Special Candor meeting leaves questions unanswered ☺

The article that was published in collaboration with Mary Anderson in the Courier-Tribune follows this entry.

© 2011 by Hugh Martin - All rights reserved

CANDOR – Following last week’s termination of 80 percent of the Candor Police Department, led by just-sworn Commissioner Wayne Holyfield, many citizens of the town have expressed worries about the lack of police protection.

Monday evening, Candor had the best police protection in Montgomery County with more than fifteen officers of the county sheriff’s department present for what could possibly be the largest turnout for a board of commissioners meeting in the town’s history.

There were lots of questions asked, but very few answers given during the public forum segment of the special called meeting of the Candor Board of Commissioners.

The meeting was called by Commissioner Wayne Holyfield for the purpose of the discussion of police personnel. The request for a public forum was made by Commissioner Layton Booker.

Because of the expectation of a large turnout of citizens the meeting was held in the gymnasium of Candor Elementary School. An estimated crowd of 300 filled the majority of the available seating.

Mayor Richard Britt opened the meeting with a statement that was followed by applause from the majority of those in attendance. “My responsibility is to make sure that public safety is maintained, Britt said. “With that in mind, I have relieved Commissioner Wayne Holyfield as advisor to the police department.”

Britt said that those duties would temporarily be under his control.

Holyfield was appointed commissioner in charge of the police department by Mayor Richard Britt at the regular meeting on December 12. Holyfield’s first action was to call for a closed session. Following the closed session Holyfield made a motion that four of the five full-time officers of the department be terminated immediately.

That motion passed 3-2 with commissioners Tim Privett and Rob Martin joining Holyfield for the vote for termination of the officers.

Those officers were present at the special meeting, accompanied by attorney Arthur Donadio of Southern Pines who advised the officers not to make any statements at this time.

Britt stated that each person speaking could “express their feelings” and questions would be answered by commissioners “as they please. We want to answer your questions if possible.”

Frank Harris of Candor was the first to speak during the public forum.

Harris said he was speaking for “himself and a multitude of irate citizens. We want our police force back in its entirety,” he said. “We would like to have the resignations of Wayne Holyfield, Rob Martin and Tim Privett. We don’t feel that they are acting in the best interest of Candor”

Harris said that he has known Britt and Privett for a long time. “Boys, I’m disappointed at you,” he said. “I’ve always admired and respected you, but to allow something like this to happen in this small town over a small thing as a traffic ticket is outrageous.”

Harris was referring to a 2009 traffic stop in which Candor Police Officer Grant Jackson issued a warning ticket to Teresa Lamonds of Candor. Records at Montgomery County Board of Elections show that Lamonds and her husband, John, made in-kind donations to the campaigns of Holyfield and Martin.

Becky Williams, who was a town commissioner and Mayor of Candor for a combined 38 years asked why the code of ethics was not read prior to the start of the meeting. The code states that any commissioner having a conflict of interest, state so before the meeting begins.

“It was overlooked,” replied Town Clerk Tammy Kellis.

Williams asked that it be read before she began speaking. Kellis complied.

“Does anyone speak to that?” Williams asked the board. There was no response.

“I would like to go on the record as challenging board members Tim Privett, Rob Martin and Wayne Holyfield for the code of conduct and ethics for violations.”

Williams said that she regretted that Britt had not relieved Holyfield of his police commissioner duties at the last meeting.

“Were there any problems or complaints with merit against any of these police officers before December 12 of this year?” Williams asked. There was no response.

“Were Commissioner Martin and Commissioner Holyfield given the Code of Ethics manual and Personnel Policy before that meeting December 12?” Williams asked.

“I haven’t been given anything,” Martin replied.

“But you took actions in lieu of the fact that you didn’t know?” she asked. Martin nodded in the affirmative.

Williams stated that in her time on the board and as mayor that she knew that it was very difficult to fire a police officer.

