Forum i, Environmental Study Sought
On Quarry Controversy
(Continued From Page 1-A)
The ordinance was adopted in
November 1992 at one of the last
meetings of the former board of
commissioners. Monday night, the
new board voted unanimously to be
gin enforcing the ordinance Nov. I
Opponents fear the mining opera
tion will pollute ground and surface
waters, dry up a major aquifer and
increase heavy truck traffic near res
idential areas. They also warn that
regular blasting at the quarry could
cause safety problems at the nearby
Brunswick Nuclear Plant and the gi
ant ammunition terminal at Sunny
Point.
These were among the concerns
raised by the more than 20 people
who addressed the commissioners
Monday night. Similar comments
were expected at the planning board
meeting Wednesday when mining
opponents said they would ask that
the heavy manufacturing zone that
includes the Martin Marietta proper
ty be re-zoned for low-density com
mercial use.
"Do something good for the peo
pie who elected you and to whom
you owe your office," said John
Snyder of Southport. He asked the
board to call for an environmental
impact statement of mining proposal
and cautioned that the road damage
caused by heavy gravel trucks
would cost the county more in re
pairs than it could receive in tax rev
enues.
Arthur Green, former mayor and
developer of Boiling Spring Lakes,
warned that Martin Marietta's plan
to use 10 million gallons of water
per day will dry up the lakes that at
tract residents to the county's third
largest municipality.
"The town was built on the idea
of those lakes," Green said. "If you
allow them to be destroyed, you will
destroy the town of Boiling Spring
Lakes."
Mark Stewart, the town's current
mayor, agreed, warning that N.C.
211 is "built on a swamp" and was
not designed to accommodate regu
lar traffic from heavy trucks. He also
said the mine would lower property
values.
"Folks, St. James Plantation will
bring in more money than Martin
Marietta ever will," Stewart said.
Leslie Myrie. a former member of
the county's Economic Develop
ment Commission, said he had re
peatedly asked EDC Director Tom
Monks to arrange a public hearing
"to ask Martin Marietta to explain
its intentions." Myrie said he had al
so asked that the RDC request an
environmental impact statement.
"The only answer I received from
the director was that they were still
collecting studies." Myrie said. "He
told us when they're through, we'll
have a public hearing."
Pender County resident John
Kepner said he attended meetings at
which Martin Marietta proposed a
similar mine there and promised no
harmful environmental effects.
"They told us they had found the
best outcropping of rock on the
coast and that they would be pump
ing 10 million gallons per day and
that nothing bad would happen.
Does that sound familiar?" Kepner
said.
"I'm not the smartest guy in the
world, but I know that you don't
County Land Values Are Up As
Revaluation Process Completed
(Continued From Page 1-A)
ally decreasing.
Properties that could lie consid
ered wetlands are losing value as po
tential buyers are discouraged by the
possibility that environmental regu
lations might prohibit improvement
of such properties, Williamson said.
Related to that problem is the one
of percolation, he said. The county
is beginning to run out of property
that will meet ever-tightening septic
tank requirements. And some lands
that might have been suitable for
building eight years ago cannot be
developed today without a central
sewer system.
Property owners should begin re
ceiving valuation notices in mid
November, Williamson said. Those
who have questions about their as
sessment should call the number
listed on the notice. Many clerical
errors can be corrected by phone.
Evaluation
(Continued From Page 1-A)
before the opening of school, and
getting a better grip on the school
system's finances.
"Most of the concerns they raised
were ones which I had already rec
ognized," said Johnston. "I recog
nize we do need to be more efficient
and more effective with the dollars
we have and more accountable as
well."
The board used a locally-modi
fied version of an evaluation tool de
Those who have questions about
how the assessment was done or
who disagree with the valuation can
set up an appointment to see an ap
praiser for an informal review. After
examining the field evaluation re
port and any new information pro
vided by the property owner, the ap
praiser may or may not modify the
assessment.
A property owner who is dissatis
fied with the appraiser's decision
can appeal to the Board of
Equalization and Review, a group of
five local citizens who will review
each case and make a recommenda
tion. Its decision can be appealed to
the N.C. Property Tax Commission.
Williamson said that during most
revaluations, about 5 percent of
property owners ? an estimated
4,500 this year ? can be expected to
come in for an informal review. He
expects about 350-400 to come be
Pleases Sch
veloped by the North Carolina
School Boards Association that ad
dresses the superintendent's perfor
mance in seven broad areas of man
agement and leadership, such as per
sonnel, community relations, com
munications and finances.
