TownTalk: 2nd Community Resource Festival A Success

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If the sights and sounds emanating from the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center are any indication, the second annual Community Resource Festival has delivered in its goal of connecting people with local organizations and agencies.

WIZS’s Steve Lewis spoke with a number of individuals as the festival got underway earlier Wednesday. The festival ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and provided for lots of networking and sharing of information to inform those in attendance about agencies and other organizations and the services they offer.

Michele Walker, sales and account manager with Huff Consulting has spearheaded the event, which came about because she saw a need in the community to help connect people and available resources.

More than 75 vendors signed up to participate in this year’s event, an increase from last year’s 68 vendors. Organizers anticipated several hundred individuals to come and learn more about available resources in the area.

From community partners like Granville Vance Public Health to businesses like Sunrock and others, the festival brings together under one roof a variety of area organization who want to share information, provide support or advertise job openings.

VGCC Dean of Business, Applied Tech and Public Service, Stephanie Tolbert joined forces with Huff to plan the day’s events this year. In an earlier interview on TownTalk, Tolbert said everyone who stops in during the day will leave with a ball full of freebies, “but more importantly, knowledge about resources that they didn’t know existed in their backyards.”

Did you know, for example, that Granville Vance Public Health offers a program called Sleep Safe for families and parents of newborns? Health department representatives Tammy Davis and Elizabeth Leggings shared information at the resource fair about the program to show parents how to position their babies when they are sleeping to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and asphyxiation.

When their newborn is three months old, parents can take another class that talks about the importance of “tummy time.” Participants who complete the class get a tummy time mat.

Visit www.gvph.org to learn about all the programs and services the health department provides.

If you visited the HUBzone Technology Initiative booth, you likely chatted with Bryant Davis or Ron Taylor to learn that the Henderson-based nonprofit is now giving refurbished laptops to individuals who qualify and not just to organizations.

That’s huge, but that’s what HUBzone does – it takes donated laptops and turns them into Chromebooks to give away to those who need them.

Got a laptop sitting around that you don’t use? Consider donating to HUBzone Technology Initiative- the more they give away, the more they’ll need to refurbish.

But the guys at the HUBzone table also want to encourage youth under 18 to send in a video for a chance to participate in the 3rd annual “Triangle’s Got Talent” contest, set for Sunday, April 21 at Wakefield High School in Wake County.

A $300 cash prize will be given to the best novice act and to the best advanced act. All you singers, musicians, magicians, polish your routine and send in a video of the performance and you just might get a call to compete.

Visit www.hubzonetech.org to apply online.

Chances are you’ve seen a Sunrock truck at a construction site or hauling materials as you’ve traveled in the community, but did you know that Carolina Sunrock is a family-owned business that’s been around for 75 years?

Laura Green, HR recruiter for the Raleigh-based company, said Sunrock is a “one-stop shop construction company” because it provides its own products like asphalt, gravel and more for construction projects. Its gravel operation is in Kittrell and the asphalt operation is in Butner.

Visit www.thesunrockgroup.com/careers to find out about job openings.

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TownTalk: City Council Addresses Attendance Policy

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At its March meeting Monday evening, the Henderson City Council voted 6-2 to adopt a policy concerning attendance at council meetings. At issue, among other things, was what constitutes an excused absence versus an unexcused absence and just how – and who – would decide which was which.

The proposed wording didn’t include “work” in the excused list, and it did include the 12 set monthly meeting dates – already on the calendar – as well as any “special called meetings,” which aren’t on the calendar ahead of time.

After a lot of back-and-forth discussion, Council member Ola Thorpe-Cooper made a motion, seconded by Council member Michael Venable to approve the attendance policy, with a revision that excludes the special called meeting wording.

Joining Cooper and Venable with yes votes were Council members Geraldine Champion, Garry Daeke, Sam Seifert and Tami Walker; Council members Lamont Noel and Sara Coffey voted against the motion.

According to City Manager Terrell Blackmon, the policy review came out of the council’s recent strategic planning session. As it stands now, council members aren’t supposed to miss four meetings in a single calendar year.

However, if they are unable to attend a meeting in person, they can join virtually and cast votes remotely, as long as their absence is considered an “excused” absence.

Noel did not agree that fellow council members be the deciding body to determine whether an absence is excused or unexcused; individual council members are supposed to inform the clerk when they know they will be absent.

