[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6577922,"mediaKeyId","3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb","parentId",3090962,"title","Commission approves one‑year appraisal contract and $50,000 PO to address tax office permit backlog","audioSeconds",183,"startMs",4685000,"endMs",4868000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb&start=4685&end=4868","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb/thumbnail_4685000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6577922/Pender-County/North-Carolina/Commission-approves-oneyear-appraisal-contract-and-50000-PO-to-address-tax-office-permit-backlog","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577922-bbb4f6b151bef54ce44b95eb7707c476/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199838&Signature=fpy0sLQmtjugASkWt9D4jLFc-~8j6xZ~yg7dMjTC9~Uosa8Pb8F4yYR5OlxQp9otm87zm0WQbzTGIKh7Q0bfFrmaVJ9XxcyR0Z0cEqsMGVibW8MpAqfrxF1fzE6j80cmjgyuaPedNB5228JD59yrSIZtRdt1EyDH3c3Ya6Ct0fpeCpN0pYtyQpEISyxVxzuZ5BLqyrHsEsP599XlSpOPU1qu0Z2qx2c0TQv5-OugzzkLQyGzG1V~NHh9ck2AXKrKc-d4eA8b2pd0BjySMFSO8yp91-YvqSI51LNatXZmdgGcEzCGSS18NzFz03rQ3zk2h4-sU1j4miH8r8CvPPKSXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pender County","date","2025-04-23T01:14:35.977Z","article","Pender County commissioners voted on April 22 to authorize a one‑year contract with Vincent Valuations LLC to provide appraisal and new‑construction inspection services for the tax office and approved a $50,000 purchase order for the remainder of fiscal 2025 to fund the work.

County staff described a backlog of building permits that must be inspected and entered on the tax rolls; Ryan Vincent of Vincent Valuations told the board the firm handles new‑construction appraisals and appeals processing. Staff said the county receives roughly 7,500 permits annually and that backlog growth averages about 500 permits per month when work is not kept current. At the time of the meeting staff estimated an outstanding backlog of permits on the order of approximately 1,400 that require attention.

Two contracting approaches were presented: (a) a multi‑year professional services contract with staged annual not‑to‑exceed amounts and (b) a one‑year contract (the option commissioners approved) with an annual not‑to‑exceed amount of $400,000 for up to 7,500 permits. County manager and staff said the contract model also provides appraisal expertise to support appeals, field visits, hearings and staff training while the county recruits permanent appraisal staff; staff further said in‑house hiring might eventually be less costly but that the current labor market is tight for experienced appraisers.

Commissioners debated cost, continuity and the difficulty of recruiting qualified tax administrators and appraisers; staff said a cost comparison showed a potential $100,000 savings under a three‑year contracted plan versus hiring four in‑house positions, but emphasized that finding qualified applicants to hire in‑house is difficult in the current market.

After discussion the board approved a purchase order increase of $50,000 for appraisal services for the remainder of FY25 and authorized entering into the one‑year contract with Vincent Valuations LLC (not‑to‑exceed $400,000 for the year) to address the permit backlog and assist with the upcoming Board of Equalization and Review activity.

Staff will continue recruitment for permanent appraisal staff, monitor backlog reduction, and report progress to the board.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 22, 2025 Board of County Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Facing a backlog of new‑construction permits that must be appraised for the tax roll, commissioners approved a one‑year contract with Vincent Valuations LLC for appraisal services and a $50,000 purchase order for the remainder of FY25 to help clear the backlog and support the Board of Equalization and Review.","taxTitle","Pender County, North Carolina","taxId",75713,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6577925,"Commission votes to move legal advertising to Wilmington Star‑News after public hearing and legal review",1733,2705000,4438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb&start=2705&end=4438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb/thumbnail_2705000.jpg","/articles/6577925/Pender-County/North-Carolina/Commission-votes-to-move-legal-advertising-to-Wilmington-StarNews-after-public-hearing-and-legal-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577925-09eafbbd4172a7c26c379834bd0dace7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199838&Signature=bTwj9J34BSCxhF~lenVqGWfpn7vjKOl-LtqaCs696CzgGDt2VYA7kf82UHicJrb~Y9KlJZ7j415bbQ0tMsVgMjBsWWJ91WBTtoJHcXOy7LWRoqiT4Trpgb-z8CDHB7nDwdwUffsuvWcGVr6g9cvHQQ7JnwJ9pVixrV9e-eVp4s7gjRpAlfKDCjQBX7dQNOopWB-Z6eDQYcrX9OmTRxHdvPXSEIJd1Evq8UlVL6xZFdpO4zIrf0pqqjD50aZk~3beCUIv~~Dtdt3vk4VT~lHNNMxH2lax38~FEIrXB3-pGERyHgjS-jXn0iY4YbV5C-68XSwJ2IPbIVkjmt3mocFtYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Following more than an hour of public comment and a legal analysis presented by the county attorney, the Pender County Board of Commissioners on April 22 voted to designate the Wilmington Star‑News as an acceptable newspaper for county legal advertising.

