Tag Archive for: #hendersoncitycouncil

TownTalk: Henderson City Council Special Called Meeting Friday, Aug. 22 At 3 PM

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—————————-UPDATE: Friday, Aug. 22 at 5:03 p.m.

The Henderson City Council voted 6-2 to allow City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry to continue in his role through Dec. 31.

Kingsberry requested that the Council rescind his resignation so he can attend a program at the UNC School of Government. Kingsberry tendered his resignation at the regular monthly meeting of the City Council on Monday, Aug. 11 and shortly thereafter learned that he had been accepted into the program offered by the UNC School of Government in Chapel Hill.

Council Member Sara Coffey made a motion, seconded by Council Member Lamont Noel. Council members Geraldine Champion and Michael Venable voted against the motion.

The cost of the program is $4,500 and will be paid by the city.

“Keep me on so I can attend this training,” Kingsberry said in comments to the council.

Venable said he objected to spending money for Kingsberry to attend the program, knowing that he would be leaving the position.

In making the motion, Coffey said, “We need a manager and we need an attorney.”

Council Member Garry Daeke apologized to his fellow Council members for leaving a closed session Monday – during the first called meeting of the week – and not returning to the open session.

“I should have,” Daeke said in brief remarks at the beginning of the meeting. “I sincerely regret that I didn’t finish my duties,” he said.

 

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— from Henderson City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell

 

The Henderson City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Friday, Aug. 22, to hold a closed session pursuant to pursuant to NCGS § 143-318.11 (a)(6) regarding a Personnel Matter and G.S. § 143-318.11 (a)(3) Attorney-Client Privilege.  Also discussed will be THE consideration of Mayor Pro Tem position, an update on all law firms conducting investigations for the City of Henderson, and the City Manager’s participation in  the UNC School of Government Municipal and County Administration Program.

The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. at City Hall in City Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave.  The public is welcome.

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The Local Skinny! Council Members Host Community Forum

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Three of the four incumbent City Council members running for re-election were present at a community forum Wednesday evening at Holy Temple Church in Henderson.

Ola Thorpe-Cooper, Garry Daeke and Lamont Noel were in attendance; the other incumbent, Sara Coffey, was not feeling well, and was not present.

The three incumbents spoke about the importance of the upcoming municipal election, and then entertained questions from the audience.

Thorpe-Cooper started things off, saying, “We care about you and your concerns in the city of Henderson – not the ward you live in, but the city of Henderson.”

“We are running for re-election – not because it’s easy, but because we care. Experienced leadership still matters. Let’s not trade progress for…promises.”

She said the Council works together to get things done.

“I don’t believe it’s about me, it’s about us,” Thorpe-Cooper said. “We sit together, we talk together, we pray together. We are here with a record of standing up…when it hasn’t been easy to stand up. Showing up when it matters and getting real results.”

Noel said he decided to run for a seat on the City Council so he could be a voice for residents who may not know how or to whom to address complaints or concerns.

He ended up writing a city ordinance – before he was on the Council – to address one such issue that he had involving driving golf cars on city streets. The police chief at the time took it to council and said he’d never had a citizen come to him with a problem AND a solution.

Shortly after that, Noel said people approached him to run for City Council.

“I realized that I had an opportunity to be a voice for those people that couldn’t speak for themselves.”

“We have to love Henderson,” he said. “What we go through, we wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t have a love for Henderson. We want the best for Henderson and that’s why we’re here.”

Daeke grew up in Henderson, went to college, got a degree and came back because he wanted to serve his community.

“I came back to this town because I loved it,” he said.

He spent time on the city’s zoning board, planning board and downtown development commission and then felt he had the experience and knowledge to run for City Council.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it – it’s work – very hard work. but great work.”

“We’ve hit a wall lately and we need to get beyond that,” he said.

Affordable housing is the city’s biggest project, and he said being a member of the Council is like being a part of a team  – working on a team  and seeing what you can accomplish when you work together.

When you go to the polls, he said, “think about my service when you’re voting.”

The non-partisan municipal elections are Tuesday, Oct. 7.

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Final Candidate List For Henderson’s Oct. 7 Municipal Election

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The filing period for the Oct. 7 municipal elections ended at 12 noon today, Friday, July 18. Each of the four ward seats for Henderson City Council has multiple candidates seeking the position, according to information from Vance County Board of Elections Deputy Director Shelly Wood.

