Chatham County voters took to the polls in large numbers on Tuesday and during the early voting period, with Democrats favoring Deb McManus to run for the open House District 54 seat and county voters bucking the state trend and rejecting Amendment One.

Of 44,266 registered voters in Chatham, 20,783 (46.95 percent) cast votes in the primary.

“It’s been really busy everywhere,” Board of Elections Director Dawn Stumpf said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s probably the marriage amendment, but I’m not sure.”

The controversial Amendment One, banning same-sex marriages and prohibiting legal recognition of unmarried couples, won approval of a majority of North Carolina voters though the measure was rejected by Chatham voters who cast 11,104 against it to 9,510 for it, according to unofficial election results Tuesday night.

In the Democratic Party primary, voters favored Chatham County School Board member Deb McManus of Siler City to Pittsboro attorney Jeff Starkweather.

McManus, who won her party’s primary with 58.87 percent of the vote, will face Republican party candidate Cathy Wright for the reconfigured House District 54 seat.

Chatham County Manager Charlie Horne’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2012-13, which he and his staff presented to county commissioners Monday night, calls for no increase in the current property tax rate.

Two public hearings are scheduled later this month for county residents to provide feedback on the proposed budget. They will be held May 21 at 6 p.m. in the Agriculture Auditorium in Pittsboro and on May 22 at 6 p.m. in the Siler City Courtroom, Town Hall, Siler City.

"We were able to make cuts this past year and postpone borrowing," Horne said. "We also are in a sound financial position, which gives the county flexibility to absorb new expenses in key areas without a proposed tax increase."

Five of the county’s fire departments have proposed tax increases for their services that would impact specific districts, but not countywide.

Horne noted that the major area impacted by state budget cuts over the past four years is education. "County support has helped the school system absorb the cuts during this period but the school system has eliminated 54 positions, nearly all vacant positions. We propose an additional $800,000 for schools to handle increased enrollment and to address an expected budget shortfall due to reduced state funding."

Besides the $800,000 increase for operating funds, the budget recommends new funds for school capital projects, including $304,690 to replace the roof at J.S. Water School.

About one-third of the school increase comes from postponing construction of the new high school by one year, as approved by the Board of Education.  This action reduces the county’s contribution to debt reserve, freeing up ongoing funding for schools. The school system requested an additional $400,000 in one-time funding that was included, and the county absorbed the remainder in the general fund.

The recession also has impacted county government’s work force over the past four years. "Not only have we reduced positions, many remaining employees have experienced heavier workloads," Horne said.  The county also has not provided increases pay or benefits during this time other than a one-time bonus earned by some employees as part of their 2008-09 performance agreements. The one-time bonus was paid two years later.

The budget proposes to address the salary issue by recommending partial implementation of a 2008 pay study, which showed that county employees’ salaries overall  were already behind their counterparts in surrounding communities by 15 percent. Horne said, "The commissioners asked us to work hard to find the money to help us remain competitive in the region."

With the Milo Holt Old Time Western Film Festival set for May 19, time was running short to find funding for the event.

Holt’s niece, Linda Lehman, had been working with several other individuals and organizations to secure the $7,000 needed for the event.

Since January, they have raised $4,665, and many items, including insurance for the event, have already been bought.

"It’s slow, but it’s starting to pick up," Lehman said. "And we hope to continue."

Regardless, a $2,000 shortfall would mean paying the rest of the expenses out of pocket.

The festival, named in honor of the late Milo Holt, a Western movie buff from Siler City, plans on showing classic B-Westerns throughout the day as cowboys engage in rope tricks and shootouts in town.

There will also be about 30 vendors in town during the event and an estimated 600-800 visitors from as far as neighboring states.

Movie stars James Best, Donna Martell and Dick Jones will also be in town to greet visitors.

Lehman said she had asked businesses and local organizations, such as the Siler City Merchants Association, to donate and advertise for the festival, and many have done so.

"The Merchants Association donated $100," said Zoann Adams, president of the organization.

The Town Board was initially skeptical of the request.

Commissioner Mike Constantino said he has seen little local advertising for the festival.

"I have to tell you, I’m real concerned," Constantino said. "We’re out of time."

He added that he was also worried about competition with other local events this month.

Two Relay for Life events, Siler City Alive and the Third Friday Art Walk are being or have been held before the film festival.

Constantino said those events could tap people out of both energy and money to spend on May 19.