☠ 5K to benefit East Middle School Chorus

As published in the Courier-Tribune on October 26, 2012

by Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

BISCOE – An event to raise funds for the East Middle School Chorus will be held Saturday, November 3, 2012 in Eagle Springs.

Kalawi Farm and Ben's Ice Cream is hosting a 5k run or walk beginning at 10 am at Ben's Ice Cream Shop, at 1515 NC Highway 211, Eagle Springs, between Candor and West End.

The 5K is being held to raise funds for the Chorus’ Spring 2013 Concert. The money will allow the purchase of choral dresses, and costumes for their performances.

Entry fees are $5.00 for students and $15.00 for adults. The 5K is not a sanctioned event but is an opportunity to enjoy some outdoor activities while benefitting the chorus program.

Anyone wishing to register for the 5K can call East Middle School at 910-428-3278. Entrants can pre-pay at the East Middle Office, or pay at the event when you arrive.

Laura Cosner is the director of the chorus. “These kids have worked so hard and are so talented,” she said. Chorus is an awesome outlet for many of the members and they need our support.”

The chorus has become larger and more active in recent years, offering many performances that have been well-attended by the community. “Our production of Grease the Musical last spring was an incredible accomplishment for us,” Cosner said. “We would like to put on another outstanding performance, but we need the funds to do it.”

Kalawi Farm offers several other activities at the farm, including a corn maze, hayrides and ice cream. They promise to have plenty of fun for everyone.

Cosner said that T-shirts may be purchased at the event, with proceeds benefitting the chorus.

The Treble Trot course is 3.1 miles around the farm. The first 10 entrants to go through the finish line will receive a certificate for a free cup or cone of ice cream, or a free walk through the Corn Maze.

☠ Fall enrollment up at Montgomery Community College

As published in the Courier-Tribune on October 6, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY – Montgomery Community College is experiencing an increasing number of student enrollments this fall while other community colleges in North Carolina are seeing numbers remaining the same or actually falling.

“Headcount is up by roughly nine percent over fall semester 2011,” said Beth Smith, vice president of student services at MCC. Smith says the increase is due, in part, to the Career and College Promise (CCP) program which started in January, 2012.

The CCP program offers college classes to high school students at no charge to them. Through the program the students are able to earn college credits, which results in a head start when the student graduates from high school.

According to a release from the college, MCC was one of the first community colleges in the state to offer the CCP classes. Students taking a career pathway can earn a credential, certificate or diploma to prepare them for a technical career right out of high school. Students who select the college transfer pathway can earn from 32 to 44 credit hours that are fully transferable to a four-year institution.

All CCP students earn high school and college credit at the same time.

“Thanks to the partnership between MCC and Montgomery County Schools, MCC was able to start offering CCP classes as early as last spring semester,” said Smith.

Another MCC program, Mini Semester Classes, allows students to earn full-credit by taking classes that are just eight weeks in length.

Some of the Mini Semester Classes are available through CCP, making them available to high school students. Most of the Mini Semester Classes will be taught online.

Mini semester registration is going on through October 16 at the college.

Final fall enrollment figures at MCC will not be available until enrollment is completed for the Mini Semester Classes.

A full listing of the classes may be found by visiting the college’s website at www.montgomery.edu/mini-semester-courses.html or to e-mail Karen Frye at fryek@montgomery.edu for more information.

☠ Troy commissioners approve market study agreement

As published in the Courier-Tribune on October 4, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY — Troy’s Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with the UNC School of Government Monday evening for assistance in putting together a package to improve the marketability of the Troy Hotel development.

The action came at the board’s regular October meeting following several weeks of study since the September meeting.

Developers have shown interest in developing the top two floors of the building, which will require extensive renovation. The hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places, which would qualify developers for significant tax breaks.

According to Troy Manager Greg Zephir, there are other available credits called New Market Tax Credits.

“These kinds of credits can make a development more workable for developers,” he said.

The cost of the agreement is $24,000, but through grants and revenues received by the School of Government, the town will only have an investment of $6,000. Zephir told commissioners the money could come from the town’s economic development fund.

“If the town is successful in securing a developer for this project, the town could add these fees into the costs that the developer would have to pay the town,” he said.

Commissioners Chris Watkins and Angela Elkins agreed that it was a small investment compared to the potential impact that the project could have on the downtown area. The agreement passed unanimously.

Commissioners also took action on a problem that has been discussed previously about rental of the Troy-Montgomery Senior Center for private events. There have been instances where the building was rented several times over a weekend and had been found in disrepair on Monday morning. Since no town employees are present during these times it was difficult to determine who had left the mess, which resulted in revocation of the security deposit.

Commissioners considered raising the rental fee but opted to raise the security deposit from $100 to $150 per event. The town manager or senior center director will be responsible for monitoring events to determine if deposits are returned. If the building has not been cleaned, a renter will receive only half of the deposit back. In the case of physical damage, the entire deposit will be forfeited.

The new rates will take effect immediately. Events that have already been scheduled will not be affected.

In other business, Mayor Roy Maness and Commissioners Watkins, Elkins, Wallace Jones, James Hurley and Bruce Hamilton:

* Learned that the paving project at the fire department had gone over budget due to grading issues.

* Were reminded that the annual Small Town USA event will be Oct. 27 in the area around Montgomery Farm & Garden on North Main Street. Montgomery Farm & Garden sponsors the event.

* Were brought up to date on activities of the Public Works Department. Drainage issues and potholes are being repaired by crews in addition to their regular duties.

☠ East Montgomery auto class receives certification

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 30, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

BISCOE - Quint Dunlap’s automotive program at East Montgomery High School in Biscoe has earned certification through the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF).

According to the NATEF, their process has resulted in certified automotive training programs in all fifty states at the secondary and post-secondary levels. NATEF also evaluates the providers of in-service technician training programs under a program called Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE).

Dunlap said that there are fifty students enrolled in the class this semester. This is the sixth year that the class has been offered since it started in 2007. Dunlap has been the instructor since the first year.

“The certification will give the students at East Montgomery a chance to learn at an accredited facility,” Dunlap said. “This certification will help them to advance more quickly in the automotive field.”

Quite a few students have passed through Dunlap’s class since it has been offered. “I have had students that graduated the program and then furthered their education in the automotive field,” he said. “There have also been some that left the program then began working in the field in various businesses throughout the area.”

Dunlap expressed his appreciation for the support and help that he has received while completing the certification process.

♥ Police discover body of missing Troy man

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 29, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY — William Donald (Don) Morris , 75, who was reported missing in Troy on Thursday, has been located deceased in his vehicle on N.C. 134.

Troy Police Chief Kenny Allen confirmed that Morris was found about 2 p.m. on Friday in his vehicle that had run off the road. It did not appear that any other vehicle was involved. The medical examiner was called to the scene, Allen said.

Morris’ white 2003 Ford Explorer was seen by a passerby who called 911.

His last cell phone call was from the parking lot of Hobby Lobby on East Dixie Drive in Asheboro around 9:15 Thursday morning. Officers said on Thursday that Morris spoke with his wife at that time and said he would be home shortly.

The normal route that Morris would have traveled is via N.C. 134 from Asheboro to Troy.

Further details will be released by the N.C. Highway Patrol later today.

♥ EMHS volleyball coach charged with indecent liberties

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 22, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

BISCOE –A first-year head coach for the East Montgomery girls’ volleyball team was arrested Friday and charged with indecent liberties with a child.

Julius Ryan

Julius Ryan, 29, of Biscoe has been placed in the Montgomery County Jail under a $25,000 bond.

Ryan has been employed at the school as the graduation coach and in school suspension coordinator since Aug. 21 of the current school year and has been coaching the volleyball team since that time.

Ryan has previously been employed as a lifeguard at a local park.

Lieutenant Kelley Howell of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said that he received information on Tuesday that Ryan allegedly had sent text messages to a volleyball team member and had kissed her.

Ryan denied the allegations. He was asked to leave the school grounds during an investigation, which included officials from Montgomery County Schools.

Lindsay Whitley, public information officer for Montgomery County Schools said, “We are working closely with the sheriff’s office, and any inappropriate behavior will be handled according to board policy and/or applicable laws.”

Whitley said the district’s top priority is to ensure a safe environment for all students.

He also said that as a part of regular procedures, MCS conducts extensive background checks on all employees and coaches. “Additionally, employees are reminded annually of Prohibited Relationships with Students as a part of the Montgomery County Schools Employee Handbook review.”

“Montgomery County Schools will continue to cooperate with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office as it completes its investigation,” Whitley said.

The investigation by Howell, School Resources Officer Kelsey Brown and East Montgomery Principal Heather Seawell revealed that the team member alleged that Ryan had been sending her instant messages through a cell phone application that both used.

She told investigators that the messages were not sexual in nature but that she was made uncomfortable by them and that on Sept. 11 she was walking by Ryan’s classroom where he kissed her.

According to Howell, a review of the school’s video security system was “consistent with the student’s statement.”

A meeting by investigators with the entire volleyball team did not result in any further allegations against Ryan.

According to Whitley, Ryan has been suspended with pay.

♥ Biscoe traffic lights to be out Sunday

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 19, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

BISCOE — The Biscoe Police Department wants motorists to be aware that traffic lights at the intersection of N.C. 24-27 and Montgomery Crossing (Walmart) will be out of service Sunday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. until about noon.

Biscoe Police Chief David Maness said that Biscoe police officers will conduct traffic control during this outage. He asks motorists to avoid the area if possible.

