Tag Archive for: #vancecountymanager

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Bearpond Fire Department No Longer Housing EMS Ambulance

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The Bearpond Fire Department has been notified that the Vance County Emergency Medical Services ambulance will no longer be stationed at its location, which has prompted some in the community to wonder why.

A statement issued Wednesday from the office of Vance County Manager Renee Perry said that the EMS made the decision based on a number of factors, from call volume and response patterns to personnel burnout and fatigue. It did not, however, mention where the ambulance would be relocated.

In a post Tuesday on its social media page, Bearpond Fire Department leaders said they didn’t know why the change was being made, but added “we feel the need to address this as we have already been flooded with calls about rumors as to why.”

The press statement included information that Vance County EMS had made the decision “only after a thorough evaluation of staffing levels, emergency call volume, response patterns and the overall operational needs of the countywide EMS system.

“It is important for our residents to understand that VC EMS is a countywide emergency medical service,” Perry was quoted in the statement. “Our responsibility is to provide emergency medical care to every resident of Vance County, regardless of where they live. Although an ambulance is no longer permanently stationed at the Bearpond Fire Department, we remain fully committed to responding to emergencies throughout the entire county, including the southern end of Vance County.”

According to the statement, the emergency medical call volume has increased significantly within the City of Henderson and the northern portion of Vance County over the past several years.

“As demand for emergency services has grown, additional resources and personnel have been needed in these areas to maintain timely and effective emergency medical response.”

It continued, saying, “At the same time, EMS experienced numerous occasions when staffing levels were insufficient to consistently keep an ambulance in service at the Bearpond station. Maintaining a unit that could not be reliably staffed was not a sustainable or efficient use of available personnel and resources.”

Additionally, crews assigned to the EMS Main Station have assumed the majority of emergency responses for both the City of Henderson and the northern portion of the county, the statement said. “This sustained increase in workload has placed significant demands on frontline personnel, contributing to fatigue and burnout. Realigning ambulance deployment allows EMS to better match resources with community needs while supporting the health and well-being of the personnel who provide these critical services.”

In its post, Bearpond FD dispelled any notion of discord between it and Vance County EMS or government leaders.

“At no point has there ever been a disagreement between our Department and Vance County EMS or Vance County Government. Also, at no point was there any discussion from our Department to the Vance County government about asking for more money due Vance County EMS utilizing our building and utilities.”

The post concluded with, “We hate to see them leave our fine community but as with most things, needs change with time and we wish VC EMS the absolute best with their future vision.”

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County Establishes Water Bill Forgiveness Program To Help Customers Complete Connection To County Water System

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— From the office of Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry

The Vance County Water District, in partnership with the Vance County Board of Commissioners, has announced a Water Bill Forgiveness Program designed to assist property owners with outstanding availability fees while encouraging connection to the County’s water system.

This limited-time amnesty program is specifically targeted toward property owners who previously signed up for water service but never completed connection to the system and have since accumulated outstanding balances.

The offer is good through March 31, 2027. Under the program, eligible participants may receive 75 percent forgiveness of their outstanding availability balance in exchange for connecting to the county water system. Currently, unconnected properties are assessed a monthly $30 base availability fee. By participating in the program and completing the connection, customers will not only significantly reduce their outstanding balance but also gain access to the full benefits of reliable public water service.

“This program reflects the County’s commitment to supporting our residents while also strengthening our water infrastructure,” said County Manager C. Renee Perry. “We encourage eligible property owners to take advantage of this opportunity to reduce outstanding balances and secure reliable water service for their homes.”

There are several requirements that must be satisfied to take advantage of the forgiveness program, besides having a property with an outstanding balance and a promise from the customer to connect to the Vance County water system.

Customers also must submit a formal letter of request to participate in the program, and the account must remain in good standing for a period of 12 months following connection, according to information from the county.

Eligible customers should contact the county’s water system operator, Envirolink, to begin the process and receive additional guidance on submitting the required requests.

Contact Information:

Vance County Water District / Envirolink

Phone: 252.235.4900 / Toll Free: 1.888.754.9878

customerservice@envirolinkinc.com

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Investigation Involving Vance County Tax Office Results In Criminal Charges; One Arrest Made

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A county tax office employee was arrested Wednesday on charges of embezzlement, according to information from the State Bureau of Investigation.

