Nothing Unusual In HCSA First Billing

“There have been a few glitches, but things have gone about as expected,” said Halifax County Service Authority Executive Director Willie Jones, regarding the Authority’s first billing cycle.
The new Service Authority, which combined the water and sewer systems of the county and the towns of Halifax and South Boston, issued its first bills at the beginning of March.
“We billed over $250,000 in this first billing,” Jones said. “But part of that amount is for garbage fees for South Boston and street light fees for Clover.”
Jones said there are a certain number of problems when three systems are merged into one, but his office is weathering the storm.
“The rhythm of a great many customers has been altered with the Authority,” Jones said. “Their date of billing has changed, where they pay their bill has changed, and who they pay has also changed,” he explained.
South Boston customers who have usually paid their water/sewer bills at the town finance office and Halifax customers who would pay their bills at Halifax Town Hall have had to adjust to the new system.
“Bill payments can be mailed to our office, customers can pay at the county administration building, or they can drop their payments in the drop box outside the county administration building,” Jones explained.
The Authority director said approximately 75 percent of the amount billed earlier in the month has been collected, especially in these last few days before the cutoff date. “We’ve been busier than a one-legged beaver in a spring flood,” he laughed.
Jones said his office has mailed reminder letters to roughly 20 percent of those billed at the first billing period. The cutoff date for those who received a bill earlier this month but have not paid is tomorrow, March 27. “There are always some extenuating circumstances,” Jones explained. “We’re hoping not to be forced to cut off anyone’s water.”
Half of the Authority’s customer base, about 2,800 customers, received water and/or sewer bills the first of March. Customers are billed every other month for water/sewer services received over a two-month period. “Right now we’re preparing for the billing of the other half of our customers,” Jones said.
Jones said the Authority is looking at other payment options down the road. “After this transition period and everything gets settled in, then we’ll look at other forms of payment,” he said. “Right now we’re in the middle of the transition period, and it should last another six weeks or so,” he added.
The bill payment options under consideration could include paying water and sewer bills online or having the bi-monthly payment drafted directly from the customer’s bank account. “Of course, our customers would still be able to pay their bills by mail, in person, or dropping the payment in our drop box,” Jones explained.
The director said everything is going about as well as can be expected this early in the process. “Anytime there is a merger of systems, there are a few hiccups along the way,” he said. “The system has its challenges, but we’ll work through them.”
Any water or sewer customer of the Halifax County Service Authority who has questions can call the Authority at 476-4272.

County Budget Hearing Monday

A public hearing on Halifax County’s proposed 2008-09 budget totaling $98,398,752 will be held Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the board meeting room at the Mary Bethune Administrative Complex in Halifax.
A budget advertisement appeared in Monday’s newspaper detailing the revenues and expenditures as well as advertising an effective real estate tax rate increase from 41.5 to 48 cents, personal property tax rate increase from $3.30 to $3.65, and machinery and tools tax rate of $1.26.
The county underwent a general reassessment of real property that became effective January 1. The total assessed value of property increased approximately 15.9 percent, a figure that does not include new construction and additions since last year.
According to information provided by the commissioner of revenue’s office, the property tax assessment information indicates the assessed value of real estate in the county totals $2,534,934,479; mobile homes valued at $24,404,662; personal property at $214,026,616; personal property/rolling stock valued at $5,884,300; machinery and tools valued at $113,786,300; public service corporations valued at $1,022,478,738 and public service corporations’ personal property valued at $291,285.
At existing rates, the current property tax assessment will result in $23,444,882 in locally generated property tax revenue.
Based on the real estate tax rate of 41.5 cents per hundred (which has been lowered from 48 cents to reflect the recent reassessment), each one cent increase in the tax rate will generate $358,182, and each penny increase in the personal property tax rate will generate $21,431.
The advertised budget reflects a 6.5 cents increase in the real estate tax rate that would bring in an additional $2,328,183.
The 35-cent increase in the personal property tax rate will generate an additional $7,500.85 in the proposed budget.
According to County Administrator Bryan Foster, budget projections also assume revenue of $500,000 in fiscal year 2009 resulting from the sale of some vacant school facilities.
With the acquisition of the fairgrounds property, the county also anticipates expected revenue of $100,000 from the rental of the fairgrounds and from operation of the Halifax County Fair in October.
Included on the expense side of the proposed budget, personnel is the county’s largest expenditure.
A pool of 3.5 percent has been set aside to fund merit-based salary increases for county personnel.
Included in the proposed budget is a 2 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all employees covered under the county’s pay system, and the merit component has been reduced to a pool of 2 percent of salary expense.
Depending on their evaluation, which occurs on an employee’s anniversary date, employees will be eligible for up to a 3 percent merit increase in addition to the COLA.
Health insurance and retirement are the two main benefit expenses.
VRS contributions are expected to decrease, while health insurance costs for the county will remain level, Foster said. The county will continue to contribute a flat $362 per month towards employee insurance coverage.
Other increases in personnel expenses include the addition of a position in the treasurer and commissioner of revenue offices due to implementation of twice annual real estate tax collection, and two new positions are needed due to increased workload, Foster said.
The two new positions are necessary in public works for staffing at the transfer station and in general properties to assist with the increased workload due to the addition to inventory of five vacant school facilities and the fairgrounds properties.
Solid waste represents another new annual expense totaling $1.3 million in the proposed budget.
Broken down, the landfill tipping fees are projected to cost the county $800,000, and transportation fees are estimated at $500,000 for the $1.3 million solid waste expense.
Construction began in February on the new solid waste transfer station that is expected to be operational in August. Costs for constructing the solid waste transfer station will be paid with reserve funds, according to Foster.
The county borrowed $5.2 million to acquire 300 acres of property and finance construction of this project.
The county administrator said the proposed budget also continues significant funding for economic development efforts.
The IDA requested a significant increase in its appropriation from the board. The Halifax Opportunity Fund will have four local expansion projects – ABB, Dollar General, J.M. Huber and Sunshine Mills – totaling approximately $300,000 that will be paid out in fiscal year 2009.
Any other projects will require the board to vote to use reserve funds or some other revenue source for this purpose, Foster added.
Not included in the proposed budget is the school system’s requested operating increase of $2,671,050. Instead, the county administrator has recommended an increase of $693,000.
Also not found in the budget is debt service of $197,000 in interest payments on the $5.2 million borrowed to purchase property and construct the transfer station. Supervisors have indicated one-time revenue gain from the twice a year tax collection will be used to pay off this debt.
A social services request for an increase of $211,000 in local funds also has not been included in the budget.
Although the Industrial Development Authority requested an operating increase of $182,793, the budget only recommends an increase of $34,601.
No funds for any renovation projects are included. It is assumed a draw down of fund balance would be utilized if any projects were pursued, Foster said.
No other new outside agency requests are being funded in the proposed budget.
In order to balance the budget, the county administrator has recommended increases in the personal property and real estate tax rates and using $1.1 million of the unrestricted fund balance, and using $700,000 of unrestricted fund balance earned from interest on the VPSA bonds towards school debt service.
Foster also has recommended funding only minimal additional local dollars for the schools and lease-purchasing new school buses instead of outright purchasing the buses to balance the budget.
Budget cuts across departments and agencies also are anticipated to balance the proposed budget.
“I have implored the board for the last three and a half years to break down barriers and change some of the structural deficiencies that exist. This was discussed again at the planning retreat in January, and I believe there was finally a realization at what needs to be done,” Foster said.
During the budget process, the county administrator has urged the board to use its political will and power of the purse to make these changes occur.
“If I could wave a magic wand and make it happen, I would do so. Since this is not possible, the board must be firm and work to bring about the real changes needed,” he said.
“We must place a value on what is important and what we are willing to pay to achieve it. In essence, it is all about choice,” Foster added.
“The board must make hard choices about the community it wishes to create and sustain, and incorporate these choices into the financial decisions within this budget. Our future is bright if we commit the resources and political will to make it happen,” the county administrator concluded.
The public will have an opportunity to voice opinions on the proposed budget Monday night at the 6:30 p.m. hearing.

