Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / June 25, 2014, edition 1 / Page 1
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U02 A0109 ll"i,l,ill,,'i»-i|i.flJHi|ii||.1| •ii||in.|i||i| i. .IIIIJ...I, SHEPHERD PRUDEN LIBRARY 106 W WATER ST EDENTOW NIP 070')') 40CA July 4th festivities planned, IB 482-4418 Wednesday, June 25, 2014 50* June surprises arise in local election •STAFF PHOTO BY REGGIE PONDER , Carey Y. Parrish IV files Monday morning at the Chowan County Board of Elections Office as an unaffiliated candidate for District 2, Seat 1 on the county’s Board of Commissioners. Parrish joins incumbent Commissioner John Mitchener, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Brian Ferraraccio in the race. ■ Parrish running unaffiliated in District 2; Brabble seeks spot on ballot in sheriff race BY REGGIE PONDER Editor A third candidate joined the District 2, Seat 2 county commissioner race this "week as Carey Y. Parrish IV filed Unaffiliated. . Parrish, 31, joins incumbent Commissioner John Mitchener, a Democrat, and Republican Brian Ferra racdo in thd contest Parrish was required to submit 183 signatures of registered voters in the district in order to get on the ballot in the November General Electioa When he filed Monday he turned in more than 300 signatures, of which 279 were certified as registered voters with correct address. Meanwhile, Tim Brabble, a former officer with the Chowan County Sheriff’s Department who ran unsuc cessfully for sheriff in a previous race, has been gather ing signatures in a bid to get on the ballot , The required number of signatures in the sheriff’s race, which is countywide, is 420. Friday is the dead line for turning in the signatures. Friday also is the first day of filing for the Edenton Chowan Board of Education, and incumbent board members John Guard and Gil Burroughs said this See ELECTION, 4A Walmart nixes Edenton as site for store From staff reports Walmart apparently is no longer looking at Edenton as a site for a new store. Frank Miglorie, execu tive director of the Eden ton-Chowan Partnership, told local officials and the Chowan Herald Monday that Walmart was no longer actively considering Eden ton. The Chowan Herald at presstime had been unable to confirm the report with Walmart officials. The Edenton-Chowan Partnership on June 5 vot ed to offer its services to Walmart should the compar ny wish to take advantage of work the partnership could do^on its behalf. The company earlier this Town approves budget, tax hike ■ Rate increase of 3.71 cents over revenue-neutral rate is less than town manager's recommendation BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer The town council voted 4-2 to approve an amended bud get ordinance for fiscal year 2014-2015 that would raise the tax rate 3.71 cents above the revenue-neutral rate, rather than the previously proposed 5.71 cents. Councilmen Bob Quinn and Steve Biggs both voted W . on adopting the proposed budget with the reduction. The action came following lengthy, sometimes heated < discussion among council members concerned the change in the amount of the proposed tax rate increase and the contents of the budget itself. The revenue-neutral tax rate is the rate required to gen erate the same amount of property tax revenue as in the current fiscal year. The tax rate adopted by the council Monday is 3.71 cents per $100 valuation above the revenue neutral rate. See TOWN, 3A County approves budget with 1.5-cent increase in tax rate BY REGGIE PONDER Editor Chowan County officials adopted a 2014-2015 budget Monday that increases die property tax rate by one and a half cents but will mean a lower tax bill for most coun ty taxpayers. 0 ©2009 The Chowan Herald r All Rights Reserved year contacted Town of Edenton officials, indicating it was considering a pos sible store location here. Chowan County Com missioner Emmett Win borne has argued in recent weeks that the partnership should aggressively pur sue a Walmart store in the county. ' During a meeting Monday • night of the Chowan Board of Commissioners, Win borne expressed frustration at learning that Walmart was no longer looking at the community as a prospec tive store location. He said he was troubled that there were people trying to keep businesses out of the coun ty - a reference to the vocal See WALMART, 3A The budget, approved on a 6-2 vote of the Chowan County Board of Commis sioners, increases the prop erty tax rate from 68.5 cents per $100 valuation to 70 cents. Other rates and fees re main the same as in the 2013-2014 budget Commissioners John Mitchener and Greg Bonner voted against the