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SEP 2 3 -2008
September 24,2008
Vol. 76, No. 39 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
^^News from Next Door**
Girl, 3,
attacked
by dog
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
A two-year-old girl was
seriously injured Tuesday
morning when she was hit-
ten in the face and neck hy
a family pet and later flown
to a Norfolk hospital.
Sheriff Eric Tilley said
a chocolate lah attacked
the girl while she and her
mother were outside. The
child bent down to remove
her flip flops and the dog
attacked unprovoked, he
said.
The incident occurred at
818 Lake Road at the home
of Robert and Sharon Coo
per.
Members of Perquimans
EMS responded to the scene
and transported the child
to the Perquimans County
Athletic Fields in WinfaU
where they transferred
the child to the Nightin
gale helicopter. Members
of WinfaU Volunteer Fire
Department set up the
landing zone for the heli
copter, and members of
the Perquimans Sheriffs
Department assisted with
traffic control.
Nightingale flew the
chUd to ChUdren’s Hospital
of the Kings Daughters in
Norfolk, TiUey said.
The dog is quarantined
at the Chowan Animal
Shelter for 10 days. Family
members told police that
the dog is up to date on its
shots.
The investigation is be
ing conducted by Animal
Control Officer Stephen
ChappeU.
No further information
was avaUable at press time.
Man hurt
in hit
and run
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
One man was injured af
ter being hit by a car whUe
riding on a motorized cycle
last week. The driver of the
car left the scene, and wit
nesses say gunshots were
fired as weU.
Patrolman Josh Turpin
with the Hertford Police
Department said Marvin
Moore of Harvey Point
Rd. was driving the cycle,
commonly known as a “mo
ped,” last Tuesday after
noon around 5:15. when he
was struck by a black Lex
us allegedly driven by Tice
Blount, 31, of Albemarle
Street. The incident oc
curred at the intersection
of Wynn Fork Court and
Wynn Fork Road.
Turpin said approxi
mately 20-30 people were
in the vicinity at the time,
including some who were
picking up chUdren at a bus
stop.
“Pm not sure just how
close they were to where
the incident occurred, but
CONTINUED on page
y
Perquimans Weekly photo by PHIL HARRIS
FIVE INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND a team were inducted into the Perquimans Athletic Hall of Fame Friday evening. Individu
als inducted included (left to right) Marvin Hunter Sr., Rufus Rouse, Tyronne Spellman, Bobby Tolson and Billy Winslow. Also
inducted was the 1997 state 1-A softball champions. See story and another photo on page 4.
HPD didn’t spend entire budget last year
Christensen
says chief
orders items
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
Amid complaints that
the town doesn’t support its
police department, a look at
last year’s budget shows the
police department didn’t
spend all of the funds ap
propriated.
Last year’s fiscal figures,
provided by Town Manager
John Christensen, show
that out of a police budget
of $537,172, only $508,253,91
was spent. Areas under
spent included salary and
wages, uniforms, travel and
training, maintenance and
repair, and capital outlay.
A total of $28,918.09 was
not spent.
Christensen said each de
partment head determines
what equipment is deemed
most important and how
to spend what money is al
located to that department.
Any purchase order over
$50 must be approved by the
town clerk, he explained.
Cindy Sharber is the town
clerk.
Concerning complaints
that the town has not pro
vided the police depart
ment necessary items like
up-to-date bullet-proof
vests, shotguns, and tazers,
Christensen responded
that it is the department
head’s responsibility to get
the equipment.
“1 don’t dictate where to
spend the money in each
department,” Christensen
said. “1 hire department
heads to make the budget
requests and spend the
money.
“There is money for bul
let-proof vests sitting in the
budget right now that hasn’t
been spent yet. It’s not my
job to know if officers have
shotguns in the trunks or
not. It is the department
head’s responsibility to get
that equipment,” he said.
No requests were made
to him for shotguns, hand
guns or tazers, he added.
He said the police chief did
talk with him about provid
ing tazers to his officers,
but nothing was decided,
Christensen said.
“There are equipment
and overtime grants avail
able to police departments,”
Christensen said. “It is
the chiefs responsibility
to locate these grants, de
termine the requirements,
and ask for permission to
apply. I approved applying
for overtime and equip
ment grants, but we cannot
find this was ever done. The
grants are simple to do and
do not require grant writ
ing experience to apply.”
The cxirrent budget in
cludes $1,750 for bullet
proof vests, he said. Vests
usually worn by the officers
typically cost approximate
ly $600 each, he added. He
said the police department
usually takes advantage of
a matching grant program
through the League of Mu
nicipalities that allows the
town, to buy more vests for
their money.
