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Blackmon, New City Manager, to be Sworn In at Henderson Council Meeting

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-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson, NC

The Henderson City Council will hold a regular meeting on Monday, January 13, 2020, beginning at 6 p.m. in the R.G. (Chick) Young, Jr. Council Chambers of the Municipal Building located at 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson, NC.

Agenda items include:

Public Comment Period On Agenda Items

Old Business

a) Consideration of Approval of 1) Resolution 20-01, Accepting the Building Reuse Grant Award (2020-040-3201-25807) in the Amount of $312,500; 2) Resolution 20-02, Authorizing Technical Services with Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments (COG) for Assistance with the Grant Administration; and 3) Ordinance 20-01, Establishing a Budget for the Administration of the Grant Funds.

b) Consideration of Approval of 1) Resolution 20-07, Authorizing the City to Enter into an Agreement with the UNC School of Government, Development Finance Initiative Unit, for Technical Services Related to City Redevelopment in the Amount of $127,550; and 2) Ordinance 20-04, FY20 BA #14, Establishing a CIP General Fund Budget for the UNC School of Government Redevelopment Technical Assistance Agreement.

NEW BUSINESS

a) Consideration of Approval of 1) Resolution 20-03, Authorizing a Bid Award to North State Water & Sewer in the Amount of $214,451 for the Dabney Drive 10 – inch Water Main Replacement Project; and 2) Ordinance 20-03, FY20 BA #12, Establishing a CIP Budget for the Dabney Drive Water Main Replacement.

b) Consideration of Approval of Resolution 20-04, Authorizing an Easement for Public Handicap Access to/from 318 South Garnett Street.

c) Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 20-02, FY 20 BA #13, Amending the General Fund to Appropriate Reserve Funds to Compensate Retiring City Manager’s Annual Leave and Other Costs Associated with New City Manager.

d) Consideration of Approval of Tax Releases and Refunds from Vance County for the Month of November 2019.

Public Comment Period On Non-Agenda Items

Reports

a) Mayor/Mayor Pro-Tem (No Report)

b) City Manager (No Report)

c) City Attorney (No Report)

d) City Clerk

i. Meeting and Events Calendar

ii. E-911 Monthly Report

iii. Fire Department Monthly Report

iv. Public Services Monthly Report

v. Code Enforcement Yearly Report

Closed Session

a) Pursuant to G.S.§143-318.11 (a)(3) regarding an Attorney-Client Matter

b) Pursuant to G.S.§143-318.11 (a)(6) regarding a Personnel Matter

Swearing in of New City Manager

a) Consideration of Approval of Resolution 20-05, Approving an Employment Contract Between the City of Henderson, North Carolina and Edward Terrell Blackmon.

b) Consideration of Approval of Resolution 20-06, Authorizing the Mayor to Sign a Corporate Resolution for First Citizens Bank Updating Signatory Information.

Adjournment

Click here to view previous and current Henderson City Council meeting agendas and minutes. 

Skunk Collected in Oxford Tests Positive for Rabies

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-Information courtesy Granville County Government

Granville County Animal Control reports the pickup of a skunk that tested positive for rabies. The rabid animal was collected in the vicinity of Cornwall and Greenway Roads in Oxford.

As mandated by North Carolina law and for their own protection, all dogs, cats and ferrets over four months of age are required to have current rabies shots. Dogs and cats should also receive a rabies booster vaccine one year after the first vaccine and every three years thereafter if the vaccine is licensed for three-year use.

Granville County Animal Control offers a reminder that one-year vaccinations are available at the Granville County Animal Shelter, Mondays through Fridays, from noon until 4:30 p.m. The cost of each shot is only $6. Call the Shelter, located at 5650 Cornwall Road in Oxford, at 919-693-6749 for details.

NC MedAssist Holding Free Mobile Pharmacy Event; Volunteers Needed

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-Press Release, NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist is holding a Mobile Free Pharmacy Event in Vance County, NC on February 21, 2020. The event, which is in collaboration with Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, is open to any individual or family needing over-the-counter medications.

The event will be held at Shiloh Baptist Church (635 S. College St., Henderson, NC) from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Participants must be at least 18 years old to receive the medicine. No identification is required.

Pictured above, residents attend a mobile pharmacy event held in Warren County in 2019. (Photo courtesy NC MedAssist)

“Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is pleased to bring the Over the Counter Medicine Program back to Vance County,” stated Executive Director Val Short. “The OTC Give Away Day is expected to have a huge impact. Our goal is to improve the health of our community one person at a time. We know that even with insurance, many individuals cannot afford OTC products. The Give Away helps those individuals fill their medicine cabinets with needed items such as children’s Tylenol, cold medicine and even Band-Aids.”

