Williams Expresses Displeasure
With Warren Budget Decisions
Warren County
Schools Superintendent
Michael F. Williams
had harsh words for
county commissioners
Monday night when he
learned that the $140,000
capital outlay appropri
ation in the proposed
1984-85 budget for
Warren County Schools
would be funded entirely
from the proceeds of the
recently enacted one
half percent sales tax.
Contending that the
General Assembly's
"intent" in authorizing
counties to enact the ad
ditional sales tax was to
provide funds for capital
construction of schools,
Williams told the com
missioners their action
was "unconscionable."
"This board has taken
the one-half percent
sales tax and funded the
total capital outlay
needs of the school sys
tem... throwing out the
window the notion and
possibility of the funds
being used for seed
money for capital con
struction."
Last year, $100,000
from federal Revenue
Sharing funds was
budgeted for capital
outlay, and almost
$910,000 was budgeted
from the General Fund
for current expenses.
The 1984-85 proposed
budget calls for all
school appropriations to
come from the General
Fund, with $903,807 ear
marked for current ex
penses and $140,000 for
capital outlay.
By state statute, at
least 40 percent of the
proceeds from one-half
percent sales tax, which
is distributed on a per
capita basis among all
the counties par
ticipating, must go to
the schools for capital
outlay. Warren County's
projected proceeds for
1984-85 are based on
current participation of
95 counties.
Williams told the
commissioners that the
proceeds from the tax
represented the "last
glimmer of hope" for
meeting the long-term
building needs of the
public school system.
"What you're doing is
permissable," he
charged. "But it is
against the intent of the
legislation. It defies
what anyone on the
Board of Education
thought the sales tax
was intended to do."
Williams also voiced
objection to a decrease
of more than $6,000 over
last year in the current
expense appropriation
of the proposed budget.
More than $1,023,700, a
$120,000 increase, had
been requested by the
schools.
"We're not talking
about expanding ser
vices," Williams said.
"We're going to be
$120,000 short in provid
ing what we did last
__ xv -o ^ —
year....For two years,
I've thanked you (for
the school system's ap
propriation) and it is
with all regret in my
heart that I cannot say
that tonight."
Williams related that
in 1981, the schools had
to cut nurses, counselors
and such items as field
trips in order to make
ends meet after budget
cuts brought the schools
up short by about
$96,000.
"This year, we're
$120,000 short and I don't
know what the cuts will
be."
Board Chairperson
Eva M. Clayton told
Williams that she would
not "allow the public to
be under the delusion
that this board is not
committed to public
education."
"The schools are to
receive $117,000 that is
not reflected in this
budget," she said,
referring to the
proceeds from the sales
tax yet to be received
for the three quarters of
1983-64. "You have some
restraint with those
funds, but you also have
some flexibility."
"Last year, 60 percent
of the one-half percent
sales tax was earmark
ed for schools. We were
unsure of the total
amount that pot would
have in it this year. Now
95 counties are partici
pating, but you will have
$117,000 within the next
few months over and
above this year's (allo
cation)," she said.
Of that amount, two
thirds must be spent for
capital outlay (40 per
cent), but the remaining
one-third is not ear
marked.
Citing the current
financial crisis at
Warren General
Hospital, including a
$181,000 debt to the
federal Medicare
program, Mrs. Clayton
said the county was
forced to significantly
increase it appropri
ation to that facility.
"We had no option,"
she commented. "We
had to respond to this
emergency."
The hospital's ap
propriation was in
creased from $111,172 to
$185,770, funded both by
the General Fund and
Revenue Sharing.
"We have put you in a
difficult situation," Mrs
Clayton told Williams.
"But how can we relieve
that? You cannot
retrieve $120,000. I
would be dishonest to let
you think that."
Williams told the
board that he would
have to confer with the
Board of Education
before making recom
mendations to the
board, which is
scheduled to vote on the
proposed budget at its
mid-monthly meeting
tonight (Wednesday).
Mrs. Clayton indicat
ed that the board would
look into the possibility
of providing the schools
with additional funds
through the county's
contingency fund or the
1983-84 sales tax.
The schools' appropri
ation represents 22 per
cent of the county's
$4,803 365 budget, a
decrease of one percent
from last year.
Also appearing before
the commissioners
during the hearing were
Warren County Sheriff
Theo Williams and
department secretary
Betsy Frazier.
Mrs. Frazier thanked
the commissioners for
the addition of a deputy,
which has been
requested each year
since 1977.
"We are constantly
criticized by land
owners in the lake areas
who want more protec
tion for their tax dol
lar," Mrs. Frazier said.
She was joined by
Sheriff Williams in
requesting merit raises
for department em
ployees whose salaries,
they indicated, were
below those for sur
rounding counties.
Mrs. Clayton express
ed appreciation to the
department for its work,
but noted that no mfrit
raises had been
budgeted for 1984-85.
Allen Adcock, presi
dent of the Warren
County Firemen's
Association, also ap
peared before the com
missioners to thank the
board for the $130,000
appropriation from
Revenue Sharing for the
county's volunteer fire
department. The in
crease was 25 percent
more than allocated last
year.
"Firemen risk their
lives for their depart
ments and then have to
sell stew and barbecue
to raise funds," Adcock
said, noting the high
cost of equipment and
firefightinggear.
"We thank you for this
year's increase and for
working with us," he
said.
The proposed 1984-85
county budget calls for
the property tax rate to
remain at $1 per $100
valuation. It includes
revenues of $4,424,365
from the General Fund
and $379,000 from
Revenue Sharing.
The overall budget, if
approved, will increase
7.9 percent and will
provide a six percent
across-the-board cost of
living raise for county
employees.
