Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / May 24, 2017, edition 1 / Page 2
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2A THE CHOWAN HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 24,2017 DSS Continued from 1A found failures in child ser vices. “In a 2015 federal review of the state’s child welfare system, North Carolina failed all 14 criteria, even the basic safety Of the children in the system,” Cook said in an email. “The NC child wel fare system also failed a state review, auditor’s review, leg islative review and an inde pendent review. We have 100 counties delivering services 100 different ways.” Cook further claimed that a regional system of deliver ing social services would ease workloads on “over whelmed” case managers, lead to the sharing of best practices and improve re sponse times to crises. Smith-Ingram, D- Northampton, said she also supported the measure as effort to improve child ser vices, citing the same report that Cook mentioned. She said the state needs to make child services more account able and accessible. She declined to discuss specific issues found at local DSS of fices, but said she learned of an “extreme issue” in one of the counties she represents. In supporting the legisla tion, she said she wanted to ensure rural areas had a “seat at the table” in the dis cussions. • Local officials remain skeptical or opposed to the legislation, however. Pasquotank County At torney Mike Cox reported to commissioners last week that the county is lobbying against the bill. “I don’t think any time you centralize government at this level, it’s going to be a good thing for the county,” Cox said. Alluding to the merger of regional mental health agen cies that created Trillium Health Resources, he also commented, “You create these entities like mental health and you get some big salaries and less services, and there’s big concerns about that.” Pasquotank DSS Direc-, tor Melissa Stokely said in an email Thursday that the “I don’t think any time you centralize government at this level, it's going to be a £personnel questions, good thing for the country." Romm also said that DSS offices do need to improve, Mike Cox and that the differences be- legislation “leaves too many unanswered questions at this point.” Though not directly tak ing a position on the propos al, she shared a statement from the N.C. Association of County Directors of So cial Services in opposition to the legislation. “Based on our experi ence and the experience of other states, we believe that regionalization will further fragment the system, weak en the safety net in each county, and place children and families at unnecessary risk,” the statement reads. While Perquimans Coun ty commissioners haven’t taken a formal position on DSS regionalization, Per quimans County Manager Frank Heath said some do have concerns about merg ¬ Pasquotank county attorney ing, DSS offices, based on how the merger of mental health agencies has gone. “In that case we don’t have control,” Heath said. “I think the feeling is social services probably needs to be maintained on the coun ty level.” Like Stokely, Chowan County DSS Director Lete- cia Loadholt said “there are lots of unanswered ques tions” about regionalizing social services — “especial ly in rural areas.” Currituck DSS Director Kathy Romm said while she’s opposed to the legisla tion, she is glad it includes a working group to study the “potentially extremely complex” merger of DSS offices. It’s unclear how re gional entities would affect county DSS offices’ federal, tween local funding levels can have a big impact on services and retaining good employees. But she said she doesn’t see how regionaliza tion will fix anything. “I do not see how that improves the outcome we agree with the state we need,” she said. Camden DSS Direc tor Craig Patterson said that county DSS offices are working to improve in response to the federal review. But he also noted that “no state passes” that review. Notably, the review evaluates North Carolina as a whole, not individual county DSS offices. Patterson also said that some counties’ DSS offices provide unique services to meet special local needs. It’s not clear those services would continue under a sys tem of regional entities, he said. Though the regionaliza tion bill eqjoys support from both of the region’s senators, area House members take different positions. State Rep. Howard Hunter III, D- Hertford, opposes merging DSS offices. “I will not support re gionalization,” he said in an email. “Local control is bet ter. It’s a horrible bill.” State Rep. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan, said he’s heard local concerns about merg ing DSS offices, and all the issues that could create, such as potential loss of employment or people hav ing to travel further for ser vices. However, he noted the working group is essentially a study committee, and the working group might find regionalization is a bad idea. He said he would consider regionalization, but only if it improves the vital services that are a “lifeline” for many people. Perquimans Weekly Editor Peter Williams and Chowan Herald Editor Miles Layton contributed to this report. HOSPITALS Continued from 1A emergency care for patients NOTICE MEETING OF THE CHOWAN COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION & REVIEW Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 105-322, the Chowan County Board of Equalization and Review will meet as required by law. PURPOSE OF MEETINGS: To hear, upon request, appeals from taxpayers who own or control taxable property assessed for taxation in Chowan County regarding the valuation of such property or the property of others, and to fulfill other duties and responsibilities by law. TIME OF MEETINGS: The Board will convene its first meeting on Monday, May 1 st , 2017 at 6:00 P.M. The Board will meet again on Monday, June 5 th , 2017 at 6:00 P.M. with plans to adjourn for the purpose of hearing new appeals for the 2017 tax year. The meetings will be held in the Public Safety Center, 305 W. Freemason St., Edenton, NC 27932. In the event of earlier or later adjournment, notice to that effect will be pub lished in this newspaper. Notice is specifically given that all appeals or requests for hearing must be received no later than Monday, Monday, June 5 th , 2017, at 6:00 P.M. Notice is further given that dates for the hearing of appeals.timely filed will be available through the office of the Tax Administrator, serving as the Clerk to the Board of Equalization and Review, and will also be provided to individu als and organizations that have requested notice pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143-318.12. All requests for hearing should be made to: Chowan County Board of Equalization and Review C/o Chowan County Tax Department P.O. Box 1030, Edenton, NC 27932 (252) 482-8487 who are unable to pay. Sackrison said hospi tals understand CON crit ics’ argument that the free market should prevail and that no business should be shielded from compe tition. However, nonprofit Vidant hospitals don’t get to decide who their cus tomers are, nor can they turn away people unable to pay, he said. Sackrison said if the CON law is repealed, some services offered by Vidant hospitals in Edenton and Windsor — MRI scans and cataract surgery — could become vulnerable. He noted that while physicians might not rush to open competing facilities near Bertie, they might open them between Edenton and Elizabeth City to pick off patients from both Vi dant Chowan and Sentara Albemarle Medical Center. Sentara Albemarle President Coleen Santa Ana said she also opposes repealing the CON law. In an email Friday, Santa Ana said the CON law helps the Elizabeth City-based hospital provide high-qual ity, affordable care despite some patients’ inability to pay “Without CON new providers could enter our community without hav ing to bear the responsi bility of providing care for everyone” while leaving Sentara Albemarle with a higher percentage of un insured or under-insured patients, Santa Ana said. She also noted that CON “helps correct market im balances” such as hospi tals’ role in public health and disaster response, training a healthcare workforce, and accept ing low reimbursements from Medicare/Medicaid patients. Julie Henry, of the N.C. Hospital Association, said the hospital group also op poses repealing the CON law. In an interview last week, Henry said rural hospitals are already strug gling. Without the guaran teed revenue from servic es such as outpatient care that the CON law provides, some rural hospitals could be forced to shut down, she said. Those revenues help cover services that are vital though not neces sarily profitable, she said, noting freestanding emer gency rooms are rare. Henry also pointed to research by Asciendient Healthcare Advisors that disputes criticisms of North Carolina’s CON law. Asciendient, a research and consulting firm based in Chapel Hill, claims that North Carolina’s “net price- per-inpatient discharge is 15 percent lower than the average of all states with out the law, while its cost- per-outpatient service is nearly 20 percent lower.” Asciendient’s research also claims North Carolina has more hospitals and outpatient surgery cen ters per 1,000 square miles than states without CON requirements. Henry also said the po tential repeal of the federal Affordable Care Act could cause upheaval in health care, which could make now an especially bad time to repeal CON. “We’re in a very tenu ous place right now,” she said, adding her hope is that the state House will not include CON’s repeal in its version of the state budget. At least one House Re publican favors CON re peal, however. State Rep. Bob Stein burg, R-Chowan, said he understands the concerns of Vidant and other health care systems, but said he’d probably support CON’s repeal - though his vote on the budget will also de pend on other provisions. “I’m likely going to opt on the side of free enter prise,” Steinburg said of repealing CON. He acknowledged ru ral hospitals already tend to operate on “very thin margins,” but suggested limited unmet demand in rural areas and the repeal’s delay until 2025 could min imize repeal’s impacts. Rep. Howard Hunter III, D-Hertford, who repre sents part of Pasquotank County, said in a brief statement Friday that he opposes repealing the CON law, based on hospi tals’ concerns. FEDERAL GRANT REVIEW There will be a presentation in the Board of Education Building on Friday, May 19, 2017 at 10 a.m. for parents of home school students in need of Special Education Services. The presentation will address what services/materials would benefit parentally placed special education children. If interested in attending, or for questions, please contact Virginia Jones, Director of Exceptional Children’s Programs at 252-482-4436. