Tag Archive for: #franklincounty

Army Corps Of Engineers Begins Process To Consider Franklin County’s Request For More Water

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District is initiating the National Environmental Policy Act process to evaluate a proposed water supply storage reallocation from the John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir to address future needs expected in Franklin County.

Franklin County is the local sponsor of the NEPA process; county leaders anticipate a shortage of available water supply in the next 50 years. To address this, the county has requested a water supply storage reallocation from the reservoir, which spans Mecklenburg, Charlotte, and Halifax counties in Virginia, and Granville, Vance, and Warren Counties in North Carolina. Part of this process will be what is called a Public Scoping Meeting.

This meeting will take place on Mar. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Warren County Armory Civic Center in Warrenton.

USACE invites the public, agencies, and interest groups to attend the scoping meeting to provide input on significant resources and issues of concern regarding the proposed reallocation.

Franklin County is a water customer of the Kerr Lake Regional Water System; the reallocation process would involve getting more storage from the Corps instead of paying the regional water system for additional water.

This process of environmental assessment will evaluate impacts on socioeconomic, cultural, recreational and aesthetic resources.

Kerr Lake was originally authorized for flood control and hydroelectric power in 1944, with water supply added in 1958. Existing water storage agreements exist with entities like the Kerr Lake Regional Water System and the City of Virginia Beach.

The Armory is located at 501 U.S. Hwy. 158 Business East, Warrenton, NC 27589

Virtual Option: The meeting will be streamed via Facebook Live at: https://www.facebook.com/share/182ot2hWjg

Annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards Nominations Being Accepted Now

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UPDATED: THE VANCE COUNTY DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS IS FEB. 16, 2024

Do you know someone who makes a difference in the community through volunteerism? Nominations for the annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards are being accepted now. Each year, the awards are presented to individuals who make significant contributions to the communities they live in through volunteer service.

An individual or group from the public, nonprofit and private sector may be nominated for this recognition award by a community member. For more information or to make a nomination online or download a nomination form, visit https://www.nc.gov/working/volunteer-opportunities/volunteernc/governors-volunteer-service-awards.  Use this site to locate your county’s contact person to whom you submit nominations. The nominations may be downloaded or completed online.

Some counties have designated specific individuals to receive the nominations from their county. According to information on the state government website, different counties may establish their own deadlines for submission. Vance County residents who wish to send in a nomination should do so by Feb. 16 via email to volunteernc@nc.gov.

Granville County nominations are due by Friday, Jan. 12 and should be submitted to kim@tnvlc.onmicrosoft.com.

In Franklin County, nominations should be submitted by Jan. 31 to Charles Mitchell charles_mitchell@ncsu.edu.

Warren County residents should send nominations by Feb. 1 to Crystal Smith at crystalsmith@warrencountync.gov.

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Renovated Franklin Plaza New Home to Several County Agencies

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Several Franklin County offices have moved to newly renovated space in Franklin Plaza on Bickett Boulevard.

The phone numbers remain the same, but the Board of Elections, Veterans Services and the Franklin Senior Center all now have office suites at 279 Bickett Boulevard, according to information from county officials.

The space also offers a multi-use, convertible space that can be used for training sessions and large group gatherings, according to information from County Manager Kim Denton.

“Franklin County has recognized the need for expanded facilities to serve our growing population and support for this project is very much appreciated,” Denton stated.

Stay tuned for a grand opening in November during which time the public is invited to tour the facility and learn more about available services.

  • Veterans Services, Suite 200, 919.496.1939, mailing address: P.O. Box 128, Louisburg, NC 27549
  • Board of Elections, Suite 300, 919.496.3898, mailing address: P.O. Box 180, Louisburg, NC 27549
  • Senior Center, Suite 400, 919.496.1131, mailing address: 279 S. Bickett Blvd., Louisburg, NC 27549

Visit www.franklincountync.us for more information.

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Franklin’s $11.4 Million Wastewater Treatment Plant Project Gets Underway With Sept. 24 Groundbreaking Ceremony

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The official ground-breaking for a $11.4 million rehabilitation project to Franklin County’s wastewater treatment plant will be held Friday at 10 a.m., according to information from the county’s public utilities department.

The treatment plant, located at 1099 Lane Store Rd. in Franklinton, was built in 1987 and has had two capacity upgrades – one in 1997 and a second in 2004. This rehabilitation project has a price tag of $11,479,000 and should be completed by February 2023.

