Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Sept. 22, 1994, edition 1 / Page 5
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School Board Member LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Says Funding Rationale ' Ridiculous ' To the editor: county" comm'1 " appCars ,hat Sdv fOU?H SSIO"erS h3VC effec Hvely found a way to undo the re oent jury verdict in favor of the and"S^ Unty Schools- ,he 'rial ^nd osequen, med.a coverage has ?rvc^ l0 focus clearly the present with regard to county political prior During the trial County Com missioner Don Warren testified that he was aware of school needs that were going unmet by the county's ft Of" Frt ]0C" <**> <? <?' DonjJd Commissioner ponald ihaw recently explicitly ac "i?1 county school y. tern needs The commissioners' recognition of needs and their atten dant tkcsmn not to increase taxes to meet those needs evidences a policy determination that the tax rate hZ higher political priority than docs educational need. They rationalize this by saying that the county cannot afford to pay for these admittedly unmet educa tional needs This is ridiculous The average cost of the jury verdict is per parcci in the county Most taxpayers spend three times that much annually on their cable televi sion bill. To contend that ,hc aMJnty CMno( afford this is ludicrous; the reality Ls that the county commissioners do not want to finance these education al needs Hie fact that they refuse to produce the funding Ls a clear and unmistakable statement of priorities It is their determination that the tax rate in Brunswick County has a higher priority than education It ob viously is my opinion that such a prioritization reflects a very short - Mghtcd view of the needs of the county Worse still, it ? a self per petuatwg problem If you never cdu catc your children, you never will produce leaders smart enough to recognize the need for education t onsequcntly your priorities will re main the same and the county will continue to suffer the consequence* in the form of stagnated and undesir able development Commissioner Jerry Jones, in an honest assessment, recently told a reporter that he thought that the oomm iss loners ' decision was in conformity with the desires of the voters and, if the voters disagree, then they could vole against the in cumbents in November Mr Jones is nght If nothing more, the funding dispute has very clearly set forth, in unmistakable terms, the choices, come election day: The choice is be tween enhancing your children's fu ture or saving 10 cents per $100 m taxes. Your priority in that trade-off should determine your vote for or against the incumbent commission ers. William F. Fairlcy Southport The writer u a member of the Brunswick County Board of Education. Attorney Didn't Agree To Additional Funding To the editor: This is in response to Susan Usher's article in the Sept. 15 edi uos of the Beacon cotKTtninn the additional funding for the Bo^d of Education ordered by Judge Thomp son pending the appeal of the Board of Education lawsuit against the county. I would appreciate in the future that before a statement or position is attributed to me by one of your staff they first speak to me. Ms Usher's report that I, on behalf of the com missioners, agreed to provide an ad ditional $700,000 in funding pend ing the appeal is simply false. Nei ther I nor the commissioners agreed to provide this additional money. I do not appreciate Ms Usher's lack of professionalism in attributing such a statement to me without ronfirmino with me whether I in fact made the statement. I did consent, after an unsuccess ful effort to settle the issue, to pre sent the matter without a formal mo tion to Judge Thompson. This was done to accommodate the Board of Education so they could plan for the present school year. North Carolina General Statute I15C-43I requires that the schools receive the same level of funding as the previous year, pending an ap peal. Judge Thompson's decision for funding the schools an additional $700,000 was based on the Board of Education receiving less money this year from other sources than last year, and the depletion of their fund balance. But the decision was Judge Thompson's, not mine or the com missioners, and he accordingly or dered the additional funding. Michael R. Ramos County Attorney Appalled, Not Shocked To the editor: I was appalled, but not shocked or surprised, at the commissioners' de cision to further appeal the court's decision to award the Brunswick County Schools the money they need to sufficiently run the school system. The commissioners' move is purely political The commissioners have the need to be able to shrug their shoulders and raise their arms in despair when they find it neces sary to raise taxes. After all. they will lament, we took it to the highest court in the land. It's not our fault we have to raise taxes? However, it was admitted by the commissioners early on that they do have the funds to pay the schools what they need without raising tax es; however, they said they would have to "dip into their savings." Excuse me, but what man or woman in this country has not had to dip in to their savings when an important and necessary expense comes up? And whose savings account is this anyway? if support of the public schools iso't a vital expense, I don't know what is. Unfortunately, the lack of sup port of education by the commis sioners reflects a major underlying problem in this county. All some people (especially the commission ers) can talk of is test scores in Brunswick County, but many peo ple (especially the commissioners) aren't willing to put education first. However, the commissioners feel no compunction in wasting tax dollars to pay extravagant court and lawyer fees. As Commissioner Jerry Jones was quoted as saying. "If the people in the public don't think we've operat ed sufficiently or run the county suf ficiently, they have the right to elect whoever they choose." Well, the public has already spoken ? it's called a jury of average