Community Development Commission fails to respond to aldermen’s invitation to joint meeting

Published 10:41 pm Wednesday, August 12, 2020

The Tyrrell County Community Development Commission has not responded to a July 8 invitation to meet with Columbia aldermen.

Town Manager Rhett White wrote to Mavis Hill, CDC executive director, on July 8 about the “general disrepair and continued deteriorating condition” of the organization’s former headquarters and now unoccupied building at 604 Main Street.

White pointed out that “your building has major problems and has become a blight along the 600 block of Main Street,” and he cited details about the carport roof, the main roof, windows and porch issues. “It appears that your organization has abandoned the building and has no concern for your neighbors or to the safety and well-being of the residents of Columbia.”

White said Monday that the aldermen discussed the building’s condition during their Aug. 3 meeting. “They will continue to follow through and hope to meet with Ms. Hill and her board to talk about what needs to be done to improve the appearance and to meet their bylaws as a nonprofit based on community betterment.”

Copies of the manager’s July 8 letter went to CDC board members whose names and addresses are registered on the N.C. Secretary of State’s website. They are:

Nettie Dyer, Durwood M. Cooper Jr., Virginia C. Haire, Henry A. Hill, Alvin Midgett, Thomas Spruill, Thomas Whitaker, Michele J. Sager, Donya W. Spruill, Rev. Louise Griswell, Calvin Hill, Samuel Beaufort, Isabel Guzman, Khiry Leigh, and Dawn Bryant.

Cooper wrote to Secretary of State Elaine Marshall that he had “formally resigned from the TCCEC many years ago,” and asked that his name be removed from the website list. He said later Marshall responed with a telephone call.

Tyrrell County Community Development Corporation was incorporated in Oct. 1992, the website states. The most recent post on the CDC Facebook page was May 2013, asking for summer volunteers.