Slow-growth message resounds with voters

Chatham County Board of Commissioners

District 4

* Tom Vanderbeck (D)57% (9,770)

Karl Ernst (R)43% (7,332)

All precincts reporting

Slow-growth supporters now have a majority on the Chatham County Board of Commissioners.

Democrat Tom Vanderbeck defeated Republican Karl Ernst in District 4, the only contested commissioner's race Tuesday.

Democrats George Lucier in District 3 and Carl Thompson in District 5 were unopposed.

All three winners were backed by the Chatham Coalition, a grass-roots political group that promotes slower, planned growth.

They say they will follow the county's land-use plan in deciding where future development should go and how fast.

"There's a lot to be done," Vanderbeck said from his victory party. "I am really inspired by all the people who helped to make this possible and came out in this foul weather."

Ernst could not be reached Tuesday night.

In recent years, the board majority led by outgoing Chairman Bunkey Morgan has approved nearly 7,000 new homes and dozens of shopping centers.

Slow-growth supporters have campaigned for the past four years to get rid of those commissioners. They say the county needs to let infrastructure such as schools and the water supply catch up with the growth.