i I
Award Winners
Among other aeiiievements,
Michael Norton (left) and
Whitney King are valedictorian
and salutatorian, respectively,
of their senior class. Coverage
of Awards Day at West
Brunswick High is on page
10-A.
Residents G&'Vnderground
With Area Wiring Prdjects
A trend has developed in the South Brunswidi Island
to place power lines underground. Sunset, Oceiui Islh:
and Holden beaches all have streets how that have .
gone wireless to the eye. The story is oh page 14-B of
this issue. ;
Sings At Pageant
Amanda Causey, who will reign for
another year as Little Miss N.C.
Fourth of July, sang at Saturday
pageant where Jennifer Wescott
Bolivia was crowned the 1987 Miss
N.C. Fourth of July. The story and
photo are on page 7-A.
THF
DDI IMCl
HOAG & SONS BOOK BINDERY
12731/9S
SPRINGPORT MI 492S4
VICKtRACON
Twenty-fifth Year, Number 31
Carolina, Thursday, June 11, 1987
25c Per Copy
28 Pages
Water Issue May Force
Calabash s Tax Rate Up
SIAFF PHOIOBY SUSAN USIIIR
AS BOARD MEMBERS Paul Wayne Reeves, Bobby
Ray Russ, Sarah Tripp and David Cause look on.
Mayor Jerry Jonea paints out one of the areas. Brier-
wood Eistates, where the planning board would like to
see annexations occur.
Shallotte To Considdr Annexation
f
IV-
jgrvsusAN usheui
--- iKopetSstenl urging the
town's- planning zoning board,
Shallotte aldermen are considering
recommendations for squaring qff^
the town boundaries by annexing
areas on three sides.
Over the past year, the planning
board has asked, the aldermen in
three memoranda to consider the an-
nexaUons. I.ast Wednesday, with
those recommendations in hand,
aldermen asked attorney Mark
Lewis whai came next.
“What you need to do is nothing
now,” he advised, while he bones up
on annexation procedures for small
towns and the scope of an annexaUon
study. Under current law, annexa
tions typically take at least a year to
complete and can take longer if pro
perty owners appeal.
“We’ve been at a standsUll for a
3-ear,” said May«w,J(^tem Paul
Wayne Rcov^'wBirMirteSTh~a non- -
voting capacity on the planning'
board. “AnnexaUon is the only way
>for the town to grow.”
“It’s time to do more than look at
it,” he noted earlier in the meeting.
The planning board outlined a
three-phase annexaUon program,
recommending the board take acUon
immediately on two prioriUes, areas
where residents or businesses now
get most town services without being
in town.
The first includes 17 lots in the
already-annexed area of Brierwood
Estates that were not Included in that
annexaUon process and lots along
U.S. 17 north of town where the boun
dary line zig-zags along property
lines.
While not in town, wrote the plann
ing board, “It is oiir understanding
Uiat all town services npw run by
-v.thealfrOBBrtiBV*>tirr?----A
-’ The second priority includes an
area the planning board understands
is not targeted for immediate
development and would not require
extensive services now, before the
sewer system can be expanded. It
would involve running the town
limits to include an area across from
Shallotte Manor on N.C. 130 west
toward WhitevUle and Bridges Road
running back to the town limits and
also to south of the Shallotte River
and to U.S. 17. As proposed, the
Sha'Jiotte River would serve as part
of the wesu„ a boundary.
BY TERRY POPE
Calabash town council members
are exploring a third opUon to help
raise funds for a water system—in
creasing the property tax rate.
Board members will hold a budget
workshop Tuesday, June 16, at 4
p.m., to discuss a possible increase in
Uie 1987-88 tax rate. A public hearing
on the budget is scheduled for June 22
at 4:30 p.m.
AddiUonal 1987-88 revenues would
be used to cover future annexation
costs and to set aside a special water
fund.
At Monday's meeting, the council
criticized Rep. David Redwine and
Sen. R.C. Soles Jr. for introducing a
House bill that would require
Calabash residents to vote on a pro
posed assessment plan to pay for a
water system. The board had asked
for a bill that would allow the town to
assess property owners, but without
a referendum, so the town would
have the up-front funds needed for
the project
At the urging of several assess
ment opponents, Sen.-Soles of Tabor
(jity pieced to add the referendum
requirement Last week, Redwine
agreed to the referendum, but he also
provided a second option.
Both Redwine and Soles will also
introduce a pair of local funding bills
to obtain $50,000 each for the
Calabash water system. Redwine
said last week that if the two funding
bills pass “the issue will be settled.”
The town hopes to begin installbig
Phase I of the water system with at
least $80,000 to $90,000 in the bank.
