Stall And Kill
Mayor Roy L. Harrell almost
got through Tuesday night’s 40-
minute monthly meeting of Town
Council without being asked about
activities of a three-man com
mittee to explore merger of local
governments. When the question
came from die audience, the
negative reply was in keeping with
the mayor’s position when it was
raised a month ago.
“No, we haven’tmet,” he said of
the committee composed of
himself and Councilmen Harry
Spruill and J. P. Ricks, Jr.
Councilman Gil Burroughs
proposed discussions with Chowan
County commissioners as a means
of seeking out cost effectiveness in
local government. His two
colleagues on the committee owe
him the courtesy of seeing that an
honest attempt is made to obtain a
dialogue with the commissioners.
Mayor Harrell represents but
one-third of the committee he
appointed. It is highly
questionable if he represents close
to that ratio of the local citizenry
who in the past month saw their
taxes increase 17 cents per SIOO
valuation.
If councilmen, like the self
proclaimed conservative Jesse L.
Harrell, are serious about cost
effectiveness in local government
administration they must move to
establish the forum Mr.
Burroughs suggested. To allow
one person-namely Mayor
Harrell-to stall and ultimately kill
any serious consideration of the
issue causes one to question their
desire to provide the most
government at the least cost.
The brunt of a town-county tax
increase is felt more by the tax
payers of the town since they also
pay county taxes. The votes to
instill cost effectiveness in ad
ministration of government are
found in the municipality which
only a few years ago voted
overwhelmingly to put the county
in the water business.
There are obvious obstacles to
overcome. Progress in this regard
cannot bemade until an honest,
good-faith effort is made to ad
dress the obstacles. To allow a
negative-if not a minority-voice
to rule by appointing a committee
which he won’t allow to function is
not the American way.
The question is a difficult one.
However, in spite of what Mayor
Harrell might believe, it is a
question with which locally
elected officials must come to
grips. If a Proposition 13 is in the
wings it would at least save face to
be able to tell the citizens our
elected officials are honestly
engaged in dialogue to take out
some of the sting of increased tax
bites.
Shopping List
A si4-million “shopping list’’
greeted Cliff Copeland when he
arrived along the Public Parade to
become Chowan County’s second
manager. It was in the form of a
10-year projection of public im
provements, which had been
prioritized by county depart
mental heads and various boards.
There is a wide spread between
the less than $3,000 projected by
the tax department and more than
Oil-million from Edenton-Chowan
Schools. Both, however, should be
accepted as legitimate figures
within the framework of 1979
dollars.
, Dan Tew of Albemarle Regional
Coo tinned On Page 4
V- • ' f
ASpicts of thi (ms going dtettited sdl mapping program
.
19&
z §9*9*9 p
LANDSCAPE WORK BEGINS Landscape work around the
new Edenton United Methodist Church on Virginia Road is now in
progress. Mrs. Mary Peele has designed a master plan and the
first official planting took place late Monday afternoon. Rev.
Richard R. Blankenhorn, left, conducted a brief service in which
members of the Landscape Committee and other volunteers
participated. Among them were Erwin Griffin, Dr. A. F.
Downum, Sr., and Mrs. Joy Oborn with her two grandchildren,
Benjamin and Michelle Davies.
*THE CHOWAN HERALD Js|
Volume XLV - No. 27
Improvemental Program Is Discussed
A 10-year prioritized public
improvements program for
Chowan County ranges from $2,095
for the tax department to more
than sll-million for Edenton-
Chowan Schools.
The program was recently
compiled by Dan Tew of
Albemarle Regional Planning &
Development as a “shopping list”
to provide local government an
insight into what they can expect
in capital expenditure requests
over the next decade.
Tew told county commissioners
he would complete the project by
providing a forecast of funds to be
needed.
The tax department, for in
stance, needs $1,095 in 1980-81 to,
purchase a blueprint machine and
in 1983-84 will need SI,OOO for the
purchase of a digital plotter.
On the other scale, however, the
schools will need $2-million be
tween 1979 and 1986 as Chowan’s
share of a Tri-County Career
Education Center and $6.5-million
in ($4.6-million in local funds) to
Soil Scientist Begins Work
Robert Ranson, soil scientist,
reported for duty on the Chowan-
Perquimans soil survey on July 2.
