THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
^ Volume 36, No. U USPS 42KH0 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, September 4, 20 CENTS
Town continues to struggle with money problems
The Hertford Town Council announced
to ? packed bouse its intention* of cutting
Isome $1?, 000 out of the 1*0-81 budget in
an effort to boost a depleted cask flow
and recover a deficit of some $36,000 left
over from last fiscal year.
Hertford Mayor and Town Manager
Bill Cox told a room full of town and
county residents at the regular monthly
meeting Monday night that budget cuts
were pending on incomplete audit
figures. "We need the complete report to
rework our 'KKJl budget," he said.
Representatives of the Local Govern
ment Commission are expected to study
the recently approved '80- '11 budget, in
addition to the pending audit figures
from the 'Tft-'M fiscal year, and make
Hogs observed in Bethel Creek
Bethel residents fight
'to herd hogs from creek
Despite several years of efforts, two
Bethel residents say they are having
little success in ridding Bethel Creek of
the hogs that wallow in its dark brown
waters.
Henry Carney said that he has been
^trying to get something done about the
problem for eight years, and has carried
his fight as far a$ the governor's office,
but that the hogs continue to foul the
creek.
This is despite the fact that the law
appears to be on Carney's side.
"We are mrjilng?youas a last resort.
We have contacted every means in North
Carolina except you," reads a letter to
Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., signed by
kCarney and Harold Gensiey.
Hunt's answer promised prompt at
tention and referred the matter to the
state Department of Natural Resources
and Community Development.
"We've talked to the clean water
people many times and each time
someone from the Washington, N.C.
office comes out to inspect the problem
and takes water samples," Carney said.
.He said that the two men are led to
Relieve something will be done but that's
about as far as it gets.
"The state authorities give you a lot of
gobbeldy gock. When they get through
what they're trying to tell you is they
can't do anything," Gensely said.
- Carney has sent photographs to the
governor, depicting dead hogs floating in
the water and buzzards picking at them.
Both men say that dead hogs are
discovered in the creek from time to time
!>and are left there to rot.
"We've looked out there and seen 'em
floating," said Gensiey. "They've got a
flock of buzzards that hang out there
waiting for (the hogs) to die."
The water that blows up into a cove on
Carney's property is muddy brown in
color and last week had a layer of foamy
scum on its surface.
The air was heavy with essence of hog
but the two men say it isn't the smell that
bothers them. Hogs smell as bad out of
the water as in, they say, and profess
that their real concern is the quality of
the water in the creek.
Jim Mulligan, regional supervisor of
the state division of environmental
management, confirmed that he has had
complaints about the hogs in Bethel
Creek, including dead hogs.
He said, however, that one teg
producer along the creek has taken steps
to correct his problem, and another has
been instructed to keep his hogs out of the
creek or apply for a concentrated feeding
operation permit.
Mulligan said that allowing hogs into
streams is against state regulations, but
those regulations are extremely difficult
and time consuming to implement.
"It doesn't mean I can go up and crack
the guy for having hogs in the creek,"
Mulligan said. "It can be corrected today
and become a problem again tom
morrow."
"All it takes is IS minutes with a
backhoe to either create or eliminate a
problem," he said.
Though Mulligan wasn't sure how
much of a role animal wastes play in
area water quality problems, he said
they are a factor. "It definitely plays a
part," hHlML "There's no fooling about
that."
But Gensley and Carney feel that the
hog problem has almost killed Bethel
Creek. They say the fishing has
deteriorated, and the creek's
recreational values are virtually nil.
"I wouldn't swim in it. If I fell in it I'd
go home and take a bath," said Gensley.
"If I were doing it they'd put me in
jail," he added.
recommendations sometime next week.
In addition to the budget trimming.
Cox said the council expected to increase
town ice prices by 20 percent, a move
which would generate about $4,000 and
put the plant back on "a break-even
basis." The ice plant has been operating
in the red.
The town is in the process of applying
for an emergency loan of $39,000 from the
Government Commission. Wallace
Harding, a representative of the com
mission, told the council two weeks ago
that the most effective method of
securing such a loan was to show that
steps were being taken to eliminate
financial problems.
The council recently instituted a 30
percent increase in water rates, and
raised sewer charges 15 cents per
thousand gallons of water, the increases
are expected to generate approximately
$26,984 in additional revenue for the
current fiscal year.
Citizens speak out
Much of Monday's three hour meeting
was given over to hearing questions,
comments, criticisms and suggestions
from the residents in attendance.
The town-supported recreation
department was a sore spot with the
group, with many favoring its
dissolvement.
