Newspapers / State Port Pilot (Southport, … / Feb. 19, 1992, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of State Port Pilot (Southport, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The State Port Pilot OUR TOWN Southport Southport's visitors center and the offices of Southport 2000 will be moved from City Hall to the old police station on Nash Street. That building formerly housed the city’s recreation department and building inspector. Recreation director Joe Medlin will move his offices to Stevens Park across from Southport Elementary School and building inspector Doug Gillette will move into the City Hall office formerly occupied by Southport 2000 director Joanne Wesson. Mayor Norman Holden said the move was considerate of safety factors related to visitors seeking information at the police department. "‘We don't feel it is safe to bring visitors into the police department when the police may bring in inebriates,” Holden Said. He also said the Nash Street location provides easier access for visitor information and is a better utilization of city office space. In other announcements, Holden said aldermen Meezie Childs and Bill Crowe are formulating plans for renovation of the city-owned Southport Community Building. The city is seeking aid from state and federal representatives in the effort. Alderman Bill Delaney will serve as Southport’s liaison to the Cape Fear Council of Governments and aldermen Crowe, Delaney and Harry Gore will serve as a committee to decide paving and sidewalk priorities this year. As it did last year, the board of aldermen will serve as a committee of the whole to formulate the annual budget which goes into effect June 30. Boiling Spring Lakes The ladies auxiliary of the Boiling Spring Lakes volunteer fire and rescue units will meet Monday at 10 a.m. at the fire station to discuss living wills and medical powers of attorney. Debbie Barthlow, social services director for Dosher Memorial Hospital, will be guest speaker. All members of the community are invited to attend the forum. City clerk Barbara Cumbee will be present to notarize living wills and medical powers of attorney for anyone who wishes to take advantage of this service. New laws governing issuance of living wills and medical powers of attorney went into effect in December, 1991, and older wills may no longer be valid. This and other aspects of living wills and powers of attorney will be discussed at the Monday forum. Caswell Beach To date, the fiscal year 1991 tax collection rate for the Town of Caswell Beach has reached 91 percent and another 100-percent collection year is expected, tax collector Linda Bethune told commis sioners Thursday. Bethune said only $10,179 of a total $125,000 levy was outstanding at this time. The bulk of the uncollected taxes are owed by two property owners who have been contacted and intend to make payments soon, she said. Commissioners granted the tax collector authority to advertise 1992 tax lien notices in The Slate Port Pilot in March. A second notice of delinquency will be sent taxpayers later this month. Commissioners are considering a proposal advanced by building inspector Roger Parks that would require permits for driveway con struction. All commissioners are studying the proposal individually and will report their observations to commissioner Bill Boyd, who will formulate an appropriate ordinance proposal. The proper construction of driveways is said to be critical to drainage efforts in the town. Stormwater generally runs down from higher developed elevations to Caswell Beach Drive, the town’s major thoroughfare, Boyd said. Long Beach Volunteer Long Beach firefighters Mark Snowden and Charles McWells recently received certification as emergency medical techni cians. While both serve the town’s volunteer fire department, McWells is also employed by the town as a member of the water department. Town manager David Poston said McWells generally is out in the community and will be valuable as a first responder in the event of emergency. “This is just another example of citizens and town employees going that one step above and beyond the call of duty,” Poston said. The town manager predicted Long Beach will shortly see more and more of its employees involved in volunteer services on behalf of their neighbors. A number of older vehicles will be auctioned by the Town of Long Beach Friday at 4 p.m. behind Town Hall. The public is invited. Yaupon Beach The ABC store in Yaupon Beach last week made its second-quarter distribution to the town’s general fund and to the police department. For the second quarter, $6,479 in ABC store profits were made available to the general fund and $272 was earmarked for the police department. Water quality complaints in February were minimal. In fact, only three complaints were received and all concerns involved odor and low pressure. Hydrants were opened and flushed at these intersections: Womble Street and Elizabeth Drive; Trott Street and Live Oak Drive; McGlamery Street and Live Oak Drive; and McGlamery Street and Ocean Drive. An emergency generator at the town’s pumping station failed to produce electricity during a February S test. Repair has been ordered. Town staff is researching the possible purchase of a new computer system and new software to run payroll. Staff says it takes 160 hours a year to run payroll and consumes seven percent of staff time at a cost of nearly $1,475 a year. The payroll program to be purchased will cost about $1,600, includ ing training and travel expenses. A new computer under consideration will afford additional memory features and will serve the (own for an estimated five to seven years. MEMBER NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION A linehandler tosses off a mooring line as the Coast Guard cutter Gentian gets underway from the Southport city pier at sunrise. The big buoy tender lay at the pier overnight last week while she was in this area working on navigational aids. BHI to consider county water By Jim Harper Staff Writer Bald Head councilmen, almost completely sure there is enough water under the island to meet future needs, nonetheless agreed Saturday to investigate the possibility of obtaining water from the county system. Developer Kent Mitchell said studies have convinced him there is water sufficient for 2.000 island households (presently