P The
ERQUIMANS
Weekly
"New'S front Next Door”
May 27 - June 2, 2009 ^-SCEIVED
^Ar 7 / 2009
Resident says town law enforcement doesn’t meet needs
By Cathy Wilson
Stajf Writer
Murielle Harmon feels she’s been
victimized twice: once by the five
people charged in connection with
the theft of approximately $15,000 in
jewelry from her home May 2, and
again by a locality that doesn’t have
a police department office open on
weekends or an investigator to help
solve crimes.
“You have to become a victim be
fore you know what is needed here
in law enforcement,” Harmon told
Hertford leaders May 11.
Harmon and her husband, Blake,
vacationed out of town recently
and left their house in the care of a
house-sitter who apparently threw a
party during which several pieces of
jewelry and other items were alleg
edly stolen. Five people were arrest
ed and charged in connection with
the incident.
The theft reportedly occurred May
2. Police weren’t notified until Har
mon returned home on Thursday,
May 7. By Friday afternoon, war
rants were issued for the arrests of
five people in connection with the
larceny.
Harmon told members of Hertford
Town CoimcU she and her husband
were “in limbo” the following Satur
day and Sunday, waiting to hear from
police as well as offer additional in
formation to police. But, she said,
the police department was closed.
Officers were on duty, but the office
was not open. She didn’t call 9-1-1 be
cause she felt 9-1-1 was only for emer
gencies.
“We went aU weekend without any
information,” Harmon said. “The
follow-up system is horrible. An
investigator would have been most
helpful.”
Harmon said residents should have
access to police over the weekend,
not just Monday through Friday
The police department’s office,
manned by an administrative assis
tant, is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.
See POLICE on Page 2
Honoring the ordinary for the extraordinary
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
The caU to defenl this country’s
freedom is being answered by ordi
nary Americans making extraordi
nary sacrifices. In fact, patriotism
over the years has born many such
heroes who were honored Monday
during the Memorial Day ceremony
held on the courthouse lawn.
Sponsored by Hertford American
Legion Post 126, the 45-mmute cer
emony drew approximately 150 peo
ple ranging in age from infant to the
county’s oldest living veteran. Jay Dil
lon, age 98.
“We do not pay tribute to war, rath
er, a tribute to peace makers whose
physical and moral courage makes
heroes out of farm and city boys and
girls, that inspired Americans of ev
ery generation to lay down their lives
for people they’ll never meet,” said
Ken Rominger, commander of Post
126.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 150
presented flags representing each
branch of military service. Veterans
who served in each individual branch
stood and saluted during the playing
of their service song as each flag was
presented.
Wreaths were laid at the base of
the veterans monument. A poignant
ceremony was held remembering the
missing in action and prisoners of
war. The names of veterans who have
died in the past year were read.
“We caU them comrades,” said
PERQUIMANS WEEKLY PHOTOS BY CATHY WILSON
Clockwise from top left, the county’s oldest living veteran, 98-year-old Jay Dillon, sport
ing a red poppy in support of veterans, smiles after leading the Memorial Day crowd in
the pledge of allegiance. Mack Nixon and Shirley Wiggins place a wreath at the base
of the veterans memorial during the Memorial Day ceremony held on the courthouse
square on Monday. About 150 people attended, ranging in age from infant to 98. Min-
nis Copeland, age 85, snaps a salute as his service song played during the Memorial
Day ceremony held Monday on the courthouse lawn. Copeland served in both the Coast
Guard and as a Mercant Marine.
Rominger. “They are unable to be with
their loved ones and families, so we
join together to pay humble tribute to
them, and to bear witness to them con
tinued absence.”
Guest speaker was James Ervin,
membership chairman for the North
Carolina Department of American Le
gion.
“Memorial Day reminds us that
without patriotism, we would have no
heroes to honor today,” he said. “Oli
ver WendeU Holmes caUed this ‘our
most sacred holiday’, and he urged
that ‘we not ponder with sad thoughts
the passing of our heroes, but rather
ponder their legacy-the life they made
possible for us by their commitment
and pain’.”
Ervin said the age-old struggle to be
free was seen in conflicts throughout
the years and continues today in, what
he termed, a post 9-11 world.
