Mayor/Council Sworn In

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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.Marion Brodie Williams Sworn In 121415

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 Sworn In 121415Melissa 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.Pete OGeary Long Leaf Pine 121415

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.”Jim Kearney Key to City 121415

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.

Election Results

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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.

Live Coverage of Election Results

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Election coverage starts at 7:00 P.M. on WIZS 1450 AM.  You can also use the “Listen Now” tab at the top left of wizs.com.  You will start to see results listed on this page after the polls close at 7:30 P.M. and the data is released by The Vance County Board of Elections.

Instructions: Refresh this page or hover over the box below with the election results and click “reload” to update results on this page.



LIVE COVERAGE OF THE TUESDAY RUNOFF ELECTION HERE IN HENDERSON — FOLLOW THE RUNNING TOTALS AS WE ENTER THEM.

FOLLOWING THE OCTOBER MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, WHICH WERE VERY CLOSE, THERE IS A RUNOFF BETWEEN BRENDA PEACE AND MELISSA ELLIOTT FOR THE THIRD WARD AT LARGE SEAT ON THE HENDERSON CITY COUNCIL AND A RUNOFF BETWEEN CLARENCE J. DALE AND MARION BRODIE WILLIAMS FOR THE FIRST WARD WARD SEAT.

WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE ELECTION RETURN INFORMATION FOR MIDDLEBURG AND KITTRELL ON OUR LIVE RADIO BROADCAST.

Wright’s Commission Seat To Be Filled

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The 60-day deadline to fill Eddie L. Wright’s District 5 Vance County Commission Seat is November 9.  Archie B. Taylor, Chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners, sent a request to the chairman of the local Democratic party asking for the names of individuals good for the position who fulfill the requirements.  Betty Boyd, who is the Third Vice Chair and in charge of publicity, told WIZS News, “We met last Thursday night (Oct 15) at Perry Library.  Four candidates made a three minute speech.  Leo Kelly received the nomination to serve the unexpired term of the late Eddie Wright.”

Vance County Clerk to the Board Kelly Grissom said, “It will go to the board on November 2.  If they decide to appoint him, it would be done during that meeting.  Then, he would be sworn in during the board’s December 7 meeting.”

The board is not bound by state statute to appoint Kelly, but all indications to date seem to suggest the Vance County Board of Commissioners will accept the Democratic Party’s nomination.

Commissioner Tommy Hester, who is Republican, said, “My personal opinion is, yes, I do expect that, but I’m only one vote.  And my vote is to go along with that because that’s up to the Democrats.  If that’s the recommendation, I’m going to vote for it.  I can only talk for myself.  If (Mr. Kelly) is who the Democratic party is recommending, that’s the normal procedure, and that would be who I think we should go with.”

Hester spoke of knowing Kelly for a longtime, his respect for Kelly and that Kelly “is an excellent person.”

Kelly was a longtime Dean at Vance Granville Community College.  A news article published by the college in 2009 quotes VGCC’s president at the time, Randy Parker, as saying, “Leo Kelly is the longest-serving full-time employee in the history of our college, and his dedicated leadership has made an enormous difference in the lives of so many people in our communities.”

Eddie L. WrightWhoever is appointed will fill the seat for approximately one year because the district 5 seat was already due for election in 2016 anyway.  At that point, if the appointee chooses to run for the seat, he or she will either be elected or defeated by a challenger.

Wright was first elected in 2000.  He served on the Granville-Vance Public Health District Board and was a minister of a local church.

Soon after Wright’s death, the news was not as much about this process or who the appointee would be, but rather more about Wright himself.  At that time, Taylor said Wright’s death had come as a shock to him as it had to many others.  While Wright had suffered from joint ailments for years, no one in the public seemed to expect his death.

Taylor said, “The county is going to feel his abscence.  He was a man of great faith and spiritual beliefs, an elder of the church, a pastor and preacher, and he was a champion of the little man.  He was definately wanting of a better quality of life for everyone in this county.  He was a great advocate for those who didn’t have a voice.  He is going to be missed.

“His voice of reason and compassion will be missed.  He showed his faith by his work.  (Wright) had a very supportive family during this illness.  They have been extremely supportive of him and that speaks highly of them and their spiritual values.”