“If you must come through to shop, work or attend church services, please be prepared for possible delays at this intersection,” Maness said.

The outage is due to construction of a new street, which requires the addition of more traffic signals at the intersection. The new street on the north side of N.C. 24/27 has opened up the area, adjacent to the Biscoe Industrial Park, for new commercial development.

N.C. 24/27 is a main traffic artery between the Charlotte and Raleigh/Fayetteville metropolitan areas. Weekend recreational traffic also uses this highway to access the Uwharrie National Forest and Lake Tillery area.

Maness asks motorists to “please watch for the officers, watch other drivers and drive safely.”
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♥ Biscoe Commissioners approve game room request

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 16, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

BISCOE – During their regular September Board meeting, Biscoe commissioners approved a request by April and Danny Helton for a game room license at 325 East Main Street. The address is the location of the former Biz-Net Sweepstakes business that closed last month.

The Heltons lease and operated the Eldorado Country Store on NC Highway 109, north of Troy, and operate a café there. Mr. Helton also holds a valid ABC Permit for alcohol sales at the Eldorado location.

In other business, Mayor Mike Criscoe and Commissioners Gene Anderson, John Beard, Jimmy Blake, Jimmy Cagle and Jerry Smith:

• Recognized Christina Marceleno, a student at East Montgomery High School, for volunteering 1,000 hours to the community during the past year.

• Tabled a public hearing for an updated noise ordinance. The hearing on the ordinance was rescheduled for the October meeting.

• Considered the planting of trees to buffer the softball field at Deaton-Monroe Park from residences located on Craven Street. The buffer is meant to prevent balls from landing on the properties of those residences. A bid for the installation had been received for approximately $8692.00 from Greenthumb Nursery. No action was taken due to the lack of a motion.

♥ Troy debates raising Senior Center fees

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 16, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY – The Troy-Montgomery Senior Center was built for use by senior citizens on a daily basis and provides assistance for many needs of older citizens in the community. Services are provided Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

According to Troy Town Manager Greg Zephir, the building has become popular for hosting other events, many private, in the past couple of years. He and the Senior Center Director, Theresa Thomas, discussed the fee schedule with the Board of Commissioners at their September 10 meeting.

According to Zephir, the staff has been noticing an increase in the facility not being left in acceptable condition for the following day. The center is often rented multiple times over a weekend and it is difficult to determine who will receive their deposit back.

The discussion included the possibility of raising the fees in order to hire an employee to oversee the center at times that staff is ordinarily on site.

Commissioners tabled any action on the subject to a later meeting.

In other business the board:

• delayed a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant for housing until their October 1 meeting.

• Agreed to have the School of Government assist the town with preparing a package for marketing the top two floors of the historic Troy Hotel building, which is owned by the town.

• Approved the purchase of a new John Deere tractor for $19,000.00 to replace an old one that was unusable and not able to be repaired.

• Learned that the Town of Troy has once again received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.

• Received an update on the paving work underway at the fire department building.

• Learned of the renewal of a partnership with Page Street Elementary School that will bring students to board meetings to share their thoughts on civic responsibility.

• Heard a report on activity at the swimming pool complex for 2012.

• Encouraged citizens to attend an open house celebration of stores in the downtown area on September 21 starting at 5:30 pm.

♥ MCC adopts five-year strategic plan

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 15, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY –Trustees for Montgomery Community College met Wednesday for their September meeting at the college.

Chairperson Gelynda Capel led the board through the second reading of a five-year strategic plan that was adopted.

The plan is due, in part, to the upcoming reaffirmation visit from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission on Colleges (SACS). Dr. Mary Kirk informed the board that the plan was a “participatory one, involving many dedicated individuals.” Included in the plan are updated vision, mission statement, core values, college goals, planning assumptions and long-range goals.

“Without the drive and tenacity of these individuals in our college and community, this accomplishment would not have been possible,” reported Kirk. “Montgomery Community College applauds their efforts and is grateful for their wonderful spirit.”

The Trustees also approved hiring of several new staff members.

Robin Coates will assume the full-time position of Dean of Continuing Education effective October 15. Coates fills the position vacated by Gary Saunders, who accepted a similar position at Alamance Community College. Coates is already a Montgomery County resident and has most recently served as the State Director for the Human Resources Development Program at the North Carolina Community College System office.

Wanda Frick was approved for the position of Facilities Director, replacing Kevin McNeill who accepted a similar position for Montgomery County. The position is full-time. Frick previously held the Assistant Facilities Director at Stanly Community College.

Brian S. Casey was approved for a full-time Gunsmithing position. Casey has worked for Browning/Winchester Arms in Arnold, MO, teaching warranty repair to service personnel around the country. He most recently operated Greensboro Gun Works, a Gunsmithing business.

In other business the board:

• Presented a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Dale Ellis, Montgomery County Schools Superintendent, for the cooperation he and his staff have shown in implementing the Career and College Promise program at MCC.

• Approved the college budget for fiscal year 2012-2013.

• Approved an updated Board of Trustees By-Laws.

• Were introduced to new employees Catherine E. Biby, Accounts Receivable specialist; Tina K. Dunn, Custodian and Kevin Lamonds, Lead Maintenance Technician/Electrical.

• Approved an updated Employment Status policy.

• Approved out-of-state travel for Dr. Kirk to attend SACS-related events in Phenix City, Alabama and Dallas, Texas.

• Tabled a vote on a revision of the organizational chart.

• Approved an in-kind transfer of blood pressure cuffs from Sandy Ridge Nursing Home, valued at $3000.00.

• Learned that the college will be closed for Christmas Break effective 5:00 pm December 18 and will reopen January 2.

♥ Candor to add lights to walking trail

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 14, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

CANDOR – Candor Commissioners have approved the installation of lampposts along the walking trail that was constructed in Fitzgerald Park earlier this year. There are several areas of the trail that are too dark for safe navigation.

“The people of Candor have really been enjoying the trail,” said Mayor Richard Britt. “They had been asking for a walking trail for a long time and it is being used more than we imagined.”

The 1/5 mile paved walkway winds through the park. It was constructed with the help of a grant from FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

The lamps will be provided by Progress Energy with funds that are already included in the town’s recreation budget. Monthly electricity costs will be around $161.00.

In other business, Britt and Commissioners Layton Booker, Phillip Hearne, Rob Martin, Tim Privett and Tim Smith:

• Rescheduled the November 12 board meeting to November 19 due to the Veteran’s Day holiday.

• Declared a 1972 Chevrolet van that was used as an equipment truck by the fire department as surplus property. The town will accept sealed bids on the vehicle until October 8, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

♥ Two Montgomery County dams demolished

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 13, 2012

Denson’s Creek dam removed

By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY — Two hundred miles of waterway were reconnected by the removal of two unneeded dams in Montgomery County this week, according to Lynnette Batt of the Durham office of American Rivers, a national conservation organization that works to restore rivers.

Batt and representatives from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Town of Troy gathered at the Denson’s Creek site of the old Troy Reservoir Dam No. 1 on Wednesday to celebrate the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

“Removing this dam is an opportunity to help the town of Troy further enhance Denson’s Creek’s natural aquatic community, in turn helping meet local economic and conservation goals,” U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist Laura Fogo, who has spearheaded the project, said. “The removal of Troy Reservoir Dam No. 1 is part of a larger, landscape-scale effort to restore the streams of the Little River watershed.”

Denson’s Creek flows into Little River.

The Troy dam was the second in Montgomery County to be removed by the duo, who came in from Mississippi to do the work. Another dam was removed from private lands on Little River earlier this week. That dam, Chandler’s Dynamo Dam, was constructed around 1900 to generate electricity.

Troy Mayor Roy Maness addressed the gathering to express his appreciation for the completion of the cooperative effort that had been in the planning stages for several months.

“The dam had no more use to the Town of Troy,” Maness said. “I was amazed at how quickly it came down. It only took about four hours.”

Laura Fogo, who lives in Biscoe, said that the removal took place more quickly than had been planned, even though the Troy dam turned out to be tougher than they had originally anticipated.

“We thought that it would come right out,” she said. “It wouldn’t budge, so we had to bring in a hydraulic jackhammer to break it apart.”

The Troy dam was once used for the town’s water supply. It was eventually replaced by another dam upstream.

The Troy Reservoir Dam No. 1 reached six feet high and stretched 83 feet across the stream channel. It was built more than 50 years ago to supply water for the town, though it has long since quit serving that purpose. Currently, water can flow through and beneath what remains of the dam; however, during high flow, water builds up behind the concrete and rock wall.

The removal of the dam was done in close concert with the town of Troy, which owns the 173-acre nature preserve containing the dam site. In total, the town has protected over 17 miles of stream corridor above and below the removal site, establishing public walking trails which connect to Uwharrie National Forest.

Mark Cantrell from the Asheville Fish and Wildlife office and Tripp Boltin, a fisheries expert from the Charleston office, each spoke about the importance that the dam removals are to the communities.

“Denson’s Creek and Little River are significant habitats,” Cantrell said. “Species like the American Shad, Blueback Herring and American eel travel upstream from the Atlantic Ocean every year. The American eel is already present in these streams.”

Boltin is the Fish Passage Coordinator for the Southeastern U.S. He helps remove impeding structures like dams, dikes and culverts to allow fish and mussel species the opportunity to move naturally.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of the next step,” he said, referring to the future removal of the second Troy Reservoir dam, which is several hundred yards upstream from the one removed this week.

