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.
Henderson City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell sent the following press release to WIZS News Wednesday afternoon from the office of City Manager Paylor Spruill. The information appears below in its entirety:
KERR LAKE REGIONAL WATER PARTNERSHP / FRANKLIN COUNTY
The formation of the Kerr Lake Regional Water Partnership can be traced back to 1972 when discussions among Floyd McKissick, Developer of Soul City; Mayor Hugh Currin and City Manager Tom Ragland of Oxford; Mayor George Boyd, City Manager Melvin Holmes and City Attorney John Zollicoffer, Jr. of Henderson took place. They traveled many times to Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA to meet with federal officials of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that was administering grant and loan guarantees approved in the New Communities Act of July 1972. Mr. McKissick envisioned a community in Warren County of 50,000 residents by the year 2000 with a health clinic, industrial park, fire station, recreational areas and water treatment facilities. At a crucial time in the discussions with HUD in Washington, D.C., Mr. McKissick asked for a telephone. (No cell phones then.) That was brought to the meeting table and plugged into the wall. He brought a piece of paper from his wallet and dialed a number. Then President Richard Nixon personally answered the call.
Warren County would eventually become successor to Floyd B. McKissick Enterprises, Inc. with a 20% partnership position. The City of Oxford also has a 20% position and the City of Henderson 60%. The original regional water supply system had an estimated cost of $9 million ($75 million today.) And the City of Henderson has successfully managed and operated the system since then for over half a century!
The City of Henderson purchases water from the partnership and sells it directly to Franklin County. This began under a 1998 agreement which has been successfully amended many times to accommodate the relationship. The City of Henderson through the Kerr Lake Regional Water Partnership is committed to helping Franklin County solve its water supply problems. However, our first responsibility is to our residents, customers and taxpayers. We will not enter into an agreement with Franklin County, or anyone else, until we know we can satisfy our own obligations – now and in the future.
The Partnership has identified several ways in which we might be able to help Franklin County. We are completing our analysis of those options and expect to propose a solution before the end of this month.
The Kerr Lake Regional Water Partnership encourages Franklin County to direct future communications solely to us. Negotiating in public does not build trust and is rarely successful.
CITY OF HENDERSON
Office of the City Manager
Paylor Spruill, City Manager
UPDATED 7:20 p.m. May 29
The Henderson City Council held an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. in Council chambers for the purpose of going in to closed session to discuss a personnel matter.
Four Council members were present – Mayor Pro Tem Tami Walker, Catherine “Kitty Gill, Michael Venable and Geraldine Champion – and four Council members were absent – Garry Daeke, Sam Seifert, Lamont Noel and Kenia Gomez-Jimenez.
When Council members and Mayor Melissa Elliott returned to open session after more than an hour in closed session, a motion to adjourn was made and seconded. No action was taken by Council.
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UPDATE 10 a.m. May 29
Henderson Mayor Melissa Ellliott has called an emergency called meeting of the City Council for Friday (May 29, 2026) at 5:30 p.m. in reference to a personnel matter.
Elliott abruptly made the announcement during the City Council’s budget work session on Thursday afternoon. She said she had received numerous text messages regarding information published by the local newspaper.
The Dispatch posted on social media Thursday an email sent by Mayor Pro Tem Tami Walker that was sent to other members of the Council, as well as to Elliott, City Manager Paylor Spruill, the city attorney and the city clerk.
WIZS obtained a copy of the email Thursday, which calls for the removal of Spruill as city manager and makes Kendrick Vann, currently an assistant to the city manager, interim city manager.
Following is the email, in its entirety:
Good morning everyone!
At this time, I am requesting the termination of our city manager Paylor Spruill.
Immediately making Kendrick Vann interim city manager for 6 months or until a new city manager is hired. Letting Christy Lipscomb remain as Assistant City Manager and immediately eliminating the position of assistant to assistant [sic] city manager.
WIZS News reached out to Walker and Spruill for comment; we’ll update this story as information becomes available.
Stay tuned to WIZS for updates.
The City of Henderson will have a new city manager effective Jan. 13, 2025, following the appointment of Hassan Kingsberry to the position. In a 4-3 vote, the City Council voted last week to extend the offer to Kingsberry, who has served as interim city attorney since early December.
