As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 18, 2011
by Hugh Martin
TROY – The Board of Commissioners of the Town of Troy met for their regular meeting September 12, during which a $20,000.00 contract with the Withers & Ravenel engineering firm was approved. The contract calls for GIS mapping of the town’s water system.
“We have over twenty-nine miles of water lines in the Town of Troy,” said Greg Zephir, Town Manager. “With the retirements of some town employees it is becoming more difficult for workers to know where everything is located.”
Zephir said that, while $20,000.00 may seem expensive, the cost for each point in the system that will have to be mapped comes to only $15.00 each.
“After the mapping is complete employees can use a tablet computer anywhere in town to find the nearest shutoff valve,” Zephir said. “It will be more convenient for citizens of the town. If there’s a water leak on the east side of town why should the water on the west side of town be shut off too?”
Commissioners also passed an ordinance amendment concerning peddlers, vendors and contractors. The amendment is aimed at “peddlers, solicitors, transient vendors or contractors for pruning or removal of trees and shrubs.”
Zephir reported that there was a problem with transient vendors coming into town and cutting trees, particularly for senior citizens, and leaving a large mess for the town to deal with.
The ordinance will require anyone engaging in that type of business to register with the town and acquire all the proper permits.
In other recent business, Zephir reported:
• The town has been awarded $620,000.00 to increase the sewer capacity at the business center;
• Department of Insurance grant funds are being used to purchase pagers for the fire department;
• The town is working on a modification of a 1997 agreement with Montgomery County to allow one entity to do water sampling;
• Town staff is working on preparations for the Small Town USA Celebration, to be held October 22;
• Members of the promotions committee are working to host the Arts and Antiques in Autumn event
Monday, September 26, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Expo is Golden Opportunity for job seekers ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 24, 2011
by Hugh Martin
TROY — With unemployment at 13.1 percent in Montgomery County, news of job openings is welcomed by anyone looking for employment.
On Thursday, Sept. 29, the Think Montgomery First Business Expo & Job Fair will be held from noon-6 p.m. at the James H. Garner Conference Center in Troy. The event, designed to showcase local businesses and the products and services they offer, was organized by the Montgomery Economic Develop Corp. (EDC) and the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.
Judy Stevens, executive director of the EDC, said that nearly 40 businesses will be on hand to meet and greet Expo attendees. She encourages job seekers to dress appropriately and bring resumes.
“Many of the businesses are hiring new employees,” Stevens said. “This event is an excellent opportunity to see the various products that are produced locally and to talk with representatives of local service agencies.”
Entry to the Expo is free and there will be drawings for door prizes throughout the afternoon.
At the September meeting of the Town of Star Board of Commissioners, Richard Hinson, town commissioner and coordinator of the Small Business Center at Montgomery Community College, said he hopes that job seekers will take advantage of this opportunity.
“People who are out of work need to come,” Hinson said. “They need to look sharp, not with their pants drooping and acting out.”
Hinson said that a lot of companies that have recruited in Montgomery County in the past have been disappointed in the quality of the applicant pool.
“I have seen some recruiters just pack up and leave,” he said.
Hinson said that any business in the county that is hiring will be at the Expo. The event will offer the opportunity to meet and network with businesses that may or may not be hiring at the present.
Sponsors of the event include Montgomery County JobLink, Montgomery County Schools, Montgomery Community College, N.C. Employment Security Commission, Montgomery County government, Towns of Biscoe, Candor, Mount Gilead, Star and Troy, Montgomery Tourism Development Authority and FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital.
The Garner Center is at 210 Burnett St. in Troy. For more information or to participate in the expo, contact the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce at (910) 572-4300.
by Hugh Martin
TROY — With unemployment at 13.1 percent in Montgomery County, news of job openings is welcomed by anyone looking for employment.
On Thursday, Sept. 29, the Think Montgomery First Business Expo & Job Fair will be held from noon-6 p.m. at the James H. Garner Conference Center in Troy. The event, designed to showcase local businesses and the products and services they offer, was organized by the Montgomery Economic Develop Corp. (EDC) and the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.
Judy Stevens, executive director of the EDC, said that nearly 40 businesses will be on hand to meet and greet Expo attendees. She encourages job seekers to dress appropriately and bring resumes.
“Many of the businesses are hiring new employees,” Stevens said. “This event is an excellent opportunity to see the various products that are produced locally and to talk with representatives of local service agencies.”
Entry to the Expo is free and there will be drawings for door prizes throughout the afternoon.
At the September meeting of the Town of Star Board of Commissioners, Richard Hinson, town commissioner and coordinator of the Small Business Center at Montgomery Community College, said he hopes that job seekers will take advantage of this opportunity.
“People who are out of work need to come,” Hinson said. “They need to look sharp, not with their pants drooping and acting out.”
Hinson said that a lot of companies that have recruited in Montgomery County in the past have been disappointed in the quality of the applicant pool.
“I have seen some recruiters just pack up and leave,” he said.
Hinson said that any business in the county that is hiring will be at the Expo. The event will offer the opportunity to meet and network with businesses that may or may not be hiring at the present.
Sponsors of the event include Montgomery County JobLink, Montgomery County Schools, Montgomery Community College, N.C. Employment Security Commission, Montgomery County government, Towns of Biscoe, Candor, Mount Gilead, Star and Troy, Montgomery Tourism Development Authority and FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital.
The Garner Center is at 210 Burnett St. in Troy. For more information or to participate in the expo, contact the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce at (910) 572-4300.
MCC resolution: No to consolidation ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 24, 2011
by Hugh Martin
TROY — Although some legislators have called it a “dead issue,” the Montgomery Community College Board of Trustees passed a resolution opposing a North Carolina community college consolidation.
A North Carolina legislative study released in June recommended that community colleges could save about $5 million a year by combining administrations at the smallest colleges with larger, neighboring campuses.
In the resolution, trustees state that the recommendation targets rural community colleges and that consolidation would make access more difficult for students. The resolution states, in part, “rural community colleges are the educational institutions most needed in our great state and have been largely supported by the local citizenry, business and industry and government in the construction of campus buildings, upkeep of facilities, philanthropy for scholarships and program development.”