Also slated for removal is the old Smitherman Mill Dam, which is visible on Little River from the bridge on Troy-Candor Road. Fogo said that removal will take place next year.

In a press release, Cantrell said that in addition to game fish, the nearby Little River and other area streams have been documented to hold a number of rare aquatic animals, including the Atlantic pigtoe, brook floater, and Carolina creekshell mussels — all considered endangered by the state of North Carolina — and the Carolina redhorse fish, a large fish that feeds on crayfish, insects, and other animals found on the stream bottom.

Additionally, there are historical records of the American eel in the Little River. Found in streams from Canada to South America, all reproducing American eels leave their home rivers and journey to the Sargasso Sea, in the Atlantic Ocean, to reproduce. The young then return to fresh water until their time to reproduce. This long migration has become truncated as dams were built, limiting how far upstream the eels can swim. Efforts to remove decrepit dams, paired with providing eels a way around larger, functioning dams, mean these fish will be able to extend their range up into rivers, eventually approaching their historical distribution.

♥ Still waiting on LGC, Candor votes to buy land

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 12, 2012

By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

CANDOR — Another delay by the N.C. Local Government Commission (LGC) to act on the Town of Candor’s request to borrow funds from a local bank has the town’s management consultant a bit miffed, but the Board of Commissioners gave their approval to purchase land in anticipation of approval from the LGC.

In August, the board decided to pursue permission from the LGC to borrow $70,000 from low bidder BB&T Bank to purchase a tract of land on the northeast side of Cole Road and Vivian Street, just off North Main Street. The board hopes to build a new fire department complex on the site.

Management Consultant Ron Niland of All America Associates and Town Clerk Tammy Kellis met with LGC officials in June to discuss the town’s financial ability to borrow the funds. Niland said in August that LGC officials had told him that the request would be addressed at a meeting on Sept. 4.

Niland urged the commissioners to approve the request despite objections from some town citizens who raised concerns about the town’s ability to spend the money and the opinion that the location was not suitable for a fire department.

Niland told board members that the current owner of the property, Edwards Timber Co. of Marshville, had been very patient with the town. He said that Edward’s representative, Jason Lefler, had requested that the purchase be closed by Sept. 10.

Niland told the board that it would be “embarrassing” if the town were not to agree to buy the property as requested by Edwards.

“It’s time for us to either put up or tell them we’re not interested,” Niland said.

The town was notified by the LGC that the Sept. 4 meeting had been postponed until Sept. 11 due to the Labor Day observance. Niland said that LGC officials had then called at noon on Sept. 10 to request more information from the town before 5 p.m. that afternoon.

Niland said the request would probably not be acted upon by the LGC until their meeting in October, but “we can’t put this off until October.”

Niland said the he would stake his reputation on his feeling that the LGC would approve the town’s request.

Candor resident George Myers asked from the audience, “What if it (LGC) doesn’t (approve the request)?

“I know my business,” Niland answered. “I know what we’ve got.”

With the requested closing date on the property now passed, Niland expressed his frustration with the LGC.

“These questions from the LGC are just silly games,” he told the board. “They don’t know what they’re looking at.”

Niland suggested that the board approve purchasing the property with money from the town’s fund balance, of which the amount has not been clearly stated, and repay the fund balance with the money that the town hopes to borrow. He told the board that, if the loan was not approved, “the town didn’t have to have a bank loan.”

Niland also expressed his dissatisfaction with the town’s auditor, Maxton McDowell of Asheboro, for not having a clear fund balance total.

McDowell didn’t get the financial reports to the town in 2011 as he was contracted to do. Niland said he would get the fund balance total from the auditor.

The LGC requires that municipalities maintain a minimum fund balance of eight percent of their yearly revenues. Niland said that he didn’t want it to be that low.

Niland asked the board to authorize him to go ahead with the purchase from the fund balance and promised to take no action if the purchase would pull the fund balance below 35 percent. That action would allow the property to be closed on by the end of September.

Former Mayor Becky Williams stood up and told Niland that he should not have let the situation get to this point.

“It’s LGC’s fault,” Niland said. “We went to them in June.”

Commissioner Rob Martin asked if the town could sit down with the landowners and give them $5,000 in earnest money to let them know the town is serious about the purchase.

Niland said if the loan was not approved, the town would lose the $5,000.

“What’s wrong with meeting with the landowners tomorrow?” Williams said. “You can call a special meeting (to consider the LGC action) and be in better condition than just guessing at it.”

Niland said he was not going to let the town get in trouble. “Not on my watch.”

The board voted to allow Niland to take the action that he requested.

♥ Bow hunting in Star? To what extent?

As published in the Courier-Tribune on September 11, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

STAR — A request from a town citizen on the issue of bow-hunting within the city limits has Star Commissioners looking into regulations on the practice.

Terry Parsons, a resident of Stuart Street and former town commissioner, asked the board during the public forum of the regular September meeting to investigate the safety issues related to the practice of deer hunting with bow and arrow within the town limits.

At present, there are no ordinances regulating the use of archery equipment in town.

Parsons expressed her concern that when bow hunting is taking place, there are citizens walking throughout the town and children are playing outdoors.

Jon Hancock of Star also spoke during the forum, but is in favor of being able to bow hunt.

“It’s my passion,” he told the board. “I like to be able to hunt without having to take off from work.”

Hancock’s family owns seven acres adjacent to Parsons. Both properties are within the city limits.

“I have personal reasons for hunting,” Hancock said. “I hunt to feed my family and to help people whose gardens are being eaten up by deer.”

Hancock said that he recently saw six deer cross the highway in front of the Quik Chek in Star, which is in the main business area of town.

“People who hunt must take hunter safety classes,” Hancock said. “I think people should be able to hunt on their own private land.”

“Yesterday you were on my land,” Parsons said to Hancock.

“I may have been trespassing, but I wasn’t hunting,” Hancock replied.

The board agreed to put the issue on the agenda for the October meeting. In the meantime, research will be done to regulate bow hunting to the satisfaction of all involved.

In other business, Mayor Susan Eggleston and Commissioners Eddie Bernard, Alice Clemens, Jennifer Fountain, Richard Hinson and Steve Lassiter:

* Approved a proclamation by Eggleston for a Moment of Remembrance on Sept. 11, 2012.

* Voted to mow the property at 419 Temple Terrace, which has been overgrown and abandoned for several months and efforts to contact the owner have not been successful. A tax lien will be placed on the property upon completion. No action will be taken by the town to address a swimming pool filled with stagnant water on the same property.

* Learned that a lease on the community kitchen facility in the former rescue squad building was ready to be signed. The kitchen will be used by the Montgomery County Council on Aging.

* Heard a report from Fountain on the ongoing upgrades at Star Park.

* Heard a report on activities at the Star Heritage Center from Clemens. A series of public workshops are being held at the center. Information may be found on the Star Heritage Center Facebook page.

* Learned that the Montgomery County Airport, located in Star, has set a tentative date of Oct. 20 for a Fly-in event.

* Heard that the annual Star Fire Department barbeque and auction was a success.

♥ Montgomery dogs declared dangerous

As published in the Courier-Tribune

By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY – Following two public hearings on separate incidents Montgomery County commissioners, acting as a Board of Appeals, declared several dogs to be considered dangerous, which will require their owners to take steps to prevent problems in the future.

Montgomery County Animal Control Officer Leon Everett appeared before the board to address the first complaint, which occurred July 16 on Onville Road, a rural area in the southern part of the county.

Everett said that a Chihuahua mix dog, owned by Brenda Foland, was attacked and killed by two Pit-bull mix dogs belonging to Jeremiah and Rebecca Stewart. The attack was witnessed by Mrs. Foland’s husband.

This was the second incident of a dog belonging to the Folands being attacked and killed by the Stewart’s dogs.

“Jeremiah Stewart did not deny that his dogs were responsible for the killings,” reported Everett.

Everett told the board that Stewart had paid the Foland’s veterinarian bills, reimbursed her for the loss of her dogs and gave her a puppy.

Stewart told the board that his dogs had never shown any aggression toward humans or any other animals, but that the Foland’s dogs had repeatedly come onto his property and instigated the attacks.

“The first dog came over and tried to drink from my dog’s water bowl,” Stewart said. “Dogs will be dogs. They were trying to protect what was theirs.”

Stewart asked the board that, in the case the dogs were deemed to be dangerous, if he could install an invisible fence to contain them rather than keeping them confined to a cage. Everett told the board that the law did not consider such a system to be allowable.

Stewart said that he is now keeping the dogs in a chain-link enclosure and letting them out only with the use of harnesses and a 60-pound-test leash.

Commissioner Edgar Morris asked if the Folands could not be required to keep their dogs on their property. Everett replied that since Montgomery County did not have a leash law, then there was no law to require them to do so.

No one appeared on behalf of the Folands.

The board voted 5-0 to deem the dogs to be dangerous.

In the second case, Everett reported that in mid-July a Jack Russell owned by Phyllis Parsons of Currie Road, Candor, was attacked and killed by two Great Danes owned by Eric Barnes. A second dog belonging to Parsons was attacked and injured by the same two dogs on August 3. Everett said that this attack was witnessed by a family member of Parsons.

Parsons told the board that she had been calling Animal Control about the dogs since September 2011. “The problem began with the dogs tearing up the trash,” she said. “They are nothing but skin over bones. They’re looking for food.”

