Newspapers / The Duplin Times (Warsaw, … / March 18, 1982, edition 1 / Page 1
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S / . * ji?t '.'i' ' JP f 3m. : j fe ? ? jhl,^ _ JftA ? ^ X PROGRESS SENTINEL BBMiiii^ttoi^'T^'- - i r-yYTI^T^^r^ r ' i i KENANSVILIE, NC 28349 MARCH 18, 1982 18 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX Warsaw Wants More Bids On Property A five-year effort to sell a former town hall appeared successfully closed last week on Monday night, but Tues day town officials decided to re-advertise the property for ?a possible upset bid. The property includes a white cinder-block building, erected as a town hall, across the street from Clark Shop ping Center. Frank Steed, a town board member, bid $18,000 for the property but said he had been bidding on a larger tract than the town was advertising. The town owns a tract about 130 feet wide and A400 feet deep. It advertised ^for sale a portion of the tract with 130 feet street frontage and 150 feet depth. Steed said he wanted a depth of 185 feet. Steed left the board room while the discussion and vote on the sale took place. Walter P. West, a board member and real estate agent, said he thinks the ?value of the land alone should be more than $20,000 because of its downtown location. The board has been trying to sell the property for five years. It received a bid of $12,000 in February 1980. Before the bids were opened. Steed told town clerk Alfred Herring that he would bid on a 130- by 185-foot tract. Herring ad vised the board of Steed's intention prior to the bid opening. Board member Walter Foster said it is a no-win situation. "Frank is a town board member, and we're going to be talked about if we sell it to him and it's been sitting there for five years. "It's an eyesore and get ting sorer." Foster added. "We either need to repair or demolish the thing. We surely don't need it. . .If we do sell it to him (Steed), it'll get on the tax books." Following the session. Steed said, "It seems too high without the additional 35 feet. You need parking for any type of business nowa days." When asked after the meeting if he believes the sale is valid. Herring an swered. "Yes, we have sold the property " But Tuesday afternoon. Herring said he had talked with Steed and the town would re-advertise the property, including the addi tional 35 feet depth that Steed wanted to buy. In other action Monday night, the board: ? Accepted the offer of J. Dail Purvis of Clinton to spread an antileak compound on the Neighborhood faci lities building roof for $3,612.91 to stop leaking. It had offers of $15,000 and $ 11.000 to install a new roof. ? Accepted the low bid of $785 from Whaley Dozing and Loading Co. of Golds boro to demolish the Willie Smith house if a renewal project was accepted. Smith has been relocated in a mobile home. ? Scheduled a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. April 12 on the question of permitting pool tables in a restricted business area. \ Smith Named Chairman Of BOE ' ? ? V."v ' ? Judge Joins 'Duplin Elections Board Douglas Judge of Kenans ville was sworn in as a Democratic member of the Duplin County Board of Elec tions last week after his appointment by the State ^ Board of Elections. Susie G. Smith After the ceremony, the board elected Susie G. Smith ft of Albertson, the other Democratic member, as chairman, and Deri Walker. Republican member, as sec retary. The county Democratic Party executive committee had attempted to name Judge chairman of the county elections board fol lowing the resignation of Claude Hcplcr of Wallace as chairman last month. The appointment was called invalid by state elec tions director Alex K. Brock, who said only the state board can appoint members to the county board of elections. Following the procedure outlined by Brock, the county party committee last week recommended Judge and Larrv Bostic of Beulavillc as county election board nomi nees to state Democratic Party Chairman Russell Walker of Ashcboro. Judge and Bostic were the leading votc-getters in the committee's abortive at tempt to name the chairman. Walker recommended Judge to the State Board of Elec tions. which made the ap pointment . Duplin Clerk of Court John A. Johnson conducted the swearing-in ceremony. Mrs. Smith. 70. has been a board member for five years. She is a part-time enumera tor for the N.C. and U.S. departments of agriculture. Walker, a businessman from Smith's Township, was named to the board in 1081. Judge is director of even ing programs at James Sprunt Technical College and 4 former Kenansville mayor. LOG TRUCK DEMOLISHED - A front tire blew out. the truck swerved to the left across the center line, went off the road, and crashed into a large ditch culvert, hit a utility pole, and went into a parked trailer. Dust spark? and logs flew every which-away. The truck and load of logs finally came to a stop in a field beside A&B Milling Company. The cab of the truck is no longer recognizable as such, lite driver, blbert Ray Holmes of Route 2. Pink Hills with an injured leu- bruises and scratches was pulled from the mangled wreckage miraculously still alive. I he accident occurred cast of Warsaw on Highway 24-50 at 8:30 a.m. March II. The investigating trooper was Randy Hammonds, who stated the damage estimates included $25,000 to the truck. $300 to the utility pole, and $1,000 to the second trailer. No citation v as issued Holmes was taken to Duplin R-Hill Gym Appears Doomed The days of the old Rose Hill gymnasium appear numbered. The town board last week agreed to re-advertise for bids to remove or demolish the building following the failure of an effort to save the structure by some local resi dents. The 50-year-old wooden structure has been unused for several years and has become a dilapidated eye sore. according to board members. The former Rose Hill school site, across the street from the gym. has been turned into a recreational park. Rose Hill students attend ? Rose-Hill-Magnolia School. Charity School and Wallace-Rose Hill High School, all outside of the town limits. Teen-agers go to Wallace and adults to Mag nolia for community sports activities. The cost of repairing the structure was estimated at $5,000 to $10,000 by the Save Our Gym Committee. "The risk appears too great for our group to take." the group said in a letter to the town board. "We'll be advertising for bids on the building for the