Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Disease & Insect In Home Orchards
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Weekly Farmers Market Bounty: Berries, Greens, Potatoes And More!
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market Manager Pat Ayscue invites you to come out to the market Saturday – it’s all abuzz – with local honey and so much more! Strawberries are freshly picked, and you can almost taste the sweetness with your eyes. New potatoes are just-dug from local gardens, just waiting for customers to grab them up and take them home for dinner. Sweet potatoes are perfect for a sweet potato pie.
And don’t forget the greens: turnip salad, pointy-head cabbage and broccoli are just some of the early-season delights from area producers waiting to be scooped up and enjoyed.
Each new week, the farmers’ tables show that the season is moving forward. Jellies, pickles, and double WOW! at those fresh baked goods. Farm-fresh eggs gathered from some might well-loved and cared for hens. Handmade wood crafts and quilts. Soaps are designed for gifts and soaps for cleaning. Plants for home and garden. Fresh-cut flowers available for all occasions. Stop by and visit for that neighborhood and community feeling. Thanks for supporting your local farmer’s market.
The farmers market is located at 210 Southpark Drive and is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The market is set to open on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning in June.
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 05-17-24 Noon
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Vance Commissioners to Receive Proposed Budget May 28
The chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners, Dan Brummitt, has called a special meeting for Tuesday, May 28 so commissioners can receive the proposed budget.
A period of transition in leadership positions within the county, including the finance director position, has apparently caused things to move more slowly than in previous years. Just seven months ago the county manager, Renee Perry, started here locally, and just three months ago there were four department head vacancies. It is also apparent Perry has been hard at work and making headway.
While no Vance County Government employee has said so on or off the record, the county is relatively and comparatively behind, not just versus past years’ budget proposals but next to Henderson and the surrounding counties this year.
Now, with the proposed budget originally slated to be made public on Thursday, May 16, the commissioners and residents will now not have anything official for another 12 days, unless it’s posted at vancecounty.org. Those 12 days represent 25 percent of the remaining time before the budget must be adopted – this with revaluation questions remaining, revaluation appeals to go before the Board of Equalization and Review, which means a quorum of the County Commissioners, particular line-items like McGregor Hall funding making headlines and with two public hearings on the budget required before adoption.
The special meeting for commissioners to receive the budget and schedule budget hearings and other items as needed will start at 4 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Conference Room, Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.
Tax Revaluation Info Session Monday, May 20
Vance County will hold a tax revaluation information session Monday, May 20.
The session starts at 4 p.m. and will be held in the Vance County Administration Building (the old courthouse building).
On a flyer the County has indicated that it has answers to questions about the revaluation.
Oxford Names Downtown Economic Director
Oxford City Manager Brent Taylor has announced the hiring of Kenia Gomez-Jimenez as the city’s new Downtown Economic Director.
In her new role, Gomez-Jimenez will help develop the downtown economically and culturally and build relationships with stakeholders, Taylor said, and she will be active in implementing the city’s Main Street program, which provides downtown strategic economic development planning, revitalization, small business development, and the rehabilitation of historic properties.
Pierre Gingue, the president of the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corp., welcomed Gomez-Jimenez. We are excited to see the enthusiasm, energy, and community-centered approach she will bring. We anticipate transformative growth and prosperity for our city’s core,” Gingue stated.
As a native of Vance County and a graduate of UNC – Chapel Hill, Gomez-Jimenez’s academic journey in Political Science and Philosophy ignited a deep-seated commitment to public service and community empowerment.
“I look forward to collaborating with the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation existing downtown businesses, and community leaders to forge lasting positive impacts and cultivate a dynamic downtown community in Oxford,” said Gomez-Jimenez. “Most importantly, I’m excited to engage with the citizens of Oxford to enrich our downtown’s livability and elevate it as a pivotal destination for new businesses and visitors alike.”
