Hertford council approves retreat facilitator fee, email hosting and nuisance abatement; manager reports personnel changes

At its Jan. 10 meeting, the Town of Hertford council approved several administrative items and heard staffing updates from Interim Manager Janice McKenzie Cole.

Council approved a facilitator fee of $3,350 for a Feb. 26–27 council retreat at the Albemarle Commission. The facilitator’s scope includes pre-retreat planning, facilitation, note-taking and a report for the mayor and elected officials; the fee also covers travel expenses. Council approved the fee on a motion by Councilman Jerry Mimlitsch, seconded by Councilwoman Sandra Anderson (unanimous).

Council also approved consolidating the town’s email hosting with VC3 at a cost of $422.50 per month and a one-time setup fee of $576, on a motion by Mimlitsch and seconded by Councilwoman Connie Brothers.

Responding to a Sheriff’s Department request about a vacant, vandalized property at 205 Hyde Park, Attorney John Leidy advised the council it had authority to abate nuisances. Councilman Mimlitsch moved and the council approved allowing the Manager to proceed with boarding up 205 Hyde Park to abate a public nuisance.

Interim Manager Cole informed council that she had appointed herself Deputy Clerk and Main Street Manager. Separately, the council voted to place the Town Clerk under the Town Manager for organization and daily supervision while the Clerk remains appointed by the council. Interim Manager Cole also asked the council to resume monthly work sessions on the fourth Monday of each month; the council discussed scheduling approaches and Attorney John Leidy recommended adopting a set schedule to provide flexibility.

The council recessed the meeting to Jan. 24, 2022 at 6 p.m. at the Perquimans County Courthouse.