Category: Opinion

Another short and productive City Council meeting.    Public Hearing – Rezoning Property The property owner, Ms. Frances Finamore said she wanted to work from home three days a week assisting military veterans coping with medical issues; that alone is an admirable reason to have a home based business.  Mr. Griffin explained the zoning change is needed to rectify an incongruity of zoning for the property.  Ms. Dunston explained that the planning board had approved the zoning change after reviewing …

From beginning to ending including a closed session Monday’s city council meeting last less than 45 minutes. New Business highlights The police department traded in five surplus shotguns plus some cash ‘donated’ by local criminals to buy eight new shotguns and accessories. Sad to think the police need eights shotguns to protect the citizens from the very criminals with more cash than they can good sense. I like the catchy name for the shotgun sling, Uncle Mike’s tactical 3 point …

Closed Session – Legal Matter & Economic Development Project Starting at the end of the commissioners’ meeting because curiosity is asking, what is the latest economic development project?  I was told there would be no public announcement regarding the closed session discussion of the economic development project.  It does leave one wondering what the Chairman of the Economic Development Commission presented to the county commissioners.   Change Order– Farmer’s Market According to the County Manager’s report, “Bad soils were encountered and …

Editors Note:  July 2nd, 2013 – Added Michaels Notes From The Peanut Gallery below the public hearing notes. Below is what Mr. Michael Bobbitt said at the Vance County Board of Commissioners during their public meeting tonight.  He may write a traditional Notes From The Peanut Gallery later.   Good Evening Chairman Hester, Commissioners, Mr. Asycue and your staff. My Name is Michael Bobbitt I want to first thank the Chairman and the Commissioners for holding 16 hours of public …

Annual Operating Budget The city council’s consensus agreement to raise the Ad Valorem Property Tax Rate has been suspended until Tuesday June 25, starting at 6 pm.  Councilperson Coffey lobbed a large rock into the tranquility pond of tax rate concession.  Ms. Coffey, to the obvious displeasure of the Mayor, announced the need to discuss the ad valorem property tax rate.  “As far as the rate I believe the citizens are not happy with the rate increase”.  Councilperson Deake entered …

With the filing period for 4 City Council seats fast approaching, I have been surprised that there hasn’t been a lot of discussion on taking our city back.   The following are some recent statistics on Henderson’s crime level as it relates to North Carolina as a whole.  Looking it it, why should anyone re-elect Garry Daeke, Sara Coffey, Vernon Brown or Mike Inscoe?     http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/henderson/crime/

Following a brief interruption for a Special Called meeting our commissioners resumed their collective public review of the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year.  On Tuesday June 18th at 3pm, the commissioners will be getting down to the hard part of the budget review, compromising.  Chairman Hester opened last night’s work session asking for discussion on the three budget add-ons.  These are three requests for taxpayers’ money not included in the initial proposed budget.  First of the budget add …

A plethora of public hearings The first of the public hearings was the final opportunity to praise or denounce the councils work on the draft consensus budget for the coming fiscal year.  I expected to observe harmonic resonance as taxpayers discussed the necessary needs of the citizens and mandates of regulatory authorities.  Sadly not one presenter shared my vision of the intent of the opening topic of public hearing.  First to speak was Mr. Sam Watkins, the only presenter not …

Drum Roll Please.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKmJPnAGUJk All but one man died, down there at Bitter Creek. . . . They say he ran away? ‘BRANDED. . .’ When I think about the North Carolina Democratic Party, I’m reminded of the old 60s t.v. show entitled BRANDED, starring Chuck Connors. Who sometimes is confused with Chuck Taylor. A lot of people believe that Chuck Tailor played professional basketball. Chuck Taylor did not play professional basketball but he is credited with inventing the Converse …

Recently, the Daily Dispatch reported that the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments improperly spent $138,537 in restricted funds from its only checking account, has been directed to repay the funds in short order to the Economic Development Administration, and is assessing member municipalities a per capita $1.39 “tax” (for lack of a better word) to pay back the improperly spent money and “replenish” its bank account with an additional $172,830. Would that we could all misspend $138,537 and get $311,367 as …

Budget Hearing – FY 2013 – 2014 Proposed Budget The June Board of Commissioner’s meeting opened with a resounding public silence.  This was the time the commissioners reserved to hear from the county’s taxpayers their suggestions, recommendations, ideas, objections, and overall approval or disgust of next year’s fiscal budget.  Instead the commissioners heard not one word from any registered voter or taxpayer.  Chairman Hester made it very clear that a copy of the draft budget is posted to the county’s …

“North Carolina does not have an ag-gag bill,” blogs the Fayette Observer,  claiming that an ag-gag bill must be specific to the agriculture industry. The bill language of SB 648 does not have a different intent from the ag-gag bills that have popped up (and been smacked down) in a dozen states this year. North Carolina’s SB 648 has the same intent as every other ag-gag bill – to halt whistleblowing investigations. SB 648 is merely broader than other ag-gag …

Congratulations are to be given to the City of Henderson, City Council and The Embassy Square Foundation. The plan worked. The deal has been completed. The arrangement produced what it was designed to do. The City provided the land to the Embassy Square Foundation and the Foundation promised to return the land to the city with a new library built and paid for. The City Council and Embassy Square Foundation have just completed that agreement. The Land has been returned …

Demolition of the Abandoned Structure Last month the City Council discussed the need to demolish houses on Charles and Roland Streets only to kick the can down the road. Last night’s meeting started out discussing the need to demolition of an abandoned structure at West Andrews Avenue. A common theme at City Council meeting is the disposition of abandoned structures the only difference is the property owners. Cory Williams reported the as a resident of Fayetteville who acquired the property …

Senate Bill 648 would prevent the exposure of egregious and systematic animal cruelty in large-scale industrial agriculture operation that has led to serious concerns about animal welfare and the safety of the animal products that the public consumes, as documented in undercover investigations at Butterball farms in North Carolina. The Butterball investigations in 2011 and 2012 uncovered deplorable living conditions, animals with open wounds covered by flies, eye sockets filled with maggots, employees violently kicking animals and hurling them into …

A few years ago and in my early time as North Carolina’s State Superintendent, I met with at least 45 of my state superintendent colleagues in Chicago to talk about how all of us could work together to determine what students should know and be able to do in mathematics and English language arts as result of going to school for 13 years, kindergarten through 12th grade. We decided that one of the best things we could do to save …

Commissioner and their new laptops Monday night was the first time the commissioners could use their new laptop during a public meeting. Alas, I saw only Commissioner Brummitt using the county issued laptop. All the others I observed were shuffling papers instead of using their new laptop. Maybe next month all the commissioners will be using just their laptop. Public Hearing on Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance This topic was first introduced at the regular March board meeting. The quick summary: …

Maria Parham’s appeal of 2012 business Personal Property Appeal Basically, the Commissioners agreed to support the Tax Managers efforts to follow the law and encourage Maria Parham (now Duke Life Point) to do the same.  At issue is a little disagreement of $9,012,556.  The Tax Manager says Maria Parham owes $21,326,662 and Maria Parham says they owe $12,314.106.  As things now stand, the ball in Maria Parham’s hands to pay the bill or follow the rules.   Water Board Two items …

“I don’t think Smithfield is going to get beyond these happenings until there’s a full disclosure…then we can heal and move on.” This quote is from town councilman Emery Ashley about Smithfield’s dealings with Eric Williams, former manager in Henderson. Maybe our city needs to take a page out of Smithfield’s playbook and ask the SBI to investigate the problems Williams’ had in Henderson. What could be wrong with setting the record straight and clearly seeing the legacy he left? …