Roger Patterson

While Mr. Patterson did not respond to The Paper's candidate questionnaire, he did forward responses to other questions. That is what is below.

1. State law lets political parties choose replacement nominees when a candidate leaves the ballot, and when a commissioner seat opens midterm, the board must appoint the party's recommendation if it comes within 30 days. After this summer's replacement on the Caldwell County commissioners’ ballot, would you support asking legislators to change that process, such as giving the spot to the next-highest primary finisher?

1a. Yes, I would support that. I feel that that is the peoples next choice via the voting process. A similar situation occurred on the Caldwell Board of Education where the next person that received the most votes (Elaine Setzer) was passed over and the person who received the least number of votes was selected. This was done for ideological purposes. This was done although Ms. Setzer had 45 years’ experience of working in the education field and the other candidate had zero related experience.

2. This summer the Caldwell County Board of Commissioners stopped livestreaming its meetings for nearly two months before restoring it, and in 2025 two commissioners got into a physical altercation just before a meeting. Do you support keeping meetings livestreamed, and what would you do to rebuild public trust in the board?

2a) Absolutely restore and even expand live steaming. Livestreaming is advantageous to many constituents’ who have mobility, transportation, work, etc. issues that may be unable to come to the venue in person. The people have a right to being advised of the working of the commission. Also, there is currently a citizen comment period prior to the livestream of the meeting that is not included. I would work to include that on the livestream. During these public comment sessions, the commissioners do not respond to the speaker or answer questions. I would support a change in this as well. Furthermore, when the actual meeting begins and an issue is presented the commissioners present the issue and open up for comments from the public. Then they close the comment sessions down and immediately vote on the issue. This does not allow the commissioners to take into consideration the comments made from the public prior to the final voting. I would support the presentation of the issue and them allow a week, or the next meeting, etc. to call the final vote in order for the commission to take into consideration the issues that were presented prior to that vote. The reason that is not done is because the commission has already discussed the issue behind closed doors prior to the live meeting and made decision and or a deal on how to vote on the issues.

3. The board set a revenue-neutral tax rate of 46.66 cents this year, after last year's revaluation raised property values an average of 55%. Would you commit to revenue-neutral rates going forward, even if it means cutting services?

3a. I would not support any tax rate that would result in cuts to services.

4. Since Helene, Caldwell County has used FEMA money to replace the Wilson Creek flood sirens that failed during the storm, adding battery backup. Forest Service and state road work in the Wilson Creek area is still underway. What else would you want the county to do to prepare for the next major flood?

4a. The NC Department of Public Safety paired with the NC Forestry Service has a program called BRIDGE. This program trains and utilizes offender labor to work on forestry projects. This programs trains offenders to clear paths, cut brush, and a multitude of other forestry related services. BRIDGE also assist Foresty Services to fight fires. This program offers offenders valuable work skills while offering very needed assistance to governmental agencies. The county could contact the state to determine if the BRIDGE Program could be drafted/incorporated to assist with the Wilson Creek maintenance projects.

5. Google operates a major data center in Lenoir, and data centers have become one of the biggest growth debates in the region. Would you support more data centers locating in Caldwell County, and would you offer tax incentives to attract them? Would you support barring the county from signing nondisclosure agreements with companies? What would you do to keep large new power users from driving up Caldwell County residents' electric bills?

5a) No. I do not think the County could support another data center. No, I do not support the signing of nondisclosure agreements. I think that transparency is the best policy. Studies should be done and assessed in regard to potential power and water usage by companies during the approval and consideration process

6. Surveillance cameras such as Flock are already up in Caldwell County. Commissioners control the funding for any the county pays for, including those used by the sheriff's office. Would you vote to fund, limit or end county spending on these cameras, and what privacy rules, if any, should come with them?

6a Whether it's Flock, Axon, Motorola, or another company's cameras that are watching, the problems are the same. They've created an unaccountable mass surveillance system that spies on us as we go to the doctors, drop our kids at school, attend religious services, and makes it easy for law enforcement to piece together where any of us might be at any time – regardless if we've been suspected of any wrongdoing.

These cameras are dangerous when they work and when they don't. Every day, there are new reports of police officers across the country using these ALPRs to stalk their partners and intimidate people who criticize them. There are also more and more reports of these cameras getting it wrong. This isn't technology that can be regulated into safety – it needs to be banned. More than 200 municipalities have already cut ties with Flock and other ALPR companies because the threat to our privacy is that clear. Each day these cameras remain active, they violate our right to privacy and harm our ability to live and travel free from pervasive government surveillance. Get rid of the cameras now and protect us from future violations. More than 200 municipalities have already cut ties with Flock and other ALPR companies because the threat to our privacy is that clear.

7. The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office has had a jail-based 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since 2020 and recently expanded to the Task Force Model, which lets trained deputies question and detain people suspected of immigration violations during field work. Deputies also assisted federal agents during the July immigration operation at Wilson Creek. The sheriff decides whether to sign these agreements, but commissioners control the sheriff's budget. Do you support the expansion, and would you support deputies taking part in more operations like the one at Wilson Creek?

7a) I would support the continuation of the previous jail-based agreement for the jail being allowed to hold subjects that ICE has identified. I do not think the County deputies should be involved in the questioning for suspected immigration violations. They have not been offboarded adequate training for this task. Likewise, I do not support our county deputies taking part in ICE raids. However, I would support situational officer assistance whereby ICE presents adequate warrants etc. and request assistance in the arrest of such subjects.

8. Housing costs are one of the top concerns we hear from readers. Counties set development rules outside town limits and play a role in where water and sewer lines go. What specific steps would you take to make housing more affordable in Caldwell County?

8a) Work with the state and federal grant housing programs to develop more housing options to include single family as well as apartment. There has been a notable increase in modular homes, which are far more affordable than regular houses.

9. New employers bring jobs, but they can also add pressure to an already tight housing market. How would you recruit new businesses and jobs to Caldwell County without making the housing shortage worse? Please be specific.

9a) I think that is an issue most municipalities face and a difficult one to address. I would have to say that the entity would need to seek to continue to increase construction of new housing to attempt to address the need.

10. Sewage and wastewater spills into local creeks and rivers are a concern we hear from readers across the region. County growth decisions affect how much load Caldwell County's sewer systems carry. What would you do to reduce spills and make sure new development doesn't overload aging sewer lines?

10a) I think we need to work with state and federal government in the enforcement of EPA regulations. I would strongly resist the current federal and state administration’s efforts to roll back and dismantle those current rules, regulations and policies that support that. Also ensure that we use the most up to date technologies in our water treatment systems and plants and systematically upgrade outdated systems.

11. One of the most common concerns we hear is about law enforcement officers who leave one agency after trouble on the job and are hired by another agency in Caldwell County or a neighboring county. State law requires agencies to check a statewide database before hiring, but it only lists officers whose certifications were suspended or revoked. The sheriff makes hiring decisions for the sheriff's office, but commissioners control the Caldwell County sheriff's budget. What policies would you support to keep this from happening here?

11a. Personnel offices should perform extensive background check on the state and federal criminal register history. Each past work histories needs to be screened. The background work history should include a personal contact by phone to past employers.

12. Suppose most of the residents who contact you want you to vote one way on a major issue, but after studying it you believe the other choice is better for the county's future. How would you vote, and how would you explain your decision to the people who disagreed?

12a. I would vote what I considered to be in the best interest of the county. I would present the facts at hand to those concerned citizens who disagreed, denoting the specific rationales.

I am running for Caldwell County Commissioner because I believe we can make our county more efficient, more transparent, and more responsive to the people it serves.