By Miles Layton

COLUMBIA — Tyrrell County commissioners met Wednesday for their August 12 regular session, hearing pointed public comments from a retired schools superintendent about budget accountability, an explanation from a commissioner on why the county did not withdraw from its regional library system, and an update on erosion and drainage problems plaguing a road in the Crossland community.

Nelson Smith, a retired superintendent of Tyrrell County Schools, used his three minutes at the podium to praise the outcome of recent mediation between the county and the Board of Education over land for a new school, while also raising concerns about how the public perceives the county’s handling of tax dollars.

“I’m really excited because the mediation outcome was for the land first, and that means so much for the school system.”

Smith said the additional land would allow the district to build a safer campus and a new athletic complex that would benefit more than just students. “I call it community,” he said.

He also disclosed a personal stake in the project. “I’ve got a great grandbaby who’ll be going to that school when it’s constructed,” Smith said. “Hope I’m around to see that.”

Smith then pivoted to concerns he said are circulating on social media about how tax money is being spent. He said he had spoken with a well-known Tyrrell County resident over the weekend who shared the same worry. “Just not quite sure where the money’s going and accountability and all that,” he said.

Smith suggested that when commissioners are asked pointed budget questions they cannot answer, they should redirect the questions to the county manager rather than field them personally. He also referenced an earlier presentation, apparently from community members, that proposed saving between $80,000 and $100,000 in the library budget if the board would study the issue for 12 months. Smith said the review “didn’t go anywhere,” and reminded commissioners of their role. “Y’all work for us,” he said. “The citizens of Tyrrell County, you are the safeguard. And so I just ask that you be so conscious of how you spend the money in the school system. We counted pennies while others count dollars. You need to count pennies instead of dollars.”

Smith closed by addressing a statement the board had issued during the mediation process, which encouraged the public to disregard remarks made by any unauthorized spokesperson. He said he agreed with that principle but wanted to clarify he was not one of those people. 

“I was an authorized spokesperson when I spoke to the public on mediation day,” Smith said. “I was asked to do that. I would not have done it if I were not asked.”

Reading from the board’s own statement, Smith said he was encouraged that commissioners and school board members intend to work as partners going forward. “That makes me feel good, ’cause we need that,” he said. “We need y’all working together. We don’t need animosity between the two.”

Everett explains why county did not exit regional library system

Later in the meeting, Commissioner Nathan Everett responded directly to Smith’s earlier comments about the library, explaining why the board never signed a letter proposing Tyrrell County’s withdrawal from the regional library system.

Everett first told the board that he had attended a regional library board meeting that morning, where members accepted the resignation of the regional librarian Anna Kallas and appointed an interim regional librarian, Michelle Lawrence. 

Turning to Smith’s remarks, Everett said signing a withdrawal letter would have committed the county to leaving the system, not simply studying the idea for a year, as Smith’s comment suggested. “It would not have been a matter of consideration,” Everett said. “It would have been a matter of beginning to depose ourselves from that organization. To do what? To remove ourselves.”

Everett said the people who pitched the proposal to the board did not actually represent Friends of the Library, despite initially presenting themselves that way. “They admitted they were not, and that they weren’t speaking for Friends of the Library,” he said, adding that the regional library board and its staff also opposed the idea and explained why it would work against the county’s interests.

Everett said the board never had adequate time to evaluate the proposal before being asked to act. “It was not an issue of just considering it for a year,” he said. “Once you sign that letter, you were telling them you were back within twelve months.” He added that commissioners “tried to state” the stakes involved but had not seen the paperwork long enough to fully explain it at the time.

Smith, still in the audience, responded that the distinction had not been clear to him. “I wish that had been stated so I would not have left confused,” he said.

NCDOT weighs fixes for eroding Crossland Community road

Chairman Jordan Davis also updated the board on a meeting he and Everett held with resident Terry Armstrong and North Carolina Department of Transportation staff regarding a deteriorating road in the Crossland community that Armstrong has repeatedly flagged.

Davis said the road has eroded so badly in places that it is “within a foot” of the surrounding ditch. He said DOT engineers indicated the department would place riprap in the worst-eroding spots to slow the erosion.

Davis said the issue carries added urgency because of an upcoming bridge closure on Second Creek at Newlands Road, which is rerouting traffic through Cross Landing community on Crosslanding Road and South Fork Creek Road. He said flooding on those alternate routes could become especially problematic during hurricane season, and that the situation would only worsen once construction begins on the Newlands Road bridge — timing DOT has not yet finalized.

Davis said a full repaving and elevation of the road would consume the entire DOT district budget, noting the road has already been raised four to five inches within the past seven years, only to settle again. He said DOT also agreed to examine a clogged culvert near Chapel Hill Road that partially drains through park service land, with a possible replacement in the department’s right-of-way.

Davis added that he hopes a new South Fork Creek fire station will be operational before construction begins, which would allow the department to stage a truck there during the closure.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting

• Commissioners appointed Commissioner Darryl Liverman and Vice Chairwoman Nina Griswell to the Board of Education Steering Committee for the new school, part of the consent agenda, which passed 4-1 with Commissioner Thompson dissenting.
• The board approved a $306.46 vehicle tax refund and an amendment adding $15,000 from the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology broadband grant with Brightspeed, after the company certified more than $1.245 million in qualifying Tyrrell County expenditures.
• Commissioners approved three budget amendments: a $7,450 general fund amendment to fully fund the Panther program, a general fund amendment aligning the budget with the Board of Education mediation agreement, and a school capital outlay amendment funding $100,000 from sales tax proceeds.
• The board approved a $141,000 public schools budget amendment and formally acknowledged receipt of Tyrrell County’s long-range spill response plan, without committing funding.
• Commissioners voted to move their October meeting from October 6 to October 13.
• County Manager David Clegg detailed five years of school system budget requests and matching expenditures, saying the figures show the county fully funded requested amounts each year, including $718,725 for the current fiscal year, and that lottery funds totaling $645,543 and sales tax revenue from Articles 40 and 42 were directed to school construction.
• The Economic Improvement Council of Edenton is seeking six houses in Tyrrell County for repairs, with roughly $200,000 available for the work, and encouraged residents needing repairs to contact the organization.