The Friends of Bertie – Rescind the Raise Committee has joined with Bertie County in relief efforts this past week and next. Our hearts go out to all those in Bertie County who have lost lives and property.

“While our efforts to continue working with our fellow citizens in relief will continue, we also will renew our efforts to hold our County Commissioners accountable for their lack of transparency and good common sense in granting Zee Lamb a 46 percent and almost $52,000 increase in 9/2009,” the Friends group said in a press release emailed Saturday morning to this newspaper.

The press release stated that from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, “Friends” will hold a county wide petition drive.

“We will be collecting signatures asking the commissioners to rescind (take back) the raise and notifying our commissioners we will ask for a recall election if they do not,” the release stated.

Locations to sign are at:

Askewville – Harrisons Grocery

Aulander – near town offices downtown

Colerain – empty lot at the corner of 45 & 42 across from fire department

Lewiston – near Duck Thru at Highway 11

Powellsville – near Red Apple lot

Roxobel/Kelford – Cooper’s Market Parking Lot in Roxobel

Windsor – Food Lion Parking Lot

Windsor – Empty lot on the corner of Queen Street and Granville Street.

Additionally, the press release issued a thank you on behalf of the group to the supporters who made it possible for Friends of Bertie to provide the following relief to Bertie County:

Donations to Town of Colerain Tornado Relief;

Donations to Town of Askewville Tornado Relief;

Partnered with other businesses and with Nixon Catering to feed the volunteers and workers in Askewville on 4/20 and lunch 4/21;

Partner with other businesses and Nixon Catering to feed the volunteers and workers in Colerain lunch on 4/25; and

Donation to Greater Wynn Grove Baptist Church.

“All total, our supporters have provided almost $6,000 of tornado relief efforts to Bertie County and we hope to do more,” the press release noted.

“Friends of Bertie is concerned about the future of Bertie County. We are here to stay. On 5/4/2011 we are picking back up our sword of transparency and will continue to press our commissioners to correct their past actions. Mr. Lamb, with the Commissioners backing, looked all county employees in the eye and said no raises for anyone in these tough economic times. When he said this, he knew he had gotten a 46 percent, almost $52,000 increase.

“By 5/4, we will have paused pressing for transparency for more than two weeks after the storm. Our hearts and heads are clear as we rejoin the battle to press for a correction in the raise and its hiding for 20 months. Our court case is in place, our petition drive is coming, we have joined in helping the hurting people of the county, and we will continue to work all these fronts. Help us build a better Bertie,” the press release concluded.