By Stefanie Jackson –
Cheriton has sold its police car, a 2017 Dodge Charger with only 11,000 miles on it, to the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office, which now performs all patrols for the town.
There’s not much left of the Cheriton police department that has been inactive since its only member, former Chief Marc Marshall, was put on paid administrative leave in August and later fired in light of allegations of misconduct.
The town council voted unanimously Jan. 23 to accept Sheriff David Doughty’s offer of $25,000 for the vehicle. Northampton County supervisors approved the purchase Jan. 28.
The council also accepted Doughty’s offer of $4,200 for a handgun, shotgun, rifle, radar gun and related equipment, and a portable radio. Mayor Larry LeMond noted the sheriff’s offer was 88 percent of the amount the town paid for the items. The total of that purchase was not high enough to require supervisors’ approval.
Northampton circuit court judge, Hon. W. Revell Lewis III, approved the town’s request to hold a special election coinciding with the next general election, Nov. 5, to fill the council seat vacated in September by Wesley Travis, who stated his disapproval of the way Marshall’s firing was handled.
The council appointed Greg Hardesty last November to fill the seat until the special election is held.
The council seat’s term will end Dec. 31, 2020, and the next election for the seat will be Nov. 3, 2020. Cheriton elects its mayor and council members in even-numbered years. The town will revise its charter next year to permit all future Cheriton elections to be held in November instead of May.
The council revisited its discussion of the town’s poor stormwater drainage and the debate of whether the town or its citizens are responsible for cleaning the ditches.
Councilman Matthew Yancy asked if the town could have the ditches cleaned out and send letters to residents stating the service would be “one time and one time only.”
Councilman Barry Downing said the town should have the ditches cleaned, but not necessarily on a one-time basis. He agreed to contact companies and get estimates for the work.
