Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / July 11, 1985, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The News-Journal (Raeford, 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 News-Journal The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 Volume LXXV1I Number 12 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA $10 PER YEAR 25 CENTS Thursday, July 11, 1985 Carolina Telephone given stay on EAS study By Ed Miller Carolina Telephone Company has been granted a 30-day exten sion to prepare a study of the costs of providing Extended Area Ser vice (EAS) between the Raeford and Fayetteville exchanges. The telephone firm will have un til September 1 to present its figures, according to a ruling handed down last week by the North Carolina Utilities Commis sion. The extension will not hurt ef Commissioners heading to Fla. Hoke County taxpayers will be spending about $755 per person to send four members of the Hoke County Commission and the coun ty manager to this year's National Association of Counties (NACo) Conference. The meetings will be held in Orlando, Florida, said Hoke County Manager William Cowan. Attending the meetings from Hoke County will be Cowan, County Commission Chairman John Balfour, Vice-Chairman Neill McPhatter, Commissioner Cleo Bratcher and Commissioner James Albert Hunt. Commissioner Wyatt Upchurch is not going, Cowan said. The conference will last from Saturday, July 14 through the next Tuesday, said the manager. Plane reservations for the com missioners and Cowan were made months ago for lower rates and will cost $148 per person. All commissioners have elected to drive, said Cowan, but will only be reimbursed for the price of the plane ticket. Milage to and from Orlando would be over $200, he said. Registration fees for the con ference is $175. Meals will be paid for when commissioners turn in receipts, Cowan said. Commissioners will be paid a $50 conference fee for every day of meetings. Cowan will not be paid this fee. Final costs are hotel rooms which are $58 per day or $232 for the entire stay per commissioner. The total cost for sending the county commission to the con ference will be at least $3,020 depending on meals and excluding Cowan's expenses, said the manager. Two Hoke County Commis sioners still owe money to the county for previous trips taken, and two others for meals. Commissioner James Albert Hunt owes the county about $17.93 for earlier trip expenses not chargable to the county, reports show. Cleo Bratcher also owes the county $622.37, but is repaying his debt at a rate of $100 per month, according to financial reports. Commission Chairman John Balfour owes $10 as does Commis sioner Wyatt Upchurch. The coun ty paid for meals for their wives and were not reimbursed. Expenses for Bratcher and Hunt go back to past national conven tions. Around Town By Sam Morris The scattered showers over the past week have kept things green and the grass continues to grow. We had a good shower last Friday afternoon, but since that time the temperature has gone up to the 90 degree mark. Monday afternoon, at about four o'clock, the temperature was 94 degrees in my back yard. This was in the shade. According to the forecast, it is supposed to be hotter Tuesday, so it could get close to 100 degrees. Now this is summer. The forecast calls for showers on Wednesday and again on Friday. Both of these days are my golf (See AROUND, page 10) forts being made by a local group to obtain the service at a reasonable cost, Hoke County Economic Developer John Howard said Monday. "It is not a set back," said Howard. "It is reasonable to think that the work required should be detailed enough for a fair evalua tion of cost for all parties," Howard said. "Certainly, we would expect the costs to be accurate and not general, ballpark averages, which would accomplish nothing," he said. The ruling was made by the Utilities Commission at the request of Carolina Telephone. In a letter requesting an exten sion until September 15, Carolina Telephone Vice-President Dwight W. Allen said there is not enough time before August 1, the original deadline, to prepare the study. "The preparation of a mean ingful EAS cost study is a com prehensive project requiring input from a number of departments within the company," Allen told commissioners in the letter. Howard said the North Carolina Utilities Commission Public Staff had originally requested September 1 as the date for sub mission of the cost study. Further in his letter to the Utilities Commission, Allen said: "While the Company (Carolina Telephone) is proceeding to prepare the cost study based on the May 22, 1985, Order, it wishes to emphasize its belief that it would be inappropriate and unreasonably discriminatory to structure EAS rates in one area on the basis of a specific cost study while EAS rates in all remaining areas are deter mined by an EAS matrix." The "matrix" is a rate system used by Carolina Telephone for EAS and is based on averages from the companywide costs of pro viding extended service. "It is disappointing that Carolina Telephone still sees this