TownTalk: Interest In And Options For Public Transportation Growing In The Area

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UPDATE 2-18-25: Because of the weather, the Transportation Town Hall has been re-scheduled for March 17, 2025.

A community town hall-style meeting on the topic of public transportation is scheduled for Monday, March 17 in Oxford to provide information about the types of public transportation that are available now and to help shape the future of ride programs in smaller towns and cities and throughout rural areas.

The meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Orange Street Community Center, 125 Orange St., and is hosted by Down Home, NC, a grassroots non-profit organization interested in improving transportation for low-income residents.

KARTS, the local provider in the Kerr-Tar COG area, recently made the decision to drop the downtown shuttle in Henderson. Simply put, it was too expensive to continue, according to KARTS Director Randy Cantor, who told WIZS News that an Uber-style plan is scheduled to kick off in the next couple of months.

Cantor said he’d just gotten word from the state last week that the micro-transit plan is a go.

But Down Home, NC members Fred Johnson of Butner and Michael Hayes of Henderson said their organization feels that the estimated $5/trip one way cost is too much.

Among other things, the Thursday meeting will be a time to ask NCDOT representatives to set policy that makes micro-transit “fare free” for an introductory period.

Johnson said Brennon Fuqua, NCDOT’s director of its Integrated Mobility division has been invited to take part. State Sen. Terence Everitt, who represents Granville and Wake counties also will be in attendance, Johnson said.

A free fare period will go a long way to help change people’s behaviors and encourage them to use the micro transit option. “If we’re going to get people out of their cars,” lower fares than a $5 per trip fee are needed.

Johnson said he would like to see a point-to-point system, for example, to take people from a central location to the grocery store.

Hayes said he got involved in Down Home, NC last summer, upon hearing that the Around Town Shuttle was being discontinued. Hayes said he has used KARTS, as has his father, who uses a motorized scooter, to get shopping done.

“It just wasn’t feasible for KARTS to do it anymore,” Cantor said of providing the Around Town Shuttle. When the micro transit option begins, Cantor said he hopes to be able to provide a 15-20-minute turnaround time for riders. And, he said he’d like to be able to replicate the service in other counties in the future.

Cantor said people who need to use KARTS will be able to make a reservation via a smart phone app or computer, but they also will be able to pick up the phone and call to request transportation.

The smartphone app takes reservations and payments, he said. KARTS has a brand-new vehicle to use for the micro transit system that can accommodate wheelchairs, he said.

Visit downhomenc.org to learn more about the organization.

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S-Line Rail Corridor

TownTalk: Mobility Hub Funding

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The Henderson City Council made its selection Monday for where the Mobility Hub would be located, which in turn sets in motion the next steps for the overall plan to bring passenger rail service back to Henderson.

The Council chose the iconic downtown First National Bank building over the Garnett Street Station, even though – ironically – that building once served as a train depot.

City and NCDOT officials presented both sites to the Council during its Feb. 10 meeting, complete with artist renderings and a list of pros and cons for each potential site.

Ultimately, the Council voted for the bank building, which has been vacant for decades.

It is unclear just how much it will cost to renovate the building in preparation for use as a mobility hub, which is one component included in the $21 million train station project.

If the mobility hub needed to be completed right now, the city would need to foot the bill. According to information from City Public Information Officer Salonia Saxton, however, that mobility hub won’t be needed for several more years – which gives local and NCDOT staff a bit of time to identify funding sources to help defray the cost.

Building construction and renovation, parcel acquisition, site development and a pedestrian railroad overpass are just a few of the facets of the project the city expects to fund, Saxton said.

She said the mobility hub is a supporting facility to the rail station and its platforms and is only a part of the $21 million estimate.

Next up for the site is completion of an environmental study by NCDOT.

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TownTalk: Council Amends Mayor’s Office Project And Programming Budget

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The Henderson City Council approved a resolution Monday that amends the Projects and Programming Budget to include $5,000 to be used by Mayor Melissa Elliott to pay for training and other programs she attends in her role as mayor.

The vote was 4-1, with Council member Sam Seifert casting the no vote. Voting in favor were Council members Michael Venable, Geraldine Champion, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Tami Walker. Council members Sara Coffey, Garry Daeke and Lamont Noel were absent.

“We’re not asking for more money,” City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry explained during the meeting, “we’re asking for the purpose to be expanded.”

Champion and Thorpe-Cooper both expressed support and said in the meeting that Elliott shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for the various trainings she attends in her role as mayor.

“I see it as being unfair for her to have to come out of pocket…for training for the city,” Champion said.

