Asking the Hard Ones
Well, the city council has, at one
sitting, amended its land use plan
and rezoned a portion of its water
front property to make way for
the construction of a bed-and
breakfast inn, redesigned to meet
some objections to the original
plan.
Now, we presume, everything
will depend on the city’s ability to
obtain a UDAG grant, from which
funds would be made available to
the developer to finance the ma
jor portion of the cost of
construction.
We still don’t like it any better
than we did at first glance; but, if
the city council persists in going
through with it, we will all have to
live with it. For our part, mean
while, we will continue to hope the
UDAG money fails to materialize
• and that the city administration
undergoes a change of heart.
For one thing, we do not believe
enough of the hard questions have
been asked up to now. Developer
Dwayne Anderson’s estimates of
benefits to accrue to the com
munity carry with them certain
offsets and reasonable doubts as
to their ultimate accuracy.
For example, the estimated
$30,000 new revenue to the city
from taxes on the project is offset,
to a degree, by the fadt that there
will have to be a new site chosen
for the displaced police station.
Although of probably leser value,
that site will be removed from the
tax lists and, thus, will wipe out at
least some of the $30,000 gain.
No doubt, spending $2 million in
building the proposed inn would
produce some 30-to-40 temporary
construction jobs and, if done by
a local contractor, would leave
most of the wages in the com
munity. But there is a big question
whether aninn of 30 i%6rh# would
sustain a permanent pay roll of 20
people. Even at minimum pay,
these people would cost the com
pany $35 to $40 a day, including
fringe benefits. But certainly
some of them would earn more
than the minimum, putting the
average closer to $50 a day.
At $100 a night and with 100 per
* cent occupancy, the inn would
have a daily gross of only $3,600.
But, of course, that is dreaming.
An occupancy rate of 50 to 60 per
cent would be considered good,
reducing the daily gross to
$1,800-$2,100, with wages taking
$1,000 or more, not to mention
taxes, utilities, insurance and
other unavoidable charges.
But, if the city opens the door
Continued On Page 4
Cadets Join
State Drill
By Jack Grove
Navy Junior Officers Training
Corps (NJROTC) cadets from
John A. Holmes High School will
be traveling to Chapel Hill on
March 22 to compete in a state
wide drill meet with cadets from
) ten other units. The Edenton unit
is the only one in Northeastern
North Carolina according to
Lieutenant Commander Jim
Ryan, Naval Science Instructor at
Holmes.
The drill competition consists ol
an academic test; running anc
strength events; team competi
don in relays; and military dril
i competition, in platoon and squat
size and honor guard.
Ryan said the academic tes
was taken this week by a team o
six cadets, with the exam ad
ministered by a civilian teacher
Five of the six team members ac
tually take the exam which ii
graded by a district office in Soutl
Carolina.
1) The military drill^competitioi
at UNC-Chapel Hill is* composed o
two parts. There will be regulatio
drill, “straight out of the dril
' Continued On Page
--I— -—
Conference Attended
By E.N. (Pete) Manning
Mayor John Dowd, Town Ad
ministrator Sam Noble and Coun
cil Members Herbert Hollowell,
Willis Privott, E.N. Manning,
Marina Crummey and Steve
Hampton were in Washington,
D.C. early this week to join with
over 3,500 city government
leaders in an effort led by the Na
tional League of Cities to bring
about federal deficit reductions
and tax reform through actions
that will also maintain important
domestic programs.
Officials attending the NLC
Congressional-City Conference
were told that major urban pro
grams, already cut in half from
their 1979 funding levels, are fac
ing another round of 15-20 percent
in cuts under the Gramm
Rudman process, or even more if
Congress accepts the administra
tion’s budget proposals.
NLC President Henry G.
Cisneros, mayor of San Antonio,
presented a NLC Statement of
Priorities that called for a deficit
reduction effort that would treat
all areas of federal spending com
parably, and which would also
consider the “tax expenditures”
created by various deductions and
special allowances.
Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D
111.), chairman of the House Ways
and Means Committee, and Sen.
Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.), a
member of the Senate Finance
Committee, also spoke to the
delegates about tax reform
legislation.
