Vol 84 No. 27
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNT/SINCE 1901
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N.C
'WEDNESDAY, July 4, 1984
2?*c
Laurel Voters Oppose
Precinct Division
By ROBERT KOENIG
The decision to divide the old Laurel
township into two separate precincts didn't sit
well with everyone in the communities effected
by the change. More than 125 Laurel residents
attended Monday's meeting of the Madison
County Board of Commissioners to express
their displeasure.
The commissioners voted unanimously to
split the Laurel township into a Laurel and a
newly formed Revere-Spillcom precinct during
their meeting of June 4.
Democratic precinct chairman Jerry Wallin
addressed the commissioners as they opened
their Monday night meeting. Wallin asked the
board to reverse their decision and return the
Laurel precinct to its former boundaries.
Wallin then introduced Terry Gunter, third vice
chairman of the Laurel Democrats.
Gunter presented copies of a petition signed
by 530 Laurel residents. The petition stated:
"We the voters of the SpiNcorn-Revere section of ,
the Laurel precinct do hereby petition the Madison
County Board of Commissioners to reverse its deci
sion of June 4 to split the No. 2 township. This
resolution was passed without the knowledge and
consent of the majority of the voters in this area. It
wilt nicrease the burden on the axpayers of this
county by causing more voting machines to be pur
chased, and increasing the number of paid election
officials. It wilt discourage voters from participating
in the electoral process. It wMI increase hard feelings
and animosity toward the county commissioners.
"We art a rural community, and have traditionary
had a heavy voter turnout in the election*. Laurel
precinct has been an important force in the county
elections. We feel that we must have one strong
voice to insure that our wishes are recogntted. Spit
ting Laurel township wiH not make voting easier or
more convenient. It will only diminsih our strength
by dividing our numbers.
We therefore ask you, the commissioners, to do
your legal and moral obligations, by adhering to the
wishes of those that you have been elected to repre
sent"
Gunter said that copies of the petition were cir
culated in the Spillcom, Big Laurel, Guntertown,
S Helton Laurel and Revere sections. The petitions, |
signed by 530 residents, were notarized by Gunter
and his mother. Laurel registrar Fronia Gunter.
Terry Gunter told the commissioners, "We tfdn?
know about this. We weren't told about it. it was
done like a shot in the dark. The people are against
it and it's just not proper."
Gunter also disputed claims that the split was
made in order to cut down travel time to the
polls for many voters in the far-flung precinct.
Gunter told the commissioners that Laurel has
traditionally had one of the largest voter tur
nouts in the county. He said, "We drive our kids
up and down these roads five days a week to get
to the school and it doesn't seemm to have hurt
them." Laurel voters cast their ballots at the
Laurel School.
Gunter also opposed the split on economic
grounds, claiming that new voting machines
Continued On Page 4
Commissioner s'Approve
$5.2 Million County Budget
By ROBERT KOENIG
The Madison County Board
of Commissioners approved a
$5.2 million budget for the
1984-85 fiscal year during Mon
day's meeting at the county
courthouse In approving the
budget, the commissioners
also voted to retain the county
property tax rate at 85 cents
per $100 of valuation.
Approval of the budget
came after the commissioners
heard from disgruntled Laurel
residents over the June 4 deci
sion to split the Laurel
township (see related story. >
- Under the budget adopted
Monday night, Madison Coun
ty schools will receive 1625,000
in local money for current ex
penses. Earlier, the commis
sioners voted to give the
school system an estimated
$140,000 from the additional
half-cent sales tax enacted
last year.
The Madison County Hous
ing Authority, with an
operating budget of $1,164,847
is the largest single entry in
the county budget. The com
miasioners also approved an
allocation of $566,183 for the
Madison County Department
of Social Services. A further
breakdown of the county
budget is provided below.
The Widget approved Mon
day predicts a property tax
collection rate of 90 percent,
or $IJ million on property
with an estimated valuation of
$1$B million. Finance officer
David Caldwell pointed out
that the total value of taxable
property in the county in
creased by $4 million in the
past year, due largely to new
ty budget. Revenue sharing
funds in the amount of $280,000
will -come into the county cof
fers along with $184,796 to fund
the Madison County Transpor
tation Authority. Federal
funds in the amount of $161 ,395
will be used to fund the county
nutrition program for senior
citizens.
