Debbie Beasley
Robbinsville – Citing what she felt was a lack of support from the board of aldermen, Debbie Beasley tendered her resignation from the Robbinsville Tourism Authority during Aug. 2’s town meeting.
Beasley was serving the tourism board in a dual capacity: as both the chair and interim director. The latter is a role she accepted last year, but a permanent director was never appointed.
“Robbinsville Tourism has been very successful at bringing the community together and giving tourists a different look at Robbinsville than just a drive-through,” said Beasley. “As the chairman of the board, I took on the role as director, in order to keep events going until we got a new director hired. As a board, we did interviews and looked at some applicants, but we decided we were going to wait until some issues revolving around us got resolved. We decided that we were going to keep everything positive and keep events going, for the community.
“Those issues are not going to go away as long as I am on the board as the chairman. Until I step aside, it’s just not going to quit. I’ve had great support from the community; and I’ve had none from the town council. All I can say is I have enjoyed it; I have made every event as memorable and successful as I could. But as soon as an event would get over, there would be this unnecessary drama brought out. I don’t understand why; I thought Robbinsville Tourism and the Town of Robbinsville worked together, but it’s not that way.”
Beasley later said that her role as Robbinsville Postmaster (which includes overseeing post offices in Almond, Fontana Dam and Topton) was also time-consuming and that if not for her full-time job, she “could probably take the unnecessary drama and all the issues that seem to be underlying.”
Though not openly discussed at the Aug. 2 aldermen meeting, Beasley recently struggled to obtain payment for her time spent as interim director of the tourism board, which saw her develop concepts like a Jeep show and the inaugural Cigar Box Guitar Festival. More innovative events are in the pipeline, like a Fall Festival in October.
However, the non-payment was a hot topic at the July 25 Robbinsville Tourism Authority meeting – and after heavy allusions were made, board member Mark Ferguson specifically named Mayor Shaun Adams as the reason for the slow delivery of funds owed to Beasley.
Then-Robbinsville interim finance officer Michael Richardson said July 25 that the $5,538 check for payroll reimbursement was for Beasley’s tourism work from February-June, and recommended the tourism authority approve the expenditure with the idea that the check would be signed by Adams, who was a signee on the account.
Richardson said he wrote the check June 28, but it had not been signed yet in light of N.C. G.S. 159-25 (b), which addresses dual-check signatures.
“Except as otherwise provided by law, all checks or drafts on an official depository shall be signed by the finance officer or a properly designated deputy finance officer and countersigned by another official of the local government or public authority designated for this purpose by the governing board,” the subsection begins. “If the board makes no other designation, the chairman of the board or chief executive officer of the local government or public authority shall countersign these checks and drafts.”
In a Tuesday email to the Star, Adams defended his reasoning for not signing the check – the roots of which can be traced back to a July 6, 2022 aldermen meeting, where Beasley also tried to receive payment for services rendered as the interim chair for the authority board.
Then-finance officer Sonya Webster had instructed Beasley to submit an invoice, with Webster also indicating that she was simply following a policy implemented by the board of aldermen. The tense exchange between the two came just a short time before Webster was relieved of her duties.
Adams forwarded a July 8, 2022 email to the Star from Webster about the matter, which went to several individuals. Among the recipients was former alderman Brian “Taco” Johnson; Beasley; Adams; and tourism board members Dirk Cody and Brady Cody.
“Robbinsville Tourism Authority have four check signers on file for their checking account (Debbie Beasley, Shaun Adams, Sonya Webster and Teresa Garland – resigned, so not able to sign),” Webster’s email reads. “Each check requires two signatures. It is my recommendation that RTA add at least two more check signers at their next meeting.
“The mayor and the finance director are not comfortable signing the attached invoices. Two RTA board members have approved these invoices so they are ready for payment, but all municipality employees and elected officials have the right to refuse to sign checks that they are uncomfortable signing. Debbie Beasley can be one of the signers, but it is my recommendations to avoid an issue of conflict of interest to assign two more check signers.”
Adams said Tuesday that he agreed with Webster’s philosophy then – and still does today.
“Based on the former finance officer’s concerns and her discussion with alderwoman Debbie Beasley in the July 6 (2022) meeting, I chose to refrain from signing Debbie’s check for her job as tourism director, but I continued to sign her check for being alderwoman,” Adams said. “I did not sign any RTA-related checks for any kind of purchases, and RTA board members have been signing checks for RTA-related expenditures since last year. I assumed they were signing Debbie’s paychecks as there has been not mention of it until now and also as she was paid as a 1099, but suddenly the new finance officer wants to start paying Debbie through the town’s payroll as a town employee.
“I refused to sign her checks. I am not over the tourism director as that person answers to the RTA board – not the mayor – and I do not appreciate anyone trying to pressure me into signing something I do not feel comfortable with. I want to make it clear I will not sign any RTA-related checks in the future.
“I did not agree with Alderwoman Beasley holding three positions, but that is not the reason I was not signing her check; she was an alderwoman, chairwoman of the RTA board and tourism director,” Adams continued.
The July 6, 2022 and Aug. 2, 2023 Town of Robbinsville meetings – as well as the July 28 Robbinsville Tourism Authority Meeting – are all available for free viewing on The Graham Star’s YouTube channel, or by visiting grahamstar.com.
Beasley nominated alderman Kenneth Hyde to fill the empty board chair and director seats on the tourism authority. The motion carried unanimously, as did Hyde’s appointment as the dual-check signee.
Beasley will continue to serve on the board of aldermen.
She was voted into office in 2017 and won re-election in 2021.
Beasley told the Star on Monday that the check has since been signed.
Other news and notes
* Water clerk Amanda Gyongyos, who has been exploring a new billing system for customers, as Invoice Cloud proving too unreliable for consumers. Gyongyos said she was set to attend a training session for the Sturgis billing system; Edmunds software was also discussed. She assured the board she would have a recommendation by the Sept. 6 meeting;
* In the wake of town attorney M. Ellen Davis’ June resignation, Adams put out feelers to legal counsel around the area. Adams said the only one to show any interest was Murphy-based Leo Phillips. The board is set to have a special meeting with Phillips at 10 a.m. Friday to discuss the role;
* Trash pick-up became a topic of discussion. Maintenance supervisor Chadd Carpenter said there have been issues with residents not properly bagging garbage or not placing it at the curb as requested. Adams questioned what elderly or even disabled residents that were unable to perform the tasks should do. Ultimately, the board asked Carpenter to produce a list of repeat violators and extra fees would be considered on a case-by-case basis.