I
Men
BY SUSAN USHI
The death of a western E
preschooler from spinal meningitis
an isolated incident posing no comn
according to a local health official.
However, "The rumors have res
portions," Superintendent of Scho<
said at a Monday night meeting of t
ty Board of Education. Only brief r
tion was made at the meeting.
Rumors suggested that additio
ingitis?sometimes called "spottec
the rash that sometimes accompani
firmed, but Brunswick County Heal
Blum said that a survey conducted!
of area health facilities and in-co
sionals indicated otherwise.
"No additional cases or suspects
meningoccocal disease have be<
stated in a Tuesday news release.
Meanwhile, also on Monday, Un
reported its highest number of ab
than 400 of its 752 students.
' "About two-thirds of them were i
Freeman Gause, "probably becaus
"They'll probably be back tomor
SO""??>os
I 1 >
Volume 23, Number 30
Propose
Asks Fc
BY SUSAN USHER
A proposed $22.6 million 1983-86
county budget would require 'i fourcent
increase in the property tax
rate, the first in several years, but
the accompanying $3.2 million water
budget projects no rate increase.
A.i pftfscetcd Monday night to tho
Brunswick County Board of Commissioners,
the budget includes $4.1
million for the Brunswick County
Board of Education and $238,000 to
Brunswick Technical College. It also
suggests that, with the siinnort nf tho
commissioners, the college call (or a
bond referendum to meet its longrange
development needs.
A public hearing on the budget is
slated Thursday, June 13, at 7 p.m. in
the public assembly building, with
adoption of a final budget required byJuly
1.
In a related resolution adopted
quietly by unanimous vote Monday,
commissioners put agencies that
receive county funding, such as
Brunswick Technical College and the
Brunswick County Board of Education,
"on notice" that the commissioners
want their employees to be
residents of Brunswick County. The
resolution goes into effect immediately.
In January commissioners adopted
a requirement that all future county
emDlOVeeS must hcrnmp wwink
residents within six months of hiring.
The resolution adopted Monday advises
tocjl governmenUl and quasigovernmental
agencies that their
compliance with this "desire" of the
commissioners shall be taken into
consideration when the board
discusses funding requests.
Contributions to agencies make up
11.603.965 of the proposed budget, excluding
contributions to funds for the
public schools, health ($605,000) and
social sendees ($855,000) departments,
revaluation project i $56.2501
and debt service ($t .l< million I.
Developed during lengthy worksessi
oris held by the commissioners and
county staff, the proposed budget is
foundeu on a tax valuation of $2.15
Deputy Del
BY TERRY POPE
A Brunswick County sheriff s deputy
dismissed (ram his job for his
handling of a recent rape case ui
Shailotte claims he did nothing
wrong and wants las lob back.
Sgt Jody Nance of Calabash was
fired (ram his yob last week by
Sheriff John Carr Davis after the ofSerf
d tn rmifn VVvm a<tkfd
for Nance's resignation from the
department m!sr learning that the
victim of a May X> rape at the Oasis
Food Mart in Shallotte had nobAed
Nance at the sheriff's department
tust minutes before the crime
According to Darts. the clerk at the
a. * PWV- v^.a a ? i - r
ingitis D
2R The cause of
Irunswick County ed in lab resu
i two weeks ago was ingococcal men
-lunity health threat, The last know
to this form of n
iched epidemic pro- common, was i
jls Gene Yarbrough Center for Hea
he Brunswick Coun- firmed case, no
ncntion of the situa- Meningitis is
branes of the br
nal cases of men- by bacteria, vir
I fever" because of u shares the
ies it?had been con- eluding a numb
th Director Thomas disease 4 4 peaks,
Sunday and Monday about four to fi
unty health profes- diagnosis can t
experts don't k
id cases of invasive disease and not
:n confirmed," he to, but never co
Its after-effec
ion Primary School fectionof theiri
sentees ever, more called "water o
sulfa and antibi
Dut," said Principal in a memo
e of that. students last F
row." have been a fe
Ml Oea!*'3"39
Shaiio..^.
