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Halifax County commissioners today supported a resolution to keep the Halifax Truist Bank branch from closing.

County Manager Dia Denton told the board the bank on King Street is slated to close at the end of March.

“There’s been some conversations between the town of Halifax, Halifax County, and some citizens of the community about the negative impacts it will have on county operations,” Denton said. “We deposit there every day and if that branch closes we will have to do a banking RFP (request for proposals). I don’t think we’ve ever done one since I’ve been here.”

The county manager said staff has already been in contact about how to do the banking RFP “which could also mean traveling to Roanoke Rapids every day. That’s going to be a drain on staff time and resources — not to mention a security issue with the amount of money we handle on a daily basis.”

The county has been in contact with the town about the resolution which will be passed on to Truist “to see if it will make any impact otherwise we will have some major banking changes that we will have to consider in the next month or so,” Denton said.

Commissioner Chenoa Davis made the motion to support the resolution.

Before action was taken, in which the resolution later passed unanimously, board Chair Vernon Bryant said, “This is a serious, serious thing. They don’t have many employees over there but just the impact on the little town of Halifax. We’ll probably try to get the Halifax County Intergovernmental Association to take a position on this too and ask for their support.”

Halifax County Economic Development Director Cathy Scott said the economic development commission as well as Halifax Business Horizons will also take action on the matter.

“This is something that’s going to be quite impactful to how we operate every day and not in a positive way,” Denton said.

Bryant also said one of the wealthiest people in the town strongly opposes the bank’s closing.

Answering a question posed by Commissioner Carolyn Johnson on how successful a strong show of opposition to the bank’s closing will be, Denton said, “I don’t want to sound negative, but I think this is what we can do and then we can say we at least tried. The banking industry has changed so much with online banking and how people pay their bills so I don’t know if it will have any impact but we will certainly try.”

Bryant said he has been in several conversations with Halifax Mayor John White. 

Scott suggested if the inevitable does happen and the bank closes that perhaps Truist would give the building on King Street to the town or county.

Said Bryant: “We’re going to fight it hard and do what we can.”

The bank, under different names, has served the town since 1968 and is one of 2,096 Truist offices in the state, the resolution says. 

“Over the years Halifax County citizens, families, business owners, local governments and its employees have enjoyed the convenience and hospitality provided by this institution in our community,” the resolution says. “ … The closing of Truist Bank in this rural community will have a lasting impact that cannot be measured in terms of health, livelihood, wealth, economic growth and quality of life to those who benefit from having the convenience of a local bank.”

The resolution describes the bank as a financial cornerstone of the town as well as other parts of the county which many citizens depend on daily. “Truist Bank is more than just a banking institution — it is a vital part of, and valuable asset to, the fabric of our community.”

The resolution also notes that the board “recognizes the contributions and outstanding service that Truist Bank has provided to the citizens of Halifax County and (urges) the Truist Bank to continue to provide that same outstanding service that the citizens, businesses and local governments rely upon.”