A special plenary session on the
federal budget led off a full day of
workshop sessions on major ur
ban policy issues. Sen. Pete
Dominici (R-N.M.), chairman of
the Senate Budget Committee;
Rep. Butler Derrick (D-S.C.) of
the House Budget and Rules Com
mittees; James Miller, director of
the Office of Management and
Budget; and Rudolph Penner,
director of the Congressional
Budget Office, outlined the major
issues, deadlines and possible out
comes with the budget.
In addition to attending
general sessions, Edenton’s group
of delegates “paired off” and .at
tended workshops on: General
Revenue Sharing,’ Federal Tax
Reform I and II, Community
Development and Housing, Clean
Water Act, and the Current
Liability Insurance Crisis.
The workshops were in prepara
tion for meetings on Capitol Hill
between the city officials and their
House and Senate delegations.
The Edenton group attended a
reception honoring the North
Carolina Congressional Delega
tion Monday night after which
they had dinner with Con
gressman and Mrs. Walter B.
Jones and Administrative Aide
Floyd Lupton.
WiV*^
WASHINGTON MEETING— Edenton Mayor John Dowd, the Town Council, and Town Administrator,
Sam Noble, spent three days early this week at the National League of Cities conference in Washington,
D.C. A dais loaded with speakers imparted information to the delegates from all over the U.S. (Staff photo
by Manning)
New Democratic Officers Elected
New officers have been elected
to the Chowan County Democratic
Party organization. These officers
include: Sarah E. Tynch, Chair;
Charles Shaw, First Vice-Chair;
Rita Saunders, Second Vice
Chair; Thomas Sharpe, Third
Vice-Chair; Judy Rankins,
Secretary; and Gwen Hendrix,
Treasurer.
Tynch was elected as chair to
serve the unexpired term of R.M.
(Pete) Thompson who resigned
upon filing as a candidate for the
N.C. House of Representatives.
These officers will serve until
April, 1987.
Tynch listed the following
events of interest to local
Democrats:
*•“ ♦Precinct meetings will befieltf
Thursday, March 13 at precinct
polling places;
*The First District Democratic
Ball, to be held at Vaughn Center,
Elizabeth City State University on
March 22 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets for
the ball are available from any
member of the Executive Com
mittee or by calling Gwen Hen
drix, 482-8928;
*A Democratic Party Rally on
April 4 at 7 p.m. at the American
Legion Building in Edenton. Can
didates for County, District, and
State positions have been invited
to attend. Tickets for this event,
which includes a roast beef din
ner, are available from any
member of the Executive
Committee;
"•AndT a Chowan County
Democratic Convention to be held
on Saturday, April 5 at 1 p.m. at
the court house.
Other members of the Ex
ecutive Committee are Chairs and
Vice-Chairs of each precinct.
They are: Wardville, Charlie
Boyce, Chair and Merline Twine,
Vice-Chair; Center Hill, Helen
Hollowell, Chair and Bertram
Hollowed, Vice-Chair; Rocky
Hock, Vonnie Smith, Chair and
Herman “Buddy” Sawyer, Vice
Chair; East Edenton, Willis
Privott, Chair and Mary Esther
George, Vice-Chair; West Eden
ton, Tom Shepard, Chair and
Snooky Bond, Vice-Chair; and
Yeopim, Matthew Wills, Chair
and Alice Twiddy, Vice-Chair.
(Related picture on Page 4-A)
Subdivision Residents Voice Concerns
By Jack Grove
Cows, chickens, trash,
deteriorating roads, taxes and
property values were discussed
Monday morning at a public hear
ing. Chowan County Commis
sioners heard problems and com
plaints of property owners of the
Chowan Beach subdivision.
Commission Chairman Alton
Elmore stressed to the some 50
concerned residents that no action
would be taken by the Board until
its regular April meeting.
Complaints of a public nuisance
nature were heard of an unnam
ed resident of that community
who was keeping cows and
chickens in a residential area to
the detriment of his neighbors. It
was also said that this resident
was operating a trash business
that was causing problems.
Resident Wesley Carpenter said
that “six or seven years ago, we
did not have cows in Chowan
Beach. We do now.” He said that
an additional problem was some
200 truck tires in the community
that he termed as a “health
hazard” because they provided
breeding area for rats.