As for the laws governing the appointment to Wright’s seat, Vance County Attorney Jonathan Care provided WIZS News with the North Carolina General Statute.  N.C. G. S. 153a-27 essentially means the newly appointed board member must be of the same political party, a resident of the same district, that the board shall consult the county executive committee of, in this case, the Democratic Party and, if an appointment is not made within 60 days, then the appointment is to be made by the Clerk of Court.  Neither the board nor the clerk is bound by the Democratic Executive Committee’s recommendation.

Candidates Forum 2015 Audio

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Unedited Audio From City Council and Mayoral Candidates Forum 2015

Who:  Henderson Municipal Election Candidates for Mayor and City Council organized by The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, The Daily Dispatch and WIZS Radio

When: Sunday, Sept 19, 2015 from 4:30 P.M. until 6:30 P.M.

Where: Old Courthouse Downtown, County Commissioners’ Meeting Room

[wonderplugin_audio id=”21″]

The City of Henderson will be holding its 2015 municipal election on Oct. 6. The offices of 1st Ward – Ward Seat, 2nd Ward – Ward Seat, 3rd Ward At-Large Seat, and 4th Ward At-Large Seat as well as the position of Henderson Mayor will be up for election. In order to vote upon these positions you must live within Henderson and be registered to vote by September 11, 2015. For more information regarding Henderson elections as well as other upcoming elections in Vance County you can visit the “Vance County Board of Elections” page on the Vance County website at: https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/.

Hard Shoes to Fill

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By George Rush and WIZS News Staff

Former County Manager Jerry Ayscue announced his retirement in August 2014 after 30 years as Vance County’s first and only manager starting in 1984. He gave the Board of Commissioners six months notice and actually retired in January 2015.

At the time of his retirement, one of the commissioners noted that “It will be hard to replace someone like Jerry.” Several commissioners commented that Jerry had been here a long time and had a great wealth of knowledge, and with his leaving, the County was losing a great treasure.

Now, the position after eight months is still not filled. Robert Murphy was appointed Interim County Manager in January 2015 and remains on the job. The position was advertised, interviews were held, but still no appointment. What is the holdup, and what are some of the possibilities:

• After all the interviews, no one was qualified.
• Several candidates were qualified, but did not meet the strict standards set by the Board.
• Too many candidates were qualified and the Board could not make up its collective mind.
• Deputy County Manager, Jordan McMillen, who is also the Director of Planning and Development in still in the race.

The County seems to be in good hands with the current employees. Vance County continues to function along the same lines as it has for the past 30 years.

So What’s the Problem? Why no new, full-time County Manager? What is it that the Vance County Commissioners can’t agree on? Stay tuned…

Bonner Bridge Replacement A Reality

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Raleigh, N.C. — Governor Pat McCrory announced the final roadblocks were cleared Friday allowing the N.C. Department of Transportation to proceed with construction of a new Herbert C. Bonner Bridge on N.C. 12 over the Oregon Inlet in Dare County.

Completing the terms of a settlement agreement reached in June, environmental groups represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center have dropped all remaining lawsuits that prevented NCDOT from replacing the 52-year-old Bonner Bridge with a new bridge parallel to the existing one.

“This marks another historic milestone in finally replacing the critical lifeline bridge for residents and visitors of the Outer Banks and supporting our continued efforts to connect North Carolina,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “I want to thank the entire team of NCDOT employees, state, and federal attorneys who have worked so hard to make this possible and find a solution for the Bonner Bridge project which had been stalled for more than 20 years.”

With the final dismissals, NCDOT and the contractor expect to complete final design and preconstruction work in time to begin building the new bridge in Spring of 2016.

In addition to replacing the Bonner Bridge NCDOT will also:
* Construct a new interim bridge over the breached inlet on Pea Island
* Construct a 2.5 mile-long Pamlico Sound bridge, known as a “jug
handle,” from the southern end of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
into Rodanthe

Bonner Bridge Replacement
NCDOT awarded a $216 million design-build contract for the 3.5 mile-long
Bonner Bridge replacement to the team of PCL Constructors Inc. and HDR
Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas in 2011. This contract is still in place
and the final contract amount will be adjusted to meet current costs
associated with the construction delay.

Pea Island
NCDOT will move forward with plans to construct an interim bridge on Pea
Island at the location of the existing temporary bridge that was
constructed after Hurricane Irene formed a breach in 2011. The interim
bridge will be easier to maintain than the existing temporary bridge. It
will provide safe access for the area while the department studies options
for a long-term solution at this location.

