Public Notices

BURGAW – When river levels began rising last year after a late-April storm dumped five to eight inches of rain across North Carolina’s Piedmont, North Carolina Emergency Management warned community leaders along the Neuse River what day and time the river would crest and just how high-water levels would reach in their community. A series of flood gauges provided that critical data.

In Pender County, along the Black River, a new gauge has been installed.

“This state-of-the-art gauge provides real time data,” said Tom Collins, Pender County Emergency Manger. “This gauge is a part of the FIMAN system – Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network.”

“Time and again over the last several years, we’ve used data from these flood gauges to warn residents and communities about dangerous flood conditions,” said Mike Sprayberry, state emergency management director.

The new gauge in Pender County will join the state’s network of more than 560 strategically positioned river and coastal gauges that measure water levels to warn first responders and residents who live and work near flood-prone areas. As the backbone of the state’s FIMAN system, the gauges provide real-time data that’s used to formulate forecasts, issue alerts and predict the flood’s impact to buildings and infrastructure. The data collected by emergency management is also available to NOAA and the National Weather Service to be incorporated into their flood forecasts.

During Hurricane Matthew, FIMAN was used to accurately direct evacuations and deploy resources. It can show precisely which buildings and homes will flood when local rivers or streams reach certain flood levels.

Sprayberry said much of the flood data is available in real time through the ReadyNC mobile app developed by NCEM. App users can click on Flood Gauges to check the current status of creeks and rivers nearby to see if the stream is at normal levels or minor, moderate or major flood stage.

While the state has purchased and installed most of the gauges, several communities also have bought devices to add to the state’s flood-warning system.

“The Board of Pender County Commissioners paid $20,000 for the installation of the gauge,” said Collins. “It will be state maintained and will provide us important information before, during, and after a flood event.”

“Adding new gauges in these areas will help communities be more aware and prepared for flooding, and will allow for better warning when floods are coming,” said State Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry.  “FIMAN is a powerful tool that helps us predict very accurately what areas will be affected by flood waters, so emergency managers and local officials can take the appropriate actions to keep people safe.”

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During a September 2017 Pender County Board of Commissioners resoundingly approved the idea of naming a portion of US Hwy 17 after Ambassador Mattie R. Sharpless, a Hampstead native.

On May 10, Pender County turned out to honor one of their own as the idea became a reality.

A dedication ceremony, conducted on the steps of Manhollow Missionary Baptist Church, named a portion of US Hwy 17 was named in honor of Sharpless.

Sharpless, a graduate of Pender County Training School in Rocky Point, was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as Ambassador to the Central African Republic. She was nominated Oct. 1, 2001 and just weeks later was confirmed by the U.S. Senate. She began working from the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui, by mid-December of the same year. She served as the U.S. Ambassador for two years.

Sharpless was not a career diplomat. She started her government career in 1965 with the Department of Agriculture (USDA).  She worked with the United States Foreign Agriculture Service.

The child of a tobacco farmer, Sharpless lost her father, James Sharpless, when she was just 11 years old. Her mother, Lecola, made money from selling the tobacco from the 12 rows left by her father.

“I washed dishes at the restaurant and I scrubbed the church,” said Sharpless at the May 10 ceremony at Manhollow Missionary Baptist Church.

Sharpless pursued higher education and attended North Carolina College in Durham, a historically black college, in which she earned a degree in business education. The school became North Carolina Central University and she returned to Durham to earn a M.A. in business administration and economics.

Sharpless is an example of a person who dreams and works hard to achieve great things, said Pender County Commissioner David Williams.

“It’s a pleasure to honor one of our own,” said Williams. “In September 2017, the board of commissioners read about Ambassador Sharpless’ accomplishments. We were asked to pass a resolution to honor her. It was a no-brainer to honor this humble, confident, and genuine lady. This is a big deal to have a portion of US Hwy 17 named in her honor.”

