Public commenter alleges misconduct at Lincoln County Solid Waste site; commissioners promise follow-up

During the public-comment portion of the meeting, resident James Ward told commissioners he had been employed at a Lincoln County convenience site and alleged widespread staff misconduct and waste within the solid-waste operation.

Ward said he observed employees "sitting in county vehicles with the motor running, smoking cigarettes, and watching other people do work" and that his supervisors'responses to his complaints were dismissive. He named supervisors he said he had reported the issues to and said that after raising concerns he was told he had created a hostile work environment and was effectively pushed out of work at the landfill. "I was very excited about the opportunity to go to work at Tin Man," Ward said, and asked the commission for guidance on how to follow up; he said he had already contacted the North Carolina Department of Labor and EEOC.

The chair asked staff to follow up with Ward and determine what could be done to address his concerns. "Could y'all please follow-up Mr. Ward and just figure out what we can do to see what the options are?" the chair said; county staff agreed to follow up.

Another public commenter (Gunny Hall) made broader accusations about alleged past crimes and conduct by county officials; commissioners acknowledged the comments and closed the public-comment period. The board took no formal action on the allegations at the meeting but directed staff to follow up with Mr. Ward about his employment concerns.