GRANVILLE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS: Poll Workers in Granville County will receive a pay increase  beginning with the 2023 municipal elections. The Granville County Board of Commissioners approved a  recommendation from the Granville County Board of Elections to increase the pay rate for Poll Workers by  approximately 25% in the upcoming fiscal year budget. This increase will take pay to $11.50 per hour for Poll  Workers and $13 per hour for Poll Workers in Charge. Additionally, the Board of Commissioners approved the  implementation of overtime pay for Poll Workers who staff the One-Stop Early Voting locations in Granville  County. 

“Poll Workers are critical to ensuring that Election Day and One-Stop Early voting runs smoothly in Granville  County,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Russ May. “We listened to the feedback from the Board of Elections  and their staff and understand the challenges they face in recruiting Poll Workers each election cycle. Hopefully,  this pay increase for Poll Workers will help ease the burden and show our appreciation for the valuable service  these individuals provide.” 

“In my view, the Board of Commissioner’s decision to increase the pay for Poll Workers is a recognition of their  dedication and hard work and an acknowledgement that Poll Workers are essential to the Granville County Board of Elections mission,” said Board of Elections Chair James A. Wall, Sr. “On behalf of the Board of Elections  and our dedicated staff, I would like to thank the Board of Commissioners for recognizing this need and showing  their dedication to our mission.” 

The 2023 Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, November 7. For more information about becoming a Poll  Worker, contact the Board of Elections at 919-693-2515. 

For more information about upcoming elections in Granville County, visit the Board of Elections website at  https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/board-of-elections/. 

GCPS Board of Education Approves Leadership Changes

At their regularly scheduled meeting on June 5, 2023, the Board of Education approved recommended school leadership changes at Tar River Elementary School.  

Ms. Lisa Tusa has been named as the Principal of Tar River Elementary School. Ms. Tusa is an experienced school leader with nearly 22 years of service in Granville County Public Schools, 14 of them as a principal at the middle and high school levels.  She began her career as a 3rd grade teacher in New York, then moved to NC where she first taught in Durham and then, as a 5th teacher at Creedmoor Elementary School.   Ms. Tusa earned her undergraduate degree at Dowling College in New York and her Masters degree from NC State University.   A native of New York, Ms. Tusa has found a home in Granville County and has deep ties to the community through her many years of service to the children of our district.  Ms. Tusa begins in her new role effective June 6, 2023.

Ms. Lisa Tusa, Principal, Tar River Elementary School

Mrs. Rita Jackson was named the Assistant Principal of Tar River Elementary School and will serve alongside principal Tusa.  Mrs. Jackson has been an educator for eight  years, having served as an Exceptional Children's Program Teacher at West Oxford and Dean of Students at Butner Stem Middle School.  She completed her administrative internship at JF Webb High School during the 2022-2023 school year.  Mrs. Jackson is also a graduate of South Granville High School and earned her undergraduate and masters degrees from NC Central University. She and her husband are the proud parents of two daughters, both graduates of GCPS.  Mrs. Jackson begins her new role with the 2023-2024 school year.

Mrs. Rita Jackson, Assistant Principal Tar River Elementary School

Superintendent McLean offered her comments, stating, “I am very proud to announce these two amazing educators as the new leaders at Tar River Elementary School.  I believe that both Ms. Tusa and Mrs. Jackson will lead the school forward and continue the tradition of excellence in academics.  We are very proud of the family of Terrapin educators and look forward to another successful school year at their school.”

In addition to the leadership announcements at Tar River Elementary School, the Board also named Mr. Michael Spradlin to take on the new role of SparkNC Lab Leader.  Mr. Spradlin, who previously served in the administrative role of Dean of Instruction for Granville Academy, will begin this new position on July 1, 2023.  SparkNC is a special, grant-funded initiative designed to provide middle and high school students opportunities to learn skills and gain credentials in the high tech sector, including the areas of computer programming, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), game art design, computer engineering and Esports.