“This highway was only two lanes as we grew up,” recalled Glorious Leaven, sister of Mattie Sharpless. “We walked this way to the schoolhouse and the church and we didn’t see many cars on the highway.”

Today the North Carolina Department of Transportation dedicated signs along the highway from Union Bethel Road to the Pender/Onslow county line in honor of Mattie R. Sharpless. Her life’s journey has taken her to Africa, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and points beyond.

Joining in the dedication ceremony were Landon Zimmer, a member of the NC Board of Transportation; NC District 5 Court Judge James H. Faison III, NC Attorney General Josh Stein, Pender County Commissioner David Williams, Surf City Mayor Doug Medlin, Warsaw Mayor A.J. Conners, Chief of Staff at North Carolina Central University Dr. Al Zow, NAACP Director District 16 Deborah Dicks-Maxwell, and Manhollow Missionary Baptist’s Rev. Dante A. Murphy. Also attending the ceremony was Sharpless’ 96 year old mother, Lecola.

“Ambassador Sharpless has raised the level of education in North Central Africa,” said Stein. He commended Sharpless for her efforts of stressing education for girls. “She was extremely influential and a school in Africa was named after her.”

Surf City Mayor Doug Medlin said it was the “perfect day to honor a perfect lady.”

“You make us proud,” Medlin said. “You have given our students, especially our girls, an example to look up to.”

Topsail High School Jazz Band performed during the ceremony. The Pender High School JROTC presented the colors. Christa G. Faison played Amazing Grace on a violin as a musical tribute to Sharpless.

Sharpless thanked her many friends, colleagues from Washington DC, high school and college classmates, and her family for their support. She especially thanked Rev. Dante A. Murphy for spearheading the effort with NCDOT to have the honorary signs installed.

She joked that there were more steps and regulations regarding getting signage along the state highway than there were steps in a career in the federal government.

Sharpless retired in 2005 but she remains active in community projects, especially projects involving education, youth, and the elderly.

In accordance with the Public Water and Sewer System Development Fee Act, also known as House Bill 436, Pender County is seeking public review and comment on an analysis that has been prepared by Stantec Consulting Services Inc. which analyzes the maximum fee the County may charge for System Development Fees on new water and sewer connections.

This report presents the results of the comprehensive study, including background information, legal requirements, an explanation of the calculation methodology employed, and the results of the analysis. This analysis is strictly for water and sewer System Development Fees that are designed to recover the cost of water and sewer capacity collected from new connectors to each system. This analysis does not include the evaluation of water and sewer rates paid monthly by existing customers.

A paper copy is available at Pender County Utilities, 605 E. Fremont Street, Burgaw, NC 28425.
This analysis is open for public comment for a period of 45 days and expires on Friday, June 22, 2018. Consideration of adopting the fees will take place on July 2, 2018 at the Pender County Commissioner’s Meeting.

Written comments can be submitted to Pender County Utilities prior to June 22, 2018 by mailing to:

Margaret Gray, Utilities Director
Attn: System Development Fee Comments
605 E. Fremont Street
Burgaw, NC 28425

Or by email to:

mgray@pendercountync.gov

PRESS RELEASE

April 23, 2018

For Immediate Release

Contact Pender County Manager Randell Woodruff, 910-259-1200

PENDER COUNTY –  Pender County Commissioner David Williams will serve as an expert in the upcoming Cape Fear Forward, a panel on economic development on Wednesday, April 25, 5-7 p.m. in the auditorium of Cape Fear Community College’s Union Station, 502 N. Front St.

Williams will join Scott Satterfield of Wilmington Business Development, Natalie English of Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Scott Custer the president of Live Oak Bank, Dr. Adam Jones from the UNCW Cameron School of business regional economist, and Velva Jenkins, from Brunswick Community College’s VP for Continuing Education, Economic & Workforce Development on the panel.

“I consider it an honor to be asked by Chairman George Brown to serve on this regional panel,” said Williams. “I’ve worked on several committees which encourage economic development.”

