Tuesday, 7:30 P. M.
Voters in the Town of Edenton
have re-elected their mayor who
carried a politically unknown into
office with him; unseated an in
cumbent by electing a highly
knowledgeable person in utilities;
and changed the system of elec
ting four councilmen.
We opposed three of the four
candidates and - or issue approved
but will be among the first to
congratulate and compliment
those who applied the muscle to
get elected and get their Issue
approved.
It is called the dei .%'ic
process. But will the T o yf
Edenton benefit from
decisions of the majorit
Tuesday’s election? We dout
The voters decided to have
town revert to the “ward systen
of electing four of the six cour. <
cilmen. The town will be strongly
pressed to align the ward boun
daries along lines of the “One
man, one vote” doctrine which
could prove disasterous to those
who felt it would be beneficial.
Mayor Roy L. Harrell hung his
shingle on the “ward voting”
question, and won. If it backfires,
he must absorb the blame.
If councilmen are elected via
wards, then they must insist that
the mayor be elected from the
council, and not at-large. To do
otherwise would be double
standard which we are confident
Mayor Harrell would oppose. You
just can’t have your cake and eat
it too.
Tuesday’s vote is now a matter
of history. What develops as a
result of it will be a matter of
current events which we will
report objectively, but comment
on here as we see fit.
Four years ago we pledged our
support for positive programs by a
mayor we did not endorse, but who
was elected. Today we can do no
less and our critics can expect no
more.
Triple Decker
* A treat is in store for those along
the Public Parade who go out to
Holmes Auditorium tonight
(Thursday). The Cultural Arts
Department has put together a
triple decker program which
offers something for everyone,
beginning at 7:30 o’clock.
The art classes will display
examples of their talent; the
drama classes will present
selections from a popular play;
and the music classes will en
tertain in the form of the Concert
Choir.
In the past various sections of
the Cultural Arts Department
have exposed their talent in
dividually. When you put them all
together it is bound to be a hit and
you won’t want to miss it.
Ducks In Packs?
It is difficult to determine which
can be more unpleasant, a
Wolfpack Club member who is a
duck hunter or one who talks
duckanese and has tickets to sell.
We don’t know in which category
to put Charles Creighton but he
managed to play both roles at
lunch Tuesday.
We are at a loss as to what
James Boswell did to deserve
simultaneous meetings of athletic
supporters of the West Raleigh
Branch of ths Greater University
of North Carolina and the
Albemarle Chapter, Ducks
Unlimited. But he should have
known bettor than to place them
back to back.
It would be a good assumption
that “good time” Charlie made
the arrangements so he could {day
the role of participating in both.
It is not known what he con
tributed to the meeting of Chowan
Continued on Page 4
Retail Sales Rank Third
Chowan County ranked third in
the Albemarle Area in gross retail
. sales in August, according to a
report released by the N.C.
Department of Revenue. Sales
hoe wereplaped at $4,481,062, just
above Washington County’s
$4,215,424. *\ " . •
Gross sales in Dare County
living theanenth led the 10-county
area width total of $12,7*7,105. In
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
E. Edenton W. Edenton Ab. Total
For Mayor
Roy L. Harrell 541 332 17 890
Allen L. Hornthal 229 342 19 590
For Treasurer
A. B. Harless, Jr. 455 530 37 1022
For Councilman-at-Large
Gil Burroughs 410 316 20 746
James C. Dail 308 338 17 663
For Councilman, Third Ward
Errol Flynn 261 224 18 503
J. P. Ricks, Jr. 416 419 18 853
For Councilman, Fourth Ward
Harry Spruill, Jr. 482 477 36 995
Ward Voting
Yes 426 239 18 683
No 221 369 19 609
Harrell Re-Elected; Voters Pass Ward Issue
Mayor Roy L. Harrell easily
von re-election Tuesday as Gil
o urroughs unseated veteran
James C. (Pete) Dail in a coun
cilman-at-large race and James
P. Ricks, Jr., defeated Errol
Flynn, incumbent in the Third
Ward.
Voters also approved a charter
change which will return the town
Tup (T* H^f")A Nf HERALD
JL JL JLnI »V i ail J, A iV jl it JLmI U
Volume XML—No. 45. Edenton, North Carolina, November 10, 1977. Single Copies 15 Cents.
County Manager Post Is Created
Chowan County commissioners
Monday established a new
position, that of county manager.
The vote was 3-2 with those voting
against the motion expressing no
opposition to the concept but to the
timing.
