Many people have expressed concerns about and/or interest in the city proposal to set up a fund to pay rent for “good tenants” who run into temporary trouble. We cannot add the question to our candidate questionnaire at this point, but we’ll throw the topic out there for any City Council candidates or anyone else to address. Do you support this proposal? Why?
Pick of the day: Committees, committees, committees
It’s probably just a coincidence, but we’re pleased to report that after all of the discussion on this site about Henderson publicizing its meetings, we recieved an e-mail from City Clerk Dianne White on Monday that covered the schedule of meetings in the city government this week. The least we can do is pass along that information, so here it is in full. The focus today is on committee meetings: Public Works at 10 a.m.; Human Resources and Journal at …
County poised to renew cable franchise
Monday evening’s Vance County Board of Commissioners meeting began with a public hearing regarding the renewal of Time Warner’s cable franchise agreement with the county.
Monday’s open line
At popular request (it only takes one in the blogging world), we’ll throw out a particular item for discussion today: the library vs. The Daily Dispatch. Tem Blackburn, who happens to head the state Library Commission and serves as a trustee of the H. Leslie Perry Mermorial Library when he isn’t juggling legal matters for Variety Wholesalers, wrote a passionate letter in Sunday’s Dispatch to defend the library board, the library administration and the library expansion from what he perceives …
Cable contract, litter on county agenda
The items slated for discussion at this evening’s Vance County Board of Commissioners meeting include:
Milestones: The downtrodden of Vance County
There’s this person I know who has a good job with a prominent Vance County employer. They call her a “professional,” but they don’t let her set a fee for the service she renders, even though other professionals like doctors, lawyers and architects do it routinely.
Weekend open line
We’re entering the homestretch of the election season and, coincidentally, the period of the Jewish High Holy Days, which start Monday night. It’s a good time for honest reflection on the past year and on the year to come, which fits perfectly with the answers City Council candidates are submitting to some questions we sent them. We’ll post the responses during the next week. Meanwhile, chat away.
Friday’s open line
Well, we were disappointed to hear that few observers turned out at the library Thursday for the meeting of the Henderson-Vance Economic Partnership: two representatives of the media and two others. Kudos to City Council member Mary Emma Evans for being the only elected official not on the partnership board to attend the meeting. For the rest of us, who couldn’t be bothered to spend an hour at the library, the floor is open for semi-informed discussion.
Western Outer Loop could be named for King
Vance County Commissioner Terry Garrison reported at Wednesday’s joint city-county meeting a recommendation that grew from this week’s Board of Commissioners retreat: the naming of a road or street after Martin Luther King Jr.
City tries to conserve fuel
Some other items discussed at Monday night’s City Council meeting:
Thursday’s open line
Sometimes it seems as if the Henderson and Vance County governments operate in separate worlds. Then the two sides confront each other at an event such as Wednesday’s intergovernmental forum, and they’re like people attending a family reunion. They catch up on what they’ve been up to, then start saying the same things they said a year earlier. For example, the idea of uniting the two governments comes up every now and then (it certainly has been discussed many times …
Pick of the day: A partnership is born
The day we all have awaited and/or dreaded is here. The Henderson-Vance Economic Partnership will make its debut in polite society this afternoon at 4:30 at the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library. As demanded by the public, the meeting will be open to all comers. Here’s your chance to see what all the fuss was about and to observe economic development in action. We’re curious to see whom the ex officio members of the partnership board will elect as representatives …
Opinion: Why Election Day is like Tribal Council
By the Rev. Todd Hester I do appreciate everyone’s thoughts and phone calls, but I’m just fine. The shakes are over, and the anxiety has settled significantly.
County: City responsible for ETJ enforcement
An intergovernmental meeting of the Vance County Board of Commissioners and the Henderson City Council took place Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Silo Restaurant. In attendance for the city were Mayor Clem Seifert, council members Elissa Yount, Ranger Wilkerson, John Wester, Mary Emma Evans, Lonnie Davis, Bernard Alston and Mike Rainey, and City Manager Eric Williams. County Commissioners Tim Pegram, Terry Garrison and Tommy Hester were there to represent the county, along with County Manager Jerry Ayscue.
Speak Up forum addresses water, sanitation, mold
Council members Elissa Yount, John Wester, Mary Emma Evans, Bernard Alston and Lonnie Evans joined Henderson Mayor Clem Seifert at Monday evening’s monthly Speak Up Henderson forum, a free-form period for people to address concerns to the city officials.
Wednesday’s open line
No sooner do we recover from the excitement of a City Council meeting than we’re faced with true government thrills: an intergovernmental meeting between the city and the county today at 6 p.m. Some old reliables are on the agenda — the ETJ and the ambulance contract — along with something that already happened (the special ceremony for the girls 12-and-under softball All-Stars) and what could prove to be a monumental waste of money (considering what is needed and how …
City Council bickers over role of city clerk
The most acrimonious debate during Monday night’s City Council meeting came when council member Ranger Wilkerson defined what he perceives as a problem with the role of the city clerk. The position of city clerk is held by Dianne White.
Tuesday’s open line
Before we open things up for discussion, and we understand the City Council was in fine form Monday night, we offer you this public service announcement: The third and likely final community forum on the proposed Weed and Seed application will be held today at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at Eaton-Johnson Middle School. Now that we’ve dispensed with the civic duty, on with the discussion.
Amortization ordinance tabled again
Before the public hearing on a proposed ordinance to force compliance or removal of certain auto repair facilities at last night’s Henderson City Council meeting, Planning Director Erris Dunston provided a brief overview of the ordinance for council members.
Oakridge Avenue attacker arrested
A Henderson man was arrested Sunday and charged in an attack on a senior citizen in her Oakridge Avenue home Saturday.