“NC MedAssist is excited to host a Mobile Free Pharmacy event in Vance County,” stated NC MedAssist CEO, Lori Giang. She shared, “Together with our community partners, we are bringing free over-the-counter medications, like Tylenol and Band-Aids, to area residents. No one should ever go without medicine and the Mobile Free Pharmacy Program enables us to reach those who are unaware of our free resources.”

A sampling of the free medication offered at the mobile pharmacy events. (Photo courtesy NC MedAssist)

The Mobile Free Pharmacy events have served upwards of 800 people, at times. To ensure the event runs smoothly and that all participants are served by the end, many volunteers are needed. NC MedAssist is partnered with Triangle North Healthcare Foundation and other safety-net organizations to recruit community members to serve in volunteer roles such as pharmacy consultation, client ‘personal shoppers’, and sorters. However, the charitable organization is still actively seeking volunteers for the Mobile Free Pharmacy Event. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, contact Triangle North Healthcare Foundation at 252-430-8532.

At the event, information will also be available about enrolling in the NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program, which mails free prescription medications directly to a patient’s home. NC MedAssist’s overall goal is to help ease the burden for those in need; it is aiding people who are making the choice between buying food and purchasing life-saving medication.

Over the last fiscal year, NC MedAssist distributed over $74.4 million in free prescription and over-the-counter medication statewide. Of course, this would not be possible without the numerous, dedicated volunteers.

NC MedAssist is a statewide non-profit pharmacy, founded in 1997. The organization provides free prescription medication to low-income, uninsured North Carolinians. NC MedAssist offers three programs that address the needs of children and adults: the Free Pharmacy Program, the Mobile Free Pharmacy Program, and the Senior Care Program.

Learn more about NC MedAssist right now at www.medassist.org. You can also visit their Facebook and Twitter pages, or contact them to find out how you can help.

Reminder: Register Now for Chamber’s Jan. WOVEN Lunch & Learn

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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce and the VGCC Small Business Center welcome Roberta McCullough, executive director of the Women’s Business Center of NC to speak at the WOVEN (Women of Vance Empowered Networking) lunch and learn on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, at the VGCC Civic Center.

McCullough will present “Now That I Know,” discussing her experiences in non-profit/for-profit management as a woman and what she has learned from the experience. McCullough leads her team to empower women-owned/led businesses in 52 counties by offering tools to support and establish new businesses while generating sustainable profits and future growth.

The event begins at 12 p.m. and includes lunch.

The cost is $20 and registration is required by Tuesday, January 14, 2020. You do not have to be a Chamber member to attend, so bring a friend!

For more information and to RSVP, contact Sandra Wilkerson at sandra@hendersonvance.org.

Oxford Logo

Oxford Commissioners to Hold Reg. Board Meeting Jan. 14

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-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall in Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Report – The 2018-2019 Audit Report will be presented by Carleen Evans of Winston, Williams, Creech, Evans and Company, LLP

a) Consider accepting the annual financial report for FY 2018-2019 from Winston, Williams, Creech, Evans, and Co., LLP

Presentation to Harold Slaughter

Presentation to Gina Chappell

Consider authorizing the city clerk to investigate the sufficiency of the petition for a non-contiguous annexation for Oxford Preparatory School and certifying its sufficiency.

Consider annual review and signing of the Code of Ethics for the Board of Commissioners.

Consider calling for a public hearing to be held at the February 11 Board of Commissioners meeting regarding approval for a 58 +/- Planned Unit Development on Lewis Street (adjacent to the solar farm).

Please click here for the full meeting agenda.

Applications Now Available for Careers in Conservation Scholarship Program

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

The N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation announces that applications are now being accepted for the Careers in Conservation Scholarship Program. Scholarship recipients will be students who have firm plans to pursue a college degree in natural resource management and are committed to supporting the mission of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Up to $5,000 is available per student per school year, renewable at the discretion of the Scholarship Selection Committee.

Online applications are available to students who have declared a major in agronomy, agricultural engineering, agriculture sustainability, agriculture education, animal science, forestry, natural resource conservation/management, plant science, soil science, water management, water quality, wildlife management or other closely related degree programs. The goal of the Foundation is to increase the number of professionals entering the field who are committed to working in soil and water conservation.

Applicants must be a resident of North Carolina and must have achieved academic excellence in their high school or in their undergraduate studies.

The Foundation is accepting online applications through Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. An application form is available at https://forms.gle/qdpDXVPEVLb6ryCJ8.

Those interested in learning more about this scholarship opportunity are asked to contact Michelle Lovejoy, Executive Director of the N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, at 919-510-4599 or ncfswc@gmail.com.

Applicants may also visit ncsoilwater.org for additional information.

News 01/10/20

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Henderson Fire Dept

Henderson Fire Study Recommends Building Third Station

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

In a follow-up on the Henderson City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting held Wednesday afternoon, City Manager Frank Frazier and Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell provided WIZS News with more details on the City’s recently completed fire study.

