Angier Town Board To Investigate Mayor

Mayor asks board to save time with censure

By Tom Woerner
Daily Record of Dunn

ANGIER – Angier commissioners voted 3-0 to launch a formal investigation into the conduct of the town’s mayor and a commissioner regarding activities related to grant-funded renovations to the Angier Museum. The vote came during an unusual and heated specially-called meeting Tuesday morning.

Commissioners cast the 3-0 vote to look into the matter in the absence of Commissioner Sheveil Harmon and without a vote from Angier Mayor Bob Jusnes whose vote is only needed in the event of a tie. The investigation will look into the conduct of both Jusnes and Harmon, according to Angier Commissioner Loru Boyer Hawley, who made the motion.

Harmon was absent from the meeting, saying on social media sites she was not made aware of the meeting and had a pre-planned vacation. Jusnes also posted he was not made aware of the meeting prior to the public notice.

But the late notice still drew a standing-room-only crowd.

Mayor Jusnes asked for civility and respect and advised against outbursts. Hawley declined a request for a public hearing at the meeting and went straight to a motion.

Commissioners Hawley and Steve Crisp requested the meeting after hearing from townspeople, who voiced concerns over recent investigations into the state-funded grant used to complete the renovations. The mayor’s firm, Black River Woodwork, did the renovations. Harmon was serving as secretary of the museum’s board at the time.

County officials investigated and found the museum breached the grant’s contract by only requiring bids from one contractor — the mayor’s firm — and not three as required by law. 

The North Carolina State Attorney General’s Office and the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors are also looking into the matter over questions of licensing and how the grant funds were used. 

Though a separate entity, the museum operates in the Angier Depot, which is owned by the town and was renovated with grant funds from state tax dollars.

Hawley said they don’t plan to use tax dollars to fund their investigation.

The mayor asked his fellow board members about the specifics of the “formal investigation” and what they plan to look at.

Hawley was mum at first on the specifics, but later admitted they would be looking at whether or not to censure Jusnes and Harmon. 

A censure is a formal statement of disapproval. 

Hawley was censured by the board in March of 2024. That statement of disapproval accused her of “belligerent behavior” during closed sessions, “disruptive and disrespectful behavior as a member of the audience at several ABC Board meetings” and “engaging in altercations with members of the public.” But the public reprimand is only a reprimand.

“We can vote on this …, but I’m putting it out there that we could skip all of this and go straight to a censure,” Jusnes said. “We have other stuff to do.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Hawley said.

“Just censure me,” Jusnes continued. “I mean, I’m not …”

“But there’s things that need to be brought out and people in the public need to know,” she said.

“I’m pretty sure the newspaper’s doing that,” Jusnes said, referring to the recent Daily Record stories on state and county investigations into the matter.

Hawley said their investigation will be conducted by board members without interference from outside officials.

She also said Jusnes and Harmon will not be included in the investigation. Jusnes objected to a “board” investigation being conducted with two board members excluded.

No motion was made on Jusnes’ request for a censure and the issue was not addressed by the board. After raised voices and Hawley demanding a vote, Commissioners Jim Kazakavage, Hawley and Crisp voted to move forward with an investigation.

Following a motion of Commissioner Crisp to adjourn the meeting, Hawley asked Police Chief Lee Thompson to clear the room. Several people appeared upset outside.

“All we can do is speak at the ballot box,” local resident Bill Daugherty said.

It is unclear what the next step in the controversy is. Both Hawley and Crisp said any results of the investigation will be released to the public.

It is unclear what a censure would include.

Local elected boards have little authority to remove sitting board members. The town has used a process called an amotion in the past in a failed effort to remove a former sitting mayor. The effort failed when the board found no evidence of wrongdoing in that case.

Courts have ruled in other North Carolina counties that it takes extraordinary circumstances to overturn an election and remove officials elected by the general public. The amotion process has not been mentioned in the ongoing case.

Managing Editor Emily Weaver contributed to this report.