Everett reported that Barnes has been relocated out-of-state but that he had been notified of the hearing and the potential outcome if his dogs are deemed dangerous. No one appeared on behalf of Barnes.

Everett said that he had seen the dogs that day and that they had “deteriorated considerably” since he had last seen them August 3. “They are malnourished, not caged and are being cared for by Barnes’ wife,” he reported.

Commissioner Dolon Corbett made a motion to deem the dogs as dangerous. Edgar Morris amended the motion to include that they be picked up by Everett. The motion passed 5-0. Everett said he would pick the animals up immediately.

♥ Montgomery commmissioners take charge of boards

As published in the Courier-Tribune on August 26, 2012

By Hugh Martin
biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY — Montgomery County Board of Commissioners have approved a resolution to put the health and social services boards under county supervision.

Montgomery is the first county to make this move since it was allowed under legislation passed in June. Until then, only counties with populations over 425,000 could establish a human services advisory board under the supervision of the county manager or a human services director.

The resolution, approved at commissoners’ Aug. 21 regular meeting, puts directors of health and social services under the supervision of the county manager and establishes an advisory committee for public health to replace the boards of health and social services.

On Wednesday, Commissioner Chairman Jackie Morris said the move will eliminate a layer of bureaucracy, provide better leadership and lead to a more efficient delivery of services to residents.

“The citizens won’t see any difference in services they receive and, over time, the departments’ internal operations will become more efficient, which will mean better service. The leadership is now in the building,” Morris said. “The administration, instead of the boards, will hire the directors and issues can be dealt with immediately instead of waiting for the next board meeting.”

County Manager Matthew Woodard said this was a pro-active move to protect county services at a time when the state is moving toward regionalization of services and the power shift in the legislature is toward the urban areas of the state.

“The state is already moving toward common computer programs for human services,” Woodard said. “The county pays 97 percent of administrative costs for the health department, so we should supervise them.”

No jobs will be affected, Woodard said.

Former commissioner George Knight was the only resident to comment on the resolution that would dissolve the existing Board of Health and Board of Social Services and allow the county administration to assume direct control over both entities. Knight is also former chair of the Board of Health.

Knight cautioned the commissioners against making a hasty decision.

“I hope you have all read the statute and understand what it is saying,” said Knight. “I know you are trying to save some money, but you need to take another look.”

Knight told the board that the statute, HB 438, was designed for the state’s largest counties. “The state’s trying to save some money, too,” he said.

HB 438 amends N.C. General Statute 153A-77 to give all counties authority to assume administrative control over human services. Prior to the amendment, that authority was limited to counties with a population in excess of 425,000.

Knight told the board that HB 438 “requires the county to have certain people on the board.” He said that, in the past, it was difficult to find local doctors who were willing to sit on the board.

“This is a small county,” he said. “We don’t have a large number of lawyers and attorneys to choose from who know anything about running a board like this.”

Knight added that county commissioners change from time to time and that new members may not understand the workings of the boards.

“Don’t rush in because you want to be in charge of it,” he said.

The resolution says the move would “work toward more effective and efficient human services … and promote organizational efficiency and flexibility needed to serve the residents of the county.”

The existing contractual partnership for administering mental health services will be retained.

The advisory committee for public health, also called a county human services board, is required in the law. This board is to be organized along the lines of existing health boards, so Montgomery County will utilize the existing health board as the advisory board.

The resolution would also move local health department and social services staff employees who are under state personnel policies to county personnel policies.

Woodard said directors are county employees in Montgomery.

Following the public hearing, Commissioner Edgar Morris made a motion to approve the resolution. Commissioner Anthony Copeland seconded and the resolution passed 5 - 0.

Mary Anderson contributed to this story.
.

♥ Eldorado property rezoned

As published in the Courier-Tribune on August 25, 2012

By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY — A request to rezone a 26.46 acre tract of land in the Eldorado community of Montgomery County to allow the operation of an off-road vehicle training facility was approved by the county board of commissioners at the regular meeting on Aug. 21.

Scott Fields of Thomasville had requested that the zoning be changed from residential to commercial. Fields has been conducting occasional training on the property for safe operations of off-road vehicles for the past year and plans to operate the Uwharrie Off Road Training School on the site as a full-time venture.

John Olmstead, planning board chair, addressed the board during a public hearing on the matter. Olmstead said that the planning board approved Field’s request for rezoning, but he had some concern that there was not a cell phone signal at the property and felt that some type of communication was needed to summon help in the event of an accident.

Fields said he carries a satellite communicator that will call the 911 center and pinpoint the location for emergency responders and plans to test the system with the 911 operators in the near future.

Fields indicated that future phases of the school could include lodging, RV hookups and an auto repair and towing business on the site. All of those ventures would be open to the general public. At present, only the school itself would be permitted under the commercial zoning. Lodging, towing and auto repair would require a conditional use permit.

Olmstead also said that RV parks are not permitted under the present zoning ordinance.

“If the applicant wants to set up an RV park in the near future, it may be beneficial to amend the zoning ordinance to include RV parks as a permitted or conditional use,” he advised the board.

The area that Fields plans to utilize is not visible from N.C. 109. All vehicles involved in the training would be muffled and alcohol would be prohibited. Fields said that he hopes to enter into an agreement with the U.S. military to conduct night-vision goggle training.

“The night training would take place for only a short time on the property, then relocate to the Uwharrie National Forest,” Fields told the board.

Marla Coulthard told the board that she lives less than a mile from the site.

“This business fits the bill for the visions of STARworks and the Montgomery County Tourism Development Authority,” she said. “The Uwharrie National Forest hosts over one million visitors per year and many of them are four-wheel drive enthusiasts. Several years ago, the Land Use Planning Committee determined this area suitable for this type of business.”

The main concern from other speakers was the potential for noise in the area. Commissioner Dolon Corbett said that there were more houses in the vicinity than were being discussed. “Without the mufflers, I’m not for it,” he said.

Commissioner Jim Matheny said that the off-road vehicles would make no more noise than log trucks traveling on the highway.

Tamera Morris disagreed.

“Log trucks go by and they’re gone,” she said.

Morris said that she had lived next to the Eldorado Outpost for 20 years and she has been awakened numerous times by four-wheel drive vehicles at the store after it has closed for the night. The Outpost is across N.C. 109 from the proposed training center property.

Sunnie Hissim lives adjacent to the property and runs a small business there with her husband. She said they had chosen the Eldorado community because it was quiet.

“People are moving in from out of state wanting to build,” she said. “If people want the city, then they should move to the city.”

Matheny told Hissim that if she was running a small business on her property, then it should also be rezoned commercial. Hissim replied that their business is actually just a hobby and the fees they charge are just to cover expenses.

Both Hissim and Morris said that they hope Fields’ school would be successful, but they have issues with the future plans for the auto repair and RV park.

A motion by Matheny to rezone the property passed 4-1 with Corbett voting no.

♥ Troy Commissioners OK dam removal to restore creek

As published in the Courier-Tribune on August 21, 2012

By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

TROY — The U.S. Department of Interior, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has entered into an agreement with the Town of Troy to restore the natural habitat and flow of Denson’s Creek.

At the mid-month meeting Aug. 20, the Troy Town Board of Commissioners approved a contract that would remove one of two existing dams on the creek. The dam, known as Troy Reservoir Dam Number 1, is located just upstream from the bridge on Okeewemee Road.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife will cover all costs related to the removal, but the Town of Troy will provide dump trucks for the removal of the debris associated with the project.

Mayor Roy Maness explained that the dam removal will be required before a larger dam upstream could be removed. Fish and Wildlife is working to secure funding for that project.

Funding has also been secured for removal of the old Smitherman Mill Dam, located on Little River, upstream from the bridge on Troy-Candor Road. This project will take place at a later date.

The restoration of the waterways will allow the movement of fish and freshwater mussels, including some rare species, that had been impeded by the dams.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife has a goal for removal of the Troy Reservoir Dam Number 1 during the week of Sept. 10, but the project would be completed within a year if conditions require rescheduling.

In other business, commissioners Angela Elkins, Bruce Hamilton, James Hurley and Wallace Jones:

* Approved a resolution to pursue an application for a Small Business & Entrepreneurial Assistance (SBEA) grant through the Community Development Block Grant Program on behalf of Alandale Knitting LLC. Alandale plans to expand its textile operation and add up to 20 jobs.

* Approved an updated Capital Improvement plan to allow for fiscal planning for the next five years.

* Heard an update from Town Manager Greg Zephir on bidding for road paving within the town.

* Heard the plan to replace the steps on the town’s nature trail at the Maness Nature Preserve. The existing steps, where the trail crosses Okeewemee Road, were displaced due to a highway bridge replacement across Denson’s Creek. The cost of the step construction was included in the right-of-way purchase by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

* Were told of ongoing plans for a five-mile trail run, sponsored by the Montgomery County Tourism & Development Authority, to be held in November.

* Were updated on the purchase of a centrifuge system for the town’s wastewater treatment plant. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

* Heard plans for an application to host the 2014 State Dixie Youth Softball Tournament. An additional field would need to be constructed at the Peabody Park Complex. The town will seek a 50 percent grant from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

* Learned the swimming pool at the Denson Creek Recreation Complex will close for the season at 9 p.m. on Labor Day, Sept. 3. The pool will be also closed the last week in August and open for the Labor Day weekend.

* Discussed the possibility of a Halloween movie event Oct. 27, which is also the day of the Annual Small Town U.S.A. event on North Main Street.

