Former alderman in North Carolina town is charged

[Judi Lynn]

Last updated: January 24. 2005 1:18PM

Former alderman in North Carolina town is charged

The Associated Press


A former town alderman was charged Monday with mail and wire fraud for his role in a scheme to collect kickbacks from a local businessman who was awarded town contracts, authorities said.

Chris Sharpe, 42, of East Spencer, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of fraud in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. As part of the deal, he also agreed to cooperate with investigators, according to U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert's office.

According to prosecutors, Sharpe and two other elected town officials conspired from 1999 through 2001 to award a series of contracts to a local businessman.

"At the same time, however, Sharpe, the two other elected town officials and the wife of one of the town officials were alleged to have received tens of thousands of dollars in secret payments and other benefits from the businessman and his companies," Shappert's office said.
(snip/...)

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050124/APN/501240772&cachetime=5

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From a quick search:

The proposed budget would maintain the current property tax rate and residential water-sewer rate. It also calls for a hefty pay raise for town board members — one that Alderman Chris Sharpe said the hard-working town officials deserve.
(snip)

The new pay for the East Spencer board members will put them on the high end of salaries for elected municipal officials in Rowan County, behind only Salisbury.

Sharpe made a point to acknowledge the pay increases, sensing that they might draw criticism. But he defended the behind-the-scenes “legwork” board members have done in their transition to privatization, turning over the town’s day-to-day operations to Business Partners USA of Winston-Salem.
(snip)

The cost savings come mostly from salaries and benefits the town no longer pays for street, water and janitorial positions, town clerk, deputy clerk and administrative assistant. Those former expenses, now absorbed by Business Partners, added up to about $266,000 a year, according to Sharpe.
(snip)

http://www.salisburypost.com/2000june/060900f.htm

Republican.

[carolinalady]

1. I did not see it in the article but he was an alderman of the

exclusive Wrightsville beach community. Lots of Red there.

[loudsue]

4. Salisbury is in the piedmont of N.C.... nowhere near the beach.

Salisbury is right next to Spencer. Elizabeth Dole's family (the Hanfords) live in Salisbury.

:kick::kick::kick:

[LostinVA]

2. OMG! Evil Wrightsville Beach!

Where all of the rich conservatives have put in ALL METERED PARKING, specifically to keep the hoi polloi away. No, not tourists, residents of Wilmington that can't afford a $2 million-dollar house. And man, you have NEVER heard rich people cry when they want money when their overpriced, badly built McBeachHouses have been ruined by a hurricane. Seriously -- they are sickening. Wrightsville Beach sued to be a really nice, friendly place.

Sorry. Off topic.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Interesting reading the comments concerning this place.

Had no idea what kind of community he represents.

Expensive houses right where hurricanes blow them down? Screw'em! They're driving everyone's insurance rates up, too.

This alderman sounds as if he's been pushing and grabbing as hard and fast as he can, with no one particularly discouraging him. A Republican to the core.