During her time as Regional Program Coordinator at the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments Gomez-Jimenez showcased her exceptional project management skills. She spearheaded the branding communications strategy for the Council, fostering robust relationships with regional stakeholders, citizens and local governments. Her most notable achievement was successfully administering federal and state grant programs, securing a substantial $200,000 in funding for active transportation projects across the five-county region. This feat, accomplished in less than a year, significantly enhanced the region’s infrastructure and promoted sustainable development.
Gomez-Jimenez is active in the community by serving on various boards and councils. Notable among these are her roles on the Henderson Optimist Club Board of Directors, Salvation Army of Henderson Board of Directors, and the Vance County Cooperative Extension Advisory Leadership Council. She was recognized as the 2023 Henderson Optimist of the Year and a graduate of the Leadership Vance 2023 program, and she has earned accolades for her outstanding contributions to community development and leadership. Gomez-Jimenez is fluent in both English and Spanish and believes diversity is a cornerstone of vibrant, thriving communities.
Granville Commissioners To Hold Public Hearing On Budget May 20
The Granville County Board of Commissioners received a budget proposal – more than $87.2 million – from County Manager Drew Cummings earlier this month.
The new property tax rate is 63 cents per $100 property value, which is 10 cents over the revenue-neutral rate, but 20 cents lower than the previous tax rate.
Commissioners will have a public hearing before its meeting on Monday, May 20 to hear from residents about the contents and particular line items contained in the 338-page budget document.
The full budget document is available on the Granville County website at: https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/finance-department/comprehensive-annual-financial-reports-budget-documents/
A copy of the proposed budget also is available for public inspection in the Office of the Clerk to the Board and at the Richard H. Thornton Library and other library branches.
A few highlights included in the county manager’s summary:
- Proposed budget doesn’t take any funds from fund balance
- Includes a third year of funding from the newly formed Fire Protection & Rescue Service Tax District and maintains a tax rate of .06 per $100
- The $8,689,224,747 tax base is projected to generate $54,309,641, assuming a 98.99 percent collection rate.
The commissioners’ meeting and the public hearing will take place in the auditorium of the Granville Convention and Expo Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South in Oxford.
TownTalk: The Future of McGregor Hall
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In six short years, Henderson’s McGregor Hall has earned a reputation across the area – and region – as a quality venue for hosting concerts, performances and competitions.
Executive Director Mark Hopper booked perhaps the venue’s most important act last month, however, when the Henderson City Council held its April meeting inside the facility for a one-man show: Hopper took center stage seeking financial support for the 1,000-seat theatre.
Hopper asked the Council for $75,000; County Manager C. Renee Perry told WIZS News that the county received a request for $60,000.
The recommended 2024-25 budget presented Monday to the City Council does not have a line item to support McGregor Hall; Perry told WIZS News that there is nothing in the county budget at present either.
The county commissioners are expected to receive the 2024-25 recommended budget on Tuesday, May 28.
Municipal and county budgets are supposed to be adopted by July 1, which is the start of the new fiscal year, and time is of the essence for McGregor Hall.
“What we need is help with our debt service,” Hopper told the City Council in April. “We will not survive 2025 without support.”
In his April presentation to City Council, Hopper said the venue, although doing very well at the box office, is drowning in mortgage debt. One quarter of the total revenue goes to service the mortgage.
Hopper is the lone full-time employee, and he works alongside five part-time employees and several hundred volunteers.
McGregor Hall is under the governance of the nonprofit Embassy Cultural Center Foundation and is propped up with solid local partnerships, dedicated individuals and business sponsors.
WIZS previously reported on the recent economic impact study that showed McGregor Hall has contributed $9.2 million to the local economy over the past four years – $5.1 in lodging bookings alone. The county benefits from motel/hotel tax revenues; the city and county benefit from taxes generated from the more than 30,000 guests to its rental events, namely in the form of 15 weekends of spring dance competitions.
Hopper said that every single dollar of investment to McGregor Hall brings a return of $31 to the community.