"How does the town support a
( Continued on page 2)
Hertford budget is dissected
The 1980-81 Hertford town budget will
probably fall subject to some trimming
next week, as the council makes every
effort to eradicate a deficit of some
$56,000 detected in last year's budget and
boost a depleted cash flow.
Representatives of the Local Govern
ment Commission, of Raleigh, looked at
the recently approved budget to project
future cash flow and found some
mistakes that could possibly add to the
town's shortfall, including an excess of
some $100,000 budgeted into the electric
fund, a possible deficit of $20,000-$40,000
in the general fund, and a water-sewer
fund that is not supporting itself, despite
a projected surplus in revenue.
Although the PERQUIMANS
WEEKLY did a complete budget sum
mary following the council's approval in
June, several of our readers have in
dicated a desire to see a town budget
break-down.
The town's revenue is divided up
between a number of agencies, depart
ments, and funds, with the largest por
tion going to electric expenditures. The
$979,770 budgeted for the '80-'81 fiscal
year is a $191,970 increase over last
year's $787,800.
Wallace Harding of the Government
Commission said the projected electrical
fund revenue is excessive by some
$100,000, a problem he predicted could
further add to the town's budget woes.
Hertford Mayor and Town Manager Bill
Cox said the fund's excess occured
because 1979-80 audit figures were not
available at the time the budget was
drawn up. Cox later indicated that
electrical fund corrections were pending.
The 1980-81 electric fund is comprised
of interest ? $2,000; miscellaneous
revenue of $939,770, (which Cox said is
accrued from electric charges and
usage); reconnection fees of $3,000; and
electric revenue from Wynne Fork
housing of $35,000, all totaling $979,770.
Electric fund expenditures include
$39,000 in salaries and wages; $17,846 of
which goes to the head electrician,
$12,251.20 goes toward paying a
linesman, and $8,590 goes toward a
groundsman.
The $313 left over goes toward paying
the town manager's yearly salary of
$20,525. Cox explained that his salary
was pro-rated on the amount of work he
is expected to do in the various depart
ments, thus his total income is paid out of
several funds.
Other electric fund expenditures in
clude: $6,000 operating costs; $500
utilities; $4,000 for the repair and
maintenance of equipment and vehicle
expense; $25,000 for departmental
materials and supplies, $689,000 for
electrical resale; $3,000 for capital outlay
equipment; a $181,300 contribution to the
general fund; and a $31,970 contribution
to the debt service fund (water & sewer
bonds).
The largest expenditure included in the
electric fund is the $689,000 budgeted for
electricity for resale. Cox wcpWlned the
amount as the actual cost of purchasing
electricity from Vepco for resale through
March 31, 1980, in addition to the
estimation of the cost of usage for the
months of April, May, and June.
The second largest department in the
town's '80-'81 budget is the $527,500
budgeted for the general fund, an in
crease of $22,000 over last year's $500,500.
Revenues anticipated for the fund are;
Taxes; ad- valorem ?$75,400 (at a rate
of 65 cents per $100 at full valuation,
based on a true valuation of ap
proximately $12.1 million and an
estimated 91 percent rate of collection);
animal taxes ? $50; tax penalties &
interest ? $600; motor vehicle licenses ?
$850; privilege license ? $2,500; interest
on investments ? $1,000; utilities
franchise tax ? $27,000; intangible
personal property tax ? $2,500; beer &
wine tax ? $6,900.
Also, Powell Bill Street Allocation ?
$27,000; local option sales tax ? $27,000;
ABC net revenues ? $19,000; mosquito
control ? $500; housing authority $2,800;
law enforcement manpower grant ?
$20,000; county fire protection ? (6,500.
Also, building permits $1,500; arrest
fees ? $700; sales & service ? $9,000;
cemetery revenues $10,000; sales tax
refund ? $3,000; gasoline tax refund ?
$2,500; sale of ice ? $25,000; cold storage
? $200; contribution from electric fund
? $181,300; contribution from water
sewer fund ? $20,000; contribution from
revenue sharing fund ? $20,000; con
tribution from Perquimans County ?
$20,000; fees & charges recreation
department ? $11,000; and contribution
from county inspection ?$3,700.
The general fund supports nine
departments within the town's
operationg structure, and foots the bill
for most of the town employees' salaries.
The administrative department, which
receives a $76,000 chunk, pays $36,000 in
salaries and wages including $16,473.60 to
the position of town clerk-tax collector
finance officer; $600 to the mayor; $20 to
each councilman for each meeting; and
two full-time secretaries ? one at
$8,923.23 and the other at $8,580. A portion
also goes toward the town manager's
salary of $20,525.
The general fund also Supports the
police department with $84,000. Of that,
$56,000 goes toward salaries; $13,156 to
the police chief, and salaries ranging
( Continued on page 2 )
County delays softball project,
seeks shift to school site
The Perquimans County Board of
Commissioners opted to withold its
application for a recreational grant to
develop a park site near Winfall in a
Tuesday morning meeting.