Commissioner N. J. George
Church Plans Are Approved
Final plans for the new Edenton
United Methodist Church were
unanimously approved Tuesday
night at a congregational meeting
conducted by Rev. Norwood
Jones, district superintendent.
The Building Committee and
Trustees were empowered to
proceed with advertising for bids
on the project which has an
estimated cost of $700,000. The
new structure will be located on
Virginia Road, adjacent to
Chowan Chowan Hospital.
L. F. Amburn, Jr., chairman of
the Building Committee,
presented the plans to the
congregation, saying they were
Conference
Representative
Billy Rose, administrator,
Department of Transportation,
will represent state government at
an economic development con
ference here tonight (Thursday).
The meeting will begin at 7:30
P. M. in Chowan County Courthouse.
This is one of 100 conferences
called by Gov. Jim Hunt to give
citizens a chance to say how they
think state government can help
get better, high paying jobs in the
state.
The purpose of the county
conferences, which are open to the
public, is to allow citizens to tell
state governnment what they
believe the economic problems
are in their own communities and
what local, state and federal
governnment should do to help
solve them.
The conferences are forerun
ners to a larger state-wide
gathering on balanced growth and
economic development set for
Continued on Page 4
Pasquotank County the total was
SU,ISMI3.
Other area comity totals in
cluded:
Camden, $781,230; Currituck,
$3,584,370; Gates, $1,274,333;
Hyde, $1,315,043; Perquimans,
and Tyrrell, $804^56.
Gross retail sales in North
Cwohnaiar August amounted to
nearly $2.3-billion.
to ward voting for four of the six
councilmen. This was heavily
promoted by Mayor Harrell and
Burroughs.
Mrs. Joseph M. Thorud,
supervisor of elections, said
complete but unofficial returns
showd 1.500 voters cast ballots in
the municipal election. This was 62
per cent of the registered voters,
expressed the opinion, just before
the end of the regular monthly
meeting, that it was time for the
board to come to grips with the
question. Commissioner Alton
G. Elmore added that he had felt
for some time it was something to
be considered.
merely an extinuation of
schematics approved earlier by
the church.
During the past week the plans
had been approved by the Building
Committee, district committee
and endorsed by the Church’s
official board.
The architect, Pendleton,
Leonard & Krider of Statesville,
will advertise the project for bids
which are expected to be taken in
January, 1978. Construction could
start almost immediately
thereafter on at least the
fellowship hall-classroom portion
of the building since sufficient
money is believed to be available
for the work.
Although the congregation voted
earlier to build the new structure
in two phases, the architect was
instructed to design a complete
facility in order that a deter
mination could be made as to the
total cost.
Mr. Jones said the district
committee was impressed with
the beautiful and functional
fellowship hall-classrooom portion
of the church as well as the
beautiful, function and worshipful
sanctuary.
Rev. Richard L. Blankenhom,
pastor, reported at the conference
that the church membership now
stands at 364.
' ;;• 'U \ '
Architect’s Sketch of Proposed Edenton United Methodist Church
IV m t m:
Roy L. Harrell
down more than 2 per cent from
the tally in 1973 when Mayor
Harrell defeated incumbent
George Alma Byrum.
County-wide, 427 more votes
were cast giving a total vote of
1,927 or 38.24 per cent of the
registered voters.
Chowan County voters, with
heavy margins in the town boxes,
Commissioner Lester T.
Copeland added what to be a third
and deciding vote for the program.
Chairman C. A. Phillips said he
did not resist the concept but
questioned whether or not the
commissioners were willing to
sacrifice their individual
perogratives to attend to matters
of county interest and concern.
Commissioner J. D. Peele said
he would not question the need for
such a position but felt it should
not be dealt with in a time of a
budget crunch. The commissioner
said he felt the county was rushing
into something which needed
much more study.
George said there should be no
hurry in filling the position, but it
should be created so the board
could move whenever the right
person is found for the job.
Chairman Phillips said he felt
professional management should
be sought and it would be costly.
“If we vote to go into this then we
must be prepared to do it with the
best professional person available
to us,” he added.
George estimated it would cost
about $40,000 to establish the of
fice. Elmore added that he felt a
county manager would pay his
own way.
Chairman Phillips said he would
have to be shown that such an
added budget item could be saved
through the establishment of the
office.
Those favoring the change to the
county manager form ol
government praised Phillips for
his dedication and contribution oi
time and effort on behalf of the
county. “But we should be able to
pay our own way,” George added.
The motion was to seek a county
manager with no strings attached.
