Mayor, 3 Council Members
Challenged At Sunset Beach
At Sunset Beach, wastewater and
stormwater management and the
fate of the island's one-lane pontoon
bridge are priority issues for both in
cumbents and their challengers.
Mayor Mason Barber is being
challenged by Minnie K Hunt, a
Sunset Beach Taxpayeis Association
officer and former council member
Incumbents F.d Gore, Bud Scran
tom and Julia Thomas stand for re
election, challenged by I?d Hughes,
Herb Klinker and Therese Regan.
All the candidates responded to
the Beacon's questionnaire.
MAYOR
Barber
Mason Barber, retired from
Exxon USA, has been mayor for six
years. Having earned degrees from
the University of Georgia, Univer
sity of Houston and New York Uni
versity, he has
volunteered
with his church,
the Boy Scouts,
Junior Achieve
ment and United
Way.
He is seeking
reelection "to
implement the
sewer and
stormwater run
off program that will be completed
in the near future, the bridge re
placement, and upgrading roads
with bike paths."
Barber's priority issues include
implementing the sewer and storm
water plan "as soon as possible;" re
placing the Sunset Beach bridge,
which he calls "a real safety prob
lem;" and upgrading N.C. 179 to
three lanes, "extending Georgetown
Road to Ocean Isle with an adequate
bike path."
Barber lists as his primary qualifi
cation having served as mayor for
six years.
Hunt
Minnie K. Hunt is a computer
systems director who worked for
Duke University Medical Center.
She served on the Sunset Beach
Town Council from 1985-89 and
was finance officer.
She is a board member of the Bird
Island Preservation Society, the Sun
set Beach Taxpayers Association.
N.C. Land Trust, and the Board of
Visitors and Alumni Council of St.
Andrews College.
She has been a Sunset Beach pro
perty owner and permanent resident
since 1982.
?W
BARBER
"Our community is at a cross
way of many coastal communities
that have bowed to the pressures of
intensive development, or we can
act together to preserve the quality
of life that brought us to Sunset
Beach."
Hunt lists as priority issues devel
opment ? "growth is inevitable, but
it must be managed to preserve (and
improve) both our quality of life and
the environmental balance" ? and
participation in government, saying
"town government must be respon
sive by providing multiple means
for citizens to participate in planning
and decision processes."
Her primary qualifications are "my
management and planning skills,
coupled with deep commitment."
TOWN COUNCIL
Edward M. Gore Sr.. is the sec
ond-generation developer of Sunset
Beach and a first-generation devel
oper of Sea Trail. He has served on
the Sunset Beach Town Council
since the town's charter in 1963 and
was mayor pro tem for most of those
years, a position he continues to
hold. He was a member and chair
man of the Brunswick County Plan
ning Board from 1974-90.
He holds a degree in business ad
ministration from East Carolina Uni
versity. He was director and secre
tary of Sunset Beach and Twin
Lakes, Inc. from 1963-72, was presi
dent and chairman of the board of
Sunset Beach and Twin Lakes, Inc.,
from 1972 to the present; and was
secretary of Sea Trail Corporation
from 1976 to the present. He has
been a member and chairman of the
local board of directors of Nations
Bank for the past 20 years.
"I have a lifetime of planning and
work invested in our community,"
Gore said. "I have dedication to
serve it and the experience needed
for our community achieve its goals
and protect the environment while
permitting orderly growth and main
taining our quality of life. 1 am a
roads," she said.
"In the coming
year, our town
government and
?r" all of us who
vote here will
be asked to
make uccimdiis
that will shape
the future of
Sunset Beach.
We could go the
Gore
part of our town's history, and I
want to he a part of its future."
As priority issues, he lists "waste
water collection and treatment,
which is vital to our health and to
the environment. I support the plan
in progress." He rA
said he will sup
port storrnwater
management,
"which is also
crucial for the
protection of the
environment,"
"as (the plans)
evolve;" "a safe
bridge and roads
to serve our
community;" and "getting a cable
TV carrier that will not rob us of the
technology we pay for when we pur
chase a TV set."
As his qualifications. Gore lists,
"my desire to serve the people, my
ability to work with those who are
elected, and my innate character trait
to be fair and objective, my willing
ness to listen and act when issues
that affect the entire community are
presented."
