Princeville administration claims conspiracy against its efforts

Opinion

July 13, 2012

Princeville administration claims conspiracy against its efforts

FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER The Daily Southerner Fri Jul 13, 2012, 01:47 PM EDT

TARBORO — To the Editor:

These are the people who are against our Administration and their negative efforts affect everybody in Princeville since the beginning of this Administration in 2010:

• Former Mayor Delia Perkins

• Commissioner Ann Howell

• Commissioner Gwendolyn Knight

• Former Commissioner Ann Carney Adams

• Former Commissioner Carolyn Sharpe

• Newspaper Reporter, Calvin Adkins

• County Commissioner Viola Harris

Here are some of the problems our Administration has inherited:

The Town was in the red for the years 2007, 2008, and 2009 under the Former Mayor Perkins, Commissioners Ann Howell and Gwendolyn Knight, the Former

• Commissioners Ann Adams and Carolyn Sharpe’s Administration. No warning given by the Local Government (LGC).

• Former Town Manager Sam Knight was convicted for fourteen (14) charges by the Attorney General Office. He was still able to work for the town for 2 years and misused approximately $75,000.00 of the town citizens’ money. We visited the Local Government (LGC) on this issue in October 2009. Again, no warning was issued from the Local Government (LGC).

• There were no audits done for 3 years for the town, in 2006, 2007, and 2008, until 2009, under Former Mayor Perkins’ Administration. Again, there was no warning issued from the Local Government (LGC).

• Water and Sewage was a great issue doing Former Mayor Perkins’ Administration and they also increased the rates of water and sewage bills which cause the bills to increase. Again, there was no warning issued from the Local Government (LGC).

• Why would the Local Government (LGC) allow Former Mayor Perkins’ Administration to borrow $310,700 for a loan, when the Town was in the red, according to the audit report ended June 30, 2009?

In 2010, when we got elected our Administration got the town out of the red into the black in six (6) months, according to the audit report ended on June 30, 2010.

We hired Former Manager Victor Marrow in January 2010 and passed a policy to help assist the citizens on a payment plan for keeping their payment current. In 2011 audit report revealed that Mr. Victor Marrow did not perform his duties to manage this town as a Town Manager should have done. We feel he was greatly influenced by listening to the people who are against this Administration, and he stopped listening and serving the pleasure of the current board.

Mr. Victor Marrow was the Budget Officer for the town and during his management we were sited several times by the Local Government (LGC) for not being in compliance with the Budget, which was his job to do.

On June 14, 2012, Mayor Oates, Mayor Pro-Tem Andrews, Interim Town Manager Maggie Boyd, and the Town Accountant were on a conference call with the Local Government (LGC) approximately 2 hours, discussing the budget. In the conversation, The Local Government (LGC) agreed to come down and help assist with any issues we may have. We were planning to meet with the Local Government (LGC) here at the Princeville Town Hall after July 4, 2012 (after the holiday). On this conference call, nothing was ever mentioned about issuing a warning.

On Thursday, June 28, 2012, we had our monthly Board meeting. Mayor Oates told the citizens during the Board meeting that the Local Government (LGC) had begun to assist the Town Staff with the Budget and would continue to give us technical assistance. At the Board Meeting, Commissioner Ann Howell stated that she could not believe the Local Government (LGC) would work with us and she will make sure to call the Local Government (LGC) the next day. Commissioner Ann Howell called to the Local Government (LGC) the next day. Before we could schedule the next appointment with The Local Government (LGC) , within the next three days, July 3, 2012, the Local Government (LGC) calls to let us (Mayor Oates, Mayor Pro Tem Andrews, and Attorney Watts) know that we were going to get a memo about a special meeting in Raleigh to issue a warning against the Town. We were shock to even hear this news from the Local Government (LGC) after we had begun to work together and this was without a warning!

Now the Local Government (LGC) is giving the current Administration a warning. The Former Administration issues were much serious than our and they never received a warning. We are getting this warning from the Local Government (LGC) and County Commissioner Viola Harris, who seconded the motion, is a conflict of interest. Mrs. Harris is a conflict of interest, because she attends The Town of Princeville Board Meeting on a very regular basic and she helps Commissioners Ann Howell, Gwendolyn Knight, and Former Mayor Perkins disrupt the Board meetings. She is also on the Local Government Board (LGC).

Now the Local Government (LGC) will come in to help assist the town and the Board with problems that were already created.

Citizens of Princeville who are not up to date in their water bill will be cut off.

In the last four months, The Town of Princeville had made great changes in Personnel, in training, and receiving technical services. The Interim Town Manager Maggie Boyd and her Staff is doing a tremendous job. The Town of Princeville will continue to work diligently on our comprehensive plans.

Mayor Priscilla Everette-Oates

Mayor Pro-Tem Isabelle Andrews

Commissioner Calvin Sherrod

Interim Town Manager Maggie Boyd

Town of Princeville

Princeville

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