Holden Wants Outside Company To Study County Water System
BY TERRY POPE
An outside consulting firm will be hired to evaluate
the Brunswick County Water Department to determine
how its personnel problems can be eliminated.
Brunswick County Commissioners voted 3-1
Monday to seek proposals from consultants to conduct
what Chairman Kelly Holdcn tailed a "position man
agement time analysis study" as soon as possible.
Commissioner Frankie Rabon voted against Holdcn's
motion while Gene Pinkerton did not attend the meet
ing.
Holden said the department's request for additional
employees, its vagueness of job descriptions and the
increasing number of personnel grievances coming to
the board from within the department are reasons he
would like an outside consulting firm to investigate.
"While I would probably tend to agree," added
Commissioner Jerry Jones, "it might be best to hire
professional people to operate those departments rather
than spend that money on the study."
Rabon said he did not want to vote to spend money
on an outside consultant. He asked Holden to restate
his reasons for wanting an evaluation of the water de
partment personnel.
"1 think instead of hiring someone outside that we
should use our engineer or our county attorney to comc
up with job descriptions in-house," Rabon said.
Commissioner Donald Shaw said County Manager
*7 think it's created quite a
rash of personnel problems
and I'd like to get to the
bottom of it."
? Kelly Holden
Board Chairman
David Clcgg, who is also the county attorney, could
"only be pushed so far. He's doing a good job, but he's
wearing two hats already," Shaw said.
Holden said the ill-defined job descriptions within
the water department have meant headaches for com
missioners.
In January, the board voted to reinstate two water
system employees to their jobs following an open
grievance hearing. Another personnel grievance had
been requested for Monday night's meeting, but the
employee chose not carry the matter to the board.
"I think it's created quite a rash of personnel prob
lems and I'd like to get to the bottom of it," Holden
said.
Clcgg said the last time a personnel classification is
sue came before the board was in 1986, when an out
side consultant was hired to conduct a reclassification
study. "It was not done in-house then," Clegg added.
In a report given to the new board of commissioners
in December, Director of Public Utilities Jerry Webb
stated that an area requiring immediate attention within
the department is the need for additional employees.
"We simply cannot continue to operate this system
on what I consider to be knee-jerk opei lions and
maintenance," Webb stated, "but must staff sufficiently
to be capable of setting up a true preventative mainte
nance program for our system."
The water department operations now also includes
management of the government complex wastewater
collection and pumping station and the wastewater
treatment system at the Lcland Industrial Park.
"Staff training cannot be accomplished overnight,"
Webb reported, "and we must have sufficiently trained
staff to operate this utility with the integrity it not only
deserves, but requires."
In his report. Webb stated that the number of em
ployees within the department has remained the same
since the 1986-87 fiscal year despite tremendous
growth of the water system and its number of custom
ers. The department employs about 48 persons.
In January, Wade Robinson of Supply and Philip
Russ of Longwood were reinstated by the board to
their jobs as maintenance mechanics after being fired
in November for failing to report to work on a
Saturday to repair a broken sewer line that serves
Leland Industrial Park.
Clegg had upheld the firings based on testimony re
ceived at personnel hearings. Both men complained to
commissioners about unfair treatment given to selected
employees within the department. The board voted
unanimously to overturn Clegg 's ruling.
In other business Monday, the board:
? Made the following appointments, with the commis
sioner making the nomination in parenthesis: Beth
McLean of Leland (Shaw); Arthur Clawson of
Shallotte (Jones); and Leslie Myric of South port
(Holden) to the Resources Development Commission.
? Appointed an optometrist, H.J. "Skip" Davis, (Jones)
to the Brunswick County Board of Health.
?Reappointed Kenneth Bellamy (Jones) to the
Brunswick Hospital Authority.
? Appointed Gladys Lutz of Shallotte (Holden) to the
Nursing Home Advisory Board.
? Declared Feb. 17-23 as engineer's week in
Brunswick County to coincide with National
Engineers Week.
?Adopted a resolution supporting House Bill 20,
cosponsored by State Rep. E. David Redwine, whi^h
ties motor vehicle registration to county property tax
payments, thus improving collection and assessing of
property taxes.
Calabash Seeks Ruling
(Continued From Page 1-A)
around was an oversight, causcd in
part by the fact that both members
had served on the board before.
