Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (Henderson City Council April 28th, 2014)


Recognition

Council Member Daeke introduced Wayne Woody, Scout Master for the Boy Scout High Adventure Group 605. Mr. Woody introduced four “boy scouts” who rescued a family with an elderly woman who had fallen and injured herself while hiking on a trail near Boone. The four “scouts” all over 18 and not all male included two certified EMTs. Although the hiking family included a physician who tended to the injured hiker’s immediate medical needs, the hikers forgot to bring water. As the boy scouts marching song goes, be prepared. Fortunately the scouts were prepared having sufficient water, training, and the brawn to aid the injured hiker down the trail.

 

Adding to the recognition of Adventure Group 605 and the return of the mayor was the ECU Capacity Partner Recognition award earned by Ms. Erris Dunston’s. Ms. Dunston’s bequeathed the physical symbol of the award to the City. The City has a nice new wall plaque. Halifax County is gaining Ms. Dunston’s knowledge, energy and enthusiasm.

 

New Business

Two items were on the New Business agenda. The first, Consideration of Approval of Resolution 14-31, Intent to Sell the Old Savings and Loan Building Located at 213 S. Garnett Street. This resolution was tabled by its sponsor without a reason offered. For the history buffs among us let your mind wonder to the time when Vance County and Henderson were controlled (guided) by a few local industrialist of their day. Near the top the highest point downtown stood a grand bank building. The interior of the building displaying symbols of wealth, prestige, and potential for some, with its high ceiling supported by Doric marble columns, polished white Georgia marble floors, gleaming stainless steel vault door and highly polished brass handles. At that time long ago the building inside and out was a physical symbol of Vance County’s and Henderson’s vision, vitality, and potential prosperity. Today, the building is home to gutter hawks (squab if you prefer) seeking a safe haven from the night time predators. The holes in the roof besides being the gateway for the flying street denizens have reveled through rain water that the Doric marble columns were only plaster. The white marble floor now covered with guano and feathers. The once gleaming vault doors are corroded ready for the recycler. Through foreclosure and abandonment the City and County jointly owned the building along with the equally dilapidated Armory. In 2011, the City and County divide ownership of the two properties, the City getting the bank building and the County the Armory. The City obtained the old bank building thinking Henderson would become a stop for the proposed high speed rail and the empty building would serve has a train station. Skipping forward to the present day, the City decided to sell the bank building to the highest bidder. The first bidder to step forward was Prestigious Housing, Inc. offering $7,500 for an empty building that will require hazmat permit to rehabilitate (lead paint, asbestos insulation, and guano based vermin). Mr. Inscoe stated that the data requested by other council members has just been presented and he requested the resolution to sell the old bank building be tabled. The Council agreed and the resolution was tabled without further explanation.

 

The other topic of new business is an example of how to professionally present a resolution authorizing a change order for a construction project. A lesson we can only wish the County could mirror.

Reports

Council Member Coffey seemed concerned that Mr. Griffin had not had time to review Locklear, Locklear, & Jacobs Engineering firms pitch to seek Brownfield sites in Henderson. Mr. Griffin’s said in his letter to the Council, that “Once I am able to move beyond the Budget preparation and before we get into budget work sessions, I plan to complete my review.” This did not appear to satisfy Ms. Coffey. Back on March 24, 2014, Seneca Jacobs representing Locklear, Locklear, and Jacobs came calling seeking to do business for Henderson’s in a quest for EPA Brownfield funds. I have found two closed Brownfield sites on the EPA’s web-site. Seeking a Brownfield grant that do not include the actual clean up could be something Northern Vance High School’s STEM class could make a class project.

 

Work Session

The big ticket item in the Work Session was the request by the County to reestablish the Intergovernmental Committee. Council Member Kearny started the discussion encouraging the Council to have a committee similar to the County’s approach. At least with the committee approach the meetings are open to the public. Implying that using an emissary by both sides the meetings are closed to the public. Ms. Coffey vehemently objected to the committee approach. When Ms. Coffey said the county’s outreach to the city was self serving, she revealed the animosity and hostility festering between the City and County elected officials. The Council said the emissary approach solve the county’s water issue with the city. That water deal was made in a closed door meeting with a county commissioner and a city council member. The deal sold the management and operation of the county water system to a for profit company headquartered outside of Vance County for a sweet 3% guaranteed profit. Mr. Inscoe is the ordained Council’s liaison to the County and the distrust between the two governing bodies shall continue.

 

Public Comment

Ms. Solange Faucett, an educator at Northern Vance, presented work from her 7th grade Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) class. She was limited in time allowed, so she could only exhibit one example of her class’s work. The example displayed was a high quality three dimensional model of the STEM State Park. She read the following from a prepared statement the students wrote: “That the common goal is the common good. This project benefits all of us. For the good of our children and the good of the world.” So sad that adults, elected adults at that, do not share the thinking of 7th graders. Ms. Faucett, also set a challenge before the City when she said, “For the children at STEM would like and they will have this museum and state park made here in Henderson. This is our goal.”