David Calwell reported that
county employees will receive
a raise of five percent as part
of the budget package.
The budget was approved
unanimously on a motion
made by board member
James Ledford.
Before considering the
budget, the board heard a
report from Delba Jean
Roberts, director of the
Madison County Transpora
tion Authority. Roberts asked
the board to approve ten
members to the county
transportation advisory
board.
The commissioners named j
Ed Morton, Maria Cox, Anita
Davies, Luanne Roberts, Paul
Burwell, Dr. Bobby Jean Rice,
Nancy Klodt, Jerry Plem
mons, Eugene Wills, Monica
Teutsch and Butch Phillips to |
the advisory board.
The board also heard from
Andrew Chandler regarding
the suspension of his son, Ar
thur Chandler, Jr. from his
position as a driver with the
Transportation Authority. The
young Chandler was suspend
ed from his Job after the corn
is sioners received a complaint
from Uie parent of a handicap
ped child.
After discussing the case
with Ma. Roberts, the commis
sioners agreed to reinstate
Chandler with a warning.
3d of
a handicapped child
? of his
??Creek.
below.
The commissioners asked
Larry Leake to study the legal
steps needed to establish an
Economic Development Com
mission, one of the main
points in the report's recom
mendations.
The board also approved
contracts with Yancey County
for the operation of the IV-D
Child Support program. A.E.
Leake will serve as Madison
County IV-D attorney and
Richard Miller will serve as
teh Yancey County IV-D at
torney.
David Caldwell reported
that the Madison County tax
collector took in $25,122.12 dur
ing the past month. The
( Continued on Page 3)
MADISON COUNTY 1984-85 ANNUAL
BUDGET
ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES
Governing Body $15,067
Bd. of Elections 32,045
Accountant's Office 46,942
Tax Supervisor 47,852
Tax Collection 35,139
Register of Deeds.. 40,805
Public Buildings.(Courthouse)...25,516
Sheriff's Department & Jail.... 106,264
Courts 9,252
Inspections 15,151
Landfill 238.176
Health Dept. Clinic ....360,561
Animal Shelter 12,944
Ambulance Service ..279,441
Agriculture Extension Svc 58.581
Social Services administration .566, 182
Aging Services.......,! 6,900
Day Care .505,715
Library Services 83,863
Non-departmental 72,900
Soil Conservation District 10.723
Nutrition & Transportation 216.476
Transportation Grant 172,842
IV-D Child Support 44,734
Special Appropriations 1,010,646
^ T ?
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VflJGINIA
ANDERSON) left, and commission chairman
Erwin Adams heard complaints from Laurel
residents protesting the division of the old
Laurel precinct during Monday night meeting.
Commissioners called for a special public hear
ing on the division Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in
the Madison County Court House.
Marshall Board Tables
Public Drinking Decision
The Marshall Board of
Aldermen voted to com
puterize the town's billing
system, purchase a new gar
bage truck and provide for
health insurance for town
employees during their mon
thly meeting held Monday
night at Town Hali.
The aldtrtfefl also voTed to
table decisions regarding the
appointment of a new chief of
police and town secretary and
a new town ordinance barring
the public consumption of
alcohol.
Mayor Wild called the
meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
and asked board member Ed
Niles to deliver an invocation.
Following approval of the
minutes, John Dodson
presented a report on bids for
a new garbage truck.
Dodson told the board that
two bids were received on the
truck from the Sannco Corp.
Dodson recommended, and
the board approved, the pur
chase of a 1964 Ford diesel
with a rear loader. Marshall
will make a down payment of
111,233.33 on the truck and two
yearly payments of $12,771 for
a total cost to the town of
$3M76.55. Sannco Corp. will
give Marshall $850 in trade for
the town's old truck. Delivery
is expected in the next
90-to-120 days.
Upon a motion made by Ed
N iles, the board also approved
returning garbage collection
to the Monday and Thursday
collection dates as was past
practise.