budget, ex pressing concern regarding whether the budget would provide adequate cushion for continuing services at the current level given the likelihood of decreased rev Fond Farewell SIAhh rnU lU br KtbtbbA bUNbb Members of the Edenton-Chowan Schools central office staff show off their best dance moves as they serenade retiring Superintendent Allan Smith during a party in Smith’s honor. Brad Bass, transportation director/ maintenance supervisor for the Edenton-Chowan Schools (below), performs a special song to the tune of Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville" during Smith’s retirement party at White Oak School. Smith honored as retirement nears enues from state sources. Although the property tax rate has increased, most taxpayers will see lower tax bills because of steep declines in assessed values of real property. This is a re valuation year for the coun ty, and the overall assessed value of real property has dropped dramatically since the last revaluation eight years ago. As Commissioner Jeff Smith noted Monday, farm ers and businesses gener ally will see their property taxes go up in this budget They are the exception to the rule of generally declin ing values. The overall reduction in assessed value of prop erty in the 2014 revaluation means the current tax rate of 68.5 cents per $100 valu ation would generate more than $1 million less on the new values than it did in the current fiscal year. To close that gap, County Manager Kevin Howard rec ommended an increase in the property tax rate to 73.5 cents per $100 valuation, along with a nearly $40,000 reduction in General Ftmd spending and an infusion of ■ Chowan superintendent treated with dinner, gifts BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer An evening of fun and friend ship for a departing colleague greeted Superintendent Allan Smith as he attended a retirement dinner in his honor last Thursday night at White Oak Elementary School. Following a welcome by school board chair John Guard and the recognition of guests by school board co-chair Kay Wright, Smith received his first message of farewell in a videotaped greet ing from State Superintendent of Public Schools June Atkin son. Atkinson praised Smith for his outstanding work in public education, concluding with the more than $460,000 into the 2014-2015 budget from the fund balance in the General Fund. The commissioners in a series of budget workshops whittled the tax rate down to 70 cents. A significant sub-plot in this year’s budget decision was the severe shortfall in Emergency Medical Ser vice revenues, which has required that some $600,000 be brought in from the fund balance in the General Fund to subsidize the service. Commissioner Emmett Winbome during the meet words, “I wish you the very best, I wish you happy trails.” During the lighthearted pro gram that followed a dinner ca tered by Montero’s, Smith’s col leagues told jokes, danced, sang songs and shared stories as they remembered a man who, in their words, always put children first. Michelle Maddox, who serves the dual roles of human resourc es officer and public information officer in the local school system, showed off her acting and come dic talents as she emceed the program in the guise of a little girl who spoke in a sing-song voice and used childlike gestures along with funny quips to introduce Smith’s friends and colleagues. Board member Gene Jordan joked with Smith about the ben See SMITH, 3A ing Monday night expressed consternation and shock about the revenue shortfall. But county staff said the county used projections based on information from medical facilities and the billing company. Also, county staff has in dicated the shortfall has re sulted largely from high up front costs in moving to the paramedic level of EMS. The county’s unrestricted fund balance will remain at slightly more than the 26 percent figure that commis sioners have set as a policy for the county. .35™ ANNUAL Fabulous 4tt of July * ..- —- . - ■ ■■■ — NORTH CAROLINA'S LARGEST Dwer the water lireworks show" STEVE HARDY'S ORIGINAL BEACH PARTY Popular among all audiences MECHANICAL BULL RIDING AND PONY RIDES LOTS OF FOOD, FUN, CRAFTS, RAFFLES AND GAMES FOR CHILDREN!!! Phase Support Our Fabulous 4th of July WE MEED YOUR FINANCIAL HEU>! MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO * CHOWAN EDENTON OPTIMIST CLUB 160 Cowpen Neck Rd., Edenton NC 27932 IRS Tax Exempt ID # available upon request i
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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June 25, 2014, edition 1
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