Tarboro's Noble Legacy

6/3/2011 2:47:34 PM

In 1987, eastern North Carolina was a manufacturing powerhouse. Tarboro’s newly hired town manager, Sam Noble, was charged with partnering with the Tarboro/Edgecombe Association of Manufacturers to make sure the town’s electric system
ran smoothly and efficiently for the local industrial employers. “We always had a good industrial load in Tarboro,” he said. “We wanted to make sure we stayed competitive.”

At the time, ElectriCities had just implemented the System Betterment Program to identify industrial projects that would reduce load loss. These projects included the installation of load-management switches and generators. Noble recognized the payback opportunity for the town, so he met with industrial customers and explained how the program could optimize their operations. Tarboro’s load loss remains low.

Like other communities in the area, Tarboro saw its share of manufacturing job losses in the 1990s. But Noble’s aggressive commitment to providing reliable power, competitive rate structures and excellent customer service to industrial customers has maintained Tarboro’s strong base. “We meet with our industrial customers regularly, especially around budget time,” he said. “We strive to anticipate and resolve issues
before they occur.”

In 1999, Hurricane Floyd caused massive flooding in Eastern North Carolina. Tarboro was hit hard: the wastewater treatment facility and town communications center were flooded along with many homes and businesses. Town officials worked tirelessly with citizens to recover. “We built it back new and better,” Noble said.

Tarboro today is a thriving slice of Southern charm. The town was the first in the state to have a K9 unit on every shift, and crime is low. While other towns have cut garbage pickup service to once a week, Tarboro still maintains a twice-weekly pickup schedule to make sure the town always looks its best. Townspeople gather once a month on the historic commons for a flagraising ceremony in conjunction with the Edgecombe County Veterans museum to honor a fallen local soldier. Teams of youth baseball players from around the state and region compete for tournament championships at the Indian Lake Sports Complex.

Noble credits Tarboro’s success to the dedication of many teams of people working together to create a vibrant public power community in the face of change. After all, he said, “If you don’t run things like a business, you’ll be out of business.”

We’d love to feature your community in a future edition of Hometown Connection. Send your stories to htc@electricities.org or call Leigh Ann Frink at 800.768.7697 ext. 6281.