Chuck Stuber who was a candidate for NC Auditor has requested a statewide recount. We will have our recount starting on Wednesday, December 7th, 2016 starting at 1:00 PM and finishing up on Thursday, December 8th, 2016 in the Board of Elections Office located at 300 S. Garnett Street, Henry A. Dennis Building. The public is invited to attend.
Kevin Kilgore, Chairman
Vance County Board of Elections
On Thursday, November 3rd, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. the Warren County Branch of the NAACP will lead a March to the Polls and celebrate their voting rights victory in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. They will be joined by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the North Carolina NAACP.
The March to the Polls is part of the statewide “It’s Our Time, It’s Our Vote” campaign to register, educate, mobilize and protect the vote in North Carolina. The Warren County March is one of more than 55 marches across the state during Early Voting.
Warren County March to the Polls is to heighten awareness as we elect county commissioners, judges, senators, governors, president and other officials. These offices are so important that full participation of every eligible voter is recommended.
Before the march, Dr. Barber will discuss the importance of this election and the historic voting rights victory in the case of “NC NAACP vs McCrory” when key portions of House Bill 589 were overturned by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Vance County Democratic Party leadership has asked WIZS News to publish details of several upcoming events. The Vance County Democratic Party also maintains a Facebook Page.
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Upcoming Events for The Vance County Democratic Party
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Sunday, August 28, 2016 — 3 p.m.
Vance County Democratic Headquarters
203 South Garnett Street, Henderson, NC
Dr. Lee Cooley of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, where she serves as the Voter Outreach Specialist to Minorities for the State of North Carolina, will speak on voting rights.
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Wednesday, September 7, 2016 — 6:30 p.m.
Vance County Democratic Headquarters
203 South Garnett Street, Henderson, NC
Grand Opening of The Vance County Democratic Headquarters
Light refreshments will be served.
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Sunday, September 18, 2016 — 3 p.m.
203 South Garnett Street, Henderson, NC
Vance County Democratic Headquarters
Meet the Candidates – Candidates’ Forum
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Press Release — Thursday, July 14, 2016
Governor McCrory Signs Budget Providing Monumental Teacher Pay Increases and Tax Relief for Middle Class Families
Monroe, N.C. – Average teacher pay in North Carolina will be more than $50,000 for the first time in state history under North Carolina’s newest budget signed today by Governor Pat McCrory. The governor signed the $22.3 billion state budget today surrounded by teachers, local elected officials and legislators at Shiloh Elementary School in Union County. The budget makes key investments to strengthen education, provide tax relief for middle class families, make college more affordable and improve the health of our communities and bolster the state’s savings reserves.
Press Release
Governor McCrory Signs Legislation to Promote Transparency and Safety for Law Enforcement and the Public
Raleigh, N.C. – Governor Pat McCrory was joined by Department of Public Safety Secretary Frank Perry, sheriffs, police chiefs, capitol police, highway patrol troopers, and legislators today to sign legislation that promotes transparency while protecting law enforcement officers, victims and the community.
a recording from a body-worn or dashboard camera. The law allows any person whose image or voice is captured in the recording, or his or her personal representative, to submit a written request for disclosure and, unless the agency can demonstrate a legitimate reason not to disclose the recording, it must be disclosed as promptly as possible. If a law enforcement agency fails to disclose the recording within three business days of the request, the requester is entitled to an expedited hearing in Superior Court.
66 percent. Additionally, studies show that people who participate in needle exchange programs are five times more likely to enter drug treatment than non-participants, building on Governor McCrory’s commitment to combating drug use.
The Citizens Aligned To Take Back Henderson won a victory today as one of the 400 reported homes in the city was destroyed. The home was located at 910 West Andrews Avenue in Henderson. Heidi Owen, who is one of the instrumental leaders of Citizens Aligned To Take Back Henderson, told WIZS news, “What a huge difference taking down this one small structure makes. Imagine if the county and city can work together to remove all 400! We encourage supporters to contact our local leaders and and ask them to do the right thing for Henderson…for Vance County.”
To find out more about Citizens Aligned To Take Back Henderson be sure to like the group on Facebook, and listen to TownTalk on Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Governor Pat McCrory recently announced in a press release that Vance County Commissioner Tommy Hester had been reappointed to the Rural Infrastructure Authority. Hester has served the authority since its inception in 2013, and next week he will be running to chair the authority for a third-straight 12-month term.