Brunswick County citizens. And, Jerry, you can bet your sweet ballot we will elect "whoever we choose." By the way, Jerry, that's WHOMever! Sharon Pruitt Supply 'Inane Statement* To the editor: I am writing in response to the way UNC-Wilmington has pro gressed under the luiciagc of Dr. James Leutze. He is to be commend ed for what he has accomplished in VIA lie Us Letters must have an original signature and must include your address and telephone number. (This information is for verification purposes on ly* we will not publish your street/mailing address or phone number.) Auuiess ieciers to: The Brunswick Beacon, P.O. Box 2558, Shallotte NC 28459 Anonymous letters will not be published. so short a time. My main concern is an inane statement by Jan Calhoun, assistant superintendent of instruction for Brunswick County schools. Heaven torbid that standards at UNCW should be raised to attract quality students. Our esteemed assistant su perintendent would rather have a dumbing-down syndrome" than try to raise the goals of Brunswick County graduates! We here in the county are already aware of the problems with the aca demic credentials of our children. The school board's solution is to spend more money and scholastic achievement will somehow rise. I'd be in favor of such a program if it weren t for the Calhoun mentality. Does the school board want it both ways? Should it get a whop ping budget increase while remind ing institutes of higher learning that they should not expect too much since, after all, we can only guaran tee them mediocre students? Lorraine Hiester Ocean Isle Beach Likes Short Days To the editor: I am writing to you about a letter I read in the Sept. 8 issue. The woman said that sSort days cheat students of an education. What she didn't say is that the students have to go 30 min utes more every day. You see. I am a sixth grade stu dent at Shallotte Middle and I think Uuj we arc making up for it. and still we need some time to rest. The school day used to start at 8:15. now it starts at 8. We used to get out at 3 now it's at 3:15. So you see we are making it up. So I think that getting out at 12:30 onWednesda v s is a good idea, and it does not in any way cheat Bruas wick County students of educational time. Dana Stanley Shallotte Supplies Help 15 To the editor: As shelter manager of Hope Har bor Home, I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude and thanks to the people of Brunswick County for the school supplies donated to our children We have been able to help 15 children to date with start-up supplies. These children and many more will continue to need school sup plies throughout the school year. Please remember Hope Harbor Home and the children in the future. Again, thank you to the community for your generous efforts and kind ness. Anne Presley Shelter Manager Don't Cage Pets To the editor: I got two shocks about the same issue today. The first was a phone call; the second was the letter to the editor in the Beacon entitled "Help Animal Lover" requesting help for Jeannine Friday in caring for ani mals at her place. I learned about her a number of years ago. She saves the lives of ani mals by keeping uiem in cages and feeding them. A member of the Animal Welfare League (which I thought up and started a number of years ago) called to tell me about the league members going there to do nate. People like Friday, no doubt, think they are doing something hu mane by saving the lives of animals by putting them in cages and keep ing them fed and watered. Dogs and cats should be fed and watered daily, but they should not be caged up. They should be part of a family and loved. Otherwise, they are better off put to sleep. I thought I had left the league in good shape when I retired. I'm now 72. So I think of animals as having needs like humans, to be fed, shel tered and loved, not caged like ani mals in a zoo... Dogs and cats are not like wild animals. Wild animals should be left as nature intended ? free in the woods. Dogs and cats are usually tamed and kept in the homes of peo ple to be loved, petted and cared for, not to be kept in cages and just fed and watered. The fact that members of the league are going to Friday's home to be encouraged to contribute to the feeding of those poor animals is as far as possible from the purpose of the league. Maybe the goals of the league have drastically changed since I retired. I guess I failed in not writing the specific purpose of the league when I formed it I guess things are only clearly understood over time if put in writing... If the league helps Friday feed and water her caged "domestic" ani mals (no longer pets- they are going counter to the purpose for which the league was formed, i.e., to help spay or neuter dogs and cats so they could become "loved family mem bers," not residents of a zoo or run ning wild. Teddi Neal Bolivia ' Deviant Behavior' To the editor: It was a very sad day in a beauti ful 7-year-old girl's life at the end of school in June when she was told by her best friend that she could not go to her skating party because she was Mexican. It is sad also that her mother tries in vain to gain employ ment in a county where it matters what your last name is, and because she spoke out against this injustice. But it is absolutely horrible when last month a 19-year-old from Oak Island threatened to beat an 11 month-old with a ball bat and call her a racist name. This was not ethnic intimidation. Oh no, just a simple case of commu nicating a threat to an innocent baby. That's really something to be proud of, and all this man gets is three years' probation added on to the two years he already had. This was a mockery of our justice system. These individuals walk around their communities with their heads up, secure in the knowledge that this type of deviant behavior is accepted in Brunswick County. Yet the mi norities that do work here are afraid io speak up for fear of losing their jobs. Or have to put up with more KKK signs on the speed limit signs, as in