Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / June 14, 2000, edition 1 / Page 1
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3-A Wednesday, June 14, 2000 Single Copies 50$ County unveils budget Sales tax shows sharp drop from prior years’ figures BY DERRICK ARMSTEAD Staff Writer Even with a tax base increase of over $30 million, Chowan County’s 2000-01 budget remains hampered by a lack of increase in the tax rate and sales tax revenues, which is a situation that County Manager Cliff Copeland believes should be addressed. Copeland, referring to next year’s prime property (land, indus try, homes) $741 million tax base, states that the single-year jump is one of, if not the largest, in the county’s history. “This increase of $32,903,382 is the largest increase in my twenty years as county manager at least to my recollection, ’’said Copeland. “My point on this particular is sue is that this is a lot of growth. Each year it would have to have to have been a two to three million dollar increase.” Furthermore, Copeland stated that the “(county) commission needs to realize the lack of growth in sales tax revenue.” Copeland added, “normally we get five to seven percent increase...our sales tax revenues are not growing. The sales tax revenue that Copeland alludes to shows a sig nificant decline when viewed in a side-by-side comparison of March 31, 1999 ($194,950) and March 31, 2000, with the latter having only $183,955 reported. “This is an absolute decline of $11,000 in sales tax collection,” Copeland said. Meanwhile, the tax rate of $.69 cents per $100 of valuation remains unchanged. Based on the 2000-01 budget, there is also an increase in Emer gency Medical Services (EMS) rev enues of $128,500, which will be reinvested back into the EMS pro gram via the hiring of four addi tional Emergency Medical Tech nicians (EMT); a move that should improve daytime service in Chowan County. Doug Belch, Director, Chowan County EMS, provided insight on the current plight faced by his or ganization. “For some reason this year, it See BUDGET On Page 12-A School system looks at ways to combat teacher shortage BY REBECCA BUNCH Editor Years ago, such a thing as a teacher shortage would have been almost unheard of - but today it is a grim reality for school systems across the country which are scrambling to fill staff vacancies. Particularly hard hit have been the areas of special education, math and science. The Edenton-Chowan school sys tem is no exception. John Guard, its director of human relations, said that the local schools currently have 20 vacancies to fill, many of them due to increasing numbers of retirees leaving their jobs. “I suppose you could say it’s the ‘graying’ effect,” said Guard. “We and many other school systems are seeing lots of the Baby Boomers near retirement age, and with fewer college students with degrees in things like math and science going into teaching, that has made things very interesting.” Guard said that the low pay re ceived in the past by North Caro lina teachers has been part of the problem. He noted that many stu dents, particularly those who have degrees in math or science-related fields, quickly learn they can make much better salaries with jobs in the private sector. In fact, the number of those turn ing to teaching as a lifetime career has continued to decline, in sharp contrast to the world of the 1930’s and 40’s when it was relatively easy to secure large numbers of teach ers in the public schools - an occu pation that those whose lives had been shaken by the Depression viewed as a way to secure a re spectable occupation with lots of job security, although the pay wasn’t much to brag about. Then, in the 1950’s and 60’s the “Baby Boomers” graduating from college flooded the education field, leaving few vacancies. That was particularly true of women, for whom teaching and nursing were still considered among a narrow field of professional positions open to them. The late 60’s and 70’s Saw more men entering the field. And now, as these Baby Boomers prepare to call it a day, many col lege graduates no longer think of the classroom as a desirable place to spend their work years. And so, Guard said, school ad ministrations are increasingly re sorting to innovative strategies to attract enough qualified applicants to Ml existing vacancies. One of tho ’ <t ways is by targeting those whi may have earned teaching cert hcates but never used them, and lose who are becoming teach ers £ : mid-life after making a ca reer ihange. “Tjiese are the types of folks we would need to attract back into teaching if we could,” Guard said. He also noted that another com ponent of the personnel strategy