* Were reminded town offices will be closed for Labor Day. The regular board meetings for September will be consolidated into one meeting, to be held Sept. 10 at 5 p.m.

Biscoe commissioners slow speed bumps ♥

As published August 16, 2012 in the Courier-Tribune

By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

BISCOE — Speed bumps continue to be the wish of many residents in Biscoe since the town first installed one on a cut-through street during the major road construction completed last year along N.C. 24/27.

Since the first one was installed on Church Street, others have been requested and installed on Pine, Craven and Leach streets.

Now members of the Biscoe Board of Commissioners have put the brakes on new installations and have approved a policy for future requests.

Residents of Martin Street, which extends outside the city limits and has no outlets, had requested a speed hump. At the July meeting, a resident said that he believed “the speedsters were undertaking illicit activities on Martin Street Extension.”

Under the new policy, the Martin Street request for a speed hump would not be allowed. The policy states, in part, that streets with no outlets would not have “traffic calming devices” installed. Other criteria requires a history of traffic or speeding complaints and all owners of property that would be affected by an installation should file a petition with the town.

“In the case of no outlet roads (dead ends), if everyone on a road has signed off then the speeder would be one of the signatories, a renter of one of the signatories or a friend,” said Biscoe Manager Brooks Lockhart. “They should be able to regulate themselves.”

Christy Poole of Biscoe told the board that she had been on Martin Street “many times,” and had been there for several hours over the past weekend. She said that there were many children in the area and numerous cars had come down the street with “radios blaring, drivers texting and cars flying.”

“I would like to see someone walk up and tell the driver to turn the radio down and stop speeding,” Poole said. “I guarantee you that it wouldn’t end pretty.”

Lockhart said that residents should notify law enforcement to handle those problems.

“That would create a record of complaints that could be used to address the problem,” Lockhart said.

In other business, Mayor Mike Criscoe and Commissioners Gene Anderson, John Beard, Jimmy Blake, Jimmy Cagle and Jerry Smith:

* Held a public hearing for the first reading of an updated noise ordinance. Another public hearing will be held at the September meeting. Copies of the ordinance are available to the public at town hall.

* Heard a report from Blake that there has been some interest in the development of multi-family housing.

* Mike Rood from the Montgomery County Council on Aging has requested that the town identify a site to be used to provide senior citizens with a daily lunch. The meals for the congregate meal site would be prepared at a facility in Star and delivered daily.

* Were advised by Sam Stewart, assistant chief of Biscoe Fire Department, that the department had taken delivery of a new fire engine that was purchased by Montgomery County. The county has established a policy to purchase one new truck a year for each department in rotation, which gives each county fire department a new truck every 10 years.

* Learned that music events at the town park were being planned and an adult kickball league is being organized.

Star struggles: How to clean up around house ♥

As published August 16, 2012 in the Courier-Tribune
By Hugh Martin

biscoewriter@yahoo.com

STAR — For the third straight month Star residents have attended the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners to see what will be done about abandoned houses that have become overgrown with brush and weeds, and particularly a house with a swimming pool filled with stagnant water.

For the third straight time those residents have left the meeting with no clear answer to the dilemma.

“We were hoping that Max (Garner, Town Attorney) would be here,” said Tina Harris, who lives next door to one of the properties in question at 413 Temple Terrace.

At the June meeting, when the problem was first discussed, Garner was directed to research the property to find out who the owner is so that the town could send notification about cleaning up the overgrown yard.

According to Town Clerk Robin Hussey, the Town of Star has an old ordinance on the books that would require the property owner to clean up, but the ordinance requires that the Montgomery County Health Department deem a property to be a health hazard before the town can legally take the initiative to have the property cleaned.

Hussey reported at the July meeting that someone from the health department had told her that if the property was unoccupied that they have no jurisdiction in the matter.

Mayor Susan Eggleston said that the town mailed a registered letter to the last known owner with a deadline to respond by Aug. 13, the date of the regular August meeting.

“The matter will go to Max now,” Eggleston said. “It has been rumored that the property changed hands on Aug.1 and is now the responsibility of a lienholder.”

Neighbors reported that a large limb is now lying on a power line on the property, but that a call to Progress Energy to have it removed had no results. “Progress Energy said that they couldn’t go onto the property to remove it,” said Harris.

Commissioner Richard Hinson, who also lives adjacent to the Temple Terrace property, said, “If the limb stays on that line and we have an ice storm then the entire neighborhood will be out of power.”

Eggleston assured the neighbors that the town was doing all that could be done.

In other business, Eggleston, Hinson and Commissioners Alice Clemens, Eddie Bernard, Jennifer Fountain and Steve Lassiter:

* Received an update on workshops and volunteer opportunities at the Star Heritage Center from Director Sheila Menendez.

* Approved the sale of a surplus 2003 Crown Victoria police car to Rodney Hannah of Troy, who submitted the high bid of $1,267.

* Approved the hiring of a reserve police officer position to fill a vacancy on the force.

* Commissioner Fountain reported on improvements at the town park, which includes the construction of a disc golf course.

* Approved funding of up to $300 for Tori Waynick, an East Montgomery High School student, who has proposed a quilt trail in Star as her senior project.

* Approved a lease agreement with the Montgomery County Council on Aging for use of the old Town Hall/Fire Department complex as a community kitchen facility. The lease is for a minimum of three years at a cost of $10 per month.

Candor commissioners OK purchase of land for fire department ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on August 10, 2012

By Hugh Martin

CANDOR — The Candor town commissioners voted to purchase land with the hopes of building a new fire department during the Aug. 6 regular meeting.

The agenda was short and the number of spectators attending was smaller than in recent months, but that didn’t stop the latest controversy in the town from being discussed at length.

The board decided to pursue permission from the N.C. Local Government Commission (LGC) to borrow no more than $70,000 from low-bidder BB&T for the purpose of purchasing approximately 18 acres of land on the northeast side of Cole Road and Vivian Street, just off North Main Street. The board hopes to build a new fire department complex on the site.

Management Consultant Ron Niland of All America Associates and Town Clerk Tammy Kellis recently met with LGC officials to discuss the town’s financial ability to borrow the funds. The request will be addressed at a LGC meeting on Sept. 4.

Niland urged the commissioners to approve the request despite objections from some town citizens who raised concerns about the town’s ability to spend the money and the opinion that the location is not suitable for a fire department.

Niland told board members that the current owner of the property, Edwards Timber Company of Marshville, had been very patient with the town. He said that Edwards representative, Jason Lefler, had requested that the purchase be closed by Sept. 10.

Niland told the board that it would be “embarrassing” if the town were not to agree to buy the property as requested by Edwards.

Candor resident George Myers asked why the town could not look at other properties before agreeing to purchase the Edwards land. Niland said that if the town didn’t act now he didn’t think that Edwards would ever sell it to them at any price because they had been “strung along” by the town.

Myers stated that his research showed that the majority of fire calls for the Candor department were located on the south side of the town.

“Why would you build a fire station north of town?” he asked.

Myers pointed out that Commissioner Phillip Hearne was part owner of land on the south side of town and asked him point blank if the property could be sold to the town.

Hearne said that he felt that the discussion would be a conflict of interest for him but agreed to discuss the matter with the other owner.

Following the discussion, Commissioners Hearne, Layton Booker, Rob Martin and Tim Smith voted to authorize Kellis and Mayor Richard Britt to sign any documents on behalf of the town that relate to the purchase.

BB&T has offered to make the loan at 2.45 percent, slightly lower than Fidelity Bank, which submitted the only other bid.

In other business, commissioners were reminded that the town will host a “Back to School Bash” at the Peach Exchange Aug. 25 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. At last year’s event, 250 backpacks with school supplies were distributed to schoolchildren.

Homeowner’s septic problems lead to annexation ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on August 10, 2012

By Hugh Martin

TROY — Chronic problems with an aged septic system have resulted in a Troy homeowner being annexed by the town.

Sylvester Covington has repeatedly attempted repairs to the dilapidated septic lines at his home on South Main Street but has met with repeated breakdowns. As a result, he has petitioned the Town of Troy to annex his property and connect him to the town’s sewer system.

Covington is already on the town’s water system but is paying an out-of-town rate, which is higher than water customers inside the city limits. Annexation would lower his water costs, and with the monthly sewer charge added, Covington will probably see no difference in his monthly bill from the town.

Commissioner Wallace Jones made the motion for the town to begin the proceedings for annexation of Covington’s property and the entire board agreed.

On a related matter, the board voted to hold a public hearing Sept. 10 to begin the application process for a grant that will offer assistance for properties that need renovation or replacement. Two public hearings will be required, the second scheduled for mid-October.

In other business at the Aug. 6 meeting, Commissioners Jones, Angela Elkins, James Hurley, Bruce Hamilton, Chris Watkins and Mayor Roy Maness:

* Conducted a public hearing and then voted to continue with the application for a Small Business & Entrepreneurial Assistance (SBEA) grant through the Community Development Block Grant Program on behalf of Alandale Knitting LLC. Alandale plans to expand its textile operation, which would add up to 20 jobs.

* Approved resolutions that will allow the town to accept an NC Rural Center grant for the purpose of sewer upgrades related to the operation of the new Wright Foods Company, which has started operations in the Troy Business Park.

* Heard a report on a plot-mapping project that is under way in the older areas of the town’s cemetery. Tree and drainage issues on the property are also being addressed.