Thorpe-Cooper agreed, adding that the trainings are beneficial. “We’re being taught – we’re being trained – so we can better serve. I am all in favor of it.”

Given the fact that the city has instituted a hiring freeze – an indication that revenues are not flowing in as predicted at this point – Seifert said he would prefer that the city consider using “fiscal constraint” at least while the hiring freeze is in effect.

He suggested that the city “keep the scope narrow as it was defined so that we show our part in keeping expenses down…while we’re under a freeze.”

According to the resolution presented to Council on Monday, the $5,000 is “subject to the fiscal controls and standard operating procedures currently in place and administered through the City’s Finance Department.”

The resolution further explains that Elliott has created several ad hoc committees created to help the city’s elected officials better understand the community with its diverse needs and desire for inclusivity, and that there needs to be a “nominal” budget to cover reasonable and justifiable expenses that arise with those committees and other special projects, continuing education, conferences, seminars and other programs.

Any expenditure would require approval by the city manager.

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TownTalk: City Council Removes Daeke As Mayor Pro Tem, Replaces Him With Michael Venable

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The Henderson City Council on Monday voted to remove Council Member Garry Daeke as mayor pro tem and replace him with Council Member Michael Venable.

Daeke was not present at the meeting but told WIZS News Tuesday afternoon that he was not totally surprised by the decision.

“We saw this coming a month or so ago,” Daeke said, referring to the Council’s December meeting when Council member Geraldine Champion inquired about appointing a new mayor pro tem. “I had thought it was going to happen at some point, but I didn’t particularly know it would be last night,” he said.

“Childish shenanigans is what I’d call it,” he said. He said he had no idea why the change was made, in the middle of what normally is a two-year appointment, but said the Council needs to be talking about infrastructure, roads, water system and other matters that will help city residents.

“When you don’t know why it’s being done, you try to figure out what’s the reason behind it,” Daeke mused. “I don’t see any logic behind it – I see emotion or something else.” He described himself as someone who likes to have information before making decisions and not someone who automatically agrees with everything being said. “I like information and like to know both sides of the issue and I like to make my decisions based on informed information,” he said. “And I don’t think that’s appreciated.”

The mayor pro tem’s role is to fill in for the mayor when needed. And Daeke said he had only been called on a couple of times to fill in for Mayor Melissa Elliott, which he did.

“I wasn’t being utilized…for whatever reason,” he said. “You’re only utilized when you’re called to be utilized.”

Monday’s vote was 4-1, with Council Member Sam Seifert casting the no vote on the motion to make Venable the mayor pro tem, which was made by Council Member Geraldine Champion and seconded by Council Member Tami Walker. Champion, Walker, Venable and Council Member Ola Thorpe-Cooper voted in favor of the motion.

In addition to Daeke, also absent were Council Members Sara Coffey and Lamont Noel.

The vote took place after the council returned to the open meeting following a closed session to discuss a lawsuit, but it was not listed on the agenda as an item for discussion. Neither was that portion of the meeting available via livestream as the first part of the meeting; according to City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell, the IT person left the meeting after the council went into closed session.

City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry told WIZS News Tuesday that he was “unaware that the Council would be removing Councilman Daeke yesterday,” and added that he had no other details than what was provided in the meeting.

According to information from the UNC School of Government, councils must choose a mayor pro tem at the organizational meeting, but it also can choose – with or without cause – to “vote to remove the MPT at any time, and appoint a new one.”

There was no discussion following the motion and the second before the vote was called.

WIZS News has reached out to Venable, Champion and Elliott for comment, but have not heard back as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

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TownTalk: Carolina Peanut Factory, Deli Rekindle Local Retail Outlet Following Fire

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Carol Monahan said she and husband John thought they were going to have a peanut store with a little deli on the side, but the way things are going, it’s the other way around – the Deli has been open for about six months and Carol said they’ve been thrilled with the response from the community and beyond.

The Monahans opened The Peanut Roaster on Zeb Robinson Road in 1995 and for years sold gourmet nut products – including those famous super, extra-large peanuts – at the store in Henderson and online.

After a brief stint in “retirement,” the Monahans are back in their Zeb Robinson Road location, creating those tins of delicious nuts again. But this go-round, customers can order specialty sandwiches, soups and breakfast items from the deli.

The building was significantly damaged in a fire several years ago, and Carol said it was their son, Josh, who spurred them back into business.

“We need to be in the peanut business again,” she remembered him saying to his parents soon after the fire.

And, so, after a couple of years of reconstruction and remodeling, the store – almost called “Phoenix” because it rose from the proverbial ashes – is known as The Carolina Peanut Factory.

