Mount Olive Commissioner Vicky Darden, far right, paid tribute to several people during the town board’s Tuesday, Nov. 14, session. From left are: Harlie Carmichael, veteran, former town commissioner and member of the Mount Olive Veterans Committee; Norman Moore, a member of Bryant-Best American Legion Post 215, who accepted a certificate on behalf of the late Donald Wooten, who was remembered by Darden; Alonzo Albertson, commander of the Donald H. Kirkman Chapter 45 of Disabled American Veterans, who accepted the honor on behalf of the organization; and Lynn Joyner, who was honored for her work with the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial Committee fundraiser. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
It took just over 30 minutes Tuesday, Nov. 14, for the Mount Olive Town board to handle a light agenda that included setting the stage for the newly elected board to take over.
That preparation included scheduling the swearing-in ceremony at the start of the board’s Tuesday, Dec. 12, session.
In unofficial results, Jerome Newton defeated at-large Commissioner Steve Wiggins in the mayoral race and Danny Keel defeated Robert King for the at-large seat.
Commissioners Barbara Kornegay, Delreese Simmons, Tommy Brown and Vicky Darden were reelected.
Vote totals will not be official until today’s canvass.
Commissioners agreed as well to return to meeting on the first Monday night of the month, effective Monday, Jan. 8, since Monday, Jan. 1, is a holiday.
The meetings will start at 6 p.m. instead of the current 7 p.m.
It will be a return to a meeting schedule the board followed prior to the 2019 election after which the meetings were scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.
Both actions were unanimously approved.
No one spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting nor during a public hearing to convert the intersections of Oliver and Nelson streets and Oliver/Gordon/Maple streets into three-way stops.
The change is an effort to improve safety and to reduce speeding.
“We do have a problem with that (speeding), and this is one way it can be addressed,” Town Attorney Carroll Turner said.
Following the public hearing, Kornegay made a motion to make the change. It was seconded by Brown and unanimously approved.
The change will be effective 30 days from Nov. 15.
Commissioners also agreed to proceed with the sale of three properties including the old driver’s license office on North Chestnut Street.
Prior to serving as the driver’s license office, the building housed Steele Memorial Library.
Turner said the town has received a $30,000 offer for the building. One request is that the first row of parking behind the building be included.
He pointed out that the town owns the entire parking area behind the building and that separating the requested parking row would require a survey that could be costly.
Turner asked commissioners if they wanted negotiations on the property to include the buyer paying a portion of the cost of the survey.
Commissioners decided to proceed, but to see if that could be negotiated later.
Kornegay made a motion, seconded by Brown, for Turner to proceed with the upset bid procedure for the sale. It was unanimously approved.
Under that procedure the bid will be advertised in the newspaper. If no one makes a higher bid within 10 days of the notice, the property can be sold for the $30,000.
If a higher bid is made, the procedure is repeated until there is no higher bid.
In another property issue, the board agreed to the sale of adjoining lots at 125 and 412 S. Church St. for $8,500.
The properties are owned jointly by the town and Wayne County, and the proceeds will be split between the two.
Turner reminded the board that the county originally had accepted a $5,000 bid on the lots through the upset bid procedure before realizing they were jointly owned with the town.
Town commissioners rejected the bid and the county told the town to handle it, which it did, Turner said.
Commissioners said they were glad they had rejected the $5,000 and were able instead to sell the lots for $8,500.
In other business, Darden and Wiggins presented certificates of appreciation to several individuals, including veterans.
“I want to thank you so much,” Darden said. “You have fought for us while we were sleeping. You are home now, but are still going through — you can’t get benefits, and some have just given up.”
Wiggins presented a certificate of Appreciation to the Donald H. Kirkman Chapter 45 of Disabled American Veterans.
Commander Alonzo Albertson accepted on behalf of the chapter.
“We serve 1,000 to 1,200 transitioning personnel a year from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,” Albertson said. “So we get pretty much swamped. There are a lot of veterans out here who do not realize we that we are there and don’t realize that there are funds out there.
“You served, we can get you funds for serving. You deserve it. So please come down and see us.”
The chapter office is located at 212 E. Mulberry St., Goldsboro. The office is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
For more information call 919-736-3015
Darden said she had just found out prior to the meeting that her friend Donald Wooten, senior commander for Bryant-Best American Legion Post 215, had died.
Wooten was always there for the town’s Black History Month Parade, she said.
Wiggins presented the certificate to Norman Moore, a member of the Bryant-Best American Legion Post, who accepted on behalf of Wooten’s family.
“This is proudly presented to Harlie Carmichael Jr.,” Wiggins said. “Thank you for your hard work and dedication in serving your community, the town of Mount Olive and this country.”
Carmichael, a former town commissioner, is a veteran and member of the Mount Olive Veterans Committee.
Darden also presented a certificate of appreciation to Lynn Joyner for her work and support of the Mount Olive Veterans Committee’s fundraising effort.
“This lady worked so, so hard,” Darden said. “She is a go-getter. When she put her mind to it, she gets the job done.”
Wiggins also thanked Joyner for helping make the fundraiser a success.
“She is a mover and a shaker and an asset to this town and to the Veterans Memorial Committee,” he said. “Thank you for your hard work and serving your community and veterans.”