Here is the complete listing of candidates, in alphabetical order:

Henderson City Council Ward 1 at large:

Geraldine Champion

Sara M. Coffey (incumbent)

Kenia Gomez-Jimenez

Clementine “Tina” Hunter

Henderson City Council Ward 2 at large:

Benjamin Buckner

George L. Mayo

Lamont Noel (incumbent)

Henderson City Council Ward 3:

Garry Daeke (incumbent)

Clifford “Cliff” High

Jason A. Spriggs

Deryl “Ms. Dee” vonWilliams

Henderson City Council Ward 4:

Catherine “Kitty” Gill

Fred Robertson

Ola Thorpe-Cooper (incumbent)

Filings for the municipalities of Kittrell and Middleburg:

Kittrell mayor:

Gene Pulley

Kittrell town commissioner:

Mary Jo Floyd

Susan Pulley

Robert B. Tunstall

Middleburg mayor:

Ray Bullock

Middleburg town council:

Hazel A. Baskett

Shirley H. Bullock

Mamie Turner

The Local Skinny! City Council Approves Funding from Opioid Settlement

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The Henderson City Council approved funding two projects as it continues to spend down its opioid settlement money.

Community Partners of Hope asked for $140,000 to create a community recovery and resilience center. It will work in close partnership with Vance Recovery – in fact, the space beside Vance Recovery’s Andrews Avenue location will be renovated to provide services that also will include other working with other community agencies to provide support to those in crisis.

Jane King and John Mattocks provided an overview of the program proposal from their different perspectives, King from CPOH and Mattocks from Vance Recovery.

The money will allow CPOH to expand its services and be a resource not just for homeless men, King said, but for families in need, something Mattocks told Council members Monday had been “sorely missing.”

Over the next few years, the goal is to be a resource for prevention, reducing and eliminating recidivism and ER visits, as well as overdose deaths. Another component will be CPR training and how to administer Narcan.

“We want to be a welcoming place for people who are suffering the stigma of addiction,” Mattocks said, adding that having connections with other community resources like Day Mark’s mental health component as well as NC Works for employment opportunities.

Mattocks expects to take a few months to renovate the adjacent space and hiring an administrator before the program can be ready to serve.

Another $50,000 was approved to create two Recovery Alive homes – one for men and one for women.

Recovery Alive, Inc.’s CEO, Tisha Temple, defines an RA home as Christ-centered, sober living homes for individuals who have completed a treatment program and who are ready to begin next steps toward independent living.

“We are super excited about the work that we get to do with Henderson,” Temple told WIZS News. Temple is a native of Henderson and has been sober for the past 11 years.

She currently lives in Johnston County, and started the Recovery Alive, Inc. ministry there about four years ago.

Since then, more RA homes have been established in other North Carolina counties, as well as West Virginia and Alabama.

Temple said, “There is a need in Henderson and Vance County, and the money is just sitting in the bank,” she said of the opioid settlement funds disbursed thus far to Henderson.

“We’re going to be able to help save some lives and restore some peace and serenity to our surrounding areas, if we are able to utilize the funding in a way that is evidence-based and proven effective to make a difference.”

The next step for Temple is to identify and lease two properties in Henderson to create the homes, one for men and one for women and then prepare them for occupancy – they’ll be fully furnished to create a real home atmosphere. The residents will be responsible for paying household bills, and will get help and support with those independent daily living skills to prepare them to go out on their own and be successful.

She’s seen the concept work in the other RA homes, where residents grow, learn and move out to begin their lives anew.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see,” she said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve.

I’m excited to be able to expand what we’re doing out to Henderson – we are very grateful.”

Temple is so passionate about the RA homes because a similar type of program helped her get back on her feet. She’s come a long way from being a homeless addict on the streets of Henderson and she wants to be able to offer others the help that she received.

“I know that we can get better. I know that with the right resources, the right support system and with the right levels of recovery care that people, communities and families can not only get better, we can help other people get better.”

The $7.4 billion opioid settlement will support opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs over the next 15 years in all 50 states, Washington, D.C.  and four U.S. territories.

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Chamber Of Commerce Sends Letter To Mayor, Council Members

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has sent a letter to the mayor and City Council members asking that local elected officials conduct meetings in a positive, constructive manner.

Chamber Board President Scott Burwell signed the letter, as well as Beth Townsend and Kevin Wade, co-chairs of the Chamber’s Government & Public Affairs Committee.

The letter was cc’d to City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry, Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson and members of the Chamber board.

