School board member defends 'pedophile' comment on proposed Bluffton RV park
A defiant Beaufort County school board member under fire for claiming that "pedophiles like to hide out in RV parks" says the media is to blame for choosing to air that statement over her many other concerns about a proposed plan to improve a blighted lakeside property near her residence.
In an email Monday night to county council members and several state and county officials, among others, Evva Anderson said The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette misrepresented her words and intentions "just to draw interest." Anderson's email referred to a "public flogging" she has taken for her remarks at a Jan. 11 council meeting, in which she spoke against a plan for a new RV park off Gibbet Road in Prichardville.
While speaking against the proposal, Anderson was quoted as saying, "If anyone in this room believes that someone driving an RV is not a pedophile or a criminal -- I'm not saying they all are -- but pedophiles like to hide out in RV parks and places like that."
Anderson does not deny making the statement but says it was merely a generalized response to what she described as property owner Doug Hubbard's representation that "if you drive a high-end vehicle, or live in a high-end space, there is no crime."
"Did I blunder some words?" Anderson wrote in her email. "Yes, but you be the judge if the intent was to slam RV owners or to dispute Mr. Hubbard's comment that if you have an RV over fifty thousand dollars you could not be a criminal."
A transcript of the meeting, however, does not show Hubbard saying RV owners couldn't commit crimes. The closest he came to such a statement is when he said, "I just don't think a guy with a $50- to a $100,000 RV is gonna come in there to commit crimes and shoot guns at night and all that kinda stuff."
Hubbard said Tuesday that Anderson was taking his comment out of context to try to and support her earlier statements.
"I just think it's a good spot for people to be able to relax and enjoy themselves," Hubbard said of RV parks. "She's trying to insinuate that are a lower class of people. ... What she said was wrong. To try and classify them in one category is wrong."
Hubbard's wife, Deanna, said the RV park proposal isn't close to being fully formed but is just one of the ideas the family has for the property. No plans have been drawn up, and the family has no intention of moving to develop the land quickly if the zoning is changed, she said.
Anderson, who declined to speak to a reporter by phone Tuesday, vowed to continue her fight in the email.
"I will gladly take your public flogging to stand up for the people of my community, our children and our families," she wrote.
In another section, Anderson wrote, "This is not about RVs. And no, I do not like people who hurt children, again shame on me. Yes, I am concerned with public safety, the safety of my children and your children. Do we not all agree that, with an increased transient population, comes an increase in crime?"
The zoning change has been approved by county staff and was endorsed by County Council in the second of three required votes Jan. 11. The issue will be up for a final vote and public hearing at the council's meeting at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25.
Video: Public comments at the Jan. 11, 2016, Beaufort County Council meeting
This clip from the council meeting records public commentary about a proposal to replace a trailer park on Gibbett Road with an RV park, including comments from Beaufort County school board trustee Evva Anderson (at about the 17:02 mark) in opposition to the plan.
Note: Clip is hosted by Beaufort County in a format that might not be available on all mobile devices.
Statement from Evva Anderson
A written statement provided by Anderson in response to public condemnation of her comments against the RV park plan for Gibbett Road.
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Follow reporter Matt McNab on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Matt.
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This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 7:15 PM with the headline "School board member defends 'pedophile' comment on proposed Bluffton RV park."