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Fair board earns top award — IB
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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Outdated heating and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
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