request as a move to change the matrix," said Howard. "We believe we have a unique economic circumstance here re quiring that HAS be implemented to promote residential growth in our county and industrial expan sion," said Howard. "Without an improved telephone arrangement with grow ing Fayetteville, we are severely limited as to those wanting to come to our county," said Howard. Waiting to burn Area residents have complained to Raeford and Hoke County of ficials about this massive pile of lumber in the Queenmore area. There are houses on at least two sides of the vacant lot full of the lumber. County Fire Marshall William Niven, Raeford Fire Marshall Terry Tapp and County Health Director Bobby Rogers inspected the pile Monday afternoon. According to Rogers, the pile poses no health hazard "yet, " but it could become one. The pile would burn, but the houses around the lot are in little danger, said Niven. The man who placed the pile in the area is currently being contacted about having the pile moved, said Rogers. Education budget request will linger until August By Ed Miller Following a two-hour meeting Monday, board of education and county officials agreed to continue negotiations to find additional funds for the Hoke County schools. Currently under negotiation is the method of payment of $15,000, earmarked for utilities and maintenance at Hoke County High School when the facility is being used by the local satellite of Sand hills Community College. Funding for the college is not in danger, Hoke County Manager William Cowan said. "The money would have gone to the schools anyway," Cowan said. According to the budget passed July 1, the funds were to be given to the school system on an "as used basis"; however board of education members are now seek ing the money in a lump sum to help offset budget cuts. The request will be considered again during the county's regular meeting August 5, Commission Chairman John Balfour said. The $15,000 under discussion is currently in the budget to pay for classroom space at Hoke County High School used by the coming satellite of Sandhills Community College. The money was lo be paid to the school system in installments as it was needed for covering the costs of the college, said Balfour. County Commissioners had hoped to save some of the money. "We had hoped they would only use $10,000 of the money," Com missioner James Albert Hunt said. In fact, commissioners would not take any official action of giv ing the schools the money until they have a recommendation from the Hoke County Higher Educa tion Foundation, governing body for the college branch. Board of Education members came to the commissioners asking for S3 1,280, or about one penny onto the current Hoke County tax rate, Chairman William Cameron told commissioners. Cameron asked commissioners to consider raising the tax rate the additional penny for education. "You have to have a court order to change a tax rate once it has been set," County Attorney Dun can McFadyen said. Commission members set the 1985-86 tax rate for the county last Monday at $.81 per $100 of pro perty valuation. The rate included a six-cent raise. School board members came to the meeting asking for exactly what they thought they needed, ac cording to Hoke Superintendent Dr. Robert Nelson. "As far as we know, we have calculated everything as close as we know how based on what is com ing out of Raleigh at the present time," Nelson said, adding that 9.6% raises for teachers and a new state allocation for part of the salary of School Business Manager Don Steed had been taken into consideration. Board of Education members were reluctant to cut two local teaching positions dictated by the lack of funding. Board member Walter Coley said he could not, in good con science, cut the two teachers without at least sitting down with commissioners to see where all the money is going. There have been no cuts in coun ty personnel and Coley could not see asking the schools to cut two teachers, he said. "Really, all our funds went to garbage or to the sheriff," said Balfour referring to the county takeover of trash collection and an additional three deputies for the Hoke County Sheriff's Depart ment. "Everyone 1 talk to who may want to locate here (in Hoke Coun ty) asks about the school system. ..and, what is the product turned out," Coley said. Before the meeting started, Chairman Cameron requested that the members of both boards sit at a common table to discuss the budget rather than with the county officials at their table and educa (See SCHOOL, page 11) Turkey F estival plans taking shape Plans for the First Annual North Carolina Turkey Festival are tak ing shape as the event nears the September kickoff. However, winning recipes are still being sought before the July 15 deadline for the statewide Turkey Cooking Contest. According to a spokesman for the North Carolina Poultry Federation, few entries have been received. Finals for the event will be held in Raeford on September 18, and $500 will be presented to the win ner. Entries have been slow arriving at federation headquarters in Raleigh, spokesman