FY 1993 Liquor Sales
Total % Sales Net Local
ABC Board Reg. Sales Mixed Bev. Bottles Profit Profit Dist
Belville $669,821 0 75,273 4.77 $31,452 $31,452
BSL $180,714 0 19,008 5.73 $10,126 0
^Brunswick County $601.235 $104,153 70,532 4.34 $27,700 0
Caiabash $562.3/7 $108,332 62,709 5.89 $35:145 $20,199
Long Beach $428,899 $136,017 52,851 7.44 $40,632 $30,632
Ocean Isle Beach $471,794 $ 46,576 50,158 9.83 $49,487 $44,944
Shallotte $564,812 $ 24,815 60,871 5.06 $29,423 $30,000
Southport $521,765 $108,054 61,177 10.50 $64,155 $64,155
Sunset Beach $360,490 $ 76,789 40,479 4.46 $19,162 $13,052
Yaupon Beach $408,713 $ 54,891 44.280 8.33 $37,561 $30,049
TOTAL $4,770,620 $659,627 537,338
?INCLUDES HOLDEN BEACH AND MACO STORES
State Tells Local ABC Sales, Profits
Patrons of Brunswick County's community-governed
liquor stores bought more than halt a million bottles of
booze between July I. I992 and June 30. 1993, accord
ing to a report from the North Carolina Alcoholic
Beverage Control ( ABC) Board.
Gross sales to individuals totaled S4.77 million, a
slight increase over last year's $4.61 million. Sales to
restaurants and clubs for mixed beverages totaled
$659,000. an $80,884 increase over lasi year.
Leading the pack in regular sales was the Belville
ABC store, with $(>(>9,821 Leading in net profit was the
Southport store with $64,155. all ol which was locally
distributed.
The Shallotte store, whose sales and profits declined
with the opening of the Brunswick County ABC Board's
tirsl liquor store ;it Holilen Beach in 1990. enjoyed a
modest increase in sales and a modest decline in profit
as compared to last year, with $5(->4.K12 in individual
sales. S24.S15 in mixed beverage sales and a $2*>.423
net profit. Last year's sales at Shallotte totaled $550,399
to individuals and $23,245 for mixed beverages, for a
net profit of 32.051.
Brunswick County added a second ABC store near
Maco durinu the fiscal year, raising its regular sales
from $4l)2.'>07 in I V 92 to $(>01,235 for 1993.
Combined sales for all the stores totaled $5.43 million
for FY 1993. compared to $5.22 million last year.
County To Negotiate With Raleigh
Engineering Firm On Water Project
BY SI SAN USHKK
After delaying action at meetings
in November and December. Bruns
wick County Commissioners voted
3-2 Tuesday night to begin contract
negotiations with a Raleigh engi
neering firm tor design of a $2.(>
million water system expansion.
Commissioners' Chairman Don
Warren and Commissioner Way land
Vereen voted against the motion by
Commissioner Jerry Jones to start
negotiations with Camp, Dresser
and McKee (COM)
Later Warren said that his only
objection to the contract was that he
had wanted "county representation"
on the project. "If we can get capa
ble. competent people who live in
the county, then we should do it," he
said.
The capital improvements project
will provide water service to the
Shell Point. Civietown, Sunset
Harbor and Mount Misery Road ar
eas.
In December the board put off a
vote after three members wanted
more information on the companies
recommended by a committee made
up of Counts Manager Wyman
Yelton, Counts I Engineer Robert
Tucker and Utility Operations
Director Jem Webb. The commit
tee's top choice then and Tuesday
night was CDM of the six compa
nies that submitted proposals and
were interviewed, their second
choice. McKim and Creed of
Wilmington had mx employees liv
ing in Brunswick County, while oth
er lirms said they would likely hire
local surveyors and project man
agers
A motion to begin negotiations
w ith McKim and Creed failed on a
2-3 vote in December.
in other business, commissioner:;:
? agreed to support a Brunswick
County Economic Development
Commission (KDC) proposal seek
ing to location in Brunswick County
of a planned National Hunting and
fishing Museum of the Amcricas.
? made these appointments:
? on a 3-2 vote with Jones anil
Shaw voting no. Al Parker Sr. of
Supply to the ABC" Board.
Nominated hy Warren. Parker will
succeed Clyde R. Bahson. who was
nominated by Jones for reappoint
ment.
3 In unanimous vote. Joe Causey
of Ocean Isle Beach to the attorney
slot on the Southeastern Center Area
Board, replacing District Attorney
Rex Gore; Boyd Evans of Ash
(District 4) to the Planning Board,
replacing Assistant District Attorney
Marion Warren, and Wallace Slack
of Calabash. District I. and (by
reappointment) Rudolph Simmons
of Supply. District 2. to the Utility
Operations Board.