Hughes
Paul E. "Ed" Hughes, is a retired
teacher. He previously served as
Wilmington. Delaware, Republican
city chairman from 1972-83; was on
the Delaware Governor's School of
Excellence Advisory Board, the
board of the National Association
for Gifted Children Research Com
mittee and has held various offices
in church and
Scouting organi
zations.
He is running
"to represent the
large segment
and fastest
growing seg
ment of Sunset
Beach, which is
Sea Trail, which
has no represen
tation and will not until the voting
districts are set up in the future."
He lists as priority issues a sewer
and storrnwater management sys
tem, "which has to be financially,
ecologically and environmentally
sound;" a new bridge, "which has to
(handle) more summer traffic effi
ciently, be environmentally non-in
trusive, provide for continual access
to and from the island for safety's
sake;" and to make Bird Island a
sanctuary ? "if state acquisition is
the only way to achieve this, then
the state should purchase."
Hughes said he is qualified for the
office because. "I have the experi
ence in dealing with problems and
people. I have no conflict of interest."
klinker
Herbert H. Klinker. a former
AT&T systems director, is a first
time office-seeker.
He holds a degree in economics
from the University of Michigan.
Klinker is seeking office "to bring
planning, organization and control
skills to the managing of Sunset
beach, to manage the growth of sun
set Beach while preserving the nat
ural beauty and environment."
His past leadership experience in
cludes having been president of the
Homeowners Association of South
field, Mich., 1963, and president of
the Swim and
Tennis Club of
Murray Hill,
N.J., ' 1978-79.
He is a past Op
timist Club
member.
His priority
issues include
planning and
implementing
sewers and KLINKER
stormwater runoff management sys
tems "together, when they are pro
ven to be environmentally neces
sary;" the upgrading of the Sunset
Beach bridge, "depending on the re
sults of the current environmental
impact study and gaining citizen
consensus as to which option to se
lect;" and planning growth "through
proper zoning and other town laws
to preserve and improve the envi
ronment, including Bird Island."
Klinker said he is qualified for the
office because of "my business ex
perience in system planning, organi
zation and control and financial sys
tems experience."
Regan
Therese K. Regan is a senior pub
lic health registered nurse, having
been employed by the Florence
(S.C.) County Health Department.
A first-time office-seeker, she
holds a degree in nursing from the
Joseph Larence School of Nursing
in New London. Conn.
Regan is president of the Sunset
Beach Beautification Committee for
Holden Beach Voters
ELECT
Dwighl Carroll
1993-94, was on the state board of
direction of the
American Lung
Association
from 1979-89;
and has served
as supervisor of
adult health for
the Florence
County Health
Department.
She lists as
REGAN priority issues
"a compromise to the existing pin
toon bridge versus a high-rise
bridge, a two-lane 15-foot bascule
bridge;" and considering no sewer
proposal "until a stormwater propos
al is incorporated."
"I have spent my professional ca
reer as a public servant," she said,
"and understand the importance of
listening and reacting to concerns.
I've been trained to research and
evaluate data and have the ability to
get things done in an organized and
legal manner."
Scranlom
D.G. "Bud" Scrantom is an in
cumbent coun
cilman and re
tired chemical
engineer. He
holds an engi
neering degree
from the Uni
versity of Roch
ester.
He is current
president of the
Brunswick SCRANTOM
County Master Gardeners, past ves
tryman and junior warden of St.
James the Fisherman Episcopal
church and current member of the
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service
Advisory Leadership Council.
Scrantom said he is running "to
help the community."
His priority issues include a two
lane bridge for Sunset Beach, a cen
tral sewer system, and a more com
prehensive recycling system for
Sunset Beach, "including plastics."
Me lists as his primary qualifica
tion being "open-minded, with no
direct business interest locally."
Thomas
Julia J. Thomas, has been a coun
cil member and the town finance of
ficer since 1989. She was the Sunset
Beach Volunteer Fire Department
dispatcher and fundraising chairman
from 1986-90 and has been an elder
and chairman of Christian Education
for Calabash Presbyterian Church
since 1989.
