i> Good Buy
i®* he Law Enforcement
BRsistance Administration con
tinues under fire at ttie federal
level. Nevertheless, the program
continues to function efficiently
shd effectively along the Public
Parade and throughout Nor
theastern North Carolina.
/It continue, also, to be one of
.Bte best buys for local government
; gnd If this source dries up it will be
4 great loss.
f Between June 30,1977, and May
St, Chowan County put up
ind implemented projects
$132,258. It is good to put
and get a $15,093 project,
i bettor to put up $5,000 and
LOO,OOO Alternative School.
i hi Edenton during the same
period, town fathers put $14,404 for
. projects with a price tag of $75,240.
The bulk of the town’s matching
. funds went for a third year
program which provides ad
ditional policemen.
jWThe Albemarle Law & Order
BHsociation already has under
development or consideration a
sfecond year funding for the
Alternative School as well as an in
service deputy for Sheriff Troy
Toppin’s Department,
x In the town projects include a
crime prevention officer, in
vestigative officer, two policemen,
and an addition to the Police
department.
Programs which are heavily
funded from the federal and-or
State governments have to
maintain strong leadership in
©Cder to continue to warrant the
confidence of the people they deal
with. LEAA programs here enjoy
this type leadership and so long as
_ the pipeline is open the area will
.continue to reap the benefits.
Great Effort
The worst-kept secret along the
Public Parade and throughout
North Carolina is the State Board
of Education’s agreement to fund
a $50,000 pilot project on the
subject of a Tri-County Career
Jtducation Center in ChowatL.:
Votes and Perquimans.
There have been so many spoons
in the soup that information
regarding the funding, and its
basis, have flowed more rapdily
than the water in the Chowan
River. The latest is Bill Noblitt’s
column in the newspapers who
subscribe to the Association of
Afternoon Dailies, which in this
area is our favorite in the
Albemarle published in the Isle of
The Pasquotank.
The project was in a “hold”
position until Gov. Hunt gave it his
blessing on March 23. This got the
attention of the State Board of
Education, of which he was a
member as Lt. Gov., as well as the
State Department of Public In
struction, whose superintendent
has never been shy to innovative
and bold proposals.
It is an idea of multi-county
cooperation whose time has come,
it is something which the federal,
state, local and private sector can
fund for an efficient and effective
of education.
B. Jones, Jr.,
Representative of the Governor’s
Rlffice who was named coordinator
jl»r the project, has done his job
Rvell. He put the pieces of the
Coßtfaiued on Page 4
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MHH
L GRANT CAUSES CONTROVERSY An SBO,OOO grant to
historic sites and tourism in Northeastern North
has brought about a controversy. It was discussed here
||goag>y» with leaders being, Sen. Melvin Daniels, Mrs. Lucille
of Edenton Historic Commission; Rep. Vernon G.
wtFSSt ■' h***?. Tiae 0{ ***&• **■ Roberts Jernigan of
«w* Edwards, president of Historic Albemarle
■Mr. (See Public Parade).
1.
'
School Bond Issue Set For August 15
Edenton-Chowan Board of Education has been given the
long awaited green light to go to the people on August 15 with a
3.5-million school bond referendum. County commissioners,
by a 4-1 vote, Monday night approved the board’s petition for
the vote.
In presenting the petition, Eugene Jordan, Chairman, said
the board estimated the project to cost $4-million, but $500,000
is available in state school bond money. Questioned about the
site, he assured the commissioners it would be selected prior
to the vote, as well as nailing down the cost and appearance of
the project.
Commissioner C. A. Phillips said he felt the board was being
“sorta rushed into it” but later voted with the majority. The
lone dissenter was J.D. Pede whose most vocal objection was
over a special election which could cost the county as much as
$3,500 rather thpn wait to the November election.
Jordan said by waiting until past the regular time for
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Volume XLIV,—No. 20.
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NATIONAL DECA WIN
NER—Tim Lane of John A.
