BY MILES LAYTON
Though Monday’s Chowan County Commission meeting didn’t have the drama of a statue debate or a fiery speech condemning the state’s many unfunded mandates that local government is forced to absorb, commissioners approved a few items to keep the ball rolling and make things easier for folks in God’s country.
Commissioners approved a proposal from county EMS Director Colin Ryan to enter into a lease contract to purchase an ambulance for $355,000 with the cost split over two years. Yes, ambulances are expensive, and you can’t buy them from a car dealership either; they have to be ordered, which takes time.
County Commission Chairman Bob Kirby said the county is committed to keeping its ambulance fleet up to date – replacing a vehicle every two years or so. For fiscally minded folks, there’s money set aside in the annual budget for this expenditure. If everything goes as planned, the county will have a new ambulance in about six months.
Commissioners filled vacancies on its Tourism Development Authority Board and two seats up for reappointment. TDA Board Chairman and County Commissioner Chris Evans recommended the following appointments:
• Seat 3 — Susan Martin-Cyr was reappointed — she owns the Inner Banks Inn among other business ventures
• Seat 5 — Ellie Overman – Recreation specialist; knows a lot about Edenton, Chowan County.
• Seat 6 — Karen Foley – 30 year career in the hospitality business focused on restaurants and food manufacturing sectors, maximizing market positioning and profitability.
• Seat 8 — Meredith Timberlake was reappointed — Executive Director of the Chowan Arts Council
Commissioners approved a resolution opposing proposed regulations for limits on the landing of crabs – Hyde and Tyrrell counties have adopted similar resolutions.
“Seeing the need that it would be advantageous to our watermen to support this resolution,” Commission Vice Chairman Larry McLaughlin said.
The resolution will be forwarded to the NC Department of Marine Fisheries and local legislators.
Commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing a lease (high bidder) of county-owned real property located at 627 Haughton Road (27 acres) adjacent to a test well. Acreage is to be used for crop production — leased to Russell Byrum in the amount of $3,510 for the 27 acres ($130 per acre).
Among the items of interest, the county’s new Agriculture Agent, Wil Haines, presented commissioners with a grant pre-application – that they approved – for Extension to apply for $5,658 in grant funds from the Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund to clean up the pesticide container recycling sites in Chowan County enhance and best manage pesticide container recycling to ensure that containers are accepted by recyclers and disposed of properly.
Commissioners approved county Tax Administrator Chris Hill’s recommendation to end the current Business Personal Property Tax Audit Contract with Tax Management Associates and enter into a contract with County Tax Services Incorporated. Though the latter costs a slight bit more, Hill said, the increased returns of funds owed to the county justify the small additional expense.
One response to “Chowan County Commission Meeting Highlights: Key Approvals”
[…] limits on commercial crabbing, that story echoed loudly across our region. Monday night, the Chowan County Commission adopted the Tyrrell Commission’s resolution opposing the limits on crabbing as did Hyde County. […]