“We’ve had plenty of bad ones here,” she said. “But these four officers are not the bad ones.”

Williams said that, prior to 2009, she had only had to sit down with the police commissioner and chief of police a couple of times to discuss complaints.

“If you haven’t had those complaints, what happened?” she asked. “These are questions that I am asking to be answered.”

Williams said that the board had “grossly disregarded” the town’s policies on ethics and personnel.

“This is a comedy of errors. You have thrown parliamentary procedure, Robert’s Rule of Order, your Code of Ethics and your personnel policy out the window.” Williams said. “Rob Martin, Wayne Holyfield, you are protected by personnel policy, Rob, you as an employee with the Department of Corrections, Wayne, you as an employee with the State Highway Patrol, but you see fit not to protect these four officers that have done nothing.”

Williams said that she agreed with Harris. “You three need to resign.”

Former commissioner Tim Smith speaking next, requested that, in future board meetings, if a non-agenda item is brought up by the board that the public be allowed to speak. “You can’t sign up if you don’t know what’s going to be talked about,” he said.

Smith said that actions were made on behalf of the town by the new board members, without the knowledge of the sitting board, before they were sworn in.

Smith asked the three commissioners who had voted for the termination, “Was this pre-arranged before the board meeting last Monday night?”

Smith then asked Britt, “Were you aware that this action was going to be taken prior to the meeting last Monday night?”

“Does any board member want to respond to that?” Britt asked the board.

There was no response.

Doug Kemp, representing Klaussner Furniture, expressed their concern about the lack of police protection on behalf of the “350 plus employees and the multi-million dollar investment” that the corporation has in Candor.

Britt assured Kemp and other business owners that Candor is covered 24 hours a day.

Judy Cole of Biscoe praised Commissioner Holyfield for the work that he does as a NC Highway Patrolman. She said that she had never heard of anyone saying that he had disrespected them or felt threatened by him.

“I have heard that about some of these officers that have been dismissed,” she said. “It saddens me that these people are not here tonight to tell their stories. I do have my own personal story against Office Pierce but I’m not going to tell that tonight.”

Rebecca Shepherd of Candor asked that the four officers be reinstated to the department with full benefits and without prejudice.

Lawrence Lamonds, a member of the town’s planning board, tendered his resignation from that board. “I honestly don’t want to be associated with this,” he told the commissioners.

Pedro Garcia, who said that he has lived in Candor for 15 years, told commissioners that people were afraid of the police department. He related a story of being involved in an automobile accident in 2006 and being treated with disrespect. He said that the officer tried to help the driver of the other car and when he later went to the department for a copy of the accident report was told that it was lost.

“The police are not for everybody,” Garcia said. “Let’s work with justice for everybody.”

Irving Brown, attorney for John and Teresa Lamonds, had signed up to speak but passed when his turn came.

Carolyn Blue, owner of Candor Oil Company, praised the service that she has received from the Candor Police Department. “I feel real comfortable that these police cars are up and down the road,” she said. “I recommend them highly.”

Pam Carter of Jackson Springs said that she is saddened that the Candor officers had posted negative comments on Facebook. “It’s embarrassing to me to have friends in Moore County talking about the things that have been said about my brother, the mayor, Richard Britt, and the other commissioners on Facebook.”

Carter said that those who posted the comments should apologize.

“I have proof that they’ve done it because I have printouts at my house that people have given me.”

Carter suggested that it should be added to town policy that employees need to be more professional.

Britt then asked the board members if they had any comments.

Phillip Hearne said that he would like to respond to Becky Williams’ questions.

“I did not see any written warnings against the police department prior to December 12,” he said.

Hearne went on to say that he had many of the same questions that former commissioner Smith had asked. He said that he agreed with Rebecca Shepherd that the officers should be reinstated.

“I come here tonight not only as a board member but as a citizen of Candor and I would just like to know the reason why, and I haven’t gotten it yet. I hope I get it before I leave tonight.”