Mayor Melissa Elliott offered an example to the group, saying that she had been able to vote when she was out of town for work, but she was not able to vote when she joined virtually while on vacation.

The council agreed to fall back to Robert’s Rules of Order and handle the absences procedurally when the roll is called at each council meeting, at which time the clerk would inform the council of the reason for a member’s absence.

Discussion about special called meetings included comments from Council member Noel, who said those meetings, usually held during normal business hours, shouldn’t be part of the attendance policy.

“Some of us are working,” he said.

Daeke acknowledged that daytime meetings “may be a bit much for some folks.” He said he used 42 hours of vacation time last year alone to satisfy council attendance policies. “Not everybody has that capability,” he said.

 

 

TownTalk: Property Tax Revaluation

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Property owners in Vance County have been waiting – and waiting – for those tax revaluation notices to hit their mailboxes, but so far, it’s just bills, junk mail and candidates’ postcards.

At their board meeting on Mar. 4, commissioners were told that the notices would be sent out “in the next few weeks.”

In a followup conversation with Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry earlier Monday, Perry reported that Tax Administrator Porcha Brooks said the notices will go out by the end of this week.

County residents have been bracing for news of what most certainly will be an increase in the value of their property – it’s been eight years since the last revaluation, after all. Expected increases in Vance County range from 67 percent to 72 percent, with a base increase of 55 percent. And that doesn’t include the actual land values, said Ryan Vincent, who updated commissioners during last week’s  meeting.

Most all of the county’s property owners will see an increase in their property revaluation – 93 percent, in fact. And it all will be revealed in those notices, which were originally supposed to be received in February.

In addition to indiviudals and businesses, however, county staff and elected officials also need that information to inform their budget process, which is usually approved before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

Once property owners get their new valuations, they have time to appeal if they don’t agree, said Ryan Vincent, whose company was in charge of this revaluation process, which began a couple of years ago.

“The plan is to mail notices in the next two to three weeks,” Vincent explained to commissioners on Mar. 4. The notices are NOT bills; tax bills would be sent in summer 2024.

Vincent said the deadline to appeal is May 6; after that, the county’s Equalization and Review Board would begin the process of deliberating the appeals.

Right now, the seven county commissioners serve as the E&R board; Commissioner Tommy Hester’s motion on Mar. 4 to form a separate board failed.

The 2016 revaluation saw 640 property owners appeal the tax value of their properties. Of those, all but 11 were settled during the informal appeals process and were settled within the tax department. Those 11 came before the board of commissioners, acting as the E&R board, for a decision.

This year’s revaluation most likely will bring a higher volume of appeals, simply because it’s been eight years since the last valuation, when some property owners even saw a decrease in their property’s assessed value.

Vincent said commissioners should plan to allow for “anywhere from 10 to 20 to maybe 30 working days to hear the appeals,” with those being full days – 6-8 hours each. “It’s a substantial time commitment,” he said, and something that likely couldn’t be done during regular evening meetings of the commissioners.

That’s on top of extra budget sessions that will undoubtedly be held over the next few months.

The E&R board must have a quorum – that’s four commissioners – to hold the hearings.

Perry stated “it’s definitely a tight timeline” but that “the plan is for the Board of E&R to open on May 6 and close on June 3. Appeals can be submitted as soon as notices are received. The last day to appeal will be June 3.” Vincent had noted to commissioners on Mar. 4 that the appeals window would be from April 1 to May 6, but Perry confirmed Monday that those dates had been adjusted since the commissioners’ meeting.

The City of Henderson also is dependent on the results of this revaluation process as it plans for the new budget, and City Manager Terrell Blackmon said he and his staff asked for – and received – the information from the county as soon as it was available.

In a written statement to WIZS News, Blackmon said, “Just for reference, the City is not just now looking at the schedule of values…and we have been using the data we have to begin working through the FY 24-25 budget process.  The City’s Finance staff and I have already completed our preliminary budget meetings with all department heads and we are crunching numbers as we speak trying to balance expenses with projected revenues based on our current tax rate and other various scenarios tied to the new schedule of values resulting from the revaluation process.  Staff and Council are aware of the potential burden taxpayers may experience when there is a revaluation and we will try to remain revenue neutral as a goal.  However, we also have to keep in mind that the City’s tax base has remained fairly unchanged the past several years… but our expenses continue to increase due to employee retention and other inflationary factors that impact our service delivery and ability to improve the City’s infrastructure.  We will work to find a balance that’s beneficial to both the City and our citizens.”

