Wilkes County Commissioner steps down as chairman of board

Casey Johnson is stepping in as chairman after Stoney Greene stepped down at 4:59 p.m. Tuesday. In his resignation letter, Greene stated it would be in the "best interests of Wilkes County" to step down.

Casey Johnson is stepping in as chairman after Stoney Greene stepped down at 4:59 p.m. Tuesday. In his resignation letter, Greene stated it would be in the "best interests of Wilkes County" to step down.

REST OF THE WEEK’S FORECAST COMING UP, LAINEY, THANK YOU. STAYING THERE IN WILKES COUNTY, NEW TONIGHT CHANGES TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. STONEY GREEN HAS STEPPED DOWN AS CHAIRMAN. KARA PETERS SPOKE WITH RESIDENTS AFTER TONIGHT’S MEETING. IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR THE WILKES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING. MANY RESIDENTS COMING OUT FOR COMMISSIONER STONEY GREEN, WHO STEPPED DOWN AS CHAIRMAN JUST ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE MEETING AND WHILE HE STEPPED DOWN AS CHAIRMAN FOR THE BOARD, HE REMAINS A COMMISSIONER FOR THE WILKES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING, STARTING WITH DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP. TUESDAY NIGHT. CASEY JOHNSON, STEPPING IN AS CHAIRMAN AFTER STONEY GREENE STEPPED DOWN AT 4:59 P.M. IN HIS RESIGNATION LETTER, GREEN STATED IT WOULD BE IN THE QUOTE, BEST INTEREST TO STEP DOWN. ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE ANIMAL WELLNESS ACTION, GREENE WAS PREVIOUSLY INVOLVED IN DOG FIGHTING, LEADING TO AN ARREST IN NEW JERSEY BACK IN THE EARLY 2000 WHEN PURCELL, PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION BASED OUT OF WASHINGTON, DC, SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. RESIDENTS ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GREEN BROUGHT IN TO FIGHT A DOG OR A ROOSTER. SHOWS A TOTAL LACK OF COMPASSION, AND THAT’S A TRAIT THAT I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN MY ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND I’M NOT SO SURE, MR. GREEN HAS THAT COMPASSION. COMMISSIONERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ENDORSE THE FIGHT ACT, WHICH STANDS FOR FIGHTING INHUMANE GAMBLING AND HIGH-RISK TRAFFICKING. IT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN DON BACON OF NEBRASKA LAST YEAR. WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT THE WILKES COUNTY BOARD OF COM DOES NOT AGREE WITH ANY TYPE OF ANIMAL FIGHTING, WHETHER IT BE DOGS, CHICKENS, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. STILL, RESIDENTS LIKE MEGAN BARNETT SAY WHILE THEY’RE HAPPY TO SEE THE FIGHT ACT ENDORSED, THEY ALSO HOPE TO SEE MORE DONE WITH GREEN IN THE FUTURE. WE WOULD LIKE HIM TO RESIGN AND I BELIEVE THAT’S THE ONLY OPTION. THERE’S NOT A LEGAL OPTION IN NORTH CAROLINA TO REMOVE HIM WITHOUT A FELONY CONVICTION. UM, SO THEY’LL, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH INFORMATON ABOUT HIS PAST AND PUSH FOR HIS RESIGNATION. AND WE DID REACH OUT TO GREEN FOR COMMENT FOLLOWING HIS RESIGNATION AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. BUT HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK IN WILK

Wilkes County Commissioner steps down as chairman of board

The Wilkes County Commissioners meeting started with different leadership on Tuesday night.Casey Johnson stepped in as chairman after Stoney Greene stepped down at 4:59 p.m. In his resignation letter, Greene stated it would be in the "best interests" to step down.According to a press release from "The Animal Wellness Action," Greene was previously involved in dog fighting, leading to an arrest in New Jersey in the early 2000s.Wayne Pacelle, president of the organization based out of Washington, D.C., spoke during the public comment portion. Residents also spoke about the accusations against Greene."To fight a dog or a rooster, that’s a trait that lacks compassion, and that’s something I'd like to see in my elected officials. And I'm not so sure Mr. Greene has that compassion," one resident said.Commissioners voted unanimously to endorse the F.I.G.H.T Act, which stands for Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High Risk Trafficking. It was first introduced by Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska last year. "We just wanted to make a statement that Wilkes County Board of Commissioners does not agree with any type of dog fighting, chickens, or whatever," Johnson said.Still, residents like Megan Barnett say that while they're happy to see the F.I.G.H.T Act endorsed, they also hope to see more done with Greene in the future."We would like him to resign. And we believe that’s the only option, there's not a legal option to remove him without a felony conviction," Barnett said. "So the community will continue to push information about his past, and push for his resignation."WXII reached out to Greene for comment following his resignation as chairman but has yet to hear back.

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. —

The Wilkes County Commissioners meeting started with different leadership on Tuesday night.

Casey Johnson stepped in as chairman after Stoney Greene stepped down at 4:59 p.m. In his resignation letter, Greene stated it would be in the "best interests" to step down.

According to a press release from "The Animal Wellness Action," Greene was previously involved in dog fighting, leading to an arrest in New Jersey in the early 2000s.

Wayne Pacelle, president of the organization based out of Washington, D.C., spoke during the public comment portion.

Residents also spoke about the accusations against Greene.

"To fight a dog or a rooster, that’s a trait that lacks compassion, and that’s something I'd like to see in my elected officials. And I'm not so sure Mr. Greene has that compassion," one resident said.

Commissioners voted unanimously to endorse the F.I.G.H.T Act, which stands for Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High Risk Trafficking.

It was first introduced by Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska last year.

"We just wanted to make a statement that Wilkes County Board of Commissioners does not agree with any type of dog fighting, chickens, or whatever," Johnson said.

Still, residents like Megan Barnett say that while they're happy to see the F.I.G.H.T Act endorsed, they also hope to see more done with Greene in the future.

"We would like him to resign. And we believe that’s the only option, there's not a legal option to remove him without a felony conviction," Barnett said. "So the community will continue to push information about his past, and push for his resignation."

WXII reached out to Greene for comment following his resignation as chairman but has yet to hear back.

Wilkes County Commissioner steps down as chairman of board

Casey Johnson is stepping in as chairman after Stoney Greene stepped down at 4:59 p.m. Tuesday. In his resignation letter, Greene stated it would be in the "best interests of Wilkes County" to step down.

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