5d $22.6
>ur-Cent
billion. The proposed 63.5 cents per
$100 valuation tax rate, with a 95 percent
collection rate, would generate
$12,969,875 in revenues, the largest
source of income for the county. The
figure reflects an increase of approximately
$1.1 million in ad valorem
tax revenues from the current year
that ends June 30.
County Manager William Carter
said the budget gives "strong considerations"
to education ($5.5
million); park development
($579,800)) reorganization, public
safety, and staff needs (21 new positions
at $267,434, including nine in the
sheriffs department and one Jailer).
Water System
The water rate would remain at 94
cents per 1,000 gallons under the proposed
water budget, with water sales
of $2.07 million and a $866,381 supplement
from the general fund the main
sources of revenue. With added
distribution lines and construction of
the new 24mgd treatment plant,
operating costs are expected to increase
by about $535,000. The increase
includes seven new positions,
which would bring the department to
27 employees.
Sales income is based on projec
tions of 2,210.21 million gallons of
water use per year, with Pfizer
Chemical Inc. accounting for 76.55
percent of that usage.
Education
Appropriations proposed for the
public schools would include $4.1
million for operations, about $300,000
less than requested. The sum includes
a 10 percent increase for
salary and fringe benefits. Another
$1 million would be provided to meet
the schools' basic capital outlayneeds
other than its construction prograin.
Of a proposed $860,000 capital
reserve fund basically financed by
half-cent sales tax revenues, 40 percent
would be set aside for the
schools' future capital needs while 60
percent would be set aside for the
county.
Brunswick Technical College
ends Actions
Oasis called the sheriffs department
prior to the alleged rape and asked to
speak to Nance She then gave Nance
some information about a suspicious
suspect loitering outside the store.
Davis said.
Twenty minutes later, she called
back and told Nance that she had
been raped. Davis said. An officer
?< not dispatched to the store until
after the second call.
"My pant is that an officer should
have been sent." Davis said, "even if
she haifc't asked far one Since it was
in the city of Shaliotle, Jody should
have asked that one of their officers
a-, r.-uuii "
rcspcxai
I
RUMORS, NOT FEVI
eoth Said
the three-year-old's death was confirmlts
received last Wednesday as meningitis.
71 death in Brunswick County attributed
leningitis, which happens to be the most
n October 1976, according to the State
1th Statistics in Raleigh. The last con
n-fatal, was in February 1978.
an acute inflammation of the memain,
spinal cord or both. It can be caused
uses, protozoa, yeasts or fungi,
symptoms of many other diseases, iner
of childhood ailments. Typically the
" or reaches its most contagious stage,
ve days after symptoms appear and a
te made, Blum indicated. But medical
;now why some people can carry the
become infected and others be exposed
ntract the disease.
:ts can include deafness, paralysis, ins,
arthritis and hydrocephalus, common
n the brain." It is usually treated with
otic drugs.
to parents of Union Primary School
riday. the school advised that "there
w cases of illnesses that can be con NSWI
Caroiina, inursaay, June
Million B
Tax Incre
would receive $208,000 for operating
expenses and $218,000 for capital
needs, including the money needed to
exercise a purchase option on Land
adjoining the campus.
Fire And Rescue
Each of 19 fire departments and 10
rescue squads In the county would
gel $io,oao this year, up from $7,500.
Also, a discretionary fund of $50,000
per each of the five districts would be
set up, but no distributions made until
policies are adopted. Funding is
included for new fire departments at
Navossa and Northwest and one new
rescue squad if they organize.
Parks and Recreation
In addition to providing about
$580,000 to construct a new park in
District 5 complete parks in Districts
2 and 3, and improve those in
Districts 1 and 4, the parks and
recreation budget reflects a proposal
to upgrade three of the five laborers
in the department to "park supervisor
trainees." Each would be
assigned maintenance and supervision
of a township park. Programming
and scheduling would remain
centralized at the county office.
Salaries would account for $160,527 of
the total $940,431 budget.
New Departments
Two new departments, construction
and older adults, are expected to
improve the delivery of services
without increasinc exoenHitnrps
Carter said.