Proposed Plant Could Generate
New Jobs

Friday’s announcement that Halifax County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is courting NOVI Energy, LLC, in an effort to locate a $150 million wood-fired power generating facility at the former Georgia-Pacific site on Plywood Trail, has brought mixed responses from the community.
Due to concerns about air pollution mixed with enthusiasm that the industry will create new jobs, the Michigan based energy plant is already generating a type of energy here — a feeling of anticipation.
Halifax County’s Industrial Development Authority has entered into a purchase option agreement with Novi Energy to develop the energy facility here that will provide between 30-35 jobs.
Anand Gangadharan, president of NOVI Energy, LLC, said Tuesday NOVI is spending “a significant amount of money” on the prospect of locating a power plant in Halifax County.
“It’s not a done deal, but we have very good prospects,” Gangadharan said. “We’re taking it for the permitting process, and although it’s not a done deal, it’s very encouraging.”
The NOVI president described the power plant as a basic renewable power plant that would burn wood chips.
He ruled out any possibility of the plant burning ethanol or any other liquid fluids.
“We’re solely focused on wood chips. We’re not into burning liquid fluids,” he said.
If NOVI constructs its wood-fired power generating plant at the former Georgia-Pacific site, Gangadharan said plant employees would be hired locally.
“We would need plant operators with some technical training, managers and staff specialized in administration. Most would be full-time employees with full benefits earning an annual average salary of between $55,000 to $65,000,” he explained.
Some positions would possibly pay less, but that would be an average annual salary, he added.
He emphasized the plant would not emit “much smell.”
“We’re not that kind of industry,” he said pointing out the power plant would not be similar to a paper mill, but rather a wood-burning facility.
“We would use the best technology, and you would hardly notice it,” Gangadharan added.
In addition, he said the ash from the burned wood would be returned to its original location to be used as a type of renewable resource fertilizer.
“We’re trying to be responsible on that front,” he said.
The NOVI president explained last summer NOVI Energy completed a preliminary feasibility study on locating a wood-burning power plant in Halifax County with positive results.
NOVI Energy was the consultant that performed the study and presented its findings to the Halifax County Chamber of Commerce in August.
Following that study, IDA’s executive director said, “This would be attractive to power companies because it qualifies as renewable energy.”
“The power plant could burn wood scraps or other types of fuels, but wood would be the simplest,” according to Eades.
“Acquiring the necessary permits could take from six months to a year. Then the actual construction could take three to four more years,” Eades further explained.
Eades believes a wood-burning power plant such as NOVI would have a pronounced influence on the timber industry in the region.
“Wood scraps could be used for fuel,” he said.
The scraps are what’s left over after a logging company cuts and removes timber from the land.
“They’re usually left on the ground to rot … they could be collected and used as fuel for the power plant,” he added.
Eades said NOVI Energy was attracted to the former Georgia-Pacific site because it has the railroad line, it’s close to the river and would have easy access to the power transmission line.
“Power companies in the immediate region would be obvious targets as customers for the power the plant would produce,” Eades added.
Although it is not a done deal, Eades described the ongoing process as “a pretty massive undertaking due to the permitting process.”
He anticipates the facility could be in production by the end of 2011.

Obituaries

Lillian Grace Andrews
Lillian Grace Andrews died on March 23, 2008. She was born on September 22, 2004, in Roanoke, and lived in Franklin County.
She is the daughter of Rebecca Andrews and Howard McQuilkin Jr., and the sister of Journie and Peyton McQuilkin; the granddaughter of Warren and Pam Corbell, of Rocky Mount, David and Lorraine Andrews of Carolina Beach, N.C. and Howard McQuilkin Sr. of Roanoke; the great-granddaughter of Bill and Frances Moorefield Eason of Buffalo Junction, and the late Henry Morfield, and Janet Corbell of Maple, N.C. and the late William Corbell, the Rev. Gene and Mary Andrews of Holly Grove, AK., and the late Della Poteat Andrews, and the late Thomas and Evelyn Roughley of Long Island, N.Y.
She was a student of Country Kids Childcare Center in Rocky Mount.
Funeral services will be held at Flora Funeral Chapel in Rocky Mount at 2 p.m. March 29, with Rev. Gene Andrews officiating. Burial will follow in Mountain View Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home, 665 South Main Street, Rocky Mount.