Pluise I would route water lines to
restaurants along the Calabash
River and down Oak Street
Several council members liave
predicted that a referendum will not
pass because many of the people af
fected, such as restaurant owners,
live outside the town and cannot vote.
Town Clerk Janet Thomas said there
are about 90 registered voters in
Calabash.
“The really frustrating thing is we
have come so close,” said councU
member Pati Lewellyn, “and whUe
they’re up there yanking us around
the price keeps going up.”
Town Attorney Michael Ramos
told the board Monday that a special
fund can be established by the to\vn
tp save money for a water system. He
■' said the town’s current 17 cents per
$100 valuation tax rate was,'in his
opinion, “ridiculously low. It straps
you in what you can do.”
He said the board cannot obligate
future councils to keep an increased
tax rate for a water fund. “But I
think you can set a policy in that
regards,” Ramos said.
Thomas said the 1987-88 tax rate
must be raised to at least 19 cents per
$100 valuation. The board discussed a
much larger increase which would
help establish the water fund.
“I think we should say something
in the 30s and see wliat the feedback
is,” said council member Suzy
Moore.
A 30 cents per $100 tax rate would
generate $48,900 In revenues. At the
17 cent tax rate, the town’s property
tax revenues would be around
$22,000.
“Most businesses cannot run on
$22,000 a year,” Ms. Lewellyn .said.
“It*s ridiculcus to think thst s town
A tax rate of 25 cents per $100
would represent a 33 percent in-
crea.se. Board member Bob Weber
recommended that the council hold a
budget work session to reach a pro
posed tax rate before the public hear
ing on June 22.
"I don’t want to be talking this way
in front of ten to 15 people,” Weber
said.
Weber .said tlie council should drop
the water issue if the town votes the
(See CALABASH, Page 2-A)
Ocean Isle Police Chief Will Also
Manage Streets And Sanitation
The third and fourth priorities in
clude areas along N.C. 130 towards
Holden Beach and back to U.S. 17 just
north of town, and farther along U.S.
17 north of town.
Redwine's Golf Course Bill Passes Senate
The North Clarolina senate voted
33-7 Monday to enact legislation in
troduced by Rep. E. David Redwine
that would allow Brunswick County
golf courses to serve beer, wine and
mixed drinks.
The bill, according to Redwine,
was designed to enable several coun
ty golf courses not located In "wet”
areas of the county to provide
alcholic beverages to golfers. This
was seen as an amenity many golfing
tourists are accustomed to. Those
who supported his legislation believe
the lack of alcohol as an cation put
county golf courses at a disadvan
tage in comparison with those in
South Carolina.
“1 think this (passage of the bill)
will benefit the whole county’s tourist
economy,” Redwine said Tuesday.
Although there are six
municipalities in Brunswick County
that have voted to sell alcohol, most
permanent residents live in unincor
porated areas of the county, which
remain dry. A referendum several
years ago to allow alcohol sales coun
tywide failed to pass.
Ibe bill, entitled “Sports Club ABC
Licenses,” originally applied to
facilities open either to the public or
(See REDWINE’S, Page 2-A)
A Greensboro police lieutenant
with 20 years’ ex
perience in law
enforcement
begins work June
16 as Ocean Isle
Beach chief of
police and
superintendent of
streets and
sanitation.
The new police
chief, William Dallas Ozment, fills
the position vacated by the resigna
tion of Jerry Gurganus last month,
effective June 1.
As a non-resident Ocean Isle Beach
homeowner, he and his wife, Sandra,
are familiar with the community
where he will be working. They plan
to live in their home on the island, ac
cording to Commissioner Terry
Barbee.
In his dual capacity, said Barbee,
the 43-year-old Ozment will be paid
$30,000 a year.
A Greensboro native and high
school graduate, Ozment returned to
the city following a four-year stint in
the U.S. Air Force.
After joining the Greensboro
Police Department in October 1967,
he worked his way up from
patrolman in the field operations
bureau to lieutenant and district
coordinator, with experience as a
vice unit detective and budgeting and
planning officer.
In 1975 he was named “Outstan
ding Young Law Enforcement Of
ficer of the Year” by the Greensboro
Jaycees.
Ozment earned an associate
degree in police science from
Guilford Technical Institute and a
B.A. in administrative science with
high honors from Guilford College,
where he was a Dana Scholar and
SGA vice president
He also graduated from the police
administration course at Nor
thwestern University, receiving the
Otto Bray Memorial Award for
outstanding leadership abilities and
academic excellence.
