Stories Across Granville

Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Posted April 19, 2024

Board of Commissioners Meeting Recap – April 15, 2024

Posted April 19, 2024

Commissioner Sue Hinman, Social Services Director LaToya Toussaint, Social Work Supervisor Joe Tartamella, and Commissioner Tony Cozart

The Granville County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on Monday, April 15 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center. The meeting featured the presentation of a proclamation recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month and an update from the Senior Services Advisory Committee.

Commissioners Sue Hinman and Tony Cozart (who also serve as members of the Granville County Social Services Board) joined Social Services Director LaToya Toussaint and Social Work Supervisor Joe Tartamella to recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child Abuse Prevention Month aims to protect our most vulnerable residents from all forms of abuse and neglect.

Senior Services Advisory Committee Chair David Smith provided an update on committee activities to the Board of Commissioners. The Senior Services Committee consists of residents from all seven county districts who advise the Senior Services department on programs and services provided by Granville County’s three senior centers. Other committee initiatives include monitoring the progress and design of the planned North Granville Senior Center in Stovall, enhancing the home-delivered meal program, and planning needs of the South Granville Senior Center in Creedmoor.

Other business conducted on April 15 included:

– The introduction of Grant Writer Jamie Oxendine, who began his tenure on April 1. Oxendine’s position is co-funded by the City of Creedmoor to provide grant writing services to Granville and Creedmoor.

– Approval of a final resolution for financing for the North Granville Senior Center.

– Approval of the extension of a lease agreement with Bi-Comm Systems for their tower that acts as the prime paging site for notifying fire and EMS of emergency calls from 911 Emergency Communications.

– Adopting a correction to the neighborhood adjustment factors that were originally included in the published 2024 Real Property Assessment Manual.

– Approval of a base bid of $1,975,439 and a contingency amount of $98,000 to Park Construction of North Carolina to construct water service infrastructure at Triangle North Business Park.

– Authorizing the County Manager and County Attorney to finalize a cash escrow agreement equal to 125 percent of the estimated cost of the required road improvements necessary to bring Triangle North Drive up to North Carolina Department of Transportation standards needed for final subdivision plat approval.

– Approval of a letter to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley in support of Vaya Health becoming the statewide administrator for the Children and Families Specialty Plan in collaboration with Partners Health Management.

– Reappointing John Frank (District 6) and Delores Lyon (Alternate, District 4) to the Granville County Board of Adjustment.

– Appointing Cynthia Griffin (District 3) to the Senior Services Advisory Committee.

– Approval of Budget Amendment #9 for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.

– Approval of Project Ordinance Amendment #2 for Triangle North Water and Sewer Project.

– Approval of the surplus of eight county-owned vehicles.

– Approval of tax refunds, releases, and write-offs for March 21 to April 3, 2024.

– Approval of county employee participation in the North Carolina Department of Transportation sponsored litter sweep on April 26.

– Approval of a proclamation for National Therapy Animal Day.

– Approval of the March 4, 2024, meeting minutes.

The next meeting of the Granville County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Monday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center.

To stay informed about upcoming meetings of the Board of Commissioners, visit the Granville County website at www.granvillecounty.org where you can sign up for the “Sunshine List” and follow the county on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GranvilleCountyGov.

Child Abuse Prevention Month Digital Advocacy Day

Posted April 16, 2024

Summer Civic Leadership Program

Granville County Social Services Marks Child Abuse Prevention Month

Posted April 10, 2024

Board of Commissioners Meeting Recap – April 1, 2024

Posted April 3, 2024

The Granville County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on Monday, April 1 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center. The meeting featured the award of a construction contract and approval of a financing plan for the new North Granville Senior Center.

The North Granville Senior Center construction contract was awarded to Racanelli Construction South, Inc of Apex for the base bid amount of $3,060,000 along with four add-on options to provide a canopy roof for the outdoor deck, ceramic quarry floor tile in the kitchen, a 150-kilowatt standby generator and automatic transfer switch, and composite floor decking on the outside deck. Once complete, the 7,400 square foot facility on Oxford Street in downtown Stovall will replace the existing location on US Highway 15. The new facility will feature administrative offices, dining and fitness areas, a multipurpose meeting room, craft room, and an outside deck area.

