? The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME 1X1X NUMBER 7 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1 905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, JUNE 16. 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C.MORRIS
The weather was perfect last
weekend but it looks like rain for
the next few days. The ther
momenter has been around, or
above 90 degrees for the past
couple of days. If it holds off for a
couple of more days maybe the
farmers will be able to get the grass
out of their beans. We hope so!
? * *
The Hoke County Democratic
Convention will convene at 12
o'clock noon, Saturday. June 18 at
the courthouse. The time is new.
? but was set by State headquarters.
The convention in this county has
been held at one o'clock but is
changed this year.
if you plan to attend, or know of
' anyone that will attend, please
mention the time change to them.
* ? ?
Every year in this column
something is mentioned about the
closing of schools for the summer
and the kids that will be running
around during their vacation. This
we are doing again and give notice
to all drivers to please be careful
and be on the lookout for the
children.
When kids are playing and
having a big time, they will dart out
into the street before you know it
So be on the lookout for these kids
all during the summer.
Sam Snead of Red Springs was
by the office last week and said that
the article in this column about
' giving a donation to the Antler
Gub in memory of a former athlete
at the high school had brought
forth a check. Snead said that A.S.
, "Bud" McKeithan. an athlete at
Raeford High School in the 1920s,
had joined the club and donated it
in memory of John Dune McNeill.
Bud played football at Kaeford
High School and is now retired. He
worked at McLauchlin Company
here for many years before going to
Red Springs to open up Mc
Keithan's Hardware. He is a
brother of John D. (Slew) and
Annie McKeithan who live on West
Donaldson Avenue.
Thanks Bud and if anyone else
wants to help the club, send your
check on in. It will cost you only
$25, and is tax deductible.
? ? *
Last Thursday night, the Rev.
Billy Beaver, pastor of the First
Baptist Church spoke to the
Raeford Kiwanis Club. The
program was under the leadership
of Bill Lancaster and the preacher
was introduced by Robert Gatlin.
The talk was filled with humor
but also had plenty of meat for the
Kiwanians to chew on in the days
ahead.
? * ?
%
Someone asked me how the
Upchurches were doing in fishing
, this week. 1 will say that Clyde and
Joe didn't bring pictures by or show
me fish in a cooler. They invited me
to a fish fry at Gatlin's Pond and
the fish were fixed to the perfection
of a seafood chef.
1 heard that Gatlin was along on
the trip with Joe and Clyde, so I
guess he must have been running
the motor in the boat as Joe said he
caught most of the fish.
Anyway it was a fine evening at
the Pond, even if Neelev was
missing.
? * *
The following letter is self -
explanatory:
Dear Sam:
You are to be commended for
opposing the return of two way
traffic to Elwood Avenue. Between
Magnolia and Main, in addition to
parking on Elwood, we have off
^street parking around the old
county building. Post Office.
Southern National Bank, and from
the back of the old Page building to
the railroad. With taxi service
?coming into Elwood makes it
almost impossible to get out of
these areas.
I surmise you did what you
thought was best for the com
munity and 1 admire you for it.
H.R. McLean
(See AROUND TOWN, Pg. 13)
fry
Bond Interest Levy
City Budget: 2 Cent Tax Hike
McMillan Off To Europe
On AAU Women's Team ,
Victor Award Latest Cup
Just back from Las Vegas,
Nev., where she picked up
another trophy to add to the
collection. Kathy McMillan left
Kaeford again this Tuesday
cn route to Europe with the
A.A.U. national track and fteld
team.
Miss McMillan, who has just
/ S
Summer
School
Summer school will begin at
Hoke High School on June 20
and run through July 29,
principal Allen Edwards an
nounced.
Any interested student
should contact assistant prin
cipal l:.mma Minis at the high
school. The cost tor the
summer program will be $40.
Any course in which enough
students register will be taught.
Summer school will begin at 7
a.m. and end at 12 noon. On
the first day, school will start at
eight a.m.
All students will meet in the
Gibson lunchroom the first
day.
completed her freshman year at
Tennessee State University, tra
veled to Nevada June 4 to
receive the women's Victor
Award in track and field from
Sports Illustrated magazine.
Her mother. Mrs. Alexander
McMillan, flew out for the
awards banquet.
Miss McMillan qualified for a
berth on the U.S. women's team
by placing second in the long
jump at the AAU national meet
June 11 in Los Angeles. Her
21 '5" mark was well off the
21'10i/4" effort which earned
her the silver medal for the
United States at the 1976
Summer Olympics.
The team will depart New
York and arrive in Turin. Italy,
June 17 and compete there June
20-21. The team goes on to
Gelsenkirchen, Germany for
competition June 25-26. and
from there goes on to Sochi.
Russia for a meet July 1-2. The
athletes are scheduled to return
to the United States after the
Russian meet.
Two of Miss McMillan's
teammates from Tennessee
State University, sprinters Can
dra Cheeseborgh and Brenda
Morhead, also are members of
the U.S. team.
