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After a secret agreement to relocate a controversial Confederate monument fell through, the Edenton Town Council and Chowan County are back to the drawing board.

This time, though, it’s in the public eye.

Even so, the five residents who sued over their right to have a say in the monument’s fate aren’t satisfied with the town’s attempt at transparency, their attorney told Carolina Public Press.

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According to a lawsuit filed in January by the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, the Edenton Town Council broke open meetings law when it quietly negotiated a deal with Chowan County and several neo-Confederate groups to transfer ownership of the monument to the county and relocate it to the courthouse.

As a part of that deal, three neo-Confederate groups agreed to settle a separate lawsuit they filed against the town that has prevented the monument’s relocation since 2022. They have since backed out, and that lawsuit is still pending with a hearing scheduled for April.

Arguments over the fate of the monument, which was first erected in 1909, have been ongoing since Edenton first considered relocating it in 2020.

Although estimates can vary, it’s believed that North Carolina has at least 40 Confederate monuments in front of courthouses and roughly 170 such symbols statewide.

Usually, efforts in towns and cities to get them removed or relocated don’t come without a fight. And invariably, those disagreements often wind up in court.

A few years ago in Edenton, a town-created commission comprised of residents recommended that the monument be relocated from the historic waterfront. The town took that recommendation seriously but has been met by obstacles at each attempt to find a compromise.

Now, it appears that deadlock will continue.

In early February, the town notified Chowan County that it and the neo-Confederate groups who sued to keep the monument in place could not reach a resolution to the lawsuit.

With the collapse of the initial deal, town and county officials sought a new path forward — this time with public input.

A week ago, the Edenton Town Council held a special joint meeting with the Chowan County Board of Commissioners with the intention of dissolving the memorandum of understanding from November and coming to a new agreement.

Edenton Mayor W. Hackney High Jr. acknowledged the lawsuit filed by the Southern Coalition for Social Justice during the meeting’s opening remarks and welcomed input from residents through a public comments session.

Twenty made speeches in front of local leaders, most of whom were against the monument and didn’t want it either downtown or on courthouse grounds. A few speakers voiced their support for keeping the monument in a prominent place.

One of the speakers was John Shannon, a local pastor who is one of the five plaintiffs in the Southern Coalition for Social Justice lawsuit. He was also a member of the town commission that recommended the monument be relocated.

“As of right now, every attempt to move the monument has been delayed, redirected or ignored,” Shannon said. “I hope that one day soon the recommendation from the (town commission) will be considered as a move in the right direction to better the relationships of all the citizens in Edenton.”

Despite having the opportunity to share their misgivings about the town council’s plan, a spokeswoman with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice told CPP she’s worried Edenton officials won’t take residents seriously.

“We are concerned that this meeting is a hollow attempt to check a box when it comes to hearing public input,” Sarah Ovaska said, “and not a sincere attempt to consider the wishes of the community.”

After an hour of public comments, the town unanimously adopted a new memorandum of understanding.

The agreement closely mirrors the previous memorandum adopted in November — except it cuts out the neo-Confederate groups as a signatory, meaning their endorsement is not required for this new deal — and slightly changes the language describing where on the courthouse grounds the monument is to be relocated.

In this version of the deal, the transfer of the monument to Chowan County and its relocation to the courthouse will only take effect once the lawsuit involving the neo-Confederate groups is dismissed by a judge.

And there’s precedent for that. In March 2024, the state Supreme Court ruled that a neo-Confederate group did not have the standing to sue over Asheville’s decision to remove a Confederate monument.

Edenton expects the judge to rule similarly here.

But although the Edenton Town Council adopted the new memorandum of understanding with little discussion, Chowan County officials were more apprehensive.

The Board of Commissioners decided to table the issue and vote on it sometime after considering the public comments and consulting with legal counsel.

“I would like to think that this Board of Commissioners really needs to think hard and have a good discussion with our counsel,” Vice Chairman Larry McLaughlin said. “My reservations are if we take this monument, then we are stuck with any court cases coming up and the cost associated with that, and all the other rigamarole that we’ve been through. So my reservation is to be cautious to make sure that we’re going down the right road.”