“Gone are the days when we’d sit
back and believe that oim oceans would
protect us from those who wish us
harm,” he said. “We acknowledge that
in order to continue to protect the free
doms we hold close to our hearts, we
have to take the battles to the terror
ists and promote freedom throughout
the world. Our brave men and women
are doing that right now, and we sa
lute them, support them, and honor
them.”
“Yet as these brave American men
and women find themselves far from
America’s shores, in lands foreign to
them, they face situations their par
ents hoped, and prayed, their chil(hren
would never have to experience,” he
added. “The call to defend fi-eedom
came, and they answered. They are aU
heroes-facing enemies every day and
yet they stand resolved to carry out
their mission to keep America safe.
Many wUl return home with the pride
of having served their coimtry honor-
See MEMORIAL on Page 2
Hertford Police Department hire two officers
Johnson’s departure
‘leaves one opening
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
The recent hiring of a ser
geant and patrol officer and
the departure of one officer
leaves the Hertford Police De-
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 82 Low: 65
SCAHERED T-
Storms
Friday
High: 80 Low: 63
Cloudy
Saturday
High: 78 Low: 63
Scattered T-
Storms
partment just one officer shy
of the seven for which the de
partment is budgeted.
Shawn Swindell and Pryce
Hohenstein signed on with
the department, SwindeU as a
sergeant and Hohenstein as a
patrol officer. Clifton Johnson
has separated from the de
partment as of May 15.
SwindeU, 34, comes to Hert
ford firom Maryland where he
worked in private investiga
tions regarding workman’s
compensation and insurance
fraud. Prior to that, he served
five years in law enforcement:
three years with the Yoimgs-
vUle Police Department and
two years with the Franklin-
ton Police Department, both
in North Carolina. He worked
with Hertford Police Chief
Joe Amos in both YoungsvUle
and Franklinton.
“1 was looking to return to
law enforcement and get clos
er to the beach,” said Swind
eU in explaining why he ac
cepted the sergeant’s position
with Hertford.
His interest in law enforce
ment started whUe serving
with emergency medical ser
vices in Maryland.
SwindeU recently gradu
ated from the CoUege of The
Albemarle’s Basic Law En
forcement Training where he
earned the “Top Gun” award
Hohenstein
Swindell
for being the best shooter
overall in the firearm’s class.
Married over five years, he
enjoys surf fishing.
As sergeant, SwindeU’s big
gest chaUenge is to clean up
and reorganize the depart
ment’s property evidence
room which holds property
confiscated during investiga
tions dating back to 1978. In
addition, SwindeU handles
supplies for the department.
SwindeU joins the depart
ment’s other sergeant, Kevin
Worster, in puUing rotating
shifts that overlap regular
shifts worked by the patrol of
ficers.
SwindeU is originaUy from
Montgomery County, Mary
land.
Hohenstein, 40, is new to
the department, W not new
to Hertford. He and his fam-
Uy have lived in the area for
almost thi'ee years.
OriginaUy from upstate
New York, Hohenstein comes
to HPD from the Washington
County Sheriff’s Department
where he served for two years
as a deputy He graduated
from Beaufort ^lounty Com-
mimity CoUege Basic Law En
forcement Training in 2008.
He served in the U.S. Ma
rines imtU he was bitten
in the leg by a copperhead
snake after stepping into a
nest whUe performing field
training exercises at Camp
Lejeune.
“They told me I’d never
walk again, but I’m a pretty
stubborn feUa,” he said.
He waited to seek medical
attention for the snake bite
for 18 hours, or untU the train
ing exercise was over. By that
time, he had a fever of 105 de
grees, and his leg was badly
swoUen.
When he finaUy reached the
hospital, medicEd personnel
gave him horse serum to com
bat the venom. Unfortimately,
he was aUergic to the serum,
and went into anaphylac
tic shock which stopped his
breathing. Doctors shocked
the young Marine back to
life.
Now married with three
sons, Hohenstein says he
went into law enforcement
out of an obligation to serve,
to help make the commimity
where his famUy lives safer,
and to hopefuUy make their
lives better.
Hohenstein serves as a pa
trol officer.
Hertford-Winfall
sewer stink not
flushed out yet
We cannot accept
Winfall’s allega
tions that Hertford
should credit Win-
fall in any way...”
