The N&R reports that a Randolph County judge has ordered the arrest of Guilford County Commissioner Steve Arnold for civil contempt involving a development dispute in Archdale.
Whether or not Arnold is actually arrested remains to be seen. He wasn’t in Guilford County this afternoon, and he seemed confident the arrest order was the result of legal snafu. But the lawyers better work fast:
Randolph County Sheriff Maynard B. Reid Jr. said he’d seen the order and said he would use “due diligence to serve this paper.” Since Arnold lives in Guilford County, his arrest could be the responsibility of Guilford Sheriff BJ Barnes.
Reid said such arrests are made promptly.
“When a judge says arrest one, we don’t question it. We arrest him,” Reid said. “And I’m sure BJ does the same.”
N&R update:
But when Arnold will be arrested — or if he is arrested at all — remains unclear. Arnold said Wednesday afternoon that he was out of town, adding that he had a commissioners meeting the next day.
Guilford authorities can only arrest people within the county limits.
“If he shows up for the meeting, of course we’ll do what we have to do,” unless the judge recalls his order, Sheriff BJ Barnes said Wednesday. As long as the order stands, “then I intend on doing what my job requires me to, which is to arrest him.”
Bonus observation: If Arnold is indeed arrested, the worst part will be that he won’t have the chance to cast a ‘no’ vote on RF Micro’s incentives request.