Mayor Wild then presented
a proposed resolution to ban
' the consumption of alcohol in
puMic pte ctf, s\re**s u-\i cijty
owned or leased parking lots.
The proposed bill would make
public drinking in Marshall a
misdemeanor offense
punishable by a $50 fine and or
30 days in jail.
Wild said the ordinance was
needed because, "We have
had a problem with people,
both young and old, drinking
on the streets. We've had a lot
of complaints about drinking
on the streets and we're trying
to do something about it. Right
now, we have no teeth."
Former Marshall police
chief Faye Reid told Wild that
such a law was already on the
town's books. Wild said a
check of the town's ordinance
book would be made to deter
mine if such a law already is
in effect.
Speedy Rector volunteered
that the law was placed on the
boojfg when Marshall outlaw
ed the sale of alcohol in 1946.
Alderman Sammy Lunsford
said that he needed time to
consider the proposed or
d i nance and wanted to consult
with his attorney, Larry
Leake, before voting on the
proposal.
Mayor Wild said the propos
ed ordinance was prepared by
the town attorney, Charles
Mashburn after consultation
with the Leaugue of
MwknpahUes.
The board then voted to
table a decision oft the propos
ed alcohol ban.
The town board approved a
five-year contract with Prank
and Cecilia Ward to put the
town's tax, water and sewer
billing on a computer operated
by the Wards. The town will
pay the Wards $3,300 a year
for a terminal in Town Hall
connected to the Wards' com
puter. The Wards will train
town personnel to operate the
terminal.
Mayor Wild also asked the
board to consider hiring a new
chief of police and part-time
secretary. Wild has functioned i
as the town's police chief since
taking office last December, i
In asking the board to con- I
sider hiring a new chief. Wild ?
said that she wasn't qualified '
for the poet. I
The mayor then asked for an I
executive session t discuss ap- <
pointing a new police chief. '
Wild withdrew her request for I
a closed session when asked
why the meeting should be
held behind closed doors.
The mayor then asked the
aldermen to consider
Herschei Cox for the police
chief position. Wild told the
board that Cox was a six-year
veteran of the U.S. Army and
had served as a policeman in
SteUcoo, W.a*h and as .chiefs,
of the DuPont, Wash, police.
The 39-year old Cox is a native
of Mars Hill.
Wild said she had expected
Cox to attend the Monday
night meeting, but he did not
appear.
Alderman Sammy Lunsford
opposed naming Cox during
the meeting. Lunsford told the
meeting, "I think our police
should be local people that
knows the people here. In an
emergency, knowing your
way around could save
somebody's life. I think we
should table this until an in
vestigation is made of our pre
sent police department."
Both Ed Niles and John Dod
son said they did not know the
proposed police chief and ask
sd to meet with him before
making a decision. After a mo
lon to table the decision was
passed, the board agreed to
:all a special meeting for
Thursday at 8:30 a m. in Town
Mall to meet with Cox.
Continued On Page 5
Development Report Presented
EDITOR'S NOTE: In May. 1883.
County Planning Board prepared a
entitled. 'Madison County: Plans
Future -.1983-1M0' which identified
development goals and provided a
for further economic development
the county. Later in 1983, the board,
proval of the Madison County
mission er, appointed the Madison
Economic Development Task Force
study economic developemnt
prepare a comprehensive
meat strategy for the count
Madison County farmers.
loaders.
the North
SUMMARY OF THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOP
MENT SUBCOMMITTEE'S
RECOMMENDATIONS
The county must strive for a
'balanced economy'. There is
a need for the county to take a
balanced approach to
economic development by
equally emphasising in
dustrial recruitment, existing
indutry expansions, expansion
of commercial-retail services,
promoting and assisting small
businesses and providing sup
port for the agricultural sector
The county Board of Com
missioners should establish
and appoint an Economic
Development Commission
responsible for prom
coordinating the
Ifc
mission can enhance such
possibilities by providing ad
vice, information and
assistance pertaining to alter
native financing methods. An
existing industries program
should be established by
Economic DMetopment Com
mission. The commission
should encourage existing in
dustry representatives and
plant managers to serve on
the county's Industrial
Recruitment Sales Team.