After the Monahans retired from The Peanut Roaster business, they pivoted to help son Josh with his own business, the Carolina Kettle potato chip brand.

The Carolina Peanut Factory is a “comeback” of sorts for Carol and John. “We started helping our son with the potato chips – he was our boss,” Carol said.

After the fire, they began to think about reimagining the space. They wanted a spot where they could showcase those crunchy, delicious peanuts but they also wanted a spot where folks could sit for a while, bring the whole family and enjoy an array of specialty, handcrafted sandwiches.

“We wanted it to be an experience,” she said. “That’s really what we were looking for.”

Stop by the store and check out special treats especially for Valentine’s Day – that’s this Friday, for you procrastinators – there are big, heart-shaped decorated cookies and chocolate-dipped strawberries (pre-sold only) alongside those tins of gourmet nuts.

Right now, the store is observing winter hours of operation 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit ncpeanutfactory.com to see the deli menu, sandwich selections and more.

What you won’t find on the menu is fries.

“We have the best potato chips around,” Carol said. Josh’s Carolina Kettle chips. Choose from 11 flavors.

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(This is not a paid ad. However, The Carolina Peanut Factory is a sponsor on WIZS Radio.)

TownTalk: Community Information Series To Feature Mayor Elliott

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Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott can be found at the city building on Rose Avenue for monthly Council meetings, but you’re also likely to spot her most anywhere across town in any number of places promoting the city and supporting its residents.

Elliott was at the Senior Center Thursday morning to help senior adults create “vision boards.”

And on Tuesday, Feb. 11, she’ll be the speaker at the Community Information Series at Baskerville Funeral Home.

The title of the program, which runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., is “Understanding City Government.”

“There are a lot of things that people don’t understand about city government,” Elliott said on Thursday’s TownTalk. She wants everyone to understand that no one person makes all the decisions or all the rules.

“We work as a team,” she said of herself, Council members and city staff, “and that’s how we pass law…(and) govern the city.

She said the elected officials need to be available to their constituents. “We want to hear what people have to say,” she added.

The business of government is about people, Elliott emphasized. The whole business of governing IS people, she said, and it’s important for the city to invest in its people.

“We are in the business of helping people and moving a community forward,” she said, even when resources are scarce.

The vision board activity is part of the mayor’s health and wellness initiative, and it’s one way to invest in people.

Today, it’s senior adults, and a month ago, she spent time with a bunch of teens as they created their own vision boards. It’s a way to focus on positive mental health practices, she noted. Participants create a collage of how they want to “see” themselves – healthy and happy and secure.

Spending time with folks as they create these boards is also a way Elliott gets to interact with constituents

“You put on your board what you want to look like and what you want your city to look like,” she said.

She said she welcomes people’s comments because their voice matters – whether it’s a complaint or praise.

Reach out to Elliott at 252.425.5220 or call the city clerk at 252.430.5705 to learn more.

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TownTalk: Vance County Commissioners Vote To Accept Audit Report

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners received and accepted the most recent audit report as part of its Feb. 3 meeting.

It’s a routine matter for the board, but County Attorney Jonathan Care asked a few questions of Alan Thompson, who presented the report to the board and reviewed highlights.

Care wasn’t so much concerned numbers or findings – he simply wanted to know the auditor’s opinion about the level of cooperation his firm had received from current staff.

In the previous audit presentation in June 2024, commissioners heard a number of concerns ranging from a lack of training and cross-training of staff to lack of oversight by the previous finance director.

“Do you have the same concerns that you had about some of our staff this year that you had in previous years?” Care asked Thompson.

“No,” Thompson replied.

Care continued, saying “You made it sound like you had a lot more concerns than any of us sitting around this dais understood or gathered from your previous presentations. So, rather than relying on your reports and presentations, I’m asking you specifically: Do you still have those concerns about any of our staff and the findings that you found during this audit process?

Again, Thompson’s answer was “No.”

He added to his answer and explained that he had contacted Finance Director Stephanie Wiliams and County Manager C. Renee Perry on a regular basis during the most recent audit and got “positive responses.”

Perry began her job as county manager in November 2023; Williams came on board in April 2024.

Board Chair Carolyn Faines commended Perry and her administrative staff for their work on the most recent audit. “They have done a wonderful job and they have worked very hard to put this audit together. I commend you all and thank you all for a job well done.”

Perry accepted Faines’s remarks, adding her own thanks to Williams and the finance staff because “she inherited a mess and I think we all know that.

“For us to have turned it around in the short period that we have, I’m very proud of my staff.”

