I
, THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 37, No. 2
USPS 428 060
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, January 15, 1981
? CENTS
Inaugural march
?vThe Perquimans County High School
' Marching Band paraded in downtown
Raleigh Saturday as part of inaugural
ceremonies for Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr.
The Perquimans band was one of SO high
school bands invited to perform for state
officials. (Photo by JIM REID)
Recreation meeting
hasn t happened yet
A special meeting thought to have been
scheduled this past Monday on the
subject of the Perquimans County
Recreation Department never took
place,
Joe Nowell, chairman of the county
board of commmissioners, had called for
the meeting to discuss the possibility of
the town of Winfall's taking over a share
of the cost of the program.
The Hertford Town Council has
resolved to drop its 50 per cent share of
the recreation department's budget in
the coming year, and the commissioners
are hopeful that Winfall will pick up part
of that share.
Winfall Mayor Lloyd Ray Morgan,
however, said the meeting had not come
about because the Winfall Town Council
had not even discussed the subject when
Nowell scheduled the meeting.
At a regularly scheduled Monday
meeting, Morgan told the Winfall council
that the county commissioners "do want
to meet with us. I'm supposed to let them
know tomorrow."
In raising the subject, Morgan said he
didn't know whether Winfall would
derive any benefit from recreation or
not. He said, "We need to decide whether
we want to get involved with it at all.
What it's going to mean, I don't know."
After some discussion, the council
decided to attend next Monday night's
meeting of the county commissioners in
a body and hear what proposals might be
offered by the county. After this meeting,
they intend to reconvene their own
meeting to discuss any possible Winfall
participation in the program
In other business the councilmen heard
from a representative of the Clean Sweep
Co. from Pasquotank County on the
proposed sale of a used company trash
compacter truck to the town The town's
current trash truck, an open dump truck,
has had maintenance problems.
The council agreed to accept the truck
on a trial basis. The truck, demonstrated
for councilmen, is a 1966 model In
ternational with a 16 cubic yard com
pressing capacity. If accepted by the
town, the purchase price would be $2,500.
Morgan noted that the town's present
truck could be used for emergency
backup.
In other matters the council
?Approved i request by Seymour
Chappell for a street light near his home
on Nixon Street:
?Discussed plans for tonight s dinner
honoring the W tnfall Fire Department;
?Agreed to investigate various
possibilities to alleviate stale water and
water pressure problems expcnenced at
the home of Joel Hoilowel!. Jr ;
?Asked Councilman Jake Chesson to look
into costs of closing in an unused portion
of the fire house as a meeting room for
the fire depart ment and to* n use
?And heard the minutes of their special
meeting on Jan, ? At this meeting, the
council approved submission of pre
application for grants to the Department
of Housing ind I rban Development for
Community Development Housing and a
recreation center in the Ktng Street
"target area" of Winfall.
The town of W infall is still short one
councilman for a tall board When asked
if the council had anyone in mind for the
seat. Morgan replied. "Nobody has
applied yet "
Data indicates some crime down in Hertford
Figures recently released by the
Hertford Police Department indicate
that incidences of violent crime occuring
^ in the town of Hertford during 1980 did
not increase over 1979, and in some
cases, actually dropped.
However, crimes the department
terms as "general," have increased, but
figures showing the extent of the in
crease are presently incomplete, ac
cording to Hertford Police Corporal
Robert Morris.
"I would say that general crimes in
^ creased this year," said Morris, who
listed offenses falling under that
category as drug-related, forgery,
trespassing, disorderly conduct, and
"accomplice-type crimes, like receiving
stolen goods."
Although data shows that violent
crimes such as robbery and aggravated
assault have not risen, larceny increased
by some 10 percent over incidences
& reported in 1979, while the value of
property stolen in 1980 more than
doubled over the previous year.
Morris attributed some of the increase
in stolen property value to "inflation,"
and said that the economy could have
also played a role in the increase of
larceny-related offenses.
In 1980, the police department received
42 reports of larceny, and solved 20 of
those cases, yielding a 48 percent
recovery.
In 1979, 33 offenses of larceny were
reported and 23 of those cases were
solved, which resulted in a 70 percent
recovery.
The 1979 national average of recovery
for larceny was 19 percent.
Property regained in 1980 was valued
at $14,289.15, with some $18,450 not
recovered, resulting in a 44 fjprcent
recovery.
Property returned by the department
in 1979 totaled $10,363.87, with only
$4,181.33 still at large, and resulted in a 71
percent recovery, according to Morris.
