Home And Garden Show
On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
Wayne Rowland of the Vance Co. Extension Service passes along information for gardeners.
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The Local Skinny! County Budget Includes $60K For McGregor Hall
The newly adopted FY 2024-25 Vance County budget includes a $60,000 appropriation for McGregor Hall, which represents the full amount requested by the performing arts venue. Executive Director Mark Hopper told WIZS News earlier today that he is “absolutely elated” with the commissioners’ action.
“It’s the first step toward making this facility function in a way that every other facility functions in the state,” Hopper said in a telephone interview Tuesday morning. “It’s a really important first step.”
Commissioner Archie Taylor is also on the board of the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation. He said Tuesday that McGregor Hall attracts tourism dollars to the county each time an event is held there.
“As a commissioner, I look at our community as a whole, what is beneficial for Vance County, not for any particular organization,” Taylor said. He referred to a recent economic impact study completed by N.C. State University, which concluded that McGregor Hall has a multi-million dollar impact on the county, bringing outside dollars through sales tax and hotel/motel tax revenues.
The Henderson City Council included a $5,000 one-time grant to McGregor Hall in its recently adopted budget, representing just more than 6 percent of the total amount – $75,000 – that was requested.
City leaders have discussed the purchase of a downtown property currently owned by McGregor Hall for a price in the range of $255,000. When asked whether the sale would move forward, Hopper said “the city has not contacted us.”
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Vance County Commissioners Approve $57M Budget, 10-Cent Tax Increase
Vance County commissioners approved a 10-cent tax increase and a $57 million budget Monday, June 24 at 4 p.m.
The special called meeting lasted about 15 minutes, and adoption of the budget was the first order of business. The budget was approved 4-2, with Board Chair Dan Brummitt and Tommy Hester casting no votes. Commissioner Yolanda Feimster was not present.
After a motion by Commissioner Sean Alston and a second by Commissioner Leo Kelly, commissioners took a few minutes to discuss their thoughts.
“I don’t like the tax rate,” said Commissioner Carolyn Faines. “I don’t want to put taxes on our citizens.” But Faines acknowledged the needs of the county and said she would therefore cast a yes vote.
Chair Dan Brummitt said he could support “some element of increase, but I can’t support a 10-cent tax increase.”
“I can’t support a tax increase of this much when people are struggling day-to-day,” Brummitt said.
He noted that this budget represents a 16 percent increase from last year’s budget, with $4.7 million being put into a savings account, largely because of unused salaries created by short staffing.
The overall operating budget, however, represents a decrease from last year’s budget.
Commissioner Tommy Hester said he advocates a revenue-neutral budget because he wants to be able to tell taxpayers exactly where their money will be used. That could be next year, when plans for a new jail are farther along.
“You don’t build a house without a plan,” Hester said. He also expressed his displeasure at a 23 percent increase in commissioners’ stipends when county employees will get only a 7 percent pay increase. “I can’t go along with that. My conscience will not let me do it – I can’t go along with this budget.”
Commissioner Leo Kelly reiterated his comments from a previous budget work session and said the growth of the county depends on the budget; he said he didn’t relish the idea of a tax increase, but he said he, as a taxpayer, is willing to do his share.
“If we don’t grow our budget, we don’t grow our county,” Kelly said. “It’s how we move this county forward.”
In concurring with Kelly, Commissioner Archie Taylor said the county is in dire need of some things that need to get done.
The board hasn’t increased taxes since the last revaluation eight years ago. “Now, we’re at the point where we know we’re going to have to increase taxes – either this year or next year,” Taylor said.
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Home and Garden Show
On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
Wayne Rowland of the Vance Co. Extension Service provides tips for gardeners.
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The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Library
Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Director Melody Peters took a few minutes Tuesday from tending to last-minute summer reading program details to talk about upcoming events that will be taking place soon at the library.
There’s a lot going on at the library, but Peters said she’s especially excited about the summer reading program kickoff. “I am expecting a big crowd – I really am!” she exclaimed on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
Readers of all ages and abilities can complete reading journals and turn them in during the summer in exchange for cool prizes.
“Cool” is the name of the game today – the first 200 participants were going to get Pelican Sno Balls.
Library patrons can enjoy a musical performance at the library as part of “Make Music Day” throughout the city and county.
Clarinetist Tristan Beradi, a student at N.C. A&T State University, will perform in the gallery from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, gather the family and head over to the library for Family Story Time. Peters said she listened to comments from busy parents who just can’t swing a library program during the week. And with sports activities on Saturdays, the only day left is Sunday.
So Peters said she’ll be curious to see how many folks turn out.
“We’re trying it out and hope people come,” she said.
Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more about all the programs at Perry Memorial Library.
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Fire Departments Could See Additional Funding
The county’s volunteer fire departments stand to gain an additional $30,000 annually as commissioners and County Manager C. Renee Perry hammer out details of the FY 2024-25 budget.
Commissioners held a budget work session last week, with sights set on June 24 as a possible date to adopt the $57 million budget.
Each department, as well as the rescue squad and the Vance County Fire Department, would see $130,000 in county funding and the new hourly pay rate for part-time firefighters would increase to $17 an hour, up from $15 an hour.
To achieve these goals, the county’s fire tax would be bumped from a revenue-neutral rate of 5.9 cents per $100 valuation to 7 cents per hundred, as recommended by Perry.
This increase will generate and additional $300,000 in revenues.
That amount, matched with a one-time disbursement of about $300,000 from the fire tax general fund, would provide for the additional funding. The current total fire tax fund balance is about $625,000.
