Tillery residents and those connected with the community had a chance to air their concerns on a range of issues — from grass cutting and water lines to broadband connections and school board districts — as the Halifax County Board of Commissioners took their meeting on the road Monday night.

It was the first of several meetings where the board will meet their constituents on their home turf.

“I think it was well attended and residents — not only from Tillery but surrounding communities — were present tonight,” said Commissioner Gary Redding, who pitched the idea to the board in May. “I think the comment period was especially useful so the citizens could share some of their concerns.”

Redding said he believes people felt more free to speak and felt “that meetings were more accessible because they can just drive minutes away. I think they were comfortable as well because they see their neighbors, they see someone such as themselves who’s from the community.”

That was the point of the idea, he said. “I think that we as commissioners have scheduled our meetings in a way that sometimes people can’t attend them in the morning or sometimes even in the evening at the (historic) courthouse. Being able to take the meetings to the communities — whether it’s Tillery, Scotland Neck, Littleton, Roanoke Rapids or Weldon — will make it more accessible and that people will be more comfortable coming out and speaking.”

Ted Edmond was the first to speak and asked the board about the price differences for rabies vaccinations in the county as opposed to Greenville where he said it was cheaper.

He also wanted to know why two farms “sitting side by side” have different prices for taxes.

Board Chair Vernon Bryant said he would have appropriate county staff members get in touch with him.

Carla Amason spoke about the conditions of water lines in the community. “A few years ago during the Biden administration, they sent a bunch of money to Halifax County and you all had several meetings for us to sit down and discuss what they were going to do with that money.”

One of the things she had discussed was the waterline breaks. “Between that time and this one, we’ve had five.”

The last one, two weeks ago, was close to her house.

She said the late Commissioner Marcelle Smith had learned the water pipes used for the soil type in the community was wrong. “It’s constantly shifting, so it will tear a waterline apart. Sometimes the cheapest way out is not the best way out.”

She also asked about grass-cutting along highway rights of way. “You can’t pull out from any roads and not have to duck and dodge hoping nobody will hit you.”

James Mills, who told the board he has ties to Scotland Neck, said he was concerned about the way school board members were elected in the county. “It’s all at large … We have to make sure Tillery could have a member on the school board, Scotland Neck could have a member on the school board … We have to have districts rather than at large.”

Jewel Marrow told the board she was concerned about internet access in the community. “We’re in a dead zone and most of the internet access we have is through Brightspeed or satellite.”

She said the internet buffers in the Tillery area. “Don’t forget it because we’re a small community. We still need to have internet access just as some of the other communities.”

Catherine Lee said there are people in the community who have problems with their landline phones. “I’m 95,” she said, “I need my landline.”

Ruby Gerald, who lives in Roanoke Rapids but works with Concerned Citizens of Tillery, thanked the board for bringing the meeting to the community. “We do know we have an internet problem and sometimes people are not able to access and when your meetings are.”

Doris Davis wanted to know about how the county put out its meeting notifications. “We have many people here in the community who don’t have access to computers. Our population is aging and people can’t get to the internet to get the agenda.”

Bryant was pleased with the meeting. “The meeting tonight in Tillery was great,” he said. “The Halifax County Board of Commissioners looks forward to meeting periodically in various other locations for our second monthly meeting.”