Hearne said that prior to the December 12 meeting that he had been told that he would be reappointed as Fire Commissioner and that Booker had been the Police Commissioner.

“We didn’t have any problems with the police department, so Mayor, I’d like to know why Commissioner Booker was removed from being the Police Commissioner?” he asked.

“I can pick that position anytime,” Britt responded. “I thought when I picked Wayne Holyfield, with his background, working together with our police department that it would make our town stronger, and like I told you the other night, it can be changed at any time. You can see what happened this week. Wayne Holyfield is not the police commissioner, I am, and it’s a short-term thing.”

Britt said that the businesses and citizens had been covered since December 12 twenty-four hours a day and they will continue to be covered until the force is rebuilt.

Hearne added that he and former Police Chief Randy White had both asked that Holyfield not be appointed Police Commissioner at the December 12 meeting because they both thought it to be a conflict of interest.

“That was denied twice,” he said. “As we have seen already it was a conflict of interest.”

Commissioners Privett and Martin had no comments.

“I’m going to make an open statement before I refuse to answer any questions,” Holyfield said when it was his turn to speak.

“I want to take this opportunity to assure the citizens of Candor that our town will move forward, and that it will continue to be protected as the Candor Police Department is rebuilt.”

Holyfield said that to his knowledge there had been no need for emergency services in the town since the December 12 meeting. He said that the personnel change was a board decision, made for the good of the town.

“Since North Carolina is an at-will state and this is dealing with personnel, I don’t have to give a reason.”

Holyfield wished the four terminated officers his best in their future endeavors.

“At this time I think that it’s important that we remain positive and work together to strengthen our community to make Candor a safer place for our children and citizens,” Holyfield said. ”Change is not easy, and for those who only want to live in the past or present will never see the future.”

Holyfield added that his goal as a board member is to make positive changes and to promote Candor. He then invited the media that was covering the meeting to come back next year for the Peach Festival and the Lawnmower Pull.

Booker said that he was against the “way things went down last Monday night. I think it was an illegal deal. The decision was made before they ever got to the meeting. I think the citizens deserve better than that.”

Britt called on interim Police Chief Eddie Bagwell, who announced that he had two candidates for police positions that he would recommend for employment. He said one, Joseph Majors, could move from part-time to full time and could go to work tomorrow. He said that the other candidate, Barry Lamonds, could work part-time as needed.

The board approved the hiring of the new officers, bringing the police force up to two full-time and one part-time officer working in the town.

Britt and Bagwell both offered their thanks to Sheriff Dempsey Owens for the assistance his department had given the town.

Britt then offered the commissioners another chance to speak.

“How can we move forward when we cannot explain why these officers were fired?” asked Hearne, followed by thunderous applause from many of those in attendance.

“It’s 13 days before Christmas,” Hearne continued. “All these officers have families, and we sit here as a board, Booker and myself, we voted against it, and we can’t give any of them a reason why they got fired. Our town employees are worried that they’re next. Who’s next?”

Hearne said that he didn’t feel that it was right, that the citizens deserve an explanation.

“There’s a personnel policy put in place, that I know Commissioner Privett voted on, that was not followed. Until we do things the right way we can’t move forward."

Britt repeated that he did not support the way that it was done, that it was not done the right way.

“I will support all five of these commissioners when they make a vote,” Britt said. “What they do is for the Town of Candor.”

Candor planning board gives nod to biomass incinerator

As published in the Courier-Tribune of November 3, 2011

by Hugh Martin

CANDOR — The Town of Candor Planning Board met Tuesday evening to consider a conditional use permit application to construct a controversial biomass burning facility that would produce steam to generate electricity to run Mountaire Farms feed mill. The feed mill is in Candor town limits.

After hearing from the designer and builder of the incinerator and from Mountaire Farms neighbors on Morris Farm Road, the board recommended approval to the Board of Commissioners.

