Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Dec. 10, 2014, edition 1 / Page 1
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The PERQUIMANS Weekly Williams finds Elf on a Shelf, 9 "News from Next Door" DECEMBER 10, 2014 - DECEMBER 16, 2014 50 cents Firm to address hunting concern BY PETER WILLIAMS • News Editor The company planning to build a 20,000-acre wind farm in Perquimans and Pasquotank counties said the firm would address some concerns of hunters and farmers over land use, an official said last week. Iberdrola, an Oregon- based renewable energy company, leases 20,000 acres in the Four-Mile Des ert Road area. For a time, hunters leased some of the land and hunted there. That practice was stopped com pletely at one point but it has since been relaxed. Some farmers com plained that without hunt ing, the deer population was getting out of control and causing damage. Hunters told the county commission they wanted the ability to hunt on the land back. The issue prompted the Perquimans commission to table Iberdrola’s request for an extension for at least a few weeks. From an economic stand point, the Iberdrola invest ment would make it the largest county taxplayer by far and generate about $350,000 a year in local property taxes. The com pany is also looking to build a 6,000 to 8,000 square foot maintenance facility on the Perquimans side of the line. There will also be about 20 people employed to main tain the project. “That comes without any burden on schools, water, sewer or police protection,” said Craig Poff, an Iberdrola developer. “We will address these concerns' and I think you will see Perquimans County will see the benefits of this project. We take the concerns seriously.” The dispute came to light when Iberdrola went before the Perquimans County Commission to get a two-year extension for the project. It was seeking the same extension from Pas quotank. Iberdrola wants the flex ibility to scale back the size of the project if that’s what the market demands. It’s also seeking a local tax break that would reduce the local taxes on each tur bine from about $17,000 to $5,000. Pasquotank County Com missioners approved the request but the Perquimans board tabled it because of See WINDFARM, 8 Christmas Parade fun® 10m STAFF PHOTOS BY PETER WILLIAMS Participants wave from a float hosted by the Perquimans County Senior Citizens Center Saturday during the annual Perquimans County Christmas Parade sponsored by the Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce. The float won first place in the non-profit division. The club division award went to the Rotary Club of Hertford. The theme of the parade was ‘Christmas of Yesteryear.’ Win Boyer, a member of the Hertford Rotary Club, hands out candy to children in front of the Perquimans County Courthouse on Saturday. Members of the Elizabeth City State University marching band strut down Edenton Road Street Saturday during the parade. NC OKs some road funding BY PETER WILLIAMS News Editor Area counties are starting to see fewer dollars under a formula that puts more em phasis on urban areas. Some Perquimans County projects are included in the state’s new Transporation Improvement Plan, but it doesn’t amount to a lot, ac cording to local planners. “I’m not really happy with what we got, but I think everybody got a little bit of something,” said Angela Welch, the head of transpor tation planning for the Albe marle Commission. Currituck’s Mid-County bridge will take up about two thirds of the $250 mil lion the state has allocated for DOT’s 14-county Division 1 over the next 10 years. In Perquimans County, replacing the S-Bridge in Hertford will eat up the See FUNDING, 4 County keeps economic tool BY PETER WILLLIAMS News Editor Perquimans County will remain eligible for more ag gressive economic develop ment incentives again next year. The county will keep its Tier 1 status, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. County Manager Frank Heath had mixed feelings about the Tier 1 designation announced last week. From a public relations standpoint, it’s a good news- bad news situation. It’s good in that Perquimans will be among the 40 counties that are eligible for more help. The bad news is it’s a re flection that Perquimans is considered among the most economically distressed counties in the state. Heath called it a “macro trend.” “The whole region is sort of lumped into the same thing,” Heath said Monday. With the exception of See TIER 1,4 Veteran leaders step down for newly elected commissioners BY PETER WILLIAMS News Editor Wallace Nelson, Ed Muz- zulin and Fondella Leigh were sworn in last week to the Perquimans County Commission and the board said goodbye to two veteran members. Ben Hobbs and Tammy Miller-White both decided not to seek office again. Hobbs stepped down after 16 years on the board. Mill er-White served for 12 years. The Dec. 1 meeting served as their last one. That departure will be a big change, said Janice Cole, the chair of the board. Cole was reelected to another term that night and Ed Muz- zulin was named to another term as vice chair. Cole pointed out that with Hobbs and Miller- White gone, she is now the “veteran” on the board with just four and a half years of service. The board went from having 40 years of combined service to having STAFF PHOTO BY PETER WILLIAMS Fondella Leigh (left), Wallace Nelson and Ed Muzzulin take the oath of office Dec. 1 as Perquimans County Commissioners. Performing the ceremony was Todd Tilley, Perquimans County’s clerk of court. 6 89076 47144 2 See NEW BOARD, 2
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Dec. 10, 2014, edition 1
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