? heard from Developmental
Disabilities Director Sandy Rcsnick
of Southeastern Center's proposed
10-year plan. Instead of trying to
"plug" people into existing services,
the agency will try to "pull together
the pieces" necessary lor a deveiop
mentally disabled client to be main
tained in his or her own community.
Transportation has been rated as a
top priority need for adults and chil
dren. along with expanded housing
opportunities for adults and locally
available screening, evaluation and
treatment tor children.
? appointed Benedict J. Delre as
a two-year trustee and William C.
Todd as a one-year trustee of the
Iri-Beach VFD Firemen's Relief
Fund.
? approved a new cost-sharing
plan for the Transportation Advisory
Committee that serves Brunswick
and New Hanover counties and the
city of Wilmington. Brunswick
County's snare of expenses would
be 10 percent, which for this year's
work program would have been
$1.650
? announced that Schools
Superintendent Ralph Johnston and
Board of Education Chairman
Donna Baxter would be meeting
with county officials Jan. 20 at 5
p.m. to share information on the sta
tus of the Iceland Elementary School
project and preliminary 1994-95
budget plans
? accepted a copy of North
Carolina Natural Resources from
Cooperative Extension 4-H Agent
Billy Privette Copies will he also be
given to public and school libraries.
? at Shaw 's request, county engi
neer Robert Tucker will look into
the appropriateness of the county re
moving trash piled up at a former
green box site within the town of
Navassa. Mayor Bobby Brown has
assured Shaw the problem will not
reoccur, and Shaw said he thinks
picking up the trash and digging a
ditch across the access would be a
good public relations effort with the
town.
? on the recommendation of the
Planning Board, set a March 21 pub
lic hearing on the proposed rezoning
of Sections II and III of Riverside
Estates subdi\ ision from low density
to moderate density to reflect exist
ing single-w:de mobile homes.
Based on his interpretation of a new
state law on rezoning. Planning
Director John Harvey told commis
sioners it would cost SI l.(KK) to run
the four required advertisements.
? accepted a plaque from Turtle
Watch Program Coordinator Tina
Pritchard of the Brunswick County
Parks & Recreation Department for
the commissioners' past budget sup
port of the program.
? heard a request trom Bolivia
resident Silas Medlin lor enforce
ment of a state law that bans the sale
of fruits and vegetables and other
items from vehicles or stands placed
within the state highway right-of
way. "Why is Brunswick County the
only one that allows these people to
come in trom Tabor City and South
Carolina'.'" he asked, noting that he
pays rent and county taxes, while
they don't.
ShcsHotte Sets Incentive Policies
(Continued From Page I-A)
sent system, the warehouse owner
pa\s a higher capital reserve fee.
Durham handed aldermen a copy
of the fee schedule used in Wilm
ington. where fees are based on the
number of seats in restaurants,
room-, in motels arid chairs in beauty
shops, instead of square footage
"This iv trving to put the burden
where it belongs," said Durham,
who wants the board to discuss the
fees at the Feb I meeting
Taking A Srand
Shallotte officials say they aren't
sure the Lockwood Foil) River area
is the best location for .1 new county
landfill.
f ive sites in the Suppl) -Bolivia
area, all within the met s drainage
basin, are being considered as poten
tial sites for a new dump The exist
ing landfill is running out ot pace,
and .1 new one is needed bv I99N
A county committee is investigat
ing IMies. Of the five near Suppl)
a state task force has indicated that a
s70 acre tract along Gilbert Road
bordering a tributary of the
Lock wood Folly IS the best choice
Approximately MXI people
jammed the Public Assembly Buil
ding in Bolivia iast week to op|*>sc
the five sites. They said a landfill
would displace residents and cause
environmental damage to the river.
While stopping short of a resolu
tion opposing the new landfill sites,
Shallotte officials dul pass a motion
Tuesday muht that a dump adjacent
to the river is not in the best interest
of the community.
"People earn ihcii living out of
the Ixxrkwood l olly Kiver." Mayor
Sarah Tripp said. "I don't think we
should do anything in this county to
pollute it."
Taking No Stand
While hoard members offered
their support It) landfill opponents,
they declined to take any stand
against Martin Marietta's proposed
rock quarry near Southport
Iripp said Boiling Spring Lakes
ifficials are seeking Shallotte's sup
port in fighting the limestone pit.
"My personal feelings are we need
the |obs," the mayor said.