Brianna Kele Anderson, 28, faces three felony counts of Embezzlement of Taxes by Officer, the SBI press release stated. After her first court appearance, Anderson was released on a $105,000 secured bond.

According to the SBI, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office requested its assistance on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 regarding allegations of embezzlement.

A press statement issued right around 12 noon on Wednesday from the office of County Manager C. Renee Perry confirmed the investigation, adding that sufficient evidence was established to support criminal charges.

“Due to the matter now being within the judicial process, Vance County is limited in the details it can release at this time. The County remains committed to transparency, accountability, and cooperation with law enforcement while respecting the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings,” the statement read, adding that the SBI is the lead investigative agency in the matter.

No further details were made available.

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Vance County DSS Affected By Cybersecurity Incident; Investigation Ongoing

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Vance County officials are actively responding to a recent cybersecurity incident that was isolated solely to the Vance County Department of Social Services. County leadership is working closely with state and federal partners, as well as cybersecurity professionals, to fully investigate the situation, contain any threats, and ensure that DSS operations are restored safely and securely.

In a press release Monday, County Manager C. Renee Perry emphasized the county’s commitment to protecting sensitive information. “This incident was limited to the Department of Social Services, and we are taking every step necessary to secure our systems and protect our clients’ data,” Perry stated.

While DSS services may be temporarily modified or delayed, all other Vance County departments and services are operating normally. Essential services, including emergency response and public safety, remain fully functional and unaffected.

As part of its response, Vance County IT has notified law enforcement and is following all required protocols to investigate the source and impact of this incident. Residents with active DSS cases may experience temporary delays and are encouraged to monitor the county website and social media channels for updates and specific guidance. Because the investigation has just started, DSS does not know whether any personal information stored by DSS was affected. If sensitive personal information was impacted during the event, Vance County will notify individuals directly as required by law. Additional updates will be shared as we are able.

Perry said, “We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we work to resolve this incident swiftly and securely. Our priority is the well-being of those we serve and the continued trust our residents place in us.”

The Local Skinny! County Manager Releases Revised Budget

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Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry said that her $64.3 million proposed budget presented to commissioners last week had some missing information, which prompted a line-by-line review of the numbers to create a revised budget.

The revised budget seems to be about $600,000 more than the original budget, coming in at $64,933,833.

“I know errors happen, but I hated for this to happen,” Perry told WIZS News. ”There was an issue with the data transfer from one spreadsheet to the next, and some of the expenditures and some of the requests did not make it in my budget,” she explained.

Perry said she and her team used a different process with the spreadsheets used to create the budget and “when we merged the data, we didn’t catch that some of the departments’ recommendations were missing, so it threw my numbers off.”

Perry said “something was on my mind” after the Monday, May 5th presentation to commissioners, and when she started looking through the spreadsheets, she realized something was missing.

She emailed commissioners first thing the next day, Tuesday morning May 6, to inform them of the issue.

“As soon as I was aware, I made them aware,” she said.

Perry said she and her team reviewed the budget over the last week, “making sure that we budgeted properly and that what I’m presenting to the commissioners are the things that they need to consider. I don’t want to go after July 1 and realize, ‘Oh, my God!’ we don’t have money for that,” she said.

“I need to present what we need for fiscal year 25-26 in its entirety, and I did not do that (at the Monday meeting). I’m taking full accountability, being transparent…to be able to present what I need to present to my commissioners.”

The revised budget was posted on the county’s website this Wednesday, May 14, giving commissioners a week to review before the scheduled May 20 budget work session.

The public hearing on the budget remains scheduled on June 2 at the regular monthly commissioners’ meeting.

If you happened to notice the first scheduled budget work session for this past Monday, May 12th, was cancelled.  This is the reason why.

In Perry’s cover letter to the budget presented to commissioners, she wrote:

“With all funds balanced and revenues and expenditures noted, this budget will not only meet statutory requirements but primarily seek to move Vance County forward in the next fiscal year by continuing to address needs within our infrastructure, services, and targeting opportunities of growth to capitalize on the inherent strengths of the communities across the County. The following message will outline points of emphasis and funding within the budget and highlight characteristics of the County that point toward continued strength and growth.”