third time." Mayor Ben Harrell said. Bids are to be opened at' the board's April 13 meeting. The board had called for bids to be opened at its Jan. 12 meeting. However, a Save Our Gym group, consisting of Jack Frederick. Larry Price, Donnie Butler and Ben Mathis, appeared before the board to ask for time to study the structure to determine if the group could save it for community sports and other activities. Frederick said the group had 350 signatures on a petition asking to have the building opened for such activities. At that meeting. Harrell and Commissioner Keith Hinson estimated renova tion of the structure would cost SI5.000 toS?0,000. The board had received four bids for demolishing the structure, but did not open them. It gave the Save the Gym group 60 days to see what it could do, asking for it to report at last Tuesday's meeting. Meanwhile, the board had county building inspector El wood Sanderson check the structure. Sanderson re ported that water and termite damage is extensive. The roof is in poor condition and leakage has caused rotting of joists, rafters and studs. Termites have severely damaged some sills. The main sill on the front side of the building was destroyed. Following the reading of the report by Harrell. board members agreed repair costs would be prohibitive. Only one bid for the build ing was received following the first advertisement late last year, town clerk C.T. Fussell said. The board is sued its second set of ad vertisements in December for the January opening. Frequent rains during January and February have delayed work on the water and sewer projeet in the Yclloweutt section- of northern Rose Hill, setting it behind schedule. Lute T-L Kwong. engineer for L.E. Woolen and Co.. consulting engineers of Raleigh, told the board. Ihc contract deadline is May 9. Kwong said 65 per cent of the scheduled work time has passed and only 30 percent of the work has been completed. Much of the de lay can be made up in the next few weeks if weather remains dry. the engineer said. The fate of the town's long-planned sewage treat ment plant remains uncer tain. Harrell said, noting the town has received no word about possible funding for months. Harrell said the tqwn's share of the cost was ap proved in a bond referen dum. but he fears the nearly $400,000 authorized bond issue will not be sufficient because of inflation if the project is delayed much longer. Jaycees Sponsor Meet The Candidates The Kenansville Jaycees announce a "meet the can didates" night on Thursday. March 25 at 7:30 p.m. Can didates for sheriff of Duplin County in the upcoming election will be featured. This will allow citizens of Duplin County an opportu nity to meet the eandidatcs for sheriff. This event will take plaee in the Superior Court Room, in the Duplin Count> Court house. This will give citizens a chance to meet the can didates for sheriff in a political race that is shaping up to be a hotlv contested election Board Approves Albertson Water System The first official step to ward a community water system in Albertson area came Monday when the ^ Duplin County Board of W Commissioners established Dr. Raman To Speak To Magnolia Methodist I Women Dr. E. J. Raman will be the guest speaker on Thursday night. March 18. at 8 p.m. at the regular meeting of the Magnolia United Methodist Women's meeting. Dr. Raman is the director of the Mental Health Department for Duplin and Sampson counties. Anyone who would k like to hear Dr. Raman is P welcome to attend the meeting to be held at the Magnolia United Methodist Church fellowship hall. an Albertson Township Water and Sewer District. At a hearing called by the commissioners, 35 township residents indicated by a show of hands their desire to go ahead with formation of the district, an initial step toward a water system. The hearing was requested at the board's Feb. 1 meeting by Wiley Cannady of Albert son. The Albertson Ruritan Club has signed up 275 potential water customers. It received 17 rejections, and another 107 respondents said they were uncertain about the idea. About 399 families or businesses would be po tential customers. Albertson Township is in the northeastern corner of the county. It has a popu lation of 1,381 people and no incorporated towns. The 1980 census showed its popu lation increased 4.6 percent in the preceding decade. Much of the township is on a sandy ridge where many residents find it difficult and expensive to obtain water in adequate quantity or quality. Bob Pittntan of Rivers & Associates, consulting engi neers of Greenville, esti mated the cost of an ade quate water project at SI.742.971. It would require 47 miles of pipe, two 300 gallons-per-minute wells and one 150.000-gallon. elevated storage tank. The estimated cost included 35 fire hy drants. Pittman said the feasibility of the project depends pn numerous variables, in cluding construction costs, interest rates, available grants and maximum rates users would be willing to pay. Pittman said Bob Parks of the state Farmers Home Administration had told him that under past regulations, such a district might become eligible for a loan of SI. 100 per user. On the basis of 300 users, that would amount to $357,000. The district could become eligible for an FmHA grant of 57 percent of the cost, or '^>95.334, Pittman said. It also might become eligible for 25 percent of the cost or $390,537 from the state clean water bond fund, he added. Pittnian said it could be two to three years before the system could be in operation. He estimated the average water bill, including suffi cient money to meet pay ments and operating ex penses. would be $19.74 per month, on the basis of a minimum of $17 a month for 2.000 gallons of water. A water and sewer district would have power to levy a property tax if costs exceed income, but that should be avoided. Pittman noted. Jim Parker, a potential user, said "I have talked all around the area and people of the township are behind the system." Cannady said he has lived in the township five years and is on his second well. "I'd be willing to pay $45 or $50 a month for water. You just don't know how down grading and down-hearten ing it is to shave with ru> water." I LARGE TURNOUT - fcr Albertson Water Hearing. 1 ''
The Duplin Times (Warsaw, N.C.)
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March 18, 1982, edition 1
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