The topic drew several public commentators during the meeting’s public‑comment segment. Kenneth Ramsey and Rochelle Whiteside urged the board to keep legal advertising in the Pender Post Voice; Whiteside said switching to the Star News “will pass on a major financial burden to the residents of Pender County,” adding that a subscription to the Star News would be substantially more costly than the local paper. Beth Butler and other speakers cited North Carolina law on legal notices and argued the county must ensure the paper of record meets statutory circulation requirements.

County attorney Andre Hogan gave a legal overview of North Carolina statutes governing public notices (citing N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 1‑597 through 1‑599 and related case law). He told the board that the statutes require publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and that both the Pender Post Voice and the Wilmington Star‑News meet technical criteria for publication in the county. Hogan explained that publishers can supply affidavits certifying publication and that courts have focused on the “general circulation” requirement in prior cases.

Hogan said the county could choose either newspaper legally; the practical question for commissioners was cost and public reach. County Finance staff later pointed commissioners to past invoices and noted that Star‑News placement historically has been more expensive than placement in the Pender Post Voice but that Star‑News circulation reaches more county residents.

After discussion, a commissioner made a motion to use the Wilmington Star‑News for legal advertising; the motion was seconded, and the board voted in favor. The chair called for aye/raise‑hand votes; the motion carried on a recorded voice/hand vote of 3 in favor and 2 opposed.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged differences in cost and community access. Several public commenters asked the board to consider the Pender Post Voice’s long history of publishing county material and to weigh price and local access when ordering legal ads. County staff said they will continue to publish non‑statutory “government news” items and agendas and will provide commissioners with historical cost data and invoices for legal advertising.","After public comment and legal analysis, the Pender County Commission voted 3‑2 on April 22 to designate the Wilmington Star‑News as an acceptable publication for legal notices, citing state statute and circulation considerations; the change sparked public comment from residents who urged retaining the community Pender Post voice.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6577930,"Pender County HR reports employee survey: pay, benefits and training top concerns",530,1390000,1920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb&start=1390&end=1920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb/thumbnail_1390000.jpg","/articles/6577930/Pender-County/North-Carolina/Pender-County-HR-reports-employee-survey-pay-benefits-and-training-top-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577930-6cae92308927aeb1fcfe56fbb2deb0fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199838&Signature=NEI1hKfZ8urTscTF3fCMb2AKwhJfvrw8L8p7UZU3B6OjH0QGjF3RtJR2YVpKb5vfwEd-KdqWA9pbALSP6G9LbknfvZepWi0E3~rDTch666ilTl6LXVm18QIocEFdeZiEV2yIpLk3swiT8XBSNb0dIatO1Syerrk8oU4GxmRlN4-rROh9E4AFpkx1BrS4zr4XgUxmFzDOOxcse8yIW79wvwvi-R58LZGzTjsClcY7mIHA53ch4NbZ7vVxh7WQI0ODe16yAd7ufboMoTx21EOMcqc9abpEIh5uNQowcAQL7sJhKcixbfq2WaDOnMxbZaOvuUKxcyE0Y3mBsK3hKJYCaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Human Resources Director Kim Bennett presented results of a January 2025 county employee survey at the April 22 Pender County Commission meeting, reporting that compensation, benefits and career development were the top employee concerns.

Bennett told commissioners that 99 employees completed the survey (about one‑third of the county’s workforce) and that nearly 50% said their pay reflected their responsibilities “well” or “very well.” She said 88% were satisfied with the county’s benefits package and that 76% prefer email as the primary channel for internal communications.

On career development, Bennett reported that 44% of respondents said they consistently receive effective training, with 42% answering “sometimes” and 15% saying they do not get enough training. She described new and ongoing HR initiatives intended to address concerns: a countywide wellness incentive and Health Risk Assessments (more than 200 employees participated last year), a proposed compensation review plan focused on positions with high turnover, a new executive leadership program and more frequent “lunch and learn” events and supervisor training.

Commissioners asked how many employees work remotely and whether targeted surveys could be run for specific departments. Bennett said telecommuting is used primarily as a flexible schedule option for some departments and that some DSS caseworkers telecommute for space reasons; she said the county will require staff to be in new buildings when those facilities open. When asked how HR would reach the roughly 29% of employees who reported they would not go to HR with concerns, Bennett said HR is pushing in‑person engagement (coffee and kudos events) and would like to increase staffing so HR could do proactive outreach to departments.

