UTV ambulance displayed during Board of Commissioners meeting

By Nicole Bowman-Layton

EDENTON – The Chowan County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to authorize negotiations to potentially join the Albemarle District Jail, marking a significant step in the county’s long-running discussion about the future of its aging jail facility.

The vote does not commit the county to joining the regional jail but allows County Manager Kevin Howard to begin direct negotiations.

The board met March 2, 2026, in the Public Safety Building, on West Freemason Street. For information about the part of the meeting involving revaluation of property, see the previously published story.

“This is a negotiation process,” Commission Chair Bob Kirby said. “We’re authorizing the manager to engage in direct negotiations for the purposes of our potential merging with the regional jail.”

Howard said that if the county joined the Albemarle District jail this year, it would cost approximately $1.79 million, a figure that includes roughly $314,000 in inmate transportation expenses. While that amount is significantly less than constructing a new jail, commissioners said the county has been studying long-term options for years.

Commissioner Larry McLaughlin said the board now has clearer information than at any point in recent discussions.

“For the last four years at least, we’ve been talking about our jail situation,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve had study after study, and at the present time, this is the most concise, precise, understandable information that we have to make a decision with.”

If negotiations move forward and an agreement is finalized, legislative approval from the North Carolina General Assembly would be required. County Manager Kevin Howard indicated that the legislative process could begin simultaneously with negotiations to avoid delays.

UTV ambulance is a regional resource

In other business, commissioners highlighted the acquisition of a new UTV ambulance that will expand emergency response capabilities across the region.

The vehicle was purchased through a grant from North Carolina Emergency Management under its Domestic Preparedness Region program. The grant covered the full cost of the vehicle, with no local match required.

The off-road-capable ambulance is designed to reach patients in areas traditional ambulances cannot access, including wooded terrain, large outdoor events, agricultural fields, and other hard-to-reach locations.

The UTV is considered a regional asset and may be deployed to neighboring counties when needed, though it will be housed in Chowan County and available for local use.

“If you get stuck in the woods somewhere, this can get to you,” the county manager said, noting the vehicle’s versatility for off-road emergencies.

Construction updates at John A. Holmes

Commissioners received updates on two change orders tied to ongoing work at John A. Holmes High School.

The first involves replacing the nearly 30-year-old propane HVAC system at the Boy Scout Hut located on school property. The current estimate to install a new propane system is $16,462. However, the county is exploring options for converting to natural gas — available on Park Avenue — or installing a standard heat pump.

The second change order concerns the baseball field at Hicks Field. The original contract called for a 30-foot net at a cost of about $65,000. After further review, officials determined that a 40-foot net was needed to adequately protect an adjacent building and parking area from home run balls.

The upgraded net will cost approximately $132,139 — an increase of $63,472.

“When you look at the size of the metal poles that are going to be putting into this and the depth it’s got to go, it increases the cost that much,” Howard said.

“This is to protect the parking area and the building from left-field home run balls,” he added.

The overall project is expected to be completed by June 1.

Gym doors replacement

Commissioners approved replacing four sets of double doors at the old D.F. Walker School gymnasium, at a total cost of $36,343.79, including approximately $2,000 for painting the new doors to match the adjacent classroom wing.

County officials said the original doors on the North Oakum Street facility are worn and, in some cases, have become a safety hazard. The new steel-framed doors are designed to withstand heavy gym use.

McLaughlin noted the Capital Improvement Committee identified the doors as needing replacement years ago.

“If they were bad when we started talking about them, they can’t be any good now,” he said.

Audit contracts

The board approved an amendment to the county’s 2025 audit contract, increasing the fee from $57,000 to $59,000 due to expanded compliance requirements related to Department of Social Services Medicaid programs. County staff said portions of those costs can be reimbursed through state and federal funding streams.

One commissioner questioned whether the state directly reimburses counties for the added compliance burden.

Finance Officer Cathy Smith said DSS could reimburse the county for its part of the audit.

Commissioners also approved the 2026 audit contract with a not-to-exceed amount of $68,000, reflecting standard increases and flexibility for additional compliance requirements.

Probation lease renewed

The board approved a one-year lease allowing the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Probation and Parole division to continue occupying space in the county’s Public Safety Center.

State statute requires counties to provide office space for probation services, and the county does not charge rent, meaning the only local cost is utilities.

Commissioners briefly discussed whether probation offices could eventually relocate to the existing jail building if the county transitions to the regional jail system, though officials noted that the aging facility would require significant renovation.

Other business

The board extended the contract deadline for the county’s zoning ordinance rewrite to Oct. 1, 2026, with no additional cost, and approved several budget amendments, including allocations for scrap tire and white goods tax distributions and funding from the county’s 911 fund for backup PSAP equipment.

Commissioners also watched a video from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners featuring Wallace Nelson, the group’s president. Nelson is also a Perquimans County commissioner.