audit Wayne-Wilson News Leader, Fremont, NC

22 November 2007 – By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer
Progress in local towns was reflected in recent auditor’s reports. Annexation in Stantonsburg generated a big increase in revenues, while infrastructure work in Fremont and Pikeville lowered overall income.

The Town of Fremont finished the year with $8,279,674 in net assets. Auditor Briggs Petway of Petway, Mills, and Pearson said the town almost broke even this year, with a marginal profit of $6,800.

However, the town also increased its debt with the ongoing sewer project. Long term debt increased by $338,526, or 25 percent, during the last fiscal year.

Mr. Petway said the small amount of profit was a good sign for Fremont, because small towns are increasingly struggling to balance their budgets.

“Your pie ain’t gonna get any bigger, and the government asks you to slice it in more pieces each year,” he said. “Every town felt that.”
He also noted that in Fremont, like many small towns, property taxes are the only real source for generating income. While raising property taxes works for a while, he said, there’s only so much the people can handle.

He suggested that the town continue to pursue attracting business or industry to the town to generate tax revenue. He suggested that the town work with the department of commerce to attract a business.

“The department does a good job of looking for you, and Fremont is a good candidate to work with,” he said.

Mr. Petway also noted that the town only received a draft copy of the final audit, because the firm thinks a misplaced statement may have created an issue with some of the reports.

He did note that, while the town’s finances looked good overall, the town offices needed to make sure that there is a system of checks and balances on the town’s money.

“Be aware that in your town, like most other small towns don’t have enough people in office to separate incompatible duties, like keep custody of assets separate from person keeping the books,” he said. “You need to generate document that spells out what your internal controls are – checks and balances that protect financial operation.”
Auditor John Anthony of Anthony, Moore, and Tabb told the Town of Pikeville that the town “continues to be in very good financial condition.”

At the end of the fiscal year, the town had a cash balance of $1,338,115, with approximately $550,000 in the general fund and $783,000 in the utility fund.

Mr. Anthony said that balance was a good one for a town the size of Pikeville, especially with the debt level the town has.

The town generated $17,000 in revenues over expenditures last fiscal year, and operated all five general funds within budget, a state requirement.

As for the town utilities, some profit was generated, but much of the money went into renovation projects for utility systems.

The electric fund did earn a net $6,800 income, but the town won’t likely see that next year due to the electrical upgrade project that is currently underway.

The sewer fund experienced a loss of $5,500 due to interest on debt from a sewer project that finished up this past year.

Pikeville also had a high collection rate of property taxes, due in part to outside assistance. The town collected 98.77 percent of property taxes in the town, with only $1,800 in unpaid taxes for the year.
Vehicle taxes, which are collected by the county, had an 87.2 percent collection rate in the town of Pikeville, which Mr. Anthony said is actually a very high rate.

Annexation helped out the finances in Stantonsburg substantially, said Martin Amerson of Pittard, Perry, and Crone.

He reported that the town had a $1.1 million dollar increase in net assets, primarily due to the annexation of three streets into the town limits.

The town also eliminated all of their long-term debt by the end of last year. However, with a sewer and water project set to begin in the near future, Mr. Amerson said things probably wouldn’t stay that way.

He also offered comment on the controversial electric rate increase the town had this year and last year.

“In a sense you got ahead of the curve there,” he said. “It might not have been a bad idea to do that in a year that you paid off all of your debt.”

He also told the town that, although rates are seeing a big increase, they are still paying less now for electricity than they were in 1998, when they bought electricity from Wilson.

Stantonsburg had a property tax collection rate of 95.94 percent, and a vehicle tax collection rate of 77.6 percent.

Overall, said Mr. Amerson, the town received a good report.

Antioch Turkey Shoot

Antioch Fire Department will have its annual Turkey Shoot on Friday and Saturday nights, November 9-10, 16-17, and Wednesday, November 21. Cost will be $3.00 per shot and prizes include: turkeys, hams, sausage (link & patty), pork chops, and picnics. The Fire Department is located on Hwy. 111 North and Big Daddy's Rd. across from Northeast Elementary School. Shoot starts at 6:30 p.m.

Miss Stantonsburg pageant

The search is underway for Miss Stantonsburg 2007-2008. If you are a girl attending high school and living within two miles of the town limits, you can apply to carry the title and wear the Miss Stantonsburg Crown.

Entrants must fill out an application and be able to present a special talent upon request. There is a $10 entry fee, which should be paid at the time you pick up an application from the town hall. Completed applications are due back at town hall no later than November 20.

