BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
JANUARY 11,20171
The fabric of Bertie County since 1832
Continued
Commissioners
ed 3-2 to “suspend all future
funding and freeze existing
fund balances provided by
the county to Martin Com
munity College for the pur
pose of paying salary and/or
settlements to Dr. Ann Britt
effective immediately.”
After nearly an hour of
sometimes heated discus
sion, Commissioners Joe Ay
ers, Tommy Bowen and Elmo
“Butch” Lilley voted in favor
of the motion to suspend
the funding. Commissioners
Dempsey Bond Jr. and Ron
nie Smith cast dissenting
votes, and asked their votes
be recorded by name.
The meeting began with
Martin County Manager Da
vid Bone offering an assess
ment of the ongoing situa
tion at Martin Community
College.
“As you’re aware, in No
vember the State Board of
Community Colleges re
leased a report about Martin
Community College,” Bone
said. “The report was based
on information from the
2014-15 audit report for the
college as well as site visits
>that occurred in September.
“In the Nov. 18 report, the
State Board of Community
College outlined several ar
eas of concern involving
administration and gover
nance at Martin Community
College,” he continued.
Bone said the state asked
for a response by Dec. 16,
and the MCC Board of Trust
ees responded on Dec. 9.
He further stated the State
Board of Community Col
lege met to review the MCC
response.
“In the State Board of Com
munity Colleges’ response,
the board recommends new
leadership at Martin Com
munity College immediate
ly,” Bone said. “Additionally
the State Board announced
it would withhold state
funds to support the Martin
Community College Presi
dent’s salary effective Jan. 1
until such time as an acting
or interim president takes
over as leader of the college.
The state board also recom
mended Martin County fol
low suit.”
Bone said the county does
not make personnel deci
sions regarding MCC, but
did provide nearly $1 million
in funding for the college, in
cluding some money paid to
ward the community college
president’s salary.
Bowen asked whether the
state was asking commis
sioners to take any sort of
action.
“The state board is with
holding funding for the
president’s salary as of Jan.
1,” Bone said. “They are ba
sically asking Martin County
to take similar action regard
ing local funds.”
Bowen said after the issues
at MCC were settled, the
county would need to have
a good working relationship
with the State Board of Com
munity Colleges.
“We need to do whatever
we can to stay in good with
the state board because they
do make the final decisions,”
Bowen said.
Ayers echoed those
thoughts.
“Mr. Chairman I’ve been
hearing complaints, gather
ing information and looking
into this matter for well over
two years now,” he said. “1
was glad to hear the state
step in and help rectify the
problem out at Martin Com
munity College. 1 appreciate
them coming in, and 1 be
lieve we need to act on their
recommendation.”
Ayers said he had spoken
with the state board chair
man, and believed the state
wanted the college to suc
ceed.
Smith said he disagreed
with the meeting, saying it
was happening too soon.
He asked Clerk to the Board
Marion Thompson to read
an email from Jackie Gillam,
Chair of the MCC Board of
Trustees. In the email - dated
Dec. 29, according to Smith -
Gillam said the trustees had
not received a response from
the state board, and did not
expect to until after the holi
days.
Smith said the MCC Trust
ees should be allowed to
meet before the commis
sioners took any action.
Bowen said he disagreed,
and that the commissioners
would need to deal with the
state board after it was all
over.
Smith said the commis
sioners would deal with
the state board through the
community college.
“The community college
has not been given the op
portunity to address these
issues according to chair
person Jackie Gillam,” Smith
said.
Bond said he was a trustee
at MCC. He said that restrict
ed him as to what he could
say because much of the in
formation has been handled
in closed session.
“We have not - the board of
trustees - has not looked at
this material that has come
down from the state,” Bond
said.
Lilley, who serves as
Chairman of the Martin
County Commissioners, said
the state board had asked
for commissioners to back
them.
Bowen said he was con
cerned Bond had not
brought back information to
the commissioners concern
ing the troubles at MCC.
Bond said the items in the
newspaper were about is
sues handled in closed ses
sion, but Bowen disputed
the information.
Bowen said, “This thing
has been going on at that col
lege a long time. You could
carry us into closed session
and talk about it.
“You have never brought
anything back to us for us
to know anything different
than what we read,” Bowen
added.
Bond asked if anyone
asked him about it, but Bo
wen said the county allowed
time for board reports at ev
ery meeting.
Bond said commissioners
couldn’t discuss personnel
at MCC in closed session,
but Bowen said it was about
finances, not personnel.
Bond asked what portion
of Dr. Britt’s salary the coun
ty paid. Bone showed com
missioners the budgeting
information from the county
and said the $16,500 for man
agement in the budget was
for Dr. Britt’s salary.
Bofie said there are a num
ber of counties that provide
a supplement to the commu
nity college president, and
Martin County had paid the
MCC President since before
he (Bone) arrived five years
ago.
Smith said if the county did
not know for sure, he didn’t
want to touch the money in
case it was not for Britt’s sal
ary.
Following that discussion,
Ayers made the motion that
was passed, but he made it
clear the motion only affect
ed the president.
As part of the motion, Ay
ers added that if it passed,
“failure to comply will result
in the college jeopardizing
future partial and all funding
from the county.”
Bond said the county
would be involved in some
thing it didn’t need to be im
volved with if they passed
the motion. He strongly sug
gested it was better to allow
Britt to retire in March as
planned.
Smith also reiterated his
opposition to the motion. „
Bowen strongly disagreed
with Bond and Smith.
