Holden Beach Going After Two State Grants
BY DOUG RUTTER
Holden Bcach is going after two stale
grants that could provide money for updat
ing the town's zoning regulations and map
and a new bcach acccss for handicapped
people.
Ai their meeting iast Wednesday, com
missioners authorized Town Manager Gary
Parker to proceed with both grant applica
tions. However, board members said they
may turn down the planning grant if it's
awarded.
Mayor Wally Ausley broke a 2-2 tic
with a vote to apply for a grant that would
pay a planning consultant to propose
changes in the zoning code and map so it
complies with the latest land use plan up
date.
The state would pay two-thirds of the
cost and the town would pay the rest, which
will be S990 under the proposal presented
last week.
If Holden Bcach is awarded the grant
but town officials aren't satisfied with the
consultants' proposals, they can turn down
the grant and ask the planning and zoning
board to do the work instead.
Asked by a member of the audience
how it felt to vote for the First time since
taking office in December 1991, Auslcy
replied, "1 don't know. I'll tell you after 1
get out of here."
Commissioners Sid Swarts and Gay
Atkins had voted in favor of the grant,
while David Sandifer and Jim Foumier op
posed. Mayor Pro Tern Gil Bass was out of
town and missed the meeting.
Town board members unanimously sup
ported applying for a beach access grant
that would pay 90 percent of the cost of a
handicapped access at 262 Ocean
Boulevard East. The lot was reccndy donat
ed to the. town.
Current plans call for a boardwalk, cov
ered gazebo, shower and parking for seven
vehicles. However, plans for the gazebo and
shower may be scrapped if the town doesn't
get the grant.
Parker estimates materials for the acccss
would cost about $4,000. If the grant isn't
awarded, he said the town board may want
to ask local builders to donate labor.
Commissioner David Sandifer said he
liked the idea of getting volunteers to work
on the acccss and other projects. "I think
we're looking at an awful lot of money
here."
Landscaping Approved
Holdcn Beach's bcautification commit
tee will be busy this spring landscaping
around the police department building.
Planting of shrubs and flowers around
the recently-renovated headquarters will be
part of larger project to pave the parking lot
and erect a privacy fence along the south
side of the lot.
Parker said the project will cost about
S9.000. Approximately S4.000 for the land
scaping and fence will be taken from the
bcautification committee's budget.
In approving the project last week, com
missioncrs dccidcd lo take about $5,(XX) for
the concrctc parking lot from the police
capital outlay fund and town hall improve
ments fund.
"Everyone felt this was going to look
good," said Commissioner Gay Atkins, a
member of the beautificatici committee.
She said the work should be completed be
fore summer.
Holdcn Beach will seek bids on the con
crctc paving and privacy fcncc. Carolina
Landscaping of Holdcn Beach designed the
bcaulification plan and will provide the
plants.
The concrctc lot will include parking for
about six vehicles and include one space re
served for handicapped people.
The bcautification committee plans to
landscape around the Tri-Bcach Volunteer
Fire Department substation on Starfish
Drive later this year.
Other Business
In other business last week, commis
sioncrs:
?Acccpied ihc low bid of S41,800 from
Southern Corrosion 10 paint ihc interior and
exterior of the water tank. Parker said offi
cials in Southport and Aydcn were pleased
with rccent work done by the company.
Vision Cable, which has some equipment
attached to the tank, will pay $18,220 to
ward the cost. The town's share will be
S23.580.
?Continued discussing the definition of
"ground level" as it relates to the town's 35
foot building height limit. Board members
indicated they may adopt the new definition
at their April 5 meeting.
?Heard that dredging was recently complet
ed in Heritage Harbor and should be fin
ished soon in Holdcn Beach Harbor.
Heritage Harbor lot owners voluntarily paid
S16.454 of the S22.400 project cost in ad
vance. The town received S74.000 of the
SI 30,000 needed from Holdcn Beach
Harbor. Lot owners who haven't paid will
be assessed to collect the rest.
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Early Spring Fishing
These visitors landed some nice fish 40 miles offshore Sunday aboard the Super Salty I out of Holden Reach. Don t\eill of Elizxibethtown
(left) caught a 10-pound hog snapper. At right is Rudy l^ennon of Clarkton, who brought in a 15-pound king mackerel. The Reacon's
weekly fishing report resumes April 15.
HEARING IS NEXT WEEK
Shellfish Tags Among Proposed Rule Changes
BY DOUC. RUTTER
Local shellfishermen will have to start tag
ging their baskets of oysters and clams if a pro
posed rule change is approved by the N.C. Ma
rine Fisheries Commission.
The new regulation would prohibit the pos
session or sale of shellfish unless a durable, har
vest tag is fastened to the outside of each contain
er in which oysters, clams or mussels are trans
ported.
The shellfish tag requirement is one of 17 rule
changes the fisheries commission is considering
this year. If approved, the new regulations would
take effect July 1.
A public hearing on the proposals will be held
Wednesday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in the Public As
sembly Building ai ilie Brunswick County Gov
ernment Center in Bolivia.