Williams said Pender County has experienced a surge in economic development recently, with the addition of FedEx, Empire Distributing, and Acme Fish.

The forum is a community outreach program of the Star News.

For more information regarding the forum, please call Pender County Manager Randell Woodruff at 910-259-1200.

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HAMPSTEAD – Let’s play ball! It’s that season – spring – when youth from four-year old t-ball players to senior leagues take to the fields at Hampstead Kiwanis Park.

New to Smith Field is a press box, thanks to an $8,000 contribution from the American Legion Post 167 in Hampstead. Recently a plaque was installed on the side of the press box to acknowledge the contribution of the local post.

“One of our four pillars in the Legion is Youth,” said Jim Williams, who oversees the athletic committee in the local American Legion. “We sponsor at least one baseball team per season.”

This year the post will sponsor a junior team for ages 13-17. Smith Field, a lighted field, is the team’s home field.

Pender County Commissioner David Williams said the press box is a welcomed addition to Smith Field.

“It’s a multipurpose press box,” David Williams explained.

“The upper level is a press box and the lower level is storage,” said Jim Williams. “We will use one section of the lower level to sell snacks and drinks during games.”

Jim Williams said the Legion sponsored team will play against eight to 10 teams during the baseball season.

Admission to see the games are $5. Proceeds are used to fund Legion projects in the community.

“They play seven inning games. We hire professional umpires,” said Jim Williams. “We start every game with the American Legion creed, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the National Anthem. Our goal is to teach good sportsmanship.”

Williams said the head coach is Chris Bass and his assistant coach is Matt Floto. Fathers often help too. The junior team is for youth ages 13-17.

Try-outs for the American Legion team is April 29, 2 p.m. at Smith Field in Hampstead Kiwanis Park. The cost is $150 per player. Anyone with questions regarding the try-outs should call 704-906-9501 or email Williams.202@charter.net.

“The next project is a scoreboard and a public-address system,” said Jim Williams.

Commissioner David Williams said community contributions which benefit our parks are deeply appreciated. Donations, such the one made by Pluris for lighting at Smith Field, are community investments, he added.

“Our community is invested in our youth,” he added.

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BURGAW – The Pender County Board of Commissioners and Wilmington Business Development announced FedEx Freight, a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier, a unit of FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) has selected a 12.5-acre parcel at Pender Commerce Park for a new service center.

“The arrival of FedEx Freight highlights the rise of Pender Commerce Park as one of our region’s most appealing industrial properties, and demonstrates the county’s ongoing efforts t0 create jobs for its citizens,” said George Brown, chairman of the Pender County Board of Commissioners. The company will be the park’s third tenant. New York-based Acme Smoked Fish and Empire Distributors, a consumer supply-chain leader, established operations in Pender Commerce Park in 2013 and 2015, respectively.

Located on U.S. Highway 421 in the community of Currie, the 450-acre full-service industrial park was completed in 2011 as part of a partnership between Pender County and Wilmington Business Development (WBD).

“Pender Commerce Park is well on its way to being the modern business destination county leaders envisioned in 2006 when we began developing it,” said David Williams, a Pender County Commissioner who also represents the county on the WBD board of directors. “It is an asset that will further our push for greater economic diversification.”

“The choice of Pender Commerce Park by the world’s leading name in logistics is a huge vote of confidence for this fast-rising economic development asset,” said Scott Satterfield, chief executive officer of Wilmington Business Development (WBD), which markets the county to global businesses and provides technical advice to Pender County leaders. “The property is a significant regional product that enhances the convenience and connectivity of Greater Wilmington’s economy.”

Founded in 1956 as the Wilmington Committee of 100, Wilmington Business Development oversees business recruitment and industrial retention for the City of Wilmington, New Hanover County and Pender County. A private, non-profit organization [501(c)(6)], WBD supports its members, partners and allies through a broad array of technical expertise, leadership resources and value-added business services. For additional information, visit www.wilmingtonbusinessdevelopment.com.

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