Other Agencies
The county's two chambers of commerce
would get $60,000 toward a
promotional package, double the
$30,000 they received last year, but
less than the $100,000 they requested.
In addition to $5,000 each for the N.C.
Fourth of July and Oyster Festivals,
the budget reflects identical contributions
to the Navassa Homecoming
Parade and the N.C. Festival By
the Sea at Holden Beach.
A $50,000 request from the
Brunswick Bay Artificial Reef
Association would be cut to $25,000
Airports on Long Beach Road and at
Ocean Isle would get $10 000 each.
Following Hi:
Nance, an eight-year veteran with
the department, was the shift
sergeant on duty the morning of the
alleged rape He stated Monday that
in the first telephone call, sometime
around 6 a.m., U? clerk gave him a
man's name and asked him to "see
what I could find out about him." a
request be said he gets frequently
from people he knows oo his usual
beat.
"She never asked that I send someone,"
Nance said. "She never expressed
tf be was still there or not"
Nance said he used the name the
clerk gave him to run through the
department's Police Information
ER, ARE 'EPIDEMIC'
f No Cau*
tagious at Union Primary School", as!
contact a physician if their child contrac
of the following symptoms: high fever
creased irritability, colds, skin rashes ai
The memo was written at the central
r-? e 1 * *
wvc-u wv? i- lcciiutu iui reieasc, ne saia.
A second memo went out Tuesday, th
Brunswick County Health Department. 1
the department has received "many, ?
calls" on the subject.
In it, Blum said the procedures used
the case conform to those of the N.C. Dii
Services, the Centers for Communicabl
American Academy of Pediatrics and
Public Health Association.
"We referred the family to a private pi
as a precaution," Blum said.
The immediate household was evalua
cian and Brunswick Hospital revi(
employees may have had.
"Based on the directives for evaluatin
of spread," said Blum, "they wen
Therefore, additional measures in
members of the public or other instituti
schools were not deemed necessary undf
guidelines.
CKfj
/ i nr?r n 1
O, I70J 7J
udget
?ase
while the cuunty library would get
$105,000.
Other contributions include the
foresty service, $92,284;
Southeastern Mental Health,
$125,260; Task Force Against Family
Violence, $2,500; Resources Development
Commission, $112,500; public
radio, $1,000; Offender Aid and
Restoration, $4,214; Lower Cape
Fear Hospice, $300; Special Olympics,
$3,000; and SENCland Community
Action, $5,000.
Department Run-Down
A breakdown by the proposed
budget by department (excluding
contributions to agencies and funds)
follows:
Uovernlng Body. $134,386, includes
wages of $40,543 and per diem
of $30,890 for the commissioners, plus
the clerk's salary and $14,100 for
codification of the county's or- I
dinances
Public Inspections, $96,246, a new
department required by state law, includes
two new positions, building inspector
and office operator.
Public Utilities, $137,482, the county
engineer's office, includes two new
positions, soil scientist and |
secretary.
Administration, $123,795, includes
a new receptionist for the administrative
building.
Board of Elections, $139,562.
Planning, $130,263, including
$5,000 per diem for planning board
members.
Management and Clerical Support,
$88,000,
Finance and Purchasing, $158,540.
Computer Services, $106,798.
Tax Supervisor, $381,583
Tax Collector, $190,403.
County Attorney, $176,506, including
$100,000 for professional services
such as expert witnesses, court
recorders, etc.
Register of Deeds, $290,000, includes
a new deputy register of
deeds.
Housekeeping, $167,748
Building and Grounds. SSOt.370,
(SeeTAX. Page i-A)
|
> Dismissal
Network computer It was Later
discovered that the name was wrong,
but that the information was enough
to pursue a suspect in the case.
Later Saturday. Shallotte Police
Sgt Rodney Cause arrested El wood
Pigott, 72, of Mulberry Street,
ShaUdOe. at las place of work and
charged him with the alleged firstdegree
rape.
uavis said there is s
witness who was at the dnre the morning
of the rape that overheard the
clerk ask for an officer during the initial
telpher* conversation Nance
said las only proof that ahe did not
(See DEPLTV, Page t-A?