MCC President Dr. Mary Kirk told the board that a meeting of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, co-chaired by Senator Jerry Tillman of Randolph and Montgomery counties, is scheduled for Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. in Raleigh. Kirk plans to attend the meeting.
Earle Connelly, chair of the Personnel Committee, introduced eight new staff members to the board: Gerald Clark, Electrical Electronics Technology instructor; Ed Hinson, HVAC instructor; Clare Cagle, Compensatory Education instructor; Mark Dye, Gunsmithing instructor; Andrew Ryan Flynn, Gunsmithing instructor; Andy Speer, Taxidermy instructor; Donald Clark, Criminal Justice instructor/BLET director; and Amanda Beaman, Medical Assisting instructor.
In other business the board approved:
• A list of capital improvement projects that could be undertaken if a one-quarter cent sales tax is enacted.
• Renovations for the Biology Lab and IT Department.
• Recommendations for the employment of Ernest Everington as system technician and Tim Kennedy as director of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness.
• Travel requests for Dr. Kirk to meet with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in Alabama and to attend the SACS Winter Conference in Florida.
• The 2011-2012 Student Handbook.
• In-kind transfers of rifles and shotguns, valued at $656, to the Gunsmithing Program from Jim’s Gun Jobbery in Fayetteville.
by Hugh Martin
TROY — Although some legislators have called it a “dead issue,” the Montgomery Community College Board of Trustees passed a resolution opposing a North Carolina community college consolidation.
A North Carolina legislative study released in June recommended that community colleges could save about $5 million a year by combining administrations at the smallest colleges with larger, neighboring campuses.
In the resolution, trustees state that the recommendation targets rural community colleges and that consolidation would make access more difficult for students. The resolution states, in part, “rural community colleges are the educational institutions most needed in our great state and have been largely supported by the local citizenry, business and industry and government in the construction of campus buildings, upkeep of facilities, philanthropy for scholarships and program development.”
MCC President Dr. Mary Kirk told the board that a meeting of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, co-chaired by Senator Jerry Tillman of Randolph and Montgomery counties, is scheduled for Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. in Raleigh. Kirk plans to attend the meeting.
Earle Connelly, chair of the Personnel Committee, introduced eight new staff members to the board: Gerald Clark, Electrical Electronics Technology instructor; Ed Hinson, HVAC instructor; Clare Cagle, Compensatory Education instructor; Mark Dye, Gunsmithing instructor; Andrew Ryan Flynn, Gunsmithing instructor; Andy Speer, Taxidermy instructor; Donald Clark, Criminal Justice instructor/BLET director; and Amanda Beaman, Medical Assisting instructor.
In other business the board approved:
• A list of capital improvement projects that could be undertaken if a one-quarter cent sales tax is enacted.
• Renovations for the Biology Lab and IT Department.
• Recommendations for the employment of Ernest Everington as system technician and Tim Kennedy as director of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness.
• Travel requests for Dr. Kirk to meet with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in Alabama and to attend the SACS Winter Conference in Florida.
• The 2011-2012 Student Handbook.
• In-kind transfers of rifles and shotguns, valued at $656, to the Gunsmithing Program from Jim’s Gun Jobbery in Fayetteville.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen's Meet to give national exposure to MCC ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 20, 2011
by Hugh MArtin
TROY — Lumberjacks and jills from colleges throughout the Mid-Atlantic states will gather at Montgomery Community College in April for the Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen’s Meet and the Stihl Timbersports Competition.
The competition will be broadcast nationwide on ESPNU and the Outdoor Channel.
Michelle Haywood, Public Information Officer at MCC, updated the college’s board of trustees on the latest developments of the event, set for April 21-22, 2012.
At the September meeting, Haywood told the board, “After meeting with Stihl’s Event Marketing Specialist, Brad Sorgen, I’m excited about the amount of exposure MCC and Montgomery County will receive because of this event.”
Haywood reported that half-hour professional and collegiate Stihl Timbersports shows will be produced at the college and a minimum of six mentions of MCC and the Town of Troy will be made during the shows.
Stadium signage for MCC will appear on-screen during the broadcasts.
A 30-second MCC commercial and a 60-second “featurette” will air during breaks of the shows and event information will be posted on the Stihl Facebook page. Haywood said videographers will be filming throughout Montgomery County for scenes to be included in the promotional spots.
“The word has spread very quickly,” Haywood said. “I received a call from the Stanly County Economic Development Corp. who had heard about the event and wanted to be involved. I referred them to Montgomery EDC.”
Haywood said that the shows will air a minimum of three times, including the commercial and featurette, on ESPNU and a minimum of two times on the Outdoor Channel.
MCC has sponsored teams for several years and has had winners to move on in the competitions. A former student is now a competitor on the professional level. This will be the first year that professional lumberjacks have competed during the same event as the collegiate competition.
Forest Management Technology instructors Russell Strong and Mike Thompson have started planning and developing the stadium-area to be used. Stihl will provide funds to help the college prepare for the competition.
“This is shaping up to be quite a regional event,” Haywood said.
by Hugh MArtin
TROY — Lumberjacks and jills from colleges throughout the Mid-Atlantic states will gather at Montgomery Community College in April for the Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen’s Meet and the Stihl Timbersports Competition.
The competition will be broadcast nationwide on ESPNU and the Outdoor Channel.
Michelle Haywood, Public Information Officer at MCC, updated the college’s board of trustees on the latest developments of the event, set for April 21-22, 2012.
At the September meeting, Haywood told the board, “After meeting with Stihl’s Event Marketing Specialist, Brad Sorgen, I’m excited about the amount of exposure MCC and Montgomery County will receive because of this event.”
Haywood reported that half-hour professional and collegiate Stihl Timbersports shows will be produced at the college and a minimum of six mentions of MCC and the Town of Troy will be made during the shows.
Stadium signage for MCC will appear on-screen during the broadcasts.