Ozment is also active In the com
munity. He is a past president and
excliange teem member of Rotary,
past vice president and current
director of the Greensboro Municipal
Credit Union, a 32nd degree Mason
and a Shriner, past president of the
Youth Services Bureau and a
member and deacon of Utwndale
Baptist Church.
He enjoys jogging, tennis, fishing
and coin collecting.
HCA's Listing Of Brunswick Hospital Causes Confusi
i/^n
IWI I
BY TERRY POPE
County and hospital officials are still puzzled as to
why the Brunswick Hospital in Supply has been listed
for “sale” by its lessee.
Brunswick Hospital authority members were to
hold a special mceUng Wednesday night (June 10) to
discuss recent reports that Hospital Corporation of
America, the firm leasing the facility, h^ it listed
among 104 hospitals it hopes to sell before October.
The authority normally meets twice a year.
Authority attorney Mark Lewis of Shallotte said he
believes the listing of the Brunswick Hospital as an
owned facility is a mistake that HCA officials will want
to correct He expects HCA offlcials to “come forward
at some point and to drop” the Brunswick Hospital from
the list.
HCA officials did not brief Brunswick Hospital
authority members on the proposed changes before the
company listed the hospital for sale last week, he said.
According to David McFadden, HCA spokesman,
the ,)ale of 104 of HCA’s hospitals is part of a f estmetur-
ing plan that would transfer the hospitals to a new com
pany owned by employees through their stock purchase
plan.
Although both county and hoapital aulhoriiy
members disagree, McFadden said Monday the
Brunswick Hospital is listed as an “owned facility.”
*Tve checked with two different sources,” McFad
den said, “that agree it is not a leased facility.”
Lewis said HCA has been operating the hospital
under the assiunptlon it Itas a 40-year lease on the '
building. According to the lease agreement signed in
May 1984, the hospital’s 10-year lease of assets to HCA
was to be extendi to 40 years at the “earliest oppor
tunity allowed by law.” ,
“My understanding is that with HCA, in their com
puter and books,” Lewis said, ”if they liave a long-term
lease they consider it an owned facility.”
I,ewis said that in talks with the county and hospital
authority in 1985, HCA agreed not to pursue a
declaratory judgment in court over whether the lease
was automatically extended to 40 years during an ap
parent 24-hour ateence of legislation during the 1984
session of the N.C. General Assembly.
Hospital Authority Chairman Donald Noe said the
authority has a 49-year lease agreement with HCA.
Such a leaM ta norvtransfemble imder Ailicle IS of the
agreement, he said.
■ “TTicy Own tiic Brunswick iluspital from an opera
tional standpoint,” Noe said. "The county owns the
building and the property.”
Noe said Tuesday ttot he did not know if HCA’s
restructuring plan would allow the transfer (rf the lease
to the other company.
“That’s a .very thin point,” Noe said. “Regardless
of any changes, it should not affect, in any ^ay, the
operations of the hospital.”
Lewis said the lease agreement allows for "no
assignment, period.” Even with the consent of the
hospital authority, Lewis said, a transfer of the lease to
the other company might not be allowed under the
terms. , ,;V J*' '' ^
Ixwis and his associate, Michael rWo^, tt()ped to
write the lease agrpement with HfrA. *i
County attorney David Clegg said Monday the
agreentent is a lease, but that the length of the lease is
“a whole other issue.”
Clegg said the listing (tf the hospital as an owned
facility “is an inqx»sibility.”
“We’re in contact with HCA,” CHegg said. “They
have always been very up front with us in the past I
don't have any reason for the communication to cease.”
The Brunswick Hospital is one of four in North
Carolina that HCA hopes to sell In its restructuring
plan. Others listed for sale include the Orthopaedic
Hospital of Charlotte (166 beds), the Davis Community
Hospital In Statesville (167 beds) and the Heritage
Hospital in Tarboro (127 beds).
The average size of the hospitals IbRedfTor sale Is
140 beds, McFadden said, wliile the largest is a 467-bed
facility in California. , i.'l' '
“We hope the deal will close sometime in the third
quarter, in Segteniber or October,” McFadden said.
McFaddei) said the hospitals which are sold would
“operate as usual. They would just have a different
o^wjuer.”
. Brunswick Hospital Administrator Rodney Pulley
said Tuesday that he wanted to delay statements to the
press until be could get more information from HCA of
ficials.
As far as the hospital authority is concerned, Noe
said, "nothing has been released from HCA tljat has af
fect^ the lease of the Brunswick Hospital.”
Nne said the hospital will continue to expand ser
vices and to recruit specialists.
“This Is the best-equipped 60-bed hospital in the
eastern United States,” Noe said. "That is where the
empnasis liecua lu ue puiuca.
li
t