THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 45 NUMBER 28 16 PAGES TOD A Y SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINAJANUARY 30,1974/Q CENTS A COPYPUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
RENOVATION OF THE PLAYGROUND near Southport
Primary School got underway this week as members of the
Junior Woman’s Club of Southport — along with some volun
teer manpower — erected eight swings for use by children.
Participating in the Community Improvement Project (CIP),
left to right, were Mrs. Jerry Sherrod, A1 “Red” Martin, Mrs.
Ed Harper, Mrs. John Lockhart, Mrs. Frank Hamel and Mrs.
F.W. Spencer. Dave Moore, physical education instructor at
the primary school, helped in the project and here assists
swingers John Spencer and Julianne Harper while Billy
Sherrod waits his turn. Janet Huggins, though not pictured,
also participated in the project.
Long Beach Mayor Claims *Syndicate9
Manager Retained In Emotional Meeting
By BOBBY HILL
After an emotional family
squabble, the Long Beach
town council Tuesday voted
for the second time to retain
Acting Town Manager Ed
Liggett until a suitable
replacement is found.
Mayor E.W. Morgan and
Councilman Russ Morrison
were outnumbered on the
Liggett position by the other
ODELL WILLIAMSON
V.A. CREECH, JR
Creech Named
Party Chairman
Members of the Brunswick
County Democratic
Executive Committee met
Friday night at Shallotte and
elected V.A. Creech, Jr., to
serve as county chairman.
He succeeds Odell
Williamson, Shallotte real
estate developer, who
resigned recently.
Creech is from Leland,
where he is engaged in the
real estate business. He is a
former member of the board
of commissioners for
Brunswick County and has
been active in the
Democratic party for many
years on the county, district
and state levels.
In accepting his new role,
Creech solicited the united
loyal support of Democrats in
the county and promised
political resurgence if party
members will work together.
Another impressive plea
for party unity came from
party vice-chairman
Franklin Randolph of Supply,
who urged Democrats to
nominate a strong ticket,
then support it all the way.
A reminder was given that
the February 25 deadline for
filing leaves only a short time
for candidates to make up
their minds about entering
the contest for party
nominations in the May
primary election.
Sales Tax Declines
Collection of the local option, one - cent sales and
use tax in Brunswick County totalled only
$52,112.72 in December — the lowest amount since
June, 1973.
The N.C. Department of Revenue reports that
the total was the second lowest since last February
and the third lowest since July, 1972. The totals
have declined steadily since the all * time high of
$76,762 was recorded last August.
four members of the board.
Prior to the fireworks,
Morgan and Morrison sal
with an overflow crowd while
the rest of the council held an
executive session. Com
missioners Ellis Dudley
Virginia Christenbury,
Grand Jury
Files Report
A Grand Jury report Iasi
week to Superior Court Judge
Maurice E. Braswell found li
true bills, one non - true bill,
and reported on the conditior
of county jails.
The jury found the South
port jail “in need of bettei
security,” and the fact •
finding group found both the
Southport and Shallotte jail:
requiring a “general clean -
up.”
The ]ury citea tne South
port jail as needing a lock or
the front door, since the
present lock reportedly does
not work at this time. Alsc
recommended is bullet - proof
glass for the Southport
facility.
“All of the above was
brought to the coixt’s at
tention December 4,1973, and
to date nothing has been done
about these matters,” the
report states.
A non - true bill was found
for James “Mack” Pelloni
for breaking and entering and
larceny.
The jury found true bills for
the following persons:
William H. Bryant for
breaking and entering,
William R. Jackson for
burglary with intent tc
v-wixjuiu, i o|JC, TTCuiav-t * itiuc
for assault with a deadly
weapon with intent to kill,
Ricky Jones for three counts
of possession of a controlled
substance with intent to
distribute, John Nickolson for
forgery, Johnnie Simmons
for two counts of unlawful
burning of an automobile;
Richard Cliff for two counts
of burning of an automobile,
Gary Wilson for three counts
of breaking and entering and
larceny, James E. Frink for
breaking and entering and
larceny, Franklin Barbee for
two counts of breaking and
entering and larceny and
receiving stolen goods and for
attempting to open a safe,
and Johnny G. Fields for
discharging a firearm in
occupied property.
Nancy teggett and H.E.
Joyce came out of the closed
session to vote in favor of
keeping Liggett temporarily.
Charges and coun
tercharges highlighted the
, evening. The vocal crowd
mainly supported the Morgan
faction, and cheering and
jeering frequently in
terrupted the proceedings.
