By Miles Layton

EDENTON — A steady stream of residents took the podium at Monday’s Chowan County Board of Commissioners meeting to voice frustration over property revaluation, rising tax bills, and what several described as a lack of transparency in how the county communicates its budget decisions to the public.

Photo accompanying story is of Mike Parrish.

The speakers who provided written remarks — their speeches are posted at the end of this story.

First Speaker Praises Tax Office, Asks How to Be Heard

Steven Karl opened public comment with a measured word of appreciation for the tax office before raising a broader question about civic access. Karl said he was grateful that staff had reviewed his own assessment and found it may have been set too high.

“I think they have done a reasonable job,” Karl said. “Maybe the tax office would extend the opportunity a little bit longer for people to realize that maybe they could also ask for a look at their values. It might be appropriate.”

Karl then turned to a question about how residents are supposed to engage their elected officials between meetings.

“Taxation with representation is important to us,” he said. “You are all our elected representatives and I greatly appreciate the time and effort that you put in. What do you suggest as the best way for me to discuss issues with my elected commissioner — email, phone number, knock on the front door?”

Commission Chair Bob Kirby directed him toward County Manager Kevin Howard. When Karl pressed further on why commissioners are elected if staff handles constituent concerns, Kirby reminded him that the public comment period is not a dialogue. Karl thanked the board and yielded the floor.

A Calculator, QR Codes and a Warning

John Sams of Chowan County delivered perhaps the most pointed remarks of the evening, distributing QR codes to attendees that linked to a website he said contained a detailed budget analysis and a tax calculator that allowed residents to estimate their upcoming bills.

“I have only one thing for you fellows: I’m disappointed,” Sams told the board. “The rest of my comments are going to be for the audience.”

Sams drew a historical parallel to frame his concerns.

“250 years ago, it was the same high taxes,” he said. “I think the colonists would have been flabbergasted to know that their neighbors, the commissioners, would be coming to their houses and charging them for income that they had not received.”

He disclosed his own tax situation to illustrate the stakes. “My Chowan property tax bill last year was $7,000, or $130 a week,” Sams said. “Since I live in Edenton, I get to pay for the local Edenton taxes also. So my total taxes were just over $11,000, or $931 a month.” Based on the county manager’s estimates, Sams said he calculated his Chowan County tax bill would increase 27%. He urged anyone in attendance to use the online calculator. “Just go in there and enter two items: what your taxes were last year and what your revaluation is, and you’ll find out the range between 55 and 60 cents that we’ve been told you’re going to be working with.”

Sams advised citizens to make voices heard at the ballot box in November.

A Habitat Homeowner’s Story

Robin Sams brought a specific example to the board’s attention: a Habitat for Humanity home on Oakum Street, across from the police station, whose assessed value had risen 98% in the revaluation cycle.

“I helped work on that house and I gave them plants from my yard for the front of it,” she said. “Their taxes last year were $826. If you go revenue neutral, that lady will pay $1,302. And if you do what the county manager recommends, that lady who has children and doesn’t have a husband will pay $1,419.”

Sams argued the timing of the tax bills created a budgeting problem for low-income residents. “When you don’t let people know what their tax bill is going to be later on in the year and they’re trying to maybe buy a car or buy a refrigerator, you mess up their budget,” she said. “There are going to be some poor people that have so much tax that they’re going to have to leave their beloved home. And I think that’s a shame.”

She also questioned why the county’s fire tax rate was not being adjusted downward in proportion to the higher valuations. “If you do that, you’re helping the people,” she said.

A Data-Driven Critique

Kim Ringeisen offered a detailed statistical analysis of where Chowan County stands among its regional peers. He noted that of 22 documented reappraisal cycles across 11 Albemarle region counties since 2014, Chowan is the only county on a four-year cycle. “Every other county is a seven or eight year cycle,” he said. “Even Dare, which compressed its cycles most aggressively, moved to only a five-year schedule.”

Ringeisen argued the county’s proposed tax rate of 60.25 cents sits five cents above the revenue-neutral rate of 55.25 cents — a gap he said would be the highest delta of any county in the region across all documented reappraisal cycles.