Board members took the evalua
tion forms home, filled them out and
brought them back for board attor
ney Glen Peterson to tally. Then,
Monday night, they reviewed the re
sults with Johnston before deciding
in private to award him merit pay.
New Hospital Executive
Not Chosen As Of Tuesday
Contrary to rumors circulating in
the western end of Brunswick
County this week, no new adminis
trator has been announctu for The
Brunswick Hospital.
"We haven't selected anyone for
the position yet," said Helen Street,
finance officer and interim chief ex
ecutive officer.
Street said a HealthTrust adminis
trator from a Terre Haute, Ind., hos
pital has been helping out temporari
ly, coming in three days last week
and again several days this week.
"That may have contributed to the
rumors," she said.
Larry Andrews, chairman of the
Brunswick County Hospital Auth
ority, which leases the hospital to
HealthTrust Inc., also had not been
notified of any hiring decision.
Earl Tamar of Holden Beach left
his post as chief executive officer of
the hospital suddenly Sept. 21 after
two years on the job and five years
with the company.
HealthTrust Inc. indicated at the
time that it expected to have a new
administrator on staff by late fall.
Street was appointed acting adminis
trator.
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fore the equalization hoard, with
about 20 or so appealing to the tax
commission.
"At some point, you have to ask
yourself if it's worth it to appeal,"
said Danny Deese of Tax Man
agement Associates, the Charlotte
firm that conducted the revaluation.
"The current tax rate is 68 cents (per
$100 valuation), so getting your val
uation reduced by $10,000 would
only save you $6.80 a year. Still,
some people see it as a matter of
principle."
Tax Management Associates will
be paid $8.21 per parcel, or roughly
$739,000 for its services.
Williamson plans to meet with the
commissioners again before valua
tion notices go out. He said he will
present a more detailed report of lo
cal values and a total of the county's
property valuation for tax purposes.
oo/s' Head
Areas where Johnston sees the
greatest need for more attention in
clude "pulling more of the county
together," something begun with the
systemwide performance-based ac
countability planning that includes
teachers, administrators and parents,
and "keeping the communication
flowing" both within the system it
self and between the schools and
community.
He's been especially pleased thus
far with the good support of the
community for changes in the
school system, and of the business
community's support of the new
Tech Prep initiative.
He, too, is optimistic that policies
established in the past year, restruc
turing of the central office staff, and
changes in principalships this past
year have laid the groundwork for
more substantial changes and im
provements in the system and in stu
dent performance.
In the community, he said, "I
sense a real confidence that we are
starting to move forward."
Under the terms of his contract,
the board could have awarded John
ston up to $5,000 in extra pay, tied
to progress in achieving seven goals
established jointly by him and the
board nearly a year ago:
? creating a clear mission and ex
pectations accepted by all staff;
? reorganizing the central office
staff to support schools' improve
ment efforts;
? setting higher standards for stu
dents in all grades, reflected by a
challenging curriculum;
? establishing higher expecta
tions for both teachers and students;
? preparing and equipping princi
pals to create an environment that
allows teachers to unleash their abil
ities to work with students;
? helping teachers become and
stay up-to-date on subject content
and on ways of engaging students in
learning; and
? development a system of ac
countability that incorporates and
tracks progress of both systemwide
and school goals for achievement.
blast next to a nuclear power plant,"
he said. "And if you want to hear
things go hump in the night, imagine
what w ill happen if they start getting
sinkholes at that ammunition depot."
All hut two of the speakers voiced
opposition to the mining operation,
often to loud rounds of applause.
Boiling Spring Lakes residents
Jerry Carmichael and Gerald Clark
hoth spoke in favor of the mine, say
ing it would hring needed jobs and
provide local acccss to construction
materials.
"I don't see the sense of giving
incentives to one business and run
ning off others," Carmichael said.
At the close of their regular meet
ing, the commissioners unanimously
supported a resolution to:
"I. Request that Martin Marietta
provide a public forum to advise the
citizens of their intent and business
M
plan for the operation.
"2. Facilitate an environmental
impact study utilizing all available
federal, state and local resources.
"3. Request the Brunswick
County Economic Development
Commission prepare an economic
impact report."
After the meeting, hoard member
Way land Vereen of I .ong Beach said
he favors changing the zoning to
prohibit the mine. He said that the
re-cent controversy has sparked more
telephone calls than any issue he has
faced as a commissioner.