?e For Ai
ting parents to Blum said he hai
ted one or more contact with the ch
, stiff neck, in- red to a physician,
id sore throats. had called and dis
office and die- added.
"I realize the fla
is one from the tried to calm it doi
Like the school,
nany telephone AH four memtx
Ansley and their I
in dealing with medication as a
vision of Health Mrs. Ansley said,
e Diseases, the child who died; tlx
the American tim several days
And at least one lo
lysician simply the drug most coi
ment.
ited by a physi- If further invest!
iwed contacts dicates additional |
procedures affecti
g other sources the health departrr
;n't affected." mediately."
volving other In any case, h<
ons such as the Pediatrics recomn
:r these various value in deciding
necessary.
wasi
StACI
5r Per Copy 32
; ;!
-; : ?. , .oSto
Pf.JB hHBE
1 at
<SaCew' *
SAM STALLINGS, left. New Hanoi,
the help of Brunswick County Sheriff
from the Holden Beach surf.
Escapee Sw
Officers' Cu
A New Hanover County prison
escapee serving a one-year sentence
for driving while unpaired was captured
in the surf after a lona swim aC
Holden beach last Wednesday afternoon.
Hoydt Rogers, 38, of the New
Hanover County Prison Subsidiary,
disappeared from a road gang while
he was working near Vamumtown
around 12:20 p.m. He was captured
by prison officials and Brunswick
County law enforcement officers
about four hours later.
"It was a rather bizarre Incident,"
recalled Brunswick County Sheriff
John Carr Davis Davis said he
received a visit from prison
superintendent Sam Stalling* around
12:30 pun. to assist in locating the
suspect.
u o oeuevea wooers swam from
Brown's landing near Varoumtown
across the Intracoastal Waterway to
(he I is Aden Beach east end After
reports of las escape were aired over
local radio stations, some residents
rcjM*te>i m matt matching the
description walking along the east
end of the beach. Davis said
Davis then contacted Holden
Beach Police Chief Raymond Simpson.
and together they went hun&ng
lor the suspect on the east end and
f
larm
i recommended that anyone in close
ild who develops symptoms be referAlso,
a number of local physicians
cussed the incident with him, Blum
p in the community," he said. "I've
vn."
irs of one family, Steve and Tina
:wo children, are taking preventive
voluntary precautionary measure.
The Ansleys are neighbors of the
sir children had played with the viebefore
his sudden illnes and death,
cal drugstore ordered extra stock of
Tunonly used for preventive treatigation
and follow-up of the case Inirecautions
are needed, "a change in
ng the public's health," Blum said
lent will inform the community "im
; said the American Academy of
lends that throat cultures are not of
whether preventive treatment is
DN
TM
Pages Plus Supplement
''-Mm
IVAM
PHOIOav CAVOtVN tWfATT
rr County Prison superintendent, with
' deputies, lead escapee Hoydt Rogers
ims Into
stody
began following some track*
"The chief and 1 approached this
man in swimming trunks," Davis
said. "The chief said, 'I'd like to talk
to you.' But he ran and Jumped in the
surf."
Davis said the suspect began swimming
up and down the shoreline Just
beyond the breakers. An Oak Island
Ui>. Coast Guard boat was also called
to the scene, but did not try to apprehend
the suspect
For the officers on the shore, it
became a waiting game. As many as
15 officers had gathered along the
beach strand
sooner or later, he had to get tired
end come out of the waiter," Davis
laid After swimming for about an
hour, Rogers moved closer to shore,
where Stalling* had already kicked
off his shoes and began wading into
the surf after the suspect
After identifying Rogers as the
escapee, he was handcuffed and
taken tack to the facility in Sew
Hanover County. Rogers will (ace
tnai in court for his escape and could
receive an added three months to a
year in prv.-.i
"That's unfortunate," Davis said
"The fellow wns putting in a year for
DWI and will probahiy get another
sis months for escape."
4 i