By Nicole Layton

EDENTON — Alton Lane was unanimously appointed to the Chowan County Board of Commissioners on Monday, Nov. 2, filling the at-large seat vacated by Chris Evans, who resigned after six years of service.

Lane’s appointment came during a special meeting before the board’s regular session, where commissioners considered proposals involving tobacco-free public spaces, law enforcement equipment and behavioral health services.

Lane was nominated by the Chowan County Republican Party Executive Committee to complete Evans’ unexpired term. Evans, whose resignation took effect Nov. 1, cited professional responsibilities requiring extensive travel and health concerns.

“It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve alongside each of you,” Evans wrote in his resignation letter.

Lane, a Navy veteran and retired U.S. Postal Service employee, has served on the county’s election board and participated in community organizations including Rotary and the American Legion.

During the Republican Party’s nomination process, Lane said he had been attending commission meetings to better understand county finances and operations. He also expressed a willingness to seek election to a full term and said his experience prepared him to work across political lines.

Commissioner Trey Taylor attended the special meeting but was absent from the regular session.

Tobacco-free public spaces

Chowan County commissioners will work with John A. Holmes High School students to examine whether tobacco use should be prohibited on county-owned grounds, parks and recreational facilities.

Board Chairman Bob Kirby formed a three-member committee following a presentation by five students advocating for stronger protections against tobacco smoke, vaping and other nicotine products in public spaces.

Kirby appointed himself and Commissioners Ellis Lawrence and Ron Cummings to the committee, which will meet with the students before bringing recommendations to the full board.

“I appreciate all the work you all put in,” Kirby told the students.

The action advances the students’ proposal without adopting new restrictions.

Tobacco use is already prohibited inside county government buildings and vehicles. The students want commissioners to consider extending those protections to outdoor public property, particularly areas used by children and families.

Introduced by Albemarle Regional Health Services representative Teresa Beardsley, the students discussed the health risks associated with tobacco use, secondhand smoke and electronic cigarettes.

They emphasized that people who do not use tobacco can still be exposed to harmful substances in public spaces where smoking or vaping is permitted. They also discussed nicotine addiction among young people and the importance of prevention.

The students pointed to policies adopted by other North Carolina communities, including Gates County, as examples Chowan could consider.

The Edenton-Chowan Board of Education submitted a resolution supporting tobacco-free county properties and public spaces. Several school board members attended Monday’s meeting.

A countywide policy could affect visitors to public parks, recreational events and government facilities. Commissioners would also need to determine which products and locations would be covered and how restrictions would be enforced.

Rather than act immediately, Kirby said the committee should examine the proposal with the students. Its recommendations will return to the full board for consideration.

Sheriff’s Office equipment proposal

Commissioners authorized further negotiations on a proposed 10-year law enforcement equipment contract but stopped short of approving an agreement that would substantially increase annual spending.

Chief Deputy John McArthur presented a proposal from Axon for 24 body-worn cameras, 24 Tasers and 15 in-car camera systems.

The Sheriff’s Office’s current five-year agreement expires at the end of the fiscal year and provides 17 body cameras and Tasers. McArthur said the department now has 23 full-time employees, creating a need for additional equipment.

The vehicle cameras would be a new addition.

McArthur said the equipment would help protect deputies and residents, document encounters and preserve evidence for criminal investigations.

“I am asking you guys to help us protect our staff,” he told commissioners.

The department already uses Axon’s evidence management system, which allows information to be shared with prosecutors.

The proposed agreement would cost $34,952.95 in the first year and $139,926.52 annually for the following nine years — approximately $1.29 million overall.

The county currently pays approximately $34,000 annually. McArthur said renewing the existing equipment quantities would cost about $84,619 a year.

He argued that the longer contract would provide predictable costs and scheduled equipment replacements. He also said signing before an anticipated January price increase could save approximately $104,000 over the contract period.

Commissioners questioned whether the county should commit to 10 years of payments without further review, particularly when the proposal would add roughly $100,000 to annual spending compared with the current agreement.

Commissioner Larry McLaughlin said the request reflected the difficulty of balancing departmental needs with taxpayers’ ability to pay.

“Everybody comes forward with these ideas that are great and needed,” McLaughlin said.

But the costs of individual proposals accumulate across county departments, he explained.

Commissioners questioned the contract’s length, pricing and whether better terms could be negotiated. McArthur said he would explore grants to offset expenses.