Other board members said the
town should let state officials re
viewing Martin Marietta's permit
application make the final decision.
Other Business
In other business Tuesday, alder
men
E Voted to hire Aubrey lx*e
Sexton ot Supply as an employee in
ihe maintenance department. Sexton
was recommended hy aldermen
David (j.iuse and Hill Allen and
Maintenance Supervisor Albert
Hughes. The vote followed a brief
executive session called to discuss a
personnel matter
? Decided to continue de|x>siting
town funds with Southern National
Bank. Town officials were consider
ing offering from other banks. "The
amount of money involved doesn't
warrant a change at this time."
Durham said. I think d interest
rates change it might be a different
story."
? Agreed to contribute $2.5(X) to
Friends of the Library, which in
tends to rent space to house the West
Brunswick Branch Library while it
is closed six months for renovation.
Shallotte's contribution is contingent
on the group finding rental space in
the town.
? Took no action on Police Chiet
Rodney Cause's request to apply for
a grant that would pay 75 percent of
the cost of having a full-time officer
stationed at Shallotte Middle
School. Aldermen want to see if the
school hoard supjxiris the idea be
fore giving their appr< val.
Rose Hears Health Professionals'
Skepticism About Reform Proposal
(Continued From Page I-A)
tributed to skyrocketing health care
costs.
"There's open season on doctors
and health care providers," Rose
said. You can file suit against them,
and if you're even close to having a
claim you'll get a settlement."
Connie Adams, who handles pa
perwork for her husband's medical
practice in Southport. told Rose
she's worried paperwork will in
crease under a federal health care
plan.
"You want So spend time with
your patients, hut you're pushed into
all this paperwork," she explained.
Wilmington businessman Leith
Mellens said one of the reasons he
moved to the area from Canada was
the national health care program in
his homeland, where gasoline costs
40 percent more than it does here
and cigarettes sell for $7 a pack.
"They are in horrendous shape as
a result of this national health care
plan," Hellens said of Canada. "I'm
extremely concerned about it. There
are a lot of unanswered questions."
Hellens, who owns Yellow Cab
Company, said he would have to
close his business if Clinton's plan is
approved.
Rose said he doesn't think Con
gress will not approve a plan that re
quires small businesses to provide
coverage.
"I don't believe in socialized
medicine, although this is starting to
smell like socialized medicine,"
Rose said. "I plan to vote when giv
en an opportunity to keep us from
going in this direction."
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG RUTTf*
CONGRESSMAN CHARLIE ROSE (left) speaks with Wilmington
businessman l.eith Hellens following a meeting last Friday in
Shallotte.
issue 1 vote on this year if there is a warning. If this doesn't work out
inj. any threats hut vmi are issuinii a it.
Cold Weather Rough On Local Plumbing
(Continued From Page 1-A)
"We've prohahlv had between
150 and 200 calls related to this
weather." Paula Poller of PJ&A
Plumbing Contractors said Tuesday.
"To be honest, a lot of them we've
had to turn down."
"We've had people who said
they've been waiting for two or
three days to get water pipes fixed."
Potter added. "Hopefully we'll get
caught up one of these days."
Building Inspector Druied Rober
son said the freeze caused "a whole
bunch" of ruptured water lines at
Ocean Isle Beach.
"We don't have any numbers, and
we didn't really try to keep up with
the numbers," Roberson said. "All
I he police officers did Monday was
drive around cutting off water
lines."
"We had pipes bursting every
where." Sunset Beach Town
Administrator Linda Fluegei said
Tuesday. "The chief told me we had
a lot of breaks but he didn't know
the number."
Exposed water lines burst at more
than 50 homes on Holden Beach
over the weekend, said Town Man
ager Gus Ulrich.
"They're calling for the tempera
ture to stay below freezing all day
Wednesday," Ulrich said. "That will
probably result in a lot more
breaks."
Nobody sought shelter at the
National Guard Armory in Shallotte.
one of 31) across the state that was
open over the weekend to provide a
warm place for anyone needing
refuge.
Some folks in the Sunset Beach
area probably wished they had
moved to the armory after losing
power?and electric heat?early
Sunday morning.
Brunswick Electric Membership
Corp. spokesman Phil Morgan said
power was lost in Sunset Beach and
parts of Calabash after a transmis
sion line malfunctioned. All cus
tomers had service restored within
three hours.
Ledgett: 'Simulcast' Transmission System
Couid Solve County's Communication Woes
BY SUSAN USHER
Tones broadcast from C-Comm?
the central communications center in
Bolivia that serves all Brunswick
County fire and rescue/EMS units?
can activate pagers in Myrtle Beach,
S.C., hut miss the mark too often in
downtown Calabash as well as other
"dead" areas within the county.