LA TEST ACHIEVEMENT -? Kathy McMillan clutches her latest trophy,
tin- Victors Award for track and Jield. which she received in Las Vegas.
New earlier this month. McMillan left again Tuesday, bound for Europe
and the AAU summer tour.
Public Hearing Tuesday
Hoke Budget Tops S3 Million
Unless county commissioners do
some trimming, the total county
budget for the 1977-78 fiscal year,
including state and federal reve
nues. will top S3 million for the first
time. This figure does not include
federal revenue sharing funds.
The combined budget for all
departments proposes $3,021,143
lor the coming year, up from the
e.iirent year's $2,867,613. How
ler. a $200. (MX) surplus from this
year's General Fund is anticipated
and lias been re-budgeted.
The proposed budget calls for a
2.8 cents increase in the tax rate.
The complete budget is on file in
the courthouse annex and available
for public inspection. The public
hearing on the budget will be next
I ucsday night at 7:30 in the main
courtroom of the courthouse.
The largest share of the proposed
new budget goes to the schools.
$ot>8.344 for operating expense and
SM8.995 for school debt service.
plus SI 27,000 of federal revenue
sharing funds for building repair
and capital projects.
The next largest fund is $514,433
for the Department of Social
Services, with $272,831 of that
amount reimbursed from federal
and state sources, followed by the
health department, $219,000, with
$75,341 of that amount reimbursi
ble.
Among the federal public service
jobs programs, $539,000 is bud
geted, which is 100 per cent
refundable.
Summary of expenditures con
tained in the budget for all
departments is shown, with the
recommended total given first,
followed by the amount requested
by each department supervisor in
parentheses, and the amount bud
geted for the current year.
Governing Body ? $38,434
($38,434) $59,222.
i\o Cuts Made Monday ,
(Chamber Subsidy Upped
All five county commissioners
met Monday night in a special
session to go over the proposed
1977-78 budget and after three
hours they tailed to make any cuts
hut did increase one item.
The $3.01 million total budget, if
adopted as it stands, will require a
three cents hike in the present 89
cents per $100 ad valorem tax rate.
The proposed budget contains an
average seven per cent pay hike for
county workers, with some ranging
much higher.
The commissioners rejected a
recommended $12,500 salary for
the tax listing supervisor, rolling
back the increase to $12,000, and
increased the recommended raise
for the tax collector from $11,600
to $12,000. Both positions are
currently paid the same. $10,775,
and county manager T.B. Lester
said the commissioners wished to
avoid any appearance of discrimi
nation. since one position is held by
a man and the other is held by a
woman. ,
Commissioners ordered that an
extra $2,000 be put into the budget
lor county development to go to the
Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Com
merce, $5,000, the same as this
year, had been put in the budget
and the Chamber had requested
$7,000.
Commissioner Danny DeVane
urged making the change, praising
the work of Chamber manager
Dayna Pate, and commissioner
Ralph Barnhart agreed, saying that
supporting the Chamber is "one of
the best investments we can make".
Barnhart also expressed a desire
to see the city government continue
its subsidy of the Chamber and he
said he thought if the county
contributes funds, the city ought
to. too.
At the same time commissioners
were meeting, the city council was
meeting and it voted 3-2 to deny the
Chamber request for $4,000 in citv
funds under the conditions
specified. The matter is expected to
be decided later this month.
Lester estimated the budget
would have to be cut by $44,000 in
order to keep the tax rate the same
as this year.
Elections ? SI 9,960 ($19,960)
S35.361.
Finance ? S41.125 ($40,325)
S32.478.
Tax Listing ? $36,900 (543,400)
S3 1. 4 15.
Legal ? SI. 200 (SI. 200) SI, 200.
Kegister of Deeds ? $24,893
(S24.093) S20.280.
Public Buildings ? S81.036
(S81.036) $66,990.
Sheriff - S210.410 (S210.010)
SI 89.642.
Public Safety ? $5,945 (S5.945)
S5.b00.
Jail - S30.500 ($30,500) $28,
900.
Fire - $29,375 ($29,375) $24,
253.
Inspection ? Sib, 160 ($15,530).
Sanitation ? $66,000 (Sb6,000)
Sb2.500.
Health - S219,4bl ($22b,522)
Sl94,461.
Medical Examiner ? $4,300
($4,300) S3. 800.
Social Services ? S5 14.433
lS515.09DS436.413.
Civil Preparedness ? $25,979
(S25.979) $21,590.
Extension Sen ice ? S3 1,1 45
($32,156) $29,827.
Veteran Service ? $15,180
($15,260) $14,592.
Recreation ? $41,408 ($105.
432) $33,243.
Library ? $41,408 ($53,978)
$35,600.'
Soil Conservation ? S4.325
($4,325) $4,325.
County Development ? $10,874
($12,874) 512,144.
Non-Departmental ? 5108,635
($108,635) $159,240.