— Hertford Mayor Eley
to Winfall Mayor Yates
Yates
By Cathy Wilson
Staff Writer
Despite mediation by the
funding agency, Hertford and
WinfaU stUl disagree over
payment for wastewater treat
ment.
WhUe Hertford officials
. termed last month’s media
tion by the U.S. Department
of Agricultirre Rural Develop
ment as “fruitful,” they have
not signed off on the m^iated
settlement*--amount, saying
they want more information
from WinfaU before they sign
on the dotted line.
WinfaU officials abided by
the result of the mediation,
and sent Hertford a check last
week for $9,972.74, saying the
settlement is finalized.
Hertford, however, says they
can’t accept Winfall’s check
if it represents a final settle
ment. V^Ue the amount of the
check represents cost agreed
upon during mediation, there
are stUl issues to be resolved
before the matter is settled,
said Hertford Town Manager
John Christensen.
Brian NoU, with Rural De
velopment, met with Chris
tensen and a delegation from
WinfaU that included Mayor
Fred Yates, engineer BUI Die
hl, and town accountant Terry
ChappeU on AprU 22 to medi
ate an on-going dispute over
payment for Winfall’s waste-
water treatment by Hertford
dating to March 2008.
FoUowing hroad discus
sions hy both towns, a settle
ment amount was supposedly
reached, with that amount
not being legaUy binding un-
tU agreed upon by both town
councUs.
“After considerable nego
tiation by both towns. Rural
Development imderstands
that the final negotiated price
agreed to by both parties was
for WinfaU to pay Hertford a
total of $9,872.74,” wrote NoU
to Doug Causey, Rural Devel
opment area director.
“This cost would resolve aU
outstanding issues brought up
at the meeting and aUow both
parties to move forward with
an agreeable relationship.”
WinfaU sent Hertford a
check for that amount May 12
with a letter firom Yates saying
the check finalizes the settle
ment of the wastewater treat
ment dispute between the two
towns.
However, Hertford Mayor
Sid Eley sent WinfaU a let
ter May 6 agreeing that Win
faU owes Hertford a total of
$9,872.94 for wastewater treat
ment in December 2008, Janu
ary 2009, and for engineering
services and, sales tax previ
ously credited to WinM er-
-f
roneously
But, Eley also wrote that the
me(Jiation left one significant
issue outstanding.
The dispute centers on past
wastewater treatment charges
biUed by Hertford that WinfaU
contends are skewed because
of temporary meters measur
ing the amoimt of wastewater
passing through them.
Both towns agree that the
amount due from WinfaU
for wastewater treatment
through November 30, 2008 is
$34,867.28.
WinfaU paid $16,286.82 of
that earlier this year, but con
tends that the balance should
be credited to them to offset
the cost of engineering fees
and equipment costs the town
incurred to instaU Mermaid
equipment and software to ac
curately measure the town’s
wastewater volume since
Hertford didn’t.
•Hertford, however, says
show them the detaUed invoic
es for such costs first.
“Because of the very lim
ited information previously
provided by Winfall, we can
not accept WinfaU’s aUega-
tions that Hertford should
credit WinfaU in any way for
the costs of WinfaU’s metering
equipment and labor,” Eley
wrote to Yates.
“We certainly cannot credit
WinfaU for engineering ser
vices and equipment when we
cannot be certain that those
items even related to waste-
water treatment. In order for
Hertford to continue discuss
ing this issue, WinfaU must
provide Hertford with detaUed
invoices showing each and ev
ery piece of equipment and
hour of labor for which Win
faU contends Hertford should
be responsible.
Without such information,
Hertford cannot determine if
there are actuaUy items for
which it may legitimately be
held accoimtable and Hertford
wUl be left with no option oth
er than taking legal action.
“Once the'sole remaining
issue is finaUy resolved, both
towns wiU be able to move for
ward to address the numerous
other crises and problems they
are facing,” Eley continued.
“This is a mutual project
for wastewater treatment and
Hertford wUl continue to strive
to develop and foUow a process
acceptable to both the citizens
of Hertford and WinfaU. To do
that, we must keep the best in
terests of our citizens in mind
and do the very best we can to
do what is right.”
According to Yates, the in
voices have already been sent
to Christensen.
See STINK on Page 2
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