CMYK How school lottery funds were distributed
Clouded thinking about smoking
Victory boys, girls fall to lighthose
From Page One, Page 3A
Opinion, Page 6A
Sports, Page 1B TUESDAY, December 15, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 293
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
Chamber of Commerce guest Crisco becoming familiar face in area
Unknown state, federal funding stalled process
By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Please see SPEAKER, page 3A
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5B Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-8B
Weather Today A few showers High: 61 Low: 35
Wednesday
By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
Foggy adventure
spring to develop a plan to respond to the loss of funds. Among other considerations, emphasis was placed on giving priority to people with the most severe needs; making reductions that would have the least impact on essential services; and increasing the monitoring of organizations that provide services in order to maximize the use of resources. In spite of these efforts, Hennike reports that waiting lists are growing and some services are closed to new consumers. Hennike said that local providers are cutting salaries and laying off workers who are much needed as demand has increased. Triumph, a mental health provider with two offices in Henderson, illustrates the situation described by Hennike. Triumph’s Program Director Anita Toney
Already deja vu in some respects, the Vance County Board of Education adopted its 2009-2010 Initial Budget Monday night. The $72,931,047 spending plan is 1.34 percent less than the one for the previous fiscal year. “With respect to budget development and adoption, this year was unique due to the State budget shortfall and weak economy,” Steven Graham, the school system’s finance officer, said in an interview. He explained that the State was late in finalizing its allotments to the schools. Also unknown until late, Graham said, were federal stabilization funds which were to be received by the schools to assist in off-setting the deficit. “Due to this delay, our budget processes were behind normal schedule this year,” he said. “In a typical year, we adopt an interim budget to work off beginning July 1, and then work towards the adoption of an initial budget in September,” Graham said. Due to the limited funding resources available to Vance County Schools for the current fiscal year and the next, he added, “We are operating in a ‘survival mode.’” Because the school system currently has a smaller financial “pie” for all of its requirements, Graham said, “We’re having to reallocate or re-cut the pieces to creatively and resourcefully meet priority needs.” The new budget is powered, in part, by $43,259,370 — which is 11.54 percent or $4,850,000 less than 2008-2009 — from the State Public School Fund. “Federal and local funding will have to replenish this hole left in State funding,” Graham said. Other funding sources and amounts for the budget include: • Local — $11,393,756, which is up 5.84 percent from the previous fiscal year. • Federal — $12,440,497, which is up 56 percent from the previous fiscal year. • Capital Outlay — $859,455, which is down 40.95 percent from 2008-2009. The decrease is due to the State’s withholding of Public School Building Capital Fund allocations to schools for the current year due to the budget shortfall. These funds are typically generated from a portion of the North Carolina Corporate Income Tax. • Child Nutrition — $4,767,815, which is up 4.40 percent from the previous fiscal year. • Child care — $210,154, which is down 17.76 percent from 20082009. Expenditures by object include: • Salaries and Benefits — 77.86 percent. • Purchased Services — 11.26 percent. • Supplies and Materials — 9.03 percent. • Capital Outlay — 1.07 percent. • Other — .78 percent.
Please see LOCAL, page 8A
Please see SCHOOL, page 3A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Cars emerge from the fog along Garnett Street near the fire station Monday morning. Dense fog made driving an adventure for motorists for most of the morning.
Third time’s a charm for Coffey, finally sworn as council member By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
New City Councilwoman Sara Coffey got to the bottom line in summing up her feelings after taking the oath of office for a twoyear term Monday evening “I guess only God and I know the meaning of, ‘You’ve come a long way, baby’,” said Coffey, who in the Oct. 6 municipal election defeated incumbent Bernard Alston in her third attempt. “Thank you to everyone that has supported me in all my times trying and finally winning,” Coffey said, her voice interrupted by applause. And Coffey thanked her husband for his support. Coffey, a bail bondswoman, said that, as she has in the business world, she will have an open door policy as a councilwoman. “I might not always have the answer, but I will always try to find it,” Coffey added. Coffey was the only candidate to unseat an incumbent. During the speeches of the other eight municipal officials who were re-elected Oct. 6, Councilman Michael Rainey referred to Coffey as the “new recruit” and
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
New councilwoman Sara M. Coffey receives a congratulatory hug from her husband Keith after being sworn in to office Monday night at the Henderson City Council meeting. After three tries for a council seat, she defeated the incumbent. All members of council and the mayor were sworn in. said he believed she would do a great job. “I’m sure she’ll bring some interesting comments, some good comments, some that we could use,” Rainey said. Councilwoman Brenda Peace additionally referred to Coffey in her comments, saying, “She has taught me something about tenacity and not quitting and not giving up and finally getting where she’s been striving to get.”
Each council member got the chance to speak after they were administered the oath by District Judge Henry Banks, himself a former councilman. “I will continue to represent you to the best of my ability,” Councilwoman Mary Emma Evans said, adding that most people know she ran on a platform of fairness in municipal government. Please see COUNCIL, page 5A
Local human service groups struggling
Enjoy the sun
High: 45 Low: 26
Details, 3A
Deaths Austin, Texas Carrie S. Wheatley, 86 Butner Mary A. Riggan, 76 William A. Wheless, 86 Fredericksburg, Va. Ronald Jordan, 72 Henderson Garey G. Wester, 66 Junious A. Edwards, 48 Margaret B. Greenway, 83 Manson Kenneth L. Daeke, 81 Queens, N.Y. Victor M. Tarry Sr., 70 Warrenton Lula Dunston, 89
Obituaries, 4A
50 cents
Finally a school budget
Commerce Secretary is speaker N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco will be the featured speaker at the 2010 Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce banquet. The annual gathering is set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at Vance-Granville Community College’s main campus, which is located off the Interstate Crisco 85/Poplar Creek Road interchange. And Crisco is becoming an increasingly familiar face in the TriCounty area. On Nov. 10, Crisco was one of a group of leaders who officially welcomed the Israeli-based Shalag Industries, which plans to open its first U.S. plant near Oxford. Shalag Industries is a supplier of non-woven fabrics in the hygiene and sanitary wipes markets. And Crisco tops a list of three officials scheduled to speak at the 2010 state Senate District 7 public forum, which is set for Jan.
Funding cuts mean most vulnerable citizens may have to do without By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer
Local human services organizations are struggling. It’s a double whammy: They have been hit hard by funding cuts. At the same time, the need for their services keeps growing. And it’s not just one source of funding that is affected. General state funds, mental health funds and Medicaid funds have all been Hennike reduced. These are funds that provide desperately needed services to the most vulnerable citizens — those that are sick, mentally ill, addicted to drugs, out of work, depressed, abused. There are many ways to be hurting and in need of help. Reading about the fiscal prob-
lems of human services organizations gives a person the sense that the problems lie elsewhere. But the problems are here in the community where we live. They are affecting our neighbors, our church members, our young people. Those struggling human services organizations are badly needed. They are reaching out. But their reach is limited by the current fiscal crisis. Valerie Hennike, Director of the Five County Mental Health Authority, points out that her organization — which oversees providers of mental health services in Vance, Warren, Granville, Franklin and Halifax counties — has received a reduction in state funds of almost $2.5 million. Most of that reduction will come out of various community-based services. The MH Authority began last