Vol. LXXII, No. 51
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Single Copies 50tf
Challengers
may pursue
Culpepper's
House seat
BY CHRIS DAY
The Daily Advance
i Stan M. White said his long
time interest in serving in the
| state House of Representatives
has never been a secret.
That’s why the Dare County
’ Board of Commissioners
chairman has announced that
he hopes to be chosen to com
plete the remainder of state
V ‘ Rep. Bill Culpepper’s term,
which expires in December
2006. Culpepper, D-Chowan,
announced earlier this month
j that he will be stepping down
to take ajob as a member of the
N.C. Utilities Commission in
January.
“It’s pretty common knowl
edge that for a couple of years
Bill always thought I was go
ing to run against him,” White,
58, said Friday.
White said it would have
been tough to beat Culpepper,
who has served in the House
t since 1993 and is chairman of
the House Rules Committee.
But with Culpepper stepping
down to take a seat on the utili
ties panel, White said it’s the
m opportune time for him to seek
Culpepper’s seat.
White, who also serves as
commissi'jner on the N.C.
Board of Transportation, said
he intends to take advantage of
the opportunity.
“It has been a goal of mine
. to some day go to Raleigh” to
serve in the Legislature, White
said.
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According to White, he and
Washington County resident
Tim Spear are the only two
Democrats in Culpepper’s N.C.
2nd House District who have
expressed interest in Cul
pepper’s seat.
White, who lives in Nags
Head, owns Stan White Realty
and Construction Inc. Spear is
a former clerk of court and
game warden in Washington
County. He could not be
reachedfor comment.
Gov. Mike Easley will ap
point Culpepper’s replacement
based on recommendations
from Democrats from Dare,
Chowan, Hyde and Washing
ton counties.
Starting Jan. 1, the day
Culpepper begins his job at the
Utilities Commission, two del
egates from each county’s
Democratic Party have 30 days
to elect Culpepper’s replace
ment, White said. It’s not likely
that Easley will disagree with
the parties’ recommendation,
White said.
See SEAT On Page A7
I
INSIDE
Calendar.C2
Church.C5
Classifieds..... D1-4
Editorials. A6
Obituaries.C6
Society..C3
Sports .. B1-4
On Page Ct ...
New Year
Traditions
2005: The year in review
transition
The twelve months just past
were marked by the stark con
trasts of plant layoffs and clos
ings by traditional employers.,
while the boating, tourism and
real estate sectors showed
promise for the coming year
and beyond for Edenton and
Chowan County.
“The Dog Days
of Summery
“I am excited to be the first to show this
town in the cinema,” Mark Freiburger, di
rector of “The Dog Days of Summer,” a
major movie production written and di
rected by NC School of the Arts alumni, said
about Edenton during the first round of
filming in July. “I’m honestly very surprised
that this area of the state hasn’t been ex
plored more by filmmakers.”
Edenton is no stranger to the lights and
cameras of crews from all over the state;
magazines, television crews, documentary
filmmakers, and professional photogra
phers have all found Edenton’s charm cap
tivating enough to include it in-their work.
The film was shot primarily this past sum
mer with a few remaining scenes done in
December. Plans are to unveil the Aim at the
Toronto Film Festival in fall 2006.
Housing market
gets boost
Edenton and Chowan County’s potential
for growth grew brighter in 2005, with sev
eral housing development projects going
through various stages of approval.
In September, Colonial Village held a
grand opening for potential buyers and lo
cal officials alike. The 120-home subdivision
is located on Coke Avenue. It was the first
subdivision to be built in Edenton in
roughly 20 years, Town Manager Anne
Marie Knighton said.
The town approved a voluntary annex
ation request for Wharf Landing earlier in
the year, paving the way for the multi-use
project to provide benefits for both the town
and county. At least 90 units are slated for
the three condominium buildings at the site
on Chowan River.
Plans are in the works for a large scale
development at Hayes Farm just south of
Edenton, and the Sandy Point subdivision
near Chowan Golf and Country Club.
N.C. House returns
to Edenton
In a historic return to a former Colonial
capital of North Carolina, the state House
of Representatives visited Edenton on May
25 for a session outside Raleigh.
“It’s just been wonderful,” Rep. Richard
Morgan, a Moore County Republican, said
to Rep. Bill Culpepper, an Edenton Democrat,
during the session. “We appreciate so much
you giving us this opportunity to visit.”