In an interview with WIZS News, Hester said he hopes to continue to serve as the chairman. As he described it, the authority is charged with distributing funds across North Carolina for rural counties as it pertains to job investment grants for infrastructure.
“We try to help Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, like Vance County,” Hester said. He said, “Take the Handcrafted Homes building for example. It became vacant and stayed so for more than six months. Someone says their going to buy it and employ 25 folks. So the Rural Infrastructure Authority will help up fit it, giving $100,000.00.” The more jobs created the more potential funds are available.
Hester went on about the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park, which consists of 45 acres south of Henderson near Iams. “Henderson applied for a grant to supply water to the site so it would ground ready when someone wanted to locate there,” Hester said.
Also, he said, “The Henderson-Vance Industrial Park is full,” except for one site. “We might need to buy more land to have site ready,” he said of the Henderson-Vance partnership.
Hester also serves on the Golden Leaf Foundation board, likewise appointed to the board by Gov. McCrory. It provides continuity according to Hester, who meets every other month with both Golden Leaf and Rural Infrastructure. Since both boards give money, Hester being on both boards helps coordinate supplemental giving and it also helps know what to do when someone applies for a grant but does not fall under the guidelines of one organization or the other.
Hester is the first from Vance County to serve on either board.
As a Vance County Commissioner, he said, “I am trying to better lives in Vance County by increasing tax revenue without raising the tax rate. Day by day, month by month. This week, I’m meeting with three different companies, just to talk to them.”
More companies not only equals more jobs but also the additional tax revenue to the County to which Hester refers. More jobs means more money of the citizens of this area, and the companies that create those jobs add to the County tax base, which keeps more money in the pockets of the individual citizens. This is part of the ongoing economic development discussions in Vance County.
The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees has voiced its support of the Connect NC Bond on the ballot for voters in the primary on March 15.
In a unanimous vote on Monday night, Feb. 8, at the trustees’ regular bimonthly meeting, the board adopted a resolution of support for the $2 billion bond package.
“The Connect NC Bond … will enable North Carolina’s systems of higher education to educate and train a highly qualified workforce for the 21st century and will support our state’s parks, National Guard, community infrastructure, and agricultural resources,” the resolution states.
If approved by the state’s voters, $7.6 million of the bond package “will pay for ongoing, necessary improvements for VGCC and provide a substantial savings to the people of Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties,” the resolution states.
“This is the first statewide bond we’ve had since the year 2000,” VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams told the board. “The state of North Carolina has actually grown by 2 million people since then. We have a lot of new people in our state.
“This will very much benefit our region. Not only will the community college receive funding but also the state parks. Kerr Lake is set to receive $3,750,000. Municipalities can apply for water and sewer infrastructure,” Dr. Williams said.
The college can use its allocation for new construction, renovations and repairs across its four campuses, Dr. Williams added.
VGCC’s proposed allocation is the eighth largest among the state’s community colleges. “The nice thing about this bond for Vance-Granville is that the formula for determining allocations incorporated county wealth and the age of buildings, so we fared well with $7.6 million,” Dr. Williams said.
Steve Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations, said the college has many needs for retrofitting and enhancing instructional program spaces and addressing critical repair and renovation needs with the bond proceeds, if approved.
Graham noted as examples that partnerships with area industry are resulting in higher enrollments in programs such as the new Mechatronics Engineering Technology academic program. Additional space is needed for lecture areas and for housing new equipment.
Some buildings on VGCC’s main campus have air handling units that are over 30 years old, and there are older model fire alarm systems that need to be replaced, Graham added. In some curriculum areas, such as Cosmetology, electrical and ventilation upgrades are needed.
Dr. Williams added that the public school students will also benefit from the bonds in the four-county area, because there are approximately 800 enrolled in the early college high schools on VGCC’s four campuses.
On the ballot, the Connect NC Bond will be labeled the “Connect NC Public Improvement Bond.” Early voting is scheduled for March 3-12, Dr. Williams said.
The board voted to contribute $7,000 of non-state funds to support the Connect NC Bond Committee.
In other action:
The Monday night meeting was moved to Feb. 8 because of inclement weather on the original meeting date of Jan. 25. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is set for Monday, March 21, on the Main Campus.
The Henderson City Council met Monday night at 6:00 o’clock, and installation ceremonies were held for the mayor, the newly elected council members as well as the re-elected incumbents.
Eddie Ellington was sworn in and is now the Mayor of The City of Henderson. Ellington told WIZS News, “I have a huge feeling of pride as well as gratitude knowing that a boy like me who grew up on Burwell Avenue could one day be the mayor of his hometown. It’s time now to move ahead, get to work and see that Henderson lives up to the potential we all know exists.”
