The
ews
I oumal
I f it hapiK*ned, it’s news to us
No.47VoL99
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, February9,2005
Recreation Center county’s new top priority
Comimssioners examine capital needs, move up center for youth, seniors
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Commissioner James Leach per
suaded other board members at their
annual retreat to study if it is feasible to
build the first Hoke Parks and Recreation
center.
While the board was supportive of
the proposed project as a priority, the
future Parks and Recreation center and
the Hoke Agriculture complex - also
proposed - hinge on the board acquiring
adequate funding.
“Where is my Parks and Recreation
building?” Leach said as he examined
a list of proposed and existing building
projects for Hoke County. “We have a
growing need for our youth to have a
place for recreational needs.”
A Parks and Recreation center is pro
posed in the vicinity of Raeford for it to
be central to the entire county. The board
wou Id either seek either a grant or borrow
an estimated $2 million to proceed with
plans for a headquarters for youth and
seniors’ recreational needs.
In pursuit of a more customer- and
pet-friendly animal shelter — and a
need to comply with new U.S. Dept, of
Agriculture regulations, the board also
approved the construction of a new Hoke
animal shelter. Hoke Building direc
tor Dennis Baxley and Hoke Animal
(See REC CENTER, page 5A)
DSS director
Mercer resigns
Reason not made public
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke’s director of social ser
vices Bob Mercer abruptly quit
last Thursday, announcing his
resignation to the Hoke Board
of Social Services.
Ending a 14-year career with
the county, Mercer was earning
almost $75,000as one of Hoke’s
most highly paid department
heads.
His resignation comes at a
time when Hoke’s DSS is chal
lenged with the highest number
of food stamp requests in its his
tory because of local layoffs and
other economic hardships.
A baffled DSS board had
Prospect water tower
dismantled
page IB
West Hoke wins
Southeastern Jr.
pi^eSA
Index
Rep. Hayes meets
widi Hoke leaders
pj^e7A
Births 3B
Calendar 3B
Classifieds 7-8B
Deaths 3A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 5-6B
Religion 4A
Schools 2B,4B
Socials 3B
Sports 5A
We’re on the web at
www.thenews-journaI.com
previously pondered why Mer
cer allegedly allowed the state
to revert $179,416 this fiscal
year that was earmarked for lo
cal working parents and needy
families to pay for child care.
However, that situation was
not cited as a reason by some
DSS board members for Mer
cer’s leaving the county’s em
ploy.
Mercer submitted his letter
of resignation to the Hoke DSS
board after it re-convened from a
closed, executive session during
their meeting.
His departure from DSS also
fol lowed a two-day commission
ers’ retreat where he discussed
the status of DSS activities.
Mercer did not return tele
phone inquiries for comments
on Monday. His last day on
the job was apparently on
Thursday.
When asked if the Hoke
DSS board gave an ultimatum
to Mercer to resign or be fired,
William Fields, chairman of
the DSS board, declined to
comment. The DSS board
carries the sole discretionary
authority to hire or terminate
a director’s services.
(See MERCER, page 6A)
1
m
Champions
Right: West Hoke Middle School’s Jeremy Shaw skies
high above the Hamlet defender for two of his 15 points.
Above: Brittany Oxendine is airborne as the West Hoke
cheerleaders perform at halftime of the championship
game.West Hoke Middle captured the Southeastern Junior
High championship. See the story on page 5A.
fy
Asbestos disposal causes delay in hotel demolition
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
Raeford City Manager Rich
ard Douglas has requested the
state tell the city exactly what
its requirements are regarding
disposal of the asbestos in the
former Raeford Hotel.
The deserted hotel, located at
the comer of Main Street and Cen
tral Avenue, is to be demolished.
Douglas had hoped demolition
would have begun last week, but,
he said, “The state has had some
issues regarding the disposal of
the asbestos material.”
“They are not going to tell us
how to dispose of the material
but reserve the right to test any
landfill we take the material
to,” Douglas added. “There is a
concern we could be liable for
cleanup if asbestos is not disposed
of properly.”
The city had accepted a bid of
$178,726 from T-Rex Construc
tion of Durham to take down
the building, but, Douglas told
city council members Monday
night, “We could be looking
in the neighborhood of $230
- 280,000.”
Douglas said he is working with
four contractors, including T-Rex,
to discuss their proposed method
of disposal and is “very close” to
reaching an agreement.
The original plan was for a
contractor to take out all identified
asbestos material and dispose of
it at a hazardous waste landfill.
The remainder of the building
would be torn down, and that
(See HOTEL, page 5A)
Deputy overtime, sheriff’s salary tackled at commission retreat
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Deputy overtime increases,
the rising costs of Hoke Jail’s
medical treatment and supplies
for inmates-even Sheriff Hubert
Peterki n’s salary - were discussed
at the board of commissioners’
annual retreat last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Hoke finance direc
tor Scott Edwards uncovered an
almost $1 million windfall in
county revenue that wascollected
by several county departments,
but misclassified over the last
several years. While the county’s
finances appear to be improved.
the Sheriffs Office is faced with
some financial dilemmas.
The Hoke Sheriffs Office is
strain i ng to accommodate growth
in the county whileexperiencinga
positive increase in solving cases.
but still attempting to balance out
its budget for the year, according
to Edwards.
The only person missing to
participate in the discussion
(See RETREAT, page 7A)
niie News-1 Journal 1
News Oth^ stuff
By Ken MacDonald
Publisher
Sunday afternoon I again took to the
woods - along the trail where Sweetie and
I used to walk. The 10 miles or so of dirt
road on wh ich we so often trekked is where
I hunted as a youngster, it’s where 1 learned
to drive, and it just happens to be the cen
tral portion of a recreational trail that has
been proposed to run from Fayetteville to
Southern Pines.
The “All American Trail” would extend
from Bill Hefner Elementary School in
Fayetteville to Weymouth Woods Preserve
in Southern Pines and would be a “fun
thing,” the regional land use advisory com
mission says, about planning the use of land
around Fort Bragg to protect the post from
encroachment.
All ol the hoopla we've heaid for the la.st
15 years about the land that borders Fort
Bragg is about encroachment - from people
(See OTHER STUFF, page 8A)
^ Three subdivisions approved
Facility Investment Fees established to offset future growth
system, which is estimated to cost $9.9
million. The county averages 600 new
homes each year, according to County
Manager Mike Wood.
Daniels expressed concerns over cur
rent overcrowing in Hoke schools and the
uncertainty of expand! ng Hoke’s regional
water system. Without another phase, it
might limit water supply and improve
ments to new projects, Daniels added.
“Due to the fact of our school system
like it isandthe water situation, I would like
you to take this into consideration,” Dan-
(See SUBDIVISIONS, page 7A)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
In spite of repeated “no’s” from
Commission Vice Chairman Charles V.
Daniels, Hoke commissioners approved
three new subdivisions with more than
200 homes.
However, the board later unanimously
voted to establish bacilityinvestment Fees
for the Hoke Utilities department, satis
fying Daniel’s concerns. The fees would
offset growth in the county and help pay
for the future phase 5 of the regional water