“I have never denied any
safety equipment for any
department,” he continued.
When it comes to fund
ing the town departments,
no department gets every
thing they ask for in any
given budget year, Chris
tensen said.
“Our citizens simply
cannot afford all the wants
of every department,” he
added. “Part of my job is
to determine what is most
important for the town and
to be as balanced and fair
as I can be. I strive to pres
ent a budget to the council
that provides a good leva
of service to our residents
without the burden of large
tax increases.”
He said three new posi
tions for the police depart
ment were requested in
previous years’ budgets
but were not approved.
“Given that each posi
tion created costs the town
approximately $75-$85.,000;
I could not support that
recommendation,” Chris
tensen said. “...I did say I
would support one position
partially funded by a grant
such as a COPS grant, and I
asked that the chief look for
grant funding for that posi
tion. I made the decision to
support one officer based
on the growth that I believe
the town will see in the next
two to three years. Police
officer grants typically pay
part of a salary for two to
three years, and after that
the town is responsible for
paying the entire amount. I
have not been informed of
any grants available for po
lice officers.”
Rotary renovates water fountain
6 "sgoTe"
7143
The historic fountain
on the courthouse green is
back in place and sporting
a spiffy new look.
The circa 1950s water
fountain recently under
went a refurbishing thanks
to the Hertford Rotary Club.
It was dismantled back in
January and shipped to
California where Murdock
Manufacturing, its maker,
repaired the inner work
ings of the fountain, and
refurbished the outside.
It was reinstalled the
first of September in an ef
fort to have it back working
in time for the town’s Indi
an Summer Festival.
The local Rotarians re
ceived a $980 Rotary Inter
national District Simpli
fied Grant to restore the
bronze/cast iron fountain
that was installed on the
green before 1960.
Murdock Manufacturing
produced the fountain and
it is believed to be over 50
years old. Its classic design
complements the historic
nature of the courthouse
green.
John Christensen, proj-
ect chairman for the Rotary
Club, said* he spoke with
Bob Murdock, the company
owner who is interested
in restoring older models
of his product. Because of
Murdock’s interest, Mur-
SUBMITTED PHOTO
MEMBERS OF THE HERTFORD
Rotary Club recently rein
stalled the historic water
fountain on the county's court
house green. The circa 1950s
bronze/cast iron fountain is
now in working condition and
has a spiffy new look.
dock did a budget repair on
the fountain.
“Normally, it would have
cost more,” Christensen
added.
The Rotarians them
selves performed the out
side painting and applying
chrome to the fountain’
bowl. The fountain now
works, offering drinks oi
water from its faucet.
Rotarians worked in con
junction with the county,
town and Historic Hertford,
Inc. with the restoration.
Contract
will let
deputies
work for
Hertford
Town must OK
amendments
CATHY WILSON
Staff Writer
The first step to allow
county law enforcement
officers to patrol Hertford
during their time off was
taken Monday night.
Members of the
Perquimans Board of Com
missioners approved an
agreement presented by
the town of Hertford that
will allow deputies to work
shifts in the town and be
paid by the town during the
town’s police manpower
shortage. Sheriff Eric Til
ley also approved the agree
ment.
The agreement basically
says county law enforce
ment officers may volunteer
to work shifts for the town,
and be paid time and a half
their sheriff’s department
hourly salary by the town
for any hours worked. The
town must also pay 17.5 per
cent for associated payroll
costs as well as 50.5 cents
per mile for gas.
The original agreement,
which was given to the
county by Town Manager
John Christensen, only ad
dressed salary, not associ
ated costs or gas mileage.
County commissioners rec
ommended those changes
prior to approving it. The
agreement must now be ap
proved by members of the
Hertford town council be
fore taking effect.
If approved by the town,
some officials think this
wiU mark the first time in
the history of the county
that such an agreement has
been developed.
The sheriffs department
will issue the town a month
ly bill for time worked, and
the town will pay the coun
ty.
The town police depart
ment is without a chief and
a sergeant. It now has five
officers working, but one
is out on sick leave, and a
second one is currently rid
ing along with experienced
officers since she only re
cently graduated from ba
sic law enforcement school.
With basically three patrols
available, the town isn’t
CONTINUED on page
VMtaMHBI
Thursday
High: 75 Low: 67
T-Showers, Wind
Friday
High: 74 Low: 65
Rain, Thunder
Saturday
High: 76 Low: 64
T-Showers