In related business, the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing and approved an installment financing plan for the North Granville Senior Center. Final financing documents will be considered for approval at the April 15 Board of Commissioners meeting and then submitted for final approval at the May 7 meeting of the North Carolina Local Government Commission. The chosen installment financing plan provides a 4.67% interest rate over a twenty-year period beginning in 2025.

Other business conducted on April 1 included:

– The introduction of Granville County Economic Development Director, Joseph Stallings who began his tenure in Granville County on March 18. More information about Stallings can be found in an earlier press release.

– Approving the purchase and installation of surveillance cameras to enhance security at the Granville Athletic Park. The total cost of $28,606 for nine cameras strategically located throughout the park will be offset by a $15,000 donation by Bailey Farms, Inc. of Oxford.

– Holding a public hearing and issuing an order to replace pages 352 to 360 in the previously approved 2024 Real Property Assessment Manual. These pages originally included information from the 2018 Assessment Manual in error.

– Approving a short-term lease for the second floor of 204 Williamsboro Street in Oxford.

– Approving Tax Refunds, Releases, and Write-Offs for March 7, 2024, to March 20, 2024.

– Approving the January 29, 2024, minutes for the joint meeting between the Granville County Board of Commissioners and the Granville County Board of Education.

The next meeting of the Granville County Board of Commissioners will be Monday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center. Preceding that meeting, Granville County Tax Administration staff along with the county’s appraisal firm, Pearson, will hold an information session about the 2024 property revaluation in the auditorium of the Expo Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. Following the public information session, staff will be available to meet one-on-one with any interested citizen who would like to have specific questions answered.

To stay informed about upcoming meetings of the Board of Commissioners, visit the Granville County website at www.granvillecounty.org where you can sign up for the “Sunshine List” and follow the county on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GranvilleCountyGov.

Jennifer Baird Appointed as Granville County’s Next Finance Director

Posted March 28, 2024

Granville County will welcome Jennifer Baird as Finance Director on April 15. Baird brings 19 years of state and local government finance experience and leadership to her new role, and she will lead Finance Office operations while current Finance Director Steve McNally transitions to his retirement in the coming months.

Baird joins Granville County after three years with the City of Durham as Senior Fiscal Analyst and Accounting Operations Supervisor. During her time in Durham, Baird helped develop the personnel and operating budget for the Water and Sewer Fund and managed all operations of the city’s Utility Finance Department. Prior to her time in Durham, Baird served as Business Officer II, Assistant Finance Manager and other accounting and finance positions for the State of North Carolina departments of Health and Human Services, Public Instruction, and Agriculture and Consumer Services. In these roles she prepared state budget requests and certifications for various grant programs and managed accounts payable operations for the state-wide Child Nutrition Grant. She also served as the Chief Finance Officer for Granville-Vance Public Health for two years in between her time with the State of North Carolina and the City of Durham. Baird began her career as a Family Preservation Case Worker for Person County Cooperative Extension before moving into accounting.

“I am thrilled and honored to have been selected as Granville County’s next Finance Director,” said Baird. “I look forward to working with County Administration, our Board of Commissioners, and staff from all county departments to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly, and the county’s finances are protected. Granville County has a sterling reputation of financial management, and I am proud to join and continue that legacy.”

A Person County native, Baird graduated from Person High School in Roxboro and holds degrees in Accounting and Human Services from Vance-Granville Community College and Piedmont Community College. She is also completing the North Carolina Finance Officer Certification Course at the School of Government at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Baird moved to Granville County in 1993 and still resides in the Berea community. She and her husband Gary have two children – Austin and Courtney – and two grandchildren – Reid and Miles. During her free time, Baird enjoys being active by teaching group fitness classes and participating in Spartan obstacle races. She has also served as a therapeutic foster parent and dedicates volunteer hours to the anti-human trafficking nonprofit Cry Freedom Missions in Person County.

