Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / March 15, 1979, edition 1 / Page 1
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wJ I*% I ♦ rffc <K.| ' Sweeten The Pot The day when holding elective office was considered a signal honor is rapidly fleeting. Politics is not a four letter word, never theless those who participate in this arena are becoming fewer and fewer because of the role in which they are being cast. Politics is a dirty word, along the Public Parade, as well as throughout Tar Heelia and the entire United States. The sad thing is that little is being done to erase the stigma which is unjustly implied. Just last week our favorite af ternoon daily of general cir culation in Northeastern North Carolina, in a rare original editorial, beat the drums in favor of tightening up on expenses in curred by elected officials. The case in point was in Dare County, where a newly elected com missioner continues his witch hunt. The suhject could just as easily have originated in Chowan County or the Town of Edenton. It appears that the age old theory that it takes money to make money has been thrown out the window. Those who complain about the reasonable expenses paid elected officials for their public service outside their original jurisdiction is so petty it hardly deserves comment. Everyone wants local, state and federal government fun on a business-like basis. And while even the Internal Revenue Service recognizes that entertainment and the like is a legitimate business expense, some would use another yardstick to measure those with whom they have charged with a public trust. Much is being made about a trip two local councilmen and two employees of the town made to Opp, Ala., to gather first hand information regarding a municipally-owned cable TV system. If such a system is con sidered feasible for Edenton and can improve communications among our citizens, not to mention a possible expansion of the Geoff - al Fund with non-tax revenues, the trip should be hailed as a wise business venture. Nevertheless, instead of giving the seed time to germinate, those involved are being pressured to pay their own expenses, which tot al around $l,lOO. There are people who have made that much per month and produced a great deal less than the cable TV potential. A local government gets a lot of state and federal funding via the formula written into guidelines. The windfall, however, comes through personal contact with those who have the authority to put the stamp of approval on a project. This is an age of emphasis on the “one-on-one” approach to solving most any problem those which arise by accident as well as design. If a trip to meet one which puts you in touch is necessary; if it takes a meal and yes, even a bottle of wine, to put it all together, the end results in a business expense which weighs heavy on the cost benefit scale. Anyway it is said, a little sugar on a cookie makes the cookie taste a whole lot better. While citizens might be content with a bland local government, it would take a stroke of genius to accept the same standard in other things, business not withstanding. Left Out, Again Sec. Tom Bradshaw of file N.C. Department of Transportation has announced receipt of a $520,368 federal grant to purchase 48 vans and buses for 16 non-profit organizations serving the han dicapped and elderly. None of the money is coming to Northeastern North Carolina. Eighty per cent of the total project costs was federally fun ded. The 16 local non-profit organizations provide the remaining 20 per cent. At the same time; Sec. Brad shaw revealed that the N.C. Board of Transportation has approved a request to reallocate $48,180 of unexpended state and federal funds far puMk^teia- DISCUSS PROBLEMS WITH RlVEß—Cleaning up the Chowan River was the topic of discussion Friday at a meeting in Raleigh called by Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr. Above, Mayor Roy L. Harrell of Edenton and Don Borst, executive vice president of CF Industries at Tunis discuss the problem v, ith two unidentified men. Below left, Capt. Alfred Howard of Arrowhead Beach and Sec. Howard N. Lee have a light moment while Gov. Hunt and C.A. Phillips, chairman, Chowan County Commissioners, are quite serious in their conversation. rTHF CHOWAN HFRATDj All JL-I JL JL V w JLM, JL e -K A. 8 ■A, WL XA. 8 J m m ZiM vmm * v* • * , - W Volume XLV.—No. 11 Unanimous Decisions Recorded On Three Issues In a five-hour marathon Tuesday night, Edenton Town Council authorized an official other than the mayor to sign checks; approved the concept of a street connecting U.S. 17 Business and Highway 32; ap proved the extension of West Hicks Street to join Highway 32; and got restrictions imposed against the town administrator temporarily rescinded. Farm Profits Hit Hard By Production Costs By R.M. Thompson County Ext. Chairman Most any county or city in North Carolina would be very proud and happy to get an industry that would gross $18.5-million a year. We know that the people in the Town of Edenton and the businessmen in the county also look at farming as an industry and have a very high appreciation for farm income in Chowan County. When we worked up the estimated farm income for the county and published the figures, Jr MEL- - •'*. A Jm *!Sm '• '• * J U # -/ • a Bp /|fl AADA SPEAKER The quarter board meeting of Albemarle Area Development Association was held last Thursday night at Boswell’s Restaurant. Dr. Thomas Brewer, center, chan cellor of East Carolina University, was the speaker. Shown here are: LaitrWiwnport, president; Dr. Brewer; and Mayor Roy L. Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, March 15, 1979 we received a lot of comments about the increase in income. Most of these comments dealt with the fact that very little net profit was made in 1978 even though the gross income was up. This is especially when we are concerned with com and soybeans, using an average yield and average cost of production. When we figure the cost of production of a commodity we base it on variable costs and fixed costs. The variable cost of production deals with seed, lime, Mayor Roy L. Harrell vigorously objected to the council’s unanimous action on the three issues which came to a vote. He agreed to the com promise regarding the restrictions he placed last month on W.B. Gard ner, administrator. This was admittedly a reluctant decision and came only under an indication that council members were prepared to vote to rescind the restrictions. fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, fuels, machinery repair, interest, nematicides, fungicides, and labor. The fixed costs are machinery replacement, interest on machinery, taxes, insurance and land cost. This cost is present whether a crop is produced or not. It’s very possible that with figuring net profit from variable costs, a profit can be shown and a family could live maybe a year to two on the income from fixed costs, especially if the land is paid for. To give you two or three examples: The cost of production including fixed and variable costs on com is about $2lO an acre, while the variable cost on an acre of com is about $l3O. Likewise for soybeans, the variable cost of production is Continued on Page 4 ECU Chancellor Speaks On Regional Issues This country didn’t get into the shape it is in overnight and a gradual approach should be taken in making changes which improve the educational and social needs. Dr. Thomas Brewer expressed this philosophy at last Thursday’s quarter meeting of the board of Albemarle Area Development Association. Dr. Brewer, chancellor of Est Carolina University in Greenville, said the residents of Northeast ern North Carolina “are weary of being viewed a a curiosity” and the needs of the area recreational, medical, cultural Governor Orders Pollution Reports By L.F. Amburn, Jr. Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., has demanded a report by July 15 from industry, agriculture and local government as to the amount of nitrogen each is contributing to the Chowan River. Furthermore, Reward Offer Posted By State The State of North Carolina is offering a $5,000 reward for in formation leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Les Jones. Mr. Jones was the victim in an armed robbery-murder at his county store the afternoon of January 31. The store is located at the intersection of Highway 37 and SR 1002. Earlier, Chowan County com missioners posted a SSOO reward. Sheriff Troy Toppin reports no new leads in the investigation, but is hopeful that the $5,500 in reward money will result in information which will solve the case. Sheriff Toppin has been sent a proclamation signed March 7 by Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., in which it is stated that “it is important for the preservation of law and order that the responsible person or persons be brought to justice.” The reward will be paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for, participating in, or conspiring to commit the murder.” Anyone having information should contact the Sheriff’s Office in Edenton or the State Bureau of Investigation. Council Overides Mayor Councilman Gil Burroughs said Mayor Harrell’s action at the February meeting came as a surprise to board members. He said out of “common courtesy” the members should have been informed. He suggested a compromise which included an executive session to discuss what he said appears to be a personnel problem, but with the restrictions rescinded in the meantime. At first Mayor Harrell resisted. Councilman Allen L. Horathal got a second to his motion to flat out rescind the action. This brought on more discussion and the motion was withdrawn after the mayor accepted the Burroughs com promise. During the heated discussion, Mayor Harrell said he would cooperate with councilmen and anyone else “100 per cent to run this town the way I think it should Continued on Page 4 and other social needs “exist here as any (dace else, and some way is required to meet them.” The chancellor, a historian who specializes in transportation, said the area needs roads to stimulate the economy and create em ployment. He noted that more roads and fewer traffic counts are required, as well as more jobs and fewer economic studies. He said the area should adopt a “step by step” approach to regional development, and pledged ECU’s resources in this endeavor. “Progress comes in small steps rather than from Single Copies 15 Cents. he wants a discussion at the same time on how each plans to reduce , this amount. He is asking the same from the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1 saying while the State of North Carolina solicits cooperation his administration is fully committed to see that the algae-choked river is restored to a healthy state. During a meeting in Raleigh Friday with about 40 govern mental, industrial and agricultural leaders from the two states which make up the Chowan River Basin, Gov. Hunt spelled out what steps he wants taken in his war against the nitrogen-fed algae. He did it, at times, in strong language. Don Borst, executive vice president of CF Industries, made a. presentation in which he outlined what the company had done like spent sis-million in capital' projects which cost sl-million per year in operating costs to comply with water quality regulations. In answer to a question from the governor, Borst said: “I don’t know anything more we can do. But we will continue to cooperate with the state.” Gov. Hunt responded: “We’re going to find ways more can be done. When we do we are going to Continued on Page 4 On Leadership Alliance For Progress, a six county educational consortium, will have a presentation Monday night on Phase II of the Rockefeller Foundation Leadership Development project. The first part of this phase deals with determining the role and responsibilities of school superintendents. Edenton-Chowan Board of Education will host the meeting, which begins at 7:30 P.M. in the Municipal Building. Represen tatives from boards in Gates, Perquimans, Bertie, Martin and Hertford counties will attend. Dr. William Self, acting dean, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Dr. Julio George, a professor, are university consultants who will share an overview of Phase II with board members. The project also will be aimed at development of an instrument to evaluate the responsibility of the superintendents. Dr. John Dunn, superintendent of Edenton-Chowan Schools, said the project model sets out clearly what duties and responsibilities are and from that can be developed a means of evaluation. “That is always an advantage to have specific criteria for the evaluation of the effectiveness in which a job is carried out,” he stated. Phase I of the project was a Sixth Year Program For Ad ministrators, which has recently been completed. Grant Approved Rep. Walter B. Jones of the First Congressional District today announced approval by the EPA of a grant award of $33,073 to the Town of Edenton. This represents an increase in a grant already awarded to conduct Phase I of a sewer system evaluation survey under the Waste Water Treatment Construction Works Program. something happening to dramatically reshape our living,” he added. L.F. Am burn, Jr., past AADA president, introduced Dr. Brewer. Commenting on the fact that the speaker wrote bis doctoral dissertation on American history and more specifically on tran sporation, Amburn said: “That’s a part of history the people of Northeastern North Carolina know nothing about.” Larry Davenport of Washington County presided at the faceting held at Mrs. Boswefl's Restaurant, Continued an Page 1
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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March 15, 1979, edition 1
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