Tag Archive for: #hendersoncitycouncil

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The Local Skinny! City Council Adopts 2023-24 Budget

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The Henderson City Council adopted the 2023-24 budget at its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, but it was not a unanimous vote. The budget was approved on a 3-2 vote, with three council members absent. Council members Jason Spriggs, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Lamont Noel voted to approve the budget, with Garry Daeke and Mike Rainey casting a ‘no’ vote.

Council members Melissa Elliott, Sara Coffey and Marion Brodie Williams were not present at the meeting. Daeke said Monday evening to WIZS after the meeting that although he was in favor of raising revenues, he thought the 3.8 cent tax increase was too much. Rainey said that the upcoming revaluation would bring extra revenue to the city’s coffers as well.

Mayor Eddie Ellington said if he had been called to break a tie vote, he would have voted against approval of the budget.

“The city’s budget is of the utmost importance and will have major consequences for the following fiscal year,” Ellington told WIZS News. “I have expressed my concerns during the budget work sessions and I am against raising our city tax rate and placing the burden on our taxpaying citizens, especially during this time of uncertainty with a county wide property value revaluation already underway.”

The budget includes a 3.8-cent tax increase and sanitation fee increases, but as of now, no increases in water and sewer rates.

The tax rate in the new budget is .75, up from .71 per $100 valuation, and the sanitation fee will rise to $32, up from $29.

The $23.4 million budget calls for a $1,500 bonus for all full-time employees of the city in lieu of a COLA (cost of living adjustment), except members of the police department, whose salary increases were approved in March.

The council received the budget on May 8,  and had several work sessions and offered at least one public hearing since then. The increases in the tax and sanitation fees is expected to add more than $500,000 to the city’s coffers.

These proposed increases would be the first since 2014, and Blackmon said there could be a slight increase in the water rate in the near future, now that financing for the Kerr Lake Regional Water System has been secured.

“Additional revenues will help sustain a stable fund balance to balance the budget and to help meet increased costs related to salaries, utilities, supplies such as chemicals, and other expenses impacted by inflation,” Blackmon told WIZS last week.

Some of the capital outlay expenditures budget highlights include IT upgrades police vehicles and equipment, fire truck upfitting and redevelopment.

Capital projects include McGregor Hall signage, Food Truck Court and redevelopment through land purchasing initiatives.

The Council also voted unanimously 5-0 to approve the request for purchase of bulletproof vests. Police Chief Marcus Barrow said the vests have a five-year life expectancy. The department has just hired four new officers, and the vests, which are custom made for each officer, will be provided. Barrow said the department is hoping to get additional funds from the N.C. League of Municipalities to help defray the cost of the vests.

The city is a step shy of designating a “social district,” which allows for public consumption of alcohol within a specifically defined area of downtown. The council approved giving the city manager authority to say “yay” or “nay” when event organizers request permission for the public to consume alcohol during particular events, upon his first receiving a recommendation on the request from a committee comprised largely of public safety officials.

Council also approved a request from Recreation and Parks to pursue a $150,000 grant from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation as it continues with construction of the new park at William and Montgomery streets, on property that once was the site of the Vance Hotel.

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Henderson Fire Dept

TownTalk: Henderson City Council’s Fire Department Update

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The Henderson Fire Department enjoys a rating that puts it among an elite group of fire departments across the country, and Acting Fire Chief Curtis Tyndall said he was proud to present information about how the department measures up to industry standards during Monday’s City Council meeting.

Tyndall thanked the city for helping the fire department provide the city with the level of service to its residents.

The ISO rates fire departments on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best. Insurance companies use the grade to help determine insurance premiums.

The Henderson fire department has a level 2, which puts it in the top 4 percent of departments across the country.

The areas that are considered during the ISO rating include emergency communications, fire departments, availability of water and community risk.

According to Tyndall, 78 percent of the city is with a 1.5-mile radius of a fire department.

The city has been discussing for the past several years the possibility of adding a third fire station to serve the western part of town.

In an email sent to WIZS Tuesday morning, Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke commented on Monday’s meeting and about the city’s finances.

“We have spent our money on recurring costs, salaries, and the budget is about to get much tighter,” Daeke wrote. “Taking action sooner, rather than later, would save on future costs,” referring to the construction of a third fire station.

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Henderson City Council Approves Resolution to Name Bridge in Memory of Master Trooper

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The Henderson City Council unanimously approved a resolution to name a bridge in Vance County in memory of Master Trooper James “Brent” Montgomery.

The action item appeared on the Council’s agenda Monday night. The resolution calls for the I-85 bridge at Satterwhite Point Road to be named in memory of Montgomery.  He died in March 2021 from complications of COVID-19 at age 50.

He had been a trooper for 15 years in Vance, Warren and Franklin counties, and before joining the Highway Patrol had worked with the local sheriff’s office and police department.

“As a dedicated public servant, he was exemplary in the performance of his duties and an inspiration to all who knew him,” according to information included in the Council’s agenda packet.