"Because it was the same people, I
guess it was overlooked," he said.
Holden said it doesn't matter that
the men had served on the planning
board in the past. "I don't care if
they were on there when Columbus
came over. The provisions weren't
followed."
Ramos said he thinks any actions
taken by the planning board over
the past year arc valid because the
only role of the board is to make
recommendations to the board.
He said the ETA representatives,
Crocker and Raie, should continue
to sit on the planning board while
the matter is being resolved so they
can stay informed.
The town attorney said he thinks
the whole issue was brought up just
so somebody could question the va
lidity of the town's efforts to en
force zoning regulations in the ETA.
"I really don't see any kind of mate
rial issue at all," he said.
The legality of the appointments
was first discusscd in public at the
Calabash commissioners' meeting
Feb. 12.
William Earl Benton, who lives
and runs a business on Thomasboro
Road in the ETA, said at the meet
ing that the appointments were not
legal because the town board didn't
follow the proper procedure.
Benton, who was forced to re
move two off-premises signs pro
moting his business because they
violated a town ordinance, said he
wanted somebody on the planning
board to represent him.
"We're asking for fair representa
tion in the extraterritorial uisuici,"
Benton said. "You're ordinance is
breaking us up."
Benton, who also attended
Monday's meeting, said he thinks
existing uses in the extraterritorial
area should be "grandfathered" so
they don't have to comply with the
zoning ordinances.
County May Go Smoke-Free
If Board Agrees On Policy
Ash Man Accepts Plea Bargain
(Continued From Page 1-A)
script of plea slated that Collins had
agreed to plead guilty to kidnapping
charges, but Collins disagreed.
"I didn't kidnap anybody," Collins
told Judge Gore, who ordered that
the defendant be allowed to leave the
courtroom to discuss the charges.
When the matter continued, the kid
napping charge was dismissed.
All three men were indicted by a
Brunswick County Grand Jury Feb.
4 for the incident that occurred Jan.
30.
At the sentencing hearing
Monday, Rex Gore read from a state
ment that Collins had given detec
tives at the Brunswick County
Sheriff's Department following his
arrest.
It told of how the three men had
planned to break into the woman's
house where they thought she kept
about $6,000. The woman was half
blind and didn't trust banks, making
it "an easy score," Collins statement
said.
According to Collins' statement,
Whalcy stated that he didn't want to
go inside because he knew the elder
ly woman and that he would be iden
tified. Collins told officers how he
and Gore had allegedly cut the
screcn on a window and broke in
while the woman was inside.
When the woman approached.
Gore pointed a flashlight in the
woman's eyes while Collins grabbed
her and held his hand across her
mouth, telling her that she would not
be hurt if she didn't scream. Gore a!
lcgedly hit the woman on the head
with the flashlight when she refuged
to tell them where her money was
kept.
The men allegedly left the home
with around SI, 100, the indictment
stales.
Judge Gore ordered a prayer for
judgment continued in the case
against Collins until the other two
defendants arc tried in Superior
Court. On the charges facing them,
both Gore and Whaley face a possi
ble maximum of life in prison plus
40 years.
Bolivia Men Sentenced
(Continued From Page 1-A)
mother in Bolivia burned. As a
committed youthful offender, Hen
derson will be allowed to work to
ward a high school diploma. He was
to attend 11th grade at South Bruns
wick High School before the inci
dent, Trest said.
"I've very sorry for what hap
pened," Henderson turned and told
the Johnson family before he was
sentenced and led from the court
room. 'That's all 1 have to say."
Maggard also turned to the fami
ly in the courtroom before he was
sentenced Monday, slating, "I just
wanted to tell his family that I'm
sorry it happened."
Joyce Daniel, the victim's sister,
said after the sentencing Monday
that the family wished to make no
comment on the outcome of the tri
al. She added that she was glad the
incident was now behind them.
BY TERRY POPE
Brunswick County may be going
smoke-free.
County Manager David Gegg
was asked Monday by county com
missioners to draw up a proposed
policy on ways to eliminate or re
strict smoking at the county govern
ment complex in Bolivia.
The policy is to be brought back
to the board for further review.
Board Chairman Kelly Holden
said he believes discussion of the
policy will turn heated before it is
either passed or defeated.