The board unanimously authorized continued negotiations and directed that a final proposal receive county attorney review before returning for consideration.

No contract was approved Monday.

Trillium annual report

A report showing approximately $9 million in health care services for 440 Chowan County residents prompted questions about the cost and effectiveness of behavioral health programs.

Bobbie Lowe, northern regional vice president of Trillium Health Resources, presented the organization’s annual report and explained its role in coordinating services for residents with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities and other complex health needs.

Trillium operates across 46 counties and manages specialized Medicaid coverage.

During fiscal year 2025, the organization reported providing approximately $1.7 billion in services across its region.

In Chowan County, 337 residents received mental health services, 66 received developmental disability services and 96 received substance use services. The categories overlap because some residents require multiple types of care.

Kirby questioned the $9 million local figure, comparing it with the county’s approximately $27 million general fund budget.

Lowe explained that the figure does not represent a $9 million appropriation from Chowan County taxpayers. Services are financed primarily through Medicaid and other health care funding sources.

She said residents receiving specialized behavioral health care may also require hospitalization, physical health treatment or long-term support, contributing to higher costs.

According to Lowe’s presentation, Chowan County had 3,934 Medicaid recipients as of December 2025, including 383 enrolled in Trillium’s specialized Medicaid Tailored Plan.

Commissioners also questioned whether substance use treatment produces lasting results.

“Relapse is a part of recovery,” Lowe said.

She explained that treatment may involve counseling, medication, residential programs and repeated interventions.

Lowe argued that providing care before conditions become emergencies can reduce more expensive hospitalizations and encounters with the criminal justice system.

“It is a lot more fiscally responsible to get someone preventative treatment than have them end up in the hospital and in and out of jail,” she said.

Trillium also provides crisis intervention training and prevention programs intended to help residents obtain treatment before their conditions worsen.

Commissioners took no action on the report.

Property revaluation

Chowan County property owners will have an opportunity Dec. 7 to comment on the standards used to determine real estate values as the county prepares for a delayed property revaluation.

Commissioners unanimously scheduled a public hearing on the county’s schedule of values, which establishes the methods appraisers use to assess real property.

The county originally planned to implement new values in 2026, but state legislation imposed a one-year moratorium on revaluations scheduled for that year.

Chowan now expects the revaluation to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

Tax Administrator Chris Hill said the schedule remains unchanged from the version approved in October 2025.

“It’s the same exact schedule as 2026,” Hill said. “Nothing’s changed.”

Revaluation can change the assessed value of homes, businesses and land, potentially shifting the tax burden among property owners. The amount residents ultimately pay also depends on the tax rate commissioners adopt.

The schedule is available through the county Tax Administrator’s Office and Tax Department website.

Public health funding concerns

Potential funding reductions could affect prenatal services and other public health programs serving Chowan County residents, commissioners learned during reports from regional boards.

Commissioner Tony Shaffer said Albemarle Regional Health Services, which serves eight counties, was performing approximately $1 million better financially than anticipated.

However, anticipated funding reductions could create difficulties for programs serving residents who depend on public health services.

Prenatal care was among the services discussed as potentially vulnerable.

ARHS is reviewing its finances and could ask participating counties to increase their contributions next spring, adding another potential demand on county budgets.

No additional funding was requested or approved Monday.

Other business

Commissioners approved a resolution supporting the addition of private road 0324 Mill Creek Road to the state-maintained secondary road system following a petition from property owner Waldo Winslow. The North Carolina Department of Transportation will determine whether to accept the road for maintenance.

The board also approved a personnel policy amendment bringing county policy into compliance with state changes extending the probationary period for Department of Social Services employees from nine months to one year.

Finance Officer Cathy Smith presented budget amendments, including $12,844.39 for a previously approved security door-locking and camera system at the Planning and Inspections and Veterans Services entrance and $30,000 in opioid settlement funding for the PORT program.

Smith reported general fund expenditures of approximately $5.65 million through September, exceeding revenues by approximately $1.61 million at that point in the fiscal year.

County officials also reported that the local driver’s license office remained closed while efforts to address facility problems continued.

During closing remarks, McLaughlin recognized the impending closure of a Kubota dealership on Virginia Road after approximately 47 years in business.

“I just wanted to make that public and be on record that we recognize the benefit and the loss of their business,” he said.