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-Part B, Public Law 108.446) is presently being amended. The Project describes the special education programs that Edenton- Chowan County Schools proposes for Federal funding for the 2017-2018 school year. Interested persons are encouraged to review amendments to the Project and make comments concerning the implementation of special education under this Federal Program. All comments will be considered prior to submission of the amended Project to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh, North Carolina. The IDEA-Part B Project is open to the public for review and comments during the week of June 5-9 in the Board of Education, located at 406 West Queen St., Edenton, NC 27932. For questions, please contact Mrs. Virginia Jones, Director of Exceptional Children’s Programs, at 252-482-4436 or email vjones@ecps.k12.nc.us. THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION NOTICE The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title III requires that each local education agency submit a Title III application in order to receive federal funds. The federal funds are used to provide instructional activities and services to help English Language Learners meet high standards. A public meeting will be held May 24 at the Edenton-Chowan Schools Board of Education at 4:00 p.m. for the purpose of sharing information with the public concerning the programs and give participants an opportunity to provide input for planning and implementation. In addition, The No Child Left Behind Title III application is open to public review and for comments on May 26th in the office of Virginia Jones located at Edenton-Chowan Schools Board of Education, 406 W. Queen St., Edenton, North Carolina. Notificacion de Participacion Publica del Acte 2001 “Que Ningun Nino Se Quede Atras” El Acto de la Educacion Primaria y Secundaria (ESEA) Titulo III requiere que todas las instituciones locales de educacion hagan entrega de la solicitud denominada Titulo III para recibir fondos federales. Estos fondos se utilizan en la creacion de actividades y servicios educativos, que tienen como objetivo principal, mejorar el rendimiento academico de los alumnos mas desfavorecidos. El dfa 24 de Mayo del 2017 a las 4:00 p.m. se llevara a cabo una junta publica en la oficinas del Edenton-Chowan Board of Education con el proposito de informar a los asistentes sobre los programas y servicios que se ofrecen y al mismo tiempo solicitar su colaboracion en la planeacion e implementacion de los misrnos. De igual forma, la solicitud del Acta 2001 “ Que ningun nino se quede atras” estara a disposicibn del publico para su revision / comentarios del 26 de Mayo en la oficina de Virginia Jones ocalizada en las oficinas del Edenton-Chowan Schools Board of Education, ubicadas en 406 W. Queen St., Edenton, North Carolina. BANKRUPTCY STOP Foreclosure STOP Lawsuits STOP Car Repossession STOP Tax Levies and Garnishments Call Alien C. Brown Attorney #252-752-0753 ^ A Debt Relief Agency helping people eliminate debt through bankruptcy . Introducing ParuutUe Pet ^eutott A luxury boarding experience Visit our website or come by for a tour of our new state-of-the-art facility i^aradis^ PET RESORT 252.482.4113 premier pet boarding for dogs paradisepetresortnc.com RUSTON Howell Kelley Duruman Christian Ford DVM DVM DVM Small Animal Medicine & Surgery BOARDING AVAILABLE Appointment Preferred Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:00 - 5:30 • Sat. 8:00 - 12:00 noon 1515 PARADISE ROAD, EDENTON www.chowananimalhospital.com • 252-482-4113 ^MEMORIAL ^DAY**>*i TOWN OF EDENTON GARBAGE COLLECTION MEMORIAL DAY 2017 MONDAY MAY 29™ Holiday TUESDAY MAY 30™ Eastside Solid Waste Collection will be picked up WEDNESDAY MAY 31 ST Recyclables will be picked up THURSDAY JUNE 1 ST Yard Waste will be picked up Westside Solid Waste Collection will be picked up FRIDAY JUNE 2 ND Westside Solid Waste Collection will be picked up CHOWA^HERALD (USPS 106-380) Vol. 82, No. 21 Published Every Wednesday Cooke Communications North Carolina, LLC Entered as a second-class matter August 30, 1934 at the Post Office of Edenton, North Carolina, under Act of March 3,1870. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Daily Advance home delivery area $27* (Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck, parts of Gates) Elsewhere in continental United States $46 *Plus applicable sales tax. Activation fee of $1.99 will be collected with all new subscriptions. Deactivation fees may apply for early cancellation. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: The Chowan Herald • P.O. Box 207 • Edenton, NC 27932 Telephone: (252) 482-2623 Fax: (252) 482-4410 mlayton@ncweeklies.com
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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May 24, 2017, edition 1
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