Commissioner Jerry Jones of
Shallotte surprised the board Mon
day by asking fellow board members
to possibly place a ban on smoking
inside county-owned buildings.
"It's not that we're going to do
that right away," Jones said.
Jones said that some county em
ployees have complained about
smoke at the county complex affect
ing their health. Smoke is especially
thick inside the lobby at the court
house, he added. "I've had some
members of the public ask that it be
looked into, too."
A no-smoking policy might allow
designated smoking areas for em
ployees or eliminate smoking inside
buildings altogether, Jones said. "I
don't know what it would be exact
ly."
One board member made his
views clear Monday. Commissioner
Frankie Rabon, who has recently
"I'd like to go on record
opposing that."
-County Commissioner Frankie Rabon
quit the habit of smoking, said he
did not favor a ban, that people de
serve the right to smoke where they
choose.
"I'd like to gO OTi ivCOiu OppOSing
that," Rabon said, "concerning
smoking, chewing or anything else."
Holden said there is only one
board member who does smoke,
Gene Pinkerton, who did not attend
Monday's meeting.
"I expect there will be a lot of dis
cussion on this one," Holden said.
Commissioner Donald Shaw fa
vors a no-smoking policy in county
buildings.
In other business Monday, com
missioners:
?Received no comments from the
public on a hearing held for New
Hanover Regional Medical Center of
Wilmington, which has applied to
operate a mobile intensive care unit
from the county's two hospitals,
Dosher Memorial in Soulhport and
The Brunswick Hospital in Supply.
County Emergency Medical Services
Coordinator Doug Ledgett said the
unit would benefit the county.
?Agreed to advertise a sale of
county surplus property. Sale date is
March 16.
?Tabled a request from the town of
Leland for an additional sheriff's
patrol car pending a determination
:r ...tii l ~
idU/i 11 a vol win ia; dVdiiduiv wuvii
the department replaces 10 to 12 of
its vehicles before June. One car has
already been promised to Leland
and one to Navassa. Leland would
like two cars by June so it can form
its own police force.
? Approved budget amendments to
reflect a grant received by the Parks
and Recreation Department for its
construction of the boat ramp at
Navassa and to reflect funds from
Brunswick Community College for
use of the Industrial Training Center
at Leland Industrial Park.
?Set a fee of S25 to reactivate a
building permit that has been filed
but has sat dormant for more than
12 months at the Building In
spection Department. Clegg said the
policy is needed to help when pro
cessing a backlog of permits on file.
? Approved a contract with Houston
and Associates of Shallottc, an en
gineering firm, for the design o!
Special Assessment District 12, a
group of 10 subdivisions between
Ocean Isle and Calabash that will
be receiving county water lines this
year.
?Accepted a deed for the Goose
Creek subdivision water distribution
system on Bay Road, which will re
quire that the county pay $5,431 ol
the $47,408 project for line ovcrsiz
ing that the county had mandated.
Near Normal Weather Ahead
Weather conditions are expected
to hover at near normal over the
next few days.
Shalloltc Point meteorologist
Jackson Canady said temperatures
should rainge from about the upper
30s at night into the upper 50s dur
ing the daytime, with approximately
a half-inch of rainfall.
For the period of Feb. 12-18,
temperatures averaged about nor
mal. he said, with an average daily
temperature of 46 degrees.
The maximum high, 74 degrees,
occurred Feb. 14, while the mini
mum nightly low of 19 degrees oc
curred Feb. 17. The average daily
high was 58 degrees and the aver
age nighdy low, 34 degrees.
The area received .3 inch of rain
fall.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO
THE BRUMSWICK&BEACON
POST OFFICE BOX 2558
SHALLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28459
FOR AWARD-WINNING NEWS COVERAGE
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen
In Brunswick County 06.30 05.30
N.C. Sales Tax .32 .27
Postage Charge 3.68 3.68
TOTAL 10.30 9.25
Elsewhere In North Carolina 06.30 Q5 30
N.C. Sales Tax .32 .27
Postage Charge 8.18 8.18
TOTAL 14.80 13.75
Outside North Carolina Q6.30 Q5.30
Postage Charge 9.65 9.65
TOTAL 15.95 14.95
Complete And Return To Above Address
Name
Address
City, State
I Zip
I
Board Upholds Suspension Of Employee Without Pay
BY SUSAN USHER
The Brunswick County Board of
Education has decided to uphold the
suspension without pay of a school
system finance department employ
ee.