Incidences of robbery in the town of
Hertford have remained fairly low. In
1980, the department received 5 reports
of robbery, and solved all 5 cases,
yielding a 100 percent recovery. 1979
figures were similar with 4 cases of
robbery reported and solved, also
yielding a 100 percent recovery. The
national percentage of recovery of
robbery in 1979 was 25 percent.
Aggravated assault decreased in town
during 1980, with 41 cases 'reported, and
41 cases resolved. In 1979, 53 cases of
assault were reported, with 53 arrests as
well. Both the 1979 and '80 percentage of
recovery for assualt was 100 percent in
Hertford. The 1979 national percentage of
assault cases solved was 59 percent.
The police received 26 reports of
burglary or breaking and entering
during 1980, and solved 13 of those cases,
yielding a 50 percent recovery.
In 1979, 36 offenses of burglary were
reported, with 23 clearances, giving the
department a 70 percent recovery.
National averages of recovery for
burglary in 1979 were 15 percent.
Morris said that the Hertford force was
pleased with their record of solving
crimes, and also with how the town
stacked up against national averages.
"If you can maintain a 50 percent rate
of solving (crime), it usually decreases,"
said Morris.
He added that the force was optimistic
that the decrease in some crime was
related to the number of their con
victions. "We're pretty happy with our
results," said Morris.
The department also released figures
pertaining to the number of arrests
issued in 1980 as compared to 1979.
In 1980, the Hertford Police Depart
ment issued 637 arrests and citations ?
in 1979, a total of 334 arrests and citations
were given.
Morris attributed much of the jump in
1980's total arrests to an added emphasis
on traffic offenses within the city limits.
Comparative data also compiled by the
department breaks down the number of
arrests for both the years 1980 and '79.
Percentages reported indicate only the
number of arrests, not the number of
crimes reported.
There was a 47 percent decrease in
public inebriates arrested in 1980 as
compared to 1979; a 28 percent increase
in disorderly conduct; a 48 percent in
crease in speeding; a 12 percent
decrease in assault; and a 70 percent
increase in those arrested in 1980 for
operating a vehicle while intoxicated
Those arrested for careless and
reckless driving increased by 22 percent
in 1980; miscellaneous traffic arrests
increased by 46 percent; larceny arrests
were down by 7 percent; whiskey
violations were up by 21 percent;
miscellaneous arrests increased by SO
percent; breaking and entering
decreased by 26 percent; and runaways
arrested decreased 100 percent.
The number of arrests and citations
exceeded 1979 by 32 percent in 1980,
according to Morris' figures.
A summary breaking down Hertford
police officers' activity during 1980 was
also released.
Arrests made during 1980 totaled 637,
with Police Chief Marshall Merritt
making 52, Morris contributing 241,
Patrolman Robert Harvey ? 13,
Patrolman Mike Jasielum ? 48,
Patrolman V.B. Hart ? 115, and
Patrolman Eugene McLawhorn ( no
longer with the force ) ? 168.
White Morris said that the number of
arrests per officer was not ' predic
table," he conceded that the number of
arrests made by all officers should be
"fairly close' in range.
He added that Merritt's duties as the
department's chief were largely ad
ministrative in nature, but because of the
lack of manpower on the force, the chief
was often forced to work "the beat."
Maintaining and compiling in
formation on crime oceuring in the town
over the years has been beneficial to the
police force, according to Morris
As an example, he cited the few cases
of breaking and entering solved within
the town during 1ST?. "In '77. there were
33 offenses of breaking and entering, but
we only solved S of those cases, giving us
a clearance of only St percent." said
Morris.
Breaking and entering then became
the force's "target." according to
Morris, who cited the 50 percent
clearance achie\ed durtng 18A>
"Keeping records like this just helps us
to plan what osr focus needs to be on."
said Morris
Interest rates a crusher to small businessman
By mike Mclaughlin
d When interest rates go soaring with
government efforts to take the wind out
of inflation, it stands to reason that the
fellow who has to borrow money to stay
in business is going to suffer.
Most small businessmen fall in that
category, and the small businessman is
the only kind in Perquimans County.
With a prime rate hovering around 20
per cent, many Perquimans County
merchants are feeling the pinch.
? So why not just wait until the rate
w Comes down to borrow? After all, the
prime has been prodded to dizzying
heights by government meddling, and
it's sure to drop, right?
Well it doesn't exactly work that way.