* Received an update on the paving project behind the fire department building on North Main Street. Progress Energy has agreed to bury the power lines to facilitate the work.

* Praised public works employees for the job that they performed in getting the town’s golf course reopened following a damaging storm that caused major damage to the trees around the Denson’s Creek complex.

* Were updated on the relocation of the Family Dollar Store from a shopping center on Albemarle Road to the site of the former Mazatlan Restaurant, just across the street. Town officials had urged the chain to locate in an existing building in the downtown area but were unsuccessful in convincing them to do so. Traffic and property issues have been addressed and construction work has already started for the new building.

Abandoned property’s neighbors ask Star commissioners for help ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on July 12, 2012

By Hugh Martin

STAR — Several Star residents have turned to the town for help to clean up a property at 413 Temple Terrace.

According to neighbors, the property has been abandoned and allowed to become overgrown with brush, creating a habitat for rats and snakes.

The request for assistance was made at the June meeting of the Star Board of Commissioners. At that time the town’s attorney, Max Garner, was asked to look into the situation and advise the town on how to proceed.

A more distressing concern to the neighborhood is the presence of a stagnant swimming pool that has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

According to Montgomery County tax records, the tax value of the house and property is valued at $438,865. The owner is listed as Melissa L. Cagle.

Town Clerk Robin Hussey told the board that she had not been able to contact the owner since the address she has on file is delivered directly to the property in question.

Star Police Chief Tracey Phillips said the town has an ordinance that addresses overgrown property and the owner had been served with papers. She did not elaborate on what had been served.

The board discussed the possibility of having the property cleaned up and attaching the costs to the property taxes. This would include having the pool pumped out and properly disposing of the water.

Neighbors urged the board to proceed with the cleanup and asked if it could be declared a health hazard. Hussey reported that she had been in contact with the Montgomery County Health Department and was told that if the property was unoccupied, there was nothing that they could do.

Mayor Susan Eggleston assured the neighbors the town would make sure that the matter was resolved.

In other business, Eggleston and Commissioners Eddie Bernard, Alice Clemens, Jennifer Fountain, Steve Lassiter and Richard Hinson:

* Heard a quarterly report from Marla Coulthard on the status of the Community Development Block Grant that the town is managing on behalf of STARworks Center for Creative Enterprise.

* Approved the bid for the 2012 audit in the amount of $7,000 from Maxton McDowell. No other firms were considered.

* Voted to approve the bid of $304,568.25 from Columbus Utilities for the installation of a sewer line to the Carolina Growler facility north of Star.

* Approved Chief Phillips’ request to accept bids on a surplus 2003 Crown Victoria police car.

* Heard a report from Sheila Menendez on the Star Heritage Center activities that are ongoing at the Pink House facility.

* Heard a plea from Eggleston for the community to get involved in funding expansion plans for the town’s public library. Eggleston said the library needs contributions totaling $2,500 to upgrade the space.

Candor’s rehired officers won’t go back as planned ♥

As submitted for publication to the Courier-Tribune on June 28, 2012
Story that was actually published follows.

By Hugh Martin

CANDOR – During the regular June board of commissioners meeting June 11, Town of Candor Commissioners voted 4 – 1 to rehire three of the four police officers who were fired on December 12, 2011. They were to start back to work July 1. At that time current Chief of Police Johnny Fulp would assume an administrative duty to help with the transition to newly rehired Chief Randy White.

Instead, during a special called meeting Thursday afternoon, with just barely enough commissioners present to make it stick, Fulp was told that his request to continue as full-time Chief of Police until July 9 had been rejected and that he would leave the department at the end of the day with four weeks of severance pay. He will not continue in the administrative role as originally planned.

The other officers to be rehired are Sgt. James Pierce and Patrolman Jeremy Blake.

Commissioners Layton Booker, Tim Smith and Phillip Hearne were the only elected officials present for the meeting, which had been called by Booker and Hearne on Monday. Booker acted as Mayor Pro-Tem in the absence of Mayor Richard Britt, who had an illness in the family. Commissioner Tim Privett was absent due to surgery and Commissioner Rob Martin was said to be absent due to conflicts with his work schedule.

Following an executive session to discuss the matter, Hearne made the motion to release Fulp and appoint Candor Officer Jody Majors as interim Chief until White is sworn in as Chief. Smith and Booker supported the motion.

The actions will leave Candor with one full-time officer in Majors and two part-time officers until the three rehired officers return to the force.

The holdup on the return of the officers is due to paperwork that has not returned to the town from the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety in Raleigh, which must certify that the officers meet the requirements to be sworn as police officers in North Carolina.

Fulp said that the usual wait time for the paperwork was around two weeks. When asked how long it had been since the paperwork had been submitted Hearne replied, “This week.” No reason was given for the delay since June 11 in submitting the paperwork.

Fulp said because of the Independence Day holiday next week the wait could be even longer. Smith stated that, as towns in North Carolina are all getting their budgets in order for the next fiscal year, many are hiring new officers, which could also cause a delay.

Candor citizen Sue Myers, who has been an activist for the fired officers, expressed her concern about the lack of police protection. “I sit on my front porch every night from before dark until sometimes midnight or later,” she told the commissioners. “Some nights I never see a police car pass my house.” Myers lives on Main Street, not far from the Police Department.

She also expressed concern about the upcoming North Carolina Peach Festival, July 21 in Candor, which brings thousands of people into the small town for the day.

“Chief Majors will have the department fully staffed for the Peach Festival,” Hearne said.

The commissioners said that the reason for the changes was the opinion by Maxton McDowell, an Asheboro accountant who audits the town’s books, that all funds to be paid out in relation to the police firings should be covered in the current year’s budget. The town had planned to cover an estimated $45,000.00 unemployment cost for the fired officers in the 2012-2013 budget year.

The change in the budget made it necessary to release Fulp early and include the unemployment costs in the current year budget.

“This will wipe the slate clean for next year,” Hearne said.

# # #

Candor may wait a while for officers to return to duty ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on June 30, 2012

By Hugh Martin

CANDOR — The Candor police department will be short-staffed until the paperwork to recertify three officers fired last December arrives from the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety in Raleigh. Town officials had hoped the officers would rejoin the force on July 1.

Budget considerations — and a glitch in the paperwork — has delayed the re-employment and has also left Johnny Fulp, the man who has been serving as police chief for the past few months, unemployed.

Fulp, a former Montgomery County deputy, was hired as chief after the officers were fired on Dec. 12, 2011. He has worked with the two remaining full-time officers and two who worked part-time.

During the regular board of commissioners meeting on June 11, commissioners Phillip Hearne, Layton Booker and Tim Smith voted to reinstate the officers who were fired in December. Commissioner Rob Martin opposed. Sgt. James Pierce, patrolman Jeremy Blake and former chief Randall White agreed to return to their former positions in Candor.

Grantland Jackson was also fired in the December 2011 action initiated by former commissioner Wayne Holyfield, who has since resigned from the board. Jackson is now employed by the Hamlet Police Department and declined the offer to return to Candor.

The plan was for Fulp to assume an administrative duty to help with the transition.

At a special called meeting on Thursday afternoon, with just barely enough commissioners present to make it stick, Fulp was told that his request to continue full-time as chief until July 9 had been rejected and that his service with the department would end at the end of the day. He was given four weeks of severance pay.

Commissioner Hearne said Friday that a major reason for the change in plans was the opinion of the town auditor, Maxton McDowell, who recommended that all monies to be paid in relation to the police firings should be covered in the current year’s budget. The town had anticipated $45,000 in unemployment costs for the fired officers in the 2012-2013 budget year, but on McDowell’s advice, will take that money from the current budget.

The change in the budget made it necessary to release Fulp early, Hearne said. He said that Fulp was aware of the situation in Candor when he was hired and knew that his employment could be temporary.

“This will wipe the (financial) slate clean for next year,” Hearne said.

Commissioners Hearne, Booker, and Smith were the only elected officials present for Thursday’s called meeting. Booker, who is mayor pro tem, presided in the absence of Mayor Richard Britt, who had an illness in the family. Commissioner Tim Privett was absent due to surgery and Commissioner Martin due to a conflict with his work schedule.

Following an executive session to discuss the matter, Hearne made the motion to release Fulp and to appoint Candor Officer Jody Majors as interim chief until White is sworn in. Smith and Booker supported the motion.

Majors will be the only full-time officer. He and two part-time officers will cover the town until the three rehired officers return to the force. Hearne said Montgomery County Sheriff Dempsey Owens said deputies would be allowed to respond to calls if requested by Majors.

Recertifications for officers are usually issued by the state within two weeks, but Fulp told the commissioners Thursday that paperwork had not been sent to Raleigh until this week. One reason was that Pierce and Blake had to requalify with their weapons and had to wait for a scheduled time to do so.

Fulp noted that next week’s Independence Day holiday could make the typical turnaround time even longer. Smith added that as towns in North Carolina are getting their budgets in order for the next fiscal year many are hiring new officers, which could cause a backlog — and further delay.

Candor resident Sue Myers, who has been an activist for the fired officers, expressed concern about the lack of police protection. She lives on Main Street, not far from the police department.

“I sit on my front porch every night from before dark until sometimes midnight or later,” she said. “Some nights I never see a police car pass my house.”

She said she is worried about the upcoming North Carolina Peach Festival on July 21 in Candor, which brings thousands of people into the small town for the day.

“Chief Majors will have the department fully staffed for the Peach Festival,” Hearne said.

