VOLUME 147 ISSUE 1 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
C HATHAM NEWS & R ECORD THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Opportunity Scholarship applications close Friday The priority application period for Opportunity Scholarships and ESA+ in North Carolina will close on Fri. March 1. Opportunity Scholarships are available to all North Carolina families, with award amounts determined by household income to assist with tuition and fees at eligible private schools. As of Feb. 26, 59,211 scholarship and 4,990 ESA+ applications had been submitted statewide. The NC State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) is offering extended call center hours on February 29 and March 1 to assist with applications. Incomplete applications will not be considered for the lottery, which prioritizes students based on household income, so verify your application at ncseaa.edu or call 855-330-3955.
Chatham senior games registration starts March 1 Athletes and artists 50 years of age and over can put their skills to the test when the 2024 Chatham County Senior Games & SilverArts kicks off April 12th at various sites throughout the county. Running through May 10th, a total of 18 events will be offered to include archery, track and field, football throw, softball throw, fun walk, golf, croquet, disc golf, swimming, cycling, bocce, bowling, table tennis, basketball shooting, cornhole, pickleball, tennis, and horseshoes. Tennis, pickleball and table tennis events include singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
NC fire fatalities drop in 2023 146 North Carolinians were killed in fires in 2023, down slightly from 151 in 2022. Seven of the deaths came from vehicle fires, a reminder that fire risks exist outside the home, too. The NC State Fire Marshal, which issued the report, encouraged everyone to ensure their home is equipped with working smoke alarms. Contact your local fire department or Red Cross office for more information or for assistance with checking or replacing your smoke detectors. Early detection of smoke is the most important weapon against injuries from fire.
Getting out the vote
PJ WARD-BROWN | CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Early voting is underway at the National Guard Armory in Siler City, on Feb. 22, 2024. The early voting period began for the primary election began Feb. 15 and continues through March 2nd. As of Feb. 27, 4,711 early ballots have been cast in Chatham County. Election day is Tuesday, March 5.
Carter Bank building a pricey remodel for Siler City By Robert Owens For Chatham News & Record SILER CITY — The Siler City Board of Commissioners met on Feb. 5, receiving a report from Hobbs Architecture about the condition of the Carter Bank & Trust building that the city acquired last year. The report was not a positive one, with the building meant to be used as office and administrative space as the city government continues to grow. “It worked well as a bank,” Taylor Hobbs, co-founder of Hobbs Architects, told the board. “Maybe not so much as an office building.” Adapting the facility for the city’s needs will involve considerable remodeling and updating.
“The cashiers desk would be removed,” Hobbs said “The current restrooms are not ADA accessible, so those would be renovated.” Additionally, an air quality report suggested the presence of asbestos and other pathogens within the building. “I’d hate to keep spending money on a building that we may or may not use,” said Mayor Donald Matthews, expressing concern the amount of work needed to make the facility usable. The acquisition of the building predates his election last year. The board was told it would likely cost more than $600,000 to address the asbestos and air quality concerns, and to make the building usable for administrative work. Commissioners
State Debt Affordability Study released; AAA ratings maintained By A.P. Dillon Chatham News & Record RALEIGH — The annual Debt Affordability Study, which assesses the state’s capacity to issue debt for capital needs and that influences credit quality evaluations by rating agencies, was released earlier this month. The Debt Affordability Advisory Committee (DAAC) oversees the Study each year and its members include State Treasurer and Chair Dale Folwell, as well as Ronald Penny, Secretary of Revenue; Nels Roseland, State Controller; Kristin Walker, State Budget Director; Jessica Holmes, CPA, State Auditor; as well as Senate appointees Frank Aikmus and Bradford Briner, and House appointees Donald Pomeroy and Eugene Chianelli. The DAAC’s Study emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the substantial unfunded pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) obligations, including retiree healthcare costs, and recommends a consistent yearly allocation of $100 million to the Unfunded Liability Solvency Reserve (Solvency Fund) established 2018 session laws to address these liabilities.
Additionally, the Committee has also suggested “continuing the single target calculation utilizing the limitation that debt service and the continuing annual appropriation to the Solvency Fund not exceed 4% of revenues.” In the 2024 Study, Folwell highlighted the repurchasing $20 million Connect NC bonds following the Silicon Valley Bank crisis when that institution was forced to sell off assets. Folwell said that by buying these bonds at a discount, the state’s taxpayers will save nearly $11 million. “This was a great opportunity for the taxpayers of North Carolina to get some relief during a tough inflationary period,” Folwell in a statement. “We are in the sixth year of retiring over 60% of the state’s debt over an eight-year period. I don’t know of another state or country that can say that. And that’s why ‘NC’ stands for ‘nothing compares.’ It’s a tribute to taxpayers, employers and the General Assembly that we have budget surpluses and reserves. But we still have approximately $43 billion in unfunded pension and health care liabilities. That bill will come due See DEBT, page A9
punted on making any immediate decisions, planning to consider the situation in more detail during an upcoming budget workshop. A minor zoning change was approved to allow the continued construction of a new Duke Energy facility that would, among other things, assist in returning power after natural disasters as well as to support additional development in the area. A Duke Energy subcontractor assured the commissioners that any vegetation used as a buffer for the development “would be the responsibility of Duke Energy” and should there be a need for new trees or a shrubbery and it “wouldn’t be a burden on Siler City.”
“It worked well as a bank. Maybe not so much as an office building.” Taylor Hobbs, co-founder of Hobbs Architects
Chatham Schools consider AI use in classrooms By Robert Owens for Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Schools Board of Education met for its monthly meeting on Feb. 12, Superintendent Anthony Jackson spoke of the increasing use of artificial intelligence products within schools, noting that it was early days for the technology but things were moving rapidly. The state Department of Public Instruction released “preliminary guidance on artificial intelligence,” Jackson told the board. “We’re giving teachers… guidance on how to use it as an instructional tool and not necessarily as something that kids are going to use to cheat.” The district will also be reaching out to parents with additional information about how AI is being used as well as developments over the next few years. The monthly Power of One Award — recognizing a district staffer or teacher who has made an impact on a student’s life — was given to Rachel Davis, a school counselor from Virginia Cross Elementary.
“Rachel is an amazing school counselor! She works hard to build relationships with students,” said the nomination for Davis. “Kids at our school love Mrs. Davis and know that they are safe with her. She is creative, full of energy, and always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. VCE is a better place because of her.” The first annual School Justice Partnership meeting with law enforcement partners met with a focus on “Really digging and looking at our data on how we can effectively communicate with all the jurisdictions that are around us.” according to a continued briefing of the board by Superintendent Jackson. The School Justice PartnerSee AI, page A7
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