ATTORNEY TO PROBE PROPERTY HANDLING
Commissioners, School Board Requesting Central Office Audit
IIY SI S\N I'SIIKK
Brunswick County Commis
sioners and the Board of Itducation
will jointly request and fund a man
agement audit of the schools* central
office in what one commissioner
siw he hopes is the start of .1 new
trend.
I'hc audit had been suggested a
month ago by Commissioner Way
land Vereen as a way to find out
how the school system spends its
money, whether duplications of scr
\ ices or jobs exists and to look at
ways to improve its efficiency.
Commissioners approved the joint
venture Monday night on a motion
b\ Chairman Don Warren after
County Manager Wyman Yelton re
ported that school officials had. in
informal conversation last week,
agreed the idea was practical.
"I'm elad to see the board of
working together." said Commis
sioner Ibm Rabon. "I hope this
starts a trend."
Commissioner Donald Shaw
broached ihe idea of making any
recommendations made by the state
auditor's office binding. While qucs
tioning ihe county's ability to do
that. Warren said. "If we pay one
half of it I'm sure we can make it
\er\ public."
Seeking the management audit
was one ot two steps approved last
week by school board members in
an effort to help stem public second
guessing ot recent school system
management decisions.
School boaid membcr> voted
their support of the audit contingent
upon funding being available. They
voted also to hire an outside law
firm to join board attorney tilen
Peterson in delving further into the
sale ot used cafeteria equipment last
summer.
local officials don't know how
much a management audit will cost,
but expect it would be less than the
$20.01 K> Wake County paid for a
similar studx Wake is the largest of
the 12 school systems that have been
audited by the state agency. I re
County, which is similar in student
population if not physical size to
Biunsivick Count*, is the most
cent system studied. That report will
be published (his spring
State auditors circulate a ques
tionnaire among "customers" of the
central office, from principals to
schiMll bus mechanics, to find out
how well the system functions.
Because ot its existing workload, if
the agency agrees to do the
Brunswick County study auditors
aren't expected to begin until some
time in the next budget vear. after
July I.
Commissioners and school hoard
members have indicated they hope
audit will help break down the real
or pcrceived wall of mistrust be
tween the two boards. Las! year
their disagreements over school
funding resulted in a court-mediated
consent judgment
Several years ago the N.C.
Department of Public Instruction
conducted a central office organiza
tional study that recommended re
alignment of staff under four assis
tant superintendents and hiring addi
tional personnel. Some of the rec
ommendations were implemented,
others not. and the staff has been re
organized a second time since the
study.
In contrast with state public
school officials, county commission
r; v?t ('''Ct! tfl?l? CdltT
ficc is "top heavy" with administra
tors.
Superintendent of Schools Ralph
Johnston urged school board mem
bers' support for the audit last week.
He said he has talked with adminis
trators of other school systems that
have been studied by the state audi
tor's office and is convinced a man
agement audit would be a good in
vestment. He had mentioned the
possibility ol ;i less comprehensive
curriculum audit shortly alter join
ing the system in fall IW2. hut
funds were not available.
A review hv a neutral third party
may quell some of the commission
crs* questioning i?f how the schtx)!
system's central office is operated,
while providing the basis for a five
year strategic plan for improving op
eration and delivery of education
services.
Outside Attorney 'lb Probe
Also at their March 14 meeting
the school board voted to hire the
law firm of Richard Schwartz and
Associates ot Raleigh to investigate
the sale last summer of used South
port Elementary School cafeteria
equipment to a Long Beach restau
rant owner in a procedure that didn't
follow school system |??licy for dis
posa! propcr!v
"I'm very concerned about the
credibility of the school system and
the legality of the actions that may
have been taken by some employees
regarding the disposition and use of
school property." Johnston advised
board members in a written recom
mendation. "The ongoing public
concern has the potential to weaken
support for the positive efforts in the
schools if the people who trust in us
do not have this issue addressed."
