Hello! I am Bob Fulton.

After years of travel and working in in Oklahoma, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas, I now call Brunswick County home, and I refuse to sit idly by while uncontrolled development threatens our community's affordability and livability. Overdevelopment has resulted in widespread clearcutting, destruction of wetlands and wildlife habitats leading to erosion and flooding. As someone who believes in the power of honest and dedicated public service, I am taking action by running for the position of Brunswick County Commissioner for District 3.

My values, shaped by a lifetime of hard work, empathy, education, respect, and duty to our country, have taught me that Brunswick County needs a balanced and responsible government that fosters growth while supporting our most vulnerable neighbors. We cannot allow the current group of County Commissioners to continue down this path of uncontrolled development.

I am confident that, by working together, we can create a thriving community that benefits everyone. Join me in this effort to preserve and enhance the beauty, friendliness, and prosperity of Brunswick County, a place that many of us have come to call home.

Proud husband, father, grandfather and...

  • US Army Veteran, Diver – scuba and hard hat, 1971-1974

  • Airline Dispatcher, Piedmont Airlines/US Airways Flight Operations Control

  • Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector 2012-2021

  • Old Dominion University Bachelor of Science, Marine Biology

  • NOAA/National Marine Fisheries: researcher

  • HOA President / Vice President Arbor Creek Community Association

  • United Methodist Church – Trustees, Trustee Chair, Church Council Chair

  • Cape Fear River Watch - Creek Watch volunteer

About Bob Fulton...

Contact Bob

Bob is a St. James Fire Department volunteer.

I want to hear from you. Please let me know what issues you believe County Commissioners should prioritize.

I would also like to meet you and your social network in person. I am happy to attend meet and greets, speak at organizational meetings, or meet one-on-one.

Issues...

I believe these issues are important to us as responsible citizens. I hold these values dear and will fight for them.

  • Hold polluters accountable for poisoning our groundwater.

  • Mandate alternatives to clear-cutting.

  • Research stormwater management innovations.

  • Research development fees to offset taxpayer infrastructure costs.

  • Pressure the NC General Assembly on environmental issues negatively impacting our property values.

Environmental Protections

Responsible Government

  • Balance the budget, and commit to finding alternatives to raising taxes.

  • Provide adequate utilities and services to all residents.

Health and Safety Services

  • Prioritize emergency preparedness.

  • Analyze staffing needs and secure funding to recruit and staff Fire Departments and the Sheriff's Office.

  • Create a cooperative and collaborative relationship with local hospitals.

  • Recruit and incentivize medical and veterinary professionals.

  • Ensure all residents have access to healthcare within the county.

Housing and Development

  • Promote options for affordable housing.

  • Develop and enforce reasonable regulations on builders.

Education

  • Promote the need for a strong public primary and secondary education system.

  • Explore options for increasing teacher pay.

  • Promote Brunswick County Community College.

I am running to represent District 3. I share these issues with my two running mates:

  • Bob Fulton, District 3

  • Jonathon Damico, District 5

  • Tom Simmons, District 4

There are three Brunswick County Commissioner positions open for election in November ( 3 districts).
Every registered voter in Brunswick County can (and MUST) vote for all three.
Vote for change!
Vote for Commissioners who will represent the people - not profit.

As a registered voter in Brunswick County,
you are eligible to vote for a candidate in each District, #3, #4 and #5. Vote for Simmons, Damico and Fulton

Sierra Club Endorsement: Fulton/Damico/Simmons

Clean Cape Fear
endorsement:

Fulton
Damico
Simmons

INFRASTRUCTURE

Roads, bridges, water systems, sanitary sewer systems, emergency services, health services, and educational facilities... these are things the people of Brunswick County rely on for their safety, their security, their future.

The cost of these building blocks (infrastructure) are not paid for simply by taxes as the county grows exponentially. Current taxes are not sufficient to pay for all the infrastructure and service staffing requirements of the overdevelopment being allowed in Brunswick County. Current state statutes do not allow developers to be held responsible for any of these costs. That needs to change!

LEGISLATIVE GOALS presented at the BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS meeting: SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

Agenda Item: Administration – FY 25 NCACC State Legislative Goals:
Request the Board propose legislative goals to be presented to North Carolina Association of County Commissioners for consideration by the Association for inclusion in its 2025-2026 Legislative Agenda.

