Tag Archive for: #hendersoncitycouncil

Henderson City Council Approves 6-Month Moratorium On Data Centers

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UPDATE 11-10-26

The Henderson City Council voted 4-3 Monday to approve a six-month moratorium on development approvals for data centers.

Three people spoke against data center development and at least one person requested a longer moratorium during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

Council Members Michael Venable, Tami Walker and Geraldine Champion voted against the motion; Council Members Garry Daeke, Kenia Gómez Jimenez, Lamont Noel and Sam Seifert voted for the 6-month moratorium. Council Member Catherine “Kitty” Gill was not present.

Council Member Gómez Jimenez asked Interim City Manager Kendrick Vann about the proposed timeline for the moratorium.

Vann responded that staff will use the time to review regulations, draft guidance and allow for consideration by Council members and the public.

“We want to make sure we prepare and are transparent to the community,” Vann said.

City Attorney Dan Hartzog interjected that the anticipated schedule is a rough time frame, used to justify the period requested in the moratorium.

He said the time frame could be adjusted.

Council Member Gómez Jimenez made a motion to approve the moratorium, seconded by Council Member Noel.

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UPDATE 11-9-26

The Henderson City Council will hold a public hearing at its regular monthly meeting on Monday, Nov. 9 as it considers imposing a six-month moratorium on development approvals for data centers.

According to information in the agenda for the council’s regular monthly meeting, the purpose of the public hearing is “to receive public comments and consider the adoption of a 6-month moratorium on the acceptance, processing, and approval of development on data centers within City of Henderson and Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) area.”

The goal is to ensure any future growth is well planned and aligns with development regulations and community priorities, according to the information contained in the agenda package, which WIZS News received Friday afternoon.

The City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave., Henderson.

According to City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell, anyone who wishes to address Council must do so in person or submit their comments/questions to the City Clerk by 3 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting.

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TownTalk: Henderson City Council Opioid Settlement Advisory Board

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The Henderson City Council revisited the formation of an opioid settlement advisory board at its Sept. 14 meeting, and Mayor Melissa Elliott cast the tie-breaking vote for a 5-4 decision. The question that remains, however, is what the Council actually voted on – whether to approve the whole list of applicants or just to remove a Ward 2 applicant and replace her with someone who doesn’t reside in the city.

The Council previously had agreed that it wanted to change the way the applicants were to be selected in order to provide equal representation across the city’s four wards. Interim City Manager Kendrick Vann said at that time the application period would be reopened to provide for this change, which would allow for two residents being selected from each of the city’s four wards.

At the regular September monthly meeting, Council Member Geraldine Champion made a motion, seconded by Council Member Michael Venable, to remove Ward 2 resident Natalie Butler from the group and replace her with Danetta McKnight, who is program director at Community Partner of Hope’s Freedom Bridge.

McKnight, however, does not reside in the city.

Council Member Sam Seifert questioned whether there is a residency requirement to be on the city’s opioid advisory board. Council Member Lamont Noel also objected to the idea of replacing a non-city resident on a city committee. Seifert is the Ward 2 Ward representative, and Noel is the Ward 2 At-large representative.

Elliott pointed out McKnight’s professional experience and called for a vote, ending discussion.

“The motion, to be clear, is to remove Natalie Butler and to replace her with Ms. Danetta McKnight,” Elliott said.

The now-familiar 4-4 split had Seifert, Noel and Council Members Garry Daeke and Kenia Gomez-Jimenez vote against and Champion, Venable and Council Members Tami Walker and Catherine “Kitty” Gill voting in favor. Elliott cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the motion, which passed 5-4.

But the motion, as Elliott stated, did not include approval of the list of applicants.

So, did the whole list of applicants get approved or was it just the removal and replacement of the Ward 2 applicant with someone with professional experience who lives outside the city?

WIZS News has contacted City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell for clarification. Kimbrell said she would seek clarification from the city attorney.

We’ll keep you updated.

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City Council Tables Vote On Opioid Advisory Board Members

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The Henderson City Council tabled Monday action on appointment of an opioid advisory board.

Interim City Manager Kendrick Vann provided Council members names of seven individuals who had expressed interest in being a part of the board, but some Council members had concerns about all wards not being represented.