The manager’s proposed budget does not include an increase nor a decrease in the general fund property tax rate of .7129 per $100 in value. The budget does not include an increase nor a decrease to 5.94 cents fire tax rate.

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The Local Skinny! Vacant County Director Roles Now Filled

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Back in February, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry was just a few months into her new job. On top of gearing up to prepare the county’s annual budget and getting up to speed on some of the unique challenges and opportunities across the county she was now responsible for, Perry also faced having to fill a good handful of county positions, including five directors of departments.

Perry turned a negative into a positive at the time, and said back in February that she chose to see the vacancies as a chance for her to build her own leadership team.

When Vance County announced Tuesday that it had selected a new Social Services Director, that “team” is officially complete.

Sandy Weaver began her new role as DSS director effective Oct. 1, as did Jeremy T. Jones as assistant county manager.

And Perry won’t celebrate her first anniversary as county manager until Nov. 1.

One by one, the vacancies have been filled:

·       Budget and Finance director – Stephanie Williams;

·       Animal Services manager – William Coker;

·       Planning director – Sherry Moss;

·       Elections director- Haley Rawles;

·       Economic Development director – Ferdinand A. Rouse;

·       DSS director – Sandy Weaver

·       Chief Code Enforcement Officer – Bob Rosch

The code enforcement office is located in the same office as planning, but it will function as a separate department with Rosch as the department head, county staff noted.

Vance County Names New DSS Director

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Vance County has named a new director of Social Services.

Sandy Weaver assumed the role effective today, Oct. 1.

According to County Manager C. Renee Perry, Weaver has worked in the department as the Interim Social Work Program Administrator since July 30, 2024.

In the coming months, Perry said Weaver will be working with previous interim director Wayne Black to completely transition to her new role.

“We are thrilled to have Sandy join our team,” said Perry. “Her extensive background in social services as well as management will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our county’s services and ensure the well-being of our citizens.”

She previously served as deputy director for the Johnston County Department of Social Services for four years and as the assistant director for the Cumberland County Department of Social Services for approximately three years. Before that, she was a Social Work Program Administrator and Social Work Supervisor in Scotland County for three years.

She began her Social Services career in Columbus County in 2011 and held the positions of Lead Adult Protective Services worker, Adult Home Specialist and Social Work Supervisor/Child Protective Services Facilitator. She previously served as a Hospital Social Worker and a School Social Worker.

Weaver holds both a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Master of Social Work degree from the UNC-Pembroke.

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Vance County Names New Economic Development Director

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Vance County has named Ferdinand A. Rouse as its new Economic Development director.

Rouse has served as coordinator of Raleigh’s Small Business Development Programs and also has been an economic development specialist in Adams County, CO.

He will begin his work with Vance County on Monday, July 15, according to Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry.

“I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of Vance County,” Rouse said in a press release received from Perry earlier today (Tuesday).

In addition to his work in Raleigh, Rouse has worked as Minority and Women Business coordinator for the city of Greenville. He has an undergraduate degree from UNC-Charlotte and a master’s degree in business administration from ECU.

He is a certified Economic Developer and is recognized by the International Economic Development Council.

“I am more than thrilled to bring Mr. Rouse on board with the rest of the Vance County team,” Perry stated. “Ferdinand’s education and experience are a perfect fit for our needs right now.”

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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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Vance County To Welcome New Budget And Finance Director Monday, April 1

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Vance County has selected a new Budget and Finance director. Stephanie Williams will begin her new role on Monday, Apr. 1 and she said she’s “ready to get to work.”

Williams comes to Vance County from Durham County Schools, where she served as director of Fiscal Operations, according to a press release from Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to be joining the team at Vance County government,”, Williams stated. “I look forward to working with everyone to continue the work and build upon the dynamic services provided to the community while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”

With a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from N.C. Central University, Williams has a background and 18 years’ experience in the finance and accounting fields, which includes internal audit, capital funding, budgeting, bank administration, school finance, bank reconciliation and bond projects.

Perry said, “I am more than thrilled to bring Ms. Williams on board with the rest of the Vance County team. Stephanie’s education and experience are a perfect fit for our needs right now.”

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