Among the local officials in attendance were State Rep. Scott Thomas and Bayboro Mayor Evelyn Ward. "It is a challenge to invest in the young men here and bring them back into society," Mayor Ward said. "You (the Pamlico staff) are welcome here and I look forward to working with you to meet the challenges that lie ahead."

Correction Secretary Theodis Beck expressed his appreciation to the numerous staff within the department who worked to make the transition from private to public operations a success. "From the beginning, the staff never hesitated. They set about their tasks and got the job done," he said. Secretary Beck noted that Correction employees have a lot of pride in their profession and that he feels the staff at Pamlico exemplifies that.