Emmie S. Whitley said, noting that few have been received from Hoke County. Entry blanks are available at the Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Com merce and at the Hoke County Ex tension Office. On Wednesday September 18, five finalists in the cooking contest will be in Raeford to determine who is the champ. The final cooking competition will be held on the opening day of the three-day first annual North Carolina Turkey Festival. Here is how the festival is shap ing up: ?Wednesday?North Carolina Department of Agriculture Secretary James A. Graham has been invited to kick off the festivities at the official opening on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the area surrounding the Hoke County Library. At 11 a.m., a cooking seminar will be conducted by a nationally known chef, while the five con testants prepare recipes for judg ing. A panel of five judges will taste and compare each recipe before making the final decision. During the judging, samples of other turkey products and tasty morsels will be provided for those attending the event. Music and entertainment will also be on tap. Following the cooking contest, the first annual turkey parade will be held at 6 p.m. on Main Street. Those interested in taking part in the parade should contact the Chamber office. ?Thursday--Plans are still underway for a Thursday tennis tournament at Deer Track Racquet Club, a bridge tournament and a golf tournament. Details are being worked out for a Thursday night Turkey Stuffin', Stompin' and Shootin', or a turkey dinner, square dance and turkey shoot. ?Friday? On Friday, a pancake breakfast will start the day and the golf, tennis and bridge tour naments will conclude in time for the Embers, who are scheduled to appear in concert Friday night at Armory Park. ?Saturday? Saturday morning starts with a trot or fun run. Arts and crafts displays will line Main Street. Food and refreshment ven dors will sell their wares while name entertainment groups per form. At 1 p.m. on Saturday, the Turkey Olympics will pit local racers against challengers from other parts of the state and nation. Turkeys will race, jump, weigh in and dress up during an after noon of excitement. Saturday night, Star Farms on U.S. Highway 401 will host a Turkey Horse Show to wrap up the festivities. The Turkey Festival committee is looking for hundreds of volunteers to help work and plan the events. Anyone interested should con tact the Chamber of Commerce or attend a meeting to be held on July 25 at 7 p.m. at the Hoke County Library. Economic group approves grant application By Ed Miller Approval was given Tuesday for Economic Director John Howard to apply for a $25,000 grant to study the feasibility of an in dustrial park. Members of the Raeford-Hoke Economic Development Commis sion gave unanimous approval to the application which will require "at least" an S8.S00 match of local funds. Funding for the grant will come through the United States Depart ment of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA), and must be used for economic development. Hoke County's chances for get ting the grant are good, Howard said. Only Henderson and Raeford are being offered the grants, Raeford City Manager Tom Phillips said. The $8,500 that must be used to match the grant will not have to be added onto a $50,000 operating budget recently approved by the Hoke County Board of Commis sioners, said Howard. Money paid Howard in salary is money being spent for economic development and therefore qualified as match money, Phillips said. Also money currently budgeted for advertising can be used as part of the match money. Economic Development Com missioners passed as a part of the motion allowing Howard to apply for the grant a clause that will allow him to use one-half, or SI ,000, of his advertising budget as a cash match for the grant if need ed. According to Phillips, four other grants from EDA have been used in Raeford and Hoke County for various projects. "This is a pretty liberal grant program," said Phillips in answer to questions by Commissioner Frank Teal pertaining to obliga tions placed on the commission once the grant has been accepted. All money paid out by EDA will be for projects that have already been approved by that agency so members of the commission, the county or the city will not be stuck with bills slated for payment with (See GRANT, page 11) Scorcher The day was still young Tuesday when Robert Gat tin said: "Boys you 're missing history being made out there. " Gatlin, who has been watching ther mometers and rain and wind gauges for 40 years, said it was the first time he could remember the temperature reaching 100? at 9:30 a.m. sun time. Suntime runs one hour behind daylight saving > time. The thermometer pictured reads about 98?, but the sun was shaded by a roof over the gauge required by the National Weather Service. According to Gatlin, that bit of shade had caused the temperature to drop about 2 0 since he last read It.
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 11, 1985, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75