Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Media And Transparency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission votes to move legal advertising to Wilmington Star‑News after public hearing and legal review
Summary
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.
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.