Morgan first asked the
coun oilmen why he had not
been asked to call the special
meeting. He and Morrison
said they were informed of
the meeting only by a hand -
delivered letter.
Dudley and the others
charged that the two had
made an “unauthorized
request” that Liggett resign
his manager position. He said
the special meeting was
legally called by a majority
of the councilmen.
“You did not consult us
when you asked the town
manager to resign,” Dudley
said. He maintained that the
charter allocated power for
hiring the manager equally
among the six • member
board.
“I don’t have to consult
anyone,” Morrison replied.
He said he was an elected
official.
Morrison later rose from
his seat and threw the letter
calling the meeting at
Dudley. “There’s your
powers,” he shouted.
Morgan repeatedly in
terrupted Dudley as he at
tempted to explain why the
special meeting was called.
Mrs. Tommy Helms told
Morgan he was being unpolite
to Dudley. “I can interrupt
any time I want to,” Morgan
told the audience.
Morgan then charged that
the other four councilmen
were forming a “syndicate”
against he and Morrison.
Councilman Leggett also
charged that Morrison and
Morgan “didn’t call us” (the
other four members) before
asking Liggett to resign. She
also pointed out that the town
charter states that the town
“shall” have a town
manager. She said she is in
favor of hiring a “qualified”
manager.
Town attorney Edward
Green verified that the town
must have a town manager.
He said “you are in violation”
because Liggett is an “ac
ting” manager.
(Continued on page 16)
Dosher Patient
Load Increases
Dosher Memorial Hospital has seen a recent
upsurge in the number of patients and may be
facing a brighter financial horizon, administrator
William F. Cupit said Tuesday.
Dosher has averaged 38 patients per day for the
past week and a half, Cupit said. This is above the
35 patient level needed to “break even,” the ad
ministrator noted.
“Anytime it gets over 35, it’s a paying
proposition,” Cupit maintained. However, he
cautioned that the patient census must be “a
continuous thing” — that the patient level must
remain above 35 for the entire year.
The financially and politically beleagered
hospital has lost money for more than a year, with
the patient census recently dropping below 20.
Cupit said the weather recently has affected the
number of patients staying in the hospital. “It’s
pneumonia weather,” he said, pointing out that the
hospital is now housing 12 patients with
respiratory problems.
The administrator also said morale has received
a boost from the increased business at the hospital.
Several personnel have been rehired to provide
services for the patient boom, he said.
By State Law
Taxes Based On
100% Assessment;
Efforts to clear - up confusion over
the county switch to 100 percent
assessment for property tax were
made Tuesday by Acting Tax
Supervisor Charles Mills. He said
the taxpayer will not necessarily
pay lower taxes as a result.
“Last year, if 100 percent
assessment had been used with the
same budget, the tax rate would
have been $0.71 instead of $1.42,”
Mills said.
The county was previously on a 50
percent assessment ratio, with the
tax rate set at $1.42 per $100 of
property.
County commission chairman
W.A. Kopp, Jr., said Monday, “In
the upcoming budget, if all is equal,
the tax rate will be one - half of $1.42
— or $0.71.”
The county budget, by state law,
must be presented by July 1.
Only seven counties had
previously used the 100 percent
assessment ratio, Mills said. Of the
remaining 93 North Carolina
counties, the tax ratios had ranged
from 35 to 100 percent.
Mills said those who have not yet
listed their property can come by the
Southport office prior to the
February 15 deadline for listing to
obtain forms. Those who own land
were sent forms, he said.
He also suggested that county land
owners change their address with
the tax office when moving, to insure
orderly listing of taxes.
By state law, those failing to list
their property by the deadline must
pay a 10 percent penalty.
Another change in tax laws is that
all owners receiving property tax
exemptions must now apply an
nually for their exemption, Mills
said. The exemptions are granted on
ownership and use factors, he noted.
“This is state - wide, 1973
legislation,” he said. “This is not
done by the county commissioners.”
Superior Court Judgments:
Guilty Of 2nd Degree,
Pigott Gets 30 Years
Johnnie Pigott was con
victed of second degree
murder in Superior Court last
week and sentenced to 30
years in state prison for the
September 13 slaying of Mrs.
Vivian Lewis, 30, of Supply.
Pigott, a 37-year-old
longshoreman from
Shallottte, surrendered to
county officers within 15
minutes of the slaying.
Mrs. Lewis was killed by
three shots from a .308
caliber