there are about 400) but said maximum use of underground water “could affect the level of ponds and lakes at build-out." Mayor pro-tem Dick Messenger said he has been assured there is enough water for 2.000 homes. “But I am not opposed to (considering an off-island source) if it will improve the quality of water." Village manager Wallace Martin reported that he and councilman David Smith, who oversees operation of Bald Head Island Utilities, had met recently with county officials and found them disposed to sell water to the village, delivered at a meter on Caswell Beach. Martin said the village would be responsible for bringing the water under the river and said he would ask for a feasibility study for the council's March meeting. Water from the county would have to be purchased by the village, which could then sell it to Mitchell’s utility company for distribution. County water comes from the Cape Fear River at a site in Bladen County. Martin reported that four sets of plans had been sent to prospective bidders in the village hall construction project, and said he expects contact with at least ten builders before bids are opened March 13. Council go-ahead on the project could come at the March 21 session. Building inspector Gregg Turner reported 40 building permits were issued in 1991, including 12 for new residences, and said eight of those have been completed. Property owner Pete Taussig berated the council on the condition of Federal Road between Stage One development and East Beach — "It’s destroying ■people’s carts; it's a disgrace” — and developer-councilman Mitchell, who owns the thoroughfare, assured the group that repairs will be completed by ’June. ' Consideration of assessment rates to pay for beach renourishment was deferred because the full cost of that project is not yet known. In the Bald Head Association board session, new committee appointments were announced: Ralph Lee. Bill Taft and Charlie Young, finance and administration; Harry Baxley and Jane O’Keefe, architectural review; Penny Jackson and Beth Kapil, island works; Bill LeCates and Billy Jean Taft, natural resources and beautification; Bill Peacock. Eleanor Cosgrove and Debbie Galloway, education and recreation; and Warren Jackson and Bill Fairley, safety and security. At the suggestion of board member Roberta Hardaker. Martin was directed to set-up a joint work session of the board and village council to consider long range goals for the community. boutnport employees City policy is aimed at 'drug-free' workplace By Richard Nubel Municipal Editor All employees of the City of Southport will have to submit to uri nalysis under the terms of a program aimed at identifying drug and alcohol users in the municipal workplace, al dermen decided Thursday night. Under the teims of the “Drug-Free Workplace” program adopted Thurs day — a program initiated by the federal government andcurrently used by the city police department — all city employees will undergo an initial urinalysis to detect drug or alcohol use. If an employee is found to be using drugs or alcohol, he will be placed immediately on either sick leave, vacation leave or unpaid leave and ordered to undergo rehabilitation therapy at a certified rehabilitation center, most likely the Cape Fear Sub stance Abuse Center in Wilmington, before he is allowed to return to work. If the employee does not complete rehabilitation therapy or is found to be using drugs or alcohol a second time, N.C. 133 resurfacing, widening work begins Commuters between Southport and Wilmington can expect traffic delays along N. C. 133 for the next several months. Signs have been posted warning drivers of road construction, and large orange C’s mark the trees which wiU be coming down as the road is widened and resurfaced. The work tsbeiagdone along a 6.35-mile section of N.C. 133 between the OldeTowne subdivision and stale toad 1518, just north of theOldePrirt Golf Club. Rip Paries with Dickerson-Carolina, the contractor doing the highway improvement, said the work wifi be done in two phases. First, the roadway win be widened two feet on either side fora total width of 22 feet, and then covered with two layers of asphalt. That wok is expected to take two weeks to complete. Parks said. The secondphase will include clearlngand grading theshoulders* which win be widened to six feet. That work win be slatted in mid-April and completed in about 70 days, about die first of J uly. The work won’t close die road, but travelers cat expect traffic delays as one-lane is closed for repairs, said Joe Blau, division construction engi neer with the N. C Department of Transportation. he will be fired, under the policy. “We feel it is important for the safety of our workers and citizens to have a drug-free workplace,” city manager Rob Hites told aldermen. Only one provision of the policy spurred opposition from alderman Nelson Adams. The provision —later changed — held that if an employee were arrested on a drug- or alcohol related charge he would be compelled to report the incident to his supervisor, who would place him on suspension for therapy. If the arrest or conviction were a second offense, the employee could be terminated. "I don’t like (that),” Adams said. “If a guy works all year long and goes to See Workplace, page 6 Sewer fees subject of workshop Long Beach commissioners will conduct another in a series of waste water management workshops tonight (Wednesday). The 7 p.m. workshop will be held at the Long Beach Recreation Center. Among topics of discussion will be a graduated fee for commercial hook ups to the proposed $15.2-million sewer system. At the board’s last workshop two weeks ago. commis sioners gave their tentative approval to a fee schedule that would allow immediate residential taps for S350 but up to $1,500 for those who tapped onto the system after one year. A similar schedule was suggested for future commercial establishments, and commissioner David Durr was charged with formulating a proposal for the board’s consideration. Past week’s highs & lows WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE JANUARY Average High 48 degrees ■■■■■ Average Low 34 degrees i. ' I Data courtesy of Foxy Howard Graph by Debi McKellar
State Port Pilot (Southport, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 19, 1992, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75