By Miles Layton

COLUMBIA — Emotional public comments over a Confederate monument lawsuit and repeated ambulance delays dominated Tuesday’s Tyrrell County Commission meeting, with residents demanding answers and commissioners acknowledging what one called an “unacceptable” situation.

The most pointed exchanges came during the public comment period, when Joyce Dikes Fitch returned to the long-running controversy surrounding the Confederate Memorial with its plaque that says — “IN APPRECIATION OF OUR FAITHFUL SLAVES” — at the courthouse.

“I need clarification — Well, it’s been a few years that I first commented about the statue and the plaque that is on the statue at the courthouse,” Fitch told the board. “I believe that earlier this month, there was a mediation meeting with the board and some attorneys.”

She continued, “Just correct me if I’m wrong, and the decision, I believe, was not to move the monument. And what I’m asking is, which I didn’t hear, I’m not clear on that, if at least the plaque could be moved, that plaque that is on there that talks about faith for slaves.”

Fitch said she had been told the plaque is unique.

“I understand that this monument here in Columbia, North Carolina, is the only monument in the country that has such a plaque on it. Why it has it, and my question is, again, if at least that could be removed. As I understand, that particular plaque is not on any monument here in this country.”

County Manager/Attorney David Clegg responded cautiously.

“As you know, we’ll take that under advisement, and as you’re aware, that’s a topic of litigation right now, so we really can’t comment any more than to say we’ll take it under advisement,” Clegg said.

“You’ll take it under advisement?” Fitch asked, “I’ll be back,” Fitch said before leaving the podium.

On that note, here is what we wrote in January about the Confederate Memorial.

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‘What happened there was unacceptable’

The meeting then shifted to an issue that drew even stronger reaction: emergency medical services.

A longtime resident of Tyrrell County, Pat Bateman described what she said was a nearly hour-long delay while her husband waited for transport after his heart rate dropped to 20 during a medical visit.

“I really hesitated to come, but if I don’t tell you, you don’t know,” Bateman said. “A few weeks ago, my husband was at the medical center.”

She said an ambulance was called, but when she followed it, the vehicle turned toward the station instead of the hospital.

“When she come out, she said, ‘Can I help you?’ I said, ‘Well, we’re waiting for the patient in there.’ She said, ‘I don’t have a patient.’ I said, ‘What?’ She said, ‘I’ve come to get a battery.’ And it seems that the battery that works the stretcher up and down was dead.”

Bateman, a former EMT serving folks for 20 years, said she was later told that a second battery had also failed, and that another was being brought from Washington County.

“You’d have a patient here who the medical person thinks the freight needs to get there,” she said. “I believe it was at least an hour waiting for the ambulance.”

Then she delivered a blunt assessment.

“This is my opinion, and I’m gonna try to make this the only ugly thing I say, but Washington County has screwed Tyrrell County, and I am sorry,” Bateman said. “They have taken advantage of Tyrrell County for so long.”

She urged commissioners to act.

“I beg you, for Tyrrell County, to see what we can do. If nothing else, hold Washington County responsible for what they’re doing. That’s unacceptable. It really is.”

Commissioner Robert Thompson said he has repeatedly raised concerns.

“I get emails all the time,” Thompson said. “We have a contract. I don’t know when the contract has ever been fulfilled. It takes a minimum of four ambulances to fulfill the contract.

Maybe somebody here can tell you when’s the last time we’ve had four ambulances.”

“One sits at the county line or in Roper and takes care of both counties most of the time,” he added. “This is a serious problem. It’s been a serious problem from about the day it started, but nobody wants to talk about it.”

Commission Chairman Jordan Davis acknowledged the gravity of the incident.

“What happened there was unacceptable,” Davis said. “We are working on it.”

He said he and Commissioner Darryl Liverman met with Washington County officials.

“I feel like we had a very good conversation,” Davis said. “I think Washington County realizes there’s a problem, and I think there’s two units serving two counties, and that’s a problem for both of our counties.”

Liverman confirmed the discussion.

“In Roy’s case, I was on the phone with Jordan as it was happening, in expressing the concern about it,” he said. “We did have a very productive meeting with them the other day.”

Thompson pushed for full board involvement.

“I think everything on this board ought to be done with the five of us, not just two. Keep everybody informed. We all represent you,” he said.

After Thompson made a motion to have EMS address the board, the vote failed when commissioners Davis, Liverman and Nathan Everett opposed it — Thompson and Griswell in favor.

“There’s your problem,” Thompson said after the motion did not pass.

Bateman closed with a plea.

“If you’re not made aware of that, you don’t know until it comes home, and it’s your family member,” she said. “The next person that’s saved may be you or your relative.”

School project and grants

Also during public comment, Michael Cole of the Board of Education invited commissioners and residents to participate in architect interviews for a new school funded by grant dollars.

“This school is for us, for our families, our kids, our community,” Cole said. “Us together will come up with the right answers for Columbia.”

Later, Shauna Brown of the Center for Energy Education outlined the Energy Saver NC initiative, offering up to $16,000 through the HOMES program and up to $14,000 through the HEARS program for eligible residents.

“In Halifax County alone, we have helped over eight hundred residents apply for assistance, and our goal is to serve just as many families here in Tyrrell County,” Brown said.

The board approved several budget amendments, tax refunds and the adoption of the Northeastern North Carolina Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, along with readopting the Essential Single Family Rehabilitation Loan Program resolution.

But it was the public comment portion — with residents demanding accountability on a monument lawsuit and lifesaving services — that defined the evening.

As Bateman told commissioners, “It’s as important as some of the other things we do in our family.”