Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / March 11, 1993, edition 1 / Page 2
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Schools' Improvement Plan Targets 10 Goals, Sets Success Strategy (Continued From Page 1-A) cates of completion rather than high school diplomas, because they had not met all graduation requirements. The goal is to reduce the percent students receiving a certificate to less than 3.5 percent in 1993-94 and to less than 3 percent by 1995-96. ?Attendance: Employing three area attendance counselors to work with parents and represent school administrators in court for truant cases; fund an alternative bus sched ule for students who stay after school for tutoring; designate a cen tral office coordinator for atten dance. Attendance currently aver ages 93.71 percent, just shy of the state's minimum standard. The goal is to reach 93.75 percent by 1993-94 and 94.1 percent by 1995-96. ?Evaluation; Require periodic progress reports from coordinators, lead teachers, school teams and schools: develop pre- and post-tests for grades 3-12 for evaluative pur poses and a standard assessment portfolio for grades K-2. The systemwide plan will be used by the 12 individual schools in the county as the baseline for develop ing their own plans, which can set expectations higher than those estab lished by the county, but not lower. Individual school plans are due to the superintendent March 15. The county advisory panel will review those plans and make recom mendations to the school board. Once school board committees have reviewed the plans and recommen dations the board will either accept cach plan or send it back to the school for revision and resubmission by April 7. The county's plan will be submitted around April 8 to the State Board of Education for ap proval. In addition to not meeting stan dards in five areas last year, no re port card gains were indicated last year in sixth grade science and so cial studies, chemistry and Algebra II. For the past several years on the report card Brunswick County stu dents have achieved below standard and below part in science, reading and language, social studies and math on the system's state report card. Brunswick County Schools was one of 14 systems statewide to rate both below average and below par overall. Ratings arc based on sys tems showing steady improvement in meeting or exceeding state mini mum standards. Starting in 1995 improvement re ports will be issued for individual schools as well as school systems. Tallcy and other committee mem bers responded to board member Bill Fairley's concern board that the plan might be settling for mediocre performance by stressing that plan goals could be set higher as the plan is reviewed cach year. Fairlcy said he wants the school board to develop its budget to fully fund the improvement plan, share both with county commissioners, and "remind them their campaign pledge was to help us." Johnston Sets Interim Punishment Rules For Students With Weapons BY SUSAN USHER Brunswick County School principals arc getting new guidelines this week that crack down on weapons in the public schools. Principals will be expected to follow the procedures until a new weapons policy is adopted by the board, said Superintendent Ralph Johnston, who received the board's approval of the interim measures Monday night. 'This is not a change of policy. We're just putting emphasis and direction on what that punishment should be." The current weapons policy leaves punishment for a fust offense to the principal's discretion; the new guidelines are similar to procedures that will go into effect under a proposed new policy. "We will not tolerate weapons on campus, but it will require parent and student cooperation for us to enforce that," said Johnston. He is directing principals to give any student found on campus with a weapon an automatic 10-day suspension, with a recommendation for long term suspension. Parents will be notified under the system's due process procedures, a meeting set up with the principal and a follow-up letter of written notification of intent to uphold the suspension. That decision may be appealed to the superintendent or his designated officer for review of the record. His decision may be appealed to the school board. Co-chairmen Butch LcClerc and Joe Bryant of the schools' safety task force supported the move Monday night at Bolivia Elementary School and urged community support as well. "I'm going to support you and I think these people will too," said LeClerc, gesturing to the audience. Added Bryant, "We're asking parents and the school board to support us.This is something we're all afraid of. We all hear the rumors. "Somewhere we have to make a stand." Bryant said that so long as the school system continues to receive nega tive publicity the county will have difficulty attracting the type of industry it wants. A working panel of the safety committee has recommended: ?establishment of a toll-free, 24-hour "hotline" for reporting of sus pected weapons, drugs or other unsafe situations on campus, with regular monitoring of messages and al alerting of appropriate parties; ?revising and strengthening the current policy, which is in progress; ?providing intensive training and development for faculty, staff and possibly some students; ?lobbying for stronger penalties at the state level; and ?initialing a stronger working relationship with the media to insure a balanced portrayal of activity within the schools. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRUNSWICK^ BEACON POST OFFICE BOX 2558 SHALLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA 28459 NOTICE: Reliable or consistent delivery cannot be guaranteed since this newspaper must rely on the U.S. Postal Service for delivery. We can only guarantee that your newspaper will be submitted to the post office in Shallotte on Wednesday of the week of publication, in time for dispatch to out-of-town addresses that day. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen In Brunswick County J6.30 J5.30 N.C. Sales Tax .38 .32 Postage Charge 3.68 3.68 TOTAL 1036 930 Elsewhere in North Carolina J6.30 J5.30 N.C. Sales Tax .38 .32 Postage Charge 8.18 8.18 TOTAL 1436 13.80 Outside North Carolina J6.30 J5.30 Postage Charge 9.65 9.65 TOTAL 1535 14.95 Complete And Return To Above Address Name Address City, State Zip STAPF PHOTO BY LYNN CAXISON NEW GOP OFFICERS elected Saturday include Shirley Babson, chairman; James Brown, vice chairman; Pat Adams, secretary; and Tom Yeagle, treasurer. Take Seats Back In Off-Year, Oppose Lottery, Speaker Says BY LYNN CARLSON White House." Republicans should look to 1994's off-year elec- Privette said, "The gambling industry has targeted tions as an opportunity to regain federal, state and lo- North Carolina as ferule ground." A state-run lottery cal elective offices lost to the Democrats in 1992, the would require a bureaucracy to operate it and would executive director of the N.C. Christian Action League undermine community growth and exploit the poor, he told Saturday's Brunswick County GOP convention. added, claiming "it is a moral issue when people will They should also oppose the statewide lottery mea- spend money to gamble rather than feed their fami surc sponsored by Rep. David Red wine. D- lies." Brunswick, said the Rev. Coy Privette, former state The nation's massive deficit was not caused by 12 legislator and 1992 unsuccessful candidate for North years of Republican rale in the White House, but by "a Carolina's 8th District seat in Congress. Congress which is totally irresponsible," according to "The party in the While House will lose support in Privette. the off-year elections," Privette said, drawing guffaws "They say you ought to sacrifice, but they haven't when he called "Willy and Hilly" Clinton "two of the rolled back their outlandish pay increase," he said, best recruiters the Republican Party ever had in the "They're not sacrificing." GOP Elects Officers, Passes Resolutions (Continued From Page 1-A) Bametie said he suggested the amendment to make the resolution "not as deliberate an attack on per sonalities." The resolution as passed says a split of Calabash would set a "dan gerous precedent" and could jeopar dize other towns which, "based on a whim, greed or power abuse of a du ly elected 'public servant,' could be legislated out of existence." Education Upon questioning by several dele gates, language was removed from the party's education resolution pre amble saying, "Instead of training our children to be self-centered and focused on their 'feelings' and their 'rights,' and 1,001 ways to have sex, our children should be being taught to read, to reason, and why and how to think and act responsibly." The resolution as passed demand ed that "traditional values be rein forced, not removed from the class room, and that educators...cease functioning as therapists to our chil dren and return to their primary function?the imparting of knowl edge and the building and reinforc ing of good citizenship and charac ter." Abortion An anti-abortion amendment tak en from the 1992 GOP national plat form was amended to include the phrase "abortion is murder," on sug gestion of Leland delegate Andy Morris. The resolution also opposes mercy killing and assisted suicide. Values A resolution promoting "cultural values" encouraged party members to reflect "the values we expect our fellow citizens to exhibit," praised the Boy Scouts lor "defending de cency," opposed legal protection of homosexuals against discrimination, and opposed legislation which would allow same-sex marriages or allow such couples to adopt children or provide foster care. in remarks after the resolutions discussions, outgoing chairman Payne told the group that Republicans should work toward making "the government get out of your way so you as individuals can make it or break it on your own." He said Judeo-Christian ethics "say life begins at conception" and that "we are not bom with a predis position for a man to love another man." He called unwanted pregnancies "an act of irresponsibility," adding, "When you create a human life, you're responsible for it." Calabash Board Denounces Soles' Measure To Split Town BY ERIC CARLSON Commissioners representing boih the original resi dents of Calabash and the newcomers in Carolina Shores voted unanimously Tuesday to condemn State Sen. R.C. Soles' efforts to split the town in two. District 2 Commissioner Jon Sanbom made the mo tion that the town draft a resolution to Soles stating that "his efforts to introduce legislation to split the town are deemed not to be in the best interest of Calabash" and asking him to leave the town as it is. Fellow District 2 board members Robert Noe, Stuart Thorn and Ray Card voted with Sanborn and District 1 commissioner Edward Rice in favor of the resolution. Under the town charter. Mayor Doug Simmons, a lifelong resident of old Calabash, votes only to break a tie. Still, he voiced support for the motion, saying Soles' proposed bill docs not reflect the wishes of most resi dents. The mayor said Soles introduced the legislation to fulfill a promise to "a few people who have supported him for years."Simmons read a letter in which Soles makes three references to unnamed "problems" in Calabash and urges Simmons "to personally take the ini tiative" to iron them out. Soles wrote that he had "made a personal commit ment" to introduce the bill and warned that "unless some positive steps are taken immediately to bring about some understanding and compromise, I plan to push forward with this legislation." "I don't care who he's committed himself to. I'd say it was pretty arrogant," said Charles Abarno of Carolina Shores. "It flies in the face of the popular vote down here." As evidence for his contention that there is wide spread support for splitting the town. Soles has refeiTed to a survey in which 60 percent of the Carolina Shores residents who responded said they favored Soles effort "if it included incorporation for Carolina Shores."But only 25 percent of the ballots were returned. Carolina Shores resident Warren "Bud" Knapp ac cused Soles of "violating the civil rights" of Calabash citizens by introducing the bill. Knapp said he plans to ask the department of justice to investigate the legality of Soles' action. In other business the board voted unanimously not to begin strict enforcement of an existing law that requires all commercial