Ben Buckner for Henderson City Council

Ben Buckner for Henderson City Council My name is Ben Buckner and I’m running for Henderson City Council for Ward 2 - at large.

In today's unsurprising news, the City of Henderson quietly advertised for a new Finance Director.I can't blame Joey Fuq...
07/18/2026

In today's unsurprising news, the City of Henderson quietly advertised for a new Finance Director.

I can't blame Joey Fuqua for walking away. He spent weeks defending his budget to the City Council, only to watch that same Council aggressively pursue cuts to his own department. Whatever the stated rationale, the message to a finance professional could not have been clearer — and when the message is that clear, the exit is easy.

What is going on with the governance in the City of Henderson?

Look at the record under Mayor Elliott and her four reliable votes: four city managers. Three city attorneys. No city engineer. And now a departing Finance Director — at the very moment the City's own budget presentation warns of "very possible difficulty in balancing" the FY28 budget. Add the controversy surrounding the termination of the assistant to the mayor, and a pattern emerges that is difficult to read as anything other than governance by grievance. Whether every departure has the same cause, the cumulative effect is the same: the City's financial operations are being hollowed out at exactly the moment they can least afford it.

Consider what the next Finance Director inherits. A fund balance at 25% against the City's own 30% minimum goal. A $5 million fund balance draw to balance this year's budget. A $50M+ operation spanning four funds and a regional water system. And a Council that just demonstrated, publicly, how it treats the person holding the ledger.

The City is advertising the position at $90,000–$110,000 — a range that wouldn't be competitive for this job in a stable organization, let alone this one. Qualified finance officers talk to each other, and Henderson's reputation now precedes it. It is going to be very difficult to find someone willing to step into this mess — and if Council doesn't change how it treats the professionals who keep this city solvent, no salary range will fix that.

We need to demand accountability from our elected officials.

06/10/2026

“An unguided boat will always come to rot or ruin.” — Charles Marshall

Members of the Henderson City Council,

The citizens of Henderson are tired of the chaos. We ask that you place the interests of the city above personal interests and govern in good faith.

Let us begin with the decision to initiate proceedings to remove Gary Daeke. This action stemmed from an email sent by Mayor Pro Tem Tami Walker to the council recommending the removal of Paylor Spruill and his replacement with Kendrick Vann—a recommendation that became reality today.

I agree with Mr. Daeke’s defense. The email was already in the public domain, and after being contacted about it, he forwarded it to The Daily Dispatch in the interest of transparency. Elected officials have a duty to act in the best interests of their constituents, and transparency in government is essential, particularly when decisions appear to be made behind closed doors.

Henderson is now on its fourth city manager in just three years. This lack of continuity, coupled with what appears to be the placement of preferred individuals into key positions, is deeply concerning. Taxpayers have a right to know what is happening within their government. Mr. Daeke’s actions do not rise to the level of removal. I commend Mr. Noel, Mr. Seifert, and Mrs. Gomez-Jimenez for voting against the motion.

Earlier in the meeting, the council praised Recovery Alive CEO Tisha Temple for her transparency and leadership. Yet transparency seems to become a problem only when it exposes the plans of certain members of the council. Such double standards are unacceptable. Transparency should come first—always.

The budget discussion was equally troubling. The council passed a motion, introduced by Geraldine Champion, to reject the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. From the discussion, it appeared that much of the opposition stemmed from the elimination of the Assistant to the Mayor position.

Mrs. Champion stated that “when you cut down a tree, you don’t start at the roots—you start with the higher limbs,” suggesting that cost reductions should begin with higher-paid employees in key positions. It is worth noting that Mrs. Champion previously advocated for council pay increases during budget discussions in prior years.

In my view, the proposed budget was sound and should have been approved. If a budget is not adopted by July 1, the city will operate under interim appropriations, allowing salaries, debt service, and essential operating expenses to continue. However, the property tax rate is established through the budget process. Failure to adopt a budget could delay tax bill issuance and disrupt revenue collection.

These comments came after the council required the Airport Authority to justify the value it provides to the city while simultaneously considering cuts to airport funding—a partnership that has existed since the 1960s.

As Councilman Sam Seifert aptly stated, Henderson has a revenue problem, not a spending problem. The city needs economic development and an expanded tax base. The airport serves as a gateway for business leaders and executives who can bring investment, jobs, and visibility to our community. Reducing support for the airport would be shortsighted and counterproductive to Henderson’s long-term growth.

The refusal to adopt the budget, the effort to remove Mr. Daeke, and the termination of Paylor Spruill all seem to point to a single underlying theme: vindictiveness. Unfortunately, this has become a recurring pattern. Unless the council changes course, it appears to have the votes necessary to continue steering this ship toward the very rot and ruin Charles Marshall warned against.

Henderson has tremendous potential. As taxpayers and citizens, we deserve better from our elected officials. I applaud those members of the council who continue to act in the best interests of the city and its residents. Thank you for your service

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Henderson, NC
27536

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