A portion of the resolution reads:

WHEREAS, the Henderson City Council desires to honor former North Carolina State Trooper and dedicated public servant James “Brent” Montgomery; and

WHEREAS, Master Trooper Montgomery served the North Carolina Highway Patrol in Vance, Warren and Franklin counties with diligence and honor for 15 years; and

WHEREAS, Master Trooper Montgomery served as Field Training Officer, Traffic Crash Instructor, Taser Instructor and had charge over the School of Safety Program; and

WHEREAS, after enduring a difficult battle with Covid-19, James Brent Montgomery, at 50 years old,
passed away on March 15, 2021; and

WHEREAS, personally and professionally, Master Trooper Montgomery was loved and respected for his exemplary conduct and service to the community.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Henderson City Council does hereby request the North Carolina Board of Transportation name the Satterwhite Bridge over I-85 for the late Master Trooper James ‘Brent’ Montgomery.”

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TownTalk: Henderson City Council Meeting

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The Henderson City Council approved a couple of requests aimed at giving local law enforcements more money in their pockets and an additional tool to help them in their job of keeping the city safe.

Chief Marcus Barrow said the police department is allotted 52 sworn law enforcement positions, but it currently has about a dozen vacancies. In two separate requests, Barrow asked Council members to take the equivalent of one police officer’s salary – $66,000 – and use it to place 25 camera-like devices across the city that can read license plates.

Barrow, along with city staff, want to take some of that unused money from the “salary” category and put it to work to help the current officers who patrol the city’s streets and neighborhoods.

The license plate readers, or LPRs, are small and only weigh about 3 pounds but they can have a powerful impact. Police can enter license plate information into the system and the LPR will “look” for matching tags. Whether it’s a stolen vehicle or a vehicle associated in other criminal activity, the LPR can help police narrow down searches.

Flock Safety will provide 25 license plate readers for the police department to use, and will in essence, take the place of one law enforcement officer.

Numerous nearby municipalities are already using Flock Safety or have contracted
with them for deployment in the near future. Local law enforcement is in constant contact with those agencies to help solve crimes that travel through various jurisdictions.

To drive home the point, Barrow said the use of LPRs in Durham helped provide information that proved useful in the arrests of three people in connection with the deaths of two men found in a car on Gholson Avenue last month. One of the suspects is from Durham, Barrow said.

It’s one way that the police department can work smarter, not harder, during times when agencies continue to experience vacancies, with little interest from prospective employees.

“Filling positions has become increasingly difficult, and law enforcement agencies
across the nation are seeking alternative solutions to supplement their shortages with technology and tools to assist their workforce,” states information from the council’s agenda packet.

But additional technology isn’t the only thing that Barrow is asking council members to consider: the council also approved a request to bump up salaries by more than $6,000 for current sworm officers as a way to make the base pay more competitive with nearby agencies.

The city raised the base pay a couple of years ago, and Barrow said that helped retention rates tremendously. But now, surrounding agencies are upping their game and implementing pay adjustments of their own.

“We are just past the midterm of our fiscal year and anticipate a $400,000 to $500,000 surplus in our approved salaries, wages and benefits. With most agencies in the Wake County area at a $50,000 starting salary, and comparable sized agencies at or near this mark, it is necessary that we develop a salary adjustment that will align with the market trend to help with officer retention and recruitment,” Barrow stated in remarks to council.

The salary adjustment of $6,456 for each sworn employee brings the hiring salary for an entry-level sworn officer to $48,959 – just shy of Wake County agencies, but more in line with neighboring counties’ pay rates.

Barrow said he surveyed 25 nearby agencies and only Louisburg Police Department is lower than Henderson’s. He wouldn’t expect to be able to compete with a Cary or a Wake Forest, he said, but the $6,456 boost will help the local department compete with similar-sized agencies.

“If nothing is done, we expect shortages to continue and retention efforts to dwindle as competing agencies further the gap,” Barrow reported.
If implemented this month, March the total cost, including benefits but not
including the pending retirement of a Lieutenant in March or April, is approximately $102,000. In FY 23-24, the total increase would be $315,000 in the Salary/Wage line item.

 

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Henderson Council Moves Forward With Purchase Of Jointly Owned Properties

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The Henderson City Council approved Monday to purchase more than 100 vacant properties within the city limits that are jointly owned by the city and county, but the vote was one vote shy of being unanimous.

Council Member Garry Daeke cast the dissenting vote, but said Tuesday on TownTalk that it wasn’t because he doesn’t approve of the project – he simply wanted the county to give the roughly 26 acres of property to the city.

“I certainly approve what we’re doing,” Daeke said, adding that the city has demolished hundreds of vacant, derelict houses over the years. The properties will be bundled together and then bid on by builders who will erect affordable housing options within the city.

The city will be responsible for the infrastructure – lights, water, sewer, fire and police protection, for example, Daeke said. If the county had chosen to give the property to the city, it would have gone a long way to “jumpstart” the revitalization project.

“It seems to me that we’re going to be doing a lot up front,” he noted.

