Tag Archive for: #vancecountyboardofcommissioners

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TownTalk: Commissioners Begin Process To Fill District 3 Vacant Seat

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners handled several procedural items at the first scheduled meeting of 2025, including the steps to appoint a commissioner to replace Commissioner Sean Alston, who recently resigned to take a job as a magistrate in Warren County.

As County Attorney Jonathan Care’s explained, the board has 60 days from Jan. 1, 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Alston, who represented District 3.

“We’ve got to get this done by Mar. 1,” Care told commissioners. He indicated that the board most likely will have a called meeting in early February to discuss the nominations.

Individuals interested in being considered for the appointment need only be from the same political party and reside in the same district as Alston. Alston is a registered Democrat.

If a replacement isn’t made within the 60-day period, Care said the matter will go to the Clerk of Court, who will have 10 days to make an appointment.

The board will send a request for input to the local Democratic party. Care said he had drafted an application form for the commissioners to review and asked them for feedback before posting it by mid-January.

While the board should request input from the local Democratic party, Care said it “has no control over what this board does.” He added that the board has the right to receive and consider applications other than those proffered by the Democratic party.

Commissioner and newly elected Vice Chair Yolanda Feimster requested that the information be sent to media outlets – including local newspaper and radio – to let as many people as possible know about the appointment process.

TownTalk: Vance Commissioners Elect Vice Chair, Hold Public Hearing On 2025-26 Budget At Monday Meeting

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Update 10:25 p.m. on 1/6/25:

The Vance County Board of Commissioners elected Yolanda Feimster as its new vice chair at its meeting Monday evening.

The board also held the first of two public hearings to hear from residents about priorities for the 2025-26 budget during its first regular meeting of the year, and the first meeting with Carolyn Faines as chair. Faines was elected to lead the board during a special called meeting last week, following Sean Alston’s announcement that he was stepping down to take a job as a Warren County magistrate.

Several residents spoke during the public hearing, which lasted about 15 minutes, but their messages shared a common theme: reconsider the current tax rate and have a revenue neutral budget in place for FY 2025-26.

Laura Perkinson told commissioners she owns properties in both the city and the county, and she advocates a revenue neutral budget. During her four minutes of allotted time, Perkinson also said property owners should not be charged late fees when paying 2024 tax bills “so we all can catch up.”

The deadline to pay without incurring a 2 percent penalty was today, Jan. 6.

Caroline Burnette has spoken to commissioners during previous public comment periods and she reiterated her concerns about the current tax rate. Burnette asked the commissioners to reconsider the tax rate and said the board should be held accountable for raising the rate during the most recent budget process.

Lee Chandler said he wants to see budget cuts and next year’s budget be “below revenue neutral.”

When Commissioner Dan Brummitt stood up and moved away from his seat briefly, Angela Ryan paused her remarks to the board, stating that she would wait for Brummitt’s return.
“We need to be heard and I want to make sure that I am,” Ryan said.

In remarks following comments from the residents, Commissioner Leo Kelly said “We hear you.” Kelly said he’s lived in Vance County his entire life, and when he voted on the budget, it meant his taxes went up, too.

“I paid my taxes, (but) I paid them grudgingly,” he said.

Before the public hearing was closed, Brummitt thanked those who had approached the podium to address the board. He commented that in his close to two decades as a commissioner, Monday’s hearing was “only the second public hearing where people have spoken.”

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Update 2:15 p.m. on 1/6/25:

The Vance County Board of Commissioners is expected to elect a new vice chair at the first regular meeting of 2025 scheduled for this evening, following last week’s resignation of Commissioner Sean Alston, who stepped away from the board to accept a magistrate’s position in Warren County.

The board unanimously elected Carolyn Faines as chair of the board during a special called meeting on Monday, Dec. 30, but tabled a vote to elect vice chair.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. According to the agenda, selection of a new vice chair will be the first order of business, followed by several appointment and then a public hearing to collect comments from county residents as county leaders continue planning for the 2025-26 budget.

The public hearing on the budget is listed as Item 6 on the agenda. This public hearing is the first of two that are scheduled; the second is scheduled for June 2 – after the recommended budget has been submitted to commissioners for review.

