482-4418
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
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ELECTION *08
ON THE BALLOT
Sales
tax may
increase
The proposed
1/4-cent increase
would bring in
$125,000 to $150,000
By Rebecca Bunch
Staff Writer
Residents will vote next
month on increasing the lo
cal sales tax, but at this point
the Chamber’s director isn’t
endorsing the hike. ,
Director Richard Bunch
said he is concerned the
added tax would hurt busi
nesses already struggling
in a tough economy But he
said he wants to hear more
from his board members.
The board is scheduled to
discuss the issue at its meet
ing tomorrow morning.
A referendum on the bal
lot calls for the tax to be
raised to 7 cents on the dol
lar, up 1/4-cent from its cur
rent rate.
County Manager Peter
Rascoe said the additional
funds the proposed 1/4
cent increase would bring
in — between $125,000 and
$150,000 a year — would help
meet operating expenses
during the next fiscal year.
Jadelle Wagner, manager
of Peebles, said, “I don’t see
it affecting our business a
lot” based on current ftiel
prices.
However, one local busi
ness owner, who asked not
to be named, felt a little dif
ferently.
She said she would not be
upset about the proposed in
crease being implemented if
she believed the county com
missioners would keep look
ing for ways to cut expenses
in county government.
Countys internal review, hunt for missing money over
By Earline White
Managing Editor
Of the millions ‘missing’
from the county’s hospital
fund, county commission
ers approved the transfer of
only $2 million.
f This is according to the
county minutes of 10-year’s
Worth of meetings.
‘ County Manager Peter
Rascoe said that he was
finished with the county’s
G2006 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
A BATTLE TIL THE END
BRETT A. CLARK/THE DAILY ADVANCE
The Perquimans Marching Pirates warm up before the 33rd annual Battle of the Bands. Per
quimans won the first-ever "People's Choice" award. See "W. Craven takes top honors," A2.
Two days left to register to
vote in November election
Early voting
begins Oct. 16 and
ends November 1
By Vernon Fueston
Contributing Writer
With a presidential elec
tion just 27 days away in
Chowan, registering to
have a say in the world’s
most powerful democracy is
easier than ever.
. Election reforms that fol
lowed the contested 2000
presidential election now
require less information
from voters and a chance to
vote after the registration
deadline has passed.
It’s meant to make the
process easier, for the voter
at least, said Elections Di
rector Rebecca Lowe.
But now the regulations
and procedures, while mak
ing it easier to get on the
voter rolls, are making the
job of keeping the px-ocess
honest tougher for officials,
I haven't registered
For those procrastina
internal review, in conjunc
tion with the state auditor’s
ongoing investigation,
on where the money was’
spent.
"Until that state auditor’s
investigation is complete
and a report is issued, we
are going to move on with
operating the county’s busi
ness,” Rascoe said.
The remaining money was
allegedly transferred by for
mer county manager Cliff
Cypeland from the hospital
fund into the general fund
and loaned to individual de
partments funds for routine
day-to-day expenses and fo
capital projects.
Chowan Finance Officer
tors who miss the Oct. 10
registration deadline, Lowe
said all is not lost. She said
there is still a chance to cast
a vote.
For voters coming to
Edenton’s “One-Stop” sta
tion diming early voting, it’s
possible to register and vote
in one visit. -
Early voting begins Oct.
16 and ends the Saturday
before Election Day.
After that, you’re just
plain out of luck.
Who can register?
Almost any citizen over
the age of 18 can register to
vote.
A voter needs only to
provide a name, a home ad
dress, mailing address, and
either a driver’s license
number or the last four dig
its of a social security num
ber to register. No proof in
the form of identification is
required.
The forms to register are
available at the elections of
fice, the library, schools, the
public health department,
and even on line.
Lisa Jones said of Cope
land, “budgeted the rev
enue, the departments had
no idea they were spending
more than they were bring
ing in. Just like the LGC
reported, the former man
ager projected unrealistic
revenues.”
In the analysis of expen
ditures from the. hospital
money 1999-2008, nearly
$11.5 million was trans
ferred into the general fund
to cover normal operating
expenses.
According to the study,
emergency services received
$1.1 million, solid waste $1.6
million, the school roofs
project $1 million, all from
I Lowe said
| that with
a all this em
phasis on
making
registration
easy and
Lowe
• the burden
has fallen to state officials
when it comes to making
sure everyone on the rolls is
there honestly.
Who can not register?
There are a lot of reasons
why a registrant might not
be eligible to vote.
He might not be a citizen.
He might not live in the pre
cinct. He might be a felon
still in the process of parole
or probation. (Felons can
vote once their sentences
and probation are com
plete.) *
Is the system honest?
Lowe said once a voter’s
application is received, her
office does a number of
checks.
First, they verify that
See VOTING, Page A2 >
the hospital fund.
The only individual action
taken by the commissioners
on any of the $19,584,858
dollars in question was ap
proved for the agriculture
extension building on Gran
ville Street.
Other transfers included
$180,000 to the fire fund,
$214,577 to the water genera
tor capital fluid and $165,574
to the community center
capital.
“This is as detailed as we
can find in the county re
cords of where the money
went,” Rascoe said yester
day.
There is $567,671 remain
ing in the hospital fund.
FIRST DISTRICT RACE
Soles
J
Winborne
Race pits
veteran
against
newcomer
By Vernon Fueston
Contributing Writer
Voters in the first dis
trict will choose between a
former commissioner and
a political newcomer for a
commission seat, Nov. 4.
Dana Soles said his pro
fessional dealings with
county and city govern
ments around the region
have prepared him for tak
ing a role in county govern
ment. He stressed govern
ment transparency and low
taxes as cornerstones of his
campaign.
Emmett E. Winborne
pointed to his experience
as a county commissioner
from 1990 to 1998. While he
has served on the commis
sion, he is not an incum
bent.
He said his candidacy
should give voters a chance
to elect a commissioner
with experience who was
not involved in the county
budget mess.
County experience
One of Winborne’s last
acts in office was to vote on
a resolution to hold the $20
million in proceeds from t,\e
sale/lease of Chowan Hos
pital in a fund as a reserve.
The evaporation of that
money has saddened him.
“The facts are what they
are,” Winborne said. “Peo
ple have approached me,
asking how we can get the
money back. That’s impos
Dana Soles
Age: 53
Date of Birth: Aug. 16,1955
Political Offices Held: None
Occupation: Construction
'"management
Party: Republican
Emmett E. Winborne
' Age: 54
Date of Birth: June 29,1954
Political Offices Held: Former
commissioner, 1990 to 1998
Occupation: Farmer and
convenience store owner
Party: Democrat
sible. One of the biggest
hurdles the next commis
sion will have to clear is
earning that trust back.”
Winborne said regaining
that trust in the commission
would be his first priority.
Private experience
Soles said his most impor
tant qualification for a seat
on the commission is his
business experience, which
has him dealing with coun
ty and city officials around
the region.
“I deal with county com
missioners and county
managers for a living,”
Soles said. He said he pri
marily builds projects for
state, county and city gov
ernments. “I know how an
efficient county is run and
how a county in chaos is
run.”
Soles became the center
of some controversy in the
county last month when he
received a misdemeanor
conviction for stealing a wa
termelon from a local farm
er’s field.
Expressing regret for the
mistake, Soles said he hopes
the county’s voters will for
give him.
Listening to voters
Both candidates said the
county needs commission
ers who will listen to their
constituents.
Soles said sometimes poli
ticians forget whom they
See ELECTION, Page A2 »