The county's rescue/EMS fre
quency sometimes interferes with
the Carteret County Sheriff's Depar
tment's law enforcement frequency
to the extent the dispatch center
sometimes nas trouble hearing their
cars.
Emergency personnel with hand
held portable radio units and some
times mobile units can't consistently
contact C-Comm from certain areas
of the county.
The solution?
After approximately a year of
study. Emergency Services Director
Doug Ledgctt Tuesday night asked
county commissioners to support a
two-part upgrade that he said is ex
pensive but necessary for both emer
gcu?.> services and for emergency
management in the event of a natur
al disaster.
Moving to a simulcast-type trans
mission system with at least two re
mote antenna sites and a "voting re
ceiver'' system will bring the pager
reception rate to KM) percent and
consistency to two-way communica
tions with C-Comm, which provides
communication services for all
Brunswick County fire and rescue/
HMS units.
With a simulcast system, a trans
mission would originate at C
Comm. with a radio signal simulta
neously broadcasted from each of
several remote antennae, probably
mounted on existing structures. The
voting receiver system would either
broadcast or land line incoming
transmission signals to C-Comm
"We need a way to talk to all of
our units and a way for them to talk
to both our communications center
and with each other." said l^edgett.
!f commissioners give County
Manager Wyman Yelton the go
ahead. I,edgctt and a committee that
includes Emergency Management
Director Cecil Logan and represen
tatives of two area equipment ven
dors. David Kanoy anil Michael
Savage, will continue making plans
and developing bid specifications
"Our biggest
problem is in
?
downtown
Calabash.
?Doug I f.dgett
for the project. It would be an addi
tion to the existing system, not a re
pluccmcpi
Current pager tone transmissions
from C-Comm generally activate
targeted pagers lX) percent to 95 per
cent of the time. The county has ap
proximately 400 pagers in service.
"Our biggest problem is in down
town Calabash." he said, adding that
the county sheriff's department has
traditionally had problems transmit
ting to units there as well.
Emergency personnel in the Cala
bash. Sunset Beach and Waccamaw
areas, and in the Navuvxi and North
wes! ?''<???>. the most fre
quent problems, only partly because
of distance from the transmitter.
I x'dgett said weather conditions,
location inside or outside of a build
ing of the individual carrying a unit,
and sometimes the durability and re
liability of a pager itself contribute
to the problems involving pagers
and ladios.
Shinwa, which manufactures one
brand of pager used by the county, is
upgrading those units at its own ex
pense in an effort to improve relia
bility and reception capabilities. It is
installing more powerful antennas
and electronic, computer- said
lx*dgett.
However. I.edgett said communi
cation interference such as the
Carteret County situation appears to
be a result ol "the peculiar phenom
ena attributed to radio transmis
sions along certain coastal areas, and
is also aftected by atmospheric con
ditions.
When interference with Carteret
County is severe, Brunswick County
switches transmissions to its Supply
tower until conditions improve,
though the lower antenna affects
county communication with outly
ing areas.
When the county's radio system
was designed, projections indicated
that the 500-foot antenna tower with
200 watts of transmission power
built at the county center should
have provided adequate coverage for
county's fire and rescue/emergency
medical services needs, both for
paging and two-way communica
tions.
Previously the units were served
by the 200-foot county-owned tower
at Supply thiit has KM) watts of
transmission power and is used now
for back-up purposes.
The proposed improvements
could cost as much as $250,0tM) with
remote sites in the Calabash/Sunset
Beach, Navassa/Leland and South
port/Gak Island areas, or consider
ably less. The final cost range would
be affected by the cost of a new typo
of equipment expected to reach the
market this spring and by whether
the county chooses to bid the system
in phases or all at once.
Short-term savings would be pos
sible by installing two dedicated
telephone lines to each site instead
of using radio frequencies, but sav
inns would eventually be ottset r?y
monthly phone charges.
"While the total cost of this pro
ject may be high," advised Ledgett,
"there does not appear to be any oth
er solution to the issues. Imple
mentation of this project needs to be
undertaken as soon as possible."
THE BRUN$WiCK$BEACON
Kstablished Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Kvery Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year S 10.36
Six Months $5.55
ELSEWHERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA
One Year SI4.86
Six Months $7.90
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $15.95
Six Months $8.35
Second class postage paid at
Shallotte, N.C. 28459. USPS 777
780. Postmaster, send address
changes to:
P.O. Box 2558,
Shallotte, N.C. 2X459-2558