Representatives from neither the town nor the county responded to CPP’s request for comment.

Additionally, the United Daughters of the Confederacy — one of the groups that sued to keep the monument in place during 2023 — also did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit filed in January by the Southern Coalition for Social Justice takes issue not only with how the town’s business was conducted, but also the proposal that the monument be moved to a courthouse.

Along with the claim that the town violated open meetings law, the suit also asserts that having a Confederate statue on courthouse grounds would violate the plaintiffs’ rights under the state constitution.

That is something the town did not address in last week’s special meeting, opting instead to continue to move forward with relocating the monument.

Holding a public meeting just to vote on a similar deal shows that the town is not serious about taking residents’ comments into account, according to plaintiffs’ attorney Jake Sussman.

“The fate of Edenton’s Confederate monument has already been decided,” he said, referring to the town’s commitment nearly two years ago to relocate the statue. “As our lawsuit makes clear, however, following through cannot involve moving it to the county courthouse. That would be a huge step back for the community and North Carolina.”

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Lucas Thomae

Lucas Thomae is a staff reporter for Carolina Public Press, focusing on coverage of government accountability and transparency issues. Lucas, who is based in Raleigh, is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Email Lucas at [email protected] to contact him.

EDENTON, North Carolina — The status of the relocation of the Confederate monument in downtown Edenton was put on hold Monday after a joint meeting between the Edenton Town Council and Chowan County Commissioners. The leaders decided they needed time to process the public hearing that saw more than a dozen people speak for and against the relocation that night.

“The people that live here all their lives think it should stay right where it's at," said Susan Alred, who has called Chowan County home for almost 73 years.

“I grew up knowing it was not appropriate," said Susan Inglis, a longtime Edenton resident whose local family history goes back hundreds of years.

Watch previous coverage: Anonymous group offers $50k to relocate Edenton Confederate Memorial

The seven-foot-tall statue, unveiled in 1909, was built to honor the Confederate dead of Chowan County. It features an inscription saying, "Our Confederate Dead 1861-1865" and a Confederate Common Soldier.

Monday night, town and county leaders met to hear from residents, strike down the memorandum of understanding from November 2024, and potentially agree on a new one. The new MOU would relocate the Confederate monument that sits in the heart of downtown Edenton to open space behind the Chowan County Courthouse.

After hearing public comments, the Chowan County commissioners felt they needed more time to process everything they had heard. Residents continue to be divided over what to do with the monument, which has been part of the town for more than a century and has been downtown for over 60 years.

“They're trying to wash away the history of it, so it's just sad," said Alred.

“In this day and age, we do not need a symbol of white supremacy in the heart of our little town," said Inglis.

Watch related coverage: New Edenton N.C. mural showcases flora, fauna & the perfect photo opportunity

Despite the town council voting unanimously to relocate the monument nearly two years ago, it remains downtown. That agreement planned to move it about a mile away to Hollowell Park.

“Though action has been taken, the town council did vote to remove it from its current location, they have not actually been able to accomplish what they resolved to accomplish, and that is a disappointment," said Inglis.

A lawsuit against the relocation was filed by advocates in 2023, which has contributed to the delay. The most recent lawsuit was brought by five local residents who are in favor of relocation but not to the space behind the courthouse.

“Since the courthouse represents the place where people can go and expect to have equal justice under law, the idea of moving this very controversial monument to the courthouse grounds, they believed—and we believed, as reflected in our lawsuit—would violate provisions of the North Carolina constitution," said Jake Sussman, with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.

Watch related coverage: 33,000 gallons of untreated wastewater discharged in Edenton, town says

Some agree that the courthouse is not the most appropriate place for the monument but feel it’s a step in the right direction.

“That would be an improvement. Would everybody believe that they would be getting justice when they come to this courthouse if there's that symbol on the grounds? I don't know," said Inglis.