 

 

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TownTalk: Community Resource Festival Coming To VGCC

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Organizers of the second Community Resource Festival say a multitude of vendors will come together under one roof to share information and network with individuals on Wednesday, Mar. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

More than 200 people came out last year to the first event, and VGCC’s Stephanie Tolbert and Huff Consulting’s Michele Walker hope more people will walk through the doors this year to visit with the 75 vendors who will be in attendance.

The vendors are a cross-section of civic organizations, all shapes and sizes of nonprofits, as well as local businesses, Walker said on Thursday’s TownTalk. She is the sales and accounts manager for Huff Consulting, and had the idea to put this festival on last year.

As VGCC dean of Business, Applied Tech and Public Service, Tolbert joined forces with Huff to plan the day’s events this year. She said everyone who stops in during the day will leave with a ball full of freebies, “but more importantly, knowledge about resources that they didn’t know existed in their backyards.”

Tolbert said the festival is a time for networking and forming new partnerships in the larger community.

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce is one of the event sponsors. In a written statement, Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson said “This is about
opportunities for all the people in our community to gather knowledge, opportunities and tools to make their lives and businesses more successful and engaging…Our joint efforts with Huff Consulting, Vance Granville Community College and Granville County Chamber of Commerce are designed to make us all
stronger, better, more informed and progressive.”

Granville County Chamber Executive Director Cynthia Ratliff encourages business and industry representatives to check out the event as well. In a statement, Ratliff called the community resource festival an “invaluable opportunity for business professionals to equip themselves and their teams with the tools they need for success.”

Be prepared to learn, network and share information, but make sure you bring an appetite – Smokin’ Souls and Bun on the Run food trucks will be set up on site as well. There will be a fun photo booth for some selfie fun and door prizes will be awarded every 30 minutes.

David Bullock with VGCC also will be on site with a drone demonstration.

Whether you only have a few minutes or can spend a few hours, the community resource festival will not disappoint.

 

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TownTalk: Fire Department Awards And Dinner

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The City of Henderson’s fire department took some time recently to gather for dinner and fellowship as they reflected on events of the past year, honored current firefighters and remembered the late fire chief Steve Cordell.

Chief Tim Twisdale, a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk, said the Feb. 22 event was special in many ways, not the least of which was beginning the evening with a moment of silence to remember Cordell, who died in January 2023.

Oftentimes, the public sees firefighters in bulky turnout gear in the line of duty or in more casual clothing around the fire house making sure all the vehicles are in tip-top shape. But Twisdale said this occasion was reason to pull out the Class A uniforms and really show off – on this evening, firefighters learned who was named 2023 Firefighter of the Year and who would be the recipient of the Chief’s Award.

“This is the 47th year that our department has been having a gathering to honor our members and the accomplishments they’ve had throughout the year,” Twisdale noted.

Jeffrey Payne Watson was named Firefighter of the Year and Devin Hall received the Chief’s Award. Twisdale said both men are real assets to the department.

Watson came on board in 2021 – in fact, Twisdale was on the interview board when he was hired and then worked with him on the same shift. He saw Watson every day there in the beginning, and Twisdale said he quickly saw Watson as a natural leader. “He’s one of those go-to persons,” Twisdale said, someone who makes sure that everyone comes out of a situation with a better grasp and understanding than they’d had before.

Deputy State Fire Marshal Tony Bailey was the guest speaker for the event, and Twisdale said he appreciated Bailey’s continuing support  over the years as the fire department has been able to attain – and maintain – a coveted ISO rating of 2.

Chief’s Award recipient Hall commutes three days a week to his job at the Henderson Fire Department from his home in South Hill, VA.

When considering nominees for the Chief’s Award, Twisdale said he’s looking “for someone who really comes into the doors every day as a positive example” for others, making contributions not only to the community but to the brotherhood of firefighters.

“He is a constant source of information,” Twisdale said of Hall. “He shares his knowledge an skills.”

Twisdale noted several recent promotions within the department, including Capt. Capt. Justin Crowder and Capt. Justin Simmons, who is in charge of Engine 1. Simmons’s primary duties are looking after a three-member crew of that truck, the chief said.

As new battalion chiefs, Rick Puryear and Kyle Holtzman supervise the shifts of firefighters who protect the city 24 hours a day.