Opponents of the project say their issue is the health and welfare of the community from the byproducts and diminished air quality that would result from the burning process.

Brownie Newman of FLS Energy, the company that would operate the plant, told board members that the plant would be constructed using the latest and most recent technologies available.

“This will be the cleanest system to ever be built in North Carolina,” he said.

Also at the meeting were Will Kisner, facility designer at PortLand Systems, and Joe Sullivan with Trinity Consultants, an air quality emissions permitting company.

Newman produced a map of North Carolina that showed the locations of nearly 200 boiler facilities in the state. Of these, only 5 percent use the wood fuels that would be burned at the Candor facility.

The fuel would be wood chips from leftover timber industry material, a product that is not otherwise being utilized. Newman assured board members that no treated materials or railroad ties would be used as fuel.

Unlike previous meetings of the board, vice chair Jim McLeod allowed public comment during the meeting.

Bill Bruton, who lives next door to the proposed facility, posed questions to Newman, Kisner and Sullivan. Bruton addressed the height of the facility’s smokestacks, which is 36 feet above ground. He asked at what distance fallout from the stacks would occur. Sullivan said that any concentrations of air particulate would be way below permitted standards.

Sullivan said that the projected output is so low that the application for an air quality permit could be handled by the Fayetteville Regional Office of the Division of Air Quality rather than being sent to the central offices.

Bruton, reading from the town ordinance, reminded the planning board members that they do not have to recommend either for or against an application.

“When a recommendation is made, it should be based upon what the town board will have to do when it takes action” he said.

Bruton said that, according to the zoning ordinance, the town board must find that “the requested use will not impair the integrity or character of the surrounding or adjoining districts, nor be detrimental to the health, morals or welfare.”

“My neighbors and I were here first,” he said.

Bruton said that FLS did not have a track record worthy of a conditional use permit to run the facility as this would be the first facility of this kind they would operate.

Newman replied that FLS had other similar projects being developed in North Carolina.

“It’s not that complicated,” he said. “These systems do not require a high degree of training to operate.”

Bruton pointed out his concern that Mountaire has not proven to be a good neighbor, based on feed spillage along the side of Morris Farm Road, where the feed mill is located. The entrance to the site of the proposed facility is located on the same road near its intersection with N.C. 211.

Certified soil tests have shown an increased level of copper and arsenic from two sites on the roadside on Morris Farm Road. These soil tests were done at the request and expense of Bruton and the owners of the Carlan farm.

Board member Lawrence Lamonds asked Bruton why he was bringing Mountaire into the argument when they will not actually be operating the energy facility.

“If they don’t care enough to keep these toxins off of their neighbor’s land, should they be trusted to share any concerns about keeping particulate matter out of our lungs?” Bruton said.

On Monday, planning board member Allene Graves, Mayor Richard Britt and town commissioners toured a similar facility in Clinton, N. C., on the corporate grounds of Prestige Farms, a company that produces pork and poultry products.

“The structure was huge and very clean,” Graves said. “I saw no emissions from the smokestack and there were two houses approximately the same distance from the facility as Mr. Bruton’s house is from this one. There was a field of cows grazing next door.”

Graves said the plant operator told her that they had never had a single complaint from neighbors.

“He said that a home woodstove would produce more arsenic than these systems because of the equipment that is installed to clean the emissions,” Graves said.

Britt pointed out that the corporate offices were located on the same site as the boiler.

“While the sky may have been clear over the plant, and the air may have smelled fresh,” Bruton said, “please remember why Walmart sells carbon monoxide detectors: It is a harmful gas that is colorless, tasteless and odorless.”

Bruton said that the N.C. 211 corridor is being developed as a gateway to the Pinehurst area. “Instead of benefiting from this gateway, do we adopt the position, ‘Welcome to the Sandhills, hold your breath for the next 5 miles?’”

Following all comment, planning board members McLeod, Lamonds, Graves and Ronnie Thomas voted in favor of recommending to the town board that the conditional use permit be approved. The next board of commissioners meeting will be on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.