Mr. Spradlin came to Granville County Schools seven years ago after spending five years in the Outdoor and Environmental Education field. He holds a BA in History from Brevard College, an MS in Experiential Education from Minnesota State Mankato, and an MSA Add-On from UNC Wilmington. He has been a teacher for seven years, having taught at Northern Granville Middle School and at Granville Academy; and has been the Dean of Instruction at Granville Academy for the past two years. 

Mr. Spradlin will recruit, teach and coach students through a variety of competency-based modules and work-based learning experiences.  In addition, he will facilitate special field trips to various business partners throughout NC (Apple, Lenovo, Epic Games, etc), all of which will lead toward industry-based credentials and course credit.  The state-of-the-art Spark NC Lab, fully-equipped through grant funds, will be located at South Granville High School and will be open to all GCPS students in grades 8-12.  The goal of the program is to build awareness, interest and readiness for our students to enter the high-paying, high-demand world of work in the high-tech sector.  For more information about this program, please reach out to Mr. Spradlin at spradlinm@gcs.k12.nc.us

Auction Direct USA Announces Major Expansion in Granville 

GRANVILLE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Granville County, the City of Oxford, and the North Carolina  Department of Commerce welcomed Auction Direct USA to Granville County today with the announcement of  an expansion to their regional operations with the announcement of a new vehicle refurbishment and wholesale  facility. Auction Direct USA will occupy a portion of the former Santa Fe Tobacco production center located on  Knotts Grove Road in Oxford.  

“We see our company becoming a part of the Granville County community,” said Auction Direct USA CEO Tim  Frank. “Auction Direct has become the company it is today by investing in our employees and preparing them  for success with our company and for the future. We know that the culture we build is the most important part  of our business model and the monetary success we have as is just a byproduct of creating a place that our  employees want to be a part of.” 

Auction Direct USA was formed in Rochester, New York in 2004 by a group of automotive professionals who  loved the car business, but not the way vehicles were sold to customers. This group used their combined 70  years of experience to develop a new approach to car sales that focused on fun and letting customers “drive”  the process. This new location in Granville County will provide a base of operations to refurbish incoming stock  and allow direct sales to vehicle wholesalers with a new subsidiary called “a.i.m.” This subsidiary will allow  Auction Direct to expand into supply chain solutions, providing both wholesale and retail-ready vehicles to the  entire automotive industry, including dealers and digital channels. The company’s project in Granville County will establish a high-volume location to recondition vehicles and prepare them for wholesale. 

“Granville County works every day to build a culture of success for our citizens” said Harry Mills, Granville  County Development Director. “Announcements like this show that Granville is ready to lead the way for our  region as we attract new growth, that includes more jobs and opportunities for our citizens. Auction Direct USA  has proven that they are committed to ‘Growing with Granville,’ by bringing investment that cultivates success  for their customers and our community as a whole.” 

“We are always pleased to welcome a new business to Granville County, but we are truly excited to welcome a  company known across the country for success and innovation,” said Russ May, Chair of the Granville County  Board of Commissioners. “The Board of Commissioners takes great pride in ensuring that Granville County is a  place that promotes success for our existing businesses and welcomes new investment. I am confident that  today’s announcement will have a positive effect on our community for years to come. Auction Direct USA is the  exact type of company we hope to attract to Granville; one that will bring in stable, high-paying jobs and  become ingrained in our community.” 

“Auction Direct USA choosing Granville County as its expansion location shows North Carolina has secured a 

foothold in the automotive industry,” said Jordan Whichard, Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department  of Commerce. “North Carolina continues to see economic development success in the automotive sector, and  we are thrilled that Auction Direct is showing a commitment to Oxford, Granville County, and the State of North  Carolina with this major expansion and investment.” 

As a result of Auction Direct USA’s investment in this new Granville location, the company is eligible to receive a  $2,076,300 Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) over the course of twelve years from the North Carolina  Department of Commerce and a $500,000 Building Reuse Grant from the NC Rural Infrastructure Authority. In  return, by 2024 Auction Direct USA will invest $2.9 million in facility improvements and create 173 jobs with an  average salary of $88,258, nearly double the current median salary in Granville County. This project is estimated  to produce a total economic impact of $393.3 million over the next twelve years. 

For more information about Auction Direct USA, visit their website: https://www.auctiondirectusa.com/