Attorney Hampton Dellinger has received the endorsement from Durham Democratic Party leaders to fill the vacant seat of former Commissioner Becky Heron. Heron, 83, resigned earlier this month due to health issues. It seems like a done deal, but I wouldn’t open the champagne.
Dellinger beat out three other nominees: former planning commissioner Wendy Jacobs, social worker Anita Daniels and Duke University professor Will Wilson. The recommendation comes from members of the Democratic Party’s executive committee which includes officers, elected officials, and precinct leaders. Votes were weighed based on the size of the precinct. In the first round Dellinger earned 248.5 points compared to 139.5 for Jacobs.
It seems like a done deal, but, like I said, don’t open the bubbly. The final decision belongs to the remaining members of the Board of County Commissioners and they aren’t obligated to take the recommendation of the Democratic Party.
So, why, you may ask, would members of the Commission vote against the body they are affiliated with? It would be comparable to taking a few jabs at mama and papa after they remind you of who pays the bills. As mind-boggling as that may seem, don’t be shocked if this all ends with a 2 to 2 split.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the Durham County Commission resembles a dysfunctional family. It looks like a family with a father with a paranoid personality disorder and a passive aggressive mother. The children have taken on the personalities of their parents-one has a borderline personality disorder and the other has a narcissistic personality disorder. I’m just saying it’s hard to get things done when family members are stuck with contending with their own inner demons.
It all reminds me of the playground antics from my days in elementary school. “I don’t like her so I’m not gonna play with her,” comes very close to the way the narcissistic child operates. “I won’t vote for this person if he or she is behind the recommendation.” You must be kidding me. Somebody needs to call this group to the office for a tough talk about how the needs of the community outweigh personal bullshit.
Sorry for cursing, but do you feel me? What do you say when one of the Commissioners decides to run for Mayor due to personal beef with the current Mayor. “I’m gonna beat him up cause he didn’t play the way I told him!” I could spend months in dealing with the drama of the Commission member who has issue with the police department for failing to resolve a problem with a neighbor who, according to the Commissioner, has damaged both home and automobile, placed poison in shrubbery, cut wires to a security camera and placed chemicals in the air conditioner causing severe eye damage to a child.
The lack of credible evidence seemingly tied the hands of local law enforcement. Not saying nothing is going on. Maybe there is a legitimate conspiracy to undermine our local Commissioner, but bullies do what bullies do best. When no one listens beat them up!
Maybe it would help if we forced our leaders to get therapy. This Board of Commissioners could sure use some help with wading through the water of their personal problems with each other. The he say she say mess can seriously undermine the integrity of the work they do in making a community better than when they took office.
What a load to carry. An insecure member may feel overwhelmed with placing a person like Dellinger on the Commission. His vita is enough to scare the residue out of a person barely holding on to the last bit of self-esteem left. If the Yale Law degree doesn't scare you, his 2008 candidacy for the nomination for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina will. If that doesn't do it, his holding a state government post under Mike Easley will.
To say he can beat anyone on the current Commission is an understatement. The truth is there are a number of people who emerged from this process with the juice to oust a couple of the current members. All of that insecurity may be too much for this family of dysfunction to deal with. They may be crazy enough to allow their personal need to be seen and heard to overturn the vote of their own party.
Stay tuned folks. Until then, maybe we should give them all a hug. People craving attention need lots of hugs and affirmation.
Give me a freaking break.
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