Council member Geraldine Champion said there should be a representative from each of the city’s four wards and also said she’d like to see individuals with “life experience” with overcoming opioid use.

Mayor Melissa Elliott agreed. “I think it’s imperative that we have at least one person on that board who has overcome” opioid addiction.

The council decided it was best to table a vote on individual applicants because they didn’t know which wards some of them live in. One applicant lives in the county.

Vann said the call for advisory board members would go back out into the community; the wording of the CAF will need to be changed to reflect the council’s desire to have balanced ward representation, since that was not originally specified.

Once established, the opioid advisory board will assist the council in decisions about how to spend the allocations from the multi-billion-dollar opioid settlement.

City Of Henderson Forming Opioid Settlement Advisory Board

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The city of Henderson is accepting applications through July 31 for individuals interested in serving on an opioid settlement advisory board.

At its July meeting, the Henderson City Council voted unanimously to create an advisory board upon a recommendation from interim City Manager Kendrick Vann.

Vann stated that other cities and towns have formed advisory boards to provide direction on how to allocate funds from the multi-billion dollar opioid settlement.

Prospective advisory board members include individuals with professional backgrounds in drug addiction/treatment, health care and mental health and public health fields.

Submit applications to Tracey Kimbrell at traceykimbrell@henderson.nc.gov or call 252.430.5705.

For more information about the advisory board, contact Brandi Dukes at

brandidukes@henderson.nc.gov or call 252.430.5702.

Water Line Extension Promotes Economic Growth For Henderson-Oxford Airport, Regional Presence

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With the sound of small aircraft in the background and a corporate jet parked nearby, local officials gathered Monday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off a water line extension project at the Henderson-Oxford Airport.

Or, to borrow Airport Manager Amanda Welsh’s term: Hotel November Zulu. HNZ – the airport’s official 3-letter code.

Welsh and husband Chris established flyHNZ in 2018 and are the fixed-based operators at the local airport situated in Granville County near the Vance County line. The couple, along with Chris’s father, handled everything at first, but Welsh told those gathered at the airport to officially kick off the $1 million-plus project on Monday that it now takes a full-time staff of 8 to manage the operation.

Granville County Economic Development Director Charla Duncan said although project involves less than a mile of water line, it represents a critical infrastructure investment that is needed to keep up with growth and support economic development.

The whirr of plane engines at times drowned out speakers at the podium, but as Golden Leaf Foundation representative Scott Hamilton noted, “That’s the sound of money.”

The airport got a $600,000 grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation for the project to go along with the initial state appropriation of $500,000 that then-N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon was instrumental in securing. But the airport authority learned pretty early in the process that it would need at least that much again, if not more, to see the project to completion.

Granville County Commissioner Rob Williford represents District 2, where the airport is situated. He told those in attendance that he learned a lot about the airport from Airport Board Vice Chair Jon Carver, who painted a rosy picture for the future of an airport with appropriate infrastructure.

To see growth, there needed to be infrastructure, Williford said. For the airport to grow and be able to provide hangar space for corporate jets, there needed to be adequate fire suppression. And that meant having public water.

Williford, a Democrat, said he and fellow commissioner Russ May, a Republican, worked together across the aisles of the legislature to seek additional funds. “We went to see them all together,” Williford said, referring to state legislators of both parties. “They all listened. They all understood. And they all said, ‘We can’t get you the money.’”

But the Granville County Board of Commissioners voted 7-0 to provide up to $300,000 for the project and then the Golden Leaf grant came through, so the project is set to begin.

With dozens on the wait list for hangar space, Duncan said there’s a focus on promoting the concept of a regional airport.

She said as RDU looks to move away from general aviation services, HNZ could be a good option for businesses and individuals for hangar space,  flight training and more.

“We want to be able to say that our transportation facilities – whether it be highways or whether it be general aviation resources – can compete with the Piedmont Triad, with the Sandhills as well,” Duncan said.

Welsh said the aviation industry continues to grow, but there’s a pilot shortage and a support personnel shortage.

And flyHNZ is poised to train and bring up the next generation of aviation professionals.

“Once the water service is in place, our business in and of itself hopes to add additional services,” she said, from flight school and training options to the heavier restoration of older aircraft.