Boat businees booms;
textiles lag
It was a time of come-and-go for busi
nesses and industry in Edenton and
Chowan County this year.
From continued growth in the boat
building industries to a proposed near
shutdown of a major textile company, the
local labor market had its share of ups and
downs in 2005.
In March, Albemarle Boats announced
that it was being purchased by the
Brunswick Corporation, a Fortune 500
company with such varied interests as the
boat-building industry and high-end pool
tables.
Albemarle Boats officials said the buyout
should result in increased production - and
added jobs - at the factory located on the
Albemarle Sound south of Edenton. In ad
dition, Caliber Yachts located a dealership
in Edenton, while both Carolina Classic
and Boats and Regulator Marine continued
to see increased sales and job openings at
their respective sites.
However, George C. Moore’s announce
ment on November 30th that it was ship
ping roughly 200 textile jobs overseas tem
pered the positive steps the local boat
building industry experienced in 2005.
OLF battles
farmers, birds
A near-hit with tundra swans on a De
cember 7 flyover proved that the OLF op
ponents may be right after all--the birds liv
ing at the Pocosin Wildlife Refuge (near the
proposed 30,000-acre landing field) will
pose a problem to Navy fighter jets using
the touch-and-go airstripi A second flyover
set for the following day was cancelled due
to the collision potential.
Chowan County residents continue to
monitor a prolonged legal battle between
the Navy and area citizens who would be
impacted by construction of a new OLF in
Washington and Beaufort counties.
Managers cite
possible 'ethical'
conflict of
interest
Communique asks for
CEO Rick Watson’s
resignation if job in
Halifax Co. is pursued
BY SEAN JACKSON
The Chowan Herald
A group of area county managers plans to
meet with the executive board that oversees the
Northeast Partnership next month to submit con
. cerns regarding the agency’s top official.
Chowan County Manager Cliff Copeland con
firmed last week that he and other local county
managers will meet with the Partnership on Jan.
12. The managers, in a memo drafted by Copeland
earlier this month, are concerned about Partner
ship CEO and president Rick Watson’s dual role
with the Edenton-based agency and an entertain
ment theater in Roanoke Rapids.
“The managers prefer that Mr. Watson not
pursue a relationship with Parton Enterprises
and remain as Executive Director of the Partner
ship,” Copeland’s wrote. “If Mr. Watson decides
to accept/pursue that position, while it may not
be a legal conflict of interest, the managers feel
that will be an ethical conflict. For example, if a
competing entertainment enterprise were to con
tact Mr. Watson, would Mr. Watson be able to
serve this Partnership client while he is under
obligation to Parton Enterprises?”
Copeland declined to elaborate on Dec. 22, say
ing the managers had agreed to not discuss the
issue publicly until they meet with the executive
board. However, he did say last week that the
managers would prefer to have Watson stay on
with the Partnership. In October, Watson said he
would be leaving to join the Parton team full-time
within 18 months. That project, working under
the name Moonlight Productions Inc., is headed
by Randy Parton, brother of country music star
Dolly Parton.
Watson, who is paid $165,000 annually by the
Partnership, met with the eight managers in
Edenton on Dec. 9.
“All managers present voiced positive com
ments about the (N.C. Northeast Economic De
velopment) Commission and the Partnership,”
Copeland wrote. “All of us are familiar (with
those two agencies’) accomplishments, from
Nucor to the new entertainment theater district
in Halifax County.”
Hbwever, the managers also expressed con
cerns about Watson’s dual role — as the
Partnership’s top executive, and an equity inves
tor in the theater project. If Watson cannot
choose between the two, he should step down, the
memo stated.
“The managers request that Mr. Watson de
liver his 120-day (resignation) notice as required
in his employment contract,” Copeland wrote of
the managers group’s preliminary recommenda
tion to the executive board, the panel in charge
of Watson’s employment status.
The managers also recommended that the
search for Watson’s potential replacement begin.
That successor should also serve as an employee
of the Partnership, and not be an independent
“...the inter
est of both
parties may
be in
conflict.”
Chowan Coutny
Manager Cliff
Copeland
“It’s the
opportu
nity of a
lifetime.”
NE Partnership
CEO Rick Watson
See CONFLICT On Page AS