Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Feb. 18, 1993, edition 1 / Page 10
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County Elections Board Proposes Adding A Precinct, Consolidating Two Others BY SUSAN USHER A precinct would be added in Shallottc Township and two pre cincts consolidated into one in Waccamaw Township under changes proposed by the Brunswick County Boaal of Elections this week to bring the county in compliance with suite precinct boundary rules. At a public hearing at the Shallottc Senior Center Tuesday night, an audience of 10 men from across the township looked at three options presented by Elections Board Supervisor Lynda Britt, Board Chairman Glcnda Walker and board members Oric Gore and Billy A. Benton. "Please go and do some public re lations for us on this," board mem ber Orie Gore of Southport asked as the hour-long hearing ended. It's been mandated by the state for us to do it." The alterations reflect changing population patterns in the western end of the county, Walker said. Under all three options a fifth precinct is created in Shallottc Township, which has seen growth in population and voter registration over the past 10 years. In Waccamaw Township, where the number of voters has steadily de clined, the two precincts would be combined into a single precinct (No. 1 on the map.) The Waccamaw Community Building near Waccamaw School would be its polling place. Options A, B and C for Shallottc Township vary mainly in the loca tion of two lines in the Calabash area. Names for the five precincts have not been settled on by the elec tions board, but will probably be Frying Pan, Grissettown I, Gris settown II, Shinglctree and Long wood. Frying Pan (No. 6) would shrink in dimension in all three options, following the Shallotte River to the north and N.C. 179 to Jennies Branch Baptist Church then down to Bent Tree Plantation. The line bulges slightly to take in the N.C. National Guard Armory in Shallotte, to insure availability of a polling place. Grissettown 1 (No. 5) would in clude the area south of U.S. 17 and between N.C. 179/Bcnt Tree Plan tation line and N.C. 904. Under Option A the boundary of Longwood Precinct (No. 2) would follow U.S. 17 to Hickman Road, then Hickman Road to the South Carolina state line, bounded on the north by the township line. Grisscttown II (No. 4) would in clude the area south of that line and bounded by N.C. 904 on one side and Thorn as boro Road and N.C. 179 on the other. Shinglctrce (No. 3) would include the remaining area. Under Option B, the southern boundary of Longwood Precinct would be U.S. 17 all the way to the state line, instead of Hickman Road. Under Option C, the southern boundary' for Longwood Precinct would be U.S. 17 all the way, and the southern boundary for Shinglctrcc Precinct would be Cala bash Creek instead of N.C. 179. Britt said the Calabash area, be cause of its denser population and smaller census blocks, was the only area where the elections board could consider much variation in boundary lines. "Old habits arc hard to break," said Hollis Smith of Grisscttown precinct, generally reflecting the sentiments of those present. "None of these options really pleases me, but I can get used to any of them." Participants at the hearing said the realignments would mean changes in traditional political party leader ship in some precincts. "It's going?in both parties?to be left to new people in these areas to take part in the political system," said Kelly Holdcn, a Republican and former chairman of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners. Under the "prccinct boundary program," which includes Bruns wick and 17 other counties for the First time this year, prccinct bound aries must be contiguous and con form to census blocks of the latest federal census or to municipal and county lines, township lines and named roads and other readily iden tifiable features. Local election boards had an op portunity to make other changcs at the same time, rather than having to submit changes separately later on. "Wc knew ihc lower end of the county was preliy crowucu, said Brill. "Wc wanted to make the changcs to allow for growth. Wc hope these lines will last through the next ccnsus, to 2002." Changes adopted by the Brunswick County Board of Elections will be reviewed for com pliance by the Legislative Services Office and must also be approved by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The county board has until April 1 to complete its new maps and de scriptions. If the county fails to do so, said Britt, "the state will make the changcs and wc won't have any say." Two specific suggestions were of fered. Holden proposed changing the Frying Pan boundary to follow McMilly Road and Old Shallotte Road back to N.C. 130, rather than the Shallotte River. Vcmon Ward suggested follow ing Hale Swamp Road instead of N.C. 179 for part of the Frying Pan boundary, which would make it al most identical with the Shallotte Point fire district. "These changcs suggested tonight will help a lot of people