482-4418
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
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CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE
SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2011
lOam to 2om ^
Leary Plant Farm and Garden Shop
2336 Rocky Hock Roai>, Edenton, NC 27932
Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm Saturday 9am to 4pm
_252-221-4671
Fund balance reaches $3.5 million
BOCC bank
$752K last year
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Despite nearly $1 mil
lion less in annual revenue
from a year ago, Chowan
commissioners managed
to hank another .$752,000
toward the fund balance
that currently totals $3.5
million.
Revenue for 2011 de
creased by $961,028 while
county expenses rose by
$460,031. Nonetheless,
Chowan leaders found oth
er ways, to cinch the coun
ty’s belt and save enough
money to continue then
pledge to replenish the
fund balance. Only a few
years ago, Chowan was on
the brink of bankruptcy
and state takeover.
“It just shows what you
can accomplish by watch
ing your expenses,” said
Commissioners,’ Chairman
Eddy Goodwin. “We budget
for a revenue shortfall. Ev
ery since 2008, we’ve been
budgeting for a 30 percent
reduction in sales tax.
Anything below that is a
windfall.”
Sales tax fell by $54,655
from a year ago. Revenue
from property tax, how
ever, grew by $388,012 at
a sum of more than $10.1
million. Ad valorem taxes
represent 64 percent of
'Chowan’s revenue pro
ducers toward the general
fund.
Accountant Bryan
Starnes of Martin Starnes
Associates lauded commis
sioners during the board’s
Nov. 7 meeting. He praised
their ability to increase the
fund balance in the face of
such economic adversity
Last year, commissioners
banked $1.8 million toward
the fund balance that stood
at $2.7 million. The latest
savings puts the county’s
fund balance at 16 percent
of its general fund.
“We wanted 20 percent,
but we’re right there,”
See FUND, 4A
GOA Launches
Sustainable Tech Program
Edenton campus /
erects data towers
By REBBCCA BUNCH J
Staff Writer f
As the Albemarle
prepares for its
future in sustainable
technology, the College of
The Albemarle campus in
Edenton has become home
to a research hub.
A 60-foot-tall wind tur
bine tower installed Nov.
19 has become the latest
addition at the campus as
part of COA’s sustainable
technology program. A
meteorological tower of
equal size that will allow
„ students and instructors
involved in that cur
riculum to collect weather
data was installed earlier
in the month.
Lynn Hurdle-Winslow,
dean of the Edenton
campus, said that with
sustainable or “green”
technology growing in
significance as Americans
look for ways to preserve
their natural resources, it
was becoming increasing
ly important for students
and faculty to enhance
their knowledge in those
areas.
“We are very excited
to be on the cutting edge
when it comes to exposing
our students to this type
of technology,” Hurdle
Winslow said as she
watched the wind turbine
tower being erected.
The installations were
made possible through
the Albemarle Resource
Conservation and Develop
ment Council in Edenton.
The council oversees a re
newable energy solutions
program in northeastern
North Carolina.
Funding came from
a grant provided by the ,
North Carolina Rural
STAFF PHOTO BY REBECCA BUNCH
A 60-foot-tall wind turbine tower was installed behind the COA Edenton campus on Saturday, Nov.
19. The structure joins a meteorological tower of equal size installed earlier in the month.
Center.
Albemarle RC&D board
member Jim Winebarger
said that while the tur
bines would only generate
minimal power their po
tential to affect education
and research was great.
Wendy Jewett, director
of the Northeastern Work
force Development Board
that along with COA is
a partner in the project,
agreed.
Jewett said that with the
growing interest in green
technology and environ
mentally friendly projects
additional job creation is
expected as well. When
that day comes, she said,
the area will need trained
workers to fill those jobs.
The grant also helped
fund a similar project in
See TURBINES, 4A
Town OKs
zoning
for Dollar
General
Northeast Partnership
gets new lease
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
The Town Council voted unanimously
during a special meeting Monday night
to approve a rezoning request that would
allow Dollar General to build a new store
on North Broad Street across the road
from its current location at the Edenton
Village Shopping Center. It also approved
a new lease for Northeast Partnership.
The vote came after the council de
cided at its regular monthly meeting on
Nov. 8 to table to request. Several council
members indicated at that time that they
felt they needed more time to study the
request by The Broadway Group, LLC
of Alabama — made on behalf of Dollar
General — to allow the rezoning of the
currently undeveloped property from in
dustrial to highway commercial.
See ZONING, 3A
County
amends TDA
structure
By RITCHIE STARNES
Editor
Chowan County has restructured its
Tourism Development Authority to in
clude nine voting board members.
The Board of Commissioners unani
mously approved the change at its Nov. 7
meeting. In addition to fewer members,
only seven of the Authority members
will be permitted to vote. By streamlin
ing the board, it should be easier to find
See TDA, 3A
Retailers: Black Friday sales up
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
Local merchants say
they’ve been pleasantly
surprised with the Christ
mas shopping season so
f\ far. .
The season, which began
in earnest on Black Fri
day, the day after Thanks
giving, has found many
Chowan County residents
shopping locally this year,
merchants say.
“I’ve had a lot of locals
coming in my store,” said
j Brooke Overton, owner of
the Polka Dot Palm. “It’s
f
©2009 The Chowan Herald
Alt Righto Reserved
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STAFF PHOTO BY REBECCA BUNCH
Susan Houck (left) and Joanne Delancey enjoy hunting for bar
gains at Peebles on Black Friday. , w
really great to see so many
of them shopping at home
this Christmas.”
Overton said that while
business was up some over
(
A.
last year, she had noticed
that more people were
shopping with a budget in
2011. ,
“J'hey’re (shoppers)
-i- ^
definitely thinking more
about what they’re willing
to spend,” Overton said.
Black Friday was also
a good day at Vaughan’s
Jewelry and Fine Gifts,
said Kim Watson, sales as
sociate.
"We’ve been very busy,”
Watson said. “I think a lot
of people have decided to
shop locally instead of just
heading out of town, more
so than normal. It’s been a
good day.”
Kim Woods, assistant
manager at Cato’s in the
Chowan Crossing Shop
ping Center, agreed.
“So far, what we’ve seen
is that sales are little bit
better than last year,”
Woods said.
Among those shopping
a little closer to home on
SiSee BUCK FRIDAY, 2A
ii
Gingerbread Decoration
PATRICK FLYNN PHOTO
This completed Gingerbread House was decorated by'
local youngsters on Saturday afternoon at the Edenton
Coffee House in downtown Edenton. Assisting the children
was Carol Hammer of the Lovin’ Oven, a local bakery.
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