A 30-second MCC commercial and a 60-second “featurette” will air during breaks of the shows and event information will be posted on the Stihl Facebook page. Haywood said videographers will be filming throughout Montgomery County for scenes to be included in the promotional spots.
“The word has spread very quickly,” Haywood said. “I received a call from the Stanly County Economic Development Corp. who had heard about the event and wanted to be involved. I referred them to Montgomery EDC.”
Haywood said that the shows will air a minimum of three times, including the commercial and featurette, on ESPNU and a minimum of two times on the Outdoor Channel.
MCC has sponsored teams for several years and has had winners to move on in the competitions. A former student is now a competitor on the professional level. This will be the first year that professional lumberjacks have competed during the same event as the collegiate competition.
Forest Management Technology instructors Russell Strong and Mike Thompson have started planning and developing the stadium-area to be used. Stihl will provide funds to help the college prepare for the competition.
“This is shaping up to be quite a regional event,” Haywood said.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Star Elementary Running Club will sponsor 5K ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 16, 2011
by Hugh Martin
STAR — December 10 is shaping up to be a very busy day in the Town of Star. In addition to the annual Star Christmas Parade and U.S. Post Office Holiday Cancellation Open House, the town will be the site of a new Boy Scout Derby Race on Center Street.
At the Sept. 12 regular meeting of the town board, Star Elementary School Principal Vance Thomas requested permission from commissioners to hold a 5K race and youth walk on the same day. Several years ago, teacher Liz Hunneycutt organized a student running club, which regularly travels to 5K events in other areas.
“With the success of the Peachy Feet 5K in Candor a group has decided that they would like to try to organize one in Star,” Thomas said.
Thomas said the group was not seeking funding from the town but did want the support and credibility that the town could offer.
“In the event that the race turns a profit we would like to donate the proceeds to the town’s Parks and Recreation Department,” Thomas said.
Board members agreed to support the effort and Thomas will return to a future meeting with a flier and map of the route.
In other business, Commissioners Richard Hinson, George Kivett, Jennifer Fountain and Alice Clemens:
Were advised that the town’s new website was online at www.starnc.gov.
Discussed the need to prune shrubs around the “Welcome to Star” sign on South Main Street and to contact NCDOT about overgrown foliage on Clayola Drive.
Learned that pavement repairs had been made on some town streets.
Railroad ties had been delivered to the park for a volleyball court and sand will be purchased when funds are available.
Mayor Susan Eggleston reported that the Fly-In scheduled for Oct. 1 at the Montgomery County Airport in Star has been postponed until spring.
Police Chief Tracy Phillips reported that a new patrol car should arrive by the end of September.
The countywide Business Expo and Job Fair will be held at the James Garner Center in Troy on Sept. 29.
Gave the mayor authority to appoint a committee to administer a Community Development Block Grant on behalf of STARworks.
Heard a report from Commissioner Clemens that heat and air conditioning, electricity and carpentry projects are under way at the Pink House Heritage Center.
by Hugh Martin
STAR — December 10 is shaping up to be a very busy day in the Town of Star. In addition to the annual Star Christmas Parade and U.S. Post Office Holiday Cancellation Open House, the town will be the site of a new Boy Scout Derby Race on Center Street.
At the Sept. 12 regular meeting of the town board, Star Elementary School Principal Vance Thomas requested permission from commissioners to hold a 5K race and youth walk on the same day. Several years ago, teacher Liz Hunneycutt organized a student running club, which regularly travels to 5K events in other areas.
“With the success of the Peachy Feet 5K in Candor a group has decided that they would like to try to organize one in Star,” Thomas said.
Thomas said the group was not seeking funding from the town but did want the support and credibility that the town could offer.
“In the event that the race turns a profit we would like to donate the proceeds to the town’s Parks and Recreation Department,” Thomas said.
Board members agreed to support the effort and Thomas will return to a future meeting with a flier and map of the route.
In other business, Commissioners Richard Hinson, George Kivett, Jennifer Fountain and Alice Clemens:
Were advised that the town’s new website was online at www.starnc.gov.
Discussed the need to prune shrubs around the “Welcome to Star” sign on South Main Street and to contact NCDOT about overgrown foliage on Clayola Drive.
Learned that pavement repairs had been made on some town streets.
Railroad ties had been delivered to the park for a volleyball court and sand will be purchased when funds are available.
Mayor Susan Eggleston reported that the Fly-In scheduled for Oct. 1 at the Montgomery County Airport in Star has been postponed until spring.
Police Chief Tracy Phillips reported that a new patrol car should arrive by the end of September.
The countywide Business Expo and Job Fair will be held at the James Garner Center in Troy on Sept. 29.
Gave the mayor authority to appoint a committee to administer a Community Development Block Grant on behalf of STARworks.
Heard a report from Commissioner Clemens that heat and air conditioning, electricity and carpentry projects are under way at the Pink House Heritage Center.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Mountaire will not use poultry litter for fuel ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 14, 2011
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — Just two days before the Town of Candor was to hold two public hearings Monday to address zoning changes to allow Mountaire Farms to burn poultry waste at a proposed biomass energy facility, the company chose to pull the issue from the table.
A Mountaire Farms contractor notified Mayor Richard Britt that the company would use wood waste as its fuel, not poultry waste.
Brownie Newman, managing member of CHP Solutions, an Asheville company that would operate the proposed facility, notified Candor officials of the change in an email on Saturday.
“Rather than utilizing poultry litter as the fuel source for the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system at the Mountaire Farms Feedmill, we believe the best approach is to simply utilize wood waste as the fuel source,” Newman wrote.
Bill Bruton of Candor, who has been leading the opposition to the facility, wasn’t impressed.
Citing research figures Bruton said, “Wood incineration is four percent more polluting than a new coal plant, only 11 percent less polluting than a chicken-litter plant, and 48 percent more polluting than an existing coal plant.”
Bruton is opposed to any type of biomass facility being located within the city limits.