MCC trustees approve contracts for 79 ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on June 20, 2012

By Hugh Martin

TROY — During the regular June 13 meeting of the Montgomery Community College Board of Trustees contracts for seventy-nine positions at the school were approved.

These are instructional and support staff employed by the college.

Included in those contract approvals are 57 12-month positions, one 12-month permanent part-time position, six 10-month positions, eight nine-month positions, three nine-month permanent part-time positions and seven six-month full-time positions.

The trustees also approved an interim budget resolution that would allow the college to continue to operate in the event that the North Carolina Legislature does not have a budget in place by July 1, which is the beginning of the next fiscal year.

“We will be able to operate at a minimal capacity,” said Dr. Mary Kirk, MCC president.

Trustees Sam Martin, Paula Covington and Ricardo Romero were administered the oaths of office for their next terms after being reappointed to the board.

Kirk awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award to Lori McAlister and Phi Theta Kappa awards to chapter advisors Robert Nelson and Cindy Caviness.

A tuition increase of $2.50 per credit hour for both in-state and out-of-state students has been approved by the N.C. General Assembly. Effective Fall 2012, in-state tuition will be $69 per credit hour. Out-of-state tuition will be $261 per credit hour.

Gunsmithing graduates have headed off to new jobs. One graduate has interviewed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Another graduate has taken an intern position at a hunting reserve in Argentina and another will be working in Florida. The firearms firm Benelli USA has announced that it be on the MCC campus to interview potential employees.

Neil Claasen, a gunsmithing student, was introduced as the new Student Government Association president.

Student Ambassadors for the next year were also introduced: Gabrielle Collins is pursuing a Criminal Justice major and John Penry is in the Forest Management program. Amanda Saunders (Early Childhood) and Adam Loflin (Electronics) were not present, but will be introduced to board members later.

In other business, trustees:

* Approved the hiring of Anita Presnell as accountant, replacing Jeanette McBride, who will assume the position of vice president of administrative services as of July 1.

* Heard updates from the vice president of student services and vice president of instruction.

* Were presented a revised Admissions Policy for first reading. Changes to the policy address the admission of undocumented immigrants, an exception to the open-door admission policy based on a documented safety threat and the new Career and College Promise program for high school students.

* Heard a presentation on Early Childhood Education from Darlene Brown.

* Met Julia Kennedy, new director of professional development and learning technologies.

* Approved a revised policy on shared leave for college employees.

* Approved a blanket authorization for Kirk for travel, using a college or personal vehicle, to the counties of Montgomery, Randolph, Moore, Stanly, Richmond, Guilford, Forsyth, Wake and Mecklenburg counties.

Traditionally, the MCC Board of Trustees do not meet in July. The next meeting will be on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m.

Lucas Farm aids farm research on many fronts ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on June 20, 2012

By Hugh Martin

CANDOR — When most people reach the age of 62 they start slowing down, looking forward to the days when they no longer have to work.

That’s not the case with Charles Lucas. He is just getting into full swing, farming 10 acres of sandy soil alongside researchers and interns from N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro.
YEAR-ROUND — To extend his growing seasons,
Charles Lucas uses high tunnels, which he is showing
to cooperative extension agent Danelle McKnight, right.

Lucas is soft-spoken and generous. He tells about the day in 2008 when he heard about a workshop in Rockingham and went.

“I was in the barber shop getting my hair cut and someone told me about the meeting,” he said. “The workshop was given by Dr. Manny Reyes from A&T about farming using high tunnels.”

High tunnels are modified greenhouses that are large enough for tractors and other farm equipment to drive into and work the soil. The large doors and roll-up sides allow cooler air to move through the structure when the weather is hot.

The high tunnels have allowed Lucas to plant crops as early as January and to harvest into late November, extending the growing season considerably.

Lucas is originally from South Carolina, where much of his family still lives. After returning home, disabled, from Vietnam in 1969, he wondered what he was going to do with his life. In 1975 a member of his church, who was familiar with the area told him about some land for sale near Candor.

“I bought this property and tried my hand at farming back in 1975,” Lucas said. “I grew some corn and watermelons and gave them to the people in the community.”

Lucas said that his neighbors in the Emery community took him under their wing.

“There wasn’t a lot of support for farmers back in those days,” he said. “There is a lot more in the way of resources available now to help small farmers get started.”

When Lucas attended the workshop in 2008 a new chapter in his life began.

“I was the only one at the meeting with available land,” he said. He struck a deal with Reyes and his small farm became a laboratory for students from the university.

“The farm is a multi-project lab,” said Danelle McKnight, N.C. Cooperative Extension horticulture agent for Montgomery County. “There are four research projects being conducted on the Lucas farm. In addition to the high tunnels, research is being conducted on cover crops, agro-forestry and rainwater harvesting for irrigation.”

A number of A&T researchers take advantage of the farm’s location, just one hour down U.S. 220 from the university. Dr. M.R. Reedy, Dr. Godfrey Gayle, Dr. Ofei Yeborh, Dr. Joshua Idossi, Dr. Mitch Woodard and Reyes all direct student interns in the research being conducted on the farm. The interns come from as far away as Nigeria, Cambodia and Vietnam and collect data two days a week at the farm.

“Montgomery County is on a roll,” said Lucas. “We have foreign students on our soil every week.”

The latest project is rainwater harvesting, which collects water from the roof of Lucas’ 3,000-square-foot house. The rainwater is stored in two holding tanks that each hold 1,100 gallons. During dry spells the rainwater can be supplemented with water from a 150-foot deep well that was dug in 1928.

The water is pumped as needed into a 550-gallon tank situated on a 12-foot-tall tower and then distributed to the crops that are being grown in the other research projects.

The system was installed this spring. A meter shows that over 33,000 gallons of water have already been harvested for use.

Another project, agro-forestry, is researching the possibility of growing crops along with trees to increase the production of the land that is in use. Forty pecan trees have been planted and spaced in a way that will allow the cultivation of other crops in between. The nutrients that are provided to these crops will also benefit the trees.

Cover crop research has included the planting of an African legume, Moringa, along with a crop of peas, which are also legumes. The legumes provide nitrogen for the soil rather than remove it, which improves the land for other crops.

Everything grown on the farm is considered organic. Lucas is working on becoming a certified organic farmer and the research is providing a good basis for the process. He touts the benefits of using the harvested rainwater for his crops.

“Rainwater is the best thing to irrigate organic crops,” he said. “Rainwater has more nitrogen and nutrients than surface or city water. Water is the greatest resource in the sand.”

Lucas himself is on a roll. On April 17, he was sworn as a Soil and Water Conservation district supervisor.

“I am enjoying working with Don Thompson, Larry Scarborough, Boon Chesson, Jeff Maness and staff at the Soil and Water Conservation office in Troy,” he said. “It is indeed an honor and a pleasure to serve my county and I hope to make a difference to the small farmers of this area.”

Lucas provides vegetables to local produce stands but has sold peas as far away as Virginia. He is working on constructing a stand of his own and has already acquired a walk-in cooler to preserve his harvests.

At age 62 he is not slowing down at all.

“Farming has been good for me,” he said. “Working the land helps me mentally and physically and has allowed me to give back to the community that has been so good to me.”

Lucas praises the efforts of McKnight and her mission to help small farmers in the area: “Her generation is making a change in this county.”

McKnight said, “I think our people are ready for a change.”

Tour Montgomery farms on Saturday ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on June 20, 2012

By Hugh Martin

TROY — Danelle McKnight, horticulture agent for Montgomery County Cooperative Extension Service, has been on the job just two years, but in that time she has been busy visiting farmers, organizing farmers markets, working with local beekeepers and doing all the other chores that come with her position.

On Saturday, June 23, the fruits of another venture will take place as the Second Annual Sandhills Farm Tour features local farm operations in Montgomery, Anson, Richmond and Moore Counties. This is an event for the whole family to learn about gardening, farming and seeing where their food comes from and how it is produced.

The self-guided tour will begin with a kickoff event at the Sandhills Research Station, 2148 Windblow Road, at 9 a.m. with live music and hay rides. The Sandhills Farm Tour will continue until 2 p.m. Admission for the Sandhills Farm Tour is $15 per carload until June 22, then $18 per carload the day of the tour.

Tickets are available from the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service office in Montgomery County through Friday. On the day of the tour, tickets may be purchased at Sandhills Research Station.

For more information call the Montgomery County Cooperative Extension Service at (910) 576-6011.

Local farms on the tour:

* Lucas Farm, 239 Windblow Road, just south of Candor, may be the highlight of the tour. Charles Lucas is experimenting with using high tunnels, which are large greenhouse-like structures, to extend his growing season to include even the colder winter months. His 10-acre farm is also used as a research laboratory for interns from N.C. A&T State University.

* Shadow Hill Farm & Kennel is noted for raising award-winning Shelties. The farm is located in southeastern Montgomery County at 1723 Belford Church Road. Owner Jane Bright has been involved with dog shows since she was a young girl.

In February 2010, one of her Shetland sheepdogs named Shadow Hill’s Star Chaser won Best of Breed at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. Bright is also well-known from her appearance on the Survivor television series, where she was voted the favorite of the fans of the show that season.

* Hope Farms, 117 N.C. Highway 731 East, between Candor and Mount Gilead in the Pekin community. Ed and Sheila Menendez and their son live in a farmhouse constructed in 1890. “We are trying to live as simply as possible,” Sheila says. “We believe in the connection we have with our animals, the land, and ultimately, our food. We do everything as naturally as possible.”