NCDOT expects to award a contract for this project in the fall, with construction starting as early as the end of this year.

Rodanthe Long-Term Bridge
With the preferred design officially approved by the project merger team,
NCDOT can also proceed with constructing the long-term bridge for N.C. 12
from the southern end of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge south into
Rodanthe.

By replacing the existing stretch of N.C. 12 with a bridge in the Pamlico Sound, NCDOT will be able to maintain safe and reliable access for residents and visitors of Rodanthe and southern Hatteras Island. This area includes a section of N.C. 12 north of Rodanthe known locally as the “S-curves” also damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011.

The bridge is estimated to cost between $178.8 million and $197.8 million. Before a design-build contract is awarded and a timeframe for construction can be set, final documentation must be completed.

The department chose this design over a bridge along the existing route of N.C. 12 because it minimizes impacts to the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, the ocean shoreline and the Rodanthe community.

NC State Budget $21.735 Billion

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Raleigh, NC – Governor Pat McCrory announced today that he has reached an agreement with Senate and House leaders on the spending amount for a revised state budget. At a morning breakfast meeting with the Governor at the Executive Mansion, House and Senate leadership agreed upon a budget spending amount of $21.735 billion.

 “This agreement is the result of ongoing dialogue during the last several weeks. We remain committed to working with the House and Senate to find common sense solutions that create jobs, strengthen education and fund critical infrastructure in North Carolina,” said Governor McCrory.
Last week, the Governor signed a Continuing Resolution giving the General Assembly until August 31 to reach an agreement.

2015 City of Henderson Elections

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The city of Henderson will be holding its 2015 municipal election on Oct. 6, the offices of 1st Ward – Ward Seat, 2nd Ward – Ward Seat, 3rd Ward At-Large Seat, and 4th Ward At-Large Seat as well as the position of Henderson Mayor will be up for election. In order to vote upon these positions you must live within Henderson and be registered to vote by September 11, 2015. This can be done by submitting a voter registration form by walk-in or mail to the Board of Elections office at 300 S. Garnett Street, Henderson, NC. 27536. All registration forms must be in the Board of Elections office by 5:00pm on September 11, 2015. For more information regarding Henderson elections as well as other upcoming elections in Vance County you can visit the “Vance County Board of Elections” page on the Vance County website at: https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/.

Gov. McCrory Signs New Bills

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Raleigh, N.C.— Governor Pat McCrory has signed the following bills into law.

 

  • H.B. 566 – A bill to amend the Eyewitness Identification Reform Act. The bill clarifies that law enforcement officers may be eyewitnesses. The bill defines and sets minimum standards for show-ups, a procedure used by law enforcement to determine whether an eyewitness is able to identify the perpetrator of a crime, and requires the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission to develop additional policies on the conduct of show-ups.
  • H.B. 724 – A bill to revise the membership of the North Carolina Medical Board by increasing the number of appointees by the Governor from five to six to provide that at least one physician assistant and at least one nurse practitioner must serve as members of the Board.
  • H.B. 814 – A bill to require the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to establish a medical examiner training program that includes training regarding Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), thereby enabling the state’s medical examiners to identify deaths attributable to SUDEP. 
  • H.B. 284 – A bill to clarify that imposition of a fine is not an allowable sanction for civil contempt. 
  • H.B. 584 – A bill to amend the State Government Ethics Act to permit a covered person to mention their public position in certain letters of reference, responses to inquiries of potential employers, and in a letter written at the request of a person seeking employment. A “covered person” is a legislator, public servant, or judicial officer as identified by the State Ethics Commission.
  • H.B. 800 – A bill to make omnibus technical and clarifying changes to North Carolina’s Motor Vehicle Dealers and Manufacturers Licensing Law.
  • S.B. 336 – A bill to amend the law governing estate planning and fiduciaries to amend the Uniform Trust Code and to establish a Uniform Powers of Appointment Act.
  • S.B. 386 – A bill to specify fees for filing instruments governed by the Uniform Commercial Code with registers of deeds.
  • H.B. 538 – A bill to make omnibus changes to statutes authorizing water and sewer authorities created under Article 1 of Chapter 162A.
  • S.B. 273 – A bill to authorize counties to reduce or waive interest or penalties on delinquent motor vehicle taxes for tax years prior to July 1, 2013.