53 LONG BEACH VOTERS CHALLENGED
State Elections Board To Decide Leland Sanitary District Vote
BY SUSAN USHER
The State Board of Elections will decide whether a
new Letand Sanitary District election is necessary, after
65 non-district residents cast ballots in a close Nov. 2
election.
After canvassing returns last Thursday the Brunswick
County Board of Elections did not certify the district
election because poll workers at the Leland precinct
"gave everybody who voted theie a sanitary district bal
lot." said Lynda Britt. supervisor of elections. "Sixty
five people voted who should not have."
A recount by the board confirmed the re-election of
Sandy Creek Mayor Ernest Grainger, while the toss of a
quarter settled a tie for a seat on the Bolivia Board of
Aldermen. The board will hold hearings later this month
on challenges filed against 53 voters in the l>ong Beach
elections.
The sanitary district, which offers water service to its
residents, covers portions of three precincts ? Leland.
Belville and Woodburn. Only residents of the district
can vote in district elections.
Only four votes separate candidates for the last seat
on the five-member board. Brunswick County Planning
Director John Harvey received 398 votes while incum
bent Julius Adams received 394.
Thinking it would eliminate the need for a new elec
tion. last Thursday Harvey offered to withdraw from the
race, Britt said, but state election law doesn't provide for
that.
it does allow a candidate to withdraw after the elec
tion and before being sworn in. In that instance, it would
be up to the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners
to fill the vacancy. The commissioners could appoint
anyone of their choosing. They would not be bound to
appoint the next-highest vote-getter or to follow the rec
ommendation of the Leland Sanitary District Board of
Directors.
But in this case the election itself is in question. Britt
has forwarded both the county board's refusal to certify
the election and Harvey's offer of withdrawal to the state
board. "This is not a situation that is common." said
Britt. "Mr. Harvey's offer made it unique, that put a little
twist in it."
Should the State Board of Elections order a new elec
lion, said Britt. that could raise new questions, such as
whether Harvey still wants to resign. State law allows
for candidates to withdraw their names from the ballot if
the ballot has not been printed.
If so. that would leave five candidates on the ballot
for five seats.
A ruling from the state board is expected after it
meets later this month. Britt said February is probably
the earliest a new election could be held. Polls in all
three precincts, Leland. Woodburn and Belville, would
be opened.
In Sandy Creek, write-in candidate Brenda Mitchell
won't be replacing incumbent Ernest Grainger as mayor.
Unofficial results had indicated Grainger beat town
councilman Mitchell 35-33 last Tuesday, but Mitchell
questioned the reading of two ballots by the computer.
In a recount Thursday. Mitchell lost a vote and
Grainger's election was affirmed.
By the toss of a coin, longtime Bolivia Aldeiman Klla
Jane Willetts Wescott is getting another two-year term
on the board.
Willetts tied in the Nov. 2 election with challenger
Lloyd Wayne Cox at 23 votes apiece.
Last Thursday, the Brunswick County Board of
Elections followed state rules and broke the tie with a
game of chance. With Willetts assigned "tails" and Cox
"heads," Board Chairman Orie Gore tossed a quarter. It
landed tail side up.
This is the second consecutive town election in which
an alderman's race has been settled in Bolivia by a game
of chance, Britt noted.
Two years ago the tie for the fourth seat on the board
was between Sherry Willetts and Thurston "Tut"
Clemmons. Willetts won that toss.
Bolivia's mayor and all four aldermen are elected
every two years.
In Long Beach, eligibility of 53 voters has been chal
lenged on the basis of residency. Challengers contend
the individuals either do not reside in Long Beach or do
not reside in the precinct in which they vote.
The county elections board will conduct hearings on
the challenges Nov. 18 and 19, starting at 6 p.m. each
day in the county commissioners' chambers at the
Brunswick County Government Center in Bolivia.
FINANCIAL BOOKS IN GOOD ORDER
Auditor: Schools' Budget Cushion Gone
BY SUSAN USHER
After drawing on reserve funds to
meet its budget two years in a row,
the Brunswick County Board of
Education won't have that option
next year.