Ringeisen also challenged the narrative around rising home values. “Some of the lower-priced homes in Chowan are seeing an assessed value rise more than 70% in this cycle,” he said. “County-wide median sales price rose approximately 31% over that same four-year period based on the county’s own GIS sales records. The market did not grow that fast. The increase above 31% is the county’s reappraisal correcting undervaluation that the previous schedule of values had made — the increase is a catch-up from a past decision, not a market boom.”

Ringeisen called on the board to publish price-related differential data for both the 2022 and 2026 reappraisal cycles. “Without it, residents cannot evaluate whether the 2026 corrected the disparity or perpetuates it,” he said.

Ringeisen also took aim at discretionary spending embedded in mandatory service categories.

“An $85 million school is discretionary, and those obligations are paid by property owners now going out to 2063,” he said. “Even children that aren’t even born yet in the county are going to be paying this debt load that’s being taken on now.”

School Costs and Unanswered Questions

Several speakers tied their tax concerns directly to the John A. Holmes High School project. Mike Parrish of Mulberry Hill Lane said he was troubled by what he characterized as an absence of a repayment plan.

“I’m very disappointed to find out that now you don’t have a plan how to pay off the school — the $1.8 million annually — without raising taxes,” Parrish said. “I just don’t understand how you could build such a school, which is what I hear is the most expensive school in the whole state, and then we don’t have a plan to pay for it other than raising our taxes.”

Kathleen Miglorie thanked the board for recently publishing budget data in water bills but said more transparency was needed, particularly around the school’s change orders. “I would like to better understand why those security measures were not in the initial budget,” she said. She also raised a question about whether the school could generate revenue when not in use. “Have there been considerations on ways to use the high school when it’s not being used — for workforce training, working with College of the Albemarle?” she asked.

Public Engagement Also Questioned

Hal Murray of West Queen Street used his time to challenge the board on the depth of its public engagement, noting that state law requires only one public comment period per month. “The residents of Chowan County are not naive,” Murray said. “Many residents are aware that items brought before the commissioner meeting have already been decided and discussed and finalized by the time of the meeting. Only an uproar by scores of people can change the tide. I ask the commissioners to think creatively and do more to encourage public engagement.”

County Manager Responds

County Manager Kevin Howard addressed several of the concerns raised during his budget presentation. On the school financing question, he said the plan had always been to redirect debt payments from retired bonds. “The plan was, and was fulfilled, that as we paid off debt, that money would be used to pay for the high school project,” Howard said. “What got overlooked this time was the discussion that, yes, that’s paid for, but there’s other items coming up — such as a jail — and we would not have those excess funds to cover those items.”

Howard attributed the proposed five-cent tax increase primarily to the jail, a salary study, DSS costs, and benefits. He acknowledged the criticism around communication and extended an open invitation. “I’ll be glad to speak anywhere, anytime, to any group about what we’re doing and why we do what we do,” he said. “If the seven or eight that spoke tonight want to meet with me, I’ll be happy to meet with you and talk about our budget.”

Opioid Funds Stall, Advocate Says

Last word: Christy LaLonde, who returned to the podium — as she has multiple times in recent months — to press the board on the stalled opioid settlement funds committee. LaLonde said the committee has not met in months and that no meeting has been placed on the calendar despite her requests.

“At a time when our community continues to face addiction, overdose, and mental health struggles, barriers to treatment and recovery services continue to delay — and that is unacceptable,” LaLonde said.

She reminded Commissioner Tony Shaffer that he had personally reached out to thank her for her work with the recovery community and had shared part of his own recovery story with her. “That conversation led me to believe that I had the support of this board in efforts to move these funds forward toward meaningful action for our community,” she said.

LaLonde called on the board to schedule a committee meeting, clarify next steps, and revisit proposed changes to the committee’s structure. “These recommendations were never about personalities,” she said. “They’re about ensuring the committee functions effectively and remains focused on serving the community. The people in this county impacted by substance use disorder deserve action.”

Hal Murray’s speech

Kim Ringeisen’s speech

John Sams’ speech