Update 10:25 p.m. on 1/6/25:
The Vance County Board of Commissioners elected Yolanda Feimster as its new vice chair at its meeting Monday evening.
The board also held the first of two public hearings to hear from residents about priorities for the 2025-26 budget during its first regular meeting of the year, and the first meeting with Carolyn Faines as chair. Faines was elected to lead the board during a special called meeting last week, following Sean Alston’s announcement that he was stepping down to take a job as a Warren County magistrate.
Several residents spoke during the public hearing, which lasted about 15 minutes, but their messages shared a common theme: reconsider the current tax rate and have a revenue neutral budget in place for FY 2025-26.
Laura Perkinson told commissioners she owns properties in both the city and the county, and she advocates a revenue neutral budget. During her four minutes of allotted time, Perkinson also said property owners should not be charged late fees when paying 2024 tax bills “so we all can catch up.”
The deadline to pay without incurring a 2 percent penalty was today, Jan. 6.
Caroline Burnette has spoken to commissioners during previous public comment periods and she reiterated her concerns about the current tax rate. Burnette asked the commissioners to reconsider the tax rate and said the board should be held accountable for raising the rate during the most recent budget process.
Lee Chandler said he wants to see budget cuts and next year’s budget be “below revenue neutral.”
When Commissioner Dan Brummitt stood up and moved away from his seat briefly, Angela Ryan paused her remarks to the board, stating that she would wait for Brummitt’s return.
“We need to be heard and I want to make sure that I am,” Ryan said.
In remarks following comments from the residents, Commissioner Leo Kelly said “We hear you.” Kelly said he’s lived in Vance County his entire life, and when he voted on the budget, it meant his taxes went up, too.
“I paid my taxes, (but) I paid them grudgingly,” he said.
Before the public hearing was closed, Brummitt thanked those who had approached the podium to address the board. He commented that in his close to two decades as a commissioner, Monday’s hearing was “only the second public hearing where people have spoken.”
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Update 2:15 p.m. on 1/6/25:
The Vance County Board of Commissioners is expected to elect a new vice chair at the first regular meeting of 2025 scheduled for this evening, following last week’s resignation of Commissioner Sean Alston, who stepped away from the board to accept a magistrate’s position in Warren County.
The board unanimously elected Carolyn Faines as chair of the board during a special called meeting on Monday, Dec. 30, but tabled a vote to elect vice chair.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. According to the agenda, selection of a new vice chair will be the first order of business, followed by several appointment and then a public hearing to collect comments from county residents as county leaders continue planning for the 2025-26 budget.
The public hearing on the budget is listed as Item 6 on the agenda. This public hearing is the first of two that are scheduled; the second is scheduled for June 2 – after the recommended budget has been submitted to commissioners for review.
Other items for discussion from County Manager C. Renee Perry’s report to the board include the fire marshal budget, amendments to the personnel policy, jail inspection reports from 2023 and 2024, sheriff legal fees, board work sessions and the EMS substation.
View the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/@VanceCountyNC/streams.
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Update 1/5/25:
Straight from the Vance County Commissioners meeting 1-6-25 agenda, the meeting will include within the first few items a fiscal year 2025-2026 pre-budget public hearing.
The public notice says, “The Vance County Board of Commissioners will conduct a FY 2025-26 Pre-Budget Public Hearing at 6:00 p.m., or shortly thereafter, on January 6, 2025 in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room at 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.”
Before the Board of Commissioners begins work on next year’s budget, the board “is interested in receiving suggestions and priorities from residents to help them in the development of the budget.”
This is one of two required public hearings that will be held on the budget.
“The county manager will submit a recommended budget in May and a second public hearing will be held on the proposed budget on June 2, 2025,” the notice within the agenda states.
The budget is supposed to be adopted before July 1, 2024.
The agenda says, “This notice was published on December 24, 2024,” which in North Carolina means it was published in the newspaper.
TownTalk Broadcast 1-6-25 Prior to Meeting!
Hassan Kingsberry To Fill Dual Roles; City Manager and Part-Time City Attorney
/by John C. RoseMonday at noon the Henderson City Council met for a special called meeting and entered into closed session for a personnel matter.
When the council returned to council chambers at City Hall, Mayor Melissa Elliott seemed to indicate the council would hear two motions.
Hassan Kingsberry, who became interim city attorney after Rix Edwards resigned and who was apparently named the city manager a couple of weeks ago, will now serve as both the city manager and part-time city attorney.
City Manager Terrell Blackmon, also who has resigned with an effective date of January 10, said after the meeting that the meeting was held “to approve the contract and make public the salary.”
