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EDENTON NC 27932-1854
482-4418
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
School board names new superintendent
■ Jackson comes to Edenton
from Union County Schools
From staff reports
The 2011 N.C. Principal of the
Year has been named superin
tendent of the Edenton-Chowan
Schools.
The Edenton-Chowan Board
of Education voted unanimously
Tuesday on a motion by board
member Glorious Elliott to ap
point Robert L “Rob” Jackson as
Chief:
More cops
could save
overtime
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
Police Chief Jay Forten
bery says with the hiring of
three new officers he could
reduce overtime for the po
lice department by more
than $15,000 dollars during
the 2014-15 budget year.
.FORTENBERY
projected during a town
council work session held
March 24 that with a few ad
justments that figure could
be lowered to $37,011.03.
That would equal a savings
of $15,191.96 for the depart
ment during the next fiscal
year, he said.
"The projections for the
2014-2015 year are based on
annual training need (time)
for 20 officers,” Fortenbery
said, figures that include the
three new officers he hopes
to hire. “With 20 officers we
will also be able to reduce
our court time by switching
officers’ court dates to their
work days and reduce plan
of action overtime by utiliz
ing existing resources.”
Fortenbery said one of the
key changes to the depart
ment’s budget would involve
sending officers to court on
days they are scheduled to
work. Currently, officers are
scheduled to go to court to
testify on their days off so
as not to create a manpower
shortage in the department,
he said. That, of course, ne
cessitates overtime pay for
those officers.
Fortenbery added that
having three additional of
ficers available would also
result in more flexibility in
planning for such actions as
Operation Peace and Quiet
and patrolling during down
town events.
Beyond that, there are
other things that factor into''
the amount of overtime such
as required training that can
not be altered, he said.
Fortenbery’s appear
ance before the council fol
lowed an earlier presenta
tion where council member
See SAVINGS, 4A
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■..tMU
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superintendent
of schools effec
tive July 1.
Jackson, who
has served as
chief communi
cations officer
the Union
JACKSON
County Schools
since July 2012,
will replace Superintendent Allan
Smith, who is retiring.
Following the board’s action,
Jackson said he was pleased that
Spring Fling
* STAFF PHOTO BY REGGIE PONDER
Two-year-old Kendrick White enjoys a cupcake during Saturday’s Spring Fling at John A.
Holmes High School. See more photos from the event on page IB.
Chowan’s Goodwin selected
to head state’s Ferry Division
BY REGGIE PONDER
Editor
A Chowan County native
and former chairman of the
county’s Board of Commis
sioners has been appointed
to head the state’s Ferry Divi
sion.
Ed Goodwin assumed the
ferry post Monday.
Goodwin, who was the Re
publican challenger to Secre
tary of State Elaine Marshall in
2012 and recently has served
as Gov. Pat McCrory’s liaison
for eastern North Carolina,
said Monday he had spent
his fust day riding the ferries,
looking at dock locations and
meeting the people who work
in the Ferry Division.
“I’m just getting my head
and my hands wrapped around
the beast that is the Ferry Divi
sion, and I'll do what I have to
do to tame the beast,” Good
win said “I like a good chal
the Edenton-Chowan Schools co
hort graduation rate has improved
each of the past five years.
“I believe we exist for the mo
ment,” Jackson said, referring
to the first steps a new gradu
ate takes after receiving a high
school diploma.
Board of Education Chairman
John Guard said the board was
especially impressed with Jack
son’s record of academic prog
ress as a principal.
Guard explained that the board
lenge."
Goodwin said he
believes the Ferry Di
vision for the most
part does a good job.
But he will be looking
for ways to improve
effectiveness and effi
ciency, he said.
After a first week
of surveying the current situa
tion, he will prioritize the next
steps in terms of improving ef
ficiency, he said.
Rep. Bob Steinburg, R
Chowan, who has been an
outspoken critic of the Ferry
Division in the past, said he is
enthusiastic about the selec
tion of Goodwin for the top
spot at the division.
