THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 40, No. 12 USPS 42S-0M " Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, March 22, 1984 25 CENTS
Spring
Is
Sprung
The beginning of spring
this week brought out the
bicyclists and the birds.
Warmer temperatures
have made their way into
Perquimans County for the
past several days, and
many people have taken
time out from their busy
schedules to enjoy the
weather.
Photos by
George Wilmore
Local group gains certification to help
small businesses obtain SBA loans
By JANIE HASKINS
1 Special to The Perquimans Weekly
The area's economy received what
some officals hope will be a shot in
the arm recently, when the
' Albemarle Development Authority
was certified to help small
. businessmen get low interest, long
term loans for expansion.
The ADA will serve as a liaison
between small businessmen and the
Small Business Administration
which will provide loans of between
9100,000 and $500,000 payable over a
period of 10-25 years.
For small businessmen, it will
mean access to amounts of money
and payment periods that were
previously hard to obtain from
private banks, which usually are only
willing to finance loans that can be
faid off relatively quickly; and
Insurance companies, which only
want to deal in huge sums.
The ADA will help small
businessmen prepare loan
applications and will screen those
applications before submitting them
to the SBA (or final approval, said
Ray McClees, regional planner (or
the Albemarle Commission, the
ADA'S parent organization.
"We will try to package the loans,
get good packages together and act
as the go-between (or the borrower
and the SBA," McClees said.
The SBA will then underwrite loans
for small, for-profit businesses that
want to expand, ADA President
Dwight Wheless told members of the
Albemarle Commission during a
meeting Thursday.
Typically, the ADA will finance 40
percent of such an expansion, with a
bank lending SO percent and the
businessman putting up 10 percent of
the capital himself.
Interest rates on the SBA portion of
the loan will be 0.75 percent above the
Special Olympics
slated for Friday
? Sixty exceptional children from
Perquimans County will participate
in the Special Olympics on Friday,
March tS at Central School in
Wlnfall.
All residents of the county are
invited and encouraged to attend.
The Opeining Ceremony will begin
at >:00 with the Perquimans County
High , School Band leading the
traditional parade ef athletes and
hugger s, followed by opening
remarks by Pat Harrell.
Superintendent of Perquimans
County Schools; and guest speaker
Howard Williams, director of the
ParqOimans County Parka and
Ptereatkm Department, leading Um
Special Olympic Oath.
me win. but if
brave in the
of the
ceremonies will be the lighting of the
new Special Olympic torch,
constructed by Harrell Thach'a
Agriculture Class at Perquimans
High School.
This year's Special Olympic events
will include the softbaQ and trisbee
throw, standing broad jump and SO
meter dash.
The students have been well
traioed in these eventa under the
skilled coaching of Williams.
Specially selected high school
students will he buggers for the
event; however, many volunteers
from the community are still needed.
If you would Uke to volunteer that
day please eaO Kathy Ansink at 4N
57ft.
After the Olympics ate completed.
*11 Olympians will he treated te a
f
by the
of Cans
air.
? Li
Treasury Bond rate at the time of
closing. On March 7, for example
that rate would have been 12.5
percent.
"We're just so anxious now to see it
come to fruition and do some good,"
Wheless said.
McClees said a businessman who
wants to get one of the SBA loans
must actually use the money ? it
cannot be borrowed for investment
or developer-landlord deals.
Also, the project financed should
stimulate economic development and
create jobs, usually about one job for
each $30,000 borrowed, he said.
Among the uses allowed for the
SBA-financed loans are purchase of
land, building machinery and
equipment with a long life; land
improvements and renovations or
addtions to a building; and
construction of a new building.
"This will give us an opportunity to
funnel some money into the economy
of this region," McClees said.
McClees said the ADA will meet
Wednesday to make plans for
soliciting borrowers and will
hoepfully be able to make its first
>100,000 loan by December.
Commissioners
decide priorities
Durwood Reed, Finance Officer tor
the County met with the Perquimans
County Commissioners in regular
session Monday night to discuss
priorities in planning the new budget
tor the county.
Most of the Commissioners agreed
that there were tour main items
facing the county that should be kept
in mind while planning the budget tor
the new fiscal year. Those items
were: a county manager, an addition
to the Perquimans County Rescue
Squad Building, enlarging and
renovating the kitchen facilities at
the county office building, and the
purchase of a new fire truck.
Annice Peckham, Captain of the
Perquimans County Rescue Squad,
met with the Commissioners to
discuss the needs tor housing of two
of the ambulance units maintained
by the squad. Peckham stated that
the "Squad has almost depleted our
reserve after purchasing the new
ambulance."
Peckham told the Commissioners
that two of the units have to stay
outside, due to lack of space, causing
some equipment failure in severe
cold weather.
