Kathleen Hopewell News-Times
Originally published by the Carteret County News-Times
CEDAR POINT — With just three weeks remaining before the primary elections, the Swansboro Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed candidates from three Carteret County primary races to a candidate forum Tuesday evening at VFW Post 9960.
More than a dozen people—including members of town and county governments and the North Carolina House of Representatives—attended to hear from six Republican candidates. Participants included Carteret County commissioner District 1 candidates David Quinn and Steven Overby; Carteret County Board of Education District 1 candidates Anne Scott and Stephanie Krzich; and Carteret County sheriff candidates John Nyberg and Shane Guthrie.
SACC Executive Director Mike McHugh established the evening’s guidelines: Candidates were allowed two minutes for opening remarks, 90 seconds to answer questions and two minutes for closing remarks.
McHugh said he also extended an invitation to the five candidates competing for the Republican nomination in North Carolina’s newly redrawn 1st Congressional District. Those candidates—State Sen. Bobby Hanig, Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse, Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck, attorney Ashley-Nicole Russell and retired U.S. Army Col. Laurie Buckhout—were unable to attend due to a conflicting forum.
Carteret County Commissioner District 1
Incumbent County Commissioner Quinn, who has represented District 1 since 2022, spoke first. Quinn owns Cyclone Well Drilling and the Morehead City restaurant Promised Land Market. He has also served as an instructor at Carteret Community College for 25 years.
“That combination of being a small business owner, being an educator,” Quinn said, “has given me a lot of experience that I bring to the Carteret County Board of Commissioners.”
Quinn, a self-described “lifelong conservative Republican,” said principles such as fiscal responsibility, limited government and personal accountability have served him well.
Former Peletier Commissioner Overby followed. Living with cerebral palsy, Overby said he chose to “get active” in his community by coaching youth basketball and organizing a league at the Cape Carteret Aquatic Center. He also emphasized fiscal responsibility and limited government. Overby said state-mandated property tax reevaluations have been used by the county as an “opportunity to raise your property taxes.”
He also noted a “unique opportunity here in Carteret County, where we generate occupancy tax dollars from tourism.” Overby said he would like to reallocate some of those funds to public schools and infrastructure without raising taxes.
The candidates answered seven questions on topics including growth, transportation, environmental preservation and issues facing the western end of the county.
Regarding the district’s greatest needs, Quinn proposed a senior center for the west end of the county. Overby identified infrastructure and schools as primary concerns, noting that roadways and White Oak Elementary are approaching capacity.
To maintain the rural environment during growth, Overby stressed the need to adhere to land-use plans and hold workshops to “gauge the input from the citizens.” Quinn highlighted the development of parks and recreational facilities, such as new nature trails and a future boat ramp in Ocean, as a way to preserve the area’s rural connection.
On economic development, Overby expressed a need to “invest in our local people.” While he praised workforce development at Carteret Community College, he questioned where the local jobs are.
“They’re going to get educated here and then they’re going to leave,” Overby said.
Quinn proposed a “Stay Carteret” initiative, using state grants and local business investments to incentivize trade students to work in the county to “build our tax base without spending taxpayer dollars.”
Carteret County Board of Education District 1
Scott, a substitute teacher, delivered her opening remarks first. She has volunteered in the community since moving to Peletier in 2009, including work with the Swansboro United Methodist Church’s Sunday school program and childcare center. Scott began substitute teaching in 2016 and expressed appreciation for the county’s schools, teachers and the board of education.
Incumbent Krzich followed, saying she brings “both a parent’s perspective and a financial perspective to the board.” She said she is focused on students, guided by conservative values and seeks input from educators and parents. Krzich said she intends to “continue to advocate for competitive pay” for teachers, bus drivers and coaches.
The candidates answered six questions ranging from population growth to teacher retention.
Regarding her vision for the next four years, Scott said she wants to improve recruitment of teachers and bus drivers with state support. She also advocated for using state funding to expand pre-K programs.
“Being in a preschool classroom today, I really see the need for these children, especially the ones that just came out of COVID that could use a stronger foundation before being thrown into real school,” Scott said.
Krzich said she wants the county to show teachers they are valued by increasing supplemental pay to stay competitive with neighboring counties. She also suggested recruiting more bus drivers who are not teacher assistants to alleviate their workload.
Carteret County Sheriff
Finally, the two Republican candidates for sheriff spoke. Nyberg, the current chief deputy and a retired State Highway Patrol captain, discussed his involvement in the community coaching sports. After retiring in 2015, he began volunteering at the sheriff’s office and has served as chief deputy for two years.
Guthrie, a Carteret County native and retired sergeant, followed. He attended the basic law enforcement academy at Carteret Community College and served 30 years with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office. Though still a sworn deputy in Pitt County, he currently works as an insurance agent in Morehead City.
The candidates answered six questions regarding jail facilities, leadership styles and deputy coverage.
Both candidates agreed the current jail in Beaufort is inadequate.
“With the population growth that we’ve had over the last 25 years,” Guthrie said, “it’s a very much needed thing.”
Nyberg noted the jail’s overcapacity, stating it has a capacity of 116 but was holding 161 inmates earlier that day.
Both agreed that patrol coverage in county districts is currently inadequate. Nyberg noted that calls for service increased by 6,000 from 2024 to 2025. Guthrie suggested offering contract-based deputies to towns without their own police departments, such as Cedar Point.
The full forum is available on the Swansboro Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
Early voting is underway, and the primary elections are March 3. Residents can visit the Carteret County Board of Elections website for sample ballots and voting information.
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