Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / July 14, 1977, edition 1 / Page 1
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i 4 / S/te Costs w Chowan County now has the to all parcels within a downtown block bounded by Broad, Church, Court and Queen streets. It is the site for the new courthouse-jail complex which the county had to provide in order to get a $l.B-million federal grant. In each and every case the transactions were between a willing buyer and a willing seller. The county had neither the desire nor the time to condemn land for a site. Naturally, this causes many to wonder if the county got taken to the cleaners on the deal. When you lode at a capital outlay of $668,135 for site acquisition it is grounds for conversation. But when you look a little deeper, the bottom line figure shows that site costs to the county were not only in line with The appraisals, but less. d The firm which does the county’s appraisal work placed a $471,570 figure on die site, which did not include two leases which had to be purchased. Then he turned around and said in general conversation that the county would be lucky to acquire it for $750,000. When all the funds balanced the county will have: paid $46,470 less than the appraised price, considering the leases. In our opinion this is not a bad deal, although some property owners were paid inflated prices. It is not fair to compare sales in situations like the downtown site. Each property owner has his own idea about the value of his land and buildings. They were dealt on a one-to-one basis and thise with the better business heads naturally got the best deal. It may not seem fair, but that is the way our system works. It is also our opinion that the county did not take advantage of anyone or show special favors to anyone. From the time options were taken until the time to exercise them, things changed. Tftlß “Paused some renewed thinking on otherwise satisfied landowners. This cannot be placed at the feet of the county. The transactions regarding the purchase of the site will be on the public records forever, and probably will be discussed in the public sector just as long. If there is any bad blood regarding these transactions we doubt if it can be traced to the * county. They had a problem and fay solved it within the time frame they were required to work. Now we need to move on to more pressing matters designed to improve the quality of life along the Public Parade. More Ward Healers ? We want to join Mayor Roy L. Harrell in asking Edenton town councilmen to give careful study to his proposal to return the method of election from a town wide vote to one from individual wards. We are confident if the study is as comprehensive as Mayor Harrell would suggest, the action at the August meeting will be practically unanimous to retain the present structure. - JtQiile councilmen, or a majority *or them, have residency requirements, they represent the entire Town of Edenton. They are, quite naturally, closer to the needs of the people in their particular wards, but when a vote is cast it affects the entire citizenry. Edenton officials, nor any elected group along the Public Parade, is not ready to return to the ward healers. That is the caste system which fareefc corruption and is designed to wdafe those who aren’t willing to go along with those who are hungry fur power. Mayor Harrell objects to the fact that a state law was bypassed in INI to change the method of election, via the General Assembly. Does he aljb disagree with the same method which aneaxeda big dawfcft|end? Does hjfwant the town to go hack, draw the taxes industries and in aervices provided by toe town? are Cotahmsd Outage 4 e*4 s ' 7. ■ /,{*. jv;; , 1 P t % 11 ■Kate. vital m HHH®' a-* <}, v Dr. Joi ’orton Dr. Ht3p n New Trustee Gov. Jim Hunt has appointed Dr. John H. Horton of Edenton, and Mrs. Terry Rich of Belhaven, to serve on the Board of Trustees of Elizabeth City State University. Dr. Horton is a dentist and is vice chairman of the Edenton- Chowan Board of Education. He is also chairman of the Edenton- Chowan Good Neighbor organization and is a member of the Old North State Dental Society. Mrs. Rich is a guidance coun selor with the Jamesville School System. She is a member of the Citizens Advisory Boards in High Point and Kinston, and has served as publicity chairman for the High Point Arts Council. The Board of Trustees is composed of 13 members eight elected by the Board of Governors, four appointed by the governor, and the president of the student government association as an ex officio member. The purpose of the board is to promote the development of the institution, helping it serve the state in away that will com plement the activities of the other institutions and helping it to perform at a high level of ex cellence. ~3£e new membora-wiU serve a term of four years. County Crops Fare Well Despite Heat “Chowan County may be the only area in the state which has not suffered greatly from the lack of rain,” Murray Goodwin, agricultural extension agent, said Monday in a report to the county commissioners. “Our crops still look pretty good but vegetable prices are generally down,” he continued. The heat wave which has caused to residents and severe damageto agriculture in many areas, continues here although there was some relief due to rain Saturday as well as Monday. Commissioner James A. Graham of the State Department of Agriculture released the following statement on July 8 with regards to heat and dry weather: Vegetables are really beginning to suffer not only from the lack of rainfall but because of the ex treme high temperatures. If rain and cooler temperatures do not come soon.some crops will have to be abandoned. Some bell peppers are scalding in the field. The tobacco, 'crop is dry throughout the state. We are approaching the critical stage in several spotted areas, especially the Piedmont. Irrigation equip ment will pay dividends if used on tobacco at this time. It is my understanding that the water supply in irrigation ponds is dwindling rapidly. Crops will normally receive more benefit from irrigation during the night or cool part of the day. If you have more water than you need, please share it with your neighbor. The corn and soybean crops are seriously damaged in the pied mont and western parts and is spotty in the eastern area. Hie poultry industry is ex periencing sizeable losses due to l3gh temperatures. - < jsssasssx o©oq oi w •■*** -’* , fyi- z&prjSLf?', '?