Stokes Commissioners remove Health Board chairman

The Stokes County Board of Commissioners removed the chairman of the Stokes County Health Board, Dr. Nick Chalfa, by a 3-2 vote last night (John & Joe Turpin and Sandy McHugh voted to remove him; Leon Inman and Jimmy Walker voted against removing him). Here is the letter John Turpin sent to the doc:

Dr. Nick Chalfa,

This is to inform you that the Stokes County Board of Commissioners will be considering your removal from the Stokes County Health Board at its regular meeting on Monday, August 8, 2005 at 7:00 pm in the Commissioner’s Chambers in Danbury.

According to G.S. §130A-35(g)(5), a board of health member may be removed from office by the county board of commissioners for conduct that tends to bring the office into disrepute.

It has been brought to my attention that you have made attempts to schedule special meetings without the proper notice which would have violated the North Carolina Open Meetings Law; did not allow the public and press back into the August 3, 2005 meeting of the Board of Health when the board came out of closed session, in violation of the North Carolina Open Meetings Law; required board members to vote by secret ballot without signing the ballot in violation of the Open Meetings Law, in particular G.S. §143-318.13(b); and instructed the secretary to the board to not record or take minutes of the meeting in violation of the Open Meetings Law, in particular G.S. §143-318.10(e).

You will be given time during the August 8th meeting to respond to this notice as per G.S. §130A-35(g).

Sincerely,

John Turpin

Chairman

Stokes County Board of Commissioners

According to John, the Health Board claimed that it was a honest mistake and suggested they re-vote. John said this was illegal and we (the county) may be sued for this in Superior court for condoning this type of meeting.

Personally, they should vote to remove Jimmy Walker's son off the board since he made the motion and his obvious conflict-of-interest surrounding this issue, and they should remove whoever seconded his motion. Just my opinion... :-)