to take on the task of directing the future of this community, but from the residents who have worked so hard to build this county.

This community is strong enough to make the changes that are becoming glaringly necessary, and no one should be allowed to distract from that mission — no matter how much drama they cause.

And in case you’re wondering, we will indeed be reporting on Matthews and anyone else who has taken an oath to serve Goldsboro or Wayne County. We will call out what they do well, and we will not hesitate to point out when they do not live up to the promises they made to voters.

We will cover her, just like we would any other politician. She has no right to “order” us to do anything.

She is a public official, and it’s high time she realizes that makes her open to scrutiny.

Her choice is whether or not she responds to our requests for comment. We will move forward with our work either way.

And don’t think we aren’t also talking to the “leaders” on Royall Avenue who have decided they don’t owe this community any explanations beyond press releases about massive issues ranging from moving schools to other campuses to potential redistricting.

Their “no comment” and “you can ask our spokesman questions” game is a tired one we are done playing.

We take our role as the voice of this community very seriously, and we will not be bullied or threatened — by anyone.

So yes, Matthews and Williams can say whatever they please. They are entitled to their opinions. That is how this works.

But they are not free from the consequences of throwing around defamatory accusations and misrepresentations on Facebook — or on accounts that have ties to public entities like the City Council or County Commissioners.

Not acceptable. Not even close. And no, we won’t tolerate it.

And that means we will do whatever we have to do to protect the reputations built over our team’s collective 50-plus years in this business.

Exhale.

We have wasted enough time on this.

What should have been the focus of Monday’s council meeting was the announcement that there are major changes coming to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base — changes, by the way, that very few people in positions of authority in the community knew about before we told them. But that is a discussion for another time.

Right now, there are a bunch of questions that need to be asked. Here are a few:

• How come the lobbying group that the city and county have been paying tens of thousands of dollars every year to make sure someone was in Washington, DC, creating relationships and advocating for this community was not able to stem this or at least let the local leaders know it was imminent?

• How come the concerns that have been expressed about the conditions that were a direct influence on the base’s continued presence in Wayne County were not taken more seriously or addressed sooner?

• Why has there been no comment from Friends of Seymour about the announcement? (And yes, we asked — a week ago Wednesday.)

Some of our community’s leaders have attempted to answer some of those questions in a story you will read in this week’s edition.

But here are our thoughts on what to do next.

And yes, we can make some important moves. And no, we do not have to wait for our “contingent” to get back from their post-egg-on-the-face trip to DC, although we and every public body who represents us do need to listen to what they say when they return.

We have told you before what makes a difference in decisions about the future of military installations — schools, quality of life, safety, and crime, etc., factors that have been challenges in Wayne County over the years.

But for Seymour Johnson, there was an “it” factor that always kept it on the right side of the road.

There were Wayne County residents who fought to keep this base here — and who convinced Air Force brass to spare it from cutbacks and closures.

They understood that advocacy was not just about rubbing elbows with generals, once-a-year barbecues, or having VIP access at air shows.

One of the most prolific was Troy Pate Jr.

He got that the relationships he made with young airmen and their bosses — the kindness he and his wife, Joyce, showed them when they were just starting out — would pay dividends later.

And their acts of kindness — which are legendary by the way — were not disingenuous. They loved those men and women, and still do, like family.

Those who met them, who enjoyed their hospitality and who felt like they had a home away from home, did not stay young pilots forever.

They became the leaders in the Air Force, sometimes all the way up to the Pentagon.

And when it came time for decisions about who was going to get — or lose — what, they remembered.

It was not about a lobbying group. Because the reality is, everybody has a lobbyist these days.

It was about a connection and a relationship.

There are many, many people who remember Pate and his wife to this day, as they do one of the county’s other Air Force base champions, the late Hal Tanner Jr. and his wife, Linda.

They made a difference for this base over and over again.

Sadly, it seems some of today’s leaders have forgotten them — to this community’s peril.

Because they should be remembered, and honored, for that work.

And even though Pate is now in his 90s, he could absolutely still offer some wisdom that might just help us flip the script now that the 4^th Fighter Wing is losing at least one squadron and a yet-to-be-determined number of airmen and aircraft.

So, other than reaching out to people like Pate, what else can we do?

First, our leaders can answer the same challenge we offered to the school district last week.

Take a good hard look at what is not working and led to this community and its leaders being blindsided by this news.

And for God’s sake, be honest with the people who live, work, and own businesses here.

There are former leaders right now in this county who could make a real impact on changing the trajectory of this announcement — not necessarily getting it rescinded but fighting for Seymour Johnson to continue to have a major role in the future of the Air Force, and perhaps even being a player in some of that “mission evolution.”

They understand relationships. They understand business. They understand politics. They are smart and they could be excellent representatives for this community.

We need them to step back into the fray.

The bat signal is up in the sky right now.

And some of the new leaders need to listen to the wisdom people like Troy Pate and others like him have to share.

We need to start conversations and make plans to shore up the county’s weak points.

We need to ensure the egos and partisanship are left at the door.

The task ahead is too important.

And by the way, we have a pretty powerful state representative who could broker that gathering. N.C. House Majority Leader John Bell has been a strong and important advocate for making this community heard in Raleigh.

He knows who should be on that list and might just be the only person who could pull off bringing them together.

And there are others, too — some working behind the scenes, who have pushed hard for accountability in this community — often enduring threats against their livelihoods for speaking out or supporting efforts like New Old North.

They are the warriors who are fighting to make this community a stronger, better place, not for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren.

And there are others who should speak out — who should get involved because they know how important it is for the future of this community — but who are still hesitating because they are afraid of “pushback.”

We challenge them to step up. Now.

There is no business in this county, no public entity, and no resident, who will benefit from the status quo. That’s how we got here.

Eventually, the contracts and “the connections” will dry up. That’s what happens when no one is minding the store.

The next step will take leadership — bold and brassy — and the courage to stop the blather and the behind-the-scenes sweetheart deals and massive egos that slow down the process.

It is a lot to ask. We know. And the path is not easy.

But a community that has endured as much as this one, that has built so much and that has spawned generations of men and women who understood that hard work gets you somewhere and that honesty and integrity matter, is up to the task.

So, we expect to hear some pretty important discussions in meeting rooms, in council chambers, and in board rooms about Seymour Johnson’s future soon.

Frankly, the fact that we haven’t already is disturbing.

And if and when local leaders rise to meet this moment, we will be there to make sure you are no longer left out of the conversations that could very well determine the future of the Air Force base that, in many ways, sets the course for Wayne County’s next act.