The goal of the investigation will
he to determine what actually did
happen, who may have been respon
sible for improper activities related
to the equipment sales as well as any
other incidents in the past, and to
prevent anything similar from occur
ring in the future.
"We want to lie sure we have cov
ered all areas." said Chairman
Donna Baxter. "We wanted it to be a
thorough investigation. We have
worked with Schwartz and he has
proven his worth to us in the past."
Baxter said she wants rumors
about property mishandling either
confirmed or laid to rest.
"As long as I have been on the
board I have heard rumors, there has
always been 'smoke' in this area."
she said. "I've always been taught
that where there is smoke, there is
Usually '? fire
Superintendent Johnston said he
believes his administration's investi
gation of the matter was thorough
and accurate, and moved in the right
direction, contrary to public criti
cism of the firing of Maintenance
Supervisor Odell Benton, who has
since been reinstated.
A specialist in school law.
Schwartz is already employed as a
consultant to the school board, lie
has helped draft new personnel and
student discipline policies, conduct
ed workshops lor administrators,
and is helping rework other policies
Following its own in-house inves
ligation, the school board said the
director of child nutrition had not
known about the school policy .it the
time she sold the cafeteria equip
ment. The board took no formal ac
tion against her. A maintenance de
partmcnl supervisor was later fired
for his alleged role in the sale, then
reinstated on a split vote ol the
board.
The assistant superintendent who
oversee both the maintenance and
nutrition departments was directed
to put in place procedures that as
sure all employees he supervises are
lamiliar of school system policies
Assistant Superintendent Hill Turner
presented sample manuals to the
school hoard, saving the manual's
contents would be reviewed vsith
workers.
THE BRUNSWICK^BEACON
Established Nov. 1. 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Hvery Thursday
At 470') Main Street
Shallotte. N.C 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year $10.36
Six Months S5.5S
ELSEWHERE IN
\ORTII C AROLINA
One Year $ 14.8ft
Six Months $7.W
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. 28459-2558
County Zoning Comes Under Fire
In Public Hearing
(( nntinued Krom 1-A)
hor husband bought property in the
Moorcs Crock subdivision with the
intention of building a home.
"My husband has been clearing
land and we arc readv to build." she
said. " I'hcn. a week and a half ago
w e went to get a permit and found
out wc can't build a house because
we're in a commercial zone I don't
know what else we can do (with the
land), but I don't think the people
around us want a junkyard or a gas
station next to them."
Norm and Sabrina Puckett built a
house in Southwood Estates before
the zoning ordinance went into ef
fect. When he recently applied lor a
permit to add a garage. Puckett said
he was told that, because of the
commercial zoning, the addition
would have to be equipped with
wheelchair tamps and other modifi
cations to make it accessible to the
handicapped.
Other residents of the area ex
pressed concern over rumors that a
large-scale truck terminal was
planned tor the proposed C-M /one.
I'hey tear that increased truck traffic
along the two adjacent highways
would adversely affect their neigh
borhood and endanger school buses
travelling to nearby South Bruns
vs ick Middle School.
I.ong Bay Properties Inc.. which
owns the land, has not revealed its
plans for the property. However the
owners ?? ive told the planning board
that the zoning change is needed for
the use they have in mind.
Truck terminals, transport ware
houses and storage yards arc speciS*
cally prohibited in the existing (."
1.1) /one. Trucking, transportation
and Ireight-handling facilities are
permitted uses in a C-M /one.
Attorney Mason Anderson, repre
senting Long Bay. tried to allay
fears that the owners plan to use the
land for support services tor the pro
posed limestone mine. However, he
did not say what the developer's
plans were.
"This is not part of Martin
Marietta in anv way." he said, 'i!
this change is made, it would not
impact the use of their homes what
soever. I don't blame them it they
don't understand what's going on. II
I didn't understand. I'd he con
cerned too."