dumpstcrs to be screened from view. At the board's last meeting, Building Inspector Edward Schaack was asked to draft a letter telling mer chants that the town planned to enforce the ordinance in 90 days. The move came after the town received a com plaint about an unscreened dumpster from a non-resi dent owner of property in Carolina Shores. Several commissioners expressed reservations about imposing another regulation on downtown business owners who already feel oppressed by the town's deci sions to discontinue garbage service and to strictly en force a long dormant sign ordinance. "Don't you think you're coming down particularly hard on every merchant in town for one complaint?" asked Carolina Shores resident Hank Ruttcr. Instead of strictly enforcing the ordinance, the board agreed to have Simmons speak to the business owner and ask him to comply voluntarily with the law. Price Is Not Negotiable: Utility Owner (Continued From Page 1-A) would be worth about $2.5 million to a private utility company, based on figures supplied by the N.C. Public Utilities Commission. Advisors agree that the company might be worth more than that to a public utility like the joint sewer au thority created by Calabash and Sunset Beach. A public system would not have to pay taxes or make a profit. Billups reminded the board that the purchase of Carolina Blythc, which currently serves homes in Carolina Shores and other pans of the town, is not necessary for the creation of a joint sewer system. "There are other options you can pursue, and perhaps that would be the best thing to do," Billups said. Commissioner Robert Noe agreed, saying Calabash "is negoti ating from a position of weakness" by only considering the purchase of Carolina Blythe as its sole option. Noe suggested that the price might come down if Calabash began serious efforts to build its own sewer system. He said such a move would make Carolina Blythe less attractive to any potential buyer by reducing its potential customer base. Town Attorney Michael Ramos suggested an even more aggressive approach. "Tell him you don't want to pay $4.5 million and offer him S2 mil lion," Ramos said. "If he doesn't want to sell, you can have it con demned and pay him fair market value." The board informally agreed to discontinue efforts to have Dennis establish a suggested purchase price lor Carolina BIythe. It was suggest ed that Ramos or some other repre sentative of the board contact Burnett and request information needed "so the value can be deter mined." Health Board Taking Time To Look At Other Data (Continued From Page 1-A) "Wc believe that they arc primarily concerned about the potential for ex cessive development, and rightfully so. But wc also believe that restrict ing resources which may be benefi cial to the environment and human health is not the way to limit devel opment, and that planning and zon ing are the most effective means to accomplish control of growth." Billups also said that, according to the health department staff, more septic tanks permits for new con struction were issued last year in Brunswick County than any other county in the state. The taxpayers' group charges that there arc discrepancies between tests conducted by Powell Associates and by county health department work ers to determine fecal coliform lev els in Sunset Beach's test wells. The group says that while Powell's tests showed pollution by fecal coliform bacteria, "no link to scptic systems was demonstrated." The one test performed by county workers "showed a complete ab sence of any fecal coliform bacteria in any of the wells," Waldmillcr states. Although the engineers have con sistently recommended that any cen tral sewer system include a stormwa ter runoff management component, neither town has asked the engineers to devise plans for a runoff control system. "Stormwater management is a key element of the proposed environ mental management program," Billips' letter says. "Wc are continu ing an education program to rein force the need for effective stormwa ter management in conjunction with wastewater management." He adds that Sunset Beach "cur rently has one of the most stringent stormwater retention management ordinances of any coastal communi ty, requiring stormwater retention even on a single-lot basis," but that there is a "continuing conflift" be tween stormwater management and septic systems. Waldmillcr said SBTA supports the efforts of the N.C. Coastal Federation to convince Gov. Jim Hunt to declare a moratorium on state funding of new central sewer projects until "an effective coast wide strategy for sewage treatment that will result in the protection and enhancement of all coastal waters." Billups' letter said the sewer plan is in keeping with the Coastal Federation environmental agenda, and that the endorsement of the fed eration, as well as the N.C. Shellfish Sanitation Branch, is being sought. Pleasant Weather Expected Temperatures and rainfall are ex pected to average near normal over the next few days. Shallottc Point meteorologist Jackson Canady said Tuesday he ex pects several days of nice tempera tures followed by a cooling trend. Overall he expects temperatures to average in the lower 40s at night climbing to the lower 60s on aver age during the day, with "a half-inch or so" of rain. For the period March 2-8, Canady recorded a high of 67 degrees on the 8th, and a low of 34 degrees on March 6. A daily average high of 63 de grees combined with an average nightly low of 43 degrees for a daily average temperature of 53 degrees, about 2 degrees above average. He also recorded 1.44 inches of rainfall. THE BRUNSWICIC&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 $10.36 Six Months S5.55 ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA One Year $14.86 Six Months $7.90 ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A. One Year : $15.95 Six Months S8.35 Second class postage paid at Shallotte, N.C. 28459. USPS 777 780. Postmaster, send address changes to: P.O. Box 2558, Shallotte, N.C. 28459-2558
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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March 11, 1993, edition 1
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