Unusual weather so far this year … cold, very cold, windy and wet … Checking the National Weather Station at the local airport … High temp yesterday (daytime) was 42 degrees … 59 degrees at midnight, last night and 66 at 5 a.m. this morning. There were thunderstorms in the area, beginning near 11 p.m. last night and ending shortly after midnight and in that time frame, about 1/2 inch of rain … Weather station ceased reporting about 1:30 a.m. Maybe unsettled weather would be a proper description.
While on the topic of weather, looking at today’s forecast … Isolated showers, mostly cloudy, gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 65. Southwest wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Better weather on the way … Mostly clear tonight with a low around 31, Wednesday, Sunny with a high near 53 and northeast wind around 7 mph.
Remember what the older folks would say about our weather. If you don’t like the way it is now, hang around, it can change quickly…
I enjoy browsing thru the current Bladen County budget, Commissioners receive an updated report monthly … Total budget for the current fiscal year in the $47 million range … Less than half is from property taxes ($25.5m), Sales tax is the source of nearly $5m. Other sources included, restricted intergovernmental sources (state and federal sources) … We should all be thankful for our large industries and sales taxes that help keep our property taxes as low as they are. Commissioners are currently having workshops to develop a new budget. The new fiscal year begins July 1, 2021. I am not a privileged character, the budget update is published monthly … Check their agenda, under Revenue … Developing a budget and a re-valuation are two difficult issues for most governing bodies … Re-val will begin in coming months. It’s not optional, it’s state law.
I enjoyed most of my time as a county commissioners, but there are some thorny issues to be dealt with … and I served when there were only 5 commissioners, now 9.
“Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.” Winston Churchill
“Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost.” Robert H. Shuller
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Confucius
“You have to learn the rules of the game … and then you have to play better than anyone else.” Albert Einstein
robert g hester
rgh4612@gmail.com
910-876-2322
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