QUIT AFTER SIX WEEKS
Two Positions Created To Replace Zoning Supervisor
BY ERIC CARLSON
Three days after the man hired to
administer Brunswick County's new
zoning law quit his job. the board of
commissioners on Monday approv
ed a re-organization of departments
and personnel to divide his former
duties into two new positions.
Under the new plan, one perma
nent position in the sign shop and
one temporary position in the
Building and Grounds Department
will be eliminated to free up funds
for the new positions.
After six weeks' employment,
David Clemmons resigned his
$37,000 job as codes administrator
Friday and returned to his former
position of building inspector for
the town of Long Bcach, where he
will make $34,193.
The loss will cause another
lengthy delay in the enforcement of
a county zoning ordinance adopted
by the former board of commission
ers last November. The law's July 1
effective date was postponed indefi
nitely after the new board put off
the hiring of a zoning administrator
and the appointment of a zoning
board of adjustments to oversee the
new regulations.
Clemmons' resignation will re
sult in a further delay in enforcing
the zoning law, possibly until next
year.
"This is certainly a setback to the
implementation of the county zon
ing ordinance, as a period of 90
days will be required after Filling
" This is certainly a setback to the
implementation of the county zoning
ordinance. . . "
? Robert Tucker, County Engineer
the position to train the new zoning
administrator and perform required
inventories of properties," County
Engineer Robert Tucker said in a
memo to County Manager Wyman
Yelton.
Citing an "obvious overload of
duties" assigned to the codes ad
ministrator," Tucker recommended
that the old job description be split
into new two positions.
As the county's first codes ad
ministrator, Clemmons held the dual
role of supervising county building
inspections and overseeing imple
mentation of the new zoning law.
Tucker recommended that a "lead
codes inspector" be hired to enforce
state building codes and supervise
the inspections division while a
"zoning administrator" position be
created to enforce compliance with
the new zoning ordinance.
To implement Tucker's sugges
tion, Monday Yelton asked the
board to approve a restructuring that
would eliminate the sign shop and
take building inspections out of the
engineering department and put it
under the direct supervision of the
county manager. The new zoning
administrator will work under
Planning Director John Harvey.
Using the 537,000 budgeted for
the former codes administrator, the
$20,732 salary for the eliminated
position in the sign shop and the
SI 3,831 budgeted for a temporary
building and grounds worker,
Yelion said the county could fill the
two new positions and save nearly
$20,000.
The eliminated position is cur
rently held by signmaker/installer
Tommy Birmingham, who has
worked with the county since
September, 1988. The new zoning
administrator will be paid $32,000
while the lead codes inspector will
make $25,000.
The commissioners voted unani
mously to approve Yclton's restruc
turing plan.
In other business the board:
?Approved an amendment to the
budget ordinance forbidding the
Brunswick County Board of Educ
ation from transferring more than
10 percent of any budget line item
to another portion of their budget.
Commissioners' Chairman Don
Warren said Ihc move would "pre
vent them from draining a fund"
and citing its depletion in support of
a request for more money.
?Denied a request from the town of
Leland to tap on to a county-owned
sewage treatment plant at the
Leland Industrial Park for two years
while the town builds its own facili
ty. Board members were concerned
that tying up the park's treatment
capacity could cause the county to
miss an opportunity to attract a new
industry that might require sewer
service.
?Adopted a new unpaid family and
medical leave policy for county
government workers. Qualified em
ployees will be eligible for up to 12
weeks of unpaid leave and contin
ued health benefits for the birth or
adoption of a child, to care for a
spouse or an immediate family
member with a serious health condi
tion or for employees who arc un
vable to work because of their own
serious health condition.
?Approved Commissioner Wayland
Vereen's request to appoint Dale
Carter as the District 3 representa
tive on the zoning board of adjust
ments. ^
?Reappointed Thomas Gray to the
planning board and named James
Russ as its new District 1 represen
tative.
?Set a public hearing for Sept. 7 at
6 p.m. to hear comments on amend
ments and map changes proposed
for the zoning ordinance.
Holden Beach OKs Contract With Fire Department
BY DOUG RUTTER
Holden Bcach and Tri-Beach
Volunteer Fire Department officials
have finally come to terms on a new
contract for fire protection and water
rescue service for the island commu
nity.
Town commissioners approved
the contract at their meeting
Monday night, nearly one year after
the board passed a similar contract
that, unbeknownst to the town, was
never acccptcd by the fire depart
ment.
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Mayor Wally Ausley said Mon
day he will make sure Tri-Bcach
VFD signs the contract this time.
"They have no problems with it, I'm
told," he said cautiously.
Just to be safe. Commissioner
David Sandifer suggested that offi
cials with the town and fire depart
ment sign the contract at the same
time so there isn't any more misun
derstanding.
Holdcn Beach also plans to with
hold the funds it has budgeted this
year for the fire department until the
contract is signed by the fire chief
and secretary.
Commissioners included S20.000
for fire protection and 55,000 for
water rescue in the 1993-94 budget.
The new contract replaces one
that the town and fire department
entered into in July 1990. It was for
fire protection only, and the new
contract will cover fire and water
rescue service.
Under the terms of the contract,
Ihe department agrees to respond to
fire and water rescue calls, provide
equipment and ensure all volunteers
arc certified as required by state law.
Holden Beach agrees to pay
520,000 for fire and 55,000 for wa
ter rescue each ycai. Hie contract
will automatically be renewed every
year, but the town or fire department
may request renegotiation of the
dollar amounts.
If either party wants to get out of
the contract, they need only provide
90 days' written notice.
If the department stops providing
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services, all fire and water rescue
equipment donated by the town will
revert to the town.
Also, the fire department must re
tain all town-donated equipment for
at least three years. If equipment is
sold early with the town's permis
sion, all proceeds would have to be
used to replace the equipment.
As part of the contract, the fire
department must give the town quar
terly income and expense state
ments.
Although it wasn't included in the
contract. Mayor Pro Tem Gil Bass
also wants the department to provide
a quarterly report on the number and
type of calls made on Holdcn Beach.
"Then we see what activity as far
as fire and water rescue is going on
on the island," Bass said.
Bn
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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Winning Readers
Youngsters named tops in their age groups during the Summer
Reading program at West Brunswick Branch library included
(front, from left) Nicholas Ward, Christopher Ryan, Amanda
Hanes and J.T. Hanes; and back, Kristen Ward, Karisha Stevens,
Tamika Tatros and Brandon Ludlum.
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