County convenes Board of Equalization and Review

May 8—HENDERSON — The Board of Equalization and Review convened Monday night and will remain open until June 3.

That night, the Vance County Commissioners heard five appeals from citizens protesting their property values. There were actually six on the docket — though one left before he was called up.

There was a common thread — folks weren't pleased with the possibility of higher property taxes. One appellant said her double-wide went from $50,000 to $109,000. A widower on a fixed income, she got an adjustment down to around $107,000. Her opinion of her home's value was $75,000.

Nobody told her what sort of supporting documents she needed.

Another had a boarded-up building next to her home and her value shot up to over $100k. Another house next to hers sold for $120,000. The commissioners gave her information on five comparables — though similar in appearance, where this appellant's house was situated might affects its value, said Commissioner Leo Kelly.

That was another common thread — no one had the proper supporting documents. Every case received a continuation pending further evidence.

The county is holding an informational session on May 20 at 4 p.m. at the Vance County Administration Building.

All county governments are required by state law to perform a property revaluation every eight years.

The commissioners also voted to accept a proposal for installing a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system for expanding the county water system into Kittrell.

The system, costing around $18,000, will allow the county water district to monitor water levels at the elevated tank in the township.

There's no start date for the construction of the expansion as of yet, according to County Manager Renee Perry, pending the completion of financing discussions with the Local Government Commission.

The county granted H.G. Reynolds the contract back in February. Vance County bought up the system from the Kittrell Water Association and began operation in 2018.

Somewhere in the ballpark of 23.6 miles of eight-inch, six-inch and four-inch polyvinyl chloride and ductile iron pipe water mains and appurtenances along Kittrell, Bobbitt, Abbott, part of Gillburg, part of Dick Smith and South Chavis roads, all stretching eastward from Kittrell.

The cost clocks in at $10.37 million. The county is responsible for $2.02 million and a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan and grant contribute $1.67 million and $2.8 million respectively. There's also $3.88 million earmarked in the state budget for the project.

The commissioners also heard a quarterly financial report from newly hired Finance Director Stephanie Williams, a regular occurrence going forward, said Perry.

The annual financial audit of the county is about a month late due to a "miscommunication" with Williams' predecessor, Katherine Bigelow, said Perry.

The commissioners granted Vance County Tourism a pyrotechnics permit for its annual Independence Day fireworks show.

Two representatives from Down Home North Carolina, an advocacy group that recently started up in the county, spoke to the commissioners to request $200,000 set aside in the budget for a tenant services office — which would provide annual and pre-lease inspections as well as education on tenant's rights.

One said a house fire destroyed her fridge and freezer, causing her food to rot. She received eviction notices but her landlord told her to disregard them. That landlord also said he would fix the appliances lost in that fire — but only if she bought new ones. She couldn't afford the cost of that combined with rent and everyday expenses for her multi-generational family.

She was evicted along with her family members and blacklisted from other rentals in the county, she said. She appealed the eviction but the judge ruled in her landlord's favor. An eviction on one's record makes it far more difficult to find a a place to rent — and for her, the cost of rental applications became prohibitive.

She and her family moved from room to room for the next eight months. No family, no help and she was booted from her SNAP benefits — applicants need a valid address to receive them.

The next step for Down Home is to meet with select commissioners.

Lastly, North Central Medical Transport, a non-emergency convalescent transport service contracted with the county since May 2008, is only certified to provide basic life support. County ordinances require such providers to be both BLS and advanced life support certified and be able to back up Vance County EMS, so their franchise is technically forfeit.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the county suspended the ALS part of that requirement, said Chair Dan Brummitt.

"We've been very graceful for them to make it this far," said Javier Plummer, EMS director. The franchisee is in violation of county ordinance and the ball is in their court.

Come June 30, if NCMT doesn't comply with county ordinances, its range of service will be limited — locked into ferrying patients from hospital to hospital, or to residences outside the county.

That's impossible, said Plummer. The process of becoming ALS-certified is long and pricey.

Meanwhile, North State Medical Transport, another servicer, applied for a franchise with the county — though that item was also just for the commissioners' information. It'll be on the docket in June.

Franchise in this context means a private party that offers a utility to a municipality.