"I'm concerned about all those
trucks running up and down the
road." Vereen said. "We already
have more traffic than we can han
dle. What if one of those blasts trig
gers an alert at the power plant.
We'd have a dangerous situation if
we had to call for an evacuation."
*
?
Commission Chairman Don Wa
rren saul he hasn't made up his mind
about the re/.oning request and
wants to see what information
comes Irom the requested environ
mental impact study and the public
forum. He said the board plans to
visit a Martin Marietta onarry in
Castle llavne within the next two
weeks.
In an interview Tuesday, commis
sioner and planning board member
Jerry Jones said he also wants more
information before making up his
mind.
"I think people have a lot of ap
prehensions and legitimate concerns
and Martin Marietta should come
and answer their questions." Jones
said. "I need to hear more from both
sides. It's going to come down to
whether the advantages outweigh
the disadvantages."
STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN USHER
WELL-WISHERS cheer as champion shucker Karen McNeil (right) strides forward to accent a check
for $100.
Under- 3 -Minute Adjusted Time
Yields McNeil Third State Win
BY SUSAN USHER
"Presentation, presentation, presentation."
That, plus fast hands and a little luck, are what it takes
to claim the N.C. Oyster Shucking championship.
Just ask Karen McNeil, who did it again Saturday,
besting a field of six other men and women to reclaim
the title she's held twice before.
Wielding her oyster knife expertly. McNeil whipped
24 raw oysters from their shells in a speedy two minutes
and 19:34 seconds. She extended her arms into the air
confidently well ahead of the next-closest finisher.
Lofton James, at two minutes and 37.03 seconds. James,
a return competitor, is one of McNeil's co-workers at
Lloyd's Oyster House at Shallotte Point.
Time isn't all that matters in the event. Judges can add
penalty seconds for a sloppy presentation ? blood, grit,
an oyster still clinging to the half-shell or a missing oys
ter, for example.
Or, for an exceptional tray of oysters, they can sub
tract seconds for a stronger finish, rewarding neatness
over speed.
Determined spectators hovered patiently under um
brellas and a drizzle of rain was falling Saturday after
noon as judges peered at the finished trays and wrote
their comments on damp entry forms.
Even with 38 seconds in penalties added to her total,
McNeil's finish held up for first place. The showing
earned her S1(K) cash, which she planned to spend half
on bills and half on celebrating, plus an engraved plaque
and an expense-paid return trip to the National Oyster
Shucking Championship in Leonardtown, Md? next
October to represent the Tar Heel State.
"I was nervous," McNeil admitted to reporters after
Shucking Contest Results
Shucker
1. Karen McNeil
2. Alice Hill
3. Dorothy M. Hill
4. James Lofton
5. Gloria Daniels
6. Ed Brown
7. William Daniels
Time Adj. Time
2:19:34 2:57:34
2:45:59 3:02:59
2:46:12 3:11:12
2:37:03 3:20:03
3:02:03 3:24:03
3:20:53 6:38:53
withdrew
wards. With four of her coworkers in the running, she
said, "There was some good competition here."
This was McNeil's third state championship. She held
the title first in 1989 and again in 1991, and placed in
the money in 1990 and 1992 at the women's nationals in
Leonardtown.
Forty-seven seconds in penalties pushed James back
to fourth place, same as last year, behind Alice Hill and
the 1992 first runner-up, Dorothy Mae Hill.
One competitor, William Daniels, withdrew Saturday
after a nasty encounter with a stubborn oyster.
Ed Brown, a brick mason from Supply, drew blood,
but kept struggling with the hard-shelled bivalves, only
to finish last in the field. He failed to open one of the 24
oysters on his tray.
"1 don't know where that one came from," he said af
terward.
Brown said he plans to keep entering the annual event
until he wins.
Comfortable Weather In Forecast
More comfortable fall tempera
tures are in the forecast for the
South Brunswick Islands area.
Temperatures during the coming
days are expected to average around
the mid-5()s at night, ranging into
the mid-7()s during the daytime,
with about a half-inch of rainfall.
"We couldn't improve on that too
much," said Jackson Canady, Shal
lotte Point meteorologist.
For the period Oct. 12 through 18,
Canady recorded a high of 81 de
grees on Oct. 1 8 and a low of 48 de
grees on Oct. 13.
A daily average high of 75 de
grees and a nightly average low of
55 degrees combined for a daily av
erage temperature of 65 degrees,
which Canady said is "just about
normal" for this time of year.
He recorded 1.27 inches of rain
fall in his gauge near Shallotte
Point.
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