. . . Sandhills Probe
(Continued from page 1A)
management in dealing with
employee problems.
ft The audit shows that:
-The Center hired a EAP con
sultant in November 1980.
-Sandhills Center entered an
agreement with Opportunities,
Inc. which provided for the
transfer to Growth Institute of "all
existing EAP contracts and related
funding."
?The Sandhills board chairper
son and area director signed this
"agreement on behalf of the Center
with the Sandhill's EAP consultant
signing on behalf of Growth In
stitute.
-The agreement "was not" ap
proved by the Division of Mental
Health, Mental Retardation and
Substance Abuse Services.
The audit indicates that further
"conflict of interest" violations
arose from this agreement.
P "The EAP consultant, acting as
executive director and shareholder
of an outside for-profit corpora
tion, was at the same time
employed as a full-time Center
employee," the audit says.
Audit records further state that
"the Center area director was also
president of Growth Institute."
These audit exceptions were also
^requested to be "investigated by
other governmental agencies."
"Other government agencies
should review these findings to
determine what further action may
be appropriated under the cir
cumstances," the audit says.
The audit report also shows that
the Sandhills Center "overpaid"
the Sandhills Mental Health
Development Foundation 514,652
AOver a three-year period for annual
^rentals.
The center, authorized by the
director, paid $24,000 rather than
the specified $19,116 for the area
office building in West End.
The center overpaid the Founda
tion $4,884 for three years.
The audit also disclosed that the
Center's area director was also
president and executive director of
the Foundation.
Over $30,000 in rental revenues
were also discovered to be "ex
cessive" compared to the costs in
curred by the Foundation, a non
profit corporation, according to
the audit.
According to the audit, the
Sandhills Center:
?Paid $24,000 for the area of
fice per year while the
Foundation's cost was only
$11,287,
-Spent $7,500 on the Hoke
County unit at a cost of only
$3,300 to the Foundation, and
?Rented the Anson Group
Home, with alleged state funds,
for $7,200 at a cost of $6,000 to the
Foundation.
The audit also shows that no
contracts between the Center and
the Foundation were submitted or
approved by the Division of Men
tal Health for the Hoke and Anson
Group Home.
Audit findings also indicate that
"further investigation" should be
initiated into the Foundation and
its relationship with the Sandhills
Center.
"We are through with our in
vestigation," Haskins said.
"Anything else that may be
done will come from some other
office," he added.
Both state and federal in
vestigators have indicated that "no
investigation" into the Sandhills
Center is pending.
Tobacco Conference
Slated For Thursday
Flue-Cured Tobacco Coopera
tive Stabilization Corporation, the
grower-owned organization which
administers the price support pro
gram for flue-cured tobacco, will
hold its 26th Annual District
Meeting for North Carolina
growers in District #4.
District H includes the follow
ing flue-cured counties in 1hc
Border Belt of North Carolina:
Anson. Bladen, Brunswick, Col
umbus, Cumberland, Hoke, New
^-lanover, Richmond, Robeson,
and Scotland.
James R. Pate of Rowland,
Director from District #4, and
Fred G. Bond, General Manager,
jointly announced that the meeting
will be held in the Columbus
County Agricultrual Building in
Whiteville on Thursday beginning
at 2.
Pate noted that flue-cured
wobacco growers have completed
their second season under the No
Net Cost Tobacco Program. Dur
ing the 1983 season, many areas
throughout the flue-cured belt
were affected by drouth conditions
which reduced the crop available
for market. Also in 1983, new
legislative changes were passed by
Congress which will affect every
person who grows flue-cured
tobacco in the coming year.
Stabilization will be discussing the
1983 season in detail and the ad
justments made in the tobacco pro
gram by this new legislation.
? in- addition to Stabilization's
report, reports will be given by
representatives of Tobacco Asso
ciates, Inc.; Tobacco Growers' In
formation Committee; USDA's
Tobacco Division, Agricultural
Marketing Service; and other allied
organizations and agencies. Ample
time will be provided at the
meeting for discussion.
A brief business session will be
held following the regular program
to select Stabilization's Advisory
Committee members from each of
the flue-cured tobacco producing
counties in the district.
Pate added, "Flue-cured
growers are urged to make every
effort to attend Stabilization's
meeting in order to get a better
understanding of the
Cooperative's operation."
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Glazed Donuts
^ Off Per Dozen
Expire* Feb. 29, 1964
Granny's Old Fashioned Donuts
N.C.
16-801 Aoto?
