HERTFORD — The Hertford Town Council held its regular monthly meeting Monday evening at the Horace Reid Community Center, covering development updates, budget amendments, and holiday event approvals as the town prepares for the season ahead while advancing major infrastructure improvements.
Flashback to the election — congrats — Town of Hertford Town Commissioner (top 2 vote-getters will have seats): Evan Copeland, 178 votes (34.3%); Connie T. Brothers, 150 votes (28.9%); Andrew Almodova, 100 votes (19.27%); Gracie Felton, 89 votes (17.15%), Write-in 2 (0.39%).
Brothers won re-election — she is very dedicated to Hertford — and Copeland is the Pirates’ talented band director.
A key presentation during the meeting came from planner and design consultant Allison Platt, who joined remotely to discuss the Streetscape project connected to the Rural Transformation Grant. “The connectivity plan is about done,” Platt told council members. “It’s already been reviewed by NCDOT and they approved it.”
The project aims to create stronger connections between Hertford’s waterfront and historic downtown. “The purpose of it is to connect the town docks to the historic downtown,” Platt explained. “It’s kind of unusual to not have a visual and physical close connection between the downtown and the docks.”
The Commerce grant totals $725,000, with the town required to meet at least 10 percent of the project cost. “The grant is focused on downtown district projects, community enhancement and projects that support economic growth,” Platt said. “Results of the work must demonstrate job creation.”
The improvements include upgraded sidewalks, green walls, accessibility improvements such as handicap ramps, and landscaping. Platt showed construction drawings featuring pathways around Town Hall Annex and intersection improvements at Church and Grubb streets. “The construction plans look a lot different from the master plan drawings because they’re actually the way they’re going to be built,” she explained.
One design challenge involved working within NCDOT restrictions. “Originally we had really wanted to widen the sidewalks in the intersection,” Platt said. “We did a truck turn study and they looked at it and they approved it and we designed the streets based on their approval and then they changed their mind.”
Despite setbacks, the project moves forward with distinctive features. “It’s going to have like a dark brown brick edging all the way around,” Platt described of the planned sidewalks. “And then a red field, which I think will be very nice and complementary to your historic downtown.”
The town will need to handle certain responsibilities not covered by the grant. “The grant would not pay for” street furniture such as benches and planters, Platt noted. The town must also arrange to fill in asphalt from cuts made for new curb and gutter installation, and eventually mill and resurface parking lots.
Regarding the bidding process, Platt warned council to prepare for challenges. “Please be prepared for the fact that I’ve been doing a lot of construction drawings and bids lately and I have not seen a single project that had three qualified bidders, which is what the law requires,” she said. “Everybody’s busy. It’s hard to find a good contractor and prices are very high.”
Ark Consulting Group’s Derrick Smith, also on the call, confirmed the timeline. “We usually do 30 days” for bid packages, he said, “just because of the lack of contractors’ ability and how much work there is out there right now.”
Platt proposed an hourly payment structure for construction administration rather than a fixed contract. “It’s likely to be more cost effective for the town,” she said, noting a similar arrangement in Murphy that has cost only six or seven thousand dollars so far. To quote any middle school kid these days after Murphy said “six or seven” — “6-7…”
The bid package is expected to be ready by mid-December, with an early January advertisement possible. If virtual training becomes available, it would help accommodate scheduling for newly elected council members.
Festival of Lights Gets Green Light
In new business, the council approved the Festival of Lights special event, including plans for a petting zoo on the courthouse lawn. The approval came with special consideration due to a recently adopted ordinance.
“Every year the county through TDA put through a series of events for the holidays and they call it the Festival of Lights,” Town Manager Doris Walton explained. “One of the events that they do is a petting zoo.”
The timing created an unusual situation. “It falls under one of the things that as council approved and it became real on November 3rd, the ordinance to prohibit said animals that are included in the petting zoo from the downtown or any area of town limits,” Walton said. “However, under the special event request that we’re looking to approve today, said animals can be in the downtown area.”
Councilwoman Sara Winslow sought clarification about the scope. “And this will only apply to this one group?” she asked.
“Specifically, correct,” Walton confirmed. “Because it is through a special event permit.”
The council voted unanimously to approve the Festival of Lights event for December 12, 2025.
Engineering Contract and Budget Adjustments
Council members also approved the 2026 miscellaneous engineering services contract with Progressive Engineering. “These are the consultants that we have hired for specifically for the building and design and engineering of our second point of delivery,” Walton explained, referring to a planned facility on Windfork Road.
The contract runs on a calendar year basis. “They run on a calendar year contract,” Walton said. “So we’re looking to have this contract for this upcoming calendar year starting January 1, 2026.”
She noted the town has not yet been charged under the current contract. “We have not been charged anything yet, only because we haven’t gotten him here yet to do any of design work,” Walton said, adding that she continues working with the legislature and Golden Leaf on funding.
The council approved two budget amendments during the meeting. The first addressed fire department pension contributions that had been missed. Finance Officer Ashley Eure explained the town was catching up on two years of contributions after being contacted by the state.
The second amendment added an employee to the town’s health insurance plan due to a qualifying life event.
Celebrating Staff Success
Walton shared good news about a significant cost savings achieved by town staff. “Going back a couple of years, this is dating back to first quarter 2021,” she began, recounting an IRS penalty situation. “The IRS tried to come for us from 2021 to charge us in penalties, not the actual fee itself, but penalties of $13,451.74.”
After a year-long effort by Eure, the IRS waived the penalties. “We received a letter dated October 23rd,” Walton said. “They’re eating the $13,451.74 cents. All thanks to her.”
Walton praised her staff member’s persistence. “This is just what an employee does when they feel we’ve been wrong,” she said. “My staff is amazing.”
Citizen Concerns and Future Plans
During citizen concerns, former Mayor Earline Brown addressed council on behalf of Seasons of Success, announcing the organization’s closure. “It is with both heart, self-gratitude and thoughtful reflection that we announce the closing of Seasons of Success,” Brown read from a prepared letter.
Brown also suggested the town consider recruiting Cracker Barrel for the former Captain Bob’s location on Highway 17. “Cracker Barrel, right there on 17, that space where your Captain Bob’s was, is highly visible,” she said. “It would be a revenue generation generator for people coming, traveling up and down 17.”
Mayor Ashley Hodges thanked Brown for her service. “I know how much of your heart was in that,” he said of Seasons of Success. “The impact it made then is going to continue forward.”
The council also received an update on a recent property acquisition behind the State Theatre, with closing scheduled for later in the week.
Council members congratulated Councilwoman Connie Brothers on her reelection and thanked departing Mayor Pro Tem for her service. The meeting concluded with announcements about upcoming Veterans Day events and the Toys for Tots program collection.
The meeting adjourned at 7:26 p.m., wrapping up the November agenda with both community-focused and infrastructure-oriented decisions that signal continued progress for Hertford heading into the new year.