“While I suspect it’s true that wood puts fewer heavy metals into play, with the exception of sulfur dioxide, wood puts more of these particles in the air than a new coal plant and more carbon monoxide than an existing coal plant or poultry litter,” he said.
In the email, Newman said, “While we believe that many of the statements made over the past several months about the proposal to use poultry litter as a renewable fuel have been inaccurate and misleading, rather than extending the debate on those issues, we would prefer to move forward with an approach that can receive broad community support.
“In terms of using wood as the fuel source for the project, these types of wood heating systems have been used for many decades in North Carolina. There is a very large number operating all across North Carolina, including the local area.”
Judy Stevens, executive director of the Montgomery Economic Development Corp., said that Jordan Lumber Company, near Mt. Gilead, has been burning wood at their facility for years.
The Candor Planning Board met twice in August to consider two separate ordinance amendments, one that would allow the change of fuel sources by local industries and allow the generation of electricity by an industry for their own use or for sale to the local utility.
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — Just two days before the Town of Candor was to hold two public hearings Monday to address zoning changes to allow Mountaire Farms to burn poultry waste at a proposed biomass energy facility, the company chose to pull the issue from the table.
A Mountaire Farms contractor notified Mayor Richard Britt that the company would use wood waste as its fuel, not poultry waste.
Brownie Newman, managing member of CHP Solutions, an Asheville company that would operate the proposed facility, notified Candor officials of the change in an email on Saturday.
“Rather than utilizing poultry litter as the fuel source for the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system at the Mountaire Farms Feedmill, we believe the best approach is to simply utilize wood waste as the fuel source,” Newman wrote.
Bill Bruton of Candor, who has been leading the opposition to the facility, wasn’t impressed.
Citing research figures Bruton said, “Wood incineration is four percent more polluting than a new coal plant, only 11 percent less polluting than a chicken-litter plant, and 48 percent more polluting than an existing coal plant.”
Bruton is opposed to any type of biomass facility being located within the city limits.
“While I suspect it’s true that wood puts fewer heavy metals into play, with the exception of sulfur dioxide, wood puts more of these particles in the air than a new coal plant and more carbon monoxide than an existing coal plant or poultry litter,” he said.
In the email, Newman said, “While we believe that many of the statements made over the past several months about the proposal to use poultry litter as a renewable fuel have been inaccurate and misleading, rather than extending the debate on those issues, we would prefer to move forward with an approach that can receive broad community support.
“In terms of using wood as the fuel source for the project, these types of wood heating systems have been used for many decades in North Carolina. There is a very large number operating all across North Carolina, including the local area.”
Judy Stevens, executive director of the Montgomery Economic Development Corp., said that Jordan Lumber Company, near Mt. Gilead, has been burning wood at their facility for years.
The Candor Planning Board met twice in August to consider two separate ordinance amendments, one that would allow the change of fuel sources by local industries and allow the generation of electricity by an industry for their own use or for sale to the local utility.
Candor commissioners say no to animal waste for fuel ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 14, 2011
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — After Saturday’s notification that Mountaire Farms would use wood instead of poultry litter to make electricity to run its feed mill in Candor, the board of commissioners met Monday night as scheduled, held the public hearing and amended the town’s zoning ordinance.
The amendment was changed to prohibit the incineration of animal waste products, but the commissioners voted to allow biomass incineration in industrial-zoned areas.
The decision paves the way for Mountaire Farms, which operates a feed mill in the town’s city limits, to apply for a conditional use permit to construct a facility that would generate steam for plant operations and electricity to be sold to Progress Energy.
Mountaire had originally planned to burn poultry waste, which drew opposition from neighbors and people from as far away as Southern Pines and Aberdeen.
Prior to the hearings, Mountaire officials had met with Candor Mayor Richard Britt and had come to an agreement that the company would change their fuel source from poultry to wood waste.
“No chicken litter will be burned in Candor while I’m sitting in this seat,” Britt stated to the full house of citizens that crowded the meeting room.
The first person to address the board during the hearing was Chris Smithson, a town councilman from Southern Pines. He represented that board as he urged the Candor commissioners to “proceed with caution” and slow down the text amendment process until further research could be conducted.
The Mountaire facility is located near the headwaters of Drowning Creek, which is the primary source of drinking water for southern Moore County.
“North Carolina law provides that a conditional use does not require it to be safe, but that opponents must prove that it is unsafe,” Smithson said.
Bill Bruton of Candor, who has led the opposition, cautioned that even though chicken litter was no longer being considered by Mountaire, it was still considered biomass and could possibly be included for use by another company that may choose to locate in Candor in the future.
Although the public hearing was legally advertised in local newspapers, some Moore County citizens were upset with the process.
“I found out about this last weekend, which was a holiday, and I was mad,” said Carolyn Shaw of Aberdeen. “This was a stealth movement by the Town of Candor and we did not know about it. If something else comes up, you should let us know.”
Shaw told the board that companies like Mountaire and Fibrowatt are targeting poorer counties to build their plants.
“They don’t care about anyone’s health,” she said. “They are out for a buck. They are unreliable and you cannot believe what you are told.”
Fibrowatt is a company that had chosen a Montgomery County tract east of Biscoe to construct a large power plant that was to be fueled by poultry waste. That project has been stalled by the reluctance of power companies to sign a purchase agreement with Fibrowatt.
Concerns over the burning of wood over chicken litter were addressed. Bruton questioned the statements that a certain percentage of particulates would be captured by scrubbers in the smokestacks.
“If we’re told that 90 percent is captured, we have to ask, 90 percent of what?”
Bruton said that once a facility is up and running, “it would be difficult to rein it in if something bad happens.”
Commissioner Tim Smith said that he would support the amendment that the town was presenting as long as it was revised to exclude animal waste products as a fuel.
Brownie Newman of Combined Heat and Power, an Asheville company that will operate the plant for Mountaire, said that he thought that would be a good solution.
Following the meeting, Newman stated that his company plans to build a facility that would burn up to 70 tons of wood each day. When asked what would be done with the ash byproduct from the burning process, Newman said he did not yet know, but that he would have that information “within a few days.”