Others continue to believe that the monument should stay put.

“It bothers a lot of people, but it's part of our history," said Alred.

So what's next? County commissioners will gather at their regular monthly meeting on Monday, where the new MOU will be discussed and action potentially taken. Even if the MOU is agreed upon, until the two lawsuits are resolved in the courts, further delays in relocating the monument can be expected.

Information technology outsourcing firm Provalus plans a $6.48 million investment in the Chowan County town of Edenton that’s expected to create 61 jobs. Provalus was founded in 2017 and operates in Whiteville with plans for a site in North Wilkesboro.

Provalus pledged to invest $1 million and bring 150 jobs to North Wilkesboro in November. In Whiteville, Provalus pledged in 2023 a $500,000 investment and the creation of 92 jobs. Provalus is based in Brewton, Alabama, and six operations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma. Four other projects are underway in Arkansas, Texas and Kentucky, in addition to North Wilkesboro.

Provalus operates under the name of Optomi. It operates in rural, veteran-heavy communities, where it trains workers for cybersecurity, application development, network operations and other areas. In Edenton, the company plans to upfit a former downtown Sears store.

“This new Center of Excellence represents more than just business growth; it’s a testament to our commitment to empowering communities and unlocking potential,” said Provalus’ President Mike Keogh in a release. “It’s a reflection of our belief in the region’s talent and the promise of its future.”

Average wages for the positions will be $46,393, $9 more than the current average wage in Chowan County. A performance-based grant of $150,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Provalus’ project in Edenton. OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments.

Greensboro-based Kontoor Brands, which owns the iconic Wrangler and Lee jeans brands, agreed to buy Norwegian outdoor and workwear brand Helly Hansen in a deal valued at about $900 million.

Kontoor will acquire Helly Hansen from Canadian Tire, a Toronto-based retail company that has owned the Oslo, Norway-based company since 2018.

“Given our global platform and proven track record of operational excellence in owning brands rooted in heritage, quality, authenticity and innovation, Kontoor Brands is uniquely positioned to partner with Helly Hansen management to scale and elevate the business globally,” says Kontoor Brands CEO Scott Baxter in a release. He called the deal a “perfect fit for our strategy to evolve and expand our portfolio of brands, accelerate growth, and deliver long-term value for our shareholders.”

Norwegian sea Capt. Helly Juell Hansen founded Helly Hansen with his wife Maren Margrethe in 1877 while studying how to make water-resistant clothing for workers at sea. Its products are used by elite sailors, more than 55,000 mountain professionals and guides in more than 200 ski resorts, according to the company.

Kontoor sees the acquisition as a way to increase market share in the outdoor and workwear markets. Kontoor expects Helly Hansen to generate more than $680 million of revenue and $80 million of adjusted operating income this year,excluding synergies.

Plans call for closing the deal by June 30.

This week, Kontoor reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.38, a 2% increase from a year earlier when results included a sizable tax benefit. Excluding that gain, adjusted earnings per share climbed 23%.

Revenue gained 4% to $699 million. The company said its inventory declined 22% during the year to about $390 million. It didn’t report its full-year results.

“I am pleased with our strong finish to the year, driven by better-than-expected revenue, earnings, and cash generation,” says Baxter in a release. “Full year 2024 was an incredible year for Kontoor, driven by consistent execution, investments in our brands, and the remarkable efforts of our global team.”

Kontoor split off from VF Brands in 2019 with the parent company taking the Vans, Timberland and North Face brands and moving its headquarters to Denver. The jeans business, which has grown slower in recent decades, remained in Greensboro under its new name and Baxter at the helm.

Confounding expectations, Kontoor shares have gained 127% over the past five years, while VF’s have declined 68%.

Kontoor employs about 15,000 globally, including 1,000 in North Carolina. Kontoor shares gained 4% Wednesday to close at $89.29. They have traded between $52.95 and $96.80 in the past 52 weeks. Kontoor has a market capitalization of about $4.9 billion.