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Published: April 21, 2008
Updated: April 22, 2008
MAYODAN — A Mayodan church publicly calling for the defeat of a May 6 ballot issue for the sale of liquor by the drink is being investigated by the state Board of Elections for failing to file as a political committee.
Tina Cardwell, deputy director of the Rockingham County Board of Elections, said her office was obliged to intervene after it received several reports from Mayodan residents. The committee set up to advocate liquor by the drink, Yes For Progress, sent the election board a complaint April 15. It said the church group was doing the same type of publicity as Yes For Progress but failed to file with the county or admit that a church must follow the same laws as other groups.
The elections board sent a letter to the Rev. Paul Sisk, pastor of West Side Baptist, notifying him the church was trying to influence a public vote and would need to file with the Board of Elections. The group would then report the sources of money that paid for publicity, like fliers or tracts urging people to vote against liquor by the drink.
In response, Cardwell said the BOE received a letter from Gibbs Law Firm, of Seminole, Fla., on behalf of West Side Baptist Church. Attorney David Gibbs wrote that state law defines a referen-dum committee as being assembled for the primary purpose of supporting or opposing the passage of a ballot referendum. Gibbs said West Side Baptist’s primary purpose was to spread Christianity, not to oppose a ballot issue.
“As such, it is not a ‘referendum committee’ as defined by the North Carolina General Statutes and, therefore not subject to any of the registration requirements set forth in Chapter 163, including the filing of a ‘Statement of Purpose,’” Gibbs wrote.
The N.C. 2008-09 Campaign Finance Manual says a referendum committee must declare its purpose for organization and must comply with the state laws for collecting and spending money to publicly oppose or support a ballot issue. The manual does not restrict what or how committees present arguments for or against.
The letter closes with the statement that the church wishes for an amicable resolution, but it will “vigorously pursue and protect their rights” if need be.
At receipt of Gibbs’ letter, the case was referred to the state board for investigation.
“We have received a complaint about the group and have begun an investigation,” said Adam Ragan, a compliance specialist for the campaign finance division of the state BOE.
Ragan said he could not comment on the investigation until its completion, but if the state board rules against the church group, the punishment may vary.
The statute says a group refusing to comply could face a civil case or criminal prosecution by the local district attorney. Ragan said the Internal Revenue Service has the right to withdraw a church’s tax-exempt status if it violates political participation guidelines.
Sisk said the church group will not file with the BOE.
“Because, according to the law, we are exempt from going to the election board,” Sisk said. “We are a church, not a committee.”
Sisk said the church opposed the same issue in 2004, but it was not required to file. That was the first year the requirement was law and compliance was not policed, so referendum committees presented public messages without being contacted by the BOE. Sisk said he assumed nothing had changed in the past three years.
“I had no idea we had to go to the Board of Elections because this is a moral issue, it’s a Bible issue and we’re just trying to warn people about the dangers of alcohol,” Sisk said.
Sisk said church members regularly go door-to-door handing out gospel tracts printed by the church but had no government interference until a vote was mentioned.
The church, he said, will push the issue “(A)s far as our lawyer says we can go.”
A message left with Gibbs Law Firm was not returned.
Staff writer Heather J. Smith can be reached at or 623-2155, ext. 15.
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Reader Reactions
Sad so many feel that way. But as a Christian I feel the Bible says so much more than a sign. Hope you all will pray for me as I pray for you.
The link below says it all please copy and paste.
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2563/churchsignscoreboardprola1.jpg
I didn’t get testy. I merely responded to your points. You brought up Westside and what, if anything, they did wrong. I responded very reasonably. You brought up Madison. I responded very factually and accurately. You brought up the DUIs. I responded very politely. I thought I was having a civil discussion. Perhaps you didn’t see it that way.
Yes, the vote on Tuesday will be the end of it. I do think that many people have been given additional information in this vote than in the last - and some factual information regarding the economics may just be what gets people out to vote this time that didn’t vote last time, and may possibly have changed some minds from last vote to a more favorable vote this time. Time will tell. We’ll all know come Tuesday night. I guess I’m just happy I don’t have to worry about your vote, Unfooled. As you said…you don’t live in Mayodan.
Amazing that some on here get so bent out of shape when someone gives an opinion other than their own. First of all if you remember the vote is Tuesday, thats when the decession will be made. Neither you or I are making it here we are only giving our opinions. If Citizen and Harley would come to realize that then we could talk about this issue like it was designed to do by our forefathers called FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!! Amazing how testy you are getting. Could you be afraid that the citizens of Mayodan will turn down this referendum like they did the last time it was brought up? What do you feel has changed? Do you feel like the people made a mistake the last time because they didn’t vote as you had wished? Is it you feel that because of economic hard times people will vote for it because they think it will do miracles?Who knows maybe if it doesn’t pass this time maybe in 3 more years we will be in a depression and you’ll have better luck then. I hate to think the way that some have resorted to childlike name calling and such a hostitle attitude over someones opinion. Wonder what you will do when you get a few of those mixed drinks in you? I wonder what kind of a reception you would have given me if I had been an outsider trying to bash those christians for wanting to go aganist this referendum? If I were a betting man I would bet it wouldn’t have been the same. Just remember this is America and thats what allows us to express our opinions. So show someone your are proud to be an American, let both sides speak.
