“News from Next Door"
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022
$1.50
CD
ofc
@ SCAN ME
PAGE A2
Hardee’s
drive-thru damaged
in multi-vehicle
accident
PAGE Bl
Fundraising
for sheriff’s gun
range upgrade in
high gear
PAGE B2
Edenton’s
Sears
Hometown store
to close June 22
Council adopts budget with 9.5-cent tax rate hike
Cole: Tax hike will be
offset by electric rate cut
BY REGGIE PONDER
Staff Writer
Hertford Town Council
voted unanimously Mon
day to adopt a 2022-23 town
budget that increases the
property tax rate by 9.5
cents while decreasing elec
tric rates.
The budget, which takes
effect July 1, reduces elec
tric rates by 1 cent per kilo
watt hour.
Under the new budget,
the owner of a $100,000
home will pay $95 more
in property taxes but pay
about $120 less for elec
tricity.
“For a resident whose
home is worth the medi
an property value for the
Town of Hertford, which
is $132,400, the rise in
their annual property
tax payment will be offset
by their monthly savings in
their electric bill,” interim
Town Manager Janice Cole
told town councilors in the
budget message attached to
the recommended spending
plan. “It will have a costli
er impact on those whose
homes are of higher value
and energy efficient, but this
is an equitable solution.”
The budget increases the
property tax rate from 55.5
cents per $100 of valuation
to 65 cents. Electric rates,
meanwhile, would fall from
12.17 cents per kilowatt
hour to 11.17 cents per kWh.
“That will then put Hert
ford’s electric rate more in
line with what is charged
in Elizabeth City and Eden
ton and less than what is
charged by Albemarle Elec
tric,” Cole said in her mes
sage, referring to Albemarle
Electric Membership Coop
erative.
The budget message
notes that those who live in
public housing or rent their
homes and use the average
amount of electricity, which
is 1,000 kWh a month, will
save about 10 percent or
roughly $120 a year on their
electric bill.
In comments at Mon
day’s meeting, Mayor Pro
Tern Ashley Hodges noted
that town councilors had
advised Cole at the begin
ning of this year’s budget
discussions to “build the
budget you need to run the
town the right way.” That
See BUDGET, A3
Pirate pride
Former councilor
Jackson charged
with sex offenses
PHOTO BY JOEL SUTTON
Trent Byrum, one of three co-valedictorians of the Perquimans County High School Class of 2022, speaks to fellow
graduates during the school’s commencement exercises Friday. PCHS conferred high school diplomas on 116
graduates during the school’s 97th annual commencement ceremony.
116 turn tassels at Perquimans High
Byrums, Benton end up in
3-way tie for valedictorian
BY REGGIE PONDER
Staff Writer
Perquimans County High
School’s principal told the
school’s 116 graduating se
niors Friday that hard work,
heartbreak and failure can
prepare them for the chal
lenges that lie ahead.
Laura Moreland, who
took over as PCHS principal
the year Class of 2022 mem
bers were in sixth-grade,
also encouraged graduates
participating in the school’s
97th annual commencement
to eqjoy the little things and
to take time to slow down
and enjoy moments with
family and friends,
“Life is not a microwave,
it’s a crock pot,” she said.
Moreland told graduates
they will face obstacles but
can grow and improve ev
ery day.
“Make one decision today
that will leave you a better
tomorrow,” she said.
Moreland encouraged
them to make every mo
ment count. And she
thanked them for “seven
years of absolute joy.”
The Class of 2022 had a
three-way tie for valedicto
rian: Trent Byrum, Mason
Byrum, and Jewel Benton.
During his remarks, Trent
Byrum said it’s important
to develop a plan and stick
withit.
“For most of us the best
times of our lives are begin
ning right now,” he said.
He thanked teachers,
coached and parents for
their support.
“Time is a valuable thing,”
he said. “We can’t rent or
buy it, but we can spend it
wisely.”
Mason Byrum talked
about the family feel of the
Pirate football and baseball
teams he played on.