Holmes High School DECA
was chosen a national finalist
in competition held last week
in Washington, D.C. He was
chosen from among 150 con
rlfcgtants and was one of two
winners selected from North
Carolina. The son of Mr. and
Mrs. Paulette Lane, he is
shown here with John Dowd,
Holmes DECA advisor.
Budget Approved
Edenton-Chowan Board of
Education has approved a “hold
the line” budget for fiscal 1978-79
which totals $3.5-million and
requires $740,000 in county funds.
Dr. John Dunn, superintendent,
said the local share is up some 15
per cent from the current budget.
Based on 2,650 students, the per
pupil cost is $284.
He said the first draft of the
budget was $900,000, up con
siderably from the $641,000 the
schools get from the county this
year. However, after two sessions
of the board the “expansion
budget was cut back to the current
figure.
The superintendent said there
was a rather large increase, about
30 per cent, in the cost of coal and
electricity. Capital outlay was
increased $22,000 with the primary
project being the repair to the
boiler room at D.F. Walker
Continued On Page 4
Oakum Street Project
Block Grant Sought
The Town of Edenton is seeking
a $832,810 Community Block grant
from U.S. Housing & Urban
Development to carry out Phase II
of a program on Oakum Street.
Town Council last week ap
proved the preapplication with the
project year to begin October 1.
Phase I, now underway in a three
block area from Peterson to
Carteret streets, was funded at the
$445,000 level.
Jud Little, CD director, said if
the new grant is approved the
project will take in an area from
State Board
Pledges Funds
Following the lead of Gov.
James B. Hunt, Jr., the State
Board of Education in six weeks
has guaranteed funding of a
$50,000 planning grant for the Tri-
County Career Education Center
in Northeastern North Carolina.
In the process, the state’s
highest authority in elementary
and secondary education hopes to
involve Coastal Plains Regional
Commission.
At a recent meeting of the
boards of education in Chowan,
Gates and Perquimans counties,
steps were taken to launch the
program. This came following a
meeting last week in Raleigh
where the superintendents were
told of assurance of the request for
a year-long planning grant.
At last week’s meeting in
Gatesville, Dr. J.H. Horton of the
local unit, suggested that alter
native means of launching the
project be available at a June
meeting. The options appeared to
be:* hire a director; retain a
private firm to set up a program;
or hand the idea over to a
university for a draft proposal.
The Tri-County Career
Education Center concept sur
faced only a few months ago and
became the first multi-county
project of this nature in all of
North Carolina. It quickly gained
the “full support” of Gov. Hunt,
Continued On Page 4
Results Pending
Parents who have a child in
grades 1,2,3,6, or 9 of Edenton-
Chowan Schools, will soon receive
the results of their child’s
achievement on tests ad
ministered April. The
testing was given as part of the
statewide annual testing program.
Individual student scores are
being returned to schools between
May 8 and 26 and parents should
receive individual student scores
between May 15 and 31.
Parent-teacher conferences will
be held as well as other methods of
communicating with parents
about their child’s achievement
and progress or plans for
remediation. Each local school
system will release grade and
school scores around July 24. State
results are scheduled to be
released at the August meeting of
the State Board of Education.
opening schools the project could be delayed a third year.
Commissioner Alton G. Elmore noted that the county held a
water bond referendum during a special election because “we
wanted it to stand on its own merits.”
During the discussion, Peele further commented that it
appeared the commissioners are being dictated to as to what
“they want and when we do it.”
Jordan said the project was the same as previously
discussed, a new high school facility. He noted that the board
has various options, not only with a new high school but in
complete reorganization. He said this appeared to be the
overwhelming sentiment during community meetings.
Commissioner Lester Copeland quizzed Jordan about the
tax boost such a referendum would require. It was estimated,
at the current valuation, to be 17 cents per SIOO valuation.
At another point, Copeland asked if promotion of the
referendum would by at any cost to the county. Jordan
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, May 18, 1978.
the existing line to Church Street.
The town is proposing a com
prehensive program of neigh
borhood revitalization including
rehabilitation, acquisition and
public works improvements.