About 40 percent of revenues come from ticket sales, which Hopper said is in keeping with the industry standard. Grant funding, rental fees and concessions each kick in 10 percent and 20 percent from local business sponsors.
It would mean a lot for local government leaders to put a price tag on what it means to have a top-notch venue in Henderson and Vance County that draws patrons from the Triangle to southside Virginia – both to watch performances as well as to be on stage for shows.
Hopper said McGregor Hall is helping to change the perception of Henderson and Vance County, one performance at the time.
Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Patience
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TownTalk: City of Henderson Budget Prelim
Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke has had a couple of days to review and reflect on the 2024-25 budget that was presented Monday by City Manager Terrell Blackmon.
It’s a delicate balance, Daeke said, to create a budget that provides for citizens’ wants and needs – without putting those same citizens in a bind by raising taxes, fees and more.
“I do enjoy the challenge of taking a budget and looking at all the different pieces,” Daeke said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. The cost of those services versus the tax rate is always a balancing act, and it’s one that Council members will begin discussing at a work session on Monday, May 20.
Blackmon’s presentation included details of a $25 million General Fund budget, and a total budget figure of somewhere around $45 million. The 158-page document can be found on the city’s webpage at henderson.nc.gov, under the Departments heading, click on Finance to go directly to the dropdown box where the document is located. (Or click here as of 5-15-24.)
“The city’s growing,” Daeke said. “We have so many things we’d like to do.” But how to fund those things is what the budget discussion will be about.
Added to the mix is the recent revaluation of properties in the county, which will generate additional revenue for the city in the form of property tax.
A 45-cent per $100 of value would generate the same amount of tax revenue as this year, Daeke said. “We need some increase, I think. I do not think it needs to be 10 cents.”
A 55-cent per $100 value would generate between $4 and 4.5 million, he calculated, and a 65-cent per $100 value would bring in $7 million. He said, however, that he would not vote for a 55-cent tax rate unless he was thoroughly convinced otherwise during the course of the upcoming budget discussions. If the city were to keep the current tax rate of 75 cents per $100, it would generate roughly $10 million.
Generally speaking, overall property values in the city increased about 63 percent since the last revaluation in 2016. That means many property owners will have to pay higher tax bills, maybe a couple of hundred extra dollars, in the city, Daeke noted.
And that, coupled with higher monthly bills like water and sewer, could pose problems for folks who may be struggling to make ends meet as it is. “We have to be cognizant of what people can afford.”
Landlords most likely would have to increase rents to help absorb those rising costs, Daeke said. “It could be a phenomenal amount in a year’s time for people who are struggling to pay their bills.”
Another funding stream comes from sales tax collection, which continues to be strong in the city. “We’ve done well in terms of people staying home and spending money,” he said.
The budget also calls for moving $4 million from the fund balance to offset non-recurring federal ARPA funds. Daeke said there’s “extra” money available because of having unfilled positions within the city.
Once those positions are filled, however, that “extra” money will not be available.
Some of the other items on the expenditure side of the ledger in the future include a new fire station, completion of the park on William Street and housing redevelopment.
“We’ve taken down 300 homes – we need to start putting stuff back,” Daeke said. “That can’t be done without some funding.”
A major contributor to the sales tax coffers is McGregor Hall. Economic impact studies show that the entertainment venue draws people from across the region to see concerts, performances and participate in dance competitions, just to name a few.
Daeke said he would like to see more support for McGregor Hall from local government.
“I believe it’s time to help them stay in business,” he said, noting that there is nothing in the recommended budget at present.
One idea that’s floating around is to purchase the property on which the former Falkner Building Supply once stood. It’s part of the original McGregor family bequest, Daeke said, so McGregor Hall owns it.
“We’d love to purchase that and put a parking area and other businesses there” to create a cash flow for McGregor Hall and to contribute to the economic vitality to the downtown area.
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