“As one who grew up on 520 Whitten Avenue, I am honored to serve as City Manager for the City of Henderson,” Kingsberry said in a press statement issued by the city received at WIZS on Friday.
“I look forward to collaborating with the City Council, staff, and community to achieve our shared goals and create opportunities for peace, prosperity, and progress.”
The city manager will oversee the day-to-day operations of Henderson’s government, manage its budget, and work closely with the City Council to implement strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life for all Henderson residents.
Mayor Melissa Elliott called the second special called meeting in as many weeks to go into closed session to discuss a personnel matter.
When the group returned from the closed session, Council member Tami Walker made a motion to make Kingsberry the city manager.
Voting in favor were Walker, Geraldine Champion, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Michael Venable. Council members Garry Daeke, Lamont Noel and Seifert voted against. Council member Sara Coffey was not present.
Following the first special called meeting on Sunday, Dec. 15, it was announced that City Manager Terrell Blackmon had resigned, effective Jan. 10.
Kingsberry was announced as the interim city attorney at the regular December Council meeting.
Blackmon submitted his letter of resignation on Wednesday, Dec. 11 – two days after the regular monthly Council meeting. He didn’t elaborate on any reason for his decision to resign. Blackmon told WIZS that his last day as manager will be Jan. 10. He came to work as manager in 2020.
He will go next to be one of two assistant city managers in Jacksonville, NC.
Henderson is the big winner among area municipalities in the recent $154.8 million Powell Bill allotment announced by the N.C. Department of Transportation for street improvements.
City Manager Terrell Blackmon told WIZS Wednesday that he and the City Council will be working to help prioritize where and how to use the $463,634.73 allotment, about half of which has been distributed. The remaining amount to be paid by Jan. 1, 2023, according to a press statement from NCDOT.
Officially called the State Street Aid to Municipalities, the program also is known as Powell Bill funds. This year, a total of 508 municipalities statewide benefitted from the allocation.
The Powell Bill funds are used primarily to resurface municipal streets but also may be used to maintain, repair, construct, or widen streets, bridges, and drainage areas. Municipalities can also use Powell Bill funds to plan, construct and maintain bike paths, greenways or sidewalks.
The amount each municipality receives is based on a formula established by state law, with 75 percent of the funds based on population and 25 percent based on the number of municipality-maintained street miles. The annual population figures are provided by the Office of State Budget and Management.
“Powell Bill funding allows us to complete a lot of transportation projects important to North Carolina communities from Murphy to Manteo,” said State Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “Municipalities can use these funds on projects that make our state a wonderful place to live, work and play.”
The fund is named for Junius K. Powell, a former state senator and mayor of Whiteville. Powell was the primary sponsor of the 1951 bill to help the state’s cities with urban road problems. The first allocation of Powell Bill funds was for $4.5 million and was distributed to 386 cities and towns.
Here’s what other area municipalities received through the Powell Bill:
The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments held its annual awards banquet last week and two local officials were honored for their leadership at the city and county levels.
Leo Kelly, Jr., chairman of the Vance County board of commissioners was named Outstanding County Elected Official, and City Manager Terrell Blackmon received the Outstanding Manager Award, according to information from KTCOG’s Susan Tucker.
Kelly received his award from Granville County commissioner Sue Hinman. Henderson City Council member Mike Rainey presented Blackmon with his award at the banquet, held Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Warren County Armory Civic Center. KTCOG Board Chair Walter Gardner presided over the meeting.
Tucker said 124 individuals were present for the annual banquet representing the five counties that comprise the KTCOG.
“The primary purpose of this annual banquet is to highlight the achievements of regional leaders who have been nominated by their peers/constituents for outstanding performance and contributions,” Tucker said in a statement to WIZS News Monday.
The 2022-23 officers also were installed at the banquet. The new chairman is Zelodis Jay, a member of the Granville County board of commissioners; vice chairman is Derrick Sims, a Person County Commissioner; and treasurer is Betty Wright, a Louisburg town council member.
In addition to awards received by Kelly and Blackmon, the following awards were presented:
THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
Edward “Terrell” Blackmon, Henderson’s new city manager, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
A native of Smithfield, and now a resident of Henderson, Blackmon brings over 25 years of economic development experience gained in various planning positions in Monroe, Raleigh, Garner and Tarboro, NC.
