Waxhaw mayor charged with DWI

As most of you have heard, Mayor Daune Gardner was recently charged with a DWI among other things.

Per a Enquirer-Journal article:

Waxhaw police arrested Mayor Daune Gardner of Waxhaw early Monday morning with a .18 Blood Alcohol Level.

In addition to the driving while impaired charge, Gardner has also been charged with speeding and driving left of center on NC 16 in Waxhaw.

Later in the article, it is discovered that the mayor's earlier run-in with driving under the influence in Lancaster County 2008 was ultimately expunged. I'd always wondered what had happened with that.

The problem with these types of stories is that the media rarely follows up on the ultimate conclusion. For example, there was never any follow-up on Waxhaw's infamous marijuana growing, gun-collecting dentist.

The Union County Weekly has a bit more of a follow-up:

Gardner apologized to commissioners and Waxhaw citizens at the town’s board meeting Tuesday, June 11, calling Monday’s arrest “embarrassing” and saying she hopes the town can work together to move past these issues.

“I would like to apologize to you, the people of Waxhaw, my supporters and friends, the board and the staff,” she said.  “It is a private challenge that I face, and I will be addressing that in a private manner.  I hope that each of you is able to forgive me for the condition that I have put us in with my actions.  I hope that we can move forward and work together for the betterment of our community.”

The town won’t move forward without taking some steps to address Gardner’s alleged actions, first. Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to audit the mayor’s town credit card expenses and suspend her credit card use until the audit is finalized. Gardner will be put on a reimbursement system like other members of the board for now.

Commissioners will begin the process of censuring Gardner during their next meeting.  The censure process is a formal reprimand from a government body that serves as little more than an embarrassing slap on the wrist and carries no loss of power or authority.  Town councils don’t have the power to remove mayors in North Carolina.

We'll see what comes of all this.