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Where is Commissioner Hunt
Vice Chairman James A. Hunt was noticeably absent at a July meeting of
the Hoke County Commission. Hunt holds the second worst attendance
record for 1983, missing eight of 32 meetings and slipping in late to at least
three summer sessions.
. . . Officials Absent
(Continued from page 1A)
for the year, both making 86.6%
of their total meetings.
McLeod and Graham were both
present at 13 of the city's 15
meetings.
County Commissioner Cleo
Bratcher was a close fifth place,
making an average of 87.5% of the
county's 32 meetings.
Bratcher missed four meetings.
School board member Walter
Coley missed two meetings for a
90% record and finished just
ahead of city Councilmen Bob
Gentry and Vardell Hedgpeth who
were absent at one of 15 city
meetings for an average of 93.3%.
Commissioner Wyatt Upchurch
held nearly perfect attendance,
making 96.8%, missing only one
of the county board meetings.
Of the three elected boards, the
city council held the best atten
dance record, with no one missing
more than two meetings during the
year.
However, that board also held
the fewest number of meetings of
the three.
The boards appointed by city
and county officials held much
lower attendance records than
their elected counterparts.
The Raeford Planning Board
had the worst overall attendance
record for the year, while the Hoke
County Health Board and The
Hoke Department of Social Ser
vices (DSS) Board tied for the best
attendance records.
Planning Board member J.B.
?McLeod had the worst attendance
record, attending none of the eight
called meetings.
Younger Snead ran a close se
cond with McLeod, attending only
12.5% or one of eight meetings
during the year.
J.H. Austin, L.S. Brock and
Jim Williamson were close behind
Snead, making only 37.5% of the
total planning board meetings dur
ing the year.
Austin, Brock and Williamson
made five of the eight meetings.
Stanley Koonce had the fourth
lowest attendance record of the 10
planning board members, atten
ding only 40% of the total
meetings.
Koonce missed three of five
meetings before he was replaced on
the board.
Walter McAllister and Norma
Connell had the second highest at
tendance rating for the year, mak
ing 75% of their meetings or miss
ing two of eight.
Ken McNeil was the only
member to have a perfect atten
dance during the year. He was pre
sent at all eight meetings.
The Raeford Housing Authority
apparently had attendance prob
lems of its own with only one of
nine members being present at all
meetings.
Robert Taylor was the worst at
tender for the Authority, missing
five of six meetings.
His attendance for the year was
only 6.6%.
Taylor was replaced by Anthony
Oxendine, who failed to show for
his first meeting last month.
Prince Black finished second on
the lowest attendance poll, making
only 28.5% of the meetings, miss
ing five of seven meetings during
the year.
Leonard Miller was present at
42% of the housing authorities
total meetings, missing four of
seven sessions.
Betty Morgan, who resigned her
position, made 66 % of her
meetings. She was present at four
of six meetings.
Morgan was replaced in
November by Kay Thomas, who
holds a 100% attendance record
after one meeting.
Harlass Wright holds the third
highest attendance record for the
year, making 71.4% or five of
seven meetings.
John McAllister, James At
taway and Harold Stone had the
second highest attendance record,
being present at 85.7% of their
total meetings.
All three men missed only one
meeting during the year.
Chairman Buddy Blue was the
only Housing Authority member
to hold a perfect record during the
year, attending all seven meetings.
No members missed more than
half of the meetings on the Board
of Health or the county DSS
board.
DSS board member and county
Commissioner Neil McPhatter had
the worst attendance record, miss
ing three of 12 meetings during the
year.
DSS board Chairman Clayton
Buoyer finished with the second
lowest attendance score, attending
83.3% of the meetings or missing
two of 12 sessions.
Mary Seaford and Jean Holland
both had perfect attendance
records for the year.
Seaford was present at all 12
meetings while Holland attended
seven meetings before resigning
her position in July.
Health Board members Anthony
Oxendine and Dennis Russell had
the worst attendance records on
the health board, with each miss
ing two of four regular meetings.
Dr. Ramnick Zota and Mike
Wood finished second on that
board, missing one of four
meetings for a 75% average.
Health board chairman Sarah
Leach and members Simon
Adams, Cleo Bratcher and John
McAllister had perfect attendance
records for the year, making all
four quarterly meetings.
"I take the same care with
animals that
Block takes
with taxes."
"I know I'm in good hands when Block prepares my
tax return. My preparer goes to school every year to
get special training. And she does taxes hundred of
times. Training and experience - that's what makes
you good at your job. I'll care for the animals and let
Block take care of my taxes."
