UPDATE THURS, MAY 1 AT 4:15 P.M. –

House Bill 74, now through the third reading in the N.C. Senate, is one step closer to being passed into law. Wording in the bill calls for $10 million appropriated for the Kerr Lake Regional Water System in expansion project to be reappropriated to fund other projects in the state.

District 32 N.C. Rep. Bryan Cohn told WIZS News that he was made aware on Mar. 4 “that language had been added” to House Bill 74 about the proposed reappropriation, in essence pulling funds that had been appropriated in October 2023 to the city of Oxford to help with the water plant expansion project.

Cohn said he contacted stakeholders of the regional water system to form a plan, and turned his attention to the bill’s sponsors. “They were unwilling to accept any amendments or remove the language,” Cohn said Thursday morning.

“There was no way for us to stop it,” he said, calling the maneuver a ‘predetermined outcome.’

“I’ve got the governor involved, I’ve got (U.S. Congressman) Don Davis involved,” Cohn said.

Cohn, a former Oxford town commissioner, was elected in November 2024 to represent N.C. House District 32, which includes most of Vance County and all of Granville County.

 

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TOWNTALK AUDIO UPDATE THURS, MAY 1 AT 11:00 A.M.

CLICK PLAY! — Updated by John Rose

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UPDATE WED, APR 30 AT 5:45 P.M. –

N.C. House Bill 74 covered below and involving the $10 million appropriation for the Kerr Lake Regional Water System plant expansion project, passed its second reading in the Senate this afternoon, but there will be no third reading today. House District 32 Representative Bryan Cohn told WIZS News, “It will need a third reading in the Senate before it can come back to the House.” If adopted by a final House vote, then it would go to the Governor.  The Governor may sign it, veto it or let it sit for 10 days. If it sits on the Governor’s desk for 10 days, it becomes law. — Updated by John Rose

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UPDATE TUES, APR 29 AT 5:54 P.M. –

N.C. State Rep. Bryan Cohn has called a decision by the North Carolina Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee to advance House Bill 74 House Budget Technical Corrections an “egregious misuse of power.”

Cohn, who represents District 32 and serves most of Vance and Granville counties, stated in a press release issued late Tuesday afternoon that House Bill 74 “unjustly removes $10 million in previously awarded state funding for the expansion and modernization of the Kerr Lake Regional Water Plant. Despite compelling evidence of severe harm presented during committee testimony, Republican leadership chose to advance the bill, effectively redistributing resources from predominantly African-American communities to wealthier, predominantly white areas of the state.”

The Kerr Lake Regional Water System serves the City of Oxford, the City of Henderson, all of Warren County, as well as numerous surrounding communities. Cohn said the project expansion is underway, with contracts signed, construction begun and local governments committing matching funds based on the state’s commitment it made in 2023.

“Without these funds, the project will face delays and halts in construction, and ratepayers will be levied with an unfair burden to cover costs the state had already committed to fulfilling,” Cohn’s statement continued.

Henderson City Manager/Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry told WIZS News Tuesday afternoon that Mayor Melissa Elliott was in Raleigh today and has been in touch with Cohn, but didn’t elaborate. “The KLRWS has a lawyer and lobbyist that we probably should consult with before much of this can be answered,” Kingsberry said. “Also, the City of Oxford shares our same position.”

Of the $10 million allocated to the city of Oxford, $3 million will now be diverted to the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority and another $3 million will be allocated to Franklin County for an infrastructure project. The remaining $4 million goes to two other counties outside the WIZS coverage area.

“This action by the Senate is not a technical correction—it’s outright theft and political retribution,” said Rep. Cohn. “Stripping critical funds already promised and invested sends a clear, disturbing message: partisan politics comes before the well-being and basic needs of thousands of North Carolinians.”

“Make no mistake—this decision endangers the health, economic stability, and future development of communities that Republicans in Raleigh have repeatedly ignored,” Cohn added. “We cannot allow this egregious misuse of power to go unchallenged.”

Cohn called on legislators across party lines to reverse this damaging decision and protect critical infrastructure investments that support all North Carolinians, regardless of race, income, or political affiliation.

“We demand better,” concluded Rep. Cohn. “The residents of Oxford, Henderson, and Warren County deserve reliable partners in Raleigh, not political adversaries who treat their futures as expendable.”

(Original news post at 5:54 p.m. on Tues, Apr 29 by Laura Gabel)