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By Ena Sellers, Duplin Journal
WALLACE – Duplin County has been on a steady pace of growth for the past couple of years with 2023 bringing numerous noteworthy highlights and wrapping up the year with a healthy unassigned fund balance of $35.849,716 according to County Manager Bryan Miller. Duplin welcomed new staff members, faced staffing challenges, and endured the loss of beloved leaders.
In January, the biennial economic impact study from the Division of Aviation revealed that Duplin County Airport generated more than $70 million in economic output and produced $6.25 million in state and local tax revenue.
The Economic Development Commission recruited Scotty Summerlin as EDC director on Jan. 3.
In February, the Town of Wallace announced Rob Taylor as their new town manager, he started in this role on Feb. 2.
In March, the town of Calypso mourned the loss of mayor David “T-Bone” Tyndall who passed away at age 66, on March 11.
On April 17, former county manager Davis Brinson announced his resignation after serving with the county for nearly three decades in different capacities. His last day was July 31.
An EF-1 tornado with 90 mph winds hit near Beulaville on April 22, destroying a camper and ripping off several large trees near Lester Houston Road. No one was injured.
Jimmy Jerome Memorial Park in Rose Hill received a serious facelift thanks to generous donations from House of Raeford and Smithfield Foods, the big reveal took place in late April.
Beulaville Elementary School unveiled its new 5,637-square-foot multi-purpose gym on April 24.
On May 8, Duplin County longtime volunteer Doris Faye Hatcher was honored at the State Capitol with the 2023 Governor’s Medallion Award.
Rose Hill Mayor Sue Bowden resigned on May 9, due to health reasons after serving for more than a year.
On May 25, Duplin County mourned the tragic loss of former Duplin County Airport Director George H. Futrelle, who died unexpectedly from post-surgical complications.
Tracy Chestnut left her position as finance director on June 30.
On July 15, the Transportation Department broke ground at the Duplin Commons for construction of its new facility. The new building is nearly ready and is expected to be completed in early 2024, according to assistant county manager Carrie Shields.
On July 17, more than 30 law enforcement officials including police chiefs from across the county, Superior Court Judge Henry Stevens and representatives from the district attorney’s office joined Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes at the County Commissioners meeting to plead for the construction of a new jail.
George Wood was hired as interim county manager.
On Aug. 9, Davy Buckner was appointed as Rose Hill mayor to fill Bowden’s unexpired term.
Also, this month, the county welcomed Christopher Hatcher as the new planning director, Joshua Raynor as Duplin County Airport director and Jaimie Carr as assistant Register of Deeds.
In Wallace, Ben Jones was hired as the Henderson Field Airport manager after Gage King left his position for a job in Kinston.
In September, the Grady-Outlaw Memorial Library in Albertson became part of the Duplin County Public Library System.
Chelsey Lanier started her role as finance director and Jessica Lenig was hired as the Wallace Parks and Recreation program supervisor.
On Sept. 23, Tropical Storm Ophelia brought heavy rains to Duplin County, resulting in numerous downed trees. Local fire departments responded to 13 storm emergencies due to the tropical storm.
Among the biggest challenges for 2023 was the county losing employees to adjacent counties, facing shortages and many employees having to work overtime to get work done. One of those departments is Duplin County Animal Control, which during a September County Commissioners meeting reported employees working a combined total of 500 hours in overtime.
The demolition of the Magnolia Auditorium was complete in September, after the building was deemed irreparable due to damage sustained during hurricanes Matthew and Florence and from subsequent storms. A total of $136,500 in disaster recovery funds from North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency program were awarded to Magnolia to help demolish the auditorium and reopen the adjacent recreational fields.
In October, Bryan Miller was appointed County Manager and started in his new role on Oct. 9. The county also welcomed Carrie Shields, former Economic Development director, who returned to Duplin County on Oct. 26 as the new assistant county manager.
On Nov. 9, Duplin County held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Veteran Services and Senior Center building at the Duplin Commons. “A dream that started more than 25 years ago” and is now in the process of becoming a reality. The target date for completion of the $6.2 million facility is December 2024.
On November, five Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary school teachers won NC Bright Ideas’ grants worth a combined total of $10,489.44 to fund their school projects. Those teachers are Tanisha Jones, Jasmine Jones, Tanya Novakowski, Sulnora Oluyemi and Tim Mateer.
Development at the Airpark was also a big highlight for 2023, with land clearing to build roads and shell infrastructure at the business and industry center, where the new NC Forestry Service Region One Headquarters will be located.
In December, Duplin swore in five new mayors: Mayor JoAnn Wilson in Calypso, Mayor Billy Ward in Faison, Mayor Dawn Ward in Magnolia, and Mayor Bobby Jones in Teachey.
This month came with the announcement that the U.S Department of Transportation approved a grant for studies to identify cities that will have a train station as part of the Wilmington to Raleigh returning passenger rail service. What this means for Duplin is the possibility of two passenger train stations in the next 7-12 years, one of which would be in Wallace and another in Warsaw.
The year comes to a close, with two other facilities nearly completed. The new Rose Hill Fire Department is expected to be ready in January according to Rose Hill Fire Chief Gary Boney. Also, the new Animal Care Control and Adoption Facility is almost ready and just waiting on an electrical panel, according to Shields.
