VOLUME 9 ISSUE 16 | THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2024
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Since its inception in 2018, Wagon Tails Farm Pet Rescue has saved nearly 500 dogs, cats, goats, ducks and even reptiles through its foster program. Here, Geri Romain snuggles with Rocky, a former foster who’s staying with the family while his owner, a Marine, is deployed. Read all about Geri and Steve Romain’s passion for pets on Page 12.
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Duplin reveals proposed FY 2024-25 budget
BRIEF this week
Community Health Fair to offer free resources, citizenship assistance on June 15 Mount Olive NC Field will host Camino al Bienestar, a community event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, located at 3262 U.S. Highway 117 Bypass in Mount Olive. The event will have resources to help participants with applications in English and Spanish for SNAP and Medicaid, free haircuts, groceries, free headphones for students, Zumba classes, Medicaid workshops for small businesses, help with applications for the $600 onetime payment for agricultural workers, free citizenship workshop and more! To make appointments for the free citizenship workshop, call 980-202-4246. DJS
ECU Health Duplin Hospital welcomes new nurse graduates Kenansville ECU Health Duplin Hospital recently welcomed Summer 2024 new nurse graduates with a signing day luncheon. “We’re grateful these gifted professionals have chosen to begin their nursing journey with our team and we’re looking forward to seeing them achieve great things as we work together to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina,” a Facebook post from the hospital reads. New nurses include: Lindsay Mosier, Emergency Department; Sarah Apthorp, Intensive Care Unit; Myranda Vogan, Women’s Center; Amanda Marshall, Emergency Department; Bailey Smith, Intensive Care Unit; Kashavia Pickett, Medical Surgical Unit; America Santibanez, Medical Surgical Unit; Serena Parsons, Emergency Department; Jenna Harrell, Emergency Department; Sydney Byrd, Emergency Department; Sydney Lanier, Medical Surgical Unit; and Grace McGee, Intensive Care Unit. DJS
School contributions call for half a million increase By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Marzella Morrisey, a Warsaw resident, expresses concerns about the proposed FY 2024-25 budget.
Warsaw residents express frustration with proposed budget allocations The town board will convene on June 18 for a budget workshop to revisit the proposal By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — There was a full house at the Warsaw Board of Commissioners held on June 10 as Town Manager Lea Turner presented the proposed FY 2024-25 budget. Among the highlights of the proposed budget is a 5% cost of living adjustment for all fulltime employees, a 10% increase in water/sewer user rates, and increases in the recreation fee schedule. “There are no outstanding loans at this time. Our taxes remain at $0.57 per $100 valuation. We have an estimated taxation of $226,441,939. This is an anticipated collection rate of 97%. The only changes to the fee schedule were a 10% increase to water and sewer funds for sewer revenue due to inflation costs,” said Turner, explaining that they need to continue making their debt service payment and also need to begin a capital improve-
“I say that 5% increase is not necessary when you’ve got to increase things for citizens of Warsaw who can hardly afford to eat.” Marzella Morrisey, Warsaw resident ment fund for capital expenses. Residents expressed their dissatisfaction with the increase in water/sewer rates adding that the services they are receiving are below standard. Angela B. Mainor expressed her dissatisfaction with the proposed recreation fee schedule, adding that charging $120 per hour to rent a place, and $350 to rent the kitchen was outrageous. “You won’t have nobody to rent the place anymore.” Mayor A.J. Connors explained that these funds are to help whenever repairs are needed. Residents also disagreed with the proposed 5% salary increase. See WARSAW, page 6
KENANSVILLE — County Manager Bryan Miller presented the $103,261,283 proposed FY 2024-25 budget at last week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting for the board’s review and consideration. The total proposed budget increased by 4.5% from last year. The general fund of $69,128,323 reflects an increase of $1.6 million in recommended expenditures with a fund balance appropriation of $3,305,554 and estimated revenues of $65,822,769. The general fund highlights a mandatory increase in retirement contributions to 13.66% for all non-sworn law enforcement officers, and 20.04% for sworn law enforcement officers, with 5% of that being a 401(k) contribution. There was a 3% increase to budgeted insurance costs per employee. Miller explained that instead of passing those expenses on to employees, the county absorbed the increase. Property tax revenues are estimated to increase about 2.45%. The budget also includes a cost-of-living adjustment, along with recruitment and retention increases for public safety departments, Capital requests of $796,428 and 5% increase to Duplin County Schools’ contributions in the amount of $500,008. The contributions from the general fund to Duplin schools have increased by half a million dollars each year for the last three years; school capital requests have also increased by half a million since last fiscal year. “The combined contribu-
“The combined contributions have increased close to $1 million. I think that speaks a lot to the commissioners’ dedication to our children’s education.” County Manager Bryan Miller tions have increased close to $1 million,” said Miller. “I think that speaks a lot to the commissioners’ dedication to our children’s education.” The biggest changes in general fund revenues are in sales tax revenues, which decreased 5.97% and a significant decrease of 56.57% in the restricted departmental revenues — this is the revenue brought in by building inspections. There was a 38.18% increase in the other revenue category. This category includes interest earned, rebate received by PCART program, interdepartmental sales and labor charged monthly to the departments. Departmental revenue increased 18.58% and a 2.51% increase in ad valorem. Among the highlights in the general fund expenditures is an increase of 22.48% in the debt service category, which includes the commons USDA payment of $578,270 and the animal services red leg loan payment of $130,000, said Miller. In contributions and transfers there is an increase of 13.51%, this includes the county contributions to the airport fund, capital reserve fund, See BUDGET, page 5
Teachey approves budget, puts bite into its pet ordinance Morgan Jacobs, the new town clerk, was sworn in By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal TEACHEY — The Teachey Board of Commissioners approved its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year at its regular monthly meeting Monday night and also continued a discussion from the previous month’s meeting regarding the town’s animal ordinance. The proposed budget included an increase in water rates of 10% this year, 5% next year and 3% in 2026 for a total increase of 18% over the next three years. Rates haven’t been increased since 2021, Mayor Bobby Jones said, and the increase is need-
“I think the citizens are going to be pleased to know that we moved on this pretty quickly.” Bobby Jones, Teachey mayor ed to keep up with the cost of living. “The town of Wallace is going up, and we’re trying to keep it the same for our residents,” said public works director James Parker. “By next year, we should be pretty much even.” The budget also includes a new town position, public works assistant, which will be open as of July 1. At last month’s meeting, numerous Teachey residents were
on hand to ask for the town’s pet ordinance to be updated, perhaps adding a monetary fine for ordinance violations. Commissioner Patrick Williams had proposed a $50 fine for violations at the last meeting, and the mayor followed up with County Commissioner Wayne Branch and County Manager Bryan Miller on how the ordinance might be enforced. “They said in order to amend their ordinance, they would not move the needle on service for our town unless there was a fee for service or a monthly contract that we would pay for that service,” Jones reported, adding that the town would need to amend the county’s ordinance so that livestock such as cows, chicken or pigs would be prohibited inside the town limits.
Commissioner Wanda Henderson asked if the county is set up to handle enforcing the ordinance for the town. The mayor responded that there are two new county employees that could possibly help respond to issues within Teachey, if the town decides to go that route. “In the meantime, I think we still need to adopt a fine for each complaint, while that process is being handled with the See TEACHEY, page 6
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