He also turned to a sports
analogy to describe the tran
sition that graduation rep
resents: “Y’all can celebrate
tonight, but tomorrow we
See PCHS, A3
Jackson accused of sex offense
witfi female 15 oryounger
BY REGGIE PONDER
AND CHRIS DAY
The Daily Advance
Quentin S. Jackson,
the former Hertford town
councilor now seeking a
seat on the Perquimans
Board of Commissioners,
has been charged with
three felony sex offenses,
police records show.
Jackson, 36, of the 300
block of S. Church St.,
Hertford, was arrested
Wednesday, June 8, and
charged with three felony
counts of statutory sex of
fense with a female child
15 years of age or younger,
Perquimans Chamber
seeking new director
Biz group also has appointed
new 11-member interim board
BY JOHN FOLEY
Correspondent
Are you an organized
multi-tasker with a passion
for community and busi
ness and a penchant for
planning events and par
ties?
Is your dream to have a
lovely office in a historic
and growing downtown,
next to a bakery, where
everyone knows you on a
first-name basis?
JACKSON
according
to a copy *
of the ar
rest war
rant.
The
three of
fenses
occurred
between
May 15
and June 3, and the arrest
ing agency was the Eliza
beth City Police Depart
ment, the warrant shows.
According to the police
arrest report, Jackson was
arrested Wednesday after
noon at a residence in the
300 block of S. Dyer St.,
Elizabeth City.
Jackson was confined
See JACKSON, A3
If so, the Perquimans
Chamber of Commerce
may have a job for you.
The Perquimans Cham
ber is seeking applicants
for its vacant director’s po
sition. The job is a 30-hour-
a-week, part-time position.
“We are searching for
a candidate who eryoys
working with people and
businesses in a wonderful
community,” said interim
Chamber President Jill Co
hen. “The applicant should
be detail-oriented and
enthusiastic about small
See CHAMBER, A3
Perquimans earns Communications Center of Year award
Center honored for helping
Gates with dispatching service
From staff reports
Perquimans County’s 911
Communications Center
has been named the top
911 emergency communica
tions center in North Caroli
na for 2022.
The center was presented
the N.C. Communications
Center of the Year award by
6 " 89076 47144
Vol. 87, No. 24
WWW.PerquimansWeekly.com
@2021 Perquimans Weekly
All Rights Reserved
INSIDE
Belvidere VFD's improved fire
rating to help homeowners.
Page A2.
the North Carolina National
Emergency Numbers Asso
ciation during last month’s
N.C. Public Safety Com
munications Conference in
Wilmington.
The Perquimans 911
center was nominated for
the award because
of its work assisting
Gates County with
2 emergency dispatch
service both late last
year and earlier this
year.
Because of staffing
shortages at the Gates
County 911 center, Perquim
ans’ 911 center temporarily
provided dispatching ser
vices in both Perquimans
and the neighboring county
from Dec. 17 until Feb. 17.
The Gates 911 Dispatch
Center temporarily relocat
ed to the 911 center in Per
quimans and Gates telecom
municators began working
there on Dec. 17.
Perquimans officials said
in January that shared 911
operations with Gates had
gone smoothly and all calls
were being answered on a
timely basis.
Gates officials said its
dispatching services would
return to the county once its
dispatcher vacancies were
filled.
Julie M. Solesbee, Perqui
mans County Emergency
Services public information
officer, said staff for both
911 centers worked hard to
ensure the shared dispatch
ing service worked well for
both counties.
“The transition of relo
cating an entire 911 center
operation happened in less
than 12 hours, on a Friday,
and shortly before the holi
days which could have been
an issue but our teams were
blessed to have amazing
vendors that worked after
hours, during the weekend,
and as needed to ensure
that operations for our
telecommunicators were
as smooth as possible,” she
said. “There was a lot of
See AWARD, A3
PHOTO COURTESY PERQUIMANS COUNTY
Krystal Tutwiler, a 911 shift supervisor for Perquimans
County Central Cornmunications (second from left)
holds the North Carolina Communications Center of
the Year award Perquimans was recently awarded
by the North Carolina National Emergency Numbers
Association. Posing with Tutwiler are (l-r) Perquimans
County Manager Frank Heath, Telecommunicator
Crystal Wright, 911 Shift Supervisor Andrea Stoner, and
Emergency Services Director Jonathan Nixon.