Wilson County Gov News

“Alexa: play ‘We Are the Champions’ by Queen”

Deputy County Manager, Lori Winstead, poses with the Wilson Education Partnership Spelling Bee trophy alongside Paolo Ceyrolles, Sr. Accountant. Congratulations to the Wilson County team for winning first place in this year’s Wilson Education Partnership Candy Land Adult Trivia & Spelling Bee. The team consisted of Paolo Ceyrolles, Kayla Batts, Lori Walston and Steve Walston.

Safety is key to a successful workplace and, once again, numerous Wilson County Government departments took home awards today at the NCDOL Safety Awards Luncheon. Many departments have multi-year recognitions for their safe work environments, with our Wilson County Department of Social Services coming in at 28 consecutive years! Thank you to all of our professionals for committing to a safe and enjoyable work environment!

Way to go, Tracy! Congratulations for saving a life—over the phone—by providing CPR instructions to a 911 caller!

Congratulations to our Wilson County Government team on their first place win in the Wilson Education Partnership Candy Land Adult Trivia & Spelling Bee on March 14! This community event support supports Wilson County Schools.

We love to see our employees give back to the community. Throughout the first week of March, our employees read to various classes in Wilson County Schools for Read Across America Week. 📖

We’ve launched a new quarterly newsletter for you to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in each department. Sign up for Wilson County NOW to stay informed.

Wilson County Selects New Library Director

Wilson County Government has chosen Karey Blanchard to lead the County’s library system as its new Library Director, starting March 1, 2024. Blanchard is no stranger to Wilson County, having served in multiple County library roles from 2017-2021. She most recently managed a team of 34 employees as the Director of the Beaufort-Hyde-Martin (BHM) Regional Library in Washington, NC.

“We are excited to have Karey return to Wilson County to lead an amazing library team at the central library and at our branches. She will help us continue our strong connections to all ages while valuing our love for books and continue our expanding use of technology,” stated County Manager Ron Hunt.

In her new role, Blanchard will lead staff at the main library and the additional five branches throughout the County. She will interact closely with an active Friends group, as well as a highly supportive Board of Trustees. Other responsibilities will consist of developing a wide range of learning platforms, including user led experiences, digital and virtual platforms, and facilitating access to rapidly changing technological innovations for the community. She fills the vacancy left by the retirement of former Director Molly Westmoreland.

Blanchard commented, “I am excited to serve all of Wilson County’s citizens and look forward to being a part of the community again. I plan to continue the great partnerships that the library has made in the past while fostering new opportunities in the future.”

As the Library Director for BHM Regional Library, Blanchard oversaw the creation and management of the library system’s budget, coordinated public and private grants, created an outdoor programming pavilion, reopened a library destroyed by a natural disaster and implemented a new library website and logo. During her previous time with the Wilson County Public Library, she held the roles of Branch Librarian in Lucama, as well as Adult Services and Youth Services Librarian at the main library in Wilson.

Originally from Virginia, Blanchard has spent most of her life in North Carolina and loves living here. After moving to the Outer Banks during high school, Karey graduated from East Carolina University with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. In 2021, she graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Master of Library Science degree. When not at the library, she enjoys spending time with her family, digital photography and pampering her pets.

Wilson County Professional Family,

 The Wilson County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget Thursday, June 1st.  As with each year, our commissioners are committed to a budget that is fiscally responsible, maintains the current tax rate, and invests in our dedicated professional family, capital needs, public safety, education, and economic development.

 Our commissioners value our employees.  In December 2022 they made a bold step and approved a sweeping and modernizing compensation plan that started in January 2023.  This system revamped salary grades midyear and set a new direction to move employees incrementally (in steps) through their salary grades.   In the 2023/2024 budget I am pleased that commissioners supported an additional 3% adjustment to current salaries – as recommended by our consultant - and retained our consultant to continue to evaluate 1/3 of our positions every year to keep Wilson County salaries competitive.  We have already seen improvements in our recruitment and retention.

 The new budget includes several needed positions for DSS, Tax Department, Library, and the Health Department, including Wilson County Government’s first Communication’s Director.  This position will oversee county communications, social media, public relations, website, videos and more. 

As I told commissioners in my budget address, this is my first budget as your county manager, and I am more than honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve this great county.  We have accomplished many amazing and impactful things for our citizenry this past year and we have some exciting and challenging work ahead. 

 It is because of you, our professional family, that we are successful throughout each day.  I hope your summer is filled with great times, amazing memories with family and friends and reminders of the things that we value in life.  I appreciate each of you.

 The best is yet to come. 

Ron Hunt,

County Manager