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TownTalk: Community Partners For Pets Grant Approved By Vance County Commissioners

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved spending $10,000 to satisfy a matching grant to spay and neuter dogs and cats waiting to be adopted at the animal shelter as well as pets of county residents.

The grant comes from Community Partnership For Pets, Inc. through the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society. The county match will come from fund balance.

“My top priority … is to this community and to the citizens in this community,” said Animal Services Manager William Coker, adding that this grant program would provide spay/neuter services to residents regardless of income level.

An existing spay/neuter program provides assistance for residents who qualify because they receive state or other government assistance. “A lot of people could use the help…but I can’t give it to them,” Coker explained, because they don’t qualify. This $20,000 infusion of funds to get pets spayed and neutered will help in the constant battle to control the unwanted pet population.

Coker said the Animal Services staff spends much of its time picking up stray dogs and feral cats. When he spoke to the board on Feb. 3, Coker said the shelter had five litters of pups and were expecting two additional litters to be surrendered before the week was over.

The funds can be used for spay and neuter services only, but in addition to dogs and cats being adopted from the shelter and for people’s pets, it includes feral cats and colonies as well as free spay/neuter for pit bulls or pit bull mixes.

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TownTalk: Commissioners Will Continue Jail Discussion At Special Called Meeting Feb. 10 At 4 P.M.

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners will hold a special called meeting on Monday, Feb. 10 to focus on short-term and long-term steps concerning conditions at the county detention center.

Sheriff Curtis Brame and Maj. William Mitchell spoke to commissioners at their regular monthly meeting Monday night and emphasized the need to reach some decision about addressing the needs at the jail and to develop a plan of action.

After a lengthy discussion of needs – ranging from repairs to extra space to how and where to house current detainees while repairs are taking place, Board Chair Carolyn Faines said she’d like to schedule a special called meeting to focus on next steps for the jail. That special called meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room, according to information received Tuesday morning from County Manager C. Renee Perry.

Following its most recent inspection in December, state inspectors have extended until Feb. 21 the deadline for Brame and staff to address 88 deficiencies outlined in the inspection report.

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“We have a serious problem at our detention center,” Brame told commissioners.

Mitchell said he’s been working on the jail situation for just the past two weeks, and implored commissioners to “pic a direction that we’re going to go in – sooner rather than later.”

Brame and Mitchell said they’ve been in contact with District Attorney Mike Waters, and are developing a plan that targets the “depopulation” of about 20 detainees over the next few weeks.

The idea is to identify low-level offenders currently in jail and either get their bonds reduced or get a plea entered and get them out of jail.

Monday’s census was 161 detainees – 20 or 22 over capacity.

Whether the county decides to make costly repairs to the 50+ year old jail or to build a new one, Mitchell said there’s no two ways about it: “We’re going to have to empty the facility.”

That will mean making arrangements with nearby jails who are willing to house the detainees – for a price. Mitchell said he believes it’ll cost roughly about $70 per detainee per day, but Vance County would still be responsible for all associated costs – from bed frames to canteen items.

“The more we can get out through adjudication,” he said, “it’ll be cheaper on the citizens of Vance County.”

With figures of $5 million for repairs to $40 million-plus for a new jail, commissioners have a lot to think about.

Repairs do not include any expansion of the current facility, and building a new jail could take several years, in County Manager C. Renee Perry’s estimation.

Commissioner Dan Brummitt said the county can’t afford to house inmates elsewhere for five years while a new jail is being built. “We’ve got to make repairs now,” he said.

Perry suggested that the county re-engage with Moseley Architects, a Raleigh firm that has worked with the county in 2022 to provide estimates.

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TownTalk: Vance County Commissioners Meeting – County Water

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County residents who are trying to decide whether to tap into the countywide water system have an incentive: Vance County commissioners have set the signup fee at $125 and have extended the reduced rate to be effective for the duration of construction of Phase 1B.

As Commissioner Tommy Hester explained it, “We’re trying to get as many customers as we possibly can, and the easier we can make it for those customers, the more chance you have for people to come sign up, and so I would like to see us for us to go with …125 no matter what side of the road it’s on for the length of the time of construction.”

Commissioner Dan Brummitt made a motion to do just that, and included all taps throughout the county, not just in the area covered in Phase 1B that includes the Kittrell area.

Special Projects Coordinator Frankie Nobles provided an update to commissioners during the Water Board portion of the Feb. 3 meeting.

He said there was an uptick in signups – 13 additional signups on Feb. 3 alone.

The county will need to schedule a couple of community meetings, Nobles said. Commissioners requested that County Manager C. Renee Perry handle scheduling those meetings in locations in the general Kittrell area.

There are signup forms at the county website www.vancecounty.org.

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