The best compliment I heard about any Commissioner candidate was an anonymous caller who was giving me reports about all the new scandals at the Cleveland County EMS. The comment was “I would rather have ‘TommyMac’ as my supervisor than a county commissioner.” For me, that was all I needed to know.
But, there is more.
Let’s see what Tommy McNeilly says about himself on his “Tommy McNeilly for Commissioner” Facebook page. I have underlined several items.
“My name is Thomas McNeilly, I am a Republican candidate for Cleveland County Board of Commissioners in the 2020 election. So, a little about me, I am a Burns High graduate, I have a Bachelor’s Degree from Western Carolina University, Eagle Scout, and Member of AF&AM # 579. I am married to Cassie McNeilly, and my wife and I have been blessed with two beautiful children-Laney, and Jakob. I live in Casar, NC. I currently work at Cleveland Community College as the Emergency Medical Services Coordinator. I have been involved in public service since I was 16 years old, starting as a volunteer for Upper Cleveland Rescue, Shelby Rescue, and worked as a Paramedic for Cleveland County EMS. As a Commissioner I will try and make decisions for Cleveland County that benefit Cleveland County. I am a supporter of Fire, EMS, and Law Enforcement. If elected I will do my best to make sound decisions for the county as a whole, your support is appreciated. God Bless.”
An Eagle Scout. To become an Eagle Scout means Tommy McNeilly has the determination and the drive to go through a rigorous program that teaches a person Teamwork, to Be Prepared, Be honest, trustworthy, loyal and brave. To seek knowledge and tell the truth. To be helpful, thrifty, clean, reverent, always do your best and always a good citizen. Scouts learn all of this and more as a “Tenderfoot,” the very first step in becoming an Eagle Scout. Being an Eagle Scout means this person will certainly NOT become corrupted, take to lying, waste taxpayer money and cheat on Candidate forums like our current batch of incumbent County Commissioners.
Married and having children. Such as this always means that the person is concerned with the safety, well-being and the future of our County and the education of our children.
Living in Casar. Cleveland County citizens living in the upper pats of our county have always been under-represented. And it shows. Tommy McNeilly would be fair to everybody and expect the County to also be fair and equitable to everybody, no matter where they live. No more Shelby and Kings Mountain getting it all. They get their share but so does everybody else.
Working at CCC, an EMS coordinator and longtime public service. This shows the commitment to serving others is practiced and not just preached. It is what one does that counts, not just what is said.
As a Commissioner, making decisions that are based on what is best for Cleveland County. As opposed to favoring the Country Club Good-ole-boys above everybody else. Totally a positive attitude for a commissioner to have. ‘Nuff said about that.
God Bless. A Christian statement. Short, sweet and totally to the point.
Round out all these attributes and it is clear that Tommy McNeilly deserves to be elected as a Cleveland County Commissioner.
But, again-there is more.
A person made a comment on Tommy McNeilly’s Facebook page that confirms my analysis of Tommy’s own words noted above. And also confirms the compliment of Tommy McNeilly that I led this article ff with. A short comment that stated “Tommy is a fair person. He is very intelligent and above all, kind. In the four years that I have known him (in a professional capacity) he has never failed to help people solve problems, in a manner that shows a great aptitude for wisdom and compassion.”
It is like the old saying. “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck.” All the indicators are Tommy McNeilly is the kind of “duck” that Cleveland County needs as a County Commissioners. A problem solver with wisdom and compassion.
And, there is still MORE!!
According to the answers to the Candidate’s forum held February 13, 2020 at CCC, Tommy McNeilly, now proved to be a truthful person, provided some very telling answers to the questions asked. And without the “cheat sheets” that Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine used. Here are some of Tommy’s answers as compared with the incumbents Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine.:
• About taxes. Tommy truthfully said there was “no need to raise sales taxes.” Similar to what Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine said. Except Tommy McNeilly was being truthful and Hutchins and Whetstine were NOT truthful. Well proven by their very recent attempts to pass a referendum to raise sales taxes.
• Also, about taxes. Tommy McNeilly was against raising taxes to support building a new Jail for $20 Million. Hutchins and Whetstine had some crazy statements about a 20-year plan and re-engineering. All the while their plan is to spend $20 million for a new jail. Hutchins even said we could “rent-out” unused jail space to the State and the Feds and make $100 million. To that, I wrote “Ha-Ha” in my notes. Note that Robbie Morgan and Dennis Davis had other innovative approaches to the jail overcrowding. Like renovating what we already have. Or renovating the Star property next to the Courthouse. All common sense stuff that Hutchins and Whetstine just didn’t think of.
