Pinetops wants to give up some land

T. J. ROYAL

At its monthly meeting Monday, the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners set a June hearing for assuming a portion of Town of Pinetop's Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) area.

The measure will go for public comment at the commissioners' June 1 meeting.

Pinetops Town Manager Greg Bethea wrote to County Planning Director Ola Pittman requesting the area, Bynum Park and Dodge City, be taken over by the county. Bethea said in a letter that the area is not one "that the Town would consider for future growth."

Pittman noted Monday that the county already had the sole authority to issue building permits in the area.

Health Department Director Karen Lachapelle addressed the commissioners Monday, saying there was "no activity" of H1N1 swine flu in Edgecombe County. She said her department is keeping in constant contact with state health officials about developments.

She said it is recommended that people who are exhibiting flu symptoms to "stay home" to not risk infecting others. Lachapelle added that the use of face masks is not recommended at this point.

Two residents, Charles Yoak of Battleboro and Jim Wrenn of Leggett, asked the commissioners to support a resolution that businesses coming to Edgecombe County, and use county and state incentives and dollars, make a "good faith" gesture to return laid-off workers back to work when opportunities come to do so.

Commissioners Chairman Leonard Wiggins said the board was "not in a position" to adopt the resolution, adding that he did not think "the board should get involved in what the private sector does" on those matters. He added that he individually supported the rights of workers.

Also at their meeting Monday, the commissioners expanded the Edgecombe County Tourism Advisory Council by two seats, up to 14, and filled out the vacant seats that were left from its April meeting. Norfleet Sugg was nominated to serve by Commissioner Jon Felton, Pinetops Councilwoman Joyce Tolson was Pinetops's chosen representative and Extension Agent Joe Dickens was Speed's chosen representative. Comfort Inn owner Raj Patel was chosen to be the hotel manager/owner nominee.

The commissioners also approved:

• receiving $130,000 in a One NC Fund grant, with a $130,000 match from Carolina Gateways Partnership and NC Eastern Region,for H.C. Composites LLC (World Class Cats) to bring operations to Edgecombe County that will create 60 full-time permanent jobs, with average weekly wages at or exceeding $512 per week. The company must produce 120 full-time permanent jobs within three years.

• approved a $369,368.50 change order for the District 5 water system, which includes purchasing 71,300 linear feet of 6-inch water pipe. The project's completion date was also pushed back to June 7.

• a $145,700 change order contract with Raleigh engineering firm S&ME; for corrective measurement, testing, engineering and permitting services at the Edgecombe County Landfill. The funds are from the closure and post-closure funds.

• a $38,845 contract with Billy Earp and Son Construction in Nashville for home repairs for a low-income household on Cobb Street in Tarboro. The funds are from Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR) and Housing Preservation Grants (HPG).

• an $18,566 change order with Systems East Inc. to install a SCADA computerized water monitoring system for a sewer lift station at the QVC manufacturing plant on Kingsboro Road.

• participation in an Integrated Hazard Risk Management demonstration project, to develop new strategies in disaster mitigation planning management.

• approved the Town of Speed's phase II water distribution project, where it will purchase water from the District 2 water district for its water.

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