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i-iAV
P I XHE may 0 6 2009
ERQUIMANS
"News front Next Door"
MAY 6 - MAY 12, 2009
Wiggins
ciaims race
a factor in
recreation
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
One county commissioner
believes ‘black children in
the county are being short
changed when it comes to
running track.
Last week, Commissioner
Shirley Wiggins renewed
her one-woman fight to get a
track built for local students
while attending a joint work
session by members of both
the county’s
board of edu
cation (BOE)
and commis
sioners.
“I’m ask
ing you for
the last time
black , kids in
the county,” Wiggins told the
group.
“V\^y can’t you build a
track? These kids run all over
the state competing, but they
can’t run here. They can’t
bring anyone here. They do
well and win when they com
pete. But, when it comes to
their needs here, they come
in last place.
“Black kids are interested
in football, basketball and
track,” Wiggins pointed out.
“White kids are interested in
baseball, softbaU and soccer.”
Students in Perquimans
County Schools have access
to a football field, a new bas
ketball gym, and baseball
and softball fields. The school
system does not have a track.
Boys’ and girls’ track team
members practice on the
grassy band practice field and
have to travel to other schools
for aU track meets.
Wiggins said she has asked
the county to build a track for
several years, but to no avail.
“Eight or nine years asking
for a track is long enough,”
, Wiggins said. “And, don’t teU
me there’s no funding. I asked
back when there was plenty
of funding. I asked before
things got tight. ”
Commissioner Chairman
Mack Nixon disagreed with
Wiggins, saying he doesn’t
feel one group of students has
been shortchanged.
See WIGGINS on Page 2
TltAiNiNG Day
Officials, emergency personnel join
together for incident training
Jr
, PERQUI'MANSWEEKLY PHOTO BYCATHYWILSON
Christy Saunders, emergency management director for Pasquotank County, expiains the situation to Joe Bunch,
psychologist with Perquimans Schools as others begin work on preparing their action plans during National Incident
Management System training last week.
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
A low pressure system has
stalled over Northeastern North
Carolina for several days, pour
ing drenching rains into already
full rivers and creeks surround
ing the town of Hertford. ,
The river is predicted to crest
12 feet above flood level, area
bridges are becoming weak due
to debris pileups, and scared res
idents are starting to file out of
the town in an attempt to evacu
ate.
The American Red Cross has
opened two shelters in the area,
and the local nursing home is
trying to move 55 patients out
of the area. Additional firefight
ers and rescuers are needed to
help, and buses to help transport
the elderly are needed from the
school system.
The chemical company at wa
ter’s edge reports their bottom
floor is already flooding, but of
ficials are monitoring the possi
bility of any chemical release.
Resources like sand, front end
loaders, and additional security
forces to help local leaders deal
with the impending disaster
are arriving. News crews with
satellite trucks clog the streets
and reporters are scampering
throughout the town attempting
to get the story.
Is Perquimans County ready
to handle such a situation?
Emergency Management Co
ordinator Jarvis Winslow wants
to make sure.
Anyone in the county who
might have to respond to such
an incident took part in the 18-
hour National Incident Man
agement System course taught
recently by Christy Saunders,
emergency management direc
tor for Pasquotank County, and
former Elizabeth City fire chief
BiUy Pritchard.
Officials and responders from
Perquimans and Pasquotank
Goal is to create a
unified command;
first year govern
ment officials
required to attend
counties took part in the course.
They graduated April 30 after
presenting team incident action
plans in response to the above
flood scenario.,
The course is required in or
der for Perquimans County to
receive any federal prepared
ness funding. This is third level
of NIMS training received in the
past year.
“Basically, we’re learning how
to create a unified command,”
explained Pritchard. “They are
working together in groups,
learning how to work with multi
agencies, and multi jurisdiction
al.”
Participants practiced fill
ing out the necessary forms,
and worked together to create
incident action plans in teams
grouped around six tables.
Individual tables of partici
pants created plans dealing with
such incident issues as residen
tial evacuation, nursing home,
sandbagging, shelters, control,
and security
Those attending represented
town and county agencies, gov
ernmental and school officials,
fire departments, EMS, law en
forcement, 911 communications,
county and town public works,
anim^ control, public and
mental health, nursing homes,
extension service, forestry, and
volunteers.
This is the first year local gov
ernment officials were required
to attend.
“I learned about best prac
tices in managing emergency
situations,” said Frank Heath,
county tax administrator. “The
NIMS training focused on the
I.C.S.. or incident command sys
tem. The IGS is a standardized
management tool for meeting
the demands of small or large
emergency situations.
“The traits of ICS include a
manageable span of control,
common terminology, modidar
organization, chain of com
mand, and accountability in
handling these situations,” he
continued.
“The interesting aspect of all
of this is that this knowledge
can also be applied to non-emer
gency events. You can use these
principles in planning a family
event, or a fire department fund
raiser. It was a good class.”
For Brenda Lassiter, public
information officer for Perqui
mans County Schools, the train
ing gave her a greater overview
See TRAINING OH Page 2
New restaurant, gift shop opens in Hertford
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
Tea anyone?