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North Carolina Teacher Retention – NCAE
Teacher pay and a moratorium on private school vouchers are two of the tangible issues that the president of the North Carolina Association of Educators has on her radar. But Tamika Walker-Kelly also is calling on legislators to join her as she and other public school advocates seek to restore a culture of respect for the thousands of teachers who work in public schools.
Yes, salaries have gone up – it’s about $41,000 for starting teachers, Walker-Kelly acknowledged on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! But North Carolina has lost ground to other states and now is ranked at 38th in the nation for teacher pay.
“We know our legislators in Raleigh could do more,” she said, adding that higher pay is a critical component when it comes to recruitment and retention, but teachers deserve to have respect restored to their profession – “they want to be valued and be heard, and their contributions… are respected and valued,” she said.
The 2024-25 school year marks the fifth year that Walker-Kelly has led the NCAE, which she said is the largest education advocacy group in the state.
She is a proud product of North Carolina public schools and has taught music all of her 18 years in Cumberland County.
“I was inspired by my high school chorus teacher,” she said. “I wanted to be a music teacher just like her.”
Public school teachers interact with more than 1.5 million students across the state’s public school districts – that number accounts for about 85 percent of all children in the state.
The legislature’s private school voucher program stands to siphon off upwards of $500 million dollars, a move the NCAE opposes.
“As an organization, the NCAE continues to be in opposition to vouchers,” she said, adding that taxpayers’ money should go to public schools.
Supporting universal breakfast and lunch programs, mental health programs for students and additional tutoring are other areas of interest for the NCAE, and Walker-Kelly said “education should be everybody’s issue. It should be a bipartisan effort, she said, adding that the NCAE would continue to be a voice for public schools in the General Assembly, across the state and in local communities.
She ranks visiting schools across the state as one of her favorite things to do in her role as NCAE president.
“We should never let people forget that great work goes on in public schools every single day.”
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Home And Garden Show
On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
Wayne Rowland of the Vance Co. Extension Service provides gardening tips.
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The Local Skinny! Elder Abuse Awareness Event Is Friday
Join the Kerr Tar Region K Elder Abuse Conference and Walk on Friday, June 14 in Oxford to learn more about how to help senior adults, get them connected to services and protect them from unscrupulous scammers.
Kim Hawkins, regional ombudsman for KTCOG, said the event will be Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the campus of the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford. June 15 is recognized as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, an observance that promotes awareness and understanding of the many forms of elder abuse and resources available to those at risk.
Elder abuse is defined as “an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological.”
More than 20 different agencies from across the Kerr-Tar’s five-county service area will be on site to showcase their services and to share resources with the community. Home health agencies, long-term facilities, family care homes and adult day programs all will be represented.
“There’s a variety of resources on hand so you can learn what’s available to you,” Hawkins said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
The State Employees’ Credit Union will provide information about wills, trusts and estate planning, she said.
The agencies that are participating in the event are showing caregivers that they support the prevention of elder abuse, Hawkins said.
“We’re respecting them, keeping them safe and secure – it’s important to know who’s here on your side.”
There will be t-shirts, goodie bags and lunch provided, she said.
U.S. Attorney Michael Easley joins leaders from the local, state and national level to highlight the importance of awareness and education.
“Respecting our elders is a core American value,” Easley stated in a press release. “But too many crooks see our seniors as targets for financial scams. We are prioritizing cases with elderly victims to help stop the frauds and cheats trying to rob our seniors. Learn the signs of elder fraud and abuse. Together, we can give our older generation the respect they deserve.”
Visit the Elder Justice Initiative page to learn more about the Justice Department’s elder justice efforts.
For more information about the KTCOG event,
contact Tyeisha Hewett with Granville County DSS at 919.693.1511 or
Kimberly Hawkins with the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging at 252.436.2050.
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City Council Votes To Hike Property Tax Rate To 65 Cents Per $100 Valuation
It was not a unanimous decision, but the Henderson City Council voted to increase the property tax rate per $100 valuation to 65 cents at its Monday meeting, just before adopting the FY 2024-25 budget totaling more than $47 million.
In the budget recommended by City Manager Terrell Blackmon on May 13, the tax rate was 55 cents per $100 valuation, which was 10 cents above the revenue-neutral rate. The new property tax rate is 20 cents above the revenue-neutral rate.
Council Member Tami Walker made the motion to increase the tax, which she said would bring in more than $2.5 million in additional tax revenue. Council Member Ola Thorpe-Cooper seconded the motion. Council members Sam Seifert and Garry Daeke cast no votes, and Council members Lamont Noel, Michael Venable, Geraldine Champion, Sara Coffey voted yes with Walker and Thorpe-Cooper.
Thorpe-Cooper made a motion to accept the budget, which totals $47,827,763.
The motion was seconded by Coffey, who joined via Zoom. In addition to Thorpe-Cooper and Coffey, yes votes were case by Seifert, Venable, Walker and Champion.
Daeke and Noel cast dissenting votes.
In another split decision, Council voted 5-3 to accept a $1,500 bonus for each Council member – already included in the recommended budget. The matter had been discussed in earlier budget work sessions, but Daeke and Seifert said they recalled that the money was to be used to pay for training.
Mayor Melissa Elliott insisted that the sum was called a bonus, which, if offered as such, couldn’t have stipulations for its use.
Council Member Venable made a motion, seconded by Champion, to provide a $1,500 bonus to all Council members. Noel, Seifert and Daeke voted no. Coffey, Venable, Thorpe-Cooper, Champion and Walker voted yes.
In a unanimous vote, Council members voted to proceed with the purchase of the Falkner property that is owned by McGregor Hall. The sale price is $255,000 plus closing costs, but the budget line item is for $275,000, Blackmon stated.