Oak Island, or the little neo Nazi signs painted on roads, as in Holden Beach. To those of you who think you are safe from this type of discrimina tion, beware, you may very well be next. Maybe they will not like your choice of religious preference or your political beliefs or your name. They may just not like your looks. If we the people do not speak up in a voice loud enough to be heard, more of our rights will be taken away. We cannot keep our heads buried in the sand or the wolves will surely devour us. The time has come to take a stand, to speak up, to stop letting our children be hurt. A very wise man told me recently, "The things that happened to us were not our fault because we had no control over them, but the things that happen to our children and chil dren's children are, because we could have changed things." Marilyn Mejorado Supply Wants Correction To the editor: Your Sept. 15 page-one story on the Sunset Beach Town Council meeting contains two errors in fact. The Beacon states that the SBTA is "on record as favoring the town's one-lane pontoon bridge." Not true. While the SBTA opposes a high-rise bridge to the island, we are on record in support of an improved two-lane bridge. Further, the Beacon says, "SB TA's leadership has also staunchly opposed implementation of a central sewer system." Not true. The SBTA board has consistently indicated sup port for a central sewer system if it is demonstrated to be environmen tally in the best interest of the com munity and if it is accompanied by a concun-ent stormwater management system. I am requesting that the Beacon print a correction of these two er rors, and in the interest of fairness, print the correction on page one where the story appeared. Minnie K. Hunt SBTA Treasurer Victims Sought To the editor: The Clergy and Laymen's Alli ance for Justice preliminary investi gation has revealed what appears to be widespread fraud and corruption in the medical community, corrup tion that appears to involve doctors in various parts of the country. The doctors involved are blatantly falsifying medical records to deny injured workers. Social Security ap plicants and private paying citizens benefits they are entitled to. Presi dent Clinton, Janet Reno of the Justice Department and many elect ed officials have been notified. Senator Kennedy's officc has been asked to schedule Senate hearings immediately to address this issue. If you feel you have been a victim of this type of fraud and corruption, notify Senator Edward Kennedy, Committee Chairman, Senate Labor and Human Resources, 315 Russell Building, Washington DC 20510. Also, contact Ella Gray at 842 6742 between the hours of 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. if you are interested in testifying before the Senate. Ella Gray Supply Medicare Problem To the editor: I think the Brunswick County Health Department should explain to President Clinton how universal health care will work. Last year Medicare was supposed to pay for annual flu vaccinations, but Brunswick County Health De partment refused to accept Medicare from railroad retirees. 1 thought that when a person reached 65 and start ed paying into Medicare, it was uni versal, regardless of where you re tired from. There seems to be a bug in there somewhere. John H. Dobbins Shallotte Gore and Parker Conduct Community Meeting District Court Judge Ola Lewis Braye and Brunswick County Manager Mr. Wyman Yelton will be the guest speakers at a community meeting sponsored by Mr. Robert Gore and Mr. Nat Parker, President of the Southport Branch of the NAACP. Entertainment will be provided by Mrs. Larona Johnson Gore and her guests. The meeting will be held October 1 at 5:00 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church located on Hwy 17 S., Thomasboro N.C. The public is cordially invited. IIIiiiiiimm. nit, mm LUNCH SPECIAL Choice of entree and 3 vegetables (ton or coffee included) Uliiniiin ?"??""?"?nil Sunday Lunch Buffet Relax, we'll do the cooking. 1 1 :30-2 PM I Closed Sunday evenings. Seafood ? Sandwich Plates ? Prime Rib Lunch Specials ? Salads ? Carry-Outs HWY. 130 E. SHALLOTTE 754-8168 SEPTEMBER National Cholesterol Education Month Loris Community Hospital is proud to sponsor a Cholesterol screen ing program every month. In recognition of Septemoer as National Cholesterol Education month, we will go further in our outreach with several special activities and events. September Screening Site Schedule Little River Medical Center Thursday, September 1st from 10:00 a.m.-l:00 p.m. Longs Post Office Thursday, September 15th from 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Kroger Sav-On (N. Myrtle Beach) Wednesday, September 21st from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Loris Community Hospital Thursday, September 22nd from 12:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. little River Swim and Fitness Monday, September 26th from 11:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Tabor City Senior Citizen Center Wednesday, September 28th from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Each screening site will feature: low-fat snacks to sample, American Heart Association handouts and brochures, and a chance to win a cookbook featuring healthy cooking and recipes. SPECIAL EVENT JAe Good 5xu>te a% Nutrition Hiesday, September 27th at Loris Community Hospital Courtyard Cafe 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. $10.00 per person (reservations required) Includes dinner as well as cooking demonstrations, recipes a chance to win a cookbook featuring healthy cooking and helpful information about preparing, serving and eryoying low-fat/no-iat foods. Tickets available at all screening sites and at the Hospital. Call 745-9227 for more information. LORIS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 3655 Mitchell Street ? Loris, South Carolina 29569 ? (803)756-4011
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Sept. 22, 1994, edition 1
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