■_ l -ii P8/C8*‘****CAR-RT LOT * *C 002 A0109 SHEPHERD PRUDEN LIBRARY 106 W WATER ST EDENTON NC 27932-1854 Fair board earns top award — IB 50" 482-4418 Wednesday, February 4, 2015 PHOTO COURTESY EDENTON-CHOWAN SCHOOLS These split system units that are supposed to heat and cool the gym dressing rooms at Chowan Middle School have not worked in 10 years. Staff: Old heating systems sap energy efficiency BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer Outdated heating and cooling systems in the county's schools form the bulk of $2.4-mil lion in identified capital needs discussed during the school board’s .Jan. 26 an nual retreat. During a presentation at the retreat by Superinten dent Rob Jackson and Main tenance Direct or Brad Bass, board members were told that at least 24 units at John A. Holmes High School and 15 units at Chowan Middle School have exceeded their life expec tancy by eight years based on the manu facturers’ specifica tions. Bass said that t mrW i JACKSON has resulted in the units not being as energy efficient as newer systems and costing more to operate and repair. “And what we would have on our hands is a big mess, if they go out,” he said, Jackson was very clear with the board that the re "These figures reflect needs, not wants." Rob Jackson Superintendent, Edenton-Chowan County Schools port on facility needs was focused on things that will require action to address. “These figures reflect needs, not wants,” Jackson said. Board of Commissioners Chairman Jeff Smith said this week that the commis sioners would consider the school board’s request as pail oi' the 2015-2016 coun ty budget process. “As with any other thing, we will look at the school board's request and do what we can,” Smith said. The capital needs report talks about leaking boilers and aging radiators that are a cause for concern, Bass said. And the needs don’t stop there. “We currently have a DOS-based Unity automa tion system (at John A. Holmes) that was installed in 1989,” Bass said during a PowerPoint presenta tion. "Our IT department specialist Bill Linton has rebuilt the power sup plies for the CPU’s along with replacing boards and modules that he had on hand. All spare parts that were.on hand have been exhausted. This system is no longer supported by the manufacturer and parts are no longer avail able." According to the report the dressing rooms for the Chowan Middle School gym have split-system heating units that have not worked in a decade. And Jackson said that at Holmes, show er doors have been bolted shut because the showers don’t work. “That’s something we need to take care of,” he said. “Certainly our stu dents deserve better.” A critical step in deal ing with the situation, said board member Glorious Elliott, is making parents and the community at large aware of the conditions in the county’s aging schools. Jackson said he would be willing to do a presentation at each of the four schools as well as taking it to local civic groups. A'W/'.v Editor Reggie Ponder rout rib uted to this report. School officials seek bigger role in funding decisions BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer Edenton-Chowan Schools officials are seek ing a more active role in deciding local funding for school needs. The Chowan County Board of Conunissioners Ls responsible for funding school facilities mid has t he sole taxing authority for providing local funds for school needs,’ But school board mem ber Gene Jordan said dur ing the board’s aiuiuaj re treat last week that he felt the school board needed to be able to do more than just present the information to the county commissioners at one of their upcoming meetings and then leave as if they were a commit tee, not a bo;ird with (*qual standing. Jordan suggested that instead the commission ers be asked to hold meet ings with the school hom'd with both boards playing an equal role. The commis sioners should help set the agenda mid active, produe live discussion between the two boju'ds that gets results should be a priority, Jordan s;iid. Board of Commissioners Chairman Jeff Smith said this week that the county commissioners understand the school board’s role. “The school board Ls the school board," Smith said. “They are elected officials jast like we ;ire.” 'Ilte boards in the past have held joint meetings, ;mcl there have been meet ings between a county com missioners’ liaison and a school board liaison, Smith said. The issue ttrose at the school board’s retreat See DECISIONS, 3A “This is not pointing fingers at anybody. But we must address these needs now or we could have a crisis." John Guard School board chairman Summer ground breaking eyed for new police station BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer Town officials hope to break ground on a new police station this summer. The town council got its first look during its Jan. 26 work ses sion at the proposed layout for the new Edenton Police Department, slated for a site along Oakum and ©2009 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved Albemarle streets. The town is in the process of ac quiring the property. The projected budget for the new police station is $2 million. The layout was part of a pre sentation by Ann Collier and Tim Oakley from Rocky Mount-based Oakley Collier Architects. Collier began by noting that wliile the new space will lie sorne wliat smaller than the old, noth ing of value will have been lost. For example, the new.lobby will be just 252 square feet rather than the 500 square feet the police See NEW STATION, 3A ■ Defense’s motion for dismissal denied by judge BY REGGIE PONDER Editor ELIZABETH CITY - A lawsuit against an Elizabeth City auto dealership by a Chowan County woman whose, infant son died in the wake of last April’s tor nadoes will be allowed to move forward, a Superior Court judge ruled Monday. At a hearing in Pasquotank County Superior Court, Judge Quentin Sumner denied attorney Kevin Rust’s motion on behalf of Alliance Nissan to dismiss Ashley Bain’s claims of intrusion upon peace and solitude, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and intentional infliction of emo tional distress. The lawsuit stems from a radio spot aired frequently on stations in the region following the April 25, 2014 tornadoes in See LAWSUIT, 2A Board mulls moratorium on turbines BY REGGIE PONDER Editor The Chowan County Planning Board is scheduled to meet Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Public Safety Center to hear public comment on a proposed moratorium on the issuance of zoning permits for tire development of wind energy facilities in Chowan County. The meeting that had been scheduled for Feb. 3 was cancelled. Planning Board Chairman Lou Surratt said last week that the board has discussed a 90-day moratorium on wind t urbine per mit applications. See TURBINES, 2A Pra^^jKSMEa EMMI SSM^MSmSESSL Sponsored by the Rocky Hock Button Club • TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED FROM ANY RURlTAN MEMBER OR CALL 252-221-4875 Ol