Caswell County News

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CASWELL COUNTY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW COUNTY MANAGER

April 22, 2025

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The Caswell County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Whitaker as the new County Manager, effective April 28, 2025. This decision follows an extensive and thorough selection process aimed at finding the most qualified individual to lead the County's operations and initiatives.

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Whitaker has over 26 years of experience in North Carolina local government. His diverse background includes tenures as town council member, mayor, and town manager.  Whitaker has served as board chair of the Yadkin County Economic Development Council, Crossroads Behavioral Healthcare and Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments (now PTRC).

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The Board of Commissioners is confident Whitaker’s leadership and experience will be instrumental in advancing the County’s key initiatives and projects.

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“We conducted a thorough search for a leader who shares our vision for Caswell County and his expertise and experience align perfectly with our goals for the county’s future,” said Board Chairman Tim Yarbrough.  “We believe that Mr. Whitaker is the right person to move our county forward.”

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Following a 12-year tenure as town manager for the Town of Summerfield and a contentious election and development issue, the town did not renew Whitaker’s employment agreement. Whitaker applied for the Caswell manager’s position and the Board of Commissioners carefully reviewed his qualifications, past performance, and commitment to ethical leadership before making this appointment.

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“Every leader faces obstacles, and we are confident in his ability to bring valuable experience and a fresh perspective to our county,” Yarbrough said.

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Whitaker holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a Master of Public Administration (MPA).  He is an International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Credentialed Manager and a graduate of ICMA’s Leadership Institute and the UNC School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy.

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Whitaker expressed enthusiasm about the new role, stating, “I am honored to serve the residents of Caswell County and look forward to working collaboratively with County officials, staff, and the community to build a strong and prosperous future.”

Whitaker’s tenure as County Manager will begin on April 28, 2025. The Board of Commissioners extends its gratitude to Renee Paschal, the interim County Manager, for her dedicated service and leadership during the transition period.

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Scott and his wife EmilySarah are Piedmont Triad natives and live in Oakridge, NC and have one son.  They look forward to moving to the area and becoming involved in the community.

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BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CHAIR RESPONDS TO PRESS RELEASE FROM REPUBLICAN PARTY

April 16, 2025

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The statement by the local Republican Party’s lawyer is simply wrong. The Board of Commissioners appointed Rick McVey to fill the vacancy created by the passing of David Wrenn before the General Assembly took away its authority to do so. And we’ve been advised by our lawyers that the Board does not have the authority to remove Mr. McVey, who was lawfully appointed and has taken his oath of office.

 

But here’s the real question - who should fill the vacancy? The Board of Commissioners who were chosen by the voters (the majority of which are Republicans), or the unelected “leaders” of the local Republican Party? As a proud Republican, I say that this should not be partisan. This should be about respecting the voters of Caswell County.

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--Tim Yarbrough, Chair, Caswell County Board of Commissioners

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Caswell County Audit Tracker

March 18, 2025

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On a weekly basis the county will be posting progress on its 2023 and 2024 audits. For any item where the FY 2023 status has changed from the previous week, the date is shaded. Link to Weekly Audit Status.

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Caswell County Board of Commissioners Announce

Collection of Delinquent Taxes for George Daniel Properties

March 6, 2025

 

In an effort to keep the public informed, the Caswell County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that all delinquent taxes have been collected from George Daniel. “The outside counsel retained by the Board of Commissioners was able to negotiate with Mr. Daniel and successfully resolve this matter,” said Board Chair Tim Yarbrough.

 

The Board recognizes the paramount importance of public trust in local government and wants to ensure the public that, while this matter took some time to resolve, the Board was working behind the scenes to ensure a successful outcome. ​​​

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Caswell County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council RFP

February 11, 2025

 

The Caswell County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) is requesting proposals for fiscal year 2025-2026: The JCPC has studied the risk factors and needs of Juvenile Court involved youth in this county and hereby publishes this Request for Proposals. The JCPC anticipates funds from the NC Dept. of Public Safety Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the amount stated above to fund the program types specified below. Such programs will serve delinquent and at-risk youth for the state fiscal year 2025-2026 beginning on, or after, July 1, 2025. The use of these funds in this county requires a local match in the amount specified above. The county can approve programs for 1- or 2-year funding awards, dependent on county approval and programs meeting all requirements. Link to RFP.

 

Join the Library Advisory Board

February 3, 2025

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Caswell County is seeking passionate community members to join our Library Advisory Board! This important volunteer position serves as a liaison between the library and its citizens, helping to shape the future of library services for all ages. The board advises on everything from library programs to facility improvements, and plays a key role in supporting the library’s staff.

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If you're eager to contribute to the growth of our library and promote learning, creativity, and personal development in our community, we encourage you to apply. The Board meets quarterly and consists of seven county residents who serve three-year terms.