Other items for discussion from County Manager C. Renee Perry’s report to the board include the fire marshal budget, amendments to the personnel policy, jail inspection reports from 2023 and 2024, sheriff legal fees, board work sessions and the EMS substation.

View the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/@VanceCountyNC/streams.

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Update 1/5/25:

Straight from the Vance County Commissioners meeting 1-6-25 agenda, the meeting will include within the first few items a fiscal year 2025-2026 pre-budget public hearing.

The public notice says, “The Vance County Board of Commissioners will conduct a FY 2025-26 Pre-Budget Public Hearing at 6:00 p.m., or shortly thereafter, on January 6, 2025 in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room at 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.”

Before the Board of Commissioners begins work on next year’s budget, the board “is interested in receiving suggestions and priorities from residents to help them in the development of the budget.”

This is one of two required public hearings that will be held on the budget.

“The county manager will submit a recommended budget in May and a second public hearing will be held on the proposed budget on June 2, 2025,” the notice within the agenda states.

The budget is supposed to be adopted before July 1, 2024.

The agenda says, “This notice was published on December 24, 2024,” which in North Carolina means it was published in the newspaper.

TownTalk Broadcast 1-6-25 Prior to Meeting!

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County Commissioners Called To Special Meeting Monday, Dec. 30

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Update December 30, 2024 at 12:30 p.m.

Vance County Board of Commissioners Chair Sean A. Alston, Sr. is resigning to become a magistrate in Warren County.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said last week that Alston had called for a special called meeting for 10 a.m. today with the purpose stated as reorganization. No details were given when the meeting was announced.

Alston said he will step away from the commission tomorrow and will be sworn in as a magistrate on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

“It was a pleasure to be on this board for two years – I don’t want to go,” he said during the meeting. In an interview after the meeting, Alston told WIZS News that he had applied for a job as a magistrate before he became a county commissioner; as someone who has been self-employed, he said the opportunity to have state benefits and retirement was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

He said he had “to disconnect” himself from politics before taking the magistrate position.

The board nominated Commissioner Carolyn Faines to be the new board chair, and in her first act as chair she asked to table the election of a vice chair until the regular board meeting on Jan. 6.

Commissioner Tommy Hester, however, asked to make a nomination during the special called meeting. Hester nominated Leo Kelly to be vice-chair. Although properly moved and seconded, the full board couldn’t agree when to elect the vice chair. That’s when county attorney Jonathan Care said the two motions on the floor needed to be acted upon. Although not unanimous, the board voted to table the election of the vice chair until its Jan. 6 meeting by approving the second motion on the table.

The next step is to appoint a qualified individual to assume Alston’s seat on the commission. The new commissioner should be from the same political and the same district as Alston.

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Update December 27, 2024 at 3:45 p.m.

Sean A. Alston, Sr., chair of the Vance County board of commissioners, has scheduled a special called meeting of the board for Monday, Dec. 30 at 10 a.m.

According to information from Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry, the purpose of the meeting is for a reorganization of the board and other items as needed.

The meeting will be held in the commissioners’ conference room in the Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young St.

Perry said the commissioners are meeting to address some recent changes.

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Vance Commissioner Sean Alston Named To Statewide Commissioners’ Committee

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Vance County Commissioner Sean Alston has been appointed to the 2024-26 N.C. Association of Commissioners Legislative Goals Committee.

Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry said Alston is poised to make significant contributions to the committee’s efforts to promote policies that enhance the well-being of all residents in Vance County and throughout the state.

“I am honored to be appointed to the Legislative Goals Committee,” Alston said. “This is an incredible opportunity to advocate for our community’s needs and ensure our voices are heard in the legislative process. I look forward to working alongside fellow committee members to develop strategies that address critical issues facing our county.”

The Legislative Goals Committee reviews steering committee recommendations as a package — ensuring alignment and checking for conflict across subject areas. The goal of this committee is to reach a consensus on a package of goals and policy statements that will be presented to the NCACC Board of Directors and ultimately placed before the entire membership at the 2024 Legislative Goals Conference in mid-November 2024.

