By Neill Caldwell neill.caldwell@thestokesnews.com
The town of Belmont uses Open Broadband technology to provide free high-speed wi-fi to its downtown area.
DANBURY In addition to the surprising announcement from Sheriff Mike Marshall (see related story), the Stokes County Board of Commissioners on Monday night heard a presentation from a statewide company that seeks to bring internet access to underserved areas.
Kent Winrich, the Chief Technology Officer for Open Broadband, a for-profit company based in Waxhaw, near Charlotte, offered a PowerPoint presentation for the Board.
Open Broadband currently is serving in 18 North Carolina counties, “in both rural and urban areas,” Winrich said, “trying to solve the broadband problem.” He cited several as success stories for the company.
By Neill Caldwell neill.caldwell@thestokesnews.com
Serving as Sheriff since 2010, Mike Marshall announced he is stepping down at the end of the month for health reasons.
Sheriff Marshall is a favorite fixture at local parades tossing out candy to the kids.
Marshall poses with Capt. Danny Bottoms during a ceremony to honor Bottoms on his retirement last year.
DANBURY Sheriff Mike Marshall shocked the County Commissioners Monday night with his announcement that he was retiring at the end of the month due to health issues.
Marshall did not provide details, other than that he had made “multiple doctor trips and trips to Baptist Hospital, and my last couple of visits have not been positive. I’ve had some issues come up that I don’t feel like I’m going to be able to recover from.”
The new Board of Commissioners convenes its organizational meeting earlier in the month.
DANBURY The Board of County Commissioners moved closer to approval of a new salary system for county employees during its regular meeting Monday night, signaling it will approve the salary study plan being offered by The Mercer Group, an outside consultant, at its next meeting in January.
Actually implementing the plan, however, may require much more work, several commented.
In short, the plan would assign each county job a pay grade, which would have a minimum salary, a maximum and a mid-point. The Mercer Group’s plan also offers recommendations as to which jobs should be assigned into which pay grade.