Unfooled, you should change your name to Un-informed. I simply think you’re an idiot. Get the right information about developement then comment with an intelligent response. Right now you are clueless. As for the right & wrong by the church, you said it in your comments. IT HAD TO BE POINTED OUT TO THEM. As for you having a right to tell the citizens of Mayodan how to live simply because you shop & dine here. Again, another idiotic statement. Did you think about what you were saying before you typed the words. I don’t think you tell Greensboro residents how they should live as you wonder down Battleground Avenue, do you? I’m beginning to think the people posting comments on here against this issue are not very educated at all. They are intent on bashing anyone who supports this referendum. I support it. IT WILL PASS and I can’t wait to see these goodie two shoes in this developed area businesses so I can embarrass them. We know who you are, you don’t blend in very well with others. Get a life and stop acting like a spoiled child who didn’t get their way. VICTORY IS ONLY 5 DAYS AWAY.
To Unfooled, if you come here to shop and eat, then you will surely notice that there is NO development going on in Madison. No one is developing land and selling out on 220 like the two individual lots being developed in Mayodan on Hwy 220. That would be the main reason there isn’t a hotel or big chain restaurant or Walmarts or Lowe’s there. If someone had land out on 220 that they were willing to clear, willing to pay to put in the water lines, willing to cut and pave roads and parking lots - then I suppose you’d see all that development going on there instead of in Mayodan. So you see, mixed beverages in Mayodan is more beneficial than in Madison because we have developers working to develop land IN Mayodan (annexed areas).
And secondly, the reduction in DUI’s in Madison isn’t specifically because mixed beverage was passed in Madison - the point being, DUI’s didn’t double, triple, or go up substantially just because they finally allowed a different alcohol being served than just beer and wine. I don’t think the committee intended to insinuate that they went down because of the passage of the referendum.
I think many people who have commented regarding the religion were struck by the disregard of the church to adhere to the campaign election laws. No, the church didn’t comply right away. The church so much as said they were not going to comply when first asked to do so by the local BOE. Only after the State BOE contacted them did they decide they should comply. When one committee does its utmost best to comply and adhere to all the laws and do things correctly, but are faced with other people not in compliance, putting out false information, using copyrighted material as their own it only makes sense for the law-abiding committee to ask for and expect to be on a level playing field. If the Democratic party wanted to campaign and never account for their fundraising and expenditures, but the Republicans had to account for every dime, where it came from, where it went - you can see there would be some dissension. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
And yes, you may shop here and eat here, but no, your opinion really doesn’t count - at least not to those tax paying citizens here who fund the bills being paid to run this town. You get to make those decisions about your place of residence, not mine. That would be like me coming to your house and saying, I don’t like energy efficient windows and so therefore you may not install them to help keep your electricity bill down. Someone who doesn’t pay the taxes here shouldn’t have the same say-so as someone who does. You have the freedom to shop and dine wherever you wish, as I do. I wish I could dine and shop here a whole lot more - and the development on 220 will help me keep my hard earned cash right here where it will benefit me the most.
Thank you.
First off let me say I am not a resident of Mayodan, but I do shop and eat there many times a week along with attending and being a member of a Mayodan church. So if some of you think that you have a right to take my money and not my opinion then just get over it because I know many fine outstanding citizens of that community that do not feel the same as you do.
First of all I don’t know why some like to get so all fired up that they have to bash Christianity .The way I look at it West Side Baptist Church just got a little over zealous and didn’t know about the BOE laws. I know I didn’t.It seems to me when they did find out they stopped breaking the law after they were contacted by the BOE.I don’t see any other way that this church could be in the wrong. I sure pray that all the other churches who are preaching Gods word are not supporting this referendum and would have the courage and faith to speek out aganist it.If they don’t then those would be the ones I would avoid.But This issue is not about Christianity but the sale of liquor by the drink.That is the issue on the ballot not Christianity.Just as some of you who may or may not be Christians voice your opinions for yes vote for whatever reasons,we that oppose the referendum wether christian or non christian have a right to voice our opinion.If it is your faith in God that compels you to be against the referendum just the same as what ever compels those that are For the referendum to support it then so be it.Respecting that is what makes us a free nation.I just pray that those who are using verses of the bible to try to prove a point will study the whole bible to get its full meaning and quit trying to question someones faith because it compels them to be aganist the proposal.