Sara Coffey made a motion, seconded by Ola Thorpe-Cooper, to start the new manager at the salary of $161,906.40, the amount apparently being considered as a level two salary for the position out of a one-to-four range.
A City of Henderson press release issued after the meeting said of the now dual role Kingsberry’s salary, “(He) will begin his role as City Manager with an annual salary of $161,906.40, which represents a savings of $18,000 compared to the salary of the outgoing City Manager, Blackmon. Additionally, he will earn $40,000 annually as the part-time City Attorney.”
The second motion, made by Michael Venable and seconded by Geraldine Champion, was to move Kingsberry from interim attorney status to part-time City attorney.
Tami Walker, Thorpe-Cooper, Venable, Coffey and Champion each voted in favor of each motion. Councilmen Garry Daeke, Lamont Noel and Sam Seifert were not present.
As to possible conflicts of interest in the dual position, Blackmon said, “I use outside counsel all the time.” He said there would “probably be some matters (Kingsberry) can’t advise on.”
The City’s press release said, “Prior to (Kingsberry’s) appointment as City Attorney, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Legal Services, but no firm or individual responded.”
Kingsberry is scheduled to be sworn in as the new City Manager at City Hall in the Council Chambers on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 6 PM.
Kingsberry is the first African American to be City Attorney for Henderson, NC.
(Script above added and updated 5:30 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2025)
(Audio below added to post Tuesday, January 7, 2025)
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VCS Kicks Off 2025-26 Registration With In-Person, Virtual Info Sessions
/by WIZS StaffVance County Schools is hosting several information sessions over the next few weeks to help parents learn more about the district’s Innovative Schools offerings as they decide which school environment best suits their child.
The Innovative School application process officially opens Tuesday, Jan. 7 and runs through Friday, Feb. 7, according to information from VCS Chief Officer of Communication & Innovative Support Aarika Sandlin. Registration for kindergarten and PK also opens tomorrow.
The five options listed below offer unique learning environments designed to spark curiosity, build critical skills, and prepare students for a successful future, according to information from VCS. Each school program is uniquely designed to meet the diverse learning needs of its students.
Here’s a list of dates when prospective families can drop in between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to learn more:
➔ Tuesday, Jan. 14: Vance County Early College, on the campus of Vance-Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road, Bldg. 9
➔ Tuesday, Jan. 14: EM Rollins STEAM Academy, 1600 S. Garnett St.
➔ Wednesday, Jan. 15: Advance Academy, 219 Charles St., Entrance 2
➔ Wednesday, Jan. 15: STEM Early High, 219 Charles St., Entrance 3
➔ Wednesday, Jan.15: Vance Virtual Village, 219 Charles St., Entrance 1
There also will be a virtual session scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, during which principals of the five innovative schools will be available to answer questions and to share additional information about their programs. Find the link on the VCS website in the top right corner www.vcs.k12.nc.us.
The application is available on the VCS website, too. Visit www.vcs.k12.nc.us and click on Innovative Schools at the top of the page.
Children must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025 to be eligible for kindergarten enrollment.
The district’s PK program provides children with foundational learning experiences that set the stage for long-term academic success. Children must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025 to be eligible for Pre-K enrollment.
Find the PK and K applications by visiting www.vcs.k12.nc.us and clicking Enroll in the upper right corner. The district will hold open registrations at individual elementary schools on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
Virtual info sessions for PK and K will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 22 and Thursday, Jan. 23. Times will be announced at a later date, but the Wednesday session will be held during the day and the Thursday session will be held in the evening.
SportsTalk: NFL Weekend Recap
/by Scout HughesSportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue recap the weekend that was in the NFL, as pro football moves into the postseason. The guys also give their picks for college football action coming up this week. That and much more on SportsTalk!
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No Signs of Foul Play; Man Died in Car in Walmart Parking Lot
/by WIZS Staff— information courtesy of the Henderson Police Department and Chief of Police Marcus Barrow
On January 3, 2025, at approximately 9 p.m., officers from the Henderson Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive individual in the parking lot of Walmart, located at 200 N. Cooper Dr.
The person, identified by police as Brian Allen Campbell, age 39, was found unresponsive in his vehicle.
Campbell was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.
Emergency personnel have not identified any signs of foul play at this time. Campbell’s body was transported to a local facility for evaluation by a medical examiner.
The Henderson Police Department will maintain an open investigation pending the findings of the medical examiner or any additional information that may become available.
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TownTalk: Vance Commissioners Elect Vice Chair, Hold Public Hearing On 2025-26 Budget At Monday Meeting
/by WIZS StaffUpdate 10:25 p.m. on 1/6/25:
The Vance County Board of Commissioners elected Yolanda Feimster as its new vice chair at its meeting Monday evening.