County Manager Cliff Copeland
told the group that the health
department had paid three
separate visits to Chowan Beach
and had found no significant
health violations.
The condition of the communi
ty’s roads were a major concern
of many. Bob Riddle told the com
missioners that “people that don’t
belong in there, come in and tear
up the roads, reckless drivers,
speeders and drunks.”
Commissioner A1 Phillips said
that 20 years ago, there were no
ordinances dealing with sub
divisions such as Chowan Beach
to regulate such growth problems
in subdivisions. Property owners
were told that while current or
dinances call for paved roads in
subdivisions, Chowan Beach is not
covered.
In outlining options to help
residents, it was pointed out that
only one, designation of Chowan
Beach.as a “service district” was
really viable. Copeland said that
the Commissioners would have to
ask the state legislature for
special legislation to receive this
designation and that it would en
tail a special tax on that com
munity’s residents.
Sally Hardison, a property
owner on Roanoke Trail said that
she had “already paid for that
road.” She felt that she shouldn’t
have to pay for other roads -
“We’ve already paid our share.”
She said that retirees on a fixed in
come are “not able to pay more.”
One speaker said of raising
taxes to fix the roads, “it’s
nothing, $30 or $40 a year.”
Another felt that it would be il
legal to raise his community’s
property tax rate without raising
the taxes of everyone in the
county.
A man identifying himself only
as Hudson, said, “1 bought in 1958.
It’s been a hard struggle since
then. We re not benefitting from
the county taxes. We can’t sell our
property because it’s an eyesore,”
in apparent reference to the roads
and other problems there.
Another public hearing was held
in the commissioners meeting
room to consider a revised or
dinance on mobile home parks.
Elmore said of the new ordinance,
Continued On Page 4
CHILD’S CHAIR DONATED — Cornelia Privott (left) and Sadie
Hoskins are shown with a circa 1820 child’s ladderback rocker that is
of Chowan County origin. Mrs. Privott donated the chair to the James
Iredell House in honor of Mrs. Hoskins’ years of service to the Iredell
Association.
Iredell House Receives Chair
A child’s rocking chair, o
Chowan County origin and buil
around 1820, has been donated ti
the James Iredell House by Cor
nelia Jones Privott. Mrs. Privot
donated the chair in honor o
Sadie Hoskins.
During presentation of the lad
derback chair Monday, Mrs
Olympics
Saturday
This Saturday morning at
9:30 a.m., the Chowan County
Special Olympics will get
underway at Hicks Field in
Edenton.
The event will mark the
culmination of much hard
work on the part of many local
residents and organizations,
including the Edenton-Chowan
Recreation Department, the
I Optimist Club, students from
John A, Holmes High School,
and countless adult volunteers
who helped these very
“special” children prepare for
their very own Olympics.
Susan Meekins, coordinator
i for the Chowan County Special
i Olympics, invites all in
' terested persons to come out
i Saturday morning and cheer
( on these youngsters as they
i compete in their various
I events. Admission is free, and
I all are welcome!
: Privott said that she wished to
; honor Mrs. Hoskins for her
> generous volunteer contributions
- to the Iredell Association through
t the years.
f Mrs. Hoskins’ volunteer work at
the Iredell House includes 15
- years as Chairman of the Fur
. nishings Committee. During this
time the committee has purchas
ed numerous furnishings and ac
cessories for the house.
Mrs. Hoskins has also served as
Treasurer of the James Iredell
Association for many years dur
ing a time when the Association
administered all grant funds for
the site and was responsible for all
aspects of site operation and
maintenance.
IMPACT TOLD — Mary Julia Parrish, Chairman of the Chowan
County Extension Advisory Council, describes to County Commis
sioners how federal budget cuts would affect the county’s Extension
-i program.
I I
CHOWAN BEACH RESIDENT SPEAKS — Wesley Carpenter ot
Chowan Beach spoke to the County Commissioners on taxes and cows.
He was also concerned about some 200 truck tires in the community
which he said could provide breeding areas for rats.
(Tuesday, March 18, 1986
} New Time: 2:00 - 8:00 p.rri.
Edenton Jaycee Bloodmobile
at the Chowan Hospital
sponsored by: Edenton Jaycees