The project is made possible through a loan from the N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure, which offered a 20-year, zero-interest loan with $217,083 in principal forgiveness.

The wastewater treatment facility serves more than 4,500 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Call the public utilities department at 919.556.6177 to learn more or visit www.franklincountync.us.

Franklin County Begins Process To Redraw Districts For Commissioners, School Board

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Franklin County is beginning the process of redrawing existing districts for the board of county commissioners and the board of education, based on the recently released 2020 Census results.

As this process gets underway, the county’s management team is creating a resource for information for residents to stay informed and involved, according to a press release from Franklin County Manager Kim Denton.

All redistricting information can be found at https://www.franklincountync.us/commissioners/franklin-county-redistricting-alternatives.

This resource contains various information including instructions on how to submit suggested district maps for consideration.

Denton suggests that interested persons monitor the county government’s webpage at https://www.franklincountync.us/commissioners/franklin-county-redistricting-alternatives for updates and next steps, including dates for any scheduled upcoming public hearings.

To learn more, contact Denton at 919.496.5994.

SportsTalk: Louisburg High Football To Play Two Games In Four Days

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Last year one of the best high school teams in our area was Louisburg High School. Finishing the season at 6-3, Louisburg managed to make to the third round of the state playoffs before being eliminated by Tarboro. This year the Warriors are off to solid start winning the first game of the season by an impressive 54 -0 score over Rocky Mount Prep. Tonight the Warriors are on the road as they take on Warren County.  Despite losing to Vance County in the opening game, Louisburg head coach Dontae Lassiter says he has great respect for a strong Eagles team. “Tonight will be a good gauge to see where our team is,” Lassiter said.

Perhaps Monday may prove an even better test. There is no rest for the weary when it comes to football for Louisburg. They will have to hit the practice field again tomorrow because they will be back on field Monday night to take on 0-1 Kip Pride. “They are huge; Monstrous up front,” Lassiter said after observing film. To top it off, Kip Pride will have had a week to rest up before traveling to Louisburg to face the Warriors who will have had only two days rest. “We’ll figure it out. Our team is just as talented if not more so than last year,” Lassiter said of the Warriors. “We are doing the best wc can with what we can,” Lassiter continued.

Covid has caused these scheduling issues and the team had players who were quarantined although did not test positive. In regards to the impact of Covid this season, Lassiter said this year is by the seat of the pants. “Everybody has to be ready to go every day. Not every week, but every day,” Lassiter said of the team’s preparation this season.

 

TownTalk 04-08-21 History Of Franklin Co. with Eric Medlin

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Although a native of Creedmoor and Granville County, when Eric Medlin was inspired by a professor at NC State to write a book on a local North Carolina county it wasn’t Granville that he chose to write about but Franklin County. His book, A History of Franklin County North Carolina, has recently been published by Acadia Publishing.

Medlin’s interest in history didn’t begin at the local level. He studied European history at both UNC and NC State. His interest in that particular area of history, however, would change. “Coming out of grad school I decided European History was not where I wanted to go,” Medlin said. He began to take weekend trips throughout North Carolina to visit county courthouses and became interested in the history of North Carolina’s counties. Medlin noted several reasons to write about Franklin County. One reason was because it had been forty years since a book on the county had been written, the beautiful churches in Louisburg and Laurel Mill. According to Medlin, “Franklin County captured my imagination.”

Medlin said the process of writing the first word to the moment it was submitted to the publisher took about a year. With access to the Franklin Times, diaries of families, and access to previous books Medlin was able to pull the book together fairly quickly. Weekends were used to take photographs and he spent numerous days at the state archives office gathering material for this book. “I have no writer’s block,” Medlin said about the writing process.

Medlin said the most difficult decision in writing the book was what to include and what not to include. Earlier books by E. H. Davis and T. H. Pearce focused on different areas of the country history and Medlin wanted to update those earlier works to include more about the post-World War II era including Civil Rights and county’s evolution through the 20th century. He also felt it important to talk about Louisburg writer and poet Edwin Wiley Fuller and Franklin County being the site of the last battle of the Tuscarora war.

When not writing Eric is a Professor of History at Wake Tech. Medlin’s next book project will focus on the history of the North Carolina Furniture industry.

