Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / Aug. 6, 2008, edition 1 / Page 1
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Earl Nixon answers to the rural needs of Chowan County C1 Aces alumni recruited to play football for N.C. Wesleyan College B1 SBI asked to investigate Chowan County’s cuirent financial shortfall By Bob Montgomery and Vernon Fueston Contributing Writer District Attorney Frank Par rish on Tuesday asked the State Bureau of Investigation to get to the bottom of an estimated $4 million shortfall in Chowan. County’s budget. “I have today requested the financial crimes unit of the Firms sought for. appraisals Town manager seeks building sales to strengthen town’s reserve By Vernon Fueston Contributing Writer Town manager Anne-Ma rie Knighton is soliciting bids from appraisers on sev eral of Edenton’s landmark buildings. If sold, the proceeds from the buildings’ sale might bolster the town’s reserve funds. Last spring, Edenton’s Mayor Roland Vaughn was searching for a way to bol ster the town’s reserves when he proposed the sales. “He was really thinking outside of the box,” Knigh * ton said of the plan. The idea was to put sur plus property to use devel oping Edenton’s waterfront and boost the town’s finan cial security at the same time Knighton said the most unusual idea was to rent or “condominium-ize” the up per floor of Edenton’s tov^n hall, the former Bank of North Carolina building. “The views up there are spectacular,” Knighton said of the building’s upper floor. She said the property could work well as either an executive office space or as a private residence. By making the upper floor a condominium, Knighton said the town could sell the second floor space, keep the bottom floor and bank the proceeds, boosting the re serve fund. The idea will probably get renewed attention in light of Chowan County’s finan cial problems after deplet ing its reserve fund. The town government does have enough money in reserve to meet state mandated reserves, unlike the county. Vaughn’s plan would strengthen them. Also under consideration for sale are the Edenton Municipal building, former home of the police depart ment and 911 Center, and the Edenton Partnership building located near Colo nial Park. Appraisals have not been in the budget so far, but Knighton said she is send ing out requests for quotes from several firms this week. .1 ■89076" *; ©2006 The Chowan Herald All Rights Reserved SBI to conduct a thorough in quiry into any possible crimi nal misconduct arising from the budgetary shortfall recently discovered in Chowan County,” Parrish said. “Our position will be, if there is substantial or sufficient evi dence to warrant prosecution, we will then go forward.” No further details about the investigation were available RESIDENTS VOICE CONCERNS OVER LACK OF GOVERNANCE Brett A. Clark/The Daily Advance A nearopacity crowd showed up at Swairi Auditorium Monday night to hear County Manager Peter Rascoe's four proposed options to get the county out of its current financial crisis. The public comment period continued for nearly an hour. School board contemplates tight budget By Vernon Fueston Contributing Writer A meeting Monday of the coun ty board of education to discuss last minute budget developments turned out to be anything but routine. As uncertainty over county fi nances put school budget plans in doubt, there was little for school officials to do but contemplate their options. Annuai school budgets are al ways a last-minute business for school boards across North Caro lina as they tally the final state funding figures just as schools prepare to open. But last wpek’s abrupt disclo sure that the county is in dire financial straits has thrown the Dino-Detectives search the Word at Bible school Pastor Randy Browder says it takes faith to believe either account of world’s creation Photo and Story By Vernon Fueston Contributing Writer There’s a really big, green liz ard stretched out across Randy Browder’s pulpit at Immanuel Bap tist Church, and it won’t leave. He says it can stay there for now — his Bible school kids wouldn’t have it any other way. The papier-mache dinosaur, made from copies of the Chowan Herald, took two six-hour shifts of five workers each to build and paint. It stretches the width of Imman uel Baptist Church’s sanctuary The dinosaur represents th$ theme of this year’s vacation Bi T Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Several Chowan’s commissioners are leaning to ward an 8.5-cent realty tax hike to help make up the multi-mil lion dollar shortfall in the cur rent budget. That would mean a $170 tax increase on a $200,000 home. Among other things, it would result in about 25 part or full time staff cuts. board’s spending plans out the window. Chowan’s schools' receive 19 percent of their funding from the county. Superintendent Alan Smith said he has been in contact with county manager Peter Rascoe about what to expect “We understand the situation they are in,” Smith said. “I’m sure the school system will be affected by the actions they will have to take.” Even now, Smith said he does not know exactly how much money is coming from the