Contingency ? $30,000 ($30,
000) $28,800.
Jury Commission ? $1,300
($1,300) $200.
Title I C.E.T.A. - $27,901
($27,901) $36,302.
Title VI PSE C.E.T.A. ?
$379,182 ($379,182) $241,892.
Title 11 C.E.T.A. - $131,970
($131,970) $285,970.
County Debt Service ? $7,258
($7,258) $6,040.
School Debt Service ? $98,995
($98,995) $94,033.
Reappraisal Reserve ? $6,000
($6,000) $5,000.
Armory Reserve Fund ? $20,
000 ($20,000) $20,000.
School Current Expense ?
$668,344 ($668,344) $5%, 262.
Salaries
Outlined below are the proposed
annual salaries for county depart
ment supervisors. In parentheses is
the current salary.
County manager and finance
manager T.B. Lester - $15,750.
($15,000)
Tax listing supervisor Lester G.
Simpson Jr. -- $12,500. ($10,775)
Tax collector Elizabeth Living
ston - $11,600. ($10,775)
Register of Deeds Delia Maynor
? 510,070. ($9,500)
Sheriff D.M. Barrington ?
515,600. ($15,000)
(See COUNTY BUDGET, Pg. 13)
Demo Convention
Saturday At Noon
The Hoke County Democratic
Party will hold its annual county
convention Saturday, June 18 be
ginning at noon in the courthouse.
Chief item of business will be the
election of the officers of the county
executive committee. Current
chairman Sam C. Morris cannot
succeed himself for another term
under party rules and two men,
Ken McNeill and Ernest Sutton Jr.,
are actively seeking the post.
Besides a chairman, the conven
tion delegates will also choose three
vice-chairmen, a secretary and a
treasurer for the exeuctive commit
tee, and one member for the State
Executive Committee.
The county executive committee
is composed of the six officers and
the chairman and first vice
chairman of each of the 13 precihct
committees. Terms of office are two
yean.
The city council Monday
night reviewed the proposed
1977-78 city budget which calls
for a two cents tax hike to pay
the interest on the fire station
bonds, but requires no general
tax increase.
The budget proposes a seven
per cent pay raise for city
workers but the mayor and
councilmen agreed to leave their
salaries at the present level --
SI. 500 for the mayor and $500
for council members yearly.
The two cents per $100
valuation additional tax levy is
to repay the interest on the
general obligation bonds issued
by the city for the construction
of the new fire station. Under
the law, debt payments must be
a separate tax levy apart from
the general property tax. The
new levy will generate $12,000 -
$13,000 in collections.
The current property tax rate
for city residents is 55 cents per
$100 valuation.
The total city budget, not
including federal revenue shar
ing funds, estimates $4,711,000
in the various funds. General
Fund expenditures are estimat
ed at $653,900 and the water
and sewer department budget is
estimated at $600,100. The fire
station project is budgeted at
$212,000. Debt service fund is
budgeted at $10,000. $51 2.0(H)
is earmarked as a capital reserve
fund.
City manager Robert Drum
wright estimated that General
Fund revenues will drop bv
about $47,000 next year due to a
decreased tax base.
The surplus from the current
year's General Fund, estimated
at $50,000 - $60,000, has not
been put back into the new
budget, the city manager said.
General Fund revenues have
also been used to build up the
capital reserve fund, making the
actual surplus amount much
smaller this year than in prior
years.
In the federal revenue sharing
fund, a $69,000 surplus from
projects in this current year,
plus $50,000 from the last half
of this fiscal year's award which
was not appropriated, is com
bined with the estimated 1977
78 entitlement of $98,000 to
make a $227,700 total fund.
Proposed uses of the revenue
sharing are outlined in order of
priority in the budget: Home
visitor. $6,500; Sewer line con
struction. $154,000; Fire station
contingency, $10,000; copier
and computer, $12,700; Packer
and truck. $1 1.000; police care.
$5,000; encoder and paging
equipment. $16,000; tennis
court lights. $10,000; hydraulic
sewer line. $2,300; miscellane
ous $200.
The city manager made two
recommendations regarding
water and sewer service to
councilmen. He recommend*
initiating a water and/or sewer
assessment policy for the exten
sion of lines outside the corpor
ate limits because an assessment
policy would be more equitable
than a rate increase in his view.
A plan to raise the outside limits
rate to 200 per cent of the inside
rates rather than the present
150 per cent is also proposed.
Councilmen approved a
change in the use of city-owned
vehicles. Drumwright said he
"couldn't see" spending $6.(XK)
for a car for himself, so the
council authorized a $50 a
month allowance for him to use
his personal car. Under the
plan, the Chevrolet now as
signed to the city manager will
be turned over to the planning
and inspection department.
Cost of the seven per cent pay
boosts to the city is estimated at
$20,000.
Councilmen failed to approve
a budget item for the Raeford
Hoke Chamber of Commerce
Monday night. The Chamber,
(See CITY BUDGET. Pg. 13)