He is a graduate of N. C. State
University. Robert began his
career with the Soil Conservation
Service in 1976. He worked
previously in Raleigh and
Lillington before his assignment
here.
He is a native of Huntersville
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, July 12, 1979
construct a new 900-pupil high
school in 1980-81.
Renovation of existing buildings
which are suitable for long-range
use would require an additional $2-
million in 1966-87. An additional
classroom at Chowan School that
same year would call for another
$500,000.
In the health department, the
big item is $520,000 in 1983-84 to
construct a new center “to be
located near medical center”. The
other items center around needs of
the Chowan-Perquimans Landfill.
The water department would
install 20 miles of water mains in
1983-84 at a cost of $320,000 and in
1985-86 would construct a treat
ment plant, two wells and a
300,000-gallon capacity overhead
tank.
Edenton-Chown Rescue Squad
wants $150,000 in 1980-81 for a new
building for Unit 1, then the same
amount in 1981-82 for a new fire
rescue building for Unit 2.
Recreation department requests
show the county’s one-third share
and his wife, Terri is a native of
Raleigh. They have one daughter,
Stacy. They are members of the
Presbyterian Church.
Ranson joins a staff of two other
soil scientists who have been
working on the soil survey since
October of 1976. They will make
soil maps of every acre of land in
Perquimans and Chowan counties,
according to soil texture, struc
ture, drainage and other physical
properties. This map along with
interpretations can be used to
determine the suitability of the
soil for almost any use.
It can help home buyers or
developers determine soil related
hazards or limitations that affect
homesites. R is, also, useful to
planners in determining the
suitability of areas for housing or
on-site disposal systems. It can
help a farmer estimate the
potential crop production of his
land. It can be used to determine
the suitability and limitations of
soils for pipeline buildings, land
fills, recreation areas and many
other uses.
The soil survey was requested
use for the future
Governmental Merger
Committee Fails To Meet
Mayor Roy L. Harrell said
Tuesday night a committee from
Town Council he appointed a
month ago to explore the merger
of local governments has not met.
The committee, which included
the mayor and Councilmen Harry
Spruill and J. P. Ricks, Jr., was
formed at the suggestion of
Councilman Gil Burroughs.
The mayor’s comment was in
response to an inquiry from the
audience at the conclusion of a 40-
minute council meeting. There
was no mention of designation of a
similar committee from the
county at the meeting of Chowan
County commissioners on July 2.
At the June meeting, Mayor
Harrell expressed opposition to a
merger of the local governments
after some councilmen agreed
with Burroughs that it should be
explored.
Burroughs touched another sore
spot Tuesday night when he
recommended that the Recreation
Committee study expanding the
local program to include water
sports.
Councilman Jesse L. Harrell, a
staunch conservative, said the
council must set priorities. He
pointed out that there are a lot of
open ditches and other town im
provements which the council has
not seen fit to provide money.
“Someone has to work; everyone
can’t play,” he observed.
Earlier, while expressing some
reservations about what
“Operation Overcharge” might be
able to accomplish in its rate
Single Copies 15 Cents.
of the budget of the Town of
Edenton and funds needed
generally center around the
conversion of National Guard
Armory on North Broad Street to a
recreation center.
All estimates are at 1979 dollars.
&&L -• XKiQj
mnlj | d&sJtm
~Jy map' ' V *- J
■i / jpf '
WEEK-END SKI SHOW Pembroke Water Ski Club is
sponsoring competition in slalom, tricks and jumping Saturday
and Sunday. Club members pictured here will be among officials
and participants in the event. Left to right are: Bob Partin, Ken
Kinion, Bruce Jones, Jr., Martin Cross and Brent Griffin. (Staff
Photo by Luke Amburn.)
Ski Competition Scheduled
Water ski competition in slalom,
tricks and jumping will be
featured in the 1979 Pembroke
Open, to be sponsored by Pem
broke Water Ski Club at Pembroke
Creek Saturday and Sunday.
Skiers in all age divisions will be
taking part in the action which will
begin at 8 A.M. each day. Much of
the local attention will be focused
on Bruce Jones, Mike Partin, Bob
Partin, Brent Griffin, all in Men I,
and Henry White in the Boys
Division.
Grant Approved
WASHINGTON, D. C. - Rep.