“Wood is not a regulated fuel source,” Newman said. “But, chicken litter is not regulated, either.”
In other business Commissioners Smith, Layton Booker and Tim Privett:
* Heard a brief report by Judy Stevens, Executive Director of Montgomery Economic Development Corp., in support of Mountaire Farms.
* Heard from N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Danelle McKnight about the new Candor Downtown Growers Market, scheduled to begin operation on Friday, Sept. 16.
* Will make a $100 donation to the local Boy Scout troop.
* Tabled a decision on signage for the Candor Farmers’ Market until local vendors can be contacted for a price quote.
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — After Saturday’s notification that Mountaire Farms would use wood instead of poultry litter to make electricity to run its feed mill in Candor, the board of commissioners met Monday night as scheduled, held the public hearing and amended the town’s zoning ordinance.
The amendment was changed to prohibit the incineration of animal waste products, but the commissioners voted to allow biomass incineration in industrial-zoned areas.
The decision paves the way for Mountaire Farms, which operates a feed mill in the town’s city limits, to apply for a conditional use permit to construct a facility that would generate steam for plant operations and electricity to be sold to Progress Energy.
Mountaire had originally planned to burn poultry waste, which drew opposition from neighbors and people from as far away as Southern Pines and Aberdeen.
Prior to the hearings, Mountaire officials had met with Candor Mayor Richard Britt and had come to an agreement that the company would change their fuel source from poultry to wood waste.
“No chicken litter will be burned in Candor while I’m sitting in this seat,” Britt stated to the full house of citizens that crowded the meeting room.
The first person to address the board during the hearing was Chris Smithson, a town councilman from Southern Pines. He represented that board as he urged the Candor commissioners to “proceed with caution” and slow down the text amendment process until further research could be conducted.
The Mountaire facility is located near the headwaters of Drowning Creek, which is the primary source of drinking water for southern Moore County.
“North Carolina law provides that a conditional use does not require it to be safe, but that opponents must prove that it is unsafe,” Smithson said.
Bill Bruton of Candor, who has led the opposition, cautioned that even though chicken litter was no longer being considered by Mountaire, it was still considered biomass and could possibly be included for use by another company that may choose to locate in Candor in the future.
Although the public hearing was legally advertised in local newspapers, some Moore County citizens were upset with the process.
“I found out about this last weekend, which was a holiday, and I was mad,” said Carolyn Shaw of Aberdeen. “This was a stealth movement by the Town of Candor and we did not know about it. If something else comes up, you should let us know.”
Shaw told the board that companies like Mountaire and Fibrowatt are targeting poorer counties to build their plants.
“They don’t care about anyone’s health,” she said. “They are out for a buck. They are unreliable and you cannot believe what you are told.”
Fibrowatt is a company that had chosen a Montgomery County tract east of Biscoe to construct a large power plant that was to be fueled by poultry waste. That project has been stalled by the reluctance of power companies to sign a purchase agreement with Fibrowatt.
Concerns over the burning of wood over chicken litter were addressed. Bruton questioned the statements that a certain percentage of particulates would be captured by scrubbers in the smokestacks.
“If we’re told that 90 percent is captured, we have to ask, 90 percent of what?”
Bruton said that once a facility is up and running, “it would be difficult to rein it in if something bad happens.”
Commissioner Tim Smith said that he would support the amendment that the town was presenting as long as it was revised to exclude animal waste products as a fuel.
Brownie Newman of Combined Heat and Power, an Asheville company that will operate the plant for Mountaire, said that he thought that would be a good solution.
Following the meeting, Newman stated that his company plans to build a facility that would burn up to 70 tons of wood each day. When asked what would be done with the ash byproduct from the burning process, Newman said he did not yet know, but that he would have that information “within a few days.”
“Wood is not a regulated fuel source,” Newman said. “But, chicken litter is not regulated, either.”
In other business Commissioners Smith, Layton Booker and Tim Privett:
* Heard a brief report by Judy Stevens, Executive Director of Montgomery Economic Development Corp., in support of Mountaire Farms.
* Heard from N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Danelle McKnight about the new Candor Downtown Growers Market, scheduled to begin operation on Friday, Sept. 16.
* Will make a $100 donation to the local Boy Scout troop.
* Tabled a decision on signage for the Candor Farmers’ Market until local vendors can be contacted for a price quote.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Candor public hearing on chicken litter-produced electricity ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 10, 2011
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR - A full house is expected at the Monday, Sept. 12, meeting of the Candor Board of Commissioners at 7 p.m. for two public hearings on amending the town’s zoning ordinance to allow specific forms of energy generation within areas zoned for industrial use.
At issue is a request by Mountaire Farms to construct a biomass facility to generate electricity to power its feed mill, located in the city limits east of Interstate 73/74. The facility would burn chicken litter that would be trucked to the facility. The electricity generated would be used by the facility for operations with any excess electricity being sold to Progress Energy.
Four to five trucks a day are expected to bring the litter to the site. Will Kisner, of facility designer Port-Land Systems, said that trucks hauling the litter would be sealed with tarps and pulled inside the building for unloading.
The Candor Planning Board met twice in August to consider two separate amendments, one that would allow the change of fuel sources by local industries and allow the generation of electricity by an industry for their own use or for sale to the local utility.
A competing amendment was presented by a group of local residents who oppose the process that Mountaire has proposed. Both amendments were approved by the planning board and have been sent to town commissioners for consideration.
Opponents of the first proposed amendment have been active in contacting residents to explain their opposition to the possibility of burning chicken litter to produce energy.
Over 50 people attended a meeting called by opponents on Sept. 6 to present information on the biomass process to the public.
Bill Bruton of Candor is leading the opposition. In a published letter signed by Bruton and 18 others, including four medical doctors, Bruton said, “chicken manure contains arsenic and bacteria” and “chicken litter contains toxins, including copper, sulfur and arsenic.”
According to Bruton, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has said the town would be responsible for compliance with the Watershed Protection Ordinance.