Lorene Gravitt Nelson
Lorene Gravitt Nelson, 87, of 1048 Carolina Avenue, Virgilina died March 24, 2008, at her home.
Mrs. Nelson was born June 17, 1920, in Virgilina. She was married to the late Robie James Nelson, and was a member of Union Christian Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Shellie Nelson Bellairs and husband, Del, of Raleigh, N.C.; two sons, James Allen Nelson and wife, Vivian, of Roanoke, and Ira Bran Nelson and wife, Sharon, of South Boston; six grandchildren, Teri Loree Bellairs and friend, Lance Buchholz, Dwayne Alan Nelson and wife, Kim, David Victor Nelson and wife, Nikki, Laura Nelson Woods and husband, Patrick, Jeffrey Allen Nelson and fiancé, April Feeser, and Michael Thomas Nelson and wife, Debra; and three great-grandchildren, Mollie Mckenzie Woods, Emily Anne Woods, and Katherine ‘Kate’ Leigh Nelson. Several brothers and sisters preceded Mrs. Nelson in death.
Funeral services will be held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel tomorrow, March 27, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Jimmy Pulliam officiating. Burial will follow in Virgilina Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, March 26, from 7:00 to 8:30, at the funeral home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn, Avenue, South Boston, 24592, South Boston Fire Department, 403 Broad Street, or Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 266, Virgilina, 24598.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@embarqmail.com

Returning Home Good Experience For Waller

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Casey Waller spent a good deal of his life here in Halifax County. Growing up in an area where baseball is one of the top sports, Waller went on to become of the better players at Halifax County High School. In fact, Waller was one of the key figures of the 1984 Halifax County High School baseball team that won the Group AAA state championship.
Waller returned home last Friday night, bringing with him his varsity baseball team from Loyalsock Township, Penn. down to face the Comets. It was the second year in a row that Waller had brought his team to town to face the Comets, a team coached by his former high school teammate Kelvin Davis.
“I still get chills coming out here,” Waller said as he looked out over the Halifax County High School baseball diamond.
“I remember playing back here when we won the state championship and playing with the group of guys we had back there.”
Waller has tried to make the trip to Halifax County High School more for his Loyalsock Township players than just coming to the diamond, warming up, playing the game, and leaving for the next destination.
“I’m excited coming back here, showing the team a little bit about my background with my family and my friends, the school I went to and what baseball is like in Virginia,” Waller explained.
“I’ve been taking them all around. We went to James Madison University and toured the campus. I had a chance to take the kids over to Averett University to see Ed Fulton who played at Florida State and then played with the St. Louis Cardinals organization. That was a great experience.
“I then took them around Halifax County High School where they could tour the facilities and see things,” Waller continued.
“I didn’t want them to be in awe of anything. I wanted them to appreciate and respect everything and not be nervous, just come out and play the game the way the game should be played.”
Waller said it is a great opportunity for him to be able to go onto the field and coach against Davis who played alongside him in the Comets’ state championship season of 1984.
“It’s great to come out here and coach against somebody of his caliber,” Waller said.
“I know that those guys (from Halifax), just playing under K.D., they’re going to be knowledgeable of the game. They’re going to have a strong work ethic and they’re going to be fundamentally sound. I know they’re going to be polished and I know they’re going to be ready to play.”
Waller pointed out that even though he and Davis had coached against each other, they were working together to try to help each other’s program.
“I talked to K.D. and told him if he saw anything my kids were doing that he picked up on to please let me know and I’d do the same for him,” Waller noted.
“We’re working together to try to help each other out and develop these kids so that in the long run we’re both out there competing for state championships.”
Waller, in his fifth season as the head coach of the Loyalsock Township varsity team, noted that coaching baseball in Pennsylvania has its own unique challenges – one of which is the weather.
“It’s a lot tougher up there, just because you’re inside more,” Waller pointed out.
“You’re not able to get outside. You do a lot of your work in the gym and in the weight room. Down here (at Halifax County) it’s more year-around because you are able to get outside more.”
A perfect example, Waller noted, was that it was snowing in Loyalsock, Pa. Friday morning.
“This (Friday night’s game) is the first time we’ve been on a ballfield,” Waller pointed out.
“We’ve been playing on the parking lot, in the gym, and just about any kind of field we can get.”
While Waller’s focus with his players is on baseball, he also tries to instill in his players the importance and the need for doing the right things – both on and off of the baseball diamond.
“We talk about pride, we talk about work ethic and we talk about focus,” Waller explained.
“We talk about the players staying away from alcohol and drugs. The girls, sometimes they can get sidetracked with that. We talk about just going out there (on the field) and understanding the game, playing the game the right way, and developing a strong work ethic.
“That,” Waller concluded. “will carry over to whatever else they do in life. I just try to instill that passion in them because it will serve them well whether they’re playing baseball or doing anything else in life.”