Auditor Charles Flowers told
school board members Monday
night, "You won't have that cushion.
You had $892,000 two years ago
and you've spent down to $236,000
in two years time."
During the last fiscal year, the
schools took in $93,000 less than it
had budgeted and drew from its re
serves, or working capital, to make
up the difference. This summer, as
part of an agreement reached with
the Brunswick County Commis
sioners, $600,000 in reserve monies
was budgeted to meet day-to-day
operating expenses rather than fur
ther cutting line items the board be
lieved essential.
Flowers said that lack of a fund
balance would not affect the
schools' audit opinion next year, but
would require close monitoring of
the budget to avoid cash flow prob
lems during the year.
The Local Government Commis
sion recommends counties and
towns set in reserve a sum equal to 8
percent to 20 percent of their budget
for cash flow purposes. The com
mission doesn't recommend a spe
cific range for school systems since
they do have income every month
from the county finance office.
However Flowers said those funds
may not always arrive when needed
to meet payroll or other expenses.
"You should have a working bal
ance for cash flow purposes so you
can meet your obligations."
The school system received an
unqualified audit opinion of its fi
nancial statements again this year,
the highest form of opinion. Flowers
Highs Should
Range In 60s
For Few Days
Typical mid-November weather is
in the local forecast for the next few
days.
Shallotte Point meteorologist
Jackson Canady said he expects
temperatures to average from the
upper 40s at night into the upper 60s
during the daytime, with about a
half-inch of rainfall.
For the period of Nov. 2-8, tem
peratures ranged from a daytime
high of 71 degrees on Nov. 4 and 6
to a nighttime low of 32 degrees
Nov. 2.
A daily average high of 64 de
grees combined with a nightly aver
age low of 45 degrees for a daily av
erage temperature of 54 degrees.
Canady said that is about 5 degrees
below average.
He recorded fifty nine-hundredths
inch of rain.
THE BRUNSWICK&EACON
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 $5.55
ELSEWHERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $14.86
Six Months $7.90
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $15.95
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Second class postage paid at
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Chamber Wants To Know How
Residents Perceive Their Schools
BY SUSAN USHER
Why do some people who work in Brunswick County choose not to
live here?
That's just one of the questions the Southport-Oak Island Chamber
of Commerce hopes to answer through a countywide survey it will con
duct in January.
Aimed primarily at determining public perceptions of the Brunswick
County Schools, the survey will be used by the chamber's education
committee to decide how chamber members can best work with local
schools.
"Our education committee would like to forge a partnership between
local businesses and schools that is mutually beneficial," committee
member Jane Kulesza told the Brunswick County Board of Education
Monday night.
"But we have learned that we had a number of perceptions about the
schools, some of which may be accurate and some that may be misper
ceptions."
The committee expects the survey to indicate several types of infor
mation: how parents, students, employers, and graduates of local high
schools view the school system's priorities, performance and
problems/needs; where they get information about the schools; and what
factors they consider in judging the quality of a school system.
The chamber had planned to limit the area surveyed, but instead will
gather information from a sampling of residents across the county.
"There was interest elsewhere and it appeared the statistical data
would be more valid if collected countywide," she said. The survey will
also go to a sampling of individuals who work in Brunswick County but
live elsewhere.
To increase the response rate, committee members plan to distribute
surveys and pick them back up, working with area businesses and the
South Brunswick Islands and North Brunswick chambers.
Results of the 24-question survey will be tabulated and analyzed in
depth with the help of software provided by Carolina Power & Light Co.
said finance department operations
show continued improvement, indi
vidual school accounts are now
maintained on the computer and are
more uniform and reliable, and that
documentation of payroll records
"has improved dramatically."
Flowers recommended that fixed
assets documentation be the next
area the finance office addresses.
The school system has $70.2 million
in fixed assets, excluding food ser
vice, and needs to improve its ac
countability for that property. Once
an item is received and its purchase
price logged, the finance office
needs to track where it is and who is
responsible for it until it is disposed
of by authorized means, he indicat
ed.
