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JACKSON – Northampton County’s ABC Board will forgo sharing profits with the county for the current fiscal year thanks to a one-time waiver approved by the county commissioners during their meeting on Feb. 3.

The request was first presented to the commissioners during their meeting on Jan. 6. Economic Development Director Derrick Bennett presented a letter from Mia Turro, Northampton County ABC General Manager, and Iris Williams, Northampton County ABC Board Chair.

In the letter, they explained that the ABC Board annually shares their profits with the county and townships, and in the previous fiscal year, they distributed $36,270 to the county. This year, however, they asked to keep the county’s share of the profit distribution (approximately $38,347) to maintain their capital reserve fund because they had invested around $200,000 in renovations to the new ABC store.

They also stated in the letter that townships would still continue to receive their profit distribution as usual, and they will resume distributing profits to the county in the upcoming fiscal year.

Northampton County’s newest ABC Store is located in the former Burger King building, located at 6755 NC Highway 46, Garysburg, just by the Interstate 95 exit. The county purchased the building in January 2024, and approved leasing it to the ABC Board for $1,500 per month in August 2024.

The store opened for business in late November 2024.

Because the Jan. 6 meeting was a non-voting meeting for the commissioners, they did not take any action on the request at that time, and it was not included in the agenda for the following meeting.

But it was brought before the commissioners again for consideration at their Feb. 3 meeting.

Commissioner Melvetta Broadnax Taylor asked County Manager Julian Phillips if the county could afford to approve the waiver. Phillips answered yes, and emphasized again that this would be for the current fiscal year only.

Commissioner Kelvin Edwards motioned to approve the request, and Broadnax Taylor seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor.