CHOWAN HERALD 482-4418 WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019 75$ ANNUAL PROGRESS AND REVIEW EDITION INSIDE Proposed budget calls for half-a-cent tax increase $28M county budget plangives about $6M to public safety BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON Editor The Chowan County Board of Commissioners received the pro posed budget — $28,684,635 — for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 during Monday’s meeting. The proposed budget, which would go into effect July 1 if ap proved, calls for a half-cent tax rate increase. The general fund accounts for PUBLIC FORUM A public forum on the proposed bud get for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 will be held during the dune 3 meeting of the Chowan County Board of Commission ers. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Public Safety Building. the majority of the proposed budget — $15,970,840. Out of that fund, public safety — sher iffs office, 911 center, etc. — ac counts for $5,928,006. Education — school system, senior center, library, etc. — accounts for $4,593,006 of the general fund. The Department of Social Ser vices has a budget of $2,806,463; EMS, $1,869,995; Water Depart ment, $1,770,642; and Solid Waste, $1,202,098. The county’s proposed budget includes $2,356,084 for debt ser vice and $1,022,863 for the school capital reserve fund. County Manager Kevin Howard said the proposed bud get includes $151,285 for salaries, a 3% increase from FY 2018-2019. Board chair Patti Kersey thanked Howard and the county staff from providing more infor mation on the budget this year. “There’s lots more explanation.” Howard noted that the next step in the budget process would be to hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at the board’s June 3 meeting. After the hear ing, the commissioners can ap prove the budget at their discre tion. Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin pre sented Herman Weiss, the new 911 director, to the commission. Weiss began his work with Chowan County in 2010, before splitting his time between Chowan and Gates County, where he served as the dis patcher supervisor; Goodwin hired him back full time earlier this year. “He’s been here for about 20 days, but he hit the ground run ning,” Goodwin said. Weiss has already made his mark with the community, as See BUDGET, A2 Memories of the Lady of Water Street Gardener, historian Frances Inglis dies at age 90 BY MILES LAYTON Staff Writer F riday evening, I inter viewed Frances Inglis on her porch with her daughter Susan along with former county commissioner John Mitchener, who helped to arrange the meeting. My intent was to learn more about the Lady of Water Street as well as some of the history of Edenton and Chowan County so that I could write a tribute to her life. I can still see Inglis’ intent gaze as she answered my questions while the warm breeze blew from Edenton Bay onto her porch at Homestead, circa 1773. I was shocked to hear of Inglis’ passing Monday morn ing at her home. Candidly, I’m not sure how to write her story, so bear with me as I continue to process the news and turn it int o prose. Based on the best informa tion available before our Tuesday press deadline, Inglis’ funeral is scheduled for 11 am. Satin-day at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. From my own recollections of Inglis as well as Friday’s in terview, I can say with cer tainty that she was a kind soul who had a strong knowledge of local people and places. Many people held her in awe as they spoke with her be cause she had a formidable grasp of time and place; quali ties that become more rare as people choose Oz over Kansas. Our State magazine even did a feature on her a few years back about her presence and place within the town’s fabric. Inglis was born in March 17, 1929, in Norfolk, Virginia, and though she visited family living in Edenton, she and husband Ross settled in town many decades ago and raised a family. During our conversation, Inglis relayed how her fam ily’s heritage is connected to the Wood, Collins and PHOTO COURTESY BAILEY YOUNG FILE PHOTO MILES LAYTON/CHOWAN HERALD NOTE This is part of a series on the Chowan River. The next part will appear in the May 29 edition of the Chowan Herald. Skinner families, which trace their lineage back to the days long ago when there was a British flag flying over the colonies. The Wood family owned multiple plantations, while the Collins family owned Somerset Place in Washington County. The Skinners lived at Montpelier on the Albemarle Sound, three miles outside Edenton. During the 11 o’clock Mass, Inglis and her daughter often sat in the front pews up to ward the front of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where her grandfather Robert Drane Clockwise from left: This file photo shows Frances Inglis supporting Blair Wood, an en trepreneur from White Oak Ele mentary, who was selling wrapping paper to raise money for field trips and to win herself a box of prizes. Inglis sits on one of the porches of her home, Homestead, on Friday. Inglis ac cepts birthday greetings from fel low members of the local Racial Reconciliation Group during a din ner celebrating the fourth anniversary of the group’s for mation. Council OKs permit for retail store Citizens cite concerns about business in N. Oakum St. residential community BY MILES LAYTON Staff writer Edenton Town Council’s recent meet ing touched on many topics ranging from a new store to future business plans. During the May 14 meeting, council granted a conditional-use permit for a proposed retail store that is planned for 1111 N. Oakum St. Owners April and Craig Garman of Tyner seek to open a store that sells overstocked items gath ered from various leading retail chains — a welcome addition for customers who dread the trek to Elizabeth City or Greenville. The property is owned by Pearl Smith of Elizabeth City, according to town documents. Council approved changing the zoning for the property from Conditional Use See COUNCIL, A2 Residents: Valhalla plan bad for river Fishermen say waterway moves slowly; effluent will just sit, make water brackish BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON Editor For hundreds of years, the Tynchs and Nixons have lived off the waterways sur rounding Chowan County. They have served as a rector between 1876 and 1932. Her father was a priest too. “Our parish in good shape and I’m very grateful that Malone (Gilliam) is the priest,” Inglis said. See INGLIS, A4 watched the area’s fishing fleet grow dur ing better times and as it shrank while regula tions limited commercial fishing. They’ve watched the once unsafe iter become safe enough to baptize grandchildren. Stanley Tynch and his brother own the land along Harris Landing Road. The property has been in his family for See VALHALLA, A2 STATE Champions SUBMITTED PHOTO The John A. Holmes High School boys track and field team be came the Class 1A state cham pion Saturday after compet ing in Greens ¬ boro. For more of the team's suc ¬ cess, see Page Bl. '89076 44813 1 6 Ed Goodwin will speak at ceremony Memorial Day service to be held at 11 a.m. May 27 STAFF REPORTS NC Representative Ed Goodwin will be the guest speaker at this year’s Memorial Day Ser vice. American Legion Post 40 will host the service at 11 a.m. Monday, May 27, at the veterans memorial at the intersection of Court, and East Queen GOODWIN streets in Eden ton. Good win, R- Chowan, repre sents District 1. He is a veteran of the US Air Force. He also served 21 years in the US Naval Criminal See GOODWIN, A2 What's Happening in Chowan County Like us on Facebook at /TheChowanHeraid National Honor Society holds induction ceremony — Page B3 Obituaries — A3 Melanie S. Butler Nancy Hughes Cayton Freida Harris Durham Calendar B4 Classifieds....B7-8 InnOY Community....A6 divlUA Obituaries A3 Vol. 84, No. 21 Opinion A5 Sports Bl