Money continued to be the focus
of discussion later as well, as board
members discussed ways to cover
the $87.50 cost per person of pro
viding high-risk employees shots to
prevent the spread of blood-borne
pathogens such as hepatitis B and
HIV, the virus which causes AIDS.
The board budgeted $10,00(),
which will be enough for 105 per
sons since the cost was higher than
expected. Between 140 and 200 per
sons should have the shots. Staff is
checking to see if the schools' insur
ance program will cover any portion
of the cost.
The board also took steps to re
cover money it says is due the
school, directing attorney Glen
Peterson to investigate the sale of
materials out of the warehouse with
out authorization, and attempt to re
cover either the property or its fair
market value.
While Assistant Superintendent
Bill Turner was out of town in early
August, Peterson said later, someone
stopped by the warehouse and made
an offer on some used cafeteria
equipment and an employee sold it
to him. The person later resold the
items for a substantially greater
price. Meanwhile, the unauthorized
sale was noticed when the check
went to the finance office and there
was no documentation.
Under state law the school board
must first declare property surplus
and of no educational use, then ad
vertise it for sale or auction to the
highest bidder. Peterson said the em
ployee involved apparently didn't
know the procedure, a violation that
is being handled internally.
In other business the board:
? approved the contract for
Assistant Superintendent for Sup
port Services Oscar Blanks. The
contract ends June 30, 1996, the
same time as Superintendent Ralph
Johnston 's.and provides a $6,500 lo
cal supplement in addition to
Blank's state salary.
? renewed its audit contract with
Turlington & Flowers for 1993-94;
? in executive session, discussed
efforts to acquire land for Leland
Elementary School;
? heard that the North Brunswick
High School wastewater treatment
plant was seriously damaged by
vandals at about 3 p.m. Friday, with
staff working until 7 p.m. to com
plete repairs. Asst. Superintendent
Bill Turner estimated damages at
more than $2,500 and speculated
that students might be responsible.
? heard, also from Turner, that
renovation of six more classrooms at
Union Elementary has begun, with
classes returned to the first six.
? appointed members to local
school advisory councils, including
Cherri Cheek and PTO President
Russell Brown, Shallotte Middle
School; James Fort, West Brunswick
High School; PTA President Lara
Milligan, Waccamaw Elementary;
PTO President Robin Gaskins,
Union Elementary; and PTA
President Jean Gillette, Supply
Elementary.
Mine Gets Blasted In Letter
From Rose To Permit Agency
(Continued From Page 1-A)
"They say they are opposed to
Martin Marietta, but they are not
playing their part when they give
them a septic permit overnight."
Quinn's letter to the N.C.
Division of Environmental alleges
that on Oct. 28, the county health
department acted "erroneously, un
iawfuiiy and without proper proce
dure" when it issued a septic tank
permit for Martin Marietta's office
and scale house at the mine site.
"The septic permit was issued al
most immediately upon receipt of
the engineering plans," the letter
says. "Evidently, no field verifica
tion of the plans was done and inad
equate review of the plans, calcula
tions and specifications were done.
Again, Martin Marietta appears to
have received preferential treat
ment."
The letter claims that portions of
the septic system are to be "installed
in jurisdictional wetlands," in viola
tion of the federal Clean Water Act.
It asserts that main septic lines are
proposed "less than three feet from
the ground surface in the plant and
stockpile area," where "thousands of
tons of stockpiled rock" will be
piled and heavy equipment will op
erate.
Quinn has asked the state to noti
fy the Brunswick County building
inspections department that the sep
tic permit is under appeal and re
quests that the building permits
based on the permit be revoked or
suspended.
The Beacon received Quinn's let
ter late Tuesday, after the Brunswick
County offices closed and was con
sequently unable to reach county
health officials for comment.
Supply Site Of Dental Sealant Project
Supply Elementary School is
scheduled to conduct a dental seal
ant promotion project during the
week of Nov. 15-19.