The letter is dated July 1, and reads as follows:

Dear Mayor and City Council Members:

I hope this message finds you well. The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of the business community in matters that affect the ability of local businesses to prosper and grow, and the ability of Henderson and Vance County to attract new businesses.  I am writing to respectfully encourage you, local elected officials, to conduct open meetings and business-related meetings in a manner that promotes productive dialogue, economic growth, and positive business relations.

Effective governance relies not only on policy but also on the tone and conduct of those in public service. When decision-making is rooted in civility, collaboration, and strategic thinking, it fosters a stable environment where businesses can plan, invest, and grow with confidence. In contrast, divisiveness and unproductive behavior can undermine investor confidence, stall progress, and weaken our region’s economic competitiveness.

Our local business community—small and large enterprises alike—looks to leadership for consistency, transparency, and a commitment to creating a supportive economic environment. On behalf of the Chamber member businesses, the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors urges you to continue championing policies and practices that strengthen partnerships, encourage innovation, and attract long-term investment.

Thank you for your service and dedication to our community. I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to seeing continued leadership that reflects the values and priorities of the business community you represent.

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TownTalk: Henderson City Council July Meeting, Investigations Coming

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The Henderson City Council met Monday night for its regular monthly meeting to conduct routine city business but then went into closed session to discuss a personnel matter.

Mayor Melissa Elliott said she would entertain a motion to go into closed session.

The Council did vote to adjourn into closed session, which had not been included on the agenda that was sent to the press and posted on the city’s webpage.

Upon returning to open session, it was learned that Mayor pro tem Garry Daeke and Councilperson Geraldine Champion will work together to be the liaisons for separate, independent, third-party investigations that will be taking place into two matters: one involving employee surveys pertaining to the mayor and a second that involves accusations made against the manager.

The Council voted unanimously to make Daeke the liaison between the council and the two independent, third-party investigating entities that will look into the matters.

Champion requested that all information that is learned during the investigation be shared with the entire council, to which Daeke replied that would certainly be the case.

The procedure of discussion and voting got a bit complicated when Elliott suggested that Champion join Daeke as a liaison, but that suggestion did turn into what happened.

It’s unclear whether there was an addendum to the original motion or whether a secondary motion was made to include Champion as a liaison. Nevertheless, the vote was 6-2, with Council members Lamont Noel and Sam Seifert voting against the motion.

No further details were discussed about who will conduct the investigations, when they will commence, how long they should take or when results will be available.

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No Doubt About It: Council Votes To Formally Adopt FY 2025-26 Budget At Special Called Meeting Monday

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The Henderson City Council took just a few minutes Monday to formally adopt the FY 2025-26 budget during a special called meeting that took place at 12 noon in Council chambers.

City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry introduced the budget and Council Member Tami Walker made a motion – seconded by Council Member Garry Daeke – to approve.

Council Members Geraldine Champion, Sam Seifert, Michael Venable, Daeke and Walker voted yes.

Council Members Sara Coffey, Lamont Noel and Ola Thorpe-Cooper were not present for the meeting.

The budget adoption had been on the agenda at the June 9 regular monthly meeting, but there was some confusion about whether the council actually took a vote to formally adopt the $54 million budget.

Mayor Melissa Elliott remarked at the special called meeting that she didn’t request an addendum to the budget when she called for the vote at last week’s meeting.

That confusion was cleared up by the vote taken during the special called meeting.

The budget must be approved before July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.

Henderson City Council Special Called Meeting Set For Monday To Formally Adopt FY 2025-26 Budget

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Update 6-16-25 at 1 p.m.

The Henderson City Council took just a few minutes Monday to formally adopt the FY 2025-26 budget during a special called meeting that took place at 12 noon in Council chambers.

City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry introduced the budget and Council Member Tami Walker made a motion – seconded by Council Member Garry Daeke – to approve.

Council Members Geraldine Champion, Sam Seifert, Michael Venable, Daeke and Walker voted yes.

Council Members Sara Coffey, Lamont Noel and Ola Thorpe-Cooper were not present for the meeting.

The budget adoption had been on the agenda at the June 9 regular monthly meeting, but there was some confusion about whether the council actually took a vote to formally adopt the $54 million budget.

Mayor Melissa Elliott remarked at the special called meeting that she didn’t request an addendum to the budget when she called for the vote at last week’s meeting.

That confusion was cleared up by the vote taken during the special called meeting.

The budget must be approved before July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.

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Depending on whom you ask, the Henderson City Council voted Monday to adopt the 2025-26 budget.