Experienced Girls Soccer Team Off To Good Start

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Experience is paying off for the Halifax County High School varsity girls soccer team.
Taking advantage of its experienced players, the Comets have rung up a 4-0 record through its initial series of non-district games.
A good number of players returned to the fold this season, with Melissa Smith, Sarah Rosche, Mary Beale, Lacy Will, Emily Rosche and Lauren Faulkner back to give the team a solid foundation from which to work.
Smith, Beale and Will are in the fourth season of playing for the varsity team, Sarah Rosche is in her third year on the varsity. Faulkner and Emily Rosche were brought up to the varsity team from the jayvee squad in mid-season of their sophomore year and are in their second season of playing on the varsity squad.
Meredith Elliott and Taylor Raney are also in their second season with the varsity team. Junior C.A. Nichols was moved up to the varsity team in mid-season last year and returns this season. Megan Rosche, who was also moved to the varsity team during the course of last season, is back this season and looking to rebound from injury problems that have have hindered her the past two seasons.
“We have some girls that have some experience,” said Comets head coach Sid Young.
“This year is very similar to last year in some ways. We had good experience last year as well.
“The main difference between this year and last year,” Young continued, “ is last year I felt more comfortable with the depth we had. We’ve got some depth this year. We’ve just got to work on it. Last year we had some juniors up from jayvee and we weren’t tremendously sure what they would do. They performed well in the two pre-season scrimmages and we felt comfortable about it.”
Last season, it appeared that the Comets had enough talent and skill to make an impact in the Western Valley District. However, a rash of injuries and the impact of the death of one of the team’s players, Kristina Hooker, took its toll.
“Last year, it looked like we had everything in place,” Young pointed out.
“Then we had the death of Kristina Hooker and some injuries and all of that ate us up. The girls get along extremely well. They looked after each other.
“This year,” Young continued, “we’re still in the process of building as far as getting that cohesiveness back. Having the core group from last year back this year helps a lot in that, especially having the three seniors (Smith, Beale and Will) that have been here for four years.”
The Comets finished the 2007 season with an overall record right at the .500 mark. But, the team saw its season come to a quick end when it lost the play-in game that kicked off the Western Valley District Tournament.
“To me, that (the team’s record) is somewhat misleading because a lot of the games we lost were much closer than they had been in the past. We made progress. We gave E.C. Glass and Franklin County good games. In the second game against Patrick Henry here, we managed to score three goals on them and nobody had done that all year.”
The only position on the field the Comets have had any question about is at goalkeeper. That question is becoming less of a concern, however as time has passed. Sophomore Nia Brown has stepped into the position and, while Brown is making good progress, there is still plenty of work ahead.
Also working at goalkeeper is senior Ti Lambert.
Young said he feels his team can improve over the marks set by last year’s squad.
“The big thing is going to be the keeper position,” he said.
“We’re trying out something a little new right now to try to compensate for the lack of experience we have at keeper. We’re going to try to do a little something with our defense, but we’re also going to try to work it so we can encourage our offense too. We have some people up front that can produce.”

Comets Girls Remain Unbeaten

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
The Halifax County High School varsity girls soccer team kept its unblemished record intact Friday night with an 8-1 road win over Tunstall High School.
Friday night’s win was the team’s fourth victory of the season.
Halifax County got three goals each from Mary Beale and Sarah Rosche. Melissa Smith and Lacy Will each scored one goal.
Comets coach Sid Young said he was pleased to get the win, but noted that the team needs to continue to improve if it hopes to be competitive when the district portion of the schedule begins on April 8.
“We weren’t doing things we need to do if we’re going to be competitive with the Western Valley District teams,” Young pointed out.
“Tunstall had a young team. They started three or four freshmen and had one or two players hurt. They were a young, inexperienced team as far as varsity-level experience is concerned. They had trouble handling the speed of Melissa (Smith) and Sarah (Rosche).”
The Comets took an early 2-0 lead only to see Tunstall bounce back and cut the deficit to one goal. Halifax County answered with three more goals before the first half ended and led 5-1 at halftime.
Halifax County added three more goals in the second half to complete the scoring.
Young said his team needs to improve more on winning the 50-50 balls and improving its defensive positioning.
“What we need to do,” Young said, “is use these (non-district) games to play better and play smarter, gain experience and work on the things that we need to work on.”
The Comets will be back in action on Wednesday, April 2, when they host Bluestone at 5:30 p.m.