Alston also serves on the following boards and committees:

Appointed by Board of Commissioners 

  • 911 Advisory Board
  • Farmers Market Advisory Committee
  • FVW Opportunity Board
  • Henderson-Vance Industrial Park Board

Appointed by Said Committee or Other Entity 

  • NACo Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee (National Association of Counties)
  • NACo Rural Action Caucus
  • NACo Veteran and Military Service Committee
  • NCACC General Government Committee (NC Association of County Commissioners) • NCACC Justice and Public Safety Committee
  • NCACC Legislative Goals Committee

TownTalk: Janie Martin Is Vance County’s August Employee Of The Month

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners honored Vance County Sheriff’s Office Senior Administrative Assistant Janie Martin at its Aug. 5 board meeting as the county’s employee of the month.

In her presentation, colleague Debbie Scott said Martin is a champion at teamwork – someone who “never hesitates to get involved and be of assistance.”

Her initiative to handle whatever comes up within the sheriff’s office makes her “highly valuable…and an asset,” Scott continued.

Above all, her optimism, professionalism and dedication to her job show throughout the workday – and beyond. She is always just a phone call away, and often spends extra hours to make sure the office is running efficiently and effectively.

Sheriff Curtis Brame said Martin began her career at the sheriff’s office in 2013 as an employee at the detention center. In 2016, she became administrative assistant to then-sheriff Peter White.

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The Local Skinny! Commissioner Balks At City’s Reimbursement Request For Displaced Families

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In her report to the Vance County Board of Commissioners last week, County Manager C. Renee Perry said she had received a letter from Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon that formally requested $22,000 to reimburse the city for money it gave to families displaced when the place they were living in was shut down back in May.

Perry, however, reminded commissioners that county funds had been used to house the families to the tune of $26,905.67. “My recommendation is …there should be an offset to the cost that the county incurred,” Perry stated during the commissioners’ July 1 regular monthly meeting.

If the city and the county were to split all costs 50/50, the city and county would each pay $22,000 for the $2,000 vouchers provided earlier by the city to the displaced families AND the city would put up $13,452.84 to take care of half of the almost $27,000 that the county incurred while the shelter was in use.

According to Perry’s calculations, 8,547.16 is the more accurate number that should be considered – $22,000 minus the $13,452.84.

The commissioners ultimately took no action at the meeting.

Commissioner Yolanda Feimster expressed concern over the request. When the incident with (Motel) 121 occurred, the county provided the shelter, and all the things that went along with it – water and electricity – not to mention portable showers, toilets and overtime pay for law enforcement officers to make sure the area was safe.

“And we were never reimbursed, not one dime,” Feimster said.

She went on to call the $2,000 payment to the families who had to spend a week in the former Eaton Johnson gym-turned emergency shelter a “band-aid” approach that would have little long-term effect.

Feimster said she was sympathetic to those who had to move out of the motel that they called home, but she expressed concern that the city is asking for reimbursement for something that the county was not first consulted about.

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Vance County Commissioners Approve $57M Budget, 10-Cent Tax Increase

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Vance County commissioners approved a 10-cent tax increase and a $57 million budget Monday, June 24 at 4 p.m.

The special called meeting lasted about 15 minutes, and adoption of the budget was the first order of business. The budget was approved 4-2, with Board Chair Dan Brummitt and Tommy Hester casting no votes. Commissioner Yolanda Feimster was not present.

After a motion by Commissioner Sean Alston and a second by Commissioner Leo Kelly, commissioners took a few minutes to discuss their thoughts.

“I don’t like the tax rate,” said Commissioner Carolyn Faines. “I don’t want to put taxes on our citizens.” But Faines acknowledged the needs of the county and said she would therefore cast a yes vote.

Chair Dan Brummitt said he could support “some element of increase, but I can’t support a 10-cent tax increase.”

“I can’t support a tax increase of this much when people are struggling day-to-day,” Brummitt said.

He noted that this budget represents a 16 percent increase from last year’s budget, with $4.7 million being put into a savings account, largely because of unused salaries created by short staffing.

The overall operating budget, however, represents a decrease from last year’s budget.

