“If any vote has a direct substantial financial impact on a member, you will not be able to vote.” – Tom Carruthers
Update: This was published prior to Mayor Odham taking the oath of office so we updated his title to reflect the change. The BOA meeting was erroneously dated August 16. We corrected it to Aug. 15. New Bern Now also added construction to the list of businesses after seeing it on the P & G of New Bern annual report. The article was edited to reflect AP style formatting.
Newly elected Mayor Jeffrey Odham tells the public he’s the Senior Regional Sales Manager for PPG Industries, a paint company. It turns out, he’s involved in the construction, real estate and land management business.
New Bern Now (NBN) realized this after seeing an item on the amended version of the New Bern Board of Aldermen (BOA) meeting agenda for August 15, 2022 that was published late Friday afternoon.
The initial agenda didn’t have items on the consent agenda. Now there’s three. After researching each item as NBN does prior to each meeting. Item 5 — Consider Adopting a Resolution Calling for a Public Hearing to Rezone Parcels adjacent to Craeberne Forest Subdivision. Each parcel on Craven GIS Maps that were listed on the agenda are owned by McCullough Farms LLC. P & J of New Bern was listed on an adjacent property. Both companies mailing address listed on the property records is 5003 Morton Road. Searching for who lives at that address, it was identified as Jeffrey Odham’s house.
While searched the NC Secretary of State’s website for McCullough Farms, LLC and P & J of New Bern, both companies list Patrick O. McCullough as the Manager with the Principal Office Address listed as 5003 Morton Road.
McCullough who disclosed that he lives in the Philippines, attended the Planning and Zoning (P & Z) Board meeting on Aug. 4. He asked the board to rezone seven parcels off Trent Creek Road. The parcels would be part of the development of Craeberne Forest Subdivision. He also mentioned the NC Connector.
The parcels (8-210-11002, 8-210-11003, 8-210-11004, 8-210-11006, 8-210-11009, 8-210-11010, 8-210-23000) were approved by the P & Z Board are the same that were added to tonight’s consent agenda for the board meeting. The owner wants to rezone the property from Agricultural Forestry District and Residential District, to Residential.
Learn about Ethics at a local level by watching Tom Carruthers, Senior Assistant General Council with the NC League of Municipalities presentation on Ethics:
Mayor Odham has not recused himself from participating in discussions and/or voting on issues where he has a business stake.
There has been much discussion about the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). This is a process of bringing in higher income neighborhoods like areas of Craeberne Forest into the City and relinquishing the ETJ of other properties that have a lower tax assessment. If passed, it may impact residents whose families have lived in New Bern for 100+ years. They would lose their identification with the City as their properties would be relinquished to Craven County. They would also be required to seek certain utilities.
NBN did not research records/videos from the nine years that he has been in office. Here are a few other items Odham discussed and/or voted yes on the following:
Jan. 26, 2021 – Voted for a bill to be brought to the state legislation to allow developers the option to pay the city for the cost of constructing sidewalks in their subdivisions and commercial properties. Hence, the citizens would rely on employees to get the job done.
July 14, 2020 – Voted to adopt a resolution encouraging the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to Proceed with the Highway 43 Connector Project. According to the City Clerk’s minutes, Mayor Odham said “developers always ask when the road will be completed, and its completion will bring more businesses.”
May 22, 2018 – Discussed the Highway 43 Connector.
June 12, 2018 – Voted to adopt a resolution in support of the Highway 43 Connect — projected to affect Craeberne Forest Subdivision.
NBN asked the BOA and Mayor Odham for a comment. Odham’s, “Patrick McCullough is the sole member and owner of those entities you mentioned. Pat spends the majority of his time in the Philippines with his new wife. He asked me a few years ago if I would help him my signing documents on his behalf since he is often out of the county, which I have done since 2019. I have no ownership or financial interest in his businesses. It’s simply a transaction support function.”
Odham was then asked, if he’s the sole member, why was Patrick McCullough address listed on the NC Secretary of State’s annual report as 4315 Country Club Rd, and your address listed as Principal Office Street Address? Please provide the power of attorney and/or other documents to support your claim. Who runs his (McCullough’s) business while he’s away? Why wouldn’t their address be listed as the Principal Office Address?
Craven GIS lists McCullough’s address on properties prior to 2019 so what Odham says doesn’t add up.
When asked if he received the required two hours of annual ethics training for the past 9 years, Alderman Odham replied, “Yes.”
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By Wendy Card, Editor