*■ > ’ -i*: - THE CHOWAN HERALD Volume XLm.—No. '2B. Mayor For Ward Vote Mayor Roy L. Harrell has asked the Town Council to “righf. a wrong” by taking action at tie August meeting to change fa, method of electing • councilmqni back to the ward system. 1- In a memo to the council, Itiayor Harrell said while the change by the General Assembly in 1965 qras “perfectly legal” it bypassed ’ a state statute which gives '\fie citizens more involvement in fa process of changing the torni charter. * “The citizens didn’t get a fair shake,” he declared. “The people should have the right to express their wishes in changing the charter.” “I am one of the strongest supporters of going back (to the Official Opening Set Plans were to quietly open the U.S. 17 by-pass of Edenton to traffic Tuesday. It didn’t work that way. Traffic began to flow on the new highway Monday afternoon and in less than 24 hours several ac cidents had been one. believed to be serious. Wh|e the center line has been placedf there is some signing and marking to be completed which is anticipated to,.* make the six-mile stretch safer. All of this should be completed by August 8 when Chowan Codnty commissioners and the Town of Edenton join with the State Department of Transportation to have an official opening. It is Mrs. Elliott, 70 Buried Tuesday Mrs. Ruth Rea Holmes Elliott, 109 West King Street, died Saturday in N.C. Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. She was 70. Graveside services were held'St 11 A.M. Tuesday in Beaver Bill Cemetery with Dr. Robert Gray and Rev. Fred Drane officiating Pallbearers were: T. B. H. Wood, Joe Conger, Jr., Allen B. Harless, Dr. Richard Hines, Dr. Edward G. Bond and Thomas H. Shepard. Mrs. Elliott was the widow of Richard Felton Elliott and the daughter of the late James Hinton and Ruth Rea Holmes. She was a native of Chowan County. Surviving is a son, Richard Felton Elliott, Jr., of Newport News, Va.; a daughter, Mrs; Clifford Overman of Wilson; three sisters: Mrs. George S. Elliott of Huntsville, Ala.; Mrs. Earl Goodwin and Mrs. Richard H. Goodwin, both of Edenton; five, grandchildren and two steprr grandchildren. She was a member of Edentott ' Baptist Church. ‘ Williford-Barham Funster Home had charge & w arrangements. . Lassiter Resigns Post Here Dr. John Dunn, of the Edenton-Chowan Scfc||)f, announced Monday that ISjfe Lassiter, director of instnMppt, has resigned from the systetf to accept the position of associate Don Lassiter • ." i '*'■ i*- > ' • - -y •*; * i * Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, July 14, 1977 individual election of councilmen by wards) ...let the people be elected by those closest to them,” he added. Later he added: “By going to the legislature we overlooked the people and this disturbs me.” He said there was little mention in the media in 1965 regarding the change in the method of electing councilmen. And he was careful to point out that he was talking about the office and not any individual councilman holding that office. In his statement, at the close of the regular agenda, Mayor Harrell said: “If the councilman was voted on by only the people in his ward and could be voted out of office by the people in his ward, I am sure he would become closer to tentatively set for 10 A.M. County commissioners Monday agreed to cooperate with the town and Edenton Chamber of Com merce in sponsoring the official opening on a day when ranking state highway officials will be in , the area for a meeting in Hertford. .. Chairman C. A. Phillips and .Commissioner N.J. George will work with a group from the council to make plans for the event. A list of dignitaries from throughout the 10-county Albemarle Area is being compiled and invitations will be sent. There is talk of a luncheon for state and regional officials but the general public will be invited to the official opening at a point yet to be designated. Disagreements Two Chowan County com missioners disagreed heatedly Monday over the value of the county appointing members to boards created by the Town of Edenton. At issue were recent appointments to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and the Planning & Zoning Commission. Commissioner N.J. George declared that the boards are of no benefit to the county. “I don’t think the county should par ticipate in making appointments,” he said. “The town should go ahead and appoint them (those from the extraterritorial area).” He also said it would cost the county money since board members are to be paid. Chairman Phillips disagreed. He said the county has a responsibility and exercise the responsibility. He said personal things should not be allowed to cloud the county board. George later charged that the town seeks appointments from the county “so it will look respec table” although the county has no * input into the rules and regulations of the boards. " - Minutes from a June meeting ;■ show that Mrs. Marjorie T. Allen, superintendent of Nash Countv Schools. Lassiter’s resignation will become effective July 31. He had been associated with the local schools for three years, handling curriculum development and personnel. “We will be losing a very valuable asset to the school system, but we are pleased that he will have this new