Commissioner Tommy Hester said he advocates a revenue-neutral budget because he wants to be able to tell taxpayers exactly where their money will be used. That could be next year, when plans for a new jail are farther along.

“You don’t build a house without a plan,” Hester said. He also expressed his displeasure at a 23 percent increase in commissioners’ stipends when county employees will get only a 7 percent pay increase. “I can’t go along with that. My conscience will not let me do it – I can’t go along with this budget.”

Commissioner Leo Kelly reiterated his comments from a previous budget work session and said the growth of the county depends on the budget; he said he didn’t relish the idea of a tax increase, but he said he, as a taxpayer, is willing to do his share.

“If we don’t grow our budget, we don’t grow our county,” Kelly said. “It’s how we move this county forward.”

In concurring with Kelly, Commissioner Archie Taylor said the county is in dire need of some things that need to get done.

The board hasn’t increased taxes since the last revaluation eight years ago. “Now, we’re at the point where we know we’re going to have to increase taxes – either this year or next year,” Taylor said.

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TownTalk: County Budget Deliberations

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In a budget work session last week, the Vance County Board of Commissioners worked to reach consensus to raise the tax rate by 10 cents – to 71 cents per $100 property valuation – a move that will provide cost-of-living increases for staff and have funds for capital projects and a possible salary study.

The consensus, though not an official vote, was reached with four commissioners in favor.

It’s estimated that the additional 10 cents will generate $4.3 million in additional revenue.

According to County Manager C. Renee Perry, the revenue-neutral rate of 61.3 cents per $100 valuation would not be enough to support any capital projects that are needed in the county, including work on a new jail, 911 call center, a northern end EMS station and more.

Perry broke it down this way: 1 cent will be for an additional 3 percent COLA increase (for a total of 7 percent), and the other 9 cents would be for addressing capital needs and the salary study.

Commissioner Sean Alston said the county must pay attention to salaries that would be more competitive with surrounding counties.

“We have to move for the future,” Alston said.

Commissioner Leo Kelly concurred. “If we don’t grow the budget, we don’t grow the county.” Kelly said it is critical to take advantage of the revaluation to keep the county moving forward. “This is the time to do it,” he said of increasing the tax rate.

Chair Dan Brummitt said he is willing to entertain ideas about the budget but said he does not support a tax increase.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he said, adding that the county should not grow the government; rather, “leave the money in people’s pockets” and let them invest in the county to grow the economy.

Commissioner Archie Taylor said he is in favor of raising salaries to help the staffing shortages across county agencies, including the Department of Social Services, sheriff’s office and the jail – which has had almost two dozen vacancies for the past two years, according to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

In addition to salary increases, Commissioner Yolanda Feimster said the county has to keep an eye on quality of services. “We can’t keep prolonging the situation – we’ve got to get people hired” so county residents can have the quality of services they desire and deserve.

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Closer Look At Newly Released Fire Study

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Now that the county’s fire study has been conducted and recommendations received, the big question is: What’s next?

Members of the county’s public safety committee and the fire commission got the report, which was conducted by AP Triton, a company that the Vance County Board of Commissioners selected last summer year to do the study amid questions around how the county’s fire services should be structured.

On Thursday afternoon, AP Triton’s Frank Blackley was on hand to offer an overview of the study and the findings and recommendations it contains. A discussion of the full report is on the agenda for Monday’s regular monthly meeting of the board of commissioners.

The study includes 19 recommendations, the first two being keeping the current Vance County Fire Department as it is and having a separate position for county fire marshal.

The study involved getting lots of information from each of the volunteer fire departments as well as making site visits to each location.

In an overview of stations, Blackley’s presentation to the joint committee included bullet points about conditions at the county’s fire stations.  They are noted below:

  • The Kittrell station is inadequate and does not meet the requirements of a modern fire station.
  • Bearpond, Drewry and Epsom have ample space and room to expand if needed.
  • Cokesbury and Wakins are adequate, but do not have room for expansion.
  • Hicksboro’s main station is in fair condition but modified to include one bedroom. The second station only houses a fire truck and has no sleeping rooms.
  • Townsville is adequate, but minimal room to expand.
  • Vance County Rescue Squad’s facility is insufficient and no dedicated (space) for training or meeting and limited space for growth.
  • VCFD main station is shared with EMS. Office space is inadequate for both agencies. The station lacks sufficient space for training and meetings.
  • The Kerr Lake station is in good condition.