Blackmon received his MBA from Montreat College and his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is also a licensed real estate broker in North and South Carolina, in addition to being recognized as a certified housing development finance professional by the National Development Council.
He is married to the former Akenna Vaught of Lenoir, NC and they have two adult sons: Edward Terrell Blackmon, II and Robert Kennan Blackmon.
Blackmon said it was the area’s potential and the “hard sell” of the Henderson City Council that ultimately led him to the decision to call Henderson home. “I saw Henderson as a great opportunity for me personally and professionally. The City Council really sold me on the potential of the community; there’s a lot of opportunities for this community to grow.”
Arriving a few weeks prior to the official retirement of Henderson City Manager Frank Frazier on January 31, Blackmon said he was fortunate to have Frazier, a 35-year City veteran, available in the transition period.
“I can’t say enough how helpful he [Frazier] was during that period of time, and still makes himself available now,” said Blackmon. “The City Council, Mayor Ellington and Frank all did an excellent job of developing a plan to help make my transition here as city manager a little easier.”
In discussing areas of focus moving forward, Blackmon said officials are working on reestablishing Henderson as a designated Main Street City, enforcing residential and commercial codes, planning larger-scale redevelopment projects, identifying ways to attract private investment and expanding the Kerr Lake Regional Water System (KLRWS).
A 60-percent majority partner of the KLRWS (other partners include the City of Oxford and Warren County), Henderson City Council members approved a rate structure at their Monday meeting that would allow the city to upgrade the water output from 10 million to 20 million gallons a day, Blackmon reported.
Explaining that the KLRWS provides water to other municipalities and county systems in the four-county region, Blackmon said the expanded output would ‘increase the capacity to sell water to our customers, improve our water quality and allow the City to set rates and keep rates affordable for the citizens of Henderson.”
Impressed with the way the various entities have worked together on the KLRWS, Blackmon said he is happy to report a similar “collaborative spirit” in his dealings thus far with both City of Henderson and Vance County officials.
“I am already meeting and working with City and County officials on strategies that will hopefully benefit not just the City of Henderson but benefit all of Vance County,” said Blackmon. “We definitely want to be a partner with the County as it relates to economic development. The City has a lot of value that we can add to the economic development conversation as we are looking to create more jobs, retain the industries we do have and try to attract new industries to our community.”
To hear the interview with Blackmon in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
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-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson, NC
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Mayor Eddie Ellington has requested a Special Called meeting of the Henderson City Council on Friday, November 8, 2019, at 12 p.m. This meeting will be held at the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments facility located at 1724 Graham Avenue, Henderson.
The purpose of the meeting is to hold a Closed Session Pursuant to G.S. 143-318-11(a)(6) Regarding a Personnel Matter pertaining to the City Manager Position.
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Information provided by Mayor Eddie Ellington in regards to the search for Henderson’s next city manager:
“Thursday night during a Special Called Meeting, myself and the Henderson City Council received information on the ‘Secondary Screening’ step that was completed by Developmental Associates LLC, based out of Chapel Hill, NC.
During this process, a phone interviewer asked the same questions of all the candidates that are based on the job analysis including a comment section. The phone interviewer evaluated the answers against a predetermined answer key. Then a different interviewer evaluated a written survey response that was provided to all candidates. The two interviewers did not consult with one another about their ratings.
The candidates were then ranked and sorted based on data provided from the survey and the phone interview, as well as an emotional intelligence test (EQi 2.0). These scores in no way determine at this stage if the candidates are qualified for the position.
The purpose of this step was to assist me and the council with more information and to identify whom we want to invite to visit Henderson for in-person skill assessments.
With this completed, we have identified and narrowed the field to six candidates to visit the city on Friday, November 8, 2019.
We are optimistic about who will serve as our next manager and will wait and see how the entire process concludes. This is the most important decision the city has been faced with in recent years and we are very mindful that we have our current City Manager Frank Frazier agreeing to serve as interim on a monthly basis until the ideal candidate is chosen on a unanimous decision. The future lies before us.”
-Mayor Eddie Ellington