Once the houses get built, he added, the county will enjoy a greater return on the investment through higher tax rates than the city of Henderson.

“It would have been a great way to collaborate.”

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County Agrees To City Purchase Of Properties

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Vance County Commissioners approved last week the sale of its share of more than 100 properties jointly owned by city and the county. County Manager Jordan McMillen said the Properties Committee reviewed an offer of $181,529 from the City of Henderson.

“Our board did approve the sale of the properties,” McMillen told WIZS News last week. “We are working with our attorney to begin the title work and necessary legal work prior to conveying the properties.”

He estimated this process could take several weeks, considering the number of properties – 114 in all.

The deal has been in the works for a while, and city leaders plan to bundle properties and seek private developers as a part of an overall residental development plan.

The properties total approximately 26.7 acres within the city limits that came into possession of the city and county as a result of tax foreclosures dating back to 2007.

The properties committee also recommended holding off on selling three county-owned parcels totaling 8.16 acres along County Home Road to the city for future residential development.

 

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City Council OK’s Ordinances To Boost Fire Dept. Rating, Gives Nod For In-Car Video Grant For PD

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The Henderson City Council meeting approved a couple of ordinances that may help the fire department earn credits in its rating process. The ordinances regulate use of outdoor grills in certain locations and the use of fireworks in the city limits.

Council members voted on two ordinances at their Monday meeting.

Setting off fireworks should be left to those who have been trained and certified to set off “fireworks that explode or launch into the air,” the ordinance states.

The city fire chief must review plans in advance for any event that involves fireworks within the city limits.

Acting Fire Chief Curtis Tyndall brought the matter to the council, explaining that having certain city ordinances in place can result in credits used to rate fire districts.

The regulations presented to the council includes use of “open-flame cooking devices” such as charcoal grills – specifically, that they not be used “on combustible balconies or within 15 feet of combustible construction.”

There are a few exceptions to this, however, including buildings, balconies and decks that have automatic sprinkler systems.

The City Council also gave the go-ahead for the police department to seek a $29,500 grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission for purchase of in-car video camera systems for five patrol cars. These systems will fully integrate with existing systems as well as the body camera equipment currently being used.

The grant, if it is received, requires no matching funds from local sources.

 

The Local Skinny! Mayor Ellington Discusses City Council Meeting

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The Henderson City Council approved Monday a request of up to $15.3 million from the Local Government Commission to fill a gap in projected costs for the Kerr Lake Regional Water System expansion.

This request includes an extra cushion of $300,000 that may be needed for administrative costs, according to City Manager Terrell Blackmon, who explained the situation to council members during the regular monthly meeting.

Bob Jessup, an attorney whose firm the city contracted with to help manage this part of the project, told council members that the money could be available by mid-March.

Mayor Eddie Ellington elaborated on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! and said that he and other city leaders have met with state officials to make sure the $80 million project stays on track.

“We’re always working to reach out at the state and federal level,” Ellington told John C. Rose on Tuesday.

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the skyrocketing cost of materials, “expenses increased in a short amount of time,” he said. Ellington said he and others have met with state leaders to garner support for the project and have been met with nothing but positive responses.

N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, Rep. Michael Wray have been supportive, as well as Diane Cox with the N.C. Kerr-Tar Council of Government.

“It’s a big deal,” Ellington said of the expansion project. “We have to have it for the future.”

 

 

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The Local Skinny! City Council Renames Street For Eddie Hicks

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It won’t quite be the same as having him there in person, but Melissa Elliott says she’ll be glad when she can look out her window at Gang Free, Inc. and see the street sign that proclaims the street nearby as “Eddie James Hicks Street.”

The Henderson City Council voted to rename E. Winder Street for the local hero who died in October.

Elliott’s Gang Free, Inc.’s location is in the community known as Flint Hill, where Hicks grew up.

“He had many ties to Winder Street and the surrounding area,” Elliott said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Newly elected council member Lamont Noel presented the request to the council, along with signatures on a neighborhood petition, and the matter easily was approved.

“Eddie’s heartbeat is in Flint Hill,” Elliott said. “It was an honor to be able to put this on the calendar so fast and to get it passed.”

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington told WIZS News that the street name change will “honor the memory of one of (our) own who had many ties as a young man to Winder Street and the surrounding area. We remember that legends never die, they live on in our hearts forever

Eddie did so many things in this community, and the word “no” was not in his vocabulary when it came to requests for assistance from others.

“He would always help out,” Elliott said, from taking food to a senior adult to coaching a child, to waiting while Elliott finished up work for the day – which often turned into evening.

“He would not leave me at the building by myself,” she recalled.

Gang Free, Inc. is having a celebration gala Thursday evening, and Hicks’s widow, Jackie, is scheduled to attend.

“I’m excited about honoring Eddie – he will be with us tonight in spirit. He celebrated life and I’m just grateful to have known Eddie…he just wanted to make his community better.”

And while a street sign can’t take his place, Elliott said reading Eddie James Hicks Street will motivate her to keep Hicks’s memory alive by trying to make the community better.

 

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