'/Mu : -a&gfc.- ;.■■'*«
jjpssy-\ -
Gil Burroughs
favored two bond issues and five
constitutional amendments. The
issues passed state-wide.
Mayor Harrell polled fewer
votes in his stronghold, East
Edenton, than he did against
Byrum, but for the second con
secutive time with opposition he
closed the gap in West Edenton.
The difference between Mayor
Harrell and Dr. Hornthal in West
Edenton was 10 votes, but the
incumbent ran away with the vote
on the east side.
The mayor received 890 votes as
against 590 for the Second Ward
councilman.
In the ward voting referendum
voters in West Edenton did not
follow Harrell’s lead, defeating
the question 369 to 239. But in East
Edenton the issue was favored 426
to 221 and coupled with absentee
votes it passed 683 to 609.
Burroughs was given a heafty
margin in East Edenton in his bid
to upset Dail, who is mayor pro
tern. Dail carved out a slight edge
in West Edenton, with the final
tally being 746 for Burroughs and
Position On River Declared
Joining other area govern
mental units, Chowan County
commissioners have expressed
strong opposition to the with
drawal of water from the Chowan
River to aid Virginia
municipalities.
A resolution citing the critical
condition of the river at this point
Yield Falling
The peanut yield is falling and
soybeans are endangered by
recent rains and unseasonably
warm weather, according to Pete
Thompson, county extension
chairman.
Thompson said soybeans will rot
and sprout unless the area ex
periences cool, low humidity
weather with drying winds.
“Early varieties have already
been damaged,” he told Chowan
County commissioners.
The chairman said less than 1
per cent of the soybeans in
Chowan County have been har
vested. Local farmers, who ex
perienced a bad corn crop had
banked on soybeans.
H.O. West, executive director,
ASCS, said with 73 per cent of the
farms reporting, the peanut yield
is 3,006 pounds per acre. The
average yield last year was 2,896.
West said 14,231,695 pounds had
been reported from 4733.7 acres.
James P. Ricks, Jr.
663 for the incumbent.
Ricks, a former member of the
defunct Board of Public Works,
enjoyed a big majority in both
boxes to unseat Flynn, who is
completing his first four-year
term. The final vote wus 853 for
Ricks and 503 for Flynn.
A. B. Harless, Jr., ran unop
posed for treasurer and received
1,022 votes. Harry Spruill, Jr., was
unopposed for re-election in the
Fourth Ward and polled 995 votes.
Chowan County voters cast
ballots as follows on the state
ticket:
S3OO-million highway bonds:
For, 961; Against, 498.
$230-million clean water bonds:
For, 1,263; Against, 231.
Amendment No. 1: For, 1,277;
Against, 124.
Amendment No. 2: For, 1279;
Against, 114.
Amendment No. 3: For, 904;
Against, 519.
Amendment No. 4: For, 1.084;
Against, 268.
Amendment N 0.5: For, 1,146;
Against, 198.
was unanimously adopted at a
meeting Monday and will become
part of the record at a November
21 public hearing of the U. S. Corps
of Engineers in Roanoke Rapids.
The alternative water sources
being considered by the engineers
are also opposed by Jim Hunt and
state agencies, as well as the
Coastal Resources Com
mission.
During the meeting the board
also discussed a problem being
experienced by United Piece Dye
Works. Water is drawn from the
river by the industry and when the
tide is low sufficient amounts of
suitable water cannot be obtained.
The commissioners said at the
present they see no way the county
can assist the industry but pledged
to give full cooperation.
Chairman C. A. Phillips said the
Continued on Page 4
Night For Arts
On Thursday night (tonight) the
divisions of the Cultural Arts
Department of John A. Holmes
will join together for a presen
tation for the public beginning at
7:30 P.M. in the Holmes
auditorium.
Several paintings, sketches, and
crafts will be on display
representing the work of the Art
department in the foyer of the
auditorium.
The Music department will
feature its Concert Choir.
The Dramatic Arts classes will
present two selections from “Love
Is Better Than the Next Best
Thing”, a play that will soon be
taken on tour to several schools in
Northeastern North Carolina.
Admission will be $1 for adults
and 50 cents for students.
Meeting Slated
There will be a production
meeting for the Edenton Little
Theatre’s Christmas plays tonight
(Thursday) at 7:30 o’clock in the
Municipal Building.
Anyone interested in helping
with sets, lighting, costumes,
publicity, props or any other facet
of production, please come and
lend your support. No previous
experience is necessary.
It is very important for
everyone involved with the up
coming presentation to be present
at this meeting.