“Does anyone really think that Candor should be an abandoned guinea pig for three new low-wage jobs and $45,000 increased tax revenues?” he asked.
Bruton said the incineration of chicken litter produces dioxin and the burning of over 35,000 tons of chicken litter per year at one site within the city limits is a bad idea.
“Does the concept of just a little bit of dioxin make it more acceptable?” he asked.
At an earlier informational meeting about the Mountaire project, Joe Sullivan of Trinity Consultants, an air quality emissions permitting company, said the filtering system for the facility would be the most efficient available, calling it a “Cadillac system” for this type of operation.
Russell Hollers, who lives near the site, asked if the company had ever built one of these facilities before. Brownie Newman of FLS Energy, which would operate the facility, said they had built similar facilities.
Newman said that the trucks bringing litter to the site would be washed for bio-security with the effluent going into the municipal sewer system. The fly ash from the incinerator would be transported outside of the town and sold to companies that would use the byproduct to manufacture fertilizer.
Tammy Kellis, Candor town clerk, said that the meeting will take place at the Town Hall on South Main Street. No plans have been made to move the meeting to a larger venue for the purpose of accommodating more people than the town hall can hold.
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR - A full house is expected at the Monday, Sept. 12, meeting of the Candor Board of Commissioners at 7 p.m. for two public hearings on amending the town’s zoning ordinance to allow specific forms of energy generation within areas zoned for industrial use.
At issue is a request by Mountaire Farms to construct a biomass facility to generate electricity to power its feed mill, located in the city limits east of Interstate 73/74. The facility would burn chicken litter that would be trucked to the facility. The electricity generated would be used by the facility for operations with any excess electricity being sold to Progress Energy.
Four to five trucks a day are expected to bring the litter to the site. Will Kisner, of facility designer Port-Land Systems, said that trucks hauling the litter would be sealed with tarps and pulled inside the building for unloading.
The Candor Planning Board met twice in August to consider two separate amendments, one that would allow the change of fuel sources by local industries and allow the generation of electricity by an industry for their own use or for sale to the local utility.
A competing amendment was presented by a group of local residents who oppose the process that Mountaire has proposed. Both amendments were approved by the planning board and have been sent to town commissioners for consideration.
Opponents of the first proposed amendment have been active in contacting residents to explain their opposition to the possibility of burning chicken litter to produce energy.
Over 50 people attended a meeting called by opponents on Sept. 6 to present information on the biomass process to the public.
Bill Bruton of Candor is leading the opposition. In a published letter signed by Bruton and 18 others, including four medical doctors, Bruton said, “chicken manure contains arsenic and bacteria” and “chicken litter contains toxins, including copper, sulfur and arsenic.”
According to Bruton, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has said the town would be responsible for compliance with the Watershed Protection Ordinance.
“Does anyone really think that Candor should be an abandoned guinea pig for three new low-wage jobs and $45,000 increased tax revenues?” he asked.
Bruton said the incineration of chicken litter produces dioxin and the burning of over 35,000 tons of chicken litter per year at one site within the city limits is a bad idea.
“Does the concept of just a little bit of dioxin make it more acceptable?” he asked.
At an earlier informational meeting about the Mountaire project, Joe Sullivan of Trinity Consultants, an air quality emissions permitting company, said the filtering system for the facility would be the most efficient available, calling it a “Cadillac system” for this type of operation.
Russell Hollers, who lives near the site, asked if the company had ever built one of these facilities before. Brownie Newman of FLS Energy, which would operate the facility, said they had built similar facilities.
Newman said that the trucks bringing litter to the site would be washed for bio-security with the effluent going into the municipal sewer system. The fly ash from the incinerator would be transported outside of the town and sold to companies that would use the byproduct to manufacture fertilizer.
Tammy Kellis, Candor town clerk, said that the meeting will take place at the Town Hall on South Main Street. No plans have been made to move the meeting to a larger venue for the purpose of accommodating more people than the town hall can hold.
Star fire department fundraiser serves up more than barbecue ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 10, 2011
by Hugh MARTIN
STAR — People from the town of Star and surrounding areas always look forward to the annual Star Fire Department Barbecue Supper and Auction.
The wait is over. The event is today from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Star Fire Department, 454 S. Main St. The volunteer firemen will begin dishing up plates of delicious pork barbecue and all the fixings, prepared by the firemen themselves, beginning at 11 a.m.
This third annual fundraiser for the department isn’t just a once-a-year project. It is actually a year-around effort to collect unique items to be offered at the 6:30 p.m. auction sale.
Joe Parsons of Sandhill Auction Service in Jackson Springs gives the firemen a hand by conducting the auction, which this year includes well over 100 items.
The auction items will include a special pre-sale of a STARworks Glass pumpkin, an advance look at the type of work to be sold in October at STARworks, and more than 50 pieces of pottery donated by Seagrove-area potters.
“The local potters are always good to us,” said fire chief Wesley Brown. “We have a wide variety of pottery items that range from everyday use to collectibles.”
Included in the sale will be some items turned and signed by the late Nell Cole Graves, whose work is highly collectible among those who realize the value of her pieces.
Residents have brought in items to auction. Household items, tools, clothing and much more will be sold. A picnic table and a piano will be bid.
Brown ticked off some of the other items to be auctioned, including a bicycle, glider swing, composite outdoor rocker, yard swing, bird bath, George Foreman grill and lawn ornaments.
There will also be a Capel rug, a shirt autographed by NASCAR legend Richard Petty, home décor pieces, firewood, art prints, Christmas decorations, baked goods and plants.
Certificates for oil changes, golf rounds and merchandise or food from area businesses and restaurants will be on the block.
You can also try your luck by purchasing chances to win a Beefeater gas grill, donated by VanDerveer Gas, or a custom-made cedar chest.
by Hugh MARTIN
STAR — People from the town of Star and surrounding areas always look forward to the annual Star Fire Department Barbecue Supper and Auction.
The wait is over. The event is today from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Star Fire Department, 454 S. Main St. The volunteer firemen will begin dishing up plates of delicious pork barbecue and all the fixings, prepared by the firemen themselves, beginning at 11 a.m.