“A History of Franklin County, North Carolina” can be purchased from any local bookseller and online.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

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New Franklin County Fire Marshal, Starts April 19

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New Franklin County Fire Marshal Press Release Courtesy of Franklin County

Franklin County, March 26, 2021: Franklin County has named Arthur Lee Evans, III (Trey) as County Fire Marshal effective April 19, 2021. Mr. Evans started his public safety career as a volunteer firefighter at Littleton Volunteer Fire Department. In 2012, he became a firefighter with the Town of Weldon in Halifax County. He spent six years with Weldon Fire Department and promoted up the ranks to Assistant Chief.

Mr. Evans obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from North Carolina Wesleyan College and an Associate’s Degree in Fire Protection Technology from Coastal Carolina Community College. He has achieved numerous firefighter certifications, technical rescue, and fire certifications including Fire Officer III, Fire Inspector II and North Carolina Fire Arson Investigator. Mr. Evans and his wife Kaitlyn are long-time Franklin County residents.

“We are excited to have the position of the County Fire Marshal filled. Mr. Evans brings a lot of attributes and qualities that align well with the overall mission and services provided by the Office of Emergency Services,” said Emergency Services Director Hendrix Valenzuela.

The Fire Marshal’s Office is a division of Franklin County’s Office of Emergency Services. The Fire Marshal position was funded as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget. County Manager Kim Denton said, “The position fills an important need as the County’s population continues to grow.” The Franklin County Fire Marshal will be responsible for conducting investigations, coordinating with other agencies and performing periodic inspections in occupied facilities as required by applicable State law.

Franklin County’s New Assistant County Manager Will Doerfer

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— press release

Franklin County, January 20, 2021: Franklin County has selected William “Will” Doerfer as Assistant County Manager. Mr. Doerfer comes to Franklin from the Town of Liberty in Randolph County, North Carolina where he served as Manager since November 2017. While in Liberty, Mr. Doerfer led the effort to secure more than five million dollars in infrastructure grants to improve the Town’s wastewater collection system. He also organized and spearheaded economic development efforts to revitalize historic downtown Liberty through the formation of a nonprofit corporation, Experience Liberty.

Among his duties as Assistant County Manager, Mr. Doerfer will provide direct supervision to departments as assigned, serve as lead on assigned projects, conduct budget research and development, assist in the development and implementation of policies, long-term planning and serve as Manager in the absence of the County Manager. He will assume his role effective February 15, 2021.

Mr. Doerfer is an Army 82nd Airborne veteran and alumni of both Guilford College and Appalachian State University where he earned his BA in Psychology and Masters of Public Administration, respectively. He is active in professional organizations including the International City / County Management Association (ICMA) and the North Carolina City & County Management Association (NCCCMA).

Mr. Doerfer was raised on a small family farm in rural Northeast Ohio where he learned the value of hard work and determination. A lifelong organized sports participant, he understands the importance of teamwork in the pursuit of a common goal. Mr. Doerfer brings with him his young family with wife Chelsea and sons Wesley (12), Liam (3), and Miles (4 months) and two dogs Ellie and Rigby.

“Mr. Doerfer’s experience and education will be an asset to Franklin County. I am delighted to have him join our leadership team,” County Manager Kim Denton said.

For additional information, please contact Kim Denton, Franklin County Manager, at (919) 496-5994.

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Franklin County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

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— press release

Franklin County Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Charrette (Virtual)
SCHEDULE

Franklin County, NC — Franklin County is developing a bicycle and pedestrian master plan. Through review of previous or ongoing planning & development efforts, remote and field analysis, and public involvement and stakeholder input, the team will identify a countywide recommended bicycle and pedestrian network. This project will consider infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, and greenways in addition to complementary policies.

The community is invited to participate in this interactive, virtual workshop that will help shape the overall master plan.

Where: Zoom Virtual Meetings (see links below)

When: Two virtual workshops will take place at the end of January – January 25 from 4pm-5pm for a project introduction/open house, and with a work-in-progress presentation on January 28 from 4pm-5pm.

Monday, January 25, 2021

4:00pm – 5:00pm Virtual Public Workshop

Thursday, January 28, 2021

4:00pm – 5:00pm Virtual Public Workshop

Share your thoughts with planning staff: How can we improve walking and biking connectivity between and within Franklin County communities and County destinations?

The virtual workshops will include an overview presentation about the project and existing conditions, interactive exercises to collect ideas for plan recommendations, and opportunities to talk with planning staff and project team members about your ideas for improving walking and biking in Franklin County.