Hall and fellow firefighter Chase Carter have risen to the rank of engineer. Both men are a big part of the department’s ladder company, Twisdale said. The fire department is looking at ways to replace the aging truck, which came into service in 2005. Back then, it cost $800,000.

Like everything else, he said, inflation has driven up prices on fire trucks, too.

“If we sign a contract today, it’d be $2.1 million,” he said.

Check out the year-in-review video that Engineer Carter created for the awards banquet. You can find it on the fire department’s Facebook page. Chief Cordell figures prominently in the video, and his memory will live on, Twisdale said.

“We try to honor his memory by trying to move forward each day,” he said.

 

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Primary Election Coverage in Vance County; Commissioner Taylor Unseated

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Valencia Perry unseated incumbent Archie Taylor in Tuesday’s Democratic primary election for the District 2 seat on the Vance County Board of Commissioners.

It was a fairly close contest through the evening as the county’s 12 precincts reported, and WIZS News was able to call the race for Perry by 9 p.m. Perry had 251 votes to Taylor’s 213. Perry got more votes than Taylor in each of the precincts in District 2, according to tallies Tuesday night by the Vance County Board of Elections.

The other local race determined on Super Tuesday was the District 5 Board of Education race. Incumbent Linda Cobb successfully defended her seat by defeating challenger William Earl Purvis 308 to 138 – that’s 69 percent for Cobb and 31 percent for Purvis.

WIZS News contacted Perry by phone Tuesday evening after the results were in. “I thank everyone who voted for me,” Perry said. “I’m so grateful… I will be proud and humble to serve the people of Vance County.”

On the campaign trail, Perry said she heard concerns about schools, mental health and the county jail – issues that she also had emphasized as priorities.

“The people came out and voted for me,” she said. “They listened to me and they gave me a chance.”

Taylor congratulated Perry on her win and said he would support her any way he could.

“I wish her all the best going forward,” he said in a phone interview with WIZS News Tuesday.

First elected in 2012, Taylor said he would continue to serve on the boards he’s on to the utmost of his abilities.

Between now and December, when Perry will be sworn in as District 2 Commissioner, Taylor said he would continue to work with his fellow commissioners on issues including the budget, on the revaluation process and “this revenue neutral business with the taxes.”

After the polls closed at 7:30 p.m., results rolled in smoothly to the local board of elections office through the evening.

A total of 5,656 votes were cast in Vance County – 3,338 Democrat ballots and 2,305 Republican ballots were tallied. There are 28,296 registered voters in the county, so 5,656 represents roughly 20 percent that came out to vote in this primary election.

This overall voter turnout is lower than the previous two March primaries – turnout in March 2020 was 24.6 percent. In March 2016, almost 32 percent of voters cast votes.

— UPDATED 10:38 p.m. March 5, 2024

By Laura Gabel. John C. Rose contributed.

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TownTalk: Sossamon Hosts Human Trafficking Forums

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N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon wants to get the word out about a couple of upcoming community forums that he hopes will shed a little light on the topic of human trafficking – what it is, what it can look like and how to seek help or report suspicions. Scheduling forums like the ones next week is just one way that Sossamon continues to pastor to the community.

The first forum will be held Tuesday, Mar. 12 at Perry Memorial Library, Sossamon said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. There’s a special session for law enforcement representatives from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by the community forum open to the public at 6 p.m.

He said there will be representatives from a variety of agencies and nonprofits well-versed in the issue of human trafficking to inform and educate and help attendees “better understand this enormous and egregious problem.”

The second forum will be held at the Granville Expo Center in Oxford on Thursday, Mar. 14, following the same format as the Henderson event.

When you hear the term “human trafficking,” what often comes to mind is either sex trafficking or labor trafficking.

Oftentimes, Sossamon said, people don’t know what signs to look for, and instances of trafficking could be happening “right up under our noses.”

Attend one of the two forums and come away with information, some training and a better level of understanding about the problem.

Victims of human trafficking are often under such control that they often never say a word, never try to escape, Sossamon explained. Sometimes they wear bulky clothing or stay covered up to hide malnutrition or markings from abuse.

“It’s beyond me to fully comprehend…to be taken against their will…and do whatever they’re told to do,” he said. “It’s such a large topic when you begin to dive into it – it covers so many different scenarios.”

He recalled a recent case that happened here in Vance County when a law enforcement officer discovered a case of trafficking.
Thanks to training that the State Highway Patrol officer had received, he was able to identify and capture the perpetrator and save the victim.