“He’s a great detail person,”
Steinburg said.
Steinburg pointed out Good
win and other Chowan com
missioners in 2008 were facing
a “monumental challenge” in
terms of the county’s fiscal cri
reviewed applications from North
Carolina and several other states.
The board expects Jackson to
continue the kind of strong lead
ership that Smith has provided to
the school system, Guard said.
“Edenton-Chowan Schools is
losing a champion for student and
employee excellence in Dr. Allan
Smith, but we are confident that
Mr. Jackson will continue that re
cord pf advocacy for excellence,”
Guarci said.
Smith welcomed Jackson as
sis. The county com
missioners managed
to avert a then-loom
ing state takeover, he
said.
“He has shown that
he has the ability to
take a very difficult
situation and make it
better,” Steinburg said
GOODWIN
ol Goodwin.
People across the state re
gard as “incredible” what the
commissioners under Good
win’s leadership did in right
ing the county’s fiscal course,
Steinburg said.
“That was just a tremendous
accomplishment,” he said.
Steinburg pointed out Good
win also has law enforcement
experience with NCIS and is a
businessman and fanner.
All of that experience will
enable Goodwin to make the
division more efficient and
eliminate corruption and cro
nyism, Steinburg said.
the district’s next superintendent
and said he hopes Jackson and
his family find the community as
inviting as he and his wife, Nancy,
have.
“Under Mr. Jackson’s leader
ship I am confident Edenton
Chowan Schools will continue to
prosper and soar to new heights,”
Smith said.
Jackson and his wife, Rene,
have three sons, Dennis, Joshua
and Elijah, and one daughter,
Madelyn.
Collins named
head football
coach for Aces
BY REGGIE PONDER
Editor.
An assistant football coach at a large high
school in the Piedmont area of the state has
been tapped as the new head football coach at
John A. Holmes High School.
Jim Collins was named to the head coach
post Monday night by the Edenton-Chowan
Board of Education on the recommendation
of Superintendent Allan Smith.
The board’s vote was unanimous.
Collins comes to Edenton from RJ. Reyn
olds High School in Winston-Salem, where he
was an assistant football coach last season.
The school is part of the 4-A Conference 7.
He is heading to Edenton with his sights
high.
“We want to be a league power and set our
selves up to do great things yearly in the state
tournament,” Collins said this week. *
Collins said he plans to be in Edenton by
May 12.
Collins said this week that he and his wife,
Christi, like to be involved in the community
and feel Edenton will be a great place to do
that
“We are looking forward to planting our
family flag and making it our home,” Collins
said.
Collins said it was the high school’s repu
tation for athletics and the district’s commit
ment to educational excellence that attracted
him to Edenton.
Smith said Collins will be an asset to the
high school and the community.
See COLLINS, 4A
County hears
request to fund
Hopeline
BY REGGIE PONDER
Editor
A county resident asked the Chowan Board
of Commissioners Monday to reinstate fund
ing for Albemarle Hopeline, the nonprofit that
provides domestic violence services in the re
gion.
Melanie Jordan told the commissioners that
she appreciates the fiscal responsibility the
county has shown during the past few years
and realizes that a lot of funding cuts had to be
made because of (he serious fiscal crisis the
county faced.
But she added that she hopes the county is
now in a position where it can help Albemarle
Hopeline, which helps women and children
(and occasionally men) escape domestic vio
lence.
Jordan made reference to a letter that Albe
marle Hopeline Executive Director Pat Young
blood had written in February to Clifton Hardi
son, who at that time was serving as interim
county manager.
The letter requests that the county allocate
$2,0000 for Albemarle Hopeline in the 2014-15
budget
Youngblood’s letter indicated that in 2013,
Hopeline in Chowan County served 301 undu
plicated domestic and sexual violence victims;
provided 401 shelter nights; conducted 556
counseling sessions; offered 600 advocacy and
See HOPELINE, 4A