Town manager sold mom’s van to town

Local News

August 5, 2008

Conflict of interest?

W. TERRY SMITH

Tarboro Councilman David Smoot thinks Town Manager Sam Noble used “bad judgment” when he sold a van his mother owned to the town in December.

Smoot and Mayor Donald Morris made their concerns known to Noble, and the town manager bought the van back the next day.

“I was trying to help out the town,” Noble said. “The town lost on that deal.”

Meanwhile, Parks and Recreation Director Jarvis Pettaway says, “It was a very good deal that would have helped us.”

The 1993 Chevrolet van belonged to Noble’s stepfather who died last year. It had less than 20,000 miles on it and had not been driven for a couple years, said Noble, who spent $2,000 for new tires, a battery, alternator and gas tank.

Knowing the recreation department could use a van, Noble sold it to the town for $2,000.

“It was great for me,” said town Athletic Director Warren Mitchell. “The seats had been removed so it had lots of space and I could pile all kinds of equipment in there.”

Morris said, “Somebody mentioned it to me and I saw it parked over at the Roberson Center, so I asked Sam about it.”

Smoot said he heard rumors about the van.

The mayor and councilman told Noble it “looked bad, probably a conflict of interest.”

The next day, Noble bought the van back and “within a week sold it to a fella who hauls carpet for $3,400.”

“It would have helped us,” Mitchell said.

“It was an excellent deal for us,” Pettaway said. “It was a nice van in very good condition.”

Smoot said he would probably bring the matter up to the entire council when it meets next on Monday, Aug. 11.

“This is a serious matter,” he said. “I am mighty disappointed.”

Noble seemed surprised the matter was coming up six months later.

“I certainly did not try to hide anything,” he said. “I was trying to help the rec department.”