People who know their business go to
H&R BLOCK
Central Avenue
Op?i?AM-?FM
Consult your
M. ?M.t-SPJM. Hwm S7V-CBM
Pafw for tho offico imrm you.
. . . Toxic Sites Found
.(Continued from page 1A)
"We found no evidence of
PCB's in that tank," he added.
"1 decided to test it since it was
in the immediate area," Gay said.
"There is a possibility that some
PCB-laced oil has been spilled or
dumped in these areas, DHR Solid
and Hazardous Waste Branch
eastern area supervisor," Terry
Dover said.
"Tests are being done," he add
ed.
Although the Virgil's site shows
no "true" amounts of PCB's, Gay
said lead samples were being
taken.
"There has been some obvious
burnings in that area," Gay said.
Pembroke man files
Bernard Lo wry filed January 4
for one of the 16th District
House of Representatives seats
presently being held by Daniel
H. DeVane , Sidney Lake and
Pete Hasty. Lowry, a retired
teacher after 35 years in the
school system, is a veteran of
World War II and a member
of the First Methodist Church
of Pembroke. He spent 5 years
as a 16th Judicial District
magistrate and is past presi
dent of the Pembroke
Chamber of Commerce.
I.owry works with the Boy
Scouts and has been the past
l.t. Governor of hi wan is In
ternational.
Covington
Decorated
Spec. 4 Gregory Covington, son
of Maebell G. Covington of
Raeford and grandson of Sarah
Lasann of 2916 Eldorado Drive,
Fayetteville, has been decorated
with the Army Achievement Medal
at Fort Bragg.
The Achievement Medal is
awarded to soldiers for ac
complishment, meritorious service
or acts of courage.
Covington is an antiarmor
weapons crew member with the
82nd Airborne Division.
His wife, Patricia is the daughter
of Lottie McKoy of Rural Route 1,
Godwin.
He is a 1978 graduate of South
View Senior High School, Hope
Mills.
Most people think that heart
disease only happens in the elderly.
Yet, according to the American
Heart Association, each year more
than 200,000 Americans die from
heart and blood vessel diseases
before age 65.
Get the word about
what's going on in
Hoke County.
Subscribe to
The News-Journal
today.
"I expect to get the results from
the lead samples sometime this
week," he added.
"I really don't know what we
will find," Gay said.
Despite the recent testing at both
sites, state and local health agents
have not been able to link the alleg
ed "spillage or dumping" to
anyone.
"We really have not checked out
all the property owners yet," Gay
said.
"I want to wait until we have
completed all our analysis before
we get into that," he added.
"If we find anything, we will
begin a more thorough investiga
tion into this matter," Gay said.
Trees Offered
By Foundation
The National Arbor Day Foun
dation is giving ten free trees to
people who become Foundation
Members during January, 1984.
The free trees are part of the
Foundation's effort to promote
tree planting throughout America.
A Red Maple, Black Walnut,
American Redbud, Norway
Spruce, Red Oak, White Flowering
Dogwood, European Mountain
Ash, Flowering Crab, Shagbark
Hickory, and Colorado Blue
Spruce tree will be given to
members joining during January.
These trees were selected to pro
vide a wide range of benefits:
flowers, shade, berries, nuts, and
beautiful fall foliage, according to
the Foundation. The six to twelve
inch trees will be shipped postage
paid with enclosed planting in
structions at the right time for
planting this spring. The Founda
tion makes its spring shipments
between February 1 and May 31,
depending on the local climate and
this year's weather.
The National Arbor Day Foun
dation, a nonprofit organization,
is working to improve the quality
of life throughout the country by
encouraging tree planting. The
Foundation will give the ten free
trees to members contributing $10
during January.
To become a member of the
Foundation and to receive the free
trees, a $10 membership contribu
tion should be sent to TEN
TREES, National Arbor Day
Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue,
Nebraska City, NE 68410, by
January 31 .
Burlington Declares
Quarterly Dividend
The Board of Directors of Burl
ington Industries, Inc. recently
declared a regular quarterly divi
dend of 41 cents per share. This
represents a 3 cents per share in
crease from tile prior level of 38
cents per share.
The dividend is payable March
1 , to shareholders of record at the
close of business January 30.
Earl Hendrix Elected
To Soybean Assoc. Post
Earl Hendrix of Raeford, has
been elected Secretary of the North
Carolina Soybean Producers
Association for 1984.
Hendrix, a Hoke County
farmer, was elected to a one-year
term during the 17th annual
membership meeting of the
Association here on January 20.
Hendrix was also one of 10
directors to be elected to the
30-man board of the Association.
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