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Henderson City Council Adopts FY 27 Budget

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The Henderson City Council voted unanimously to adopt the FY 2026-27 budget at a special called meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting lasted about 35 minutes, during which Finance Director Joey Fuqua shared with Council that he and staff had identified an additional $794,000 in savings.

Calling that amount “a pretty good chunk of money,” Fuqua said those savings will be achieved by reducing from 25 percent to 17.1 percent a cushion from the retirement line.

Interim City Manager Kendrick Vann reassured Council that the city is in good financial stead as far as the reserve funds go – the Local Government Commission recommends that municipalities maintain at least an 8 percent fund balance and Henderson’s sits right at 25 percent.

Fuqua said the $5 million earmarked from fund balance in the proposed budget has dropped to roughly $3.4 million because of the additional savings that staff and department heads had found.

Council member Lamont Noel made a motion to adopt the budget, which was seconded by Council member Sam Seifert.

Before the vote was taken, however, there was discussion about returning the position of the mayor’s assistant to the budget. It had been the only position cut, and Mayor Melissa Elliott said, “it seems to me to be very targeted.”

In making a motion to restore the position, Council member Michael Venable said, “If we haven’t cut anybody else’s position, I want to make a motion that we put the mayor’s assistant back in place.”

Council members Geraldine Champion, Catherine “Kitty” Gill, Tami Walker and Venable voted yes; Council members Garry Daeke, Kenia Gómez-Jimenez, Noel and Seifert voted no; Elliott cast the tie-breaking vote to restore the position to the budget, which adds $22,000 to the bottom line.

Special Called City Council Meeting June 17; Budget and Closed Session Personnel Matter

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Public Notice — from the City of Henderson

The Henderson City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The purpose of this meeting is to consider and discuss the adoption of the FY 27 budget and to enter into closed session pursuant to NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(6) a Personnel Matter.

The meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall in Council Chambers, 134 Rose Avenue. This meeting is open to the public.

(The text of this public notice was originally published on WIZS.com and broadcast on WIZS Radio on June 12, 2026.)

(If you would like to learn more click play for the 6-15-26 “The Local Skinny!” broadcast and continue reading below.)

A big question heading into Wednesday afternoon’s meeting is what has shifted since last week? Since Interim City Manager Kendrick Vann was the assistant to now terminated City Manager Paylor Spruill, what have Vann and Henderson Finance Director Joey Fuqua talked about since last week?  At the June 8 regular meeting, it was left that the city manager and the finance director would come back with recommendations of things to cut and would be prepared to have a discussion with the council.  Will there be cuts and/or additions or adjustments?  As previously reported, the main cuts so far had been giving the departments fewer of the items on their budget wish lists.  Will more now be taken including salaried or part-time worker positions?  Could training and travel lines be added back?  The assistant to the mayor position, which was previously cut, could it be added back?  After the meeting, WIZS will report details and let you know if a City budget is passed?

TownTalk: Henderson City Council Emergency Meeting Wednesday Regarding City Manager

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Editor’s Note: “The City of Henderson and The City Council and Staff” TownTalk broadcast was added June 11 just below. Click Play to listen. The written report of the City’s emergency meeting follows the audio and was posted June 10, 2026.

When the Henderson City Council met Wednesday to hold an emergency meeting, it took formal action regarding the city manager’s employment, and that action came in three parts based ultimately on three separate motions made by Mayor Pro Tem Tami Walker.

The employment contract for City Manager Paylor Spruill was terminated. Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department Director Kendrick Vann, who has been an assistant to the city manager, was made interim city manager until the city can find a permanent manager. The assistant to the city manager position that Vann had been occupying was eliminated.

With all eight members of the City Council present, the board took action to, as City Attorney Dan Hertzog put it, memorialize the action which stemmed from Monday night’s closed session.

In the matter of ending Spruill’s contract, the council voted 4 to 4, with the tie broken by Mayor Melissa Elliott to end the contract. Similarly, the council voted 4 to 4 to appoint Vann as the interim manager, with Mayor Elliott casting the tie breaking vote in favor of Vann holding the position. As to the matter of Vann’s previous position of assistant to the city manager, the vote was unanimous to eliminate the position.