The competition will be November 27 at 7:30, immediately following the regular meeting of the Kiwanis Club. Additional information is on the application forms. You may also contact Mrs. Shirley Whitley at 238-3615 and swhitley@embarqmail.com or Mrs. Marie Edmundson at 236-7800 and premiervideo@hotmail.com. The contest is co-sponsored by the Stantonsburg Kiwanis club and the Town of Stantonsburg.

Eureka Christmas parade

The Eureka Christmas Parade will be December 9 at 3:00. Line up time will be at 2:00.

The entry fee for the parade will be cash donations and/or canned good donations for needy families in the area. For more information, please call Jimmy Wise at 242-3146 or Reta Chase at the Eureka Post Office, 242-5064.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2008

On January 21, 2008 the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Committee in conjunction with the City of Goldsboro and Wayne County will host the 20th observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.

Ads may be purchased for the souvenir program booklet. The deadline for all ads is Friday, December 14.

For more information, please contact the Community Affairs Office at (919) 580-4359.

Pikeville trash pickup

The Town of Pikeville has rescheduled its trash pickup to Friday, November 23 instead of Thursday, for Thanksgiving.

Letters from Santa

For a $5 donation to the Wilson Jaycees, your child/adult can receive a personalized letter from Santa. This project is open to ALL ages because adults often enjoy receiving letters from Santa as well!
Applications can be found online at www.wilsonjaycees.org and must be received (not postmarked) by December 10 to ensure Christmas delivery. If you do not have a child to send a letter to, donations are also appreciated. Mail application/donations to PO Box 2584, Wilson, NC 27894.
We will use our Santa money to purchase Christmas gifts for the Boys & Girls Home of NC at Lake Waccamaw.

Festival of Trees

The Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina will present its Festival of Trees from November 28 through December 21 at the Greenville Convention Center, 303 Southwest Greenville Blvd., Greenville.
Admission is free to see 100 holiday tree wonderland. Reservations are required for Story Time and Photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus, which costs $8 with one child in picture, $10 for two, and $12 for three. Reservations are also required for the live and silent auction and preview cocktail and hors d’oeuvres party, on November 30, which costs $30 for one and $50 for a couple.
All proceeds go toward providing emotional support and resource information for families who have a child with a chronic illness, premature birth, or disability, or who have experienced the death of a child.
For more information about the Festival or the Family Support Network Eastern NC, or to make a reservation, please call 252-328-9332 or 252-328-9337, or email fsnenc@gmail.com or fsnfestival@gmail.com.
The FSN-ENC website address is www.fsnenc.org.

Medicare plan D help

Open enrollment for Medicare D is through December 31, 2007. This is the time to change your drug plan, or get out of a Medicare Advantage Plan.
Wayne County Services on Aging, 100 John Street in Goldsboro, has Medicare counselors available. Appointments can be made on Tuesdays from 11-4, and other days on a limited basis. Call 731-1591 for an appointment.
WAGES, at 601 E. Royal Avenue in Goldsboro, is offering appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Call Terry Davis, Medicare Counselor, at 734-1178 ext. 205 to set up an appointment.
Please remember to bring your Medicare card and a list of your current medications to your appointment.

Christmas tree sale

St. Luke United Methodist Church will have a Christmas Tree lot on Wayne Memorial Drive, next to CVS Pharmacy and across from Wendy’s. They will begin selling freshly-cut Frasier Fir trees on Thanksgiving afternoon, with size ranging from table-top to ceiling-high. All net proceeds will benefit Goldsboro’s St. Luke United Methodist Church ministries. Santa will also make visits to the tree sale.

Storytime for preschoolers

Preschool story time for children ages 2-5 is held at the Fremont Library on Monday mornings at 10 a.m. Children are invited to come and participate in songs, craft projects, and the reading of fun books.

Cocaine Anonymous meetings

Cocaine Anonymous meets every Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. at Carolina Treatment Center, 1700 East Ash Street, Suite 200, Goldsboro. The group is 12-step focused, open, and non-smoking. For more information, call Kim at 919-583-9326 or Amy at 800-810-8423, ext. 145.

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Issue of 22 November 2007

Wayne Wilson News Leader
113 N. Wilson St., PO Box 158,
Fremont, NC 27830
(919) 242-6301 •
Fax (919) 936-2065

Princeton News Leader
119 W. Edwards St., Princeton, NC 27569
(919) 936-9891
Fax (919) 936-2065

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