But because of the uncertainty and confusion generated since that meeting, a special called meeting has been scheduled for 12 noon on Monday, June 16 to make official the formal adoption of the $54 million budget.

Information about the special called meeting comes from City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell. The meeting will take place at City Hall in City Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave.

“On Monday night, the Henderson City Council technically voted on CAF 25-45, Ordinance 25-16, (Adoption of the FY26 Budget).   A correction sheet (labeled “CAF 25-45, Ordinance 25-16 water and sewer adjustments) regarding water and sewer rate adjustments was given to Council members prior to the meeting on Monday because calculations were incomplete at the time the agenda was distributed, preventing updates to the Schedule of Fees in the Budget Ordinance (25-16),” according to information Thursday afternoon from the clerk.

In a follow-up question from WIZS News Tuesday evening about whether the budget had been voted on, City Manager/City Attorney Hassan Kingsberry said it had been, when the council voted to increase a line item in the budget about McGregor Hall.

Whichever of these two votes was intended to adopt the budget, it’s apparently been decided by virtue of the upcoming special called meeting that neither one of the votes on Monday night was formal enough.

According to information in the agenda packet, the Council was to consider CAF 25-45 – adoption of the FY 26 annual budget.

Otherwise, as the information below indicates, the process leading up to the vote had been very productive despite some difficulties with data loss and the need to adjust the water and sewer rates. Information from the agenda packet reads as follows:

“CAF 25-45 Adoption of the FY 26 Annual Budget

“Requested by: Finance Director Joey Fuqua

“Explanation: On 12 May 2025 the FY 25-26, a balanced Recommended Budget was presented to the City Council followed by two budget work sessions on 19 May and 20 May and a public hearing on 22 May. After all reviews, answered questions and discussions, the City Council reached a consensus on accepting the FY 25-26 budget as presented. Submitted herewith, the City of Henderson FY 25-26 annual budget is presented for formal adoption at the 9 June 2025 regular City Council meeting.

“Recommendation: Approval of the Ordinance”

So while a consensus may have been reached following the budget work sessions and a public hearing, a vote specifically to formally adopt the budget did not occur at the Monday meeting.

Otherwise, another roll call vote was taken following Council Member Tami Walker’s motion to reinstate Michael Venable as mayor pro tem. That motion failed in a 5-3 vote, which means that Council Member Garry Daeke remains mayor pro tem. Council Members Sara Coffey, Lamont Noel, Sam Seifert, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Daeke voted against the motion; Council Members Geraldine Champion, Tami Walker and Venable voted yes.

Council Member Noel brought up for discussion hiring an independent legal counsel for the purpose of reviewing recent city employee surveys and complaints that have surfaced as a result of the surveys.

Following some discussion, Council Member Seifert made a motion, seconded by Daeke, to approve hiring the firm, which will be tasked with conducting a complete review of the information contained in the surveys to render an independent and unbiased report on the findings. The motion was approved in a 5-3 vote, with Coffey, Noel, Seifert, Daeke and Thorpe-Cooper voting yes and Walker, Venable and Champion voting no.

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Mayor Pro Tem Remains Topic Of Conversation For Henderson City Council

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It is possible that the Henderson City Council will decide once again on who should be the mayor pro tem, a role that Council Member Garry Daeke had held since December 2023 until he was unseated in February 2025 and replaced with Council Member Michael Venable.

During the Council’s regular May meeting, however, Council Member Lamont Noel asserted that the February action was procedurally incorrect and set in motion a recommendation that later became a motion to return Daeke to the pro tem role. That motion was seconded and passed.

Then, at what was advertised to be a budget public hearing on Thursday, May 22, Council members picked up the issue yet again – this time with some clarification from the city attorney about proper procedures and following policy.

Noel acknowledged during the Thursday meeting that he’d mistakenly cited a policy that applies only to a special called meeting, not a regularly scheduled meeting, about the requirement that all Council members be present in order to add an item to the agenda.

In fact, agenda items may be added during any regular meeting and it’s done routinely. Although three Council members were absent in February, among them Daeke, a quorum was present and that is all that’s needed to hold a meeting or to add agenda items.

An agenda item may be added at a special called meeting only if all members are present.

As City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry explained to Council members, he consulted with the School of Government to try to get a handle on this tangled-up issue.

“If you decide to revote, that is fine,” Kingsberry said. But it’ll have to wait until a regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

The budget public hearing, which did take place following about 25 minutes about the mayor pro tem topic and a closed session called for during the meeting, is NOT a regular monthly meeting and Council Member Sara Coffey was not present.

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