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AHOSKIE – Money awarded to Ahoskie through an appropriation late last year from the state’s biennial budget has helped the town in more ways than one.

Thanks to the work of 5^th District State House Representative Bill Ward and State Senator Bobby Hanig, the Town of Ahoskie received $705,000. The town used that to purchase new police vehicles ($250,000), a new excavator ($145,000), and new computers ($40,000). Ahoskie’s Parks and Recreation Department was also awarded 250,000 to use for various projects.

The Ahoskie Public Library gained $20,000 from the state budget.

On Sept. 6, Ward was in Ahoskie to personally witness what those state funds were used for. He met with town officials in a new parking lot adjacent to the Town Gym, one of the projects that the Ahoskie Parks and Recreation Department applied their state funding.

“This will help alleviate some of the parking issues we experience for events here at the gym, especially on Saturdays during youth basketball season,” noted Parks and Rec Director Doug White.

White said the new parking lot will hold 36 vehicles. Two spots are designated for handicapped parking.

The project also included the installation of a sidewalk from the parking lot to Main Street where it joins an existing sidewalk at the front entrance of the Town Gym.

The all-purpose field adjacent to the gym will be upgraded to include lighting and new fencing.

“The [Hertford County] high school soccer team uses this field for their matches,” White noted. “We can also accommodate the Ahoskie Bobcats [youth football league] here. They can play some of their games here and the added parking spaces will help with that as well.”

The state funds also paid for the replacement of all the bulbs (lights) at the Ahoskie Creek ballfields. Another project there is to install a system to irrigate the three ballfields.

Meanwhile, Ahoskie Police Chief Michele White and Public Works Director Steve Lassiter expressed their appreciation to Ward for his help that led to the purchase of new police vehicles and the excavator.

“We are proud of the funding we were able to bring to Ahoskie, Murfreesboro, and Hertford County as a whole from the General Assembly,” Ward stated. “When we get back to Raleigh, hopefully reelected to another term, I will get back to work to help our District improve the standard of living. Give me your wish list of needed improvements, but make sure to prioritize what are your absolute necessities.”

Ward also talked about the need to attract new businesses to Hertford County as well as the 5^th District, which also includes Gates, Pasquotank and Camden counties.

“The keys to attracting new business are having infrastructure in place and an educated workforce,” he said. “We have to work within our community college system and public school system in an effort to turn out people who are technically skilled to go to work. We have to have a work-ready workforce.

“There’s a lot of potential here in this District and here in Hertford County. We have great people. It’s great place to start a business,” he concluded.