The ‘ Carriage House Tea
Cafe’ and Gift Shop provides
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 81 Low: 65
Scattered
T-Storms
Friday
High: 85 Low: 67
ISOUTED
T-Storms
Saturday
High: 85 Low: 62
Isolated
T-Storms
a unique setting for a leisure
ly brunch, quick business
lunch, little girl’s tea party, or
a relaxing afternoon tea.
Located at 108 Dobbs Street,
Hertford’s newest restaurant
and gift shop hosted a ribbon
cutting ceremony last Thurs
day by members of the Per
quimans Chamber of Com
merce.
Mother-daughter owners,
Ruth and Susan Benjamin-
son, have transformed the for
mer antique shop into a color
ful restaurant that can seat
25 downstairs and features a
secbnd private dining facility
upstairs as well as a child’s
bright yellow party room. A
quaint gift shop welcomes
visitors into the circa 1900
carriage house that features
heart pine mouldings, origi
nal wood flooring, a curved
stairway to the second floor,
and stained-glass windows in
the stairwell.
Bright colorful wooden
rockers offer a place to relax
on the front porch, and the
outdoor courtyard features
brick pathways leading to
iron tables, chairs, bench
es and umbrellas situated
among flower gardens and ev-
PERQUIMANS WEEKLY PHOTO BY CATHY WILSOM
The Perquimans Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting last Thursday at
Hertford’s newest restaurant and gift shop. The Carriage House Tea Cafe’ and Gift
Shop is located at 108 Dobbs Street. Mother-daughter owners, Ruth and Susan
Benjaminson, have transformed the former antique shop into a colorful restaurant
and gift shop. ’
erything a bird could want includ
ing feeders, houses and baths.
Tablecloths, the good china and a
variety of colored teapots highlight
the dining room area that’s found
just behind the small gift shop that
offers everything from candles to
loose-leaf tea to Webkins to greet
ing cards.
While they, have remodeled the
inside of the house to accommodate
a restaurant, the new owners have
preserved the historic nature of
the slice of local history that was
part of the George Major estate and
See BUSINESS on Page 2
Project calls
for replacing
14,835 feet
of sewer lines
as well as 420
feet of manhole
repairs for an
estimated cost
of $871,620
Town gets
approval
for loan/
grant deal
Hertford must look at finances to
see if they can afford package
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
The town of Hertford can receive $854,187
in economic stimulus funds through a combi
nation grant and loan package to rehabilitate
sewer lines and manholes in town.
The Hertford project was the only local proj
ect funded during the first round distribution
of stimulus funding through
the North Carolina Clean
Water State Revolving Fund.
According to the state,
funds wfll be awarded as a
50 percent zero-interest loan
and 50 percent grant. While
Hertford’s project was se
lected for funding, the town
may not opt to receive the
funds. Council has to vote to accept the funding
package.
“When we applied, we did not know if the
money was grant, loan, or a combination,” said
Town Manager John Christensen. “Since there
is a loan combination, it wfll mean additional
debt for the water and sewer fund. And, with
our already high cost of water and sewer, the
council will really have to look at this hard.”
Hertford’s application was submitted to re
habilitate part of the town’s aging collection
system. The town rehabilitated part of the sys
tem back in 2004 at a cost of $352,054 but not
aU critical areas were improved due to limited
funds.
Priority for funding by the state was given
to projects that can proceed quickly, already
have any required permits, and have addition
al funding committed, if needed. In addition,
project awards are not final until the Local Gov
ernment Commission approves the recipient’s
financial qualifications.
The Hertford project is estimated to cost
$871,620. The amount awarded to the town was
cost of the project minus closing costs.
The project calls for replacing 14,835 feet of
6—10 inch sewer lines as well as 420 vertical
feet of manhole repairs.
“Aging wastewater infrastructure from one
end of the state to the other wfll now begin to
see the benefit of the economic recovery funds,”
said Gov. Perdue in announcing the awards.
“Not only wfll these projects help improve pub
lic health and the environment, but they’ll cre
ate jobs and boost the local economy”
The funds are part of the American Recov
ery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Highway projects
get federal funding
Two highway projects in Perquimans County
wfll be funded by federal economic stimiflus
funds through the American Recovery and Re
investment Act.
According the the North Carolina Depart
ment of Transportation, a little over seven
miles of U.S. 17 between SR 1302 and SR 1101
is slated to be strengthened at a cost of $4 mil
lion.
In addition, an additional $500,000 wfll be
spent to replace a bridge on NC Highway 37
with aluminum box ciflvert.
The U.S. 17 project is scheduled to be let in
Jifly with the bridge project on NC 37 slated to
be let in August.
The Perquimans projects were two of several
annoimced by Gov. Bev Perdue. Statewide, an
additional 64 highway and bridge projects total
ing about $209 mfllion wfll be funded. The proj
ects identified to date total $679 million, more
than 90 percent of the $735 mfllion in recovery
money North Carolina has received for high
way and bridge improvements.
“North Carolina is leading the nation in ef
forts to expedite the selection of projects and
get them under way as quickly as possible to get
our people to work,” Perdue said. “Given our
current economy, it is critical that we are using
-our recovery money to help put people to work
and create much-needed economic growth for
our communities.”
According to the Federal Highway Adminis-
See HIGHWAY on Page 2
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