The study looked at equipment, including trucks and other apparatus vehicles used by firefighters. Most of the trucks are in fair or good condition, the report states, but most of the tenders/tankers are older models. Maintenance costs make older equipment more expensive to operate, but, Blackley said, the cost of new trucks – and their lengthy delivery times – is prohibitive for many departments.

Blackley’s overview included 6 key findings, which are below:

  • Service demand is heavier around Henderson down into Bearpond. Converting VCFD to volunteer would reduce service in the area with the highest demand.
  • The Communication Center does not apply NFPA recommendations for call handling and dispatching.
  • VCFD has slow reaction times when responding to an accident.
  • There is not an adopted county-wide incident management system.
  • The departments do not have consistent protocols and SOGs (standard operating guidelines)
  • There has been no formal voluntary adoption of NFPA standards

The study also noted a need for the county to develop a formal, written countywide incident management system to create consistency among departments. And Blackley noted a need for adopting National Fire Protection Association standards and to have consistent protocols and standard operating guidelines in place across departments.

The study included a pathway to implement the recommendations, starting with the creation of a Fire and Rescue Services Working Group to develop and prioritize goals.

Blackley said the findings of the fire study can help county leaders address challenges to provide fire coverage to a growing county population, “how to determine what those resources are going to look like and plan for the future.”

At some point , he said, there will be an increase in population because of growth spreading out from the Triangle area.

He also said that the current fire tax rate will not keep up with inflation, noting that without an increase in the fire tax, the fund would be in the red by 2029. The current fire tax rate is 8.9 cents per $100 valuation, and the proposed fire tax rate in the 2024-25 budget is 5.9 cents per $100.

The complete report can be found on the county’s website, www.vancecounty.org.

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Vance County Commissioners Receive $57M Budget

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners received the 2024-25 budget recommendation Tuesday afternoon. The budget totals more than $57 million and achieves a revenue-neutral tax rate of $61.3 cents per $100 property value, down from the current rate of 89 cents.

It took about 15 minutes for Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry to present the budget – $57,848,373 – to commissioners, noting several highlights on the revenue and on the expenditure sides. An additional $2.3 million will be used from the General Fund balance.

Roughly half of the county’s revenues – more than $26 million – is projected to come from property taxes, and the recent revaluation figures bumped up by $2 billion the county’s total property value – from $2.9 billion to the current value of $4.9 billion.

Commissioner Tommy Hester commended Perry on the budget and said he didn’t remember the county having a lower tax rate. “You’ve put together an outstanding budget without hurting the taxpayer,” Hester said.

Commissioner Chair Dan Brummitt said he appreciated Perry presenting a revenue-neutral budget.

Another highlight is a reduction in the county’s fire tax rate, from 8.9 cents to 5.94 cents – also revenue-neutral, Perry said.

The proposed budget is less than a 1 percent increase over last year’s budget, Perry noted in her presentation.

But the budget as it currently stands provides no money for jail renovations, McGregor Hall, the Around Town Shuttle (KARTS) or a new EMS building.

County departments put in requests for funding totaling $60.2 million, but the budget funds $57.8 million of those requests, which includes items like new vehicles for the sheriff’s office, a transport vehicle for the jail and a 166,000 ambulance remount.

Other expenditures include roughly $400,000 for the creation of a code enforcement department.

County staff will get a 4 percent cost-of-living adjustment.

Commissioners will have a public hearing on the budget at the June meeting, which will be held Monday, June 3 beginning at 6 p.m. Commissioners will hold budget discussions on Monday, June 10 and Thursday, June 13. The meetings will begin at 6 p.m. State law requires local governments to adopt a new budget by July 1.

Tune in to TownTalk Wednesday at 11 a.m. to hear details of the county budget.

The 138-page budget document can be viewed at www.vancecounty.org/. Click on Departments and then Board of Commissioners to locate the file.