There are three reasons the small
businessman needs to borrow, according
to T. Eerie Haste, Jr., owner and
proprietor of Hertford Hardware. Two of
those reasons, replacing stock fed
? financing customer accounts, cannot be
postponed because of swollen interest
rates.
Hie third reson is expansion, which
can, of coarse, be put off.
Haste said the cost of replacing his
stock has increased ISO per cent in the
past five years. That makes replacing it
without borrowing next to impossible.
When the best rate a merchant can find
for a loan is tt per cent, and that's with
^ "blue chip" securities, it becomes dif
** ficult to make a profit.
a model that no-one wants, the profits
evaporate rapidly.
For instance, Haste said that a $600
refrigerator kept on the floor for a year
would cost the dealer $132. "That's more
than the average profit," he said.
He said it reaches a point where
keeping appliances stocked is so ex
pensive that the merchant is "better off
to sell out, close up, and keep all his
money in the bank."
Allen Lassiter, of Lassitef's Domestic
Appliances, did not take such a drastic
step. But he came close.
Lassiter moved his business from
Han-is Shopping Center to a shop out
back of his home on South Church Street.
The repair service is still good, and if the
customer wants to buy a refrigerator or
range or some such, he simply orders it.
Overhead is cut back to a minimum
that way, and Lassiter's becomes im
mune to the interest rates.
Lassiter said that not having the stock
has hurt his sales but not neccessarily his
profits. "I don't sell as much but I end up
making about the same thing because a
lot of dealers have to give the stuff away
just to get it off the floor," be said.
Lassiter said the appliance business
has been further hurt by a change in
consumer shopping habits. Customers
are buying less deluxe models that carry
less profit.
But for an appliance dealer can carry
from eight to ten stoves and refrigerators
for the price of just one new car, and
Lassiter speculated that automobile
dealers may have been hit hardest by the
surge In interest rates.
Robert Hollowell, Sr of Hollowell
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auto dealer gets hit from two directions,
Hollowell said. First, there is tin "floor
planning" of stock and second, potential
customers are frightened away by the
4
To floor pain an automobile, the dealer
can count on paying three quarters of a
per cent more than prime, Hollowell
said, and the interest free period in which
a dealer may sell a new car is only' IS
days. When the prime interest rate
soared to 21.5 per cent recently,
Hollowell Chevrolet was paying 22.25 per
cent per annum to keep new cars in the
show room.
With an average car selling for $8,000,
the dealer would pay $120 a month or
$1,400 per year to stock a new car.
, "That's more mark-up than the car
even carries," said Hollowell. "It's so
expensive to stock that everyone's going
in the direction of cutting inventory."
Hollowell, for instance, has cut back on
new car stock by about two thirds. But
when inventories are cut, sales suffer,
Hollowell said.
It's also getting more difficult for
customers to get financing. Though retail
financing rates are not high as
wholesale, they can still be prohibitive at
a range of from 14 to 29 per cent. "That
adds a great big hurdle to monthly
payments and slows sales," Hollowell
said.
"It's forced a lot of new car people to
good, clean used cars," he said.
The auto industry is, however, making
efforts to rebound from its current state
of ill health.
The national dealers' association is
pressing for government legislation to
aid car dealers, such as a $1000 tax credit
with the purchase of a new domestic
auto, and Strieker import duties to slow
the tide of foreign cars.
Manufacturers are also initiating
programs to take some of the interest
costs off the backs of dealers so they will
stock more units. v
Chevrolet, for instance, is offering an
interest subsidy plan that brings the floor
plan rate down to a palatable 12 per cent.
"Still, it bounces back up if they don't
move in this many days," said Hollowell.
Like automobile dealers, a great many
small businessmen appear to be hoping
to ride the current hard times into a
brighter future. That translates into
lower interest rates down the road.
Haste compares efforts to halt inflation
through interest to a mechanic who at
tempts to make a repair with the wrong
tool.
When it doesn't do the job, he reaches
into his bag and grabs the same tool
again, and that doesn't make sense to
Haste. He is confident that under the
administration of president-elect Ronald
Reagan, the climate for the small
businessman will improve.
Lassiter isn't so sure. "If I'd thought
things were going to turn around and
come back in a short while I d of stayed
in the shopping center." he said.
Haste maintains that if the picture
doesn't set better, many merchants and
small businessman will be cutting back
services or closing up shop entirely .
"If the picture doesn't change in six to
twelve months you're goins to see small
businessmen dropping out in hordes." he
said.
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