Jimmy Tate resigns as Pender County Commissioner amid residency allegations

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PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) – At the Pender County Commissioners meeting last week, resident Beth Butler suggested that former commissioner Jimmy Tate was not a resident of Pender County and asked investigation.

“All I asked for in the meeting when I spoke was transparency for the public. Citizens deserve to know. All I asked for was an investigation into his residence because that no one had seen or heard of him.The places and businesses he frequented during the election are ghosts, Butler said.

By law, anyone running for office in the county must be a resident of that county. Butler claims that Tate resides in Duplin County.

Jimmy Tate spoke to us and said he has a home in Surf City, where he permanently resides, and he has official documents to prove it.

“Yes, I bought a house many years ago in River Landing. The flood came in 2018 and I left, and I haven’t come back since I left. She is ready to lie and the others are ready to lie. Because I have legal counsel, I can’t talk much about it, but we have documented facts and witnesses who live next door to me in Surf City who can tell you that I live there every day,” said Tate.

It is also alleged that Tate filed a lawsuit against him for buying a house in Pender County to run for commissioner. We have confirmed that the Pender County Courthouse has not brought any formal charges against Tate or the Pender County Commissioners at this time.

“Accusing me of being on trial. I am not named in any specific lawsuit. It’s fairly common for counties to be sued, but not me in particular. Ms. Butler is willing, in my opinion, to say anything to discredit me to give her candidate the opportunity to replace me,” Tate said.

Tate said in an email resigning as commissioner at 5:39 p.m. on Friday, January 27 that reads, I resign from my elected position as Pender County Commissioner effective immediately. I express my sincere gratitude to my family, my friends, my constituents. and supporters! I love Pender County, and most of its people have been kind and generous to me for many years. I look forward to being an active member of my community in Surf City for many years to come. The mission of the County Commissioners is essential to the future of our county, and I believe that the work of the Commission deserves the full attention of any member of council. Additionally, the extreme hatred of my main opponent’s team members, including others who remain unnamed to this day, has caused me to divert my attention from county affairs. If I want what’s best for my county, I should quit, so someone else can give it their full attention. I am no longer able to participate at the appropriate level given the conditions of hate.

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