In the resolution adopted,
council stated that the town faces
“critical social and environmental
problems as a result of
deteriorated housing, blighted
neighborhoods and inadequate
public facilities.”
The program would stabilize
and revitalize neighborhoods
using a comprehensive approach
that addresses multiple programs
in a low-income, minority con
centration area.
Phase II is designed to
rehabilitate 42 houses in the target
area; nine have been found to be in
such deteriorated condition that
rehabilitation would not be
feasible and - acquisition is
necessary.
The grant would also provide
adequate street, water, sewer and
drainage facilities. Sidewalks
would be built and curb and
gutter installed. Equipment would
be replaced at the neighborhood
playground.
Council also awarded an in
surancecontract to West W. Byrum
Agency and gas and oil contract to
Creywood Oil Company.
Dr. Parker Chesson of Elizabeth
City was nominated for reap
pointment to Coastal Resources
Commission.
Councilman James P. Ricks,
Jr., reported that Edenton Jaycees
have indicated an interest in
cooperating with the town and
Post Office in bringing about a
unified house numbering system
here.
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Rehabilitation
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Improved Drainage
assured him it would not since the information already
available would be used.
When Jordan said the board would hope to sell the bonds to
Farmers Home Administration at 5 per cent interest over 40
years, Phillips said he had problems with the longevity of the
situation. “This is a burden everyone should understand,” he
added.
In other business, commissioners named Mrs. April Lane
and Marvin Smith to fill vacancies on the Planning Board, but
stopped short of removing from the board the authority of
appointing its own chairman.
The contract of Henry E. Dick of Greensboro to serve as
county manager was approved. It calls for an annual salary of
$22,000; $2,500 in travel allowance; moving expenses; a
week’s vacation in August or September; and a six-month
notice to terminate.
REPRESENT CHAMBER—These seven men represented
Edenton Chamber of Commerce at a State Utilities Commission
hearing in Williamston regarding a Vepco rate increase. Left to
right are: Stanley Hege, W. Earl Smith, Robert Moore, Charles
Creighton, A1 Howard, George Alma Byrum, and Bill Norvell,
president.
Vepco Argues For Rate Hike
WILLIAMSTON Virginia
Electric & Power Company hopes
the N.C. Utilities Commission will
approve a 22 per cent rate in-
Reward Offered
A $2,000 reward has been offered
by the State of North Carolina for
information regarding the fire
bombing of the home of Bruce
McGraw in Edenton on March 26.
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., an
nounced the reward in Raleigh
Tuesday morning.
McGraw is principal at John A.
Holmes High School.
The reward will be paid to
anyone furnishing confidential
information leading to the arrest
and conviction of those respon
sible for the crime.
Anyone having such information
should contact Edenton Police
Department or the State Bureau of
Investigation.
Single Copies 15 Cents.
crease so the firm can get its
earnings up to show the financial
community a good investment,
cover inflation since the last in
crease, and cover start-up costs
of the North Anna nuclear plant.
This was the crux of a case put
to the news media by Stanley
Ragone, Vepco president, at a
meeting here Monday on the eve of
public hearings on the $13.2-
million rate increase request
Ragone said because of the
manner in which the commission
accepts data, the increase will not
be adequate by the time it is acted
upon.
While he expressed concern
over those on fixed income,
Ragone said the utility firm must
have rates base on investment and
the cost of producing electricity.
He suggested that state and
federal governments consider
additional assistance to those on
fixed income.
“Our job is to provide service at
the most economical rate possible
and we contend we are doing
that,” he said.
In answer to a question from the
media, he denied that the firm has
inflated the amount of the increase
in hopes of settlement for a lesser
figure.
The proposed increase wiy be
offset by about $2.8-million in fuel
savings because of the use of lower
cost nuclear fuel at North Anna
Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 and
other nuclear operation, said
Ragone. The net effect will be a
17.4 per cent—or $10.4-million—
increase in customer bills, he said.
“Commercial operation of the
Continued on Page 4
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