“One of the big things is awareness, even among those who are sworn to protect,” Sossamon said, adding that there are so many demands on law enforcement officers, the more the community can do to help, the better.

“It takes all of us to have a level of awareness and understanding,” he said, adding that it’s important for individuals to be on the lookout, too.

Holding forums in his district is just one way to help keep the community safe, involved and informed.

“It takes all of us to be involved,” Sossamon said.

 

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TownTalk: Local Primary Elections, 10 Tips For A Smooth Voting Process

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The state’s primary election is Tuesday, Mar. 5 and elections officials have offered some tips for smooth voting for registered voters who didn’t cast their ballots during the early voting period.

Precincts are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

From basic rules that define a primary election and knowing your precinct to studying a sample ballot and making sure you bring an acceptable form of photo ID, reviewing the list below could save you time on Election Day.

Not sure where to show up to vote? Visit https://www.ncsbe.gov/, click on the Voter Search link at the top to find your precinct.

1)    Know the rules for a primary election. Primaries are elections used to determine each political party’s nominees who will advance to the general election in November. In a partisan primary, voters affiliated with a political party may only vote their party’s ballot and may not vote in another party’s primary. Unaffiliated voters may choose any one political party’s ballot or a nonpartisan ballot, if available in their jurisdiction. There are Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian primaries in our state this year. An unaffiliated voter may choose to participate in one of these party primaries, while a voter who is registered as a Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian will receive their party’s ballot.

2)    Go to your assigned polling place on Election Day. Statewide, nearly 2,600 polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters in line at 7:30 p.m. will be able to cast a ballot.

3)    Find your sample ballot. Voters can use the State Board’s Voter Search tool to locate their sample ballot. The ballot shows the contests that you’ll be voting on.

4)    Bring your photo ID. You will be asked to show photo ID at your polling place when you check in to vote. Most voters will simply show their driver’s license, but there are many other acceptable photo IDs. For more information, including the full list of acceptable IDs, visit BringItNC.com. Voters who do not have photo ID when they vote can make sure their vote counts by either (1) filling out a form explaining why they are unable to show ID, or (2) showing their ID at their county board of elections office by 5 p.m. March 14, the ninth day after the election.

5)    Voters may not register on Election Day in North Carolina. While that is the general rule, voters who become eligible after the regular voter registration deadline, either due to becoming a U.S. citizen or having their rights restored following a felony conviction, are still permitted to register on Election Day.

6)    If you need assistance, request it at your polling place. Curbside voting is available for voters who are unable to enter the voting place without assistance due to age or disability. Once inside the polling place, voters who experience difficulties should request help from an election worker. For more information, see the Help for Voters with Disabilities page.

7)    State and federal laws forbid intimidation or interference with voters. This includes hindering access to the voting place, whether inside or outside the voting site. It is also a crime to interfere with election officials carrying out their duties. Penalties for violations include prison time, a fine, or both. The State Board takes these incidents very seriously. When they occur, we will work with our law enforcement partners to respond. Voters who are harassed or intimidated should notify an election official immediately.

8)    Election results will be posted at the State Board’s Election Results Dashboard. See also the Election Night Reporting Timeline for information on when the public can expect unofficial results on election night.

9)    If you still plan to vote an absentee ballot, act fast. The deadline to have your ballot delivered to the county board of elections is 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Election Day. If you are unsure that the postal service or another delivery service will deliver your ballot by Tuesday, you can instead drop it off at your county board of elections office during business hours, or at an early voting site through 3 p.m. Saturday, when early voting ends. Or you can decide to vote in person on Election Day, and discard your absentee ballot.

10) If you’re participating in the election – as a voter, poll worker, observer, or campaigner – please treat others with dignity and respect. We know the political climate in our country is tense. But let’s make North Carolina a model for accessible, safe, secure and accurate elections.

For more information about voting on Election Day, see Vote in Person on Election Day.

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Drug Stores

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Today’s pharmacies just don’t have the same feel as those “drug stores” from days gone by. Nowadays, it’s all business, filling prescriptions and answering questions at a special window marked “consultation.”

That’s not all bad, by the way. We can thank a fellow originally from New Bern who moved to Oxford back in 1884 for standardizing the drug industry.

Local historian Mark Pace called Franklin Wills Hancock “the father of pharmacies in North Carolina.”

Hancock started at drug store in Oxford and enjoyed a 68-year career. When he died at age 92, he was the oldest licensed pharmacist in the country. His almost seven decades was the longest tenure as a druggist.