“When you come to tour Hope Farms you’ll see chickens, ducks, pigs, a Dexter cow, horses, and herding dogs, but most of all we are just a family — like you, and your neighbor, and their families.”

The Menendezes have added a vintage glass greenhouse to their farm, where they can grow crops throughout the year.

* Blue Q Ranch is on 1,580 acres at 2010 Okeewemee Road, northeast of Troy. The farm is a “modern cattle operation focused on the needs of commercial cattlemen and registered breeders alike,” according to its website.

The farm is the dream of Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins, a Pennsylvania native who fell in love with the region during a stint with the Carolina Panthers. The ranch provides the perfect off-season retreat for Kerry, his wife Brooke, herself a North Carolina native, and daughter Riley.

* Persimmon Hill Farm, 1639 Pleasant Grove Church Road, is a small family farm. Jimmy Bowles and his family grow vegetables, fruits, and raise grass-fed beef.

*Johnson’s Peaches. Garret Johnson and his family have opened a brand new produce stand at 1348 Tabernacle Church Road at the corner of US 220 Alternate south of Candor. It is easily accessible from Interstate 73/74.

Johnson’s Peaches has been a destination for decades. The stand was originally about one mile north of their new location, but when the interstate was completed from Emery to Ellerbe, it took their customers with it. They built a new stand between Ellerbe and Rockingham, but once again, the construction of the new interstate came knocking. The people of Montgomery County have welcomed them back home to their new and permanent location.

Other farms on the tour will include: Red Barn Farm, 502 Robinson Bridge Road, Wadesboro; Bountiful Harvest Farm, 2001 Cedar Grove Church Road, Polkton; Pee Dee Orchards Inc., 11279 Highway 74 East, Lilesville; Honey Love Apiary, 1940 Bill Curlee Road, Polkton; Rankin Farm, 1312 Jones Springs Church Road, Ellerbe; Chappell’s Peaches, 672 Highway 211, Eagle Springs; Phillips Farm & Peaches n’ Cream Stand, 2735 Highway 74 East, Wadesboro; Triple L Farms, 205 Derby Road, Ellerbe and Little River Vineyards, 1907 NC Highway 73 West, Mount Gilead.

Candor rehires fired officers ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune June 13, 2012

By Hugh Martin

CANDOR — In a move to save the town’s budget and to make right what a vocal group of Candor residents insisted was wrong, the Town of Candor Board of Commissioners voted to rehire three of the four police officers that had been fired six months ago.

On a 4-1 vote Monday night, Commissioners Phillip Hearne, Tim Privett, Tim Smith and Layton Booker agreed to reinstate Randy White as Chief of Police, James Pierce as sergeant and Jeremy Blake as patrolman, the ranks they held when they were fired. The fourth fired officer, Grantland Jackson, is now employed as an officer in Hamlet.

By rehiring the officers, the town will save upwards of $70,000 in unemployment benefits that would have to be paid to the officers. In return, the officers were asked to drop a wrongful discharge lawsuit against the town.

Town Clerk Tammy Kellis said Tuesday that the Bureau of Training and Standards will verify the law enforcement certifications of White, Pierce and Blake and they will take the required pre-employment drug tests before returning to work. Kellis said the officers agreed to return because Candor residents wanted them on the police force and the commissioners who wanted to keep them on the force now had the power to reinstate them.

Johnny Fulp, who was hired as police chief in January, will no longer hold that position as of Aug. 1, when White will reassume the post. Commissioners voted Monday night to terminate Fulp’s employment. He will remain in an administrative role until the end of July. Fulp, who has had health issues since taking the job in Candor, said that he plans to leave law enforcement.

The saga began Dec. 12, 2011, when Wayne Holyfield and Rob Martin were sworn as commissioners, replacing Tim Smith and Leslie Thomas. It had been rumored that the new commissioners had plans to fire the officers, supposedly because of bad feelings between the police department and Teresa Lamonds, who had filed suit against the department over an incident that occurred in 2009. Lamonds has denied any involvement in the situation.

Lamonds and her husband, John, are on record as the only financial supporters of Martin’s and Holyfield’s political campaigns.

Minutes after being sworn, Holyfield called for a closed session, in which the firing of the officers was discussed. Back in open session, Holyfield, who was a N.C. State Highway patrolman at the time, made a motion to fire the four officers, effective immediately, and moved that Erik Jackson, who had been fired from the NCHP, be hired immediately.

Holyfield’s motion was supported by Martin and Commissioner Tim Privett, although the hiring of Jackson was not upheld because of procedural issues.

Since that time, a vocal group of residents have attended all of the board meetings, demanding that the officers be rehired and that Mayor Richard Britt, Holyfield, Privett and Martin resign. All had refused to resign until last month, when Holyfield was fired from the highway patrol; he resigned from the town board the same day. Tim Smith was appointed to take his seat at the May meeting.

Holyfield was charged by the SBI in March for illegally accessing a government computer, which is a felony. He has yet to go to trial on that charge. He has appealed his firing and a hearing is pending on the matter.

In an unrelated case, Jackson was charged with voter fraud, which allegedly occurred during the Candor municipal election. Jackson was charged because he listed Holyfield’s address as his own and voted in that election. According to the elections investigation, Jackson was living in Lexington at the time.

The one “no” vote to rehire the officers came from Martin, who supported the original firing. When asked why he was against the action he replied, “I just am.”

No further reason was given. No reason has been given for the original firings.

Commissioner Hearne stated, “There have been a lot of citizens wanting answers. We’ve listened to the citizens of Candor.”

Former officers Pierce and Blake were present at the meeting. Pierce commented to a TV news reporter that “This is the end of a six-month story of scandal and ridicule that’s been heaped upon the town of Candor. Certainly, for the sake of the officers, I’m glad the town board took the position they did. We’re glad to be coming back to work. We want to look after our town.”

The audience cheered and applauded when the meeting was adjourned.

MCC promotes accountant to vice president ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on May 10, 2012

By Hugh Martin

TROY — The Montgomery Community College Board of Trustees approved the promotion of Jeanette McBride from the position of accountant to vice president of Administrative Services during their regular meeting on May 8.

McBride will assume her new duties effective July 1, replacing Roger Reynolds, who has been reassigned to a project collecting data from area business and industries to determine how the school is doing with training and employment needs. He will continue in this capacity through the remainder of his contract.

McBride was hired as MCC’s accountant in February. In her recommendation to the board, MCC President Dr. Mary Kirk said, “Ms. McBride has been an extremely quick study, has her bachelor’s in accounting and has far exceeded our expectations in the short time she has been with the college.”

In other business, trustees:

* Reviewed and approved local, state and special funds financial reports for April.

* Approved out-of-state travel for Kirk to attend a meeting of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in Washington, D.C., in June. Kirk is a member of the SACS board.

* Approved a recommendation to employ Julia Kennedy for the position of director of Professional Development and Learning Technologies.

* Agreed to additions to the 2012-2013 student fee chart.

* Approved revisions to the Academic Calendar.

* Approved in-kind transfers to the Forestry Club totaling $2,600.

Candor appoints former commissioner to replace Holyfield ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on May 9, 2012

By Hugh Martin

CANDOR — During the regular meeting Monday, former commissioner Tim Smith was appointed to fill the seat on the Candor Board of Commissioners left vacant by Wayne Holyfield who resigned May 3.

Holyfield had been traveling a rocky road since he was sworn as a commissioner on Dec. 12, 2011. Minutes after being sworn he carried out a summary firing of four of the town’s five police officers with the votes of commissioners Tim Privett and Rob Martin supporting his motion to dismiss the four.

Since that time, citizens have crowded every meeting demanding an explanation, which has never been given.

The N.C. Highway Patrol, Holyfield’s employer, placed him on administrative duty in January to conduct an internal investigation on policy issues. In April he was charged with a felony by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation for illegally accessing a government computer.

On May 3, Holyfield was fired by the patrol and shortly thereafter he faxed a letter of resignation as a commissioner to the Candor Town Hall.

On Monday, Commissioner Phillip Hearne made the motion to accept the resignation and was seconded by Commissioner Layton Booker. The motion passed unanimously with no discussion. to cheers and applause from the full room of spectators.

Following other agenda business, Hearne made a motion to appoint Smith to fill Holyfield’s vacant seat. Booker again made the second. Privett, during discussion of the motion, asked that the decision wait for 30 days. Protests from the spectators convinced him to change his mind. All four commissioners voted for the appointment.

Mayor Richard Britt told Smith, who was present for the meeting, that he would be sworn in at the June meeting. Again the public protested, insisting that Smith be sworn immediately.

Following a five-minute recess to allow Clerk Tammy Kellis the opportunity to prepare for the swearing, Smith took the oath to the cheers of the crowd.

Smith was defeated by three votes in the November election that seated Holyfield and Martin. He had previously served 12 years on the board.

In other business, commissioners:

* Approved a resolution of intent to annex two parcels on Poplar Drive at the request of the property owners. The annexation will take effect June 30.

* Made a one-time contribution of $250 to the Candor Cowboys youth football team.

* Accepted the high bid of $1,310 from J.C. Comer to harvest pine needles from a tract of town-owned property.

* Resolved the issue of locks on the back door of the town hall by voting to leave them as they are. Holyfield had insisted that the locks be changed to allow egress from the meeting room. A fire inspector determined that the door did not qualify as an exit from that area.

* Agreed to schedule a budget hearing during the June 11 regular meeting.