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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
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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,
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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