state for Edenton’s schools. Much of school funding comes in as line items in different bills passed or rejected by the legisla ture. He is still waiting to hear Browder poses with Immanuel Baptist's Bible school mascot. ble school, “Dino-Detectives.” The program’s slogan is “Digging for the Truth.” Kids and dinosaurs are a natu ral combination. The prehistoric creatures seem to hold a universal fascination for children. But some might think dinosaurs a strange choice for Immmanuel Baptist’s Bible school theme. Browder believes in a strict interpretation of the Genesis ac count of creation. He does not believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution. “God created the Earth in seven days,” Browder said. “I believe God created dinosaurs, but I also believe the Earth is 6,000 to 10,000 years old.” ’ • INSIDE Residents at meeting respond to proposed options A2 Readers share’their thoughts about‘fiscal crisis’ A5-6 '■ The commissioners’ remarks followed a meeting Monday at tended by about 800 residents in which numerous speakers said See INCREASE, Page A2 > the results on some of the spend ing initiatives. For example, money for text books is down slightly while funds for vocational education are up. It’s like that across the board as Smith tallies the re sults. He said the good and bad news seems to be evening each other out, for the most part. The state did add $35 million for fuel expenses across North Carolina after having raised the specter of cuts in the face of ris ing diesel costs for school buses. One sore point with teachers will be potential cuts in prom ised “ABC bonuses” for reaching goals in standardized testing re sults. See SCHOOLS, Page A2 >■ Browder said he understands his beliefs might be at odds with others,’ but he said that it takes considerable faith to believe either account of the world’s creation, biblical or Darwinian. While he believes dinosaurs existed within the last 10 millen nia, he also believes they died out shortly after the flood, being unable to survive changes in the Earth’s environment. For now, the 40-foot lizard isn’t going anywhere. It’s hard to argue with something that big. The kids are duly impressed by it£ size, but Browder hopes his kids also learned some valuable lessons about searching for the truth. TAX IMPACTS ON OWNER OF $200,000 HOME AND LOT OPTION 1: 19 CENTS = $380 INCREASE OPTION 2: 8.5 CENTS = $170 INCREASE OPTION 3: 2.5 CENTS = $50 INCREASE OPTION 4: 0 CENTS Edenton Commons delayed Lowe’s signing ensures project will go forward; shops expected to open 2010 By Vernon Fueston Contributing Writer Construction of Edenton Commons will be delayed for up to one year, until at least October 2009 due to the national eco nomic slowdown. Susan Pleasants, spokesperson for Wheeler Interests, said that Lowe’s has signed a contract with the developer. So the project will definitely come to pass. Wheeler Interests President, John Wheeler, said that Chowan County’s fi nancial crisis played no part in delaying the project, though it has come to his at tention. “If I were 10 feet underground, I couldn’t miss it,” he said. “You guys are in a hornet’s nest. This is going to be a hard one to overcome.” Developers originally hoped the shop ping center would open in 2009. The first shops should open sometime in 2010, Wheeler, said. National economy a factor “The good news is that while Lowe’s cut 100 projects (nationally), Edenton Com mons is going forward,” Pleasants said. Wheeler also said the county’s fiscal problems shouldn’t hurt his efforts to sign other stores to the shopping center. He said the project’s delay was entire ly about national economic conditions, adding that Lowe’s decision to locate in Chowan County while canceling so many other projects showed considerable faith in the region’s future. Pleasants said there are no financial commitments from the cash-strapped county government that could cause any problems for the planned shopping cen ter. Wheeler said the project has asked for very little in the way of concessions or as sistance from local government The delay was not a problem for the other stores already signed by Edenton Commons, Wheeler said. He said most welcomed the delay in light of national economic conditions. The shopping center, located on Vir ginia Road between Highway 17 and Al bemarle Ford, is expected to create about 350 jobs once it is built and open. •In addition to Lowe’s, Pleasants said, CVS, Peebles, Family Dollar, Ace Wire less, and Subway have all made firm commitments to locate at Edenton Com mons. Pleasants acknowledged the search is still on for a grocery store anchor at the center. She said Farm Fresh is still a pos sibility for that slot. Symbiotic relationship Wheeler Interests is a firm with 30 ac tive properties spread from New York to Florida and as far west as Texas. Pleasants said 10 other sites are under development. Citing her company’s support of local civic activities like the Edenton Water and Music Festival and the county fair, Pleas ants said she believes the shopping center will benefit the county without hurting See LOWE'S, Page A2 )►
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