North Carolina’s primary election takes place on May 8th – when voters decide on their November candidates for the general election. Frank Meares and incumbent Don Hayes are Republicans running for the New Hanover County Board of Education.
Challenger Frank Meares, who is already an elected official as a Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, says it’s time for a change.
He says that current board members are failing.
“A constant issue is that the board members just aren’t there. They don’t come to the schools, they don’t really talk with them it’s always the administration that talks to them and it’s fine to have administration do that. But if you are running for office as a board member and you are not going to be out in the community, if you are not going to be available for people, if you are not going to go to the schools and listen to the issues that are going on then why are you in office?”
Incumbent Don Hayes is a military veteran and former teacher who has served on the Board of Education since 1994. He disagrees with Meares’ assessment.
“I think if the voters feel that way, then certainly. I’ve always said ‘I am what I am,’ I stand up for what I believe in, I’m very conservative in most of my views. I have the best interest of the children at heart. But nobody has the perfect plan for how to do something. I see things one way but I’m not so stubborn where if you show me ‘well hey Don you are wrong there’ well oh, I haven’t thought about it that way, let’s try that.”
Early voting starts April 19th in New Hanover County.
To listen to extended interviews, see below:
Frank Meares
Don Hayes