In fact, he was the first licensed druggist, Pace said.

Before licensing was required, there was little standardization among drug stores, apothecaries and other establishments.

Henderson is home to two independent pharmacies – Mast Drug and Medical Arts Pharmacy, and both have been around for decades. Bill Mast started Mast Drug in 1962 and Chocky White started Medical Arts in 1971. Their presence in the community has not faded, despite the existence of larger chain stores.

If you’ve lived in the area long enough, you remember Parker’s, Page’s and Woolard’s. Even the Florida-based chain store Eckerd’s had a front-row seat at the Henderson Mall, complete with a lunch counter and grill in its heyday.

In Granville County, there was Puckett’s up in Stovall that was in business from 1934-1984 and Jones Drug in downtown Oxford. Charlie Jones returned to his hometown and ran his drug store from 1955 to 2009. He continued working part-time well into his 90s at one of the chain stores in Oxford.

The best information Pace can find notes that John G. Hall opened the first drug store in Oxford in 1879. When it closed in 2000, it could claim being in operation over three centuries – the 19th, 20th and 21st, Pace said.

It opened just more than a decade after the Civil War ended, when folks used home remedies concocted from roots and bark and other materials found in nature.

“In the early days of drug stores and pharmacies, basically they were winging it,” Pace said. “They had their own cures, their own method of doing things.”

And many of those early pharmacists touted patented medicines, including Owen Davis, a Henderson pharmacist who formulated “Atlas Celery Phosphate Vitalizer” at Atlas Medicine Company in town.

At 50 cents a bottle, it claimed to cure everything from “general debility” to virility problems.

 

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TownTalk: Dan Brummitt On Economic Development 101

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Economic development often is the engine that spurs communities forward as it provides new job opportunities and contributes to the tax base. Sometimes, though, a community needs to have a little “skin in the game” to attract new businesses.

On the campus of the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park is one such example of the kind of investment that prospective industries are looking for – a shell building. There was an offer on the table almost as soon as it was finished. Unfortunately, that deal fell through at the last minute.

But Dan Brummitt, president of the HVIP board, announced on Wednesday’s TownTalk that there’s a new contract on the table. It’s just the sort of activity that local leaders are hoping for as the city and county continue to work together.

“There’s been a lot of activity on that building, and in the industrial park,” Brummitt said, adding that he sees more opportunities for growth in that area. If all goes according to plan, the new owner – yet unnamed – will close in the next few months.

It takes a strong city-county collaboration and partnerships among other agencies to attract and grow business and industry.

Brummitt said he would like to see more private investors stepping in to have a positive impact on growth. “There are people out there that want to be a part of growth in Vance County,” he said.

A private entity can raise enough money to do a job, Brummitt said, but the city and the county have to be involved when the talk is about making sure the infrastructure is in place.

“If the city and county are not involved, that would somewhat limit it,” he said of economic development.

There are a variety of community partners that help to create a strong network of cooperation, and one of those partners is the Economic Development Commission.

Its original iteration goes back to the 1970’s and in the early ‘80’s, it became an official city-county joint effort, Brummitt said, with the county handling the land part and the city bringing in the water/sewer component.

At that time, the role of director was a 50-50 funding split. In 2009, however, Brummitt said the EDC was “rebooted” and that funding split changed to a 75-25 split, with the county taking the larger responsibility.

As of 2011, the county agreed to fund 100 percent of the position. The city appoints three members to the board and the county appoints six members.

The EDC, with its director leading the efforts, is focused on business retention and expansion, Brummitt said.

Current EDC Director McKinley Perkinson announced her resignation recently and Brummitt said County Manager C. Renee Perry has the job of finding Perkinson’s successor.

That being said, the EDC director works with the 9-member EDC board, but generally reports to the county manager.

Brummitt said the EDC director also “obviously would work with the board” on any projects as well as keeping the EDC board updated on potential new businesses coming to the area. A lot of the job involves recruitment of new business, but the EDC director also needs to know the county’s assets.

Having a good working relationship with a cross-section of business and local leaders, as well as the boards is key to working together to accomplish the common goal that is economic development, Brummitt said.

Plus, “that makes for a healthy EDC,” he added.

“I think we’re in a really positive place,” Brummitt said. As the county continues its search for a new EDC director, he said “there’s a whole lot of activity in Vance County right now.”

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