They Really Don't Want You to Attend

Hoke County's Commission meeting was moved with little/no notice because it conflicted with the team’s mystery road trip to Florida. Fans who showed up Monday night were turned away at the gate.

The Hoke County Commission calls “play ball” for public meetings every first and third Monday evening of the month. Constituents have come to expect the first pitch from the chairman—currently James A. Leach, a veteran knuckleballer struggling to hit the plate this year and rumored to be heading to the minors in November—to be delivered at 7 p.m.

When the team decided—with prior notification limited to the few who heard a July 1 motion—to not show up at their home stadium on July 15, many political umpires cried foul. The team may claim the vanishing act was just inside the foul line, but here’s a link to the regulation for viewers at home to decide.

The rulebook also states, “If a public body changes its schedule of regular meetings, it shall cause the revised schedule to be filed as provided in subdivisions (1) through (4) of this subsection at least seven calendar days before the day of the first meeting held pursuant to the revised schedule.” There’s still no notification on the commission’s fan page, or elsewhere we could find.

The vanishing act seems to contradict Leach’s constant balking that people don’t attend meetings. If you tried to attend last Monday, odds are now improved you won’t be going back, even during 10 cent beer night, much less renewing season tickets.

Nothing about the schedule change was reflected on the official commission meeting/agenda web page and minutes for the previous meeting don’t get posted for months. We also subscribe to the county’s service that sends e-mail alerts when a new agenda is available, and it also never delivered anything about rescheduling.

We found only two people who knew beforehand the meeting was moved to July 22, and our search included a large playing field—friends, multiple social media posts and a fortune teller who panhandles on Main Street. One heard it mentioned during the July 1 meeting and another said they saw it in the gathering’s online video. It was the soothsayer’s crystal ball that discovered their whereabouts in Florida.

Florida Bound

So how were fans supposed to know a road trip to the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual conference—in sunny, bikini-clad Florida—was on the schedule? And why did the entire lineup attend, likely at taxpayer expense, when a more fiscally sound approach would have been sending a couple designated hitters. They could have returned with the kind of detailed notes and materials to must us up from our chronic cellar status, and get it done without exceeding the league’s salary cap.

The trip wasn’t a complete surprise to members of the team, either. Hotels fill early for any conference and require booking weeks and usually months in advance. Look at the agenda, and it’s obvious this one is no exception. Their absence was not last minute.

Always First and Third

The commission rarely deviates from the first and third Monday rule, and has only done so when one fell on a major holiday. This year it’s been precisely that (seen here). In 2023 Labor Day moved the meeting to the next day, Sept. 5 and Juneteenth did the same (moving Monday’s meeting to Tuesday June 20). Otherwise, all meeting agendas and dates are precisely 14 days apart, predictable enough for residents to know when the home team is about to deliver yet another heartbreaking loss for constituents.  

It's also worth noting that the NACo conference took place July 21 to 24 in 2023, and on the same dates in 2022. The Hoke County Commission meeting schedule didn’t alter during those periods in 2022 or 2023.

Delusions of Grandeur?

That fact may indicate the county was hoping to get an award of some sort this year and needed to be there for presentations. They give them out by the dozens every year and it would be tragic if Leach wasn’t on hand to bask in glory should his overbudget pool win gold, silver or bronze.

They were shut out. In fact, open-to-the-public counties pitched a no hitter against them. Here’s the list of the winners and runners up, if you’re wondering (sort by state to save time). Do yourself a favor and don’t mention All Star balloting anywhere near Hoke County Commission members.

Retirement Plans

The blame for this loss falls squarely on the shoulders of the starting pitcher, just like baseball. Leach should have ensured proper, early and widespread notifications were issued. He did not and his team continues to lead all North Carolina governments in every offensive category. Tops on that list is the lack of transparency, and after 32 years the fat lady has sung. It’s time for Leach to hit the showers and hang up the verbal cleat he sharpens so well.  

Now you too can get your “Impeach Leach ‘24” bumper sticker. Order online today.