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To apply, complete an Advisory Board Application and send to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Town of Milton Streetscape Project Request for Qualifications

February 3, 2025

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The Town of Milton seeks proposals from qualified firms to deliver design documents to support planning toward a MILTON HISTORIC DISTRIC STREETSCAPE MASTERPLAN. The Town was recently awarded the Rural Transportation Grant and has budgeted $44,100 toward this project seeking engineering surveys, concept plans and prepared renderings. Areas of focus to
include connectivity improvements, improved sidewalks for pedestrian traffic near the Thomas Day Historic Site, Commercial District facade enhancements, trailhead developments, traffic calming and general beautification for the Town.

Link to RFQ document.

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County Finance Officer Resigns

January 29, 2024

 

Justin Thacker, Caswell County Finance Officer, has submitted his resignation effective January 29, 2025.  Mr. Thacker’s resignation letter is attached. He stated that he misses Rockingham County and wants to return to his role as Deputy Finance Officer.

 

“We are disappointed that Mr. Thacker made this decision, but we wish him the best in returning to Rockingham County,” Interim County Manager Renee Paschal said. “When I spoke to him about his decision, he wanted me to convey that he thinks very highly of Caswell County staff and board of commissioners. He does not want his decision, made for personal reasons, to reflect badly on the county.”

 

The Caswell County Board of Commissioners will discuss next steps for filling this critical role during their February 3, 2025 meeting.​​

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Caswell Board of Commissioners Releases Closed Session Minutes on George Daniel Delinquent Tax Matter

January 7, 2025

 

In an effort to correct the public record, the Caswell County Board of Commissioners voted last night to release closed session minutes from November 18, 2024.

 

During that meeting, the board by unanimous consent directed the County Attorney to retain outside counsel to:

• Advise Mr. Daniel to withdraw as counsel from the civil action he filed on behalf of Caswell County against himself because of a conflict of interest, and

• Proceed with collecting Mr. Daniel’s delinquent taxes.

 

Mr. Daniel represented Caswell County for a number of years in collecting delinquent taxes. On November 22, 2023, his law firm filed a lawsuit against Mr. Daniel and other defendants for recovery of delinquent taxes. As the attorney of record, it is up to Mr. Daniel to pursue the collection. Since filing the lawsuit, he has taken no other action to collect the taxes.

 

As of November 1, 2024, Mr. Daniel owed a total of $22,854.61 for two parcels of land that he and his wife own jointly with Michael D. Willis and Lucindy Willis. The delinquent taxes on one tract date back to 2013 and on the other tract to 2016. Following execution of a payment agreement with the Caswell Tax Office in November 2024, Mr. Daniel has made three $1,400 payments to date.​​

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Information on Flood Map Changes

December 30, 2024

On December 4, 2024, North Carolina Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Section contacted Caswell
County to advise of the upcoming Flood Insurance Rate Map appeal period.

On October 28, 2022 the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) provided Caswell County with Preliminary copies of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood
Insurance Study (FIS) report. FEMA has posted digital copies of these FIRM and FIS report materials to the
following website: https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/.

In addition the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program (NCFMP) has also posted digital copies of these
revised FIRM and FIS report materials to the Flood Risk Information (FRIS) website which can be found at
http://fris.nc.gov/fris/. The preliminary and FIRM and FIS report include proposed flood hazard information for
certain locations in Caswell County. Community meetings were held in Milton, North Carolina. The proposed
flood hazard information may include the addition or modification of Special Flood Hazard Areas.

Before any new or modified flood hazard information is effective for flood management purposes, FEMA will
provide community officials and citizens an opportunity to appeal the proposed flood hazard information.
Caswell County has begun its 90-day appeal period. Fortunately, the flood hazard areas in Caswell County
have not changed drastically since the last adoption in 2017.

Anyone wishing to see maps of their property may contact the Planning Department Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at
336-694-9731, Option 3, to set up an appointment.

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Cherokee Tobacco announces plans to invest $14 million in Caswell County

December 17, 2024

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PELHAM—The Caswell County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that a new business is locating in the county’s Pelham Business Park.

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Cherokee Tobacco Company plans to invest $14 million to build a 65,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Caswell, as well as create 39 new jobs.

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According to the Department of Commerce website, “Cherokee Tobacco Company is a family-owned business that has manufactured and sold its own brand of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe products for more than two decades. Cherokee is a sister company of JEB International, a tobacco processing company that serves the industry throughout the global market. The new build-to-suit facility will provide a clean manufacturing space to add new, next-generation product lines. The company will consolidate their existing operations, along with JEB International, into one 65,000-square-foot location in Pelham.”

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“We are thrilled to have this industry locating in our county and bringing jobs for our residents. Cherokee Tobacco Company is building on a long tradition of tobacco as an important driver for Caswell’s economy,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Yarborough.

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According to the NC Department of Commerce, the annual average wage will be $65,154, which is significantly higher than county’s current average wage of $43,046. The new jobs could have a potential annual payroll of $2.5 million.

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The Caswell Board of Commissioners unanimously approved awarding the bid for the sale of property to the developer during its December 16, 2024 meeting. The developer will pay $100,000 for 12.5 acres in the business park.

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This project will be across the street from Piedmont Community College’s Center for Educational and Agricultural Development (CEAD) is located. According to PCC President Dr. Pamela Senegal, whose team has worked with Cherokee Tobacco for the last year, CEAD's proximity was a major factor in the site choice.