Commissioners and staff discussed response rates; Bennett said 99 responses represent under 50% of total employees (the county employs roughly 500 full‑time and about 300 part‑time workers). She proposed repeating the same survey next year to track progress and listed additional recruitment and retention efforts, including revised bereavement policy, changes to longevity pay and attendance at job fairs.

Bennett said HR maintains an open‑door policy and a confidential tip line and is exploring enhanced employee assistance program resources.

Commissioners asked HR to consider regular in‑department visits and additional HR staffing; Vice Chair Springer offered to meet with HR leadership to discuss engagement options.

Bennett closed by offering to provide the full open‑ended responses to commissioners on request and noted that HR will continue training and engagement activities into 2025.","Human resources presented results of a January employee survey showing pay, career development and work‑life balance as top concerns and described ongoing HR initiatives including a countywide salary review, training programs and a new wellness incentive.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6577935,"Pender County staff previews second round of public outreach for Imagine Pender 2050 plan",280,830000,1110000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb&start=830&end=1110","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090962-361dca0408d80560840efa135e983adb/thumbnail_830000.jpg","/articles/6577935/Pender-County/North-Carolina/Pender-County-staff-previews-second-round-of-public-outreach-for-Imagine-Pender-2050-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577935-72b16a207c03c4cef7d6aa57cb7e4c73/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199838&Signature=TExyjimAysXIxC31EBzB5BLMpIhy6oIF9TRHgn8Uvr8Hftxhab0-62Xyl40XJ8lAkz6cba7RRM8ltAxDgaRw4eSqTDWGDLwHEVvJj7iOZcYsvw-b0X-pFAhzv8QCvYdu1wP7RGnw-iv4C~S-jHPXB0GA9gHD0CbXLiQqySLEt9ezpgUB-bMazh7tMTG04ZRqnAqzKuMultm8djjiMyi8bKmwWBegU2LMRYaLofxwLN1FSoRLRAzyXrqBHV5MfK8OXONTc4QdiyKV-6rYGfhY8kkLI2nHedcWAAM2d2PdoShXpg0rIVuA-BE~thE7uFhGh3qnsubIXc2t8WTxI81mBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning Director Ken Adams told the Pender County Board of Commissioners on April 22 that staff will open a second community engagement window next week for Imagine Pender 2050, the county’s comprehensive land‑use plan update.

Adams said the county used a fall round of public engagement to draft goals, policies and actions and will now return to the public to ask, “How did we understand your information correctly? Did we get this right?” He said five in‑person meetings are scheduled in Hampstead, Burgaw, Penderly, Currie and Rocky Point, along with an online survey and other comment channels.

The presentation explained the plan’s organization: high‑level vision themes funnel into goals, then policies and finally actionable tasks. Adams listed three proposed vision themes: “coordinate growth, preservation and infrastructure,” “support the county’s fiscal health,” and “maintain a high quality of life.” He gave examples such as a goal of “safe and efficient transportation,” a policy to “require connectivity in multimodal transportation systems,” and actions including installation requirements for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in new development.

Commissioners asked how the plan would ensure developers deliver sidewalks and bike facilities. Adams said the county can use conditional‑zoning conditions and site‑plan requirements to require construction or, alternatively, codify in‑lieu fee options (per‑foot payments held in a fund until a segment can be completed). He also described coordination with the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization and the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and noted that county governments do not control street rights‑of‑way in the same way municipalities do.

Adams said staff has a grant approved through the WMPO for a multi‑use path connecting Kiwanis Park to U.S. 17 and Topsail schools. He urged commissioners to expect a plan review and approval request in the coming months once public feedback is incorporated.

Adams closed by directing residents to pindercountync.gov/imagine for details and invited commissioners and residents to contact Communications Manager Brandy Cobb with questions.

If commissioners approve the plan later this year, staff expects to follow the document’s actions with text amendments and implementation steps tied to the county’s regulations and budget process.","Planning staff told commissioners the county will begin a second round of public engagement next week on the Imagine Pender 2050 comprehensive land‑use plan and described the plan’s structure, key vision themes and example implementation actions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves one‑year appraisal contract and $50,000 PO to address tax office permit backlog

Commission votes to move legal advertising to Wilmington Star‑News after public hearing and legal review

Pender County HR reports employee survey: pay, benefits and training top concerns

Pender County staff previews second round of public outreach for Imagine Pender 2050 plan