opportunity,” commented Dr. Dunn. Lassiter is a native of Gates County, and as a Morehead scholar was educated at the University of North Carolina. Prior to coming to Edenton, he resided in Granville County. Dr. Dunn stated that ap plications for the position of director of instruction are now being accepted, and inquiries should be made directly to his office in the Chowan County Office Building, or by calling 483-4436. them.” Council called public hearings for the August meeting on zoning changes requested by Earnhardt and Burroughs and Thomas Francis, as well as a request to rezone a portion of Queen Street in the vacinity of the proposed court house-jail complex. The first three requests were recommended by the Planning & Zoning Commission and it is an ticipated that action on the fourth request will be taken prior to the public hearing. Council adopted the 1976 National Fire Prevention Code and voted to have utilities on Water Street from near the in tersection of Broad Street to the Byrum property be put un- mm t Uli fjf PS* PLAN SYMPOSIUM The 1978 Edenton Symposium has entered the planning stages, slated for April 6-7. This year’s theme will be “The Port of Roanoke”. Shown above, from left to right, the planning committee consists of Mrs. Virginia Wood, Mrs. Anna Bair, Mrs. Frances Inglis, Mrs. Nan Edmunds, and Ava Garrett, site manager of Historic Edenton, Inc. Aired Concerning Boards Arthur F. Beeler and James R. Bass were named to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. Ralph W. Outlaw was named to the Planning & Zoning Commission with three members reappointed. They were: Worth Hare, Robert Weintraub and A.C. Griffin. Dist. Atty. Tom Watts appeared to give his annual report which brought about a decrease in his budget request but his presence gave the commissioners the op portunity to defend the size of the courtroom in the new courthouse and criticize Superior Court Judge Bradford Tillery. During a recent session of court, the Wilmington jurist expressed concern that the public seating in the proposed facility is less than in the current courthouse. The district attorney said he and Judge Herbert Small of Elizabeth City, resident judge, viewed the plans and Judge Small later wrote the architect expressing the same concern as Judge Tillery. The architect replied to Judge Small and the letter was read by Chairman Phillips. It noted that the trend is to reduce the public seating and provide more private areas for witnesses, jurors, etc. He also said Mrs. Lena M. Leary, cleric of court, W.J.P. Earnhardt, Jr., and John Graham, local at torneys, “liked and approved the arrangement of the courtroom.” Phillips said the commissioners and architect “have made every Bloodmobile Schedule Set Five visits by the Red Cross Bloodmobile have been scheduled for the next fiscal year, according to Allan Asbell, chairman in Chowan County. Asbeil said he has been notified by the Tidewater Blood Center that the bloodmobile will be in Edenton on August 15, November 7, January 9, March 6, and May 15. Headquarters is the Fellowship Hall of Edenton Baptist Church and the time is 12-noon until 6 P.M. The chairman pointed out that: “We had a super year last year and if we all work as hard this year, we’Jl do even greeter.” Single Copies 15 Cents. derground at a cost of about $9,000. A recreation report, including a recent survey, was presented by Judd Little, planner, which was lauded by Councilman Allen Homthal, commission chairman. It is anticipated that funding will follow the report. Two resolutions regarding the Community Development Block Grant proposal were adopted. W. B. Gardner, town ad ministrator, reported on a number of projects. Included was a report that the U.S. Department of In terior had designed downtown Edenton as a National Recreation Trail, the only one in existance not in a nature area. The two-volume 201 Facilities study was distributed. effort to involve the law fraternity in the planning.” He added: "Wp have made every effort to involve the law fraternity in the plan ning.” He added: “We have designed a modest facility; one which is adequate.” A public hearing was held on the Chowan Implementation & En forcement Plan. Continued On Page 4 Victorian Era Studies Slated Ava Garrett, site manager of Historic Edenton, Inc., has been chosen to attend the Victorian Society Summer School in London, England, for three weeks. The course is sponsored jointly by the Victorian Society in America and the British Victorian Society. The scholarship course will be concerned with the history of Victorian architecture in Britain; with some emphasis on the later Victorian period and its influence on American architecture. There will be lectures by some of the leading scholars and experts in the architecture, art and social and religious history of the period. These will be complemented by visits to many of the major Vic torian buildings and monuments in London and elsewhere in England. Miss Garrett hopes to bring back a better knowledge of the Victorian world so that she can help develop a growing interest in preserving Victorian architecture in Edenton. Edenton has a large number of structures built during the Vic torian era and she would like to see this part of Edenton’s history developed more. Such prominent buildings as Wessington House (1850) and St. Anne’s Church (1857) are considered Victorian. Jubilee and the Paine houses were built during the Victorian age also. It is the hope of Historic Edenton’s site manager to make the people of Edenton more aware of their total history and ar chitectural range available in our lovely town. This is one of the main reasons far attending the school, / ' v
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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July 14, 1977, edition 1
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