With that said let me bring up the following observation. So much has been said by the supporters about this I just have a few questions.If this is going to save the town with jobs and tax money, then with Madison just right up the road that passed it more than 3 years ago how much has the referendum helped them? I just drove through there yesterday. I didn’t see any new hotels Ruby Tuesdays,or any other big chains in town that came within the last 3 years.I would almost bet that they too have experienced job loses and revenue loss from plant closings.Did the Mixed Drink referendum save them or bring in all that much hyped up business and jobs?If you take a look around the same is happening everywhere.If the mixed drinks can bring in so much business then why did’t Wal-Mart, Lowes and the many other businesses move to Madison instead of Mayodan?
Another thing that I read in an article that was trying to push the For vote was a statment from the For Committe saying that the town of Madison DUI’s had dropped since they passed the Mixed drink referendum. Those who beleieve the drop was due to the passage of the referendum please come see me I have some beach front property here in Stokes County I’d like to sell them.If Mayodan residents think this bill is going to be there savior during good or bad economic times then I feel that they are going to be badly fooled.With that being said I hope that all will give this matter careful consideration and not vote out of economic fear or unsubstaniated promises.
ok my time to preach and speen it my way.
#1 Obey the law
Listen and obey the law and officials of the law. Wether its the drunk driver, speeder in a car, or the election law beakers.
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.“ So we are to obey the laws and the people that govern us for this will bring blessing on us. To break the laws of our land is to break God’s law.
People and the BOE see it as wrong sure its a grey area. You may get away with it. But then a The Lying and spining the truth to your way. Madison is 1000 miles away. Thank God! Dang I hit Madison WI. The Madison NC City limits touch us. That city of Sodum is right next to us. We got to keep the drinkers of Mayodan (Gomorrah) from driving the mile to the places that serve Mixed drinks. leading in to #2 posting untrue things on the church board to spin it your way.
Lie
Heart Disease Still America’s No. 1 Killer Drinking in excess can lead to heart diease. Well so can eating to much hamburgers fries. Glutton 1. A person who eats or consumes immoderate amounts of food and drink.
BURGER KING IN MAYODAN HOW DARE THEY!
Proverbs 23:21
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags
Did Paul sisk and West side Baptist miss the Burger King Opening. I bet they would have stoped that too if it was up for vote. It sdds to heart diease #1 killer in America. Does any cough FAT FOLLOWERS at West Side Baptist Church. Could they be exiled from the Church by Mr. Sisk. Its in the same as Drunkards FAT PEOPLE WATCH out Bro. Paul is comiing after you next you are as bad as a drunkard.
Oh No. General Tobacco
How many deaths are caused by cancer and second hand smoke. People smoking in cars with their kids. Forcing it on them. Leading to heart Diease #1 Killer in America. I belive in a persons right to choice to smoke or not. But subject kids to it is wrong. Did you protest that. If you could you would but not up for vote. Thanks for the jobs to the communtiy General Tobacco. But a law needs to be in place to keep people from smoking in areas with children.
NOT CALLING ANYONE FALSE WITNESS JUST QOUTING THE BIBLE I KNOW SOMEONE WILL ACCUSE ME SO SETTING THIS STRAIGHT AHEAD OF IT
(Prov 12:22 KJV) Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
(Prov 19:9 KJV) A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
Prov 19:9: Verse 9. Lying is a damning, destroying sin.
WOW 2 SINS
“We’ve witnessed the kind of devastation that occurs when God’s laws are taken lightly,” Sisk said.
Maybe a sermon in the bathroom looking in the mirror. Sometimes we throw stones at others. Sometimes we throw stones and shatter our own reflection.
#1 Breaking election laws we will see soon.
#2 Lying stretching the truth
I’m Not advocating drunk driving. Neither would I advocate murder wich is in the Bible. So I guess we should take all the guns out of Mayodan. This is what you are saying with mixed drinks. If you are trying to save lives advocate outlawing guns. Good luck with that. Do you Bro. Paul own guns if so does that make you a murder? So having a gun in my house makes it more a chance of me getting mad a killing my wife in rage. Think about the jobs and the people out of work here. Think about the way you are going about it. It would not be a big stink over it if you did not plaster Westside Baptist Church on it. Start a Group advocates against the law. I’m sure some non WEstside members feel the same way you do. Just do it the right way is all I’m saying and do not spin lies.
By the way see you at the poll. Oh thats right you live in Stokes county. Leave the politics of Mayodan. To us that call this town home.
I can’t believe you are upset over words of a sign. Truth be told, We had a lovely wedding. The signs were changed to announce the couples happy day. As i am sur you have notice the sign is back to it’s prober wording.
JUST VOTE NO
IT WILL SAVE LIVES.
LivingforJesus
Looks like Our calling the BOE has paid off. Mr. Paul Sisk has removed vote No to the Liqour law off the TAX FREE PAUL SISK OPINION BOARD> Justice prevails. Paul Sisk and his band of followers found out this so called man of god is not big enough to take on the Law of the land.
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