The board also held the first of two public hearings to hear from residents about priorities for the 2025-26 budget during its first regular meeting of the year, and the first meeting with Carolyn Faines as chair. Faines was elected to lead the board during a special called meeting last week, following Sean Alston’s announcement that he was stepping down to take a job as a Warren County magistrate.
Several residents spoke during the public hearing, which lasted about 15 minutes, but their messages shared a common theme: reconsider the current tax rate and have a revenue neutral budget in place for FY 2025-26.
Laura Perkinson told commissioners she owns properties in both the city and the county, and she advocates a revenue neutral budget. During her four minutes of allotted time, Perkinson also said property owners should not be charged late fees when paying 2024 tax bills “so we all can catch up.”
The deadline to pay without incurring a 2 percent penalty was today, Jan. 6.
Caroline Burnette has spoken to commissioners during previous public comment periods and she reiterated her concerns about the current tax rate. Burnette asked the commissioners to reconsider the tax rate and said the board should be held accountable for raising the rate during the most recent budget process.
Lee Chandler said he wants to see budget cuts and next year’s budget be “below revenue neutral.”
When Commissioner Dan Brummitt stood up and moved away from his seat briefly, Angela Ryan paused her remarks to the board, stating that she would wait for Brummitt’s return.
“We need to be heard and I want to make sure that I am,” Ryan said.
In remarks following comments from the residents, Commissioner Leo Kelly said “We hear you.” Kelly said he’s lived in Vance County his entire life, and when he voted on the budget, it meant his taxes went up, too.
“I paid my taxes, (but) I paid them grudgingly,” he said.
Before the public hearing was closed, Brummitt thanked those who had approached the podium to address the board. He commented that in his close to two decades as a commissioner, Monday’s hearing was “only the second public hearing where people have spoken.”
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Update 2:15 p.m. on 1/6/25:
The Vance County Board of Commissioners is expected to elect a new vice chair at the first regular meeting of 2025 scheduled for this evening, following last week’s resignation of Commissioner Sean Alston, who stepped away from the board to accept a magistrate’s position in Warren County.
The board unanimously elected Carolyn Faines as chair of the board during a special called meeting on Monday, Dec. 30, but tabled a vote to elect vice chair.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. According to the agenda, selection of a new vice chair will be the first order of business, followed by several appointment and then a public hearing to collect comments from county residents as county leaders continue planning for the 2025-26 budget.
The public hearing on the budget is listed as Item 6 on the agenda. This public hearing is the first of two that are scheduled; the second is scheduled for June 2 – after the recommended budget has been submitted to commissioners for review.
Other items for discussion from County Manager C. Renee Perry’s report to the board include the fire marshal budget, amendments to the personnel policy, jail inspection reports from 2023 and 2024, sheriff legal fees, board work sessions and the EMS substation.
View the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/@VanceCountyNC/streams.
******************************
Update 1/5/25:
Straight from the Vance County Commissioners meeting 1-6-25 agenda, the meeting will include within the first few items a fiscal year 2025-2026 pre-budget public hearing.
The public notice says, “The Vance County Board of Commissioners will conduct a FY 2025-26 Pre-Budget Public Hearing at 6:00 p.m., or shortly thereafter, on January 6, 2025 in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room at 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.”
Before the Board of Commissioners begins work on next year’s budget, the board “is interested in receiving suggestions and priorities from residents to help them in the development of the budget.”
This is one of two required public hearings that will be held on the budget.
“The county manager will submit a recommended budget in May and a second public hearing will be held on the proposed budget on June 2, 2025,” the notice within the agenda states.
The budget is supposed to be adopted before July 1, 2024.
The agenda says, “This notice was published on December 24, 2024,” which in North Carolina means it was published in the newspaper.
TownTalk Broadcast 1-6-25 Prior to Meeting!
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 01-06-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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Cooperative Extension With Wayne Rowland: Woodscaping
/by WIZS StaffCooperative Extension
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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VGCC Campuses Opening at 11 a.m., Mon., Jan. 6
/by WIZS StaffDue to inclement weather, Vance-Granville Community College campuses will be opening at 11 a.m., Monday, Jan. 6.
Vance County Courts on 2-Hour Delay 1-6-25
/by WIZS StaffFrom Vance County Clerk of Court Hon. Henry Gupton:
Clerk’s Office opening at 10:30 a.m., Monday, January 6, 2025. District court starts at 11 a.m. Superior Court and Grand Jury report at 10:30 a.m. Small Claims start at 11 a.m.
Victory Christian School is closed Monday, January 6, 2025
/by WIZS StaffVictory Christian School is closed Monday, January 6, 2025.