Vol2

The Edenton Town Council will hold a Special Called Joint Electronic Meeting along with the Chowan
County Board of Commissioners & the Perquimans County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, April
21, 2021 at 4:00 pm.

The meeting will be held remotely hosted by WebEx. The Edenton Town Council will gather at the Town Council Chambers 504 South Broad Street, Edenton, the Chowan County Board of Commissioners will gather at the Chowan County Public Safety Center, 305 West Freemason St., Edenton. The Perquimans County Board of Commissioners will join individually.

The purpose of the remote/electronic meeting is to allow the three Boards to meet jointly and allow for proper social distancing due to COVID-19.

Seating will be available at the Chowan County and Town of Edenton locations and is limited. There is no public comment session for this meeting. The Special Called Joint Meeting is to receive a report on the Preliminary Regionalization Feasibility Study that looked at long-term Regional Water Supply and Treatment Options for Chowan County, Perquimans County, and the Town of Edenton and consider next steps.

Information to view the meeting electronically:
Join from the meeting link:
https://chowancounty.my.webex.com/chowancounty.my/j.php?MTID=m6d881e17e776f730a1dc52e01ca13933
Join by dialing in: 1-408-418-9388

Chowan County, known as the “cradle of the colony” today relies on tourism and travelers to generate over $24 million dollars worth of impact in 2019, with dedicated agencies working to present Edenton and Chowan County such as VisitEdenton.com, Destination Downtown, Edenton Chowan Partnership, and other aligned organizations and groups.

The Edenton town council wants and needs to hear from you concerning support of Airbnb and Vrbo rentals in Edenton without overly restrictive policies or acting as a proxy to existing HOAs and areas which already have restrictive covenants such as for the Cotton Mill Village or the Historic District.

By Colleen Karl, Chair Chowan Edenton Environmental Group

You live in a region surrounded by water.  The Albemarle-Pamlico Sound area is the 2nd largest estuary in the world and throughout North Carolina’s history, the Albemarle Sound has been important to the people living near its rivers and streams.  As Chowan County residents have known from the earliest days of colonization, the Sound, the Chowan River, and its tributaries generate a special sense of environmental stewardship.  The fisheries bearing local family names are plentiful along the shorelines; the ancestral acreage that parallels the river is either still active farmland or the farms have become valuable conservation lands; and for many, the sandy beach outcrops, popular as family vacation destinations for years, continue today as organized waterfront communities.   The management and oversight of this valuable natural resource will always be our responsibility.  

In North Carolina’s constitution, Article 5 Section 4, sets limitations upon the increase of local government debt and provides clear guidance concerning the need by the majority of qualified voters to approve such actions, while also providing for qualifying exemptions.

It is not clear how or even if the county can take on $35 Million of new debt without voter input, however this is an area that would benefit by more clarity and voter input should the county pursue a USDA loan to fund the Phase 2 of the High School Project, considering that last referendum was voted down. Details on the past votes are below.

One can assert that if the county reduces its debt this should enable the county to address other areas that have been in need for many years, including facilities such as the Northern Recreation Center, the county courthouse or other facilities under county management, before taking on new debt that would be paid by county tax payers for many years in the future.