Peckham submitted bids on a
metal building to adjoin the current
building for housing of these units.
No action was taken.
County Extension Chairman Bill
Jester met with the county and
submitted a proposal for enlarging
and renovating the kitchen at the
County Office Building that is used
by area home economists.
Jester submitted an estimate of
$15,000 from a local contractor to
complete the work.
Members of the Hertford Fire
Department met with the
Commissioners for the purpose of
opening bids for a new tanker for the
department.
Only one bid had been submitted by
meeting time, so opening of bids was
postponed until a later time when the
commissioners would have time to
re-advertise.
In other action the Commissioners:
?at the request of the Perquimans
County Board of Elections gave
permission to open all of the county
polling places on Saturday, March 31
and Saturday, April 7, from 9:00 a.m.
until 1:00 p.m. for the purpose of
registering voters before the April 9
deadline. Anyone registering before
the cut-off date will be eligible to vote
in the May 8 Primary election.
?at the request of Keith Haskett,
County Tax Supervisor, changed the
date of the Board of Equalization and
Review meeting from April 23 to
April 30, due to the Easter Holidays.
County high school
maintenance rated
extensive and costly
(Editor's Note: The following is the
third in a nine-part series of articles
that have been compiled by the
Perquimans County School
Administration staff. These articles
are being provided in an effort to
educate the general public of the
needs facing the county today. )
It is our belief that the school plant
should be designed and equipped in a
manner that is conducive to
providing optimal learning
experiences in an atmosphere of
health and safety.
Facilities foster attitudes,
involving instructional as well as
extra curricular activities, directed
toward total development of the
student at present and in the future.
Preventive maintenance allows for
the effective operation of the total
educational program, emphasizing
health and safety practices.
The heating system in the 1924
building at Perquimans High needs
extensive repair. There is no heat
zoning, and outdated radiators cause
major leakage and maintenance
problems.
A lack of electrical outlets
promotes hazardous practices such
as overloaded sockets and extension
cords.
Damaged walls, windows, floors,
ceilings, chalkboards are in need of
repair and painting.
The auditorium, restrooms and
lighting systems require immediate
attention. A report prepared by an
industrial engineer in January 1984,
stated that the building had been well
maintained over the years.
An intensive program involving
painting, replacing windows,
lowering ceilings and installing
flourescent lighting is a continuous
program in the school system.
Along with heat zoning
implementations, major renovations
are all part of upgrading in the school
system. Due to the exorbitant cost
projections, this program was never
initiated for the two-story building at
Perquimans High.
The Perquimans Board of
Education has recognized the need to
provide the best for our children. It
stands behind the slogan ?
"Committed to Caring, Sharing and
Learning." We can offer our support
with a YES vote for the school bond
on May 8th.
Woodell named BPW Young Careerist
The Hertford Business and
Professional Women's Club (BPW)
hosted their annual Young Careerist
Banquet at Angler's Cove Restaurant
last Thursday evening.
Sherie WoodeU, a legal secretary
for the law firm of Trimpi, Thompson
and Nash in Elizabeth City was
chosen as the Outstanding Young
Careerist in Perquimans County.
Woodell will now go on to regional
competition for this honor.
Other candidates for the Young
Careerist from Perquimans County
were Teri Copeland, Job Placement
Specialist/Coordinator with
Perquimans County Schools and
Freda Nelson, a first grade teacher
at Central Grammar School in
Wlnfall.
Each of the candidates were
required to give a brief talk to the
group about their career, including
the reasons that they chose their
individual careers and their plans for
the future. The girls also were
interviewed prior to the banquet by a
panel of Judges.
Judges (or the event were Janice
McKensie Cole, a local attorney;
Prank M. Roberts, a feature writer
far The Virginias Pilot-Ledger Star,
and T. Brie Haste, Jr., owner of
Hertford Hardware and Supply Co.,
and a local realtor.
Woodell told the audience that she
felt that her employer considered her
an "extension of the professional."
Woodell is the secretary for Mr.
Nash.
"I started my job with no legal
experience," Woodell stated. She had
previously worked in an insurance
adjusters office and stated that the
field of insurance adjusting had
peaked her interest in law.
"I deal with many phases of the
law in my profession," Woodell said,
"But the most rewarding part of my
job is seeing people gain fair
treatment.
Woodell's plans for the future
include attending night school
studying Pre-Law at the College of
the Albemarle and furthering her
education by taking Criminal Law at
Eliiabeth City State University.
Vying for the role of
Perqolinsas County's Young
Careerist were (left to right)
Sherte Woodell, Freda Nelson
and Teri Copeland. Mrs.
Woodell was chosen to
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