BASNIGHT, DEHART, NORRIS, HICKMAN
482-4418
Goodwin
Stallings
By Vernon Fueston
Contributing Writer '
' i - \ ‘ ' ' • ’’V ■ ■■ - \ ■
V'
Chowan voters will go to the polls Tuesday
with more choices for county leadership than in
any election in memory. \
All five county commissioner races feature
opposition candidates, possibly for the first time
since the reconstruction period following the
CiviljWar. Five Republicans and one unaffiliated
candidate appear on the ballot.
Also appearing on the ballot will be two can
didates for the school board, a soil and water su
pervisor and a register of deeds, all running for
re-election and all unopposed: - - -•
Voters will have the chance to select at least
one commissioner for their own district and
also vote for another commissioner serving at
large, representing the whole county.
THE AT LARGE RACE
Kieth Nixon, a former paint store owner, faces
John Mitchener, a retired pharmacist. Both men
are currently real estate developers. Nixon re
habilitates residential properties and Mitchen
er has developed several downtown commercial
locations.
Mitchener cited his previous service on the
county’s school board and his business experi
ence as qualifications.
ST URGE
Mitchener
Nixon
Goodwin >
Brown
mp«w
Experts talk about how global
financial mess affects Chowan
By Vernon Fueston
Contributing Writer
Two business professors
from N.C. State University
and several local business
leaders had a few things
to say this week about the
global economic crisis and
how it may affect Chowan
County.
- What they said should be
of interest to anyone who is
a farmer, a business person,
or who has a job.
* Dr. Richard S. Warr and Dr.
Mitzi Montoya, professors
at NCSU, were asked to com
ment on the local aspects of
Hie Wall Street crisis.
C2006 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
They said the meltdown on
Wall Street has been big na
tional news lately, but the local
implications are just beginning
to come into focus.
In other words, whenever
it rains on Wall Street, water
tends to pool on Main Street.
That means tighter credit for
businesses, farms and home
buyers.
That could mean slower sales
for retailers, fewer orders for
manufacturers and layoffs for
workers.
What about Broad Street?
Edenton and the surround-,
ing county present some spe
cial economic conditions. The
slowdown may affect the area'
in specific ways. Most of them
involve credit, directly or indi
rectly.
Warr and Montoya said the
economic engines that make
Chowan County work will be'
affected in different ways.
Financing the crop
Things may get dicey for
some farmers this next spring
when they go to borrow for
chemicals, fuel and seed, Warr
said.
He said whether or not those
loans will be available will de
pend on the farmer.
“Small businesses and farm
ers that have long-established
relationships with their banks
may do better, but in many
cases even relationships won’t
help because banks literally
don’t have money to lend,”
Warr said.
He said that, when faced
with a money shortage, banks
will be lending only to the best
credit risks. Some farmers
will do well, he said — others
may not.
Glenda Jackson of Edenton’s
Southern Bank said she sees no
major problems for most area
farmers this spring. She said
this has been a good year for
farmers and most will have no
problem qualifying for loans.
Jackson did say that farms
with several years of marginal
success may have difficulties
getting loans as credit tight
ens.
Keith Warren of BB&T said
his bank has had no problems
with sub-prime mortgages and
doesn’t anticipate tightening
credit to farmers.
Chowan's manufacturers
Edenton’s manufacturers
tend to be small or medium
sized operations with 25-250
employees.
While some are well capital
ized, others, startups or compa
See GLOBAL, Page A2 >
He said he would support better training for
county commissioners and hoped to change the
tone of discourse in the town. He also said he
wanted to re-examine the town’s bond obliga
tions.
Nixon said his commercial experience would
help him “run the county just like a business.”
He stressed his desire to bring transparency to
county government and said he would team up
with district commissioners to hold community
meetings and answer citizen’s questions.
DISTRICT ONE, SEAT ONE
Although neither man is an incumbent, first
district voters will be choosing between a politi
cal newcomer and a former commissioner for
one of the district’s two seats.
Dana Soles, a construction manager seek
ing his first political office, will face Emmett E.
Winborne, a farmer and eight-year commission
veteran who left office in 1998 shortly after the
purchase by University Health Systems of the
county’s hospital.
Winborne said he hopes to restore trust in the
county commission after the disappearance of
$20 million in reserve money received from the
sale of the hospital. He said the county must
live within its means and avoid new taxes.
Winborne also said he would work to bring
new retail establishments to the county and de
velop its business community.
Soles said the county needs to change its ac
counting procedures to make sure audits are
performed in a timely manner.
He also said the commission will need to re
store its citizens’ trust. He said he’s heard of
county employees afraid to bring information to
the county’s commissioners, something he said
must change.
DISTRICT ONE, SEAT TWO
First district voters will select a second com
missioner, choosing between Kenny W. Good
win, an incumbent on the commission, and Alex
Stallings, an emergency medical technician and
political newcomer.
Goodwin said he was stunned to learn of the
county’s financial crisis and said he’s learned
not to trust the advice of others in conducting
the county’s business.
He said fixing the county’s financial problems
^ must be first on the agenda. Goodwin said the
free flow of information he’s been getting from
the county’s new manager, Peter Rascoe, is just
what’s been needed.
Stallings said the commission has been oper
ating without letting its citizens watch the pro
cess. He said meeting times should be changed
and locations selected to make things more con
venient for the public.
He also stressed the need for the county to
economize. Stallings said that big savings will
only come by cutting many small but wasteful
items.
DISTRICT TWO
Second district voters will choose between a
child advocate and a retired federal law enforce
ment agent for the only district seat open on the
ballot.
Edward Goodwin said his service as an agent
for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has
prepared him for public service in the elected
arena. He stressed his training as an investi
gator, asking the questions “who, what, where,
when and why” in getting to the root of prob
lems.
Goodwin said openness when it comes to com
mission business will be his first priority. He
said votes by the commission with little or no
discussion undermine trust from the commu
nity. Goodwin also said his status as a Repub
lican on the board will ensure a new level of
openness.
Gwendolyn B. Brown is running as unaffili
ated candidate with the support of the county’s
Democratic Party. She said her experience as a
child worker and advocate will be of use on the
board. She cited the importance of recreation
programs and other activities to combat juve
nile delinquency.
Brown also said she opposes any new taxes,
but acknowledges that they may be inevitable.
She also promised to work toward bringing new
business and industry to the county.
DISTRICT THREE
The current chairman of the county commis
sion is facing a retired school teacher and politi
See ELECTION, Page A2 ►