Board of Commissioners Meeting Recap – March 18, 2024

Posted March 20, 2024

The Granville County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on Monday, March 18 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center. The meeting featured an update on the 2024 revaluation process, a rezoning of four lots in the Wilton Community, and proclamations recognizing Small Farms Week and Fair Housing Month.

Tax Administrator Jenny Short provided an update to the Board of Commissioners on the 2024 revaluation process. Assessment notices were sent to all property owners beginning February 12 and informal appeals of assessed value are underway now. Property owners can take the opportunity to meet with Tax Administration staff to present information that may change their property’s assessed value before taking the step of filing a formal appeal with the Board of Equalization and Review. Informal appeals are available through Monday, April 29 and hearings of the Board of Equalization and Review will take place between April 29 and June 3. For more information about the revaluation process visit www.granvillecounty.org/reval, call 919-693-4181, or email reval.2024@granvillecounty.org.

Planning Director Barry Baker presented an application for rezoning of several parcels of land on NC Highway 56 near the intersection of NC Highway 96 in the Wilton community by Gatekeeper Investments, LLC. The property is currently zoned as Agricultural Residential, and the applicant requested a rezoning to the designation of Neighborhood Business. The Granville County Planning Board recommended the rezoning unanimously at their February 2024 meeting and it was approved on March 18 by the Board of Commissioners.

Commissioner Tony Cozart presented a proclamation in recognition of National Fair Housing Month to Penny Alford Rogers of Northern Point Realty of Oxford. Fair Housing Month recognizes the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which sought to end racial segregation and housing discrimination in the United States. The proclamation affirms Granville County’s commitment to ensuring that all citizens of the county have equal access to housing opportunities.

Chair Timothy Karan presented a proclamation in recognition of Small Farms Week to Laura Gabel of the Granville County Cooperative Extension Advisory Leadership Council. The proclamation recognizes Granville County’s agricultural heritage and notes the contributions of North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for their research and support of local farmers extension offices like the one in Granville County. Small farmers work with researchers from these universities in a relationship of mutual support to ensure that agriculture remains profitable and sustainable for small farmers in North Carolina.

Other business conducted on March 18 included:

– Approving the purchase of five portable radios for the 911 Emergency Communications Department at a cost of $41,654.45. The cost will be fully reimbursed by 911 Board grant funding. The radios will serve as emergency back-ups to the 911 communications system.

– Approving a new part-time courthouse security job classification and pay rate of Specialized Court Officer to enhance security and safety measures at the Granville County Courthouse.

– Approving a bid from Blacksail Construction, LLC at a cost of $127,734 and a contingency amount of $10,000 for asphalt repairs at the Granville Athletic Park walking trail. Repairs are needed for the walking trails at the soccer fields loop and the baseball practice field loop.

– Reappointing Jimmy Crews (District 2) and appointing Harold Overby (District 4) to the Granville County Agricultural Advisory Board.

– Approving a renewal of LinkedIn Learning Online Training Subscription for twelve months at a cost of $13,125. This resource is available to anyone with a Granville County Library Card. Learn more at the Library System website. 

– Approving Budget Amendment #8 for fiscal year 2023-2024.

– Approving Tax Refunds, Releases, and Write-Offs for February 22, 2024, to March 6, 2024.

– Appointing Assistant Planning Director Carlton Thornton and Planner Angela Blount to serve as additional review officers for plats submitted to the Granville County Planning Office.

The next meeting of the Granville County Board of Commissioners will be Monday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center.

To stay informed about upcoming meetings of the Board of Commissioners, visit the Granville County website where you can sign up for the “Sunshine List” and follow the county on Facebook.