Following the meeting Bruton said PortLand, Trinity and Hurst had built plenty of these types of facilities in the past: “Mr. Newman has stated that this is FLS’s first power project fueled by incineration. We should not expect approval for a conditional use by a novice operator.”

Mountaire will not use poultry litter for fuel ♥

Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 14, 2011

by Hugh Martin

CANDOR — Just two days before the Town of Candor was to hold two public hearings Monday to address zoning changes to allow Mountaire Farms to burn poultry waste at a proposed biomass energy facility, the company chose to pull the issue from the table.

A Mountaire Farms contractor notified Mayor Richard Britt that the company would use wood waste as its fuel, not poultry waste.

Brownie Newman, managing member of CHP Solutions, an Asheville company that would operate the proposed facility, notified Candor officials of the change in an email on Saturday.

“Rather than utilizing poultry litter as the fuel source for the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system at the Mountaire Farms Feedmill, we believe the best approach is to simply utilize wood waste as the fuel source,” Newman wrote.

Bill Bruton of Candor, who has been leading the opposition to the facility, wasn’t impressed.

Citing research figures Bruton said, “Wood incineration is four percent more polluting than a new coal plant, only 11 percent less polluting than a chicken-litter plant, and 48 percent more polluting than an existing coal plant.”

Bruton is opposed to any type of biomass facility being located within the city limits.

“While I suspect it’s true that wood puts fewer heavy metals into play, with the exception of sulfur dioxide, wood puts more of these particles in the air than a new coal plant and more carbon monoxide than an existing coal plant or poultry litter,” he said.

In the email, Newman said, “While we believe that many of the statements made over the past several months about the proposal to use poultry litter as a renewable fuel have been inaccurate and misleading, rather than extending the debate on those issues, we would prefer to move forward with an approach that can receive broad community support.

“In terms of using wood as the fuel source for the project, these types of wood heating systems have been used for many decades in North Carolina. There is a very large number operating all across North Carolina, including the local area.”

Judy Stevens, executive director of the Montgomery Economic Development Corp., said that Jordan Lumber Company, near Mt. Gilead, has been burning wood at their facility for years.

The Candor Planning Board met twice in August to consider two separate ordinance amendments, one that would allow the change of fuel sources by local industries and allow the generation of electricity by an industry for their own use or for sale to the local utility.

Candor commissioners say no to animal waste for fuel ♥

Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 14, 2011

by Hugh Martin

CANDOR — After Saturday’s notification that Mountaire Farms would use wood instead of poultry litter to make electricity to run its feed mill in Candor, the board of commissioners met Monday night as scheduled, held the public hearing and amended the town’s zoning ordinance.

The amendment was changed to prohibit the incineration of animal waste products, but the commissioners voted to allow biomass incineration in industrial-zoned areas.

The decision paves the way for Mountaire Farms, which operates a feed mill in the town’s city limits, to apply for a conditional use permit to construct a facility that would generate steam for plant operations and electricity to be sold to Progress Energy.

Mountaire had originally planned to burn poultry waste, which drew opposition from neighbors and people from as far away as Southern Pines and Aberdeen.

Prior to the hearings, Mountaire officials had met with Candor Mayor Richard Britt and had come to an agreement that the company would change their fuel source from poultry to wood waste.

“No chicken litter will be burned in Candor while I’m sitting in this seat,” Britt stated to the full house of citizens that crowded the meeting room.

The first person to address the board during the hearing was Chris Smithson, a town councilman from Southern Pines. He represented that board as he urged the Candor commissioners to “proceed with caution” and slow down the text amendment process until further research could be conducted.

The Mountaire facility is located near the headwaters of Drowning Creek, which is the primary source of drinking water for southern Moore County.

“North Carolina law provides that a conditional use does not require it to be safe, but that opponents must prove that it is unsafe,” Smithson said.