Area fishermen will be invited to comment on
the proposal to require water-resistant shellfish
harvest tags and other items affecting commercial
and recreational anglers.
The harvest tags would have to be at least 2X
inches by 5V* inches. They would list the har
vester's name, address and shellfish license num
ber, date and location of harvest, and type and
quantity of shellfish.
N.C. Fisheries Director William Hogarth said
the new rule is being mandated by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration for interstate shipments
of shellfish.
"They want to be able to trace all shellfish
back to the harvester and harvest area," Hogarth
said Monday. The tags also arc needed to protect
people from shellfish harvested in polluted wa
ters.
Hogarth said he thinks the FDA mandate is
going to be difficult to comply with because
wholesalers combine shellfish harvested by dif
ferent fishermen in different areas when shipping
to retailers.
"It's going to be a tough one to do in my opin
ion," he said.
The commission also is considering a propos
al to expand the fisheries director's authority so
he can restrict commercial gear and activities in
areas where it conflicts with recreational fishing.
The new rule would allow Hogarth to specify
Week's Tide Table
APRIL
HIGH LOW
Day D?U A.M. P.M. A.M P.M.
Thursday 1 2:19 2:58 8:51 9:16
Friday 2 3:26 4:05 9:56 10:22
Saturday 3 4:29 5:07 10:53 11:22
Sunday 4 6:20 7:03 12.46
Monday 5 7:23 7:58 1:18 1:37
Tuesday 6 8:16 8:51 2:11 2:26
Wednesday 7 9:08 9:42 3:03 3:14
ADJUSTMENTS
SHALLOTTE INLET?add 17 min.
high tide, add 32 min. low tide.
LOCKWOOD FOLLY?subtract 22
min. high tide, subtract 8 min. low tide.
BALD HF.AD ISLAND?subtract 10
min. high tide, subtract 7 min. low tide
SOUTHPORT?add 7 min. high tide,
add 15 mm. low tide.
LITTLE RIVER?subtract 11 min.
high tide, add 18 min. low ude.
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eastern builders, inc.
commercial harvest days, seasons, areas, quantity
and methods after holding a public meeting in the
affected area.
Hogarth could use his proclamation authority
to impose restrictions in the ocean, state parks,
marinas, harbors, navigation channels and within
a half mile of public fishing piers.
The fisheries director said the new rule is pri
marily needed to reduce conflicts between recre
ational anglers and commercial fishermen who
use gill nets or beach seines in areas used heavily
by recreational fishermen.
Another proposal going to public hearing next
week would prohibit the possession, saic or pur
chase of finfish less than four inches long except
for use in crab pots and as bait fish.
The Marine Fisheries Commission is expect
ed to vote on the proposed rule changes at its May
5 meeting in Raleigh.
Written comments must be received by April
16. They can be mailed to the N.C. Division of
Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City,
N.C. 28557.
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C.8. 'Cash' Caroon Quits
N.C. Fisheries Commission
BY DOUG RLITTER
C.B. "Cash" Caroon of Southport resigned from the N.C. Marine
Fisheries Commission last week after ihe governor appointed a lawyer
to replace Caroon as chairman.
Gov. Jim Hunt appointed Selma attorney and recreational fisherman
Bob Lucas as chairman last Wednesday, listing his experience in law
and local government as qualifications for the post.
'The simplest way of putting it is the governor 's way of regulating
the fisheries and mine arc worlds apart, and him being the big boss I
had no choice," Caroon said of his resignation.
First appointed in 1975, Caroon served approximately 12 years on
the commission, including the last eight. He was vice chairman six
years and chairman for the last 1 'A years.
Caroon said he was told last Tuesday that the governor planned to
appoint a new chairman. At that point, he agreed to stay on as a com
mission member and help the new chairman.
However, the former Southport mayor changed his mind and decid
ed to resign from the fisheries board the next day after hearing who
Hunt had selected.
Lucas has practiced law for more than 14 years and was mayor of
Selma from 1989 to 1991. The East Carolina University graduate re
ceived his law degree from Samford University in Alabama.
"Bob's experience in law and local government give him the per
spective he needs to lead the marine fisheries commission as it makes
important decisions concerning a major North Carolina resource," Hunt
said in a statement.
Caroon said Monday the Marine Fisheries Commission chairman
needs more than local government and law background to serve effec
tively.
"If that's what he feels qualifies a man to lead the fisheries commis
sion, then 1 feel I have to resign," said Caroon, who has owned and op
erated a crab processing company in Southport for 28 years.
"My philosophy is have a working knowledge of the resource,"
Caroon said. "How can you lead something if you don't know anything
about it? Local government and the law practice doesn't teach you
much about marine resources."
Asked if someone involved in the commercial fishing industry
would be a better chairman, Caroon said, "1 think somebody who knows
something about the resource would be, sure."
N.C. Fisheries Director Bill Hogarth said Caroon will be missed on
the commission because of his experience with marine resources.
"I think Cash was one who voted what he thought was right for the
fishermen and the resource," Hogarth said. "He looked ahead and had a
vision about what he thought was right for the resource."
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