if they arc followed," said Ward. A hearing will be held next Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. at Waccamaw Community Building on the proposed consolidation of pre cincts in Waccamaw Township. "We're expected to get a lot more heat up there," said Brill. A line drawn through the Old Mill Pond on N.C. 904 west to along Scippio Swamp near the South Carolina state line, cast to N.C. 130 west of Shallotte, then northeast forms Shallotte-Waccamaw town ship boundary. Following the hearings the board expects to consider the three maps and any proposed changes that meet the state guidelines and make a deci sion at its March meeting. Britt said the board wants to have the new precincts in place before the 1994 general elections, and possibly the 1993 municipal elections, in or der to go through at least one other election and work oul any confusion under the new system before the presidential elections in 1996. Clegg Says County Spent Nothing On Suit Settlement County Manager/Attorney David Clegg took issue Monday with a re ccnt daily newspaper story claiming that an out-of-court settlement of a lawsuit filed by a former employee cost Brunswick County S45.000. The Wilmingon Morning Star re ported on the month-old seulement of a civil action in which O. Kenneth Hcwett sued the county for 516,136 in overtime pay, an equal amount in damages plus attorney fees. The county "agreed to pay S45,(XX) to settle the suit," the story said. The story was headlined, "County's loss in lawsuit: S45.000." Clegg said the settlement "did not cost Brunswick County one dime." He said the insurance company that handles the county's liability cover age agreed to pay HeweU and his at tomey S41,045.64. He said that after Hcwctt lost his job in a "reduction in force," the county "followed the explicit direc tions of the U.S. Department of Labor" in not paying him accumu lated overtime. However, the department's guild lines had never been tested in court and a federal judge ruled in favor of Hewett, Clegg said. "We did them a favor by estab lishing new case law," he said. Clegg said that it was he who rec ommended that Brunswick County establish a risk-management pro gram including insurance coverage by the National Casualty Co. of Phoenix, Ariz., to defend the county against civil actions. "Brunswick County is a busi ness," Clegg said. "Lawsuits are one of the realities of doing business in a litigious society." Meanwhile, Bill Stanley, chair man of the Brunswick County Democratic Party, reportedly criti cized the use of outside attorneys to defend the county in legal actions. He was qoted as saying, "We think this should show that David Clegg is not doing his job." Shortly before three newly-elect ed Democratic commissioners took officc last December, the party's ex ecutive committee, led by Stanley, called for the new board members to fire Clegg, who is a Democrat with close ties to Gov. Jim Hunt and who is not currently active in the local party. Only one of the three new com missioners, Wayland Verccn, voted not to reappoint Clegg. jjg'gtspe ? _ _ feSULTS Use the Classifieds whether you're buying or selling. THE BRUNSWICK^HEACON 754-6890 1 \ J>'? r=?i \ lONGWOOO ? I fV^w?w t?<? y? SHALLOTTE A / SMINOLETREE i i r ' -fRYINO o ?. \ I ^ - 1 ^ -c/H PAN \\ g,,m _ fr ' f jfc GWSaETTWN\ , || 1,1 , J . 1_?"? \ \ \ 'l ? */ ^W=>4^3 r^fT'ivywr-' A < n M J J T ^ t fv UNDER OPTION R (above) proposed precinct lines for the Shingletree area would follow U.S. 17 to the north and N.C. 179 to the south. Opiiun A follows Hickman Road instead of U.S. 17, while Option C follows Calabash Creek instead of N.C. 179. Other boundaries are identical on all three options. 40 Citizens, No Board Members Show At Mobile Home Hearina BY ERIC CARLSON structed in such a manner as not to dead end." The stor Not one member of the board that will vote on age tank must have a capacity to provide a minimum of whether or not to adopt strict new mobile home park 40 gallons per home. regulations showed up for the Tuesday night hearing at Carson Durham, owner of an RV park, said he first which they were supposed to gather public comments on saw the ordinance at the hearing and did not have time the proposal. to review it. He complained about the proposed inspec About 40 people showed up at the hearing schcd- lions and permitting fees. An annual inspection fees of ulcd?but not attended?by the S50 would be charged for mobile Brunswick County Board of ,*0 # # home parks with 10 spaces or Health. J- HIS IS lOlClLiy less. Parks with 11 to 25 spaces Representing the health dc- ?? ? j> would pay S100, while those with parimcnt instead was Brunswick HftKCdllStlC.. .1 171 SllfC 26 or more would pay SI50 a County Health Director Michael . , , year. Rhodes, Environmental Health tflCt'C S CI tXCCCl JOI" Other permit fees would be Supervisor Andrew Robinson . . . charged for mobile home rcloca and Environmental Health Pro- SUCfl TlllCS IYI SOtllC lion, improvements, well sites and gram Specialist Bruce Withrow. water and sewer system opera All nine