Ellington defeated Jim Kearney and Juanita Somerville in October as he earned 50.20 percent of the vote.
As a result of running for mayor, Kearney gave up his ward 1 ward seat on the council. Marion Brodie Williams defeated Clarence Dale in a November runoff, earning almost 56 percent of the votes cast in the runoff. Williams was sworn in Monday night. She told WIZS News, “It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that I am accepting this position to represent ward 1. It’s an honor to take the seat that Mr. Kearney had, and I hope to fulfill that with dedication and a lot of enthusiasm. It feels very good to know that the citizens elected me and to stand here right now. It’s all come together for me, and I thank all the citizens of ward 1 for voting for me. I really do.”
Melissa Elliott was sworn in to represent ward 3 at large. She defeated incumbent Brenda Peace, also earning just about 56 percent of those who voted in the November runoff. Elliott told WIZS News, “I feel grateful to God and completely overwhelmed with joy, and I want to serve the citizens of Henderson to the best of my ability.” In response to a question about the next few years, Elliott said, “Initiatives, initiatives, initiatives.”
Also as a part of the meeting, outgoing Mayor James D. “Pete” O’Geary learned that a conference room at City Hall will now bear his name. In addition, O’Geary was awarded “The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.” In attendance representing The State of North Carolina and Governor Pat McCrory was Senator Angela R. Bryant, who represents Vance, Warren, Halifax, Nash and Wilson Counties. Mayor O’Geary expressed extreme gratitude for the award and to the City and to the council at several points during the meeting. O’Geary’s combined service to Henderson spanned 20 years, 12 as a councilman and eight as Mayor.
As a part of an outgoing ceremony for Councilman Kearney, he received a key to the City of Henderson from City Manager Frank Frazier. Kearney said, “It has been my distinct pleasure to serve the citizens of Henderson, particularly those of ward 1 for the last four-plus years. To my colleagues, it has been my pleasure to work with you. We have had some lively exchanges, and we have had some that were quite congenial (where) everyone was in agreement. All in all, we served the citizens with professionalism.” Kearney urged incoming council members and the mayor to “rule with your head, but lead with your heart.”
Outgoing councilwoman Brenda Peace could not attend the meeting because of a prior duty with her church, where she and others were volunteering in the neighborhoods around the church. Mayor O’Geary read a letter that Peace submitted. Peace said in the letter, “Ms. Elliott, please feel the hearty handshake and warm embrace that I would have shared with you as we exchanged seats. Once again, I congratulate you in your victory.” Peace praised the incumbents and newly elected members and expressed much gratitude. She said to the citizens, “I say thank you for the confidence you have had in me (for the past eight years.) The experience has enhanced me and broadened my horizons.”
Also sworn in were re-elected incumbents George Daye and Mike Rainey.
In the City of Henderson Non-Partisan Runoff Election of Tuesday, November 3, 2015, incumbent City Councilwoman Brenda Peace was defeated by challenger Melissa Elliott for the 3rd Ward At Large Seat, and Marion Brodie Williams defeated Clarence J. Dale for the 1st Ward Ward Seat.
Elliott received 554 total votes to Peace’s 439. That’s 55.79 percent of the votes to Elliott and 44.21 percent to Peace. In the earlier election in October, Elliott received just nine more votes than Peace, and since Elliott did not earn 50 percent of the votes plus one more vote that allowed Peace to call for a runoff.
Williams received 158 votes to Dale’s 125. That’s 55.83 percent of the votes to Williams and 44.17 percent to Dale. In the October election, the two candidates tied with 234 votes.
All results are unofficial until canvassed by The Vance County Board of Elections. The spreadsheet below represents the information received by WIZS News from The Board of Elections. (This link will show you more)
Of the 10,233 registered voters in Henderson, 1,068 cast a ballot giving a voter turnout of 10.44 percent.
Voting totals for Kittrell: For Mayor, Jerry C. Joyner with 23 votes with no opposition and no write ins; For Kittrell Commissioner, Susan M. Pulley with 23 votes, Betsy W. Simpson with 20 votes, and there were 15 write in votes.
Voting totals for Middleburg: For Mayor, Ray A. Bullock with 28 votes and Dean Dickerson 0 (zero) votes and no write ins; For Middleburg Councilman, Annie R. Fudge 25 votes, Ruth M. Nance 20 votes, Gary A. Plummer 21 votes and no write ins.