Walter B. Jones of the First
Congressional District announced
today the approval by the Com
munity Services Administration of
a grant in the amount of $16,715 to
Economic Improvement Council,
Inc., which serves 10 Northeastern
North Carolina counties.
These funds are to be used to
for disadvantaged youth
battle with Vepco, as a member of
the Utilities Committee Harrell
recommended that the town
contribute SSOO to the cause. The
group sought SI,OOO.
“From what I see...it is more of
a political push,” the councilman
said of the organization which
functions in 22 counties in Eastern
North Carolina served by Vepco.
“If they do any good at all our
NEW MANAGER ARRIVES - C. A Phillips, right, Chowan
County commissioners, is shown here with Luther C. (Cliff)
Copeland, Jr., who Monday assumed his role as county manager.
Copeland comes here from Albemarle where he served as
assistant manager in Stanly County.
Copeland Takes Position
The new Chowan County
manager assumed his duties
Monday by telling county
employees he practices an “open”
style of management that requires
honesty, commitment and
courtesy.
Luther C. (Cliff) Copeland, Jr.,
talked briefly with a number of
employees who gathered with
county commissioners in the
Fourth Floor conference room of
the County Office Building. After
being introduced by Chairman C.
A. Phillips, the 27-year-old
manager said he is looking for
ward to the job. He said he con
sidered himself fortunate to have
Entries have already been
received from 100 skiers from
three states, including Virginia,
North Carolina and South
Carolina. The entry list will be
closed after the first 125 are
received by the tournament
chairman, Mike Partin. Chief
judge of the tournament will be
Bruce Jones.
The slalom event involves
running a course of six evenly
spaced buoys. The contestants
continue through the course at
predetermined speeds and shorter
towline until the skier with the
most consecutive buoys without a
miss is declared the winner.
In trick skiing, the competitors
are scored by the judges on the
number and difficulty of
maneuvers performed during two
20-second passes through the trick
course.
In jumping, the skiers attempt
to attain winning distances by
leaping off a ramp that is set at
five feet, five and a half feet or six
feet, depending on the division of
the contestants.
contribution will be worthwhile,”
he added. “Maybe we will get
some results from the political
end.”
Stan Hege, representative of
Edenton-Chowan Chamber of
Commerce on the Operation
Overcharge board, pointed out
that the move has the 100 per cent
support of Electricities, which
Continued on Page 4
been chosen for the position.
“Everyone in this room knows
more about Chowan County than I
do,” he said. “If I say that a year
from now I’m in trouble.”
Copeland, who succeeds Eddie
Dick, resigned as assistant
manager in Stanly County to take
the $16,000 post. He will reside at
215 West Eden Street. He was
chosen last month from among
some 75 applicants.
He is a native of Woodland in
Northampton County. He
graduated cum laude from Duke
University and has studied public
administration at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Project Review
Set July 26
The Project Review Committee
of Eastern Carolina Health
Systems Agency is scheduled to
review a Rural Health Initiative
continuation application from
Northeastern Rural Health
Development Association.
The review is set for 7 P.M. July
26 when the committee meets in
the Willis Building on First and
Reade streets in Greenville.
Other agenda items include
discussion of the following Section
1122-Certificate of Need Reviews,
and Proposed Use of Federal
Funds: Ronald and Christina
Pack - acquisition of New Bern
Health Care Center; Atlantic
Healthcare, Inc. - lease of New
River Nursing Home, Jackson
ville; N. C. Dept, of Human
Resources - Toward A Child
Health Strategy; Onslow County
Mental Health Center - initial
operations grant; N. C. Dept, of
Human Resources - improved
child health; East Carolina
University School of Nursing -
nurse practitioner grant; and
Goshen Medical Center - first year
operations grant.
Firm Relocates
J. H. Conger & Son, Inc., local
Texaco distributor, has moved
from Dock Street to North Broad
Street, next to Northside Shopping
Center.
J. H. Conger, Jr., announced
that new office and warehouse
facilities have been completed
since the Edenton Bay site was
purchased by the Town of
Edenton.
W. B. Gardner, town ad
ministrator, said it would
probably be Jail before tanks and
other materials are moved from
the site. Shortly thereafter the
town will begin renovation of the
office building and development of
another waterfront park area
which will he an ex
tension of Colonial Pfe*.