Henderson is currently served by two fire stations located approximately one mile apart: Station #1 at 211 Dabney Drive and the over 100-year-old historic Station #2 at 205 N. Garnett Street in downtown Henderson.

“After a fair amount of annexations over the last few years, we felt like it was time to review our station distribution and coverage areas,” Frazier said. “Years ago, we looked at a third station, but we felt like a study was needed to see what the data shows.”

The study, conducted by Management Solutions for Emergency Services based out of Greenville, SC, began in August 2019 with the pulling of station files dating back to 2010 – almost a decade’s worth of data.

According to Cordell, the study indicated that a third fire station was recommended for city coverage, with a suggested location around the Dabney Drive, 158 Bypass area.

“According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), engines are supposed to be able to respond within a mile and a half; that’s what they look at when they do ISO ratings. It is two and a half miles for ladder truck companies,” said Cordell. “A new station in that vicinity would give us 92% for a mile and a half engine coverage in the city.”

The ISO (Insurance Services Office) sets ratings for fire departments on a scale of 1 to 10 based on a number of factors that impact response time and safety, Cordell explained. The lower the department’s ISO number, the less risky your house seems to insurance companies. This can equate to paying less for your homeowners insurance in the long-run.

The City’s current ISO rating is a 2, a feat that Frazier said is owed to the hard work and dedication of the fire department.

“Eventually, building another fire station could help us get to a 1; that’s a goal,” Frazier said.

Getting a third fire station built would be quite the process as Cordell estimated a $2 million price tag for the land and building, with an additional $600,000 annual operations cost for the study’s 12 recommend department staff and equipment.

Frazier said it is a large expense and the City would need to look at additional ways to fund the project, including any available USDA or FEMA assistance.

“It’s a lot of information to be absorbed and you’ve got to look at all the parameters,” said Frazier. “Everyone involved needs to review this study in-depth and decide how to proceed moving forward.”

With Frazier set to retire from the City at the end of January, he said this will be a major task moving forward for newly hired manager Edward Terrell Blackmon.

Town Talk 01/09/20: District 3 School Board Challenger Sean A. Alston, Sr. On-Air

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Sean A. Alston, Sr., candidate for the Vance County School Board, and Jason Spriggs, Alston’s campaign manager and recently elected Henderson City Councilmember, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Alston is running against incumbent Dorothy Gooche for the District 3 School Board seat in the March 3, 2020, primary.

Sean A. Alston, Sr. (pictured above) is running against incumbent Dorothy Gooche for the District 3 Vance County School Board seat in the March 3, 2020, primary. (WIZS photo)

“I’m running for the school board because I would like to be a bridge between the schools, the families and the teachers,” Alston said. “I want to be a part of a system that is already great.”

As the owner of Atwoz Bail Bonds and a bondsman for 20 years, a full-time student at NC Central University and a volunteer with the school system, Alston said he stays very busy.

“I go to school full-time, work full-time, am a husband full-time and father full-time,” Alston said. “I stay active.”

Alston received his associate degree in Criminal Justice from Vance-Granville Community College, an accounting degree during his time as a Material Control Accounting Specialist while in the military and is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree through Central.

Spriggs, who met Alston while campaigning for City Council, said Alston has what it takes and is making the right moves in his own campaign approach. “Sean is already in the school system. He’s been at the games and sponsoring different events in the school system for years now. He’s already doing the work of someone who cares about the children. Now, he’s trying to take it to a different level.”

Emphasizing his desire to be a bridge between Vance County youth and the board that enacts policy, Alston said, “I want to take my mishaps in life and let the kids know there is more to life than the streets, there is more to life than being a part; you have to make your own path.”

To hear the interview with Alston and Spriggs in its entirety, including discussion on recent events involving the school system, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Incumbent Dorothy Gooche is invited to participate in an interview of equal time with WIZS.)

U.S. Department of Justice

Warren County Man Sentenced as Armed Career Criminal

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced KIMJUAN DWANE ELLIS, JR., 25, of Warrenton to 235 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was found to be an Armed Career Criminal thereby subjecting him to a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

ELLIS was named in an Indictment filed on January 9, 2019, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition. On August 20, 2019, ELLIS pled guilty to that charge.

According to the investigation, on October 19, 2018, officers with the Norlina Police Department responded to a shooting in the parking lot of the Blue Waves convenience store in Norlina, North Carolina. The store’s ip camera
captured ELLIS shooting another man in the chest after an apparent argument. ELLIS fled the scene after the shooting.

The victim was transported to Duke University Medical Center where he was treated for his wounds and survived.  Officers recovered a spent shell casing in the area where the video captured the shooting. The gun used by ELLIS was never recovered. ELLIS was later arrested in a vehicle with two other occupants, along with additional firearms and ammunition, one of which had been stolen. None of those firearms, however, was used in the shooting.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina implements the PSN Program through its Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the Norlina Police Department conducted the investigation of this matter jointly. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case for the government.