A former YMCA-YWCA gym
nastics and coach and judge, she is a
member and past president of the
Sunset Sands Garden Club and a
current Bible Class teacher al her
church.
As top issues, she lists, a regional
sewer and
stormwater con
trol system
"with finalized
study and se
cured funding.
followed by a
passing referen
dum;" "replace
ment of the cur
rent one-lane
Sunset Beach THOMAS
bridge "to ensure the safety and of
all property owners and tourists in
the event of fire, illness, storms and
other emergencies;" continued study
and upgrading of town ordinances,
and maintaining a low tax base.
"During the past four years as the
town-appointed finance officer. I
have had opportunity to meet and
work with our town employees, au
ditors and weekly with our town ad
ministrator," she said. "This has en
abled me to have the opportunity to
study and work with our budget and
to learn much about total financial
work involved in the operation of a
municipality, under quite complicat
ed government regulations. I am ea
ger to learn more and feel that my
experience thus far is a real asset."
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CI 993 TH? BRUNSWICK BEACON |
Sunset Beach Residents
Know Your Candidates-Phase II
Having sorted through the campaign literature, we may now devote
our time to reality. The first view of reality focuses on Mrs. Therese
Regan, whose brochure suggests a straightforward, independent can
didate. Subsequent verbal communication from Mrs. Regan casts seri
ous doubt on her ability to make independent, objective decisions for
our community. It would appear that Mrs. Regan has copied the deci
sion making techniques of Minnie Hunt, a process in which you
choose your position based upon what best suits your purpose, then
create facts to Justify it. A case in point is Mrs. Regan's adamant oppo
sition to the project for sewer /stormwater management, ostensibly
because it will be too expensive for the residents. This would be an
acceptable position, if it were true. "Reality"-No one knows what the
cost of this project will be to the residents, certainly not Mrs. Regan.
These costs are incalculable until the government grants and loans,
the developer contributions and the user base are finalized.
We will now look at the candidacy of Mr. Ed Hughes, which as near
as one can determine, is predicated solely on his belief that a resident
of Sea Trail belongs on the council. Most members of this committee
are Sea Trail residents who share this opinion, but not at the expense
of replacing experienced, capable incumbents, such as Julia Thomas
and Bud Scrantom. If protecting our interests at Sea Trail are an
issue, then Ed Gore, one of the principles, has greater capability and
incentive to do so than does Ed Hughes. Mr. Gore, an island resident
and property owner with extensive mainland holdings, has every rea
son to protect all Sunset Beach resources and, in turn, serve all of our
interests.
Mr. Klinker requires careful scrutiny; he apparently possesses
many of the skills and attributes desirable in a member of the Council.
We are left to assess the risk he poses as an unknown. Can he be
depended upon to proceed with the bridge and sewer /stormwater pro
jects that are critical to, and favored by, most residents, or will he take
his lead from the disruptive minority, with whom he has chosen to
align for the purpose of this campaign.
We have an experienced mayor and town council who, over recent
years, have identified and effectively addressed the needs of this com
munity, ultimately creating the Town of Sunset Beach that we know.
Many of those who oppose them in this election also opposed those
endeavors. Mayor Barber and the council persons aire prepared to stay
on to help us move forward. It will be to our benefit to support them.
Vote for Barber, Thomas , Gore and Scrantom
Committee for Re-election of the Sunset Beach Incumbents
Albert L. Consalvi, Chairman
m
&
v.
c
HERB
KLINKER
TOWN COUNCIL OF SUNSET BEACH
GOALS
? Manage growth while protecting
the environment and preserving our
community's quiet, residential, fam
ily atmosphere.
? Support zoning and other town
government initiatives that will
keep Sunset Beach free of high-rise,
high-density development.
? Support a financially sound, com
bined sewer and storm runoff man
agement system, properly planned
and implemented.
?Support an improved two-lane
bridge, high enough to allow most
boat traffic to pass without opening.
Meanwhile, we must address and
resolve existing bridge traffic prob
lems.
" TAKING A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO MEET SUNSET BEACH GOALS"
VOTE ON
NOVEMBER 2ND
PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE FOR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
JOSEPH BRANDEL, TREASURER