County Commissioners Start New Year

Yesterday morning the Bertie County Commission meeting covered a range of topics that have people interested in government again.




Though not on the agenda, some representatives of the No U.S. 13 Bypass group (opposed to upgrading U.S. 13 as a part of the long term plan for a North South corridor serving Eastern North Carolina) spoke during "Public Comments" in opposition to the Bertie County position. The opposition group only wants NC 11 widened and opposes the bypass project. The Bertie County position is that both projects should be built.

Gary Terry (shown below) started their comments with "An injustice is being done to families and citizens, the bypass to Windsor is unnecessary." He then focused his comments on the idea that Windsor did not deserve to retain U.S. 13, but that a new U.S. 13 should be built widening NC 11 down to Bethel because it would better serve Ahoskie. Windsor's interests do not matter to this group.




Some background to this issue is needed and I have a more detailed article with links to other articles about the same subject on the Inner Banks Eagle.

The next person to speak in opposition to the U.S. 13 Bypass, Kent Williams (shown below) is quite angry about the fact that every one of the alternatives for the U.S. 13 upgrade will probably affect him, since he lives on U.S. 13 and the end of the upgrade will be right at his farm. He started his comments by blasting the DOT for not notifying "a single person in Bertie County" about the upgrade.




Though he gave some anecdotal evidence he claims proves his case, the next speaker in public comments was from the DOT. Kim Gillespie (shown below), Project Planning Engineer for the Ahoskie U.S. 13 "Bypass" gave specifics of the public notification process, including explaining specifically how the G.I.S. system was used to get addresses for the more than 1,000 people who were notified. In checking with some local realtors they assured me that the G.I.S. system is extremely accurate except for very recent changes of ownership. After talking with 2 different people who own land in Bertie County affected by at least one alternative of the project, both confirmed that they had received notice from the DOT. No evidence I have found supports Kent's accusations.





Though I did not hear anyone mention it yesterday, there is a meeting tonight at the Hertford County High School to drum up support to oppose the U.S. 13 Bypass.

The next topic of interest was the semi annual report by Eastern Carolina Behavioral Health. Joy Futtrell (shown below) opened the presentation and provided details of their efforts.




Roy Wilson (shown below) also participated in the report, and talked about the status of their merger of nine counties at this point (including the 4 counties that were a part of the former organization to serve Bertie County). Mr. Wilson mentioned statements from the State of North Carolina about their desire to reduce the number of LME's, the type of organization Eastern Carolina Behavioral Health represents. He also claimed that the staff for Governor Mike Easley was happy with what they were trying to do.




The next topic on the Agenda was about hunting. Rickie Leggett (shown below), representing landowners on the Roanoke River, asked that Bertie County help get a change in the laws about hunting from boats. As he explained it, the laws are different above and below the bridege over the Roanoke River at Williamston. Downriver from the bridge, hunting is permitted, but upriver from the bridge hunting from a boat is illegal. This group is asking that, for safety reasons, the ban on hunting from a boat which currently applies upriver be extended to apply downriver, including tributaries, as well. The issue will be need to be addressed by a local bill in the State Legislature.




Traci White (shown below), Director of Planning for Bertie County, came before the board to request a six months extension on the moratorium on outdoor advertising untill changes to the law can be finalized. The public hearing to extend the moratorium is scheduled at the 10:00 AM County Commisioner meeting on February 11th.