The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, partnering with Henderson Vance Rotary, hosted the 2022 “state of the city” address Thursday,  highlighting an array of projects underway and others on the horizon but also asking for a unified community approach to tackle issues that detract from the city’s image.

The dining room at Henderson Country Club was filled with about 100 Chamber members and guests for the program. Greg Etheridge, local Rotary president, welcomed the group, after which Mayor Eddie Ellington and City Manager Terrell Blackmon provided updates on the city’s current situation and prospects for future revitalization.

Ellington said he balances celebrating the city’s recent successes with the need to face “hard truths” that cannot be ignored. The City Council passed a $39 million budget with no increase in taxes or fees, and the city’s fun balance is “sturdy,” he said. New jobs are being added through projects like the M.R. Williams expansion and the addition of the cardiac catheterization lab at Maria Parham Health.

But increased gun violence, lack of affordable housing and a low percentage of home ownership in the city are certainly areas of concern, as are numerous open positions within the city administration.

Blackmon used results from the city council’s recent strategic planning retreat to identify several areas of need in his presentation titled “Reshaping Henderson” – which include improving the perception of the city, effective recruitment and retention of city employees and housing redevelopment.

“We have things to fix,” Blackmon said. Whether it’s an ongoing campaign to reduce litter with the city’s neighborhoods or actively promoting existing and new events that take place in downtown Henderson, he said the whole community needs to become more involved.

The police department is down 9 officers, the fire department has 12 vacancies, according to Blackmon, and the city has been with two key department heads for a year – the city needs a lead engineer and someone to oversee the public works departments.

With expected growth in the number of redevelopment projects as revitalization continues, the work of these two departments is critical.

“We have to have that every day leadership to move forward,” he said. It’s tough to compete with larger cities nearby, especially for law enforcement, he added. One step the city took recently is to give a $1/hr. pay increase to front-line workers as a way to retain employees.

The city has allotted $1.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds – ARPA – to fund redevelopment activities and other strategic investments in the city, and Blackmon encouraged and challenged others within the community to “leverage that money to help more residents in Henderson and Vance County.”

A self-described “passionate public servant,” Blackmon mentioned the various community assets that bring visitors to the area, where they spend money and contribute to the local economy. In addition to Kerr Lake, Fox Pond Park and McGregor Hall, he pointed out the new skate park near downtown and a new outdoor pavilion in the Embassy Square area that is ready to proceed with construction.

The city rejoined the Main Street program in 2021 as one way to promote downtown revitalization. Blackmon mentioned several grant programs and projects that have come along since that time, and said there’s more to come.

“I think you’re going to be very pleased with some of the progress that’s coming” to downtown, he said.

Moving forward with the West End and Flint Hill urban redevelopment areas is one way the city is hoping to boost safe, affordable housing for Henderson residents.

The median income in Henderson in 2020 was about $31,000, which Blackmon explained would be enough to purchase a home that cost about $168,000. But with a poverty rate of 29.3 percent, home ownership often is out of reach.

Blackmon said 60 percent of housing in Henderson is rental housing, which creates challenges for tenants, for property owners and for the city. It puts a greater burden on businesses and homeowners to “carry the services we provide to the community,” Blackmon said. The city relies heavily on property tax revenues.

Infill housing – new construction in established neighborhoods close to downtown – is something that the city needs, but he added that it is difficult to make the housing affordable. Blackmon hinted at the possibility of several future projects involving subdivisions and infill development.

The much-talked-about water plant expansion should get off the ground by January 2023 and the S-Line Mobility Hub is a hot topic right now for the area. Blackmon said Assistant City Manager Paylor Spruill was in Raleigh Thursday for the unveiling of the first draft of what the railroad station could look like.

The rail project, though chugging closer to fruition, is still in the early stages of development, one transportation-related issue that has long been on the minds of city officials could face a roadblock.

The Dabney Drive widening project could face getting pushed further down on the to-do list by NC DOT.

“Dabney Drive is a critical artery for the city of Henderson,” Blackmon said. “That widening project needs to happen as soon as possible.” He urged those present to talk to their elected state officials to keep the project from moving down the list.