Shadid returned to the podium to
remark. "It doesn't matter what you
have in mind. Once it has Keen
zoned commercial manufacturing, it
can he sold and used lot whatever is
allowed."
A public hearing was set for May
I ft at 5 p.m. on Long Bay's re-zon
%?*?? -tl A# itt ni>vl miiotimi
...ww....j,.
the planning board is expected to
consider changing the zoning for
Moores Creek and Southwood
Estates to low-density residential.
In a prepared statement uiging the
commissioners to adopt the Mining
Awareness Committee's zoning law
changes. Robert Ouinn of Southport
called the planning board's alterna
tive proposal "a back-handed way of
addressing the issue" that "waffles
and sends the signal that these things
are within the realm of possibility."
lic said that instead of allowing
undesirable uses in a "mythical,
non-existent" rural industrial zone,
the commissioners should alter the
zoning law to permanently ban such
activities as animal slaughtering and
processing facilities. hazardous
waste storage and processing sites,
incinerators and heavy-impact min
ing.
"Have you noticcd that not one
person has ever come out at one of
these meetings to say that they want
an incinerator or a hazardous waste
dump here?" Quinn said in an inter
view after the meeting. "Nobody
wants them. So why should we al
low them?"
(Juinn said he was pleased that
the commissioners decided not to
adopt "the dodge ball passed to them
by the planning board." He said he
hopes they will approve BMAC's al
ternative plan instead.
"It's ironic that what we have
been asking them to prohibit haz
ardous waste storage for the past
year, and now here comes the
Department of linergy wanting to
ship spent nuclear fuel through the
county." Ouinn said. "If we prohibit
it. we put them on notice that we
don't want it here.
"You can't keep sitting on your
hands until somebody comes up and
punches you in the head." he said.
"Otherwise, the next thing you
know you've got nuclear waste
rolling through Shallotte."
I he commissioners arc cxncctco
to take up the proposed zoning law
changes at their next meeting.
Official Answers
Vary On Nuke Transport Plan
(Continued From Page I-A)
Portsmouth.
DOt spokesman Jim Ciuisti at the
Savannah River site said Tuesday
that the Virginia ports don't comply
lullv with plan requirements.
"They're too lar away and have too
many people," he said. "We're re
evaluating the list."
Ask David llui/enga of the U.S.
Dept. of Energy in Washington,
D.C., and he'll iepi> wiiii an equally
emphatic "No." He'll add that none
of the eight earlier sites have been
eliminated and will not he until all
public comments have been consid
ered and a final paper issued around
mid-April.
"We've got a lot of comments to
answer," he said Tuesday. "We have
to try to strike a balance between
(local) political realities and legiti
mate logistical concerns. It's not
easy."
Once DOE issues its final paper
next month the agency must provide
30 <.ia>s' Congressional notice be
fore doing anything, Huizenga said.
Ciiusti said once a port is chosen.
DOE must identify and contract
with a shipper that uses the port, a
process that could lake 30 to MO
days, lie estimated the first ship
ment of fuel could be transported by
June or July. Huizenga projects Sep
tember or later as the "earliest time
frame." The number and size of
siiipiiicntN hasn't I Vv C n determined.
"It could be as little as two ships
over a couple of years." he said. "It
depends on the number of casks per
ship. We could ship it one cask at a
time on a commercial vessel or
commission a ship."
A need for stringent security is
nut a major factor in the port deci
sion. !)()! spokesmen said. While
keeping the tul S out of the wrong
hands is one intent of the return pro
gram. they said Tuesday the threat
til terrorist attack has been over
blown in light ot the detailed pre
cautions the product requires. Typ
ically the spent fuel elements are
handled only by individuals in pro
tective gear, and only with the ele
ments under water for extra protec
tive shielding. The casks are very
strong and extremely damage-resis
tant and heat-resistant.
"It's not a gtnid terrorist target,
but we're acting as if it is," said
Ciiusti. "We taking all the standard
security precautions." Most of the
precautions would be similar to
those used for transporting any haz
ardous material, others are more
specific. Typical are using interstate
highway wiictc possible, Liking ilic
most direct route, daylight travel, no
overnight or non-essential stops.