“1 think that’s why we’re
meeting Friday afternoon
at four o’clock is because
we’re all concerned with
Martin County and what is
going on,” Bowen said. “If
somebody doesn’t do some
thing fairly soon, we’re not
going to have a college, and
that’s why we are meeting
today - to try to save a col
lege. We’re not here meeting
trying to destroy one or shut
one down.”
Bowen said the board was
showing they were willing to
do whatever it took to keep
the college.
Smith asked whether there
was a letter asking the board
to take action, and was told
there was not, but the infor
mation was forwarded to the
board.
“As 1 said, we are making a
big mistake,” Smith said.
Lilley said there was a cor
rective action plan provided
by the state, and Smith said
it should be left to the MCC
trustees.
“1 think we owe it to the
citizens of Martin County to
take action,” Bowen said.
He said the community
wanted the board to take
some action, and not allow
the college to be closed.
jPONlOHED PY (OOI^E (OHRUNiaTIOlil
Down fflST
TflLfhT
StflRCtt
AUDITIOnS
Saturday, February 4, 2017
egisfer loday: :>50-
Early Registration Deadline: Jan. 27th
Standard Registration: Jan. 28th - Feb. 2nd
Walk-on Registration until Feb. 4th at 2pm
$1,000 FIRST PRIZE
$500 SECOND PRIZE
$250 THIRD PRIZE
Sponsored by the little bonk
AECKTEI! TOMV. IIIIH SIC. ALL ACEi, ALL TVPEl OF TALENT.
TULL PETAILL AT POWNTASTTALENTiEAP(H.(OM OP (ALL 2E2-P2fi-C50C
Cooke
COMMUNICATIONS
NORTH CAROLINA LLC
/M
US. Cellular
Bertie Ledger-Advance
CHOWAN HERALD
The Daily Advance Perquimans Alexander
DailyAdvance.com Weekly pertorming arts series
This event is a fundraiser sponsored by FRIENDS of the S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series. See the website
for complere details. Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should
contact the Department for Di.sabiiity Support Services at least 48 hours prior to the event at 252.737.1016 (voice.TTY).
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes to Expand Wildlife
Conservation in North Carolina
(Windsor, N.C.)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public inpuL on its proposal to expand the acquisition boundary for
Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge.
“The Roanoke River corridor offers important bottomland hardwood habitat to many species of birds, mammals, fish and plants,”
said Matt Connolly, manager of Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge. “This proposed expansion would offer the Service
opportunities to work with local landowners to conserve the lower Roanoke River ecosystem and provide refuge for animals in
the event of increased pressure from population growth and sea level rise."
The Service currently manages 20,978 acres along the river where it focuses conservation efforts for bottomland hardwood
forests and associated habitats. Animal species that are of particular concern include Cerulean warbler, Prothonotary warbler,
Swainson's warbler. Great Blue heron, Anhinga, Wopd duck and Black duck. The river is an important habitat for American
sturgeon and Striped bass as well.
Service work in these areas follows a two-pronged strategy: supporting interested landowners in their land management and
aeguiring land for Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge through purchase and donation from willing landowners. This
proposal would increase the area in which the Service can work with willing landowners in the southern reaches of the Roanoke
River from Roanoke Rapids to the Albemarle Sound.
This proposal is to expand the acquisition boundary of Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge. A refuge acquisition boundary is
an area in which the Service can acquire interest in property either through fee title purchase or through easements or cooperative
agreements. Being within an acquisition boundary does not change any landowner rights or responsibilities unless and until a
landowner decides to sell all, part or an interest their property to the Service. Landowners still manage their land as they always
have and may sell to anyone they choose at any time. Boundary expansion areas allow Service managers to have conversations
with landowners interested in selling their land or exploring options like easements or cooperative agreements. Without being
included in the acquisition boundary the Service cannot explore those options.
The refuge acquisition boundary currently includes 33,000 acres with the Service owning 20,978 acres. The Service is.
considering adding an additional 250,000 acres to the acquisition boundary with authorization to purchase up to 50,000 acres
and purchase easements up to 100,000 acres. However, exact acreage of the proposed expansion is yet to be determined, as the
Service considers the extent of rare species populations, conservation efforts by other organizations, and landowner interest.
The refuge currently falls within Bertie County, North Carolina. The expansion would include areas within Bertie, Washington,
Martin, Halifax and Northampton counties. The Service is currently seeking public input on the proposed expansion. There will-
be five open houses across the region to receive comments and answer questions about the proposed expansion.
Open House Schedule:
Monday Jan 23rd
Halifax County:
6:00pm-8:00pm
TJ Davis Recreation Center
400 E. 6th Street Roanoke Rapids, NC
Tuesday Jan 24th
Martin County:
6:00pm-8:00pm
Martin County Extension Office
104 Kehukee Park Rd Williamston, NC
Wednesday Jan 25th
Bertie County:
6:00pm-8:00pm
Windsor Community Building
201 S. Queen Street Windsor, NC
Thursday Jan 26th
Northampton County:
6:00pm-8:00pm
Northampton Recreation Center
9536 NC HWY 305 Jackson, NC
Friday Jan 27th
Washington County:
6:00pm-8:00pm
Washington County Extension Office
128 E. Water Street Plymouth, NC
Comments may also be emailed to roanokerivemwr@fws.gov; mailed to U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service, P.O. Box 430, Windsor, NC 27983; or telephoned to 252-794-3808.