• About School Board’s capital budget. McNeilly said the School Board would have to work with Commissioners to figure out how to pay for the work. Which seems to be a welcome and common-sense idea. Yet Whetstine and Hutchins said these kinds of things were up to the School Board, without regard to any sort of oversight. Morgan stated new people were needed on the school board. Davis questioned the failed merger in the first place.
Also, consider the major existing problems I wrote about in my recommendation for Robbie Morgan for Commissioner. We have already shown that Incumbent Commissioners Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine are already locked into unsatisfactory positions on these problems and issues. And, Tommy McNeilly, Robbie Morgan and Dennis Davis have new, fresh and cost-effective approaches. It is time for “out with the old and in with the new” ways of thinking. Failed policies have brought about these and other problems upon Cleveland County. New blood and new ideas are the only way to get us out of this mess!!!
1. Cleveland County is a “Dying County.” State measures say so. But the commissioners refuse to say so. Therefore, nothing gets done but some hot air blown around about how good things are in Cleveland County. When records say different.
2. Management problems all around. Lawsuits too. The Federal Lawsuit against the Commissioners for enabling sexual harassment at Animal Control. And what do the Commissioners do? They use a cronyism approach and hire an out-of-town sexual harasser at the EMS. Gotta even out the sexual harassment around the county agencies I suppose. Even import one from another county. To show everybody that sexual harassment is alive and well in Cleveland County. That sexual harassment will not only be tolerated, it will be encouraged. And promoted. Take one of the well-run county agencies, EMS, and turn loose a bunch of unnecessary turmoil on it. A sure sign of bad leadership at the Commissioner level. And everybody that says anything is retaliated against. Same with the $Millions wasted on the American Legion World Series and a few other “Black Holes” where tax dollars go and disappear without a trace. A sure “sign” or indicator of graft and corruption. Remember the secret $1,000,000 check the county wrote to Eddie Holbrook’s ALWS Baseball, Inc. and the secret “Payola” payments the county made for ESPN to cover the ALWS games. Ask Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine about that.
3. All kinds of tax referendums that failed, accounting gimmicks, and just plain out lies about Cleveland County’s financial health-we’re broke!! And the NO INTEREST $77,000,000 loan for Carolina Medical to buy the Hospital. And other no interest loans to the Earl Scruggs Center, the Fair, the Earl Scruggs Center and perhaps others.
4. The boondoggles! Ask Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine to explain the boondoggle trips they took, including their wives. Ask them if the returned any money to the County after I inquired about the boondoggles.
5. The cheating at the February 13, 2020 Commissioner’s Candidate Forum at CCC. Where incumbent Commissioners Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine were caught with “Cheat Sheets” answers for the supposedly “secret” forum questions. All on County Letterhead stationery. Note that I have made a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act and North Carolina Public Records laws for those “cheat sheets” and who provided the secret questions to the commissioners. No reply has been made.
All of these issues and problems, including lawsuits and more, present and future, need new blood to resolve. That is why Cleveland County needs a new majority on the Board of Commissioners. Tommy McNeilly, Robbie Morgan and Dennis Davis can turn Cleveland County around on a dime, starting about one second after they are sworn in. Remember that when you are marking your ballot on Election Day, March 3, 2020 or before.
For your convenience a marked-up sample ballot is provided below for the Board of Commissioners as well as the School Board. Print out your personal copy and take it with you when you go to vote. Then, pass it on to others!!! Share and Share alike.
The choice is in your hands. As a voter, YOU will decide whether to keep the problems of the past and present or bring a brighter future here to Cleveland County.
Go vote!!!
Voting Guide!!!
2020 Primary Elections for Cleveland County
County Commissioners and Cleveland County Board of Education
Note: These are Republican Primary Elections as
There are No Democrat Primary Elections for these offices!!!
2020 Primary Elections–Voting Guide
County Commissioners
2020 Republican Primary Elections for County Commissioner
Sample Ballot
Note: You can print off this page and take it to the Voting booth with you.
Nobody has the authority to take this voting guide away from you. Inside the polling place or outside.
You also have my permission to copy this page and pass the copies around as voting guides for your friends, neighbors and relatives.
Thank you for voting.