Halifax County Commissioner Rives Manning says the issue of putting probation and parole in an old social services building near Weldon Middle School has been made a political football.
In an email to rrspin.com and the Daily Herald, Manning says there is much misinformation being put out to the media on the matter.
Manning says in the email Weldon City Schools Board of Education Chairperson Pattie Cotton “does not even have a clue as to all the issues we considered and discussed.”
He raises an issue with comments made by Cotton to rrspin.com and the Daily Herald about whether there were other probation and parole offices near schools in the state.
In his email, Manning says the current office is located at 1070 East Tenth Street. “This is in the Forest Hills Shopping Center, just behind the Employment Security Commission building on Park Avenue and less than one block from Manning Elementary School. This is approximately an equal distance from the present Probation and Parole office as the new office will be from the Weldon Middle School.”
Says Manning, students living within four to five blocks of Manning School walk to school. They walk within 200 feet of the present probation and parole office. “Students attending Weldon Middle School arrive by bus not by walking.”
Manning believes the county has made the best choices in the matter. “I am sorry that it has become political but (because) it seems that it has so I believe you need to know the facts and will be able to respond if you are asked about it.”
Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Jeff Hinton said he doesn’t recall any problems from clients wandering to Manning school.
Meanwhile, an email from County Manager Tony Brown to local state representatives explains the county’s situation. “As you may be aware, with the State's budget crisis last year, the State started enforcing the requirement that Counties provide office space for Probation & Parole Officers. Halifax County has been providing space at 3 locations: offices in Halifax (with the Day Reporting Center), offices in Roanoke Rapids (Vernon Bryant's old office) and also an office in the Courthouse. Years ago the State decided to set up additional office space in Roanoke Rapids and agreed to pay for the location (lease was approximately $24,500/year).”
Brown explains the county was notified by the state that it would be required to provide the housing costs associated with the offices in Roanoke Rapids effective January 1. “We agreed to this and have been reimbursing the State for the lease each month.”
Brown continued in the email, “Like the State, Halifax County has its budget woes as well. As a cost cutting measure, we decided to look for alternate locations for both sets of offices in Roanoke Rapids which would not require leases.
“The building we found most feasible was a building that was vacated when we replaced our DSS Building two years ago. This building was where our food stamp program was housed, so it's commonly referred to as the ‘Food Stamps Building.’”
Brown explains the building is at the south end of the parking lot next to the new DSS building and also on the northeast corner of the entrance to Weldon Middle School, noting the school is back off the road and not at the immediate entrance.
“There have been concerns raised from a few parents and also the Weldon School Board regarding the location of this building,” Brown says in the email. “Both the 6th Judicial District Manager (Bill Mitchell) and I attended a School Board meeting in May and addressed the move and the concerns brought forth. I also sent the attached letter addressing the security concerns and reiterating the positives of the move.”
Brown says the county has designed the building to the specifications desired by both the local probation chief and with advice from Mitchell. The building will be complete and ready to be occupied later this week. “We have also sent notices stating that we, the County, will not renew the current lease, set to expire on June 30, 2010.”
The county manager notes in the email he had a conversation with a Department of Correction representative. “He indicated everything was on hold and they would be getting back to me with a decision.”
Brown says, however, “I am very disappointed about the way this is being handled through the DOC. We have gone above and beyond to comply with the requirements set forth by the State in providing office space and have addressed concerns by the School Board.
“Yet because a few are not satisfied with the outcome, the entire process is coming to a screeching halt. As you can see in my attached letter ... I firmly believe this will increase the safety and security in the area.”
He said as he typed the email, “These same offenders (including Sexual Offenders!) are in that location seeking services through DSS and these offenders can freely walk the area in/around the building and parking lot. With this office being located there, this will actually provide a better visual deterrent as well as better law enforcement support to deputies to both DSS and the School during emergencies (Mutual Aid).”