that has worked well in the Edenton-Chowan Schools has been providing a support network for first-time teachers, which includes such things as pairing them with older, more experienced teachers who serve as mentors to help them See TEACHER On Page 12-A Remembering A special American Cancer Society Luminary Ceremony provided a poignant end to the Chowan Arts Council's Outdoor Concert in the Park held in Edenfon on Saturday. More than 500 people who have battled (and in some cases, died from) cancer were remembered in a moving ceremony presided over by Lori Snell of the ACS and Flynn Surratt, announcer. The ceremony, originally planned as part of the ACS Chowan Perquimans Relay for Life held here in May, was postponed due to torrential rainfall on the opening night of the Relay. Earlier in the day, a large crowd attended the concert (see related photos on page 10-A) County, BOE hold joint meeting BY DERRICK ARMSTEAD Staff Writer Chowan County Commissioners (CCC) held a Monday afternoon joint meeting with the Edenton Chowan School Board of Educa tion (BOE) to discuss the latest in formation regarding construction of the new D.F. Walker Elemen tary (DFW) School. Several factors relating to' Walker., which is scheduled to open in summer 2001, were dis cussed during the joint meeting between CCC and BOE officials. Larry Deckard, representative from Ross/Deckard Architects, PA, and Bill Cram of M.B. Kahn Construction Company addressed various consruction issues. “The administrative offices and media center are basically the same as White Oak (Elementary),” said Deckert. “However, we’ve made a few tweaks at the request oftheD.F.W. staff.” The two schools—White Oak and D.F.W.—will be joined by a con nector, which BOE superinten dent Dr. Allan Smith states will provide two benefits. “First, it provides the ability for that space to grow at a future date, ” remarked Smith. “It provides flex ibility by having six additional classrooms in the connector, a s See MEETING On Page 12-A Herald building being renovated BY REBECCA BUNCH Editor Major renovations inside The Chowan Herald building are now underway. The building’s new owner, A1 Chesson of Williamston, NC, is also the owner of the A.R. Chesson Construction Company Inc., which is performing the work. Chesson purchased the building from David J. Whichard of Greenville, NC, a former owner of the newspaper. The newspaper it self is still owned by the Cox news paper chain. Chesson said that the majority of work to be done at The Chowan ; Herald involved “cosmetic” ; changes such as painting and plumbing. Along with the fresh 5 coats of paint will come carpeting I of most of the building and dropped • ceilings upstairs. The building’s $ current 14-foot ceilings will remain unaltered downstairs. | The publisher’s office will be II moved to the right side of the build „4 ing, to the spot currently occupied • by the Herald advertising office. 'The ad office will be relocated to the second floor. A small bathroom Swill be added downstairs, and a See BUILDING On Page 3 A Job Superintendent Ken Borunda, left, talks with Al Chesson, new owner of The Chowan Herald building. Chesson's construction company is currently working to renovate the interior of the building. The newspaper itself is still owned by the Cox newspaper chain. (Staff photo by Rebecca Bunch) Paper staffers earn NC Press Assoc, awards Chowan Herald employees Mia Noble and Deborah Collins, along with former employee Pam Virzi, recently received North Carolina Press Association (NCPA) commu nity division awards for various advertising projects. Noble and Collins received first place in the Best Real Estate Ad competition. Collins and Virzi re ceived the top prize in the Best Food Ad segment. The Herald also received a Best in Show award from the NCPA. “It’s always rewarding to have others recognize your work,” said Collins. “I’ve always enjoyed the creative side of my job and having the NCPA’s ‘stamp of approval’ is an extra plus.” “It is nice to know what people can do in other newspapers, as well as your own,” said Noble. “After being here for four years, it is a pleasure to still have an opportu nity to meet different people and be given a chance to help them in any way possible.” See AWARDS On Page 12-A Mia Noble, left, and Debbie Collins show off their N€ Press awards * - Selections Include ~ • Formal and Informal Cooking • Local Architecture • Civil War • Outer Banks • Gardening • Crafts and Trades • Touring and Guide Books t
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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June 14, 2000, edition 1
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