of those who spoke Ddt'tS OT tllC COHIttV lions. There would also be an an voiccd opposition to the pro- nual S100 fee for each permitted posed regulations, which would l)Ht tlOt ?V6l'\WllCt'C. swimming pool. govern all "manufactured hous- J ' Durham also criticized the pro ing communities, manufactured CarSOn Durham P0^ requirement that all RV homes and recreational vehicle campgrounds have one bathroom campgrounds." These are defined for every eight vehicles located as any piece of land used by three or more such units. within 200 feet of every parked vehicle. He also op Several people complained that they were not notified posed a requirement that every men's room have both a that the hearing had been scheduled. Most said they had urinal and a water closet. never seen the proposal until Tuesday night. "That is totally unrealistic," Durham said. "I have Grady Roscoc, owner of the Sea Mist Camping never had a problem with this in 10 years of operation. Resort in Ocean Isle Beach, said he was one of the 18 I'm sure there's a need for such rules in some parts of people chosen to serve on the committee that drafted the the county but not everywhere." 30-page document. He said he was never notified of any Jenrettc Potter agreed, saying he had been all across committee meetings and did not know the regulations the country in motor homes, logging more than 300,000 had been completed until he learned of the hearing. miles in the past 25 years. No other members of the committee attended the "I've never been in a bathhouse where I had to wail," hearing. Potter said. "Some campgrounds have spaces 600 feet Environmental Health Supervisor Andrew Robinson, from a bathhouse. It's alright to do things, but this is a who chaired the meeting, said his office mailed letters to little bit steep." all members of the committee to notify them of meet- Potter said he also rents mobile homes situated on lots ings. He also said health inspectors made an effort to no- large enough to build houses and opposed being regulat tify mobile home park and campground owners about ed as a mobile home park. the public hearing. "My trailers are set up on building lots just like the re Fred Clingenpecl of Winnabow said he owns 10 acres al estate companies s?ll," he said. "Just because I don't of land on which there are three mobile homes. want to sell my property I shouldn't be penalized for it. "I guess that makes it a trailer park," he said. "Now If they're not paying for this, why should I?" I'm going to have to hire an engineer to put in a water Barbara Scott said she has been a tamper for 25 years system and haul trash away for three trailers. I suggest and has never seen parks regulated as strictly as is pro you let people read this thing and schedule another hear- posed in the health board's regulations, ing." 'There's no way a campground could afford the bath Thc ordinance would require new manufacture hous- room facilities you require here," she said. "If they did, ing communities of less than 15 units that are not con- there's no way campers could afford to stay there." nected to a central water system to install a concrete- Robinson said another hearing would be scheduled on lined well covered by a four-inch thick concrctc slab, a the proposed regulations before they arc considered for water storage tank and 2-inch distribution lines "con- adoption by the board of health. Vernon Ward Announces Interest In Demo Party Chairman's Position Brunswick Couniy Democratic Parly Secretary Vernon Ward of Shalloitc Point has announced plans to seek the chairmanship at the Democratic county convention in k ?:i npi ii. Former business manager for Brunswick Community College, Ward has been activc at the precinct and county level in the Brunswick County Democratic Party since moving to the area. "If I am fortunate enough to be elected I will work hard, and if I'm not I'll still work hard," he said Tuesday. Parly Chairman W.A. "Bill" Stanley was elected in July to fill the vacancy crcatcd when Crawford Hart of Boiling Spring Lakes left of fice before his term ended. Stanley hnrl served an earlier siini as rhair man. At a party executive committee meeting last Thursday, Stanley reaf firmed his intent not to seek the chairmanship again in April and Ward announced his plans to run. Ward said he intends to send a memo to all Democratic precinct chairpersons notifying them of his interest in the post and his past scr vicc lo the party. On March 4 Democrats will hold prccinct meetings to elect officers and delegates to the county conven tion held in mid-April. No other candidates for the party chairmanship had emerged as of this week. Ward sought the party's nomina tion last summer to replace Sam Fletcher Frink on the ballot for the District 1 scat on the Brunswick County Board of Education. He lost that bid to Thurman Gause, the only black candidate on the local ballot. Gause won the election.
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Feb. 18, 1993, edition 1
10
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