Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons user borman818
Though Political Committee Chair of the Sierra Club of Western North Carolina Group Ken Brame donated a combined $300 to three of the four local candidates that the environmental organization ultimately endorsed, he says his personal contribution did not influence the endorsement process.
“This was a personal contribution,” he says. “There are several filters to make sure there was a fair process [for the organization’s endorsements].”
According to mid-year campaign finance reports, Brame donated $100 to City Council candidate Cecil Bothwell’s campaign on Feb. 7; $100 to mayoral candidate Esther Manheimer’s campaign on April 17; and $100 to City Council candidate Gordon Smith’s campaign on April 21. In mailers recently sent out to Asheville residents from Manheimer’s campaign, five bullet points outlining her qualifications and experience are listed, but only the Sierra Club’s endorsement is bolded.
“Any member of the Sierra Club is free to make any personal contribution to any candidate they wish. We would certainly hope that someone in a leadership position with our organization would make contributions to candidates and elected officials who share our values on protecting our environment,” Judy Mattox, who serves as chair of the Sierra Club of Western North Carolina, said in an emailed statement.
Xpress has requested the full list of the seven members on the local Sierra Club’s political committee to cross-reference campaign contributions to endorsed officials.
According to Brame, the political endorsement process includes a review of candidate’s voting records or public statements on environmental issues; a questionnaire responses; and an interview with the candidate. From there, the seven-member committee votes. A super-majority is required to make an endorsement. After that, Brame explains, the endorsements are reviewed by the local chapter and then sent to the state’s Seirra Club for approval.
Though Brame says this contribution was personal, he notes that he likes to send a supportive message to the candidates he sees as current positive environmental policymakers or future policymakers.
Brame says he will personally contribute to the four endorsed candidates.
“I only make financial contributions to candidates that the Sierra Club has endorsed in the past or that share my environmental values. In the case of Esther, Cecil, and Gordon, they had all been endorse previously by the Sierra Club. The one exception would be that I may make a contribution to a candidate in races where the Sierra Club usually doesn’t make endorsements such as judicial races,” Brame said in an email.
Caitlin Byrd can be reached at cbyrd@mountainx.com or 251-1333, ext. 140.
This report will be updated as Xpress receives more information.
50 brewing tanks 85 feet high right off the Smokey park Bridge. At the least an eyesore. But at the most this potential for massive sewerage issues looms. These endorsed people voted this in, without much attention being paid to consequences. http://wlos.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/wlos_concerns-over-sewer-levels-13227.shtml
Look at NBB’s track record in Ft Collins-working with the sewerage utility to reduce impact. NBB is a model for sustainability in the corporate world. (And worker owned)
If New Belgium is a model of sustainability, why have they reduced their production capacity projections in Asheville by 33% before they have even begun construction on their factory? The craft brewing market is becoming saturated and the beer market is down. What is sustainable about $10 six packs? How about the track record of industrial mishaps affecting the Buckingham neighborhood in Fort Collins or the track record of ignoring the negative impact of their Tour de Fat parade in that same neighborhood? Similar to Asheville City Council ignoring the concerns of the East End neighborhood over the concerns of Brewgrass. But hey, they are employee owned. BEER CITY!!!