Superintendent passes on raise for 4th time
Smith remains highest
paid supt. in Albemarle
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
For the fourth consecutive
year, the Edenton Chowan
Schools superintendent volun
teered to forgo his annual raise.
As teachers statewide contin
ue to experience, the economic
Woman
moves
forward
with biz
Last Taxi cab service
here was in 2007
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
A local woman, Yolanda
Vann, is working toward
establishing her own taxi
cab business — UltraSoul
Transport, Inc. — in Eden
ton this fall.
Vann said she is ex
cited about the prospect
of starting the business
because she enjoys driv
ing and loves doing some
thing to help people.
Vann,46,
is a native
of New
York City
and will
be the first
woman to
own a cab
service in
Edenton.
Earlier local cab service
businesses have been
owned by African Ameri
can males. Edenton last
had an active taxicab
business in 2007.
Vann moved here in
August 2008, following
the death of her mother.
Vann said she had become
familiar with Edenton
through her mother’s best
friend, who lives here.
“When I visited Eden
ton, I fell in love with the
beautiful scenery and how
quiet it is,” Vann said. “So
I stayed and started look
ing for a house to pur
chase.”
Vann, who prior to mov
ing to Edenton had worked
for 20 years as an admin
istrative aide for the New
York City Police Depart
ment, said she had never
doubted her decision.
“Ever since I came to
Edenton, there have been
doors opening for me. I be
lieve God meant for me to
be here,” Vann said.
Vann, who has most re
cently been working as a
driver for Moore’s Taxi
in Elizabeth City, said she
saw a need for the same
type of transportation in
Edenton. So she decided
to try and fill that need.
The Town Council at its
Sept. 11 meeting unani
mously granted Vann a
certificate of convenience
and necessity, a necessary
step in the process of es
tablishing her own busi
ness. She must now apply
for a privilege license.
Vann, who already
holds a commercial driv
er’s license, said in re
See TAXI, 2A
Vann
©2009 The Chowan Herald
All Rights Reserved
pinch due to
budget short
falls, Superin
tendent Allan
Smith agreed to
forgo an annual
salary increase
of 4 percent. In
stead, Smith will
receive a 1.2 per
cent pay increase or the same af
forded all state educators for the
current calendar year.
STAFF PHOTOS BY RITCHIE E. STARNES
Ed Taylor stands among 100 acres of leased land that he uses for a controlled hunting preserve. He has groomed the site
to be conducive for bird hunting.
Controlled hunt ensures prey
Bird hunting starts Oct. 1
By RITCHIE E. STARNES
Editor
Hunting for a fee can be
cheaper than for free.
For 30 years Ed Taylor has
been maintaining and operating a
controlled hunting preserve just a
few miles outside of Edenton, but
far enough away that the land is
isolated ideally for bird hunting.
Rows of mowed fields separate
thigh-high broom grass just shy of
turning brown. The wooded area
has been thinned so it doesn’t pro
vide too much cover for the prey,
but ample trees to keep it sport
ing. Brush and piles of discarded
stumps offer another hiding place
for a covey.
Taylor has groomed the 100
acres to accommodate ideal condi
tions for bird hunting. And he
guarantees there will be plenty of
birds whether it’s quail, pheasant,
or chucker.
“If I’m not going to provide good
hunting conditions with good
birds then I don’t want to do it,”
said the 79-year-old Taylor.
Minutes earlier he professed the
same philosophy about when he
was still working for living.
“If you’re not going to do it
right, then get out and stay out,”
he barked.
The hunting preserve requires
labor, but Taylor manages to keep
it rewarding enough that it’s fun
too. An avid hunter and a crack
shot, he also serves as the hunting
Edenton enacts Internet cafe moratorium
From stuff reports
The Edenton Town
Council voted unanimous
ly last Tuesday evening to
adopt an ordinance that
would impose a 90-day
moratorium on the estab
lishment of Internet cafes
in the community.
* The moratorium would
cover permit approvals
and zoning ordinance text
if
“Since teachers and other edu
cators and staff have not been
receiving annual step increases
from the General Assembly in
recent years it is only fair and
appropriate that all school em
ployees be treated in the same
manner,” Smith said. “There
fore, I elected to forgo the annual
step specified in my contract.
This is not a news worthy event
nor does it deserve any further
comment. However, since it is
Ed Taylor stretches across the tailgate of his pickup truck while talking about the
advantages of controlled hunting. For 30 years, he has provided a controlled hunt
ing presence for birds. -
guide on the preserve accompa
nied by equally bird-sawy dogs to
flush out then fetch the shot prey.
amend
ments per
taining to
business
es whose
focus is
electronic
gaming
and Inter
net sweep- Vaughan
stakes.
As adopted, it would re
main in effect through De
- '
technically an alteration in my
contract it requires official ac
tion by the Board of Education
each year.”
The school board again ap
proved the contract at its Sept.
10 meeting.
“I think that was very gener
ous and professional of him. I
think he’s to be commended,!’
said Gil Burroughs, board mem
ber.
Although Smith’s salary re
A well-trained dog is as necessary
See PRESERVE, 3A
cember or until the N.C.
Supreme Court renders a
decision on two cases now
before it concerning the
legality of such business
es in the state.
“We have had numerous
discussions on this issue,
and legal opinions are still
being pursued,” Mayor Ro
land Vaughan said prior to
the vote.
Landin Holland, a con
tracted planner for the
town, said that he would
begin working with the
town’s planning board in
October to add language
to that effect to the Unified
Development Ordinance.
At present the UDO does
not contain any provisions
addressing the issue.
“We’ll start next month
looking at what’s appro
priate,” Holland sai<J.
mains less than his contract
calls for, he remains the highest
paid superintendent in north
east North Carolina. The N.C.
Department of Instruction es
timates his annual salary at
$151,518. According to DPI, the
larger Elizabeth City - Pasquo
tank County school system pay
its superintendent $144,376 per
yearly. The next closest salary
See RAISE, 4A
Decision
2012
Yeopim
precinct
switches
locations
By RITCHIE STARNES
Editor
Yeopim precinct voters
accustomed to casting
their ballots at the North
eastern Regional Airport
will be required to return
to a former site for the
election in November.
The Chowan County
Board of Elections vot
ed in favor of moving
the precinct back to the
Edenton National Guard
Armory at 739 Soundside
Road effective for the
General Election. Lim
ited space at the airport
and a growing number
of voters within the pre
cinct prompted the board
to return to the Armory,
located adjacent to the
airport.
The armory was the
original precinct for
Yeopim before it was
moved to the airport for
the elections in 2002.
“The country was un
der a state of war due to
9/11,” said Rebecca Lowe,
director of elections. “We
have to move when that
happens.”
At that time, there were
1,210 voters in the Yeopim
precinct, according to
Lowe. That number has
since ballooned to 1,643,
making the airport loca
tion undersized for voter
traffic.
“We’ve been able to
function, but not always
comfortably,” Lowe add
ed.
Parking has also been
an issue at the airport
with voters having to
park far away from the
precinct then make a
lengthy walk, Lowe said.
Since the presidential
election is expected to
bring a heavy voter turn
out, elections officials de
cided to make the move
now.
Patti Kersey, Yeopim
precinct chairwoman,
questioned the timing of
the move.
See PRECINCT, 4A
In response to a question
from Councilman Steve
Biggs, Holland said the
county government cur
rently has no plans to deal
with the issue.
“They have had no re
quests,” Holland said
“They will act if they do ”
The vote was preceded
by a public hearing that
•!#
See CAPE, 2A .,,
i fin