This third annual fundraiser for the department isn’t just a once-a-year project. It is actually a year-around effort to collect unique items to be offered at the 6:30 p.m. auction sale.
Joe Parsons of Sandhill Auction Service in Jackson Springs gives the firemen a hand by conducting the auction, which this year includes well over 100 items.
The auction items will include a special pre-sale of a STARworks Glass pumpkin, an advance look at the type of work to be sold in October at STARworks, and more than 50 pieces of pottery donated by Seagrove-area potters.
“The local potters are always good to us,” said fire chief Wesley Brown. “We have a wide variety of pottery items that range from everyday use to collectibles.”
Included in the sale will be some items turned and signed by the late Nell Cole Graves, whose work is highly collectible among those who realize the value of her pieces.
Residents have brought in items to auction. Household items, tools, clothing and much more will be sold. A picnic table and a piano will be bid.
Brown ticked off some of the other items to be auctioned, including a bicycle, glider swing, composite outdoor rocker, yard swing, bird bath, George Foreman grill and lawn ornaments.
There will also be a Capel rug, a shirt autographed by NASCAR legend Richard Petty, home décor pieces, firewood, art prints, Christmas decorations, baked goods and plants.
Certificates for oil changes, golf rounds and merchandise or food from area businesses and restaurants will be on the block.
You can also try your luck by purchasing chances to win a Beefeater gas grill, donated by VanDerveer Gas, or a custom-made cedar chest.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
MCC officially opts out of loan program ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 4, 2011
by Hugh Martin
TROY — Montgomery Community College trustees have decided to opt out of the Federal Student Direct Loan Program.
“I feel like this is the right decision,” Dr. Mary Kirk, president of the college, said during the Aug. 10 meeting. “I just don’t want to see students leave school with such a huge debt on their backs.”
The direct loans are used for education expenses, but the definition can cover a broad spectrum of spending.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, expenses include school charges such as tuition, room and board, fees and indirect expenses such as books, supplies, equipment, dependent child care expenses, transportation and rental or purchase of a personal computer.
“We have enough programs available here at MCC to assist students with their needs,” Kirk said. “I have never heard a student say that they couldn’t come to MCC because of the cost.”
Kirk added that 28 community colleges in North Carolina have chosen to opt out of the program.
A financial aid report during the same meeting showed that the financial aid office has reviewed 1,864 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIR) since Jan. 1, 2011. That number is up 336 from the same time in 2010.
In other business, the board:
• Participated in the oath of office for reappointed trustees Claudia Bulthuis, Andrea Marshall and Lowell Russell.
• Re-elected Gelynda Capel as chair, Earle Connelly as vice chair and Claudia Bulthuis as secretary of the board.
• Heard a presentation by Tracey Wyrick, Criminal Justice Technology Program head.
• Approved the hiring of eight new employees.
• Was introduced to Wyrick and Roger Reynolds, who has been hired as vice president of Administrative Services.
• Accepted the resignations of six employees.
• Approved the Planning Council policy.
• Updated the student fees chart.
• Approved performance measures.
• Approved two in-kind transfers for the Gunsmithing program.
by Hugh Martin
TROY — Montgomery Community College trustees have decided to opt out of the Federal Student Direct Loan Program.
“I feel like this is the right decision,” Dr. Mary Kirk, president of the college, said during the Aug. 10 meeting. “I just don’t want to see students leave school with such a huge debt on their backs.”
The direct loans are used for education expenses, but the definition can cover a broad spectrum of spending.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, expenses include school charges such as tuition, room and board, fees and indirect expenses such as books, supplies, equipment, dependent child care expenses, transportation and rental or purchase of a personal computer.
“We have enough programs available here at MCC to assist students with their needs,” Kirk said. “I have never heard a student say that they couldn’t come to MCC because of the cost.”
Kirk added that 28 community colleges in North Carolina have chosen to opt out of the program.
A financial aid report during the same meeting showed that the financial aid office has reviewed 1,864 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIR) since Jan. 1, 2011. That number is up 336 from the same time in 2010.
In other business, the board:
• Participated in the oath of office for reappointed trustees Claudia Bulthuis, Andrea Marshall and Lowell Russell.
• Re-elected Gelynda Capel as chair, Earle Connelly as vice chair and Claudia Bulthuis as secretary of the board.
• Heard a presentation by Tracey Wyrick, Criminal Justice Technology Program head.
• Approved the hiring of eight new employees.
• Was introduced to Wyrick and Roger Reynolds, who has been hired as vice president of Administrative Services.
• Accepted the resignations of six employees.
• Approved the Planning Council policy.
• Updated the student fees chart.
• Approved performance measures.
• Approved two in-kind transfers for the Gunsmithing program.
MCC dedicates gunsmithing lab ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 4, 2011
by Hugh Martin
TROY — During a ceremony Aug. 10, President Dr. Mary Kirk dedicated the Brownell Gunsmithing Lab at Montgomery Community College.
Representing Brownell were Eric Kiesler and Mike Watkins, who were also on campus to teach National Rifle Association classes.
Also present were members of the MCC Board of Trustees, MCC staff members and students.
Wayne Bernaeur, program head of Gunsmithing, spoke of his first meeting with the Brownell family at a gun show in Nashville, Tenn., and the relationship between the college and their company, which grew over the years.
“I was working late one day in preparation for Christmas vacation when a truck came in,” Bernaeur said. “On that truck was four pallets of tools and supplies that Brownells had given us. We still receive boxes of supplies regularly.”
“It is appropriate to name the classroom the Brownells Gunsmithing Lab,” Kirk added.
The lab is furnished with tables, toolboxes and vises, all supplied by the Brownell family.
“They are great friends of the college,” she said. “We now have Brownells Scholarships; they send us equipment and teach NRA classes here.”
Kirk said the Brownells knew that the college needed to redo the Gunsmithing Lab and offered to help.
“We asked for a contribution of a certain amount and they donated more than we requested,” Kirk said.
