RSS
 TODD WETHERINGTON | DAILY HERALD Halifax County Commissioner Gene Minton addresses the crowd gathered at Kirkwood Adams Community Center Thursday during the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce 2008 State of Our Community luncheon. |
Halifax County Board of Commissioners Chairman Gene Minton brought the message home as he outlined the accomplishments of the recent past and the hopes for the future in his keynote address.
The large group of dignitaries and community leaders included state representatives Lucy Allen, Michael Wray and Angela Bryant, as well as Sen. Ed Jones and county and city government officials from all over the area.
School leaders from Halifax County, Roanoke Rapids Graded Schools District and Weldon City Schools, as well as Halifax Community College and Chowan University were represented.
After the group finished lunch, Dr. Wayne Horne, president of the RV Chamber of Commerce, told the group how important it was to work together. He recognized the hard work the Chamber has done and thanked the entire board of directors and the Chamber staff for all of their efforts in 2008.
Enfield Mayor Warnie Bishop brought laughter from the group when she pointed out she was mistakenly identified in the event program as being the mayor of Weldon. She told the group what is going on in her town and, once again, the value of working together.
Pattie B. Cotton, who was also misidentified as being the vice-chair of Halifax County Schools, when she is actually vice-chair of Weldon City Schools, gave a detailed address about how well Weldon schools are doing in meeting the goals of the No Child Left behind Act.
Keynote speaker Minton introduced the Halifax County board members and management staff.
Minton then noted, “I think about 45 percent of people in this country live in towns and cities, but 100 percent live in counties. The county governments represent all of the people.”
Minton listed most of the services county governments provide their citizens, including health services, libraries, budgets for school, support for senior citizens and many more.
“In Halifax County we had a very difficult job this year putting together a budget without any tax increase, but still providing all of those services,” he said.
Then Minton began listing the positive things that have happened throughout the county in 2008. “One of the most exciting projects in Halifax County right now is the new corporate park. We've got over 700 acres of land there. It is a tremendous opportunity for Halifax County to move forward.”
He pointed out how well Halifax County is situated to attract business and said the new Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport, which is adjacent to the corporate park should be open by next spring.
“When we first started talking about a new airport, I was a city councilman in Roanoke Rapids and I thought, boy, that's been a long time. It's a great thing to finally see this project coming to an end.”
Minton told the group how the Valley is blessed with a tremendous water supply, while other parts of the country are having to ration water. He pointed out the tremendous amount of cooperation between governments and schools these days. “We have people working together to make things happen.”
“We want to grow our businesses here. We want new business, but we also want to grow our existing ones. Education is the key,” Minton said, describing how successful the PCB Piezotronics Inc. project was because the area could provide not just infrastructure and a place for the business, but also the employees to work there.
Minton finished his address by telling the audience the key to moving forward is to plan ahead; to use good business judgment with long term planning and to have a long term vision. “Actually, in Halifax County, we have changed the alphabet. We took out the “I” and put back in a “we.”
Comments