NEWTON — Candidates for the Catawba County Board of Commissioners gathered Thursday evening for a League of Women Voters of Catawba Valley forum at the Catawba County Library in Newton.
Catawba First News counted about 60 people in the room. That figure is the publisher’s count at the event, not an official headcount. A person seated in the audience wore a shirt reading “Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.” with an LWV mark.
Nameplates on the table read Sherry Edmonds Butler, Jesse Alden, Cole Terrell Setzer and Jay Moore. A fifth plate, cut off at the edge of the frame, read “Phyll Michaux.” The Catawba County Board of Elections lists that candidate as Phyllis Michaux. Its candidate list for the Nov. 3, 2026, election also includes Aubrey Gregory. The League’s events page lists the same six names for the Oct. 1 forum. On that Board of Elections list, Butler, Setzer and Moore are Republicans. Alden, Michaux and Gregory are Democrats.
The forum was set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the main library, 115 West C Street, according to the League and the county library site. League president Priya Palmer opened the program. On a public Facebook livestream from the League’s page, she called it the Catawba County commissioners candidate forum and said the League was holding it with the Catawba County Library. She described the six as candidates for three open seats.
Palmer introduced county library director Siobhan Loendorf, who welcomed the audience, and Jeff Cline as moderator. Cline is a former mayor of Hickory and a senior risk advisor at Jason Herman Insurance in Conover, according to the agency.
Cline said each candidate would have one minute to introduce themselves. Questions, including some sent ahead and others written in the room, would go to every candidate rather than to one person. He said the forum was not a debate and asked people not to cheer until the end. Each candidate would have two minutes to close.
The Facebook player later reported that the live video had ended. The public media from that stream begins about 5:46 p.m. ET and runs about 24 minutes, stopping while opening introductions were still going, starting with Sherry Edmonds Butler. A full replay was not posted as a single file when this story was published. This story does not quote the candidates’ introductions from that partial audio. What the candidates said on the school merger and on the sheriff’s work with ICE is from Catawba First News publisher Tom Dees, who attended the forum.
School merger
On April 21, Catawba First News reported that commissioners voted 3-2 to approve a plan merging three school systems — Catawba County Schools, Hickory City Schools and Newton-Conover City Schools — effective July 1, 2028. That plan goes to the State Board of Education. On Sept. 24, this paper reported that school districts’ merger briefs were due Oct. 5 under the State Board review schedule.
At Thursday’s forum, the question put to the candidates was, “Would you support Commissioners Beatty and Allran and vote against the merger?” A yes would mean voting against the merger, with Commissioners Beatty and Allran. A no would mean not taking that position. Dees said the answers split three yes and three no. He said Jay Moore, Sherry Butler and Cole Setzer support the merger. Jesse Alden, Phyllis Michaux and Aubrey Gregory oppose it.
Dees said Jesse Alden opposes school choice and would fight opportunity scholarships. He said Phyllis Michaux wants to raise the minimum wage in Catawba County. County commissioners do not set a local minimum wage, and they do not control the Opportunity Scholarship, the state scholarship families use toward tuition at an eligible school. That program is the General Assembly’s job.
Sheriff agreements with ICE
Dees reported that Sherry Butler, Cole Setzer and Jay Moore pledged to support law enforcement and work with Sheriff Don Brown on 287(g) agreements with ICE. Under that federal program, ICE can authorize local officers to perform specific immigration duties under ICE supervision, if the sheriff’s office signs an agreement.
According to Dees, Butler said, “I 100% support the Sheriff department’s work with ICE.” She also said, “Don Brown is an honorable man and I trust his judgement.” Setzer said, “I support Sheriff Brown. His deputies do an excellent job of being courteous law enforcement in this area.” Moore said, “I support Sheriff Brown 100%. I back the blue and we are a nation of laws.”
Dees said the three Democrats — Jesse Alden, Aubrey Gregory and Phyllis Michaux — pledged to defund ICE. According to Dees, Michaux said, “I do not support anything that has to do with ICE.” Gregory said, “I do not support targeting people for the color of their skin and I never will.” Alden said, “I oppose just about everything about ICE … I do not believe local agencies should be deputized by ICE.”
The League’s next forum, for Catawba County Schools Board of Education candidates, is Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the same library.
Earlier coverage: Commissioners vote 3-2 to approve plan merging three school systems, effective July 1, 2028. School districts’ merger briefs due Oct. 5 under State Board review schedule. Earlier forum coverage: League of Women Voters sets Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 candidate forums in Newton.
Source note
As of publication. Scene and attendance: Catawba First News at the forum (publisher’s count of about 60 people; not an official headcount). Candidate names, parties and the Nov. 3, 2026, election: Catawba County Board of Elections candidate list for election 11/03/2026. Forum date, time, place and the six names: League of Women Voters of Catawba Valley, Local Candidate Events. Library address and director Siobhan Loendorf: Catawba County Library. Livestream, logged out: League Facebook video 1876633289965052. The player said the live video had ended. Public fragmented media lasts about 24 minutes and stops during opening introductions. Moderator: Jeff Cline, Jason Herman Insurance. League president Priya Palmer is also named on the League’s events page. The three school systems and the State Board step: Catawba First News, April 21, 2026, citing the Catawba County notice. Opportunity Scholarship: N.C. State Education Assistance Authority (ncseaa.edu). What 287(g) is: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) (ice.gov).