Payroll Supervisor Jewel Mc
Cumbee of Ash filed an employee
grievance with the board after she
was suspended last Nov. 2 while an
investigation was conducted of in
surance payments that had been
made through the school system for
employees who were no longer eli
gible for that coverage.
That administrative decision was
upheld first by a grievance commit
tee of the board and then by the full
board. The suspension was recom
mended by Mrs. McCumbee's super
visor, Finance Officer Rudi Fallon.
During the time period covered
by the ineligible payments, Mrs.
McCumbee was responsible for
handling both employee payroll and
benefits. Those jobs have since
been separated with a benefits coor
dinator position added.
After a four-hour hearing on Feb.
4 the board decided to uphold the
earlier decision to suspend Mrs.
McCumbee without pay. The hear
THE BRUNSWKK&ftACON
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year $10.30
Six Months $5.50
ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $14.80
Six Months $7.85
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $15.95
Six Months S8.35
Second class postage paid at the
Post Office in Shallotte, N.C.
28459. USPS 777-780.
"It's in the hands of our
attorney." ? ,
?Board Member Doug Baxley
ing was open at Mrs. McCumbee's
request. The board had the option of
revising the decision or upholding
it, noted school board member Polly
Russ. "We upheld it."
Board member Doug Baxley said
members had been advised by board
attorney Glen Peterson not to com
ment any further on the griev
ance. "It's in the hands of our attor
ney," he said.
Peterson, when contacted, declin
ed to announce the board's decision,
but said Mrs. McCumbee could do
so if she chose to. Blue Cross &
Blue Shield, the system's insurance
carrier, is at some point supposed to
provide a report detailing its own
investigation of the matter, he said.
"That's what the board is waiting
for."
Mrs. McCumbee, who had re
quested (hat her name be cleared
and that she be reinstated and paid
for the period of the suspension,
said she received a letter from the
board last Friday announcing its de
cision.
"It really didn't say anything,"
she said.
Ricky Parker, who represented
Mrs. McCumbee, his molher-in-law,
through the grievance process, said
the board also pointed out that the
superintendent of schools would
make the decision regarding her fu
ture employment status with the
county. That determination is to be
made after the Blue Cross & Blue
Shield report is received.
The insurance carrier is expected
to notify the school system, among
other information, of any sums that
it may be due for benefits provided
ineligible past employees.
Based on a special study of the
insurance fund commissioned by
the board, approximately 30 indi
viduals continued to receive insur
ance coverage through the school
system's plan for varying lengths of
time after leaving employ of the
system ? at least one for a period of
approximately five years.
When they leave the system, em
ployees have an option of continu
ing coverage for a maximum of 18
months, but are billed directly for
that and pay the full premium plus
O'NEIL CAISON CONSTRUCTION
?Site preparation for homes and businesses
?Driveway, street and road construction
?Drainage and land clearing
?septic tank installation
OFFICE AT STOPLIGHT AT HOLDEN BEACH
(919)842-3190 (919)842-2564
OFFICE HOME
91M1 IHBMUHSWCK MACON
another 2 percent Records show
some former employees continued
to pay for the premium through the
school system, and at the lower rate
afforded group members, and to re
ceive benefits.
Parker has said the suspension
without pay is a financial hardship
for Mrs. McCumbee. He said she
plans to consult an attorney.
ENJOY MORE
AFFORDABLE
INSURANCE!
Nationwide' s
Home & Car Discount
There has never been a better
time to insure your home and car
with Nationwide"!
Now .eligible Nationwide' car
insurance policyholders who also
insure their home with one of
Nationwide's qualifying home
owners policies will receive a
special money-saving discount
on their home insurance AND
another money-saving discount
on their car insurance.
Phillip Cheers
4920-A Main St.,
Shallotte
* A
Si M I OH-HODO
u
d
NATIONWIDE
INSURANCE
NattonwKle is on your sid#
? A/utf '"WW Cv-Qtry and A- f t*} C &***>+,
Co h0r*A ON 4? -6
1 1 vfv<? o? HsHr +O
mwno Company