The Brownells have even assisted MCC students in attending their career fair, which is held in Iowa.
Technicians from the company travel to MCC to teach NRA classes at no charge. Kiesler said that he had actually been an NRA student at MCC 15 years ago.
Bernaeur told of being contacted by Brownells’ President Pete Brownell to see if the college would like to have a CNC milling machine, which sells for tens of thousands of dollars. After some careful deliberation, Bernaeur contacted Brownell to see if a less expensive milling machine could be requested, along with a lathe.
“Pete readily agreed and even placed the order himself,” Bernaeur said.
During the annual MCC Foundation Awards Ceremony, Brownells representatives presented $2,000 to two students in the Gunsmithing program.
MCC has only one other named venue at the college, Blair Auditorium, named for the donor of the property on which the college sits today.
“It’s a special honor to have a room at MCC named for you,” Bernaeur said.
by Hugh Martin
TROY — During a ceremony Aug. 10, President Dr. Mary Kirk dedicated the Brownell Gunsmithing Lab at Montgomery Community College.
Representing Brownell were Eric Kiesler and Mike Watkins, who were also on campus to teach National Rifle Association classes.
Also present were members of the MCC Board of Trustees, MCC staff members and students.
Wayne Bernaeur, program head of Gunsmithing, spoke of his first meeting with the Brownell family at a gun show in Nashville, Tenn., and the relationship between the college and their company, which grew over the years.
“I was working late one day in preparation for Christmas vacation when a truck came in,” Bernaeur said. “On that truck was four pallets of tools and supplies that Brownells had given us. We still receive boxes of supplies regularly.”
“It is appropriate to name the classroom the Brownells Gunsmithing Lab,” Kirk added.
The lab is furnished with tables, toolboxes and vises, all supplied by the Brownell family.
“They are great friends of the college,” she said. “We now have Brownells Scholarships; they send us equipment and teach NRA classes here.”
Kirk said the Brownells knew that the college needed to redo the Gunsmithing Lab and offered to help.
“We asked for a contribution of a certain amount and they donated more than we requested,” Kirk said.
The Brownells have even assisted MCC students in attending their career fair, which is held in Iowa.
Technicians from the company travel to MCC to teach NRA classes at no charge. Kiesler said that he had actually been an NRA student at MCC 15 years ago.
Bernaeur told of being contacted by Brownells’ President Pete Brownell to see if the college would like to have a CNC milling machine, which sells for tens of thousands of dollars. After some careful deliberation, Bernaeur contacted Brownell to see if a less expensive milling machine could be requested, along with a lathe.
“Pete readily agreed and even placed the order himself,” Bernaeur said.
During the annual MCC Foundation Awards Ceremony, Brownells representatives presented $2,000 to two students in the Gunsmithing program.
MCC has only one other named venue at the college, Blair Auditorium, named for the donor of the property on which the college sits today.
“It’s a special honor to have a room at MCC named for you,” Bernaeur said.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Troy officer achieves investigation certification ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on August 6, 2011
by Hugh Martin
TROY – Lieutenant Virgil E. Higgins of the Troy Police Department has earned the Criminal Investigators Certificate Program award from the North Carolina Justice Academy.
According to Kenny Allen, Troy Chief of Police, the certificate is in recognition of Higgins’ completion of over 500 hours of specialized training in courses that include Death Investigation, Crime Scene Processing, Financial Crimes Investigation, Narcotics Investigation, Internet Crimes and Arson Investigation.
The Justice Academy states that the Criminal Investigation Certificate Program is designed to recognize sworn police officers of North Carolina who have completed appropriate training in order to better prepare themselves for the rigors and challenges of Law Enforcement criminal investigations. Professional investigators who seek out that best practice training stand out from the rest, and should be so recognized.
Higgins was recognized by Troy Mayor Roy Maness and the board of commissioners at their regular meeting August 1. Maness presented Higgins with a plaque that commemorates his achievement.
“The NC Justice Academy on average issues 20 to30 of these certificates per year and Lieutenant Higgins is only one of three officers to have ever received this award from the Troy Police Department,” Allen stated.
“To my knowledge there are no other law enforcement officers currently serving in Montgomery County that have been awarded the NC Justice Academy’s highest investigations training achievement.”
“I would like to express my appreciation to Mayor Maness and the commissioners of the Town of Troy,” Higgins said. “They are always willing to allow employees of the police department to further their careers by attending schools and other education opportunities.”
Lieutenant Higgins joined the Troy Police Department in October of 1995. He resides near Mount Gilead with his wife and children.
by Hugh Martin
TROY – Lieutenant Virgil E. Higgins of the Troy Police Department has earned the Criminal Investigators Certificate Program award from the North Carolina Justice Academy.
According to Kenny Allen, Troy Chief of Police, the certificate is in recognition of Higgins’ completion of over 500 hours of specialized training in courses that include Death Investigation, Crime Scene Processing, Financial Crimes Investigation, Narcotics Investigation, Internet Crimes and Arson Investigation.
The Justice Academy states that the Criminal Investigation Certificate Program is designed to recognize sworn police officers of North Carolina who have completed appropriate training in order to better prepare themselves for the rigors and challenges of Law Enforcement criminal investigations. Professional investigators who seek out that best practice training stand out from the rest, and should be so recognized.
Higgins was recognized by Troy Mayor Roy Maness and the board of commissioners at their regular meeting August 1. Maness presented Higgins with a plaque that commemorates his achievement.
“The NC Justice Academy on average issues 20 to30 of these certificates per year and Lieutenant Higgins is only one of three officers to have ever received this award from the Troy Police Department,” Allen stated.
“To my knowledge there are no other law enforcement officers currently serving in Montgomery County that have been awarded the NC Justice Academy’s highest investigations training achievement.”
“I would like to express my appreciation to Mayor Maness and the commissioners of the Town of Troy,” Higgins said. “They are always willing to allow employees of the police department to further their careers by attending schools and other education opportunities.”
Lieutenant Higgins joined the Troy Police Department in October of 1995. He resides near Mount Gilead with his wife and children.
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