Instead, the commissioners will work
with school officials to come up with a
plan for (MUoping land adjacent to the
county high school for joint recreational
school use.
The change of plans means that the
county will miss a September deadline
for getting its grant application in, and
will now shoot for a' Dec. 1 application
deadline that could mean funding in mid
spring, according to Mac Sligh, the
recently hired county recreation
director.
A land and water conservation fund
grant application had been prepared for
the county based on a decision in fall of
197V to cootritM 14 acres of property
towards the construction of twin softball
fields.
The commissioners had originally
been told that the land could be used as a
match for grant monies but later learned
that it could not.
Sligh said, however, that if the county
wanted to venture into a joint project
with the schools, perhaps it should
consider applying for another type grant,
as the LWCF grant would give
scheduling priority to the recreation
department.
Sligh also said he had been told that the
LWCF program frowns on funding
projects on school property.
The move to attempt development of
school property was made despite strong
recommendations against it by con
sultants who favored the county owned
site.
Stephen Moeller, a consultant with the
department of natural resources and
community development, met with town
and county officials on the matter
recently, and prepared a list of com
ments on the question of switching sites.
Because of tree removal and grading,
Moeller said that switching sites would
cost the county more money in matching
funds.
In addition, Moeller pointed out that
the school property is close to a
residential neighborhood, and that
softball games and other activities might
be going on as often as six nights per
week.
Moeller also said that once funded, the
project must remain forever, and this
would rule out expansion into the park
area by the school.
Finally, Moeller mention the
possibility of scheduling conflicts.
"The school site has too many
drawbacks to justify moving from the
county<owned site," Moeller said in
summary.
Perquimans County Schools
superintendent Pat Harrell was in at
tendance at the meeting, and said that
the county board of education would be
very much interested in meeting with the
appropriate officials to explore the
possibility of developing school property
in a joint use arrangement.
He said that the board would like to be
involved in the planning stages of the
project and suggested that a meeting be
arranged in the near future.
In another matter, the commissioners
opened insurance bids on one umbrella
style policy that would meet all of the
county's insurance needs.
Low bidder was Business Insurance of
Raleigh, which offered a policy for
$14,164. Next came Twiddy Insurance
and Real Estate in Edenton, at some
$19,000, followed by Hertford resident
Pete Overman's Nationwide bid of some
$24,000.
The commissioners will study the bids
to determine what kind of coverage each
includes and make a decision at a future
date.
Marching band will
debut Friday night
They won't all be playing trombones,
but tommorrow night 76 members of the
Perquimans County High Scool Band will
be stepping to the sounds of their own
music as they make their marching
debut.
Two years of hard work will have led
up to the performance of four numbers
during halftime of the Perquimans
Pirates' opening home football game
against Scotland Neck.
Band director David Ziemba promised
an exciting show, despite the relative
inexperience at band members.
"Even for our first show, we're Way
ahead of what most bands could do after
two years," he said.
Ziemba attributed the rapid progress
of the band to student enthusiasm "The
kids really want a band. They've worked
hard." he said.
Spectators can expect to see the band
aseamhte on the far aide of the field, and
march toward the stands. The marchers
will be in a diamond shaped pattern, with
a four member rifle team across the
front, and flag bearers down the sides.
The opening number will be "On the
line," a standard 2-4 march written for
the marching band, Ziemba said.
Next will be a drum feature called
"Lil," Ziemba's own arrangement of a
traditional American folk song.
In the drum feature, mallot and bell
players will carry the tune, and the
drams will provide the rhythm.
The third number is "Disco Strut,"
featuring a routine by the four member
rifle squad.
finally, a rock tune featuring the 15
member flag squad will wind up the
ahow.
Ziemba said the first show will be
fairly simple, bat that the marching
routines will become ntore complex as
the season progressed. "Through the
season it will get more and more com
plex and we hope by the end of the season
to have a final product," he said.
The only hitch at present is the arrival
of uniforms. Zieipba said that about half
of the uniforms have arrived but the rest
of them were due Sept. 1, and were
expected to be a week or more late.
"We're praying and writing letters and
calling," Ziemba said. If the uniforms
don't arrive in time the band will dress in
white shirts and slacks.
Regardless of what they wear, though,
Ziemba is eagerly anticipating the
band's debut. "I started a marching
band in Charlotte ? so I've been through
it before." he said. "But I've never been
to excited as I am here."
Band leaders inctade Sheila Perry,
drum major and heed of the band, Ed
ward Ashe, captain of the rifle sqnad,
and Laurie White, captain of the flag
squad.