Electing Katie Bordeaux is risky business

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 10.23.25

In the Oct. 16 Beacon, I read Cliff Fowler’s letter endorsing Katie Bordeaux for Sunset Beach Town Council. “Even faced with termination,” Fowler wrote, “her integrity prevailed.”

Curious, I googled, “Katie Bordeaux termination” and found a July 29, 2021 article in The County Compass which read: “At 10pm on Thursday, July 22, the governing board of the Eastern Carolina Council (ECC) voted unanimously to “immediately dismiss” the Council’s executive director, Katie Bordeaux.”

“The stunning decision came after a marathon three-hour closed-door session — off limits to Bordeaux; to the public; and to news media. During the closed session, the board received an extensive computer-slide presentation prepared by the Morehead City auditing firm of PB Mares.”

It isn’t clear if that was the termination Fowler meant, because the article added, “This is the second time in her career that Bordeaux has been fired by a government agency. In 2010, when her name was Katie Alley, she lost her position as general manager of the ABC system for the City of Greensboro.”

I then googled, “Katie Alley fired by ABC.” That returned an Oct. 20, 2010 piece in the Greensboro News & Record, which said: “In a major turn in a long-running saga, the Greensboro ABC Board has fired General Manager Katie Alley.” It continued: “Alley had been on paid administrative leave since July 23 following a blistering state report that cited a litany of violations, including meals, trips, discounts and free alcohol she allegedly received from liquor companies, to whom she has the power to award contracts.”

The piece quoted the board’s attorney, Mike Fox, saying Alley was ousted because “there have been violations of board policies and procedures ... and some (state) ABC regulations.”

According to these published reports, Bordeaux was fired twice by government agencies. Sunset Beach voters should consider whether hiring her for yet another government service position is a risk they can afford to take.

Linda Rudick

Sunset Beach