Bill Bruton of Candor, who has led the opposition, cautioned that even though chicken litter was no longer being considered by Mountaire, it was still considered biomass and could possibly be included for use by another company that may choose to locate in Candor in the future.

Although the public hearing was legally advertised in local newspapers, some Moore County citizens were upset with the process.

“I found out about this last weekend, which was a holiday, and I was mad,” said Carolyn Shaw of Aberdeen. “This was a stealth movement by the Town of Candor and we did not know about it. If something else comes up, you should let us know.”

Shaw told the board that companies like Mountaire and Fibrowatt are targeting poorer counties to build their plants.

“They don’t care about anyone’s health,” she said. “They are out for a buck. They are unreliable and you cannot believe what you are told.”

Fibrowatt is a company that had chosen a Montgomery County tract east of Biscoe to construct a large power plant that was to be fueled by poultry waste. That project has been stalled by the reluctance of power companies to sign a purchase agreement with Fibrowatt.

Concerns over the burning of wood over chicken litter were addressed. Bruton questioned the statements that a certain percentage of particulates would be captured by scrubbers in the smokestacks.

“If we’re told that 90 percent is captured, we have to ask, 90 percent of what?”

Bruton said that once a facility is up and running, “it would be difficult to rein it in if something bad happens.”

Commissioner Tim Smith said that he would support the amendment that the town was presenting as long as it was revised to exclude animal waste products as a fuel.

Brownie Newman of Combined Heat and Power, an Asheville company that will operate the plant for Mountaire, said that he thought that would be a good solution.

Following the meeting, Newman stated that his company plans to build a facility that would burn up to 70 tons of wood each day. When asked what would be done with the ash byproduct from the burning process, Newman said he did not yet know, but that he would have that information “within a few days.”

“Wood is not a regulated fuel source,” Newman said. “But, chicken litter is not regulated, either.”

In other business Commissioners Smith, Layton Booker and Tim Privett:

* Heard a brief report by Judy Stevens, Executive Director of Montgomery Economic Development Corp., in support of Mountaire Farms.

* Heard from N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Danelle McKnight about the new Candor Downtown Growers Market, scheduled to begin operation on Friday, Sept. 16.

* Will make a $100 donation to the local Boy Scout troop.

* Tabled a decision on signage for the Candor Farmers’ Market until local vendors can be contacted for a price quote.

Candor public hearing on chicken litter-produced electricity ♥

Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 10, 2011

by Hugh Martin

CANDOR - A full house is expected at the Monday, Sept. 12, meeting of the Candor Board of Commissioners at 7 p.m. for two public hearings on amending the town’s zoning ordinance to allow specific forms of energy generation within areas zoned for industrial use.

At issue is a request by Mountaire Farms to construct a biomass facility to generate electricity to power its feed mill, located in the city limits east of Interstate 73/74. The facility would burn chicken litter that would be trucked to the facility. The electricity generated would be used by the facility for operations with any excess electricity being sold to Progress Energy.

Four to five trucks a day are expected to bring the litter to the site. Will Kisner, of facility designer Port-Land Systems, said that trucks hauling the litter would be sealed with tarps and pulled inside the building for unloading.

The Candor Planning Board met twice in August to consider two separate amendments, one that would allow the change of fuel sources by local industries and allow the generation of electricity by an industry for their own use or for sale to the local utility.

A competing amendment was presented by a group of local residents who oppose the process that Mountaire has proposed. Both amendments were approved by the planning board and have been sent to town commissioners for consideration.

Opponents of the first proposed amendment have been active in contacting residents to explain their opposition to the possibility of burning chicken litter to produce energy.

Over 50 people attended a meeting called by opponents on Sept. 6 to present information on the biomass process to the public.

Bill Bruton of Candor is leading the opposition. In a published letter signed by Bruton and 18 others, including four medical doctors, Bruton said, “chicken manure contains arsenic and bacteria” and “chicken litter contains toxins, including copper, sulfur and arsenic.”