Granville County Appoints Joseph Stallings Economic Development Director

Posted March 18, 2024

Granville County has selected Joseph Stallings to serve as the next Economic Development Director. Stallings joins Granville County following thirteen years leading economic development efforts for the North Carolina Railroad Company, the Town of Garner in Wake County, NC and the Town of Benson in Johnston County, NC.

Stallings most recently served as the Director of Economic Development for the North Carolina Railroad Company in Raleigh. In his nearly two years with the NC Railroad, Stallings facilitated statewide and local economic development efforts in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina as well as municipal and county governments to recruit and expand existing industries in North Carolina. Stallings also oversaw the planning and implementation for the NC Railroad’s Build Ready Sites program, ensuring that locations along existing railroad infrastructure were ready to welcome new or expanding industries by reducing red-tape and development delays with local regulatory and permitting agencies. Stallings worked with partners across North Carolina to ensure that all areas with existing rail infrastructure were prepared to handle industry expansion. 

Before his time with the NC Railroad, Stallings served as the Economic Development Director for the Town of Garner from 2015-2022. In addition to managing all major economic development recruitment and expansion efforts, Stallings also oversaw Garner’s downtown development efforts and small business development program. He also oversaw the operations of the non-profit Garner Economic Development Corporation to ensure a like-minded approach with the non-profit board, the Town of Garner, and Wake County. Stallings developed Garner’s first economic development strategic plan and worked with local property owners to market developable land that could attract desirable employers to Garner resulting in the recruitment of the largest industrial investment in Garner’s history. Preceding his time in Garner, Stallings began his local government career as the Economic Development and Media Coordinator for the Town of Benson from 2011-2015. In Benson, he negotiated recruitment and retention incentive packages, led Benson’s media efforts, and implemented Benson’s Main Street North Carolina program. Stallings also ran local business development incentives programs including the town’s façade improvement grants and revolving loan funds for local business start-ups.

“I am excited and honored to have been selected as Granville County’s next Economic Development Director,” said Stallings. “Granville is an exciting place to continue my career and take the many lessons I have learned about smart and sustainable economic development on the local and statewide level. My time in rural and suburban but growing towns like Garner and Benson has prepared me for this role. I plan to work with local and regional partners to ensure that Granville County is positioned to compete as a preferred destination for top employers now and for decades to come. It’s an exciting opportunity to come to Granville in this moment and build off the work that has been happening here for so long.”

Stallings is a graduate of the Master of Public Administration program at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. He also received a bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in Town, City, and County Management with a minor in Regional Planning at Appalachian State. During his professional career, Stallings has continued to pursue professional development educational opportunities and has graduated from the Municipal and County Administration and Local Government Federal Credit Union Fellows program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government. Stallings is also a graduate of the Rural Economic Development Institute at the North Carolina Rural Center in Raleigh and received certification from Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute. A native of Hickory, NC, Stallings currently resides in Garner with his wife Ashley and his son Liam.

Property Tax Revaluation FAQs

Posted February 22, 2024

Question: What is a revaluation?
Answer: A revaluation determines the assessed value of all properties in a county.

Question: Why is Granville County doing a revaluation?
Answer: Revaluations are required by the State of North Carolina at a minimum of every 8 years. This is done to ensure that all tax values are more or less aligned with their value on the open real estate market.

Question: Why is the revaluation happening after 6 years instead of 8?
Answer: Granville County last completed a revaluation in 2018 but the dramatic changes in property values that began in 2020 created a situation where the vast majority of property sales transactions no longer had any relation to their assessed value. The North Carolina Department of Revenue urged Granville County to take immediate action and complete a revaluation as soon as possible. Waiting an additional 2 years would likely have led to even more dramatic increases in tax value.

Question: Why did my assessed value change so much?
Answer: Though less volatile than it was from 2020 to 2022, property values continue to rise in Granville County to levels never seen before. Recent data shows that average sales price
for all homes in Granville County has increased by 27% since 2021 alone.