Respectfully request that the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners consider the following requests: Bob Fulton, 3898 Timber Stream Dr. Southport, NC

1) A legislative goal to re-institute legislation to support protection of all wetlands based on the science of what
constitutes a wetland, it’s function and benefit to society.

2) A legislative goal to eliminate unrestricted clear cutting.

3) A legislative goal to restrict open burn of debris from land clearing to include removal of debris to approved
dumps sites, or required removal of ash to approved dump sites to prevent pollution of lakes, ponds, streams.

4) A legislative goal to obtain authorization for a tree ordinance for Brunswick County.

5) A legislative goal to establish transitional zoning provisions to be applicable to areas impacted by removal of
ETJ's.

6) A legislative goal to support assessment to repeal the Certificate Of Need law which may limit the ability to
seek new healthcare facilities for Brunswick County.

The Board of Commissioners had on their agenda, a discussion of what actions they would put forward at the
North Carolina Association of County Commissioners for legislative action. In accordance with their published
agenda, I presented during public comment, the above requests for legislative action to be considered for action
in the 2025-2026 session.

While my first proposal, to request work to re-institute wetlands protection did generate some discussion, the
Board declined to include any of my proposals.

What should be interesting to all, is that these proposals come from my notes of issues repeatedly brought before
this Board of Commissioners, repeatedly by many citizens over the past six months.
The Board is required to provide time for public comment ... but they are not required to listen.

Extra Territorial Jurisdictions ...

The State of North Carolina authorized the establishment of EJT's as land use planning tools in 1959. As late as 2022, 14 counties in North Carolina had no zoning restrictions. Tourism communities are especially vulnerable to incompatible zoning uses. Southport, Oak Island, Boiling Spring Lakes, Shallotte, Calabash and a number of other coastal communities have been authorized the use of ETJ's.

In May of this year, Brunswick County Commissioners (Thompson, Sykes, Williams, Forte and Cooke) sent a letter to state legislators (Rabon, Miller, Iler) asking the state to pass legislation to strip ETJ authority from municipalities in the county. The letter cited the "growing challenges" in Brunswick County that they "could better address" than the municipalities involved. This was done without even a public hearing to allow residents the right to voice their opinion. No matter the rhetoric, our County Commissioners have spoken, and shown you what they think of your opinion. They serve to benefit their friends, their desires and their contributors... not the best interest of Brunswick County.

In November, you need to speak up and vote for a Brunswick County Commissioner who supports your interest fairly and honestly.

EVACUATION ROUTES ... District #3

There have been repeated questions posed to the current County Commissioners asking how residents can be assured the tremendous growth of residents in our area will not adversely affect emergency evacuation routes. There has been no answer. The potential for the need to evacuate from coastal areas is not new to Brunswick County. The rapid development obviously puts a greater strain on the ability of residents and vacationers to evacuate should there be an emergency situation. True, the nuclear plant is required to have a published plan, the County has a published plan ... it is doubtful that either has been updated to account for the thousands of new residents or the tens of thousands for planned developments being considered.

Are your Commissioners taking this into account and directing their Planning Board to do the same, I think not.

UDO text amendments:

After over eight months of public outcry asking for constraints on clear-cutting, wiping out wetlands and uncontrolled development, the County Commissioners directed text amendments to the existing Uniform Development Ordinances to provide for some minimal tree preservation, greenspace and recreational space improvements. An additional amendment proposed increased buffers (trees) along major roadways. When presented to the Planning Board (members are appointed, not elected) they denied acceptance of any of the proposed amendments. When asked, why were the proposals denied, the answer from the Deputy County Manager was - nothing, the Planning Board just said denied. Then the Commissioners told the County staff to meet with the development community and try to work something out. Then the developers can tell the Planning Board what they want.

How do you think that will work out for the citizens of Brunswick County.
Once again, we pay good money for good people in the Planning Department to come up development standards, used in other counties across North Carolina, and a couple of Commissioners call that "crazy". Why would we want to do what works, let's go to the developers and ask what they want.

If you agree with this path, you have given up your right to representation.
August 19, this issue is set to come up before the County Commissioners in their chambers at the Government Center at 3pm. If you care, you need to be there to tell them what you think. They want to give you watered down kool-aid, you get to decide if you are going to drink it - or NOT.

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Paid for by the campaign to elect Robert (Bob) Fulton