According to Bruton, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has said the town would be responsible for compliance with the Watershed Protection Ordinance.

“Does anyone really think that Candor should be an abandoned guinea pig for three new low-wage jobs and $45,000 increased tax revenues?” he asked.

Bruton said the incineration of chicken litter produces dioxin and the burning of over 35,000 tons of chicken litter per year at one site within the city limits is a bad idea.

“Does the concept of just a little bit of dioxin make it more acceptable?” he asked.

At an earlier informational meeting about the Mountaire project, Joe Sullivan of Trinity Consultants, an air quality emissions permitting company, said the filtering system for the facility would be the most efficient available, calling it a “Cadillac system” for this type of operation.

Russell Hollers, who lives near the site, asked if the company had ever built one of these facilities before. Brownie Newman of FLS Energy, which would operate the facility, said they had built similar facilities.

Newman said that the trucks bringing litter to the site would be washed for bio-security with the effluent going into the municipal sewer system. The fly ash from the incinerator would be transported outside of the town and sold to companies that would use the byproduct to manufacture fertilizer.

Tammy Kellis, Candor town clerk, said that the meeting will take place at the Town Hall on South Main Street. No plans have been made to move the meeting to a larger venue for the purpose of accommodating more people than the town hall can hold.

New Growers' Market to open in downtown Candor ♥

Published in the Courier-Tribune on August 31, 2011

by Hugh Martin

CANDOR — The new Candor Downtown Growers’ Market will open on Friday, Sept. 16.

Following several months of meetings and negotiations with the mayor and commissioners of the Town of Candor, the Montgomery County Farmers’ Market Association announced the grand opening.

Hours will be 2:30-6 p.m. each Friday. The market will continue to operate weekly through Nov. 18.

After considering several locations in the downtown area, organizers decided the market will be located on the green space beside the gazebo at the corner of South Main Street and Currie Road. Candor officials had initially wanted the group to locate at the Candor Farmers’ Market facility about a mile from downtown, on the opposite side of the interstate.

“We have wanted to have a market in Candor since the association formed earlier this year,” said Sheila Menendez, manager of the three markets that the group currently operates in Montgomery County.

“Part of our mission as a local market is to make the products of our area farmers easily accessible to the people that live in the communities we serve. This includes those that may not have the transportation to go to a market or grocery store that may be located too far from their homes.”

The markets operated by the association allow only products that are produced in Montgomery and adjoining counties.

“By keeping the products local, consumers may actually meet the people that are working to produce what they are buying,” Menendez said. “The money they spend is also kept in the local economy.”

Officers of the market association recently toured the downtown area with Candor Mayor Richard Britt and Commissioners Leslie Thomas and Tim Smith to evaluate the location. All agreed that it would be the best place for the new market.

“The market will allow the citizens of Candor and surrounding areas easy access to local foods, crafts and entertainment,” Menendez said. “The gazebo offers a place for demonstrations and performers to gather.”

The gazebo and landscaping of downtown Candor were projects of the Candor Small Town Economic Prosperity Demonstration Program. Although not a project of the Candor STEP Committee, the growers’ market will help to achieve that committee’s goal of bringing people to the downtown area.

The market will also bring back the tradition of the local farmers curb market that once operated on the opposite end of the same block. People who remember that market have fond memories of the line of farmers who came to town to sell their produce. That tradition ended with the construction of the Candor Farmers’ Market, which is located east of town beside the US 220/Interstate 73-74 highway. That market will not be affected by the new growers’ market and continues to operate as usual.

The Candor Downtown Growers’ Market opening day will feature local farmers, bakers and crafters. There will be a cooking demonstration by the staff of the Montgomery County office of the N.C. Cooperative Extension. Music will also be provided.

Producers interested in participating in the Candor market, as well as the Troy and Star markets, may contact Menendez at (910) 439-4854 for more information.