Question: What about new homes? Why did their value change so much?
Answer: When new homes are built, their assessed value is set by the formula used during the most recent revaluation. For example, a new home built and sold in January 2023 would be assessed as if it existed in 2018 (the last revaluation). This could lead to a dramatic change in assessed value during the 2024 revaluation as the tax assessor adjusts the property to the 2024 market value instead of 2018.

Question: I think my assessed value is wrong. What do I do now?
Answer: Visit www.granvillecounty.org/reval and read the information on this page. You may also search for your home in the Comparable Sales Search tool to gain additional context on how your property compares to similar ones that have sold in recent years.

Question: I checked the Comparable Sales Tool and still think my assessed value is wrong. Now what?
Answer: You can file an appeal with the Granville County Tax Administration Office as soon as you receive your assessment notice until the first Board of Equalization and Review (E&R) hearing scheduled for April 29, 2024. Property owners will be able to meet with staff one-on-one to present additional data to support their appeal. For example, assessors do not go inside properties and rely on building permits and other public data to assess property values as well information they can gain about a property from the road or satellite view in the county GIS system. Property owners may have additional information about the condition of their property that can be provided to the assessor to adjust the value.

Question: I appealed to the Tax Assessor and disagree with their decision. Now what do I do?
Answer: If you disagree with the Tax Assessor’s decision, you can appeal to the Board of E&R. These appeal hearings will begin on April 29, 2024, and continue into June. The property owner can present evidence to the Board of E&R who can overrule the Tax Assessor’s decision if the evidence satisfies NC General Statute requirements. The Granville County Board of Commissioners also serves as the Board of E&R.

Question: I disagree with the Board of E&R decision. Now what?
Answer: The final appeal that property owners can make is to the North Carolina Property Tax Commission. This commission may override the previous decisions made by the Board of E&R and the Tax Assessor if they determine that the property has satisfied legal requirements for a successful appeal. A decision issued by the Property Tax Commission can only be appealed through an action filed with the North Carolina Court of Appeals or the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Question: Now I know my assessed value, but what does that mean for my tax bill?
Answer: This will be decided during the Board of Commissioners annual budget process, which begins in February with a 2-day retreat and ends in June with the approval of the new fiscal year budget. The Granville County fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.

Question: Will the tax rate change? If so, how much?
Answer: Based on the dramatic increase in assessed value in Granville County, and in all other counties that are conducting revaluations this year or in recent years, the tax rate will likely decrease dramatically. This will be decided no later than June 30 during the approval of the annual budget.

Question: What is a revenue neutral tax rate?
Answer: As part of the revaluation process, the Budget Officer must identify a “revenue neutral tax rate.” This is the tax rate that would produce the same amount of revenue for Granville County as the previous year, after adjusting to natural changes in population.

Question: Will the county adopt a revenue neutral tax rate?
Answer: The final tax rate will be decided at the conclusion of the budget process once the Board of Commissioners has been able to fully evaluate the needs of all departments and other entities like the Granville County Public School System. The new tax rate is likely to be much closer to the revenue-neutral rate than to the current rate.

Question: What else do I need to know about my next tax bill?
Answer: The final tax bill is calculated differently depending on where you live. All Granville County property owners pay the County Tax Rate. Those who live inside the city limits of Butner, Creedmoor, Oxford, Stem, and Stovall also pay taxes to their municipalities as determined by each of their governing bodies. Those who live outside of a municipality in “unincorporated” Granville County OR in the Town of Stovall also pay a Fire District Tax, which can only be used to fund fire service protection. All three tax rates (county, fire district, and municipal) will be determined no later than June 30.

Question: I am on a fixed income. Are there any assistance programs available?
Answer: The State of North Carolina offers three tax relief or deferment programs for seniors and disabled veterans. More information is available on the Granville County website: https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/tax-department/assessment-and-listing/property-tax-relief/ or by calling 919-693-4181.

Question: I still have questions. Who do I talk to?
Answer: The Granville County Tax Administration Office can be reached at 919-693-4181 or reval.2024@granvillecounty.org. You can also visit www.granvillecounty.org/reval for more information.