Lottery commissioner resigns

The turmoil on the state lottery commission continued today, with the announcement that a third member is stepping down.

Gordon Myers, a former vice president of the Ingles supermarket chain, told the commission's chairman on Monday that he was resigning because his business ties might create the perception of a conflict of interest. Myers continues to hold stock in the company, which intends to sell tickets when the lottery is launched in the coming months.

“It's just a perception that he doesn't want to live with,” said chairman Charles Sanders. He added that Myers may also have been troubled by the controversy surrounding the start of the lottery, which has attracted the attention of state and federal investigators.

Investigators are looking into lottery company Scientific Games' recent disclosure that it hired Kevin Geddings, a Charlotte public relations consultant, to push the lottery during the legislative session.

Geddings did not disclose the work when House Speaker Jim Black appointed him to the commission. He stepped down just hours before the company reported the work.

The company also hired lobbyist Meredith Norris, a former unpaid political director to Black, during the legislative session. Norris and a company vice president said that she only monitored legislation and therefore did not have to register her with the state as a lobbyist, but the company later disclosed that it reimbursed her for more than $3,800 she spent wining and dining lawmakers.

One of Norris' lobbying clients is the N.C. Economic Development Group, which serves the state's seven economic development partnerships. Myers is chairman of one of the partnerships — AdvantageWest, which serves the 23 westernmost counties.

Myers was also a Black appointee.

“I am saddened to learn that Gordon Myers has decided to resign from the lottery commission,” Black said in a statement. “Gordon is a well respected business leader, who brought a wealth of retail and business experience to the lottery commission, which was not only required by law, but much-needed as the commission works to set-up the new Education Lottery in North Carolina.”

The other commissioner who resigned was Malachi Greene of Charlotte, an appointee of Senate leader Marc Basnight, a Manteo Democrat. Greene said he did not have enough time to serve on the commission.