The project is being coordinated
through the Brunswick County
Health Department, the Brunswick
County Schools and the N.C.
Department of Environment, Health
and Natural Resources Division of
Dental Health.
The project's goal is to increase
the use of dental sealants on chil
dren's teeth. According to the 1986
87 N.C. School Oral Health Survey,
47 percent of schoolchildren in
North Carolina have tooth decay.
Dental sealants and the proper use of
fluoride protect teeth from decay.
A public health dental team from
the Division of Dental Health will
set up a portable "dental office" at
Supply Elementary School. Team
members include David McDaniel,
public health dentist; Patsy Bey and
Donna Forsythe, project coordina
tors and Brunswick County public
health dental hygienist; Annah Kay
Royal and Susie Bullard, public
health dental hygienists; and Norma
Davis, dental assistant.
Dental sealants are a plastic mate
rial placed on the chewing surfaces
of the back teeth. These surfaces
contain pits and grooves that accu
mulate bacterial plaque which caus
es tooth decay. Eighty -one percent
of all tooth decay in children is on
the chewing surfaces of their teeth.
The procedure for placing a den
tal sealant is simple and painless.
The teeth to be sealed are cleaned
and the sealant material placed on
them. The sealants last four or five
years or longer. It is not necessary
for the teeth to be numb.
Before the sealant project takes
place, educational presentations will
be given to the Supply Elementary
School PTA, teachers and students.
While the "dental office" is operat
ing, classrooms will be encouraged
to visit and become familiar with the
workings of a dental office.
/
STAFF PHOTO BY ERIC CARLSON
BENNY LUDLUM, a former Brunswick County Commissioner, is
sworn in as the newest member of the county board of health
Monday night. Administering the oath of office is health board
Clerk Kay Moore.
Health Board Votes Against
Manager Certification Plan
(Continued From Page 1-A)
with Clorox. It's the employees that
do that.
"I don't know what the answer
is," Quaintance said. "But I don't
think this is."
As health board chairman, Mal
iston Stanley did not cast a vote, but
indicated support for the proposed
rules.
"It's my personal belief that
someone, somewhere has got to take
a stand and set a standard, and the
health board members are the ones
who have to do that," Stanley said.
"The whole idea is to raise the
knowledge base about the latest
techniques in restaurant operations.
You can't just put out a book and ex
pect them to read it."
Newton suggested that the pro
posed regulations might violate state
statutes, which he said prohibit local
governments from imposing rules
on health grading that are more
stringent than those established by
the state.
Health Director Michael Rhodes
said the N.C. Attorney General has
ruled that counties can require food
service manager certification. Only
about six counties in the state have
done so, Robinson said.
In supporting Newton's motion to
return the regulations to committee,
Warren suggested that it be made
mandatory only for food handlers
who fail to achieve an acceptable
health ratings in two consecutive in
spections.
Only one board member, veteri
narian Dr. Brad Kerr, voted in favor
of enacting the food service regula
tions. In an interview Tuesday, Ken
said he was disappointed with the
board's action.
"I am concerned that decisions on
health issues are not being made by
health professionals," Kerr said.
"Economics are being considered as
the primary reason for altering these
regulations. Where are the doctors,
the pharmacists and the dentists who
are supposed to be represented on
this board?"
Only one other health profession
al, Nurse Patricia Nutter, attended
the meeting and voted with the ma
jority. Physician Harry Johnson,
Pharmacist Joey Galloway and
Dentist Jeff Mintz were absent.
Seven of the health board's 1 1 mem
bers are not employed in the health
industry.
In other business, members of the
health department nursing staff
thanked Warren for the county com
missioners' recent vote to raise nurs
ing salaries and to create three new
nursing positions. In requesting the
staff changes, Rhodes told the com
missioner that the county's low
nursing salaries make it difficulty to
hire and maintain a high-quality
nursing staff.
The personnel changes will not
require any additional funds this
year, but will add $43,057 to the
1993-94 budget, Rhodes said.
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