In this case drivers would be spe
cially trained and the transport
would he monitored by satellite as
an added safety measure, said (iiu
sti. Use of escorts would be worked
out with the local government. Ix>
gan said he thinks that should be the
responsibility of state and local law
enforcement agencies.
Ciiusti said DOh does not take
possession of the fuel until delivery
to llie Savannah River sile. Res
ponse preparations in the port com
munity are primarily the responsibil
ity of the shipper, with DOli making
certain the community is prepared
for any eventuality.
The agency is also preparing an
environmental impact statement for
a proposed acceptance policy for re
turn of up to 15,(KX) spent fuel ele
ments from foreign research reactors
over a 15-year period.
Festivities Set
For Hoiaen Beach
(Continued From Pane 1-A)
A special ceremony featuring a
re-enactment of the first town meet
ing will be held l-riday at 6 p.m. in
llolden Beach Chapel. A reception
will follow at llolden Beach Town
Hall.
I owell said special Hags com
memorating the town's silver an
niversary will be on sale during the
Day At The Docks.
Public Input Being Sought
A public meeting will he held hv anticipated.
the U.S. Department of Energy next In a related step, the department
Wednesday night. March 3(1 in Wil- has extended until April S the period
mington to discuss the spent nuclear for public comment on the draft en
fuel return program and to answer lo- vironmental assessment (EA) for the
cal residents' questions about consid- project Written comments or re
eration of Sunny Point or Wil- quests for copies of the revised draft
mington as potential ports of eiitry. I.A should be addressed to David
The meeting will be held from 7 Hui/.enga. Office of the Deputy As
p.m to 9:30 p.m in Cameron Audi- sistant Secretary for Waste Manage
torium at the Cameron School of ment. I S Dept. of Energy (Mail
Business on the UNC-Wilmington Stop EM-30). KKMI Independence
campus. (><M S. College Rd.. Wil Ave S W . Washington. D.C. 20585
mington. (KKM.
No separate meeting will be held Iluizenga can also be reached by
in Brunswick County as was first telephone at 202-586-0368.
Warm, Dry Weather To Stay
The unseasonably warm and dry rainfall Over the next seven days
weather that moved into the South For the period March 15-21.
Brunswick Islands last week is ex- ( .mady measured no precipitation at
pected to stick around for at least a Shallotte Point.
few more days. The daily average temperature
Temperatures should stay above during the period was 57 degrees,
average and rainfall should be below which is about 2 degrees above nor
normal for the rest of the week, ac- mal
cording to amateur meteorologist I he maximum high reading was
Jackson C'anady of Shallotte Point. M) degrees on March 20. and the
Temperatures should range from minimum low was 31 degrees oil the
the low 50s at night to the low 70s I th I he il.nl average high was 71
during the day. Canady said Tuesday degrees, and tfu .r erai e nightly low
he expects less than one-hall inch ol w is 43 degia s
r
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1 Macular Degeneration
1 Glaucoma Surgery
Carolina I ? Laser Surgery of the Eye
Eye | ? Retina & Vitreous Surgery
754-5434
Local Brunswick County Center
Brunswick Hospital ? Supply (800) 422-1564
Myrtle Beach Center (800) 758 6478 ? Wilmington Center (800) 995 4440
The Eye Surgery Specialists
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1-800-424-0115
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ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen
In Brunswick County j6.30 J5.30
N.C. Sales Tax 38 .32
Postage Charge 3.68 3.68
TOTAL 10.36 9.30
Elsewhere in North Carolina j6 30 J5.30
N.C. Sales Tax 38 .32
Postage Charge 8.18 8 18
TOTAL 14.86 13.80
Outside North Carolina j6 30 _|5.30
Postage Charge _<Lfi5 9
TOTAL 15.95 14.95
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