Overall, the proceedings were necessarily formal to protect the release of any personnel information. It also became necessary for the council to go into a closed session for about 20 minutes.

The net result of the meeting is virtually the same as what members of the community have been talking about for several days.

Voting for Walker’s motion to end Spruill’s contract, which was seconded by Geraldine Champion, were Champion, Michael Venable, Catherine Gill and Walker. Voting against the motion to end Spruill’s contract were Sam Seifert, Kenia Gomez-Jimenez, Lamont Noel and Garry Daeke.

Voting for Walker’s motion to appoint Vann as interim manager until a permanent manager is selected, which was seconded by Venable, included Champion, Venable, Gill and Walker. Voting against the motion to appoint Vann as interim manager were Gomez-Jimenez, Noel, Seifert and Daeke.

To open the proceedings, Hertzog said, “So at the last meeting we had a closed session discussion, which I cannot reveal the closed session discussion, but pursuant to general statute … any final action on a personnel matter needs to be taken in open session.

“So we will need to vote consistent … with the board’s discussion on Monday night. That needs to be memorialized in a vote in open session. So that’s why we’re here today.”

The council went through the necessary steps to get its wording right and to hear and vote on the correct motions to accomplish the task at hand, which at one point included withdrawing a single, initial motion and breaking it into three parts so the result was clean and clear.

Click Play if you would like to hear more WIZS Radio coverage of the City Council and the budget from before the meeting.

Public Notice: Emergency City Council Meeting Regarding City Manager’s Employment Noon Wednesday

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Update 3:33 P.M. Tuesday, June 9, 2026

From the City Clerk, City of Henderson:

“The Henderson City Council will hold an Emergency Meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. to take formal action regarding the City Manager’s employment.”

The meeting location is not listed, but all the City Council meetings occur at City Hall, 134 Rose Avenue.

TownTalk: Henderson City Council Voted, Approved Motion NOT To Pass Budget

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Despite previously reaching a consensus to adopt the FY 26-27 budget, the Henderson City Council on Monday night heard, duly seconded and passed a motion NOT to pass the budget.

Mayor Melissa Elliott voted yes, to not pass the budget, in order to break a 4-4 tie otherwise.

The motion to not pass the budget was made by Geraldine Champion and seconded by Catherine Gill at the regular June 8 monthly meeting.

Champion said she could not approve the budget the way it looks.

Members who voted in favor of not passing the budget included Champion, Gill, Mayor Pro Tem Tami Walker, and Michael Venable.

Members who voted against the motion were Garry Daeke, Kenia Gomez-Jimenez, Lamont Noel and Sam Seifert.

The City Attorney reminded that a budget needed to be passed, and the City Manager suggested a special called meeting. The date and time of that special called meeting has not been announced, and it will require at least a 48-hour notice be made to the public.

Champion used an analogy to make the trimming of the budget akin to cutting down a tree, and she took issue with “starting at the bottom,” near the root. In Champion’s analogy the money to be cut, the big money, was at the top of the tree.

She said very rarely does a person start at the root with cutting because it’s going to fall and cause damage.

“That’s what I see that happened in this particular budget. You started at the bottom. You’re trying to cut a $22,000 a year job, but you didn’t go to the top of the tree. And at the very top of that tree is where the tremendous amount of money is.”

The big money Champion is talking about is cuts to staffing.

“It’s just my opinion that some of those departments don’t need all those people,” she said, citing, “That’s just my opinion. I don’t work there. I’m not the expert on that.”

The $22,000 a year job, referred to by Champion, is in her analogy down at the root, important, and that job is the position of Assistant to the Mayor.

Champion said of Finance Director Joey Fuqua, “Yes. You have been thorough with what you’ve done. You’ve said everything you need to say.”

Gomez-Jimenez said after Fuqua reviewed the timeline, including strategies to save throughout FY 26-27, it’s “not a feel-good budget but a culmination of paths to this point.” She spoke of an opportunity to improve the City’s organization and told Fuqua, “You have produced a good budget.”

On May 11, 2026 the FY 26-27, a balanced recommended budget was presented to the City Council followed by two budget work sessions on May 12 and May 14, a public hearing on May 21 and a final work session on May 28.

To hear more, including audio from the June 8 regular monthly meeting, please click play!