Silkworm Guide
Ancient Chinese guide
lines for raising fragile silk
worms warn against barking
dogs, crowing cocks, and
foul smells. In Hangzhou,
women caring for silkworms
must not smoke, wear make
up, or eat garlic, National
Geographic reports.
MRS. HORNER
Mrs. Horner
Is Given New
Post On Paper
Kay Homer, staff
writer of The Warren
Record for the past 2Vfe
years, has been named
news editor.
Announcement of the
promotion was made
this week by Editor and
Publisher Bignall Jones.
A former employee of
The News and Observer
in Raleigh, Mrs. Horner
is a graduate of the
University of Rich
mond. She is the
daughter of the Rev. and
Mrs. M. K. Roberson of
Richmond, Va.
Mrs. Horner and her
husband, Clarke, a
senior marketing
representative with
DuPont, are residents of
FernCliff on Lake
Gaston. They are mem
bers of the Warrenton
Baptist Church.
Farm Family
(Continued from page 1)
Tobacco Farmer of the
Year finalist for the
Middle Belt, sponsored
by the Production Credit
Association and the
Federal Land Bank
Association of N. C.
He is the son of Peter
and Gladys Seaman of
Axtell.
Courthouse Squares
Maria Parham
Intensive Care
Unit Is Sought
Maria Parham
Hospital of Hender
son has notified the state
health planning agency
of its intent to develop
an intensive care-coron
ary care unit in the
hospital.
Hospital plans call for
the renovation of an
area on the fourth floor
to house the special care
unit. The seven-bed unit
will be equipped with
specialized equipment
and personnel to care
for patients with critical
coronary problems and
patients who need more
intensive care than is of
fered currently in the
hospital.
A certified cardiolo
gist is also being recruit
ed by the hospital to
provide care and ser
vices to persons with
cardiac-related prob
lems. This physician
would be qualified to
conduct tests and
procedures and provide
treatment not currently
available.
"There has been
speculation in the com
munity recently that the
hospital is in danger of
closing," said ad
ministrator Samuel T.
Waddell in announcing
the hospital's plans.
"We hope that by
making this announce
ment at this time we can
reassure the people of
Vance County and the
surrounding areas that
we are looking to a
future of continuing,
more complete health
care services," he add
ed. "With this new unit,
Maria Parham Hospital
will be able to care or
more seriously ill
patients so they will not
have to be transferred
out of the community."
A certificate of need
has to be obtained from
the state's Division of
Facility Services before
the unit can be built. A
formal application,
citing justification for
the unit, is being
prepared for review by
the state and by the
Capital Health Services
Agency in Durham. This
review should be con
ducted in October and, if
the certificate of need is
issued, work on the
special care unit would
begin after that. It is
hoped that the unit will
be operational in early
1985.
For Better Living
Talk With Customers
By MARGARET J. WOODS
Associate Home Economics Extension Agent
If a leaky faucet or a leaky roof has you heading
for the yellow pages to look for a professional
repairman, the tips I'm about to give you may be
very useful.
The best way to select a competent repairman is
to talk with people he has already done work for.
This will give you an idea of the type of work the
repairman has done and whether or not the quality
of his workmanship is up to your expectations.
If you live in an urban area, check with your bet
ter business bureau. Find out if the repairman or his
company has had legitimate complaints logged
against them and if they've taken steps to correct
them.
Well established repairmen and companies nor
mally do the best work since a lot of their business is
repeat business. Since unsatisfied customers can
affect their business directly, they try to keep their
customers happy.
If a repairman is unknown in your community,
ask him for several references and check them out
Then, when you do select a repairman, be specific
about the jobs you want him to do.
Decide on a method of determining costs, and tell
him not to perform any additional tasks until the
cost has been determined and you've given him
your "OK."
By using these precautions, you and your repair
man may both be pleased by a Job well done.
Mosquitoes art attracted to tna cokw "• >"""
m to any ottwr >«>«».
Having roles in an area extension homemaker meeting here last week were,
from left, Miss Johnsie Cunningham, Granville County home economics exten
sion agent; Mrs. Phyllis Stainback, Vance County home economics extension
agent; and Miss Margaret Woods, associate home economics extension agent
in Warren County. (Extension Photo by Glenn Woolard)
\ . ■ i
House Doctor Event Is Held
"House Doctor" was
the title of the June Ex
tension Homemaker
Area meeting held Tues
day and Wednesday,
June 12 and 13, in the
Agricultural Extension
Building in Warrenton.
The program was
presented by Miss
Margaret Woods,
associate home
economics extension
agent; Miss Johnsie
Cunningham, home eco
nomics extension agent
of Granville County;
and Mrs. Phyllis Stain
back, home economics
extension agent of
Vance County.
The program enlight
ened the audience on a
few of the simple home
repairs. Mrs. Stainback
(Doc Stainback) started
the program by showing
the audience the basic
tools (instruments)
needed for the job
(operation).
Miss Cunningham
(Doc Cunningham)
The coat collar on a
man's jacket should fit
closely around the neck
with about half an inch
of the shirt collar show
ing. The coat length
should cover the seat of
the trousers regardless
of the man's height.
Sat. Night
Special Live
THE SOUTHERN
CLASS
With Liz Newton A Mattie
JUNE 23
8:30 UNTIL
THE RAFTERS
Country Club Road
Warrenton, N. C.
demonstrated how to
examine a single handle
and two control faucet
and toilet for leakage
and running water. Doc
Cunningham's prescrip
tions for her diagnosis
were simple and
painless.
Miss Woods (Doc
Woods) performed
minor surgery on a
broken window pane
and torn screen. Doc
Stainback ended the
program by sharing
with the audience safety
tips that should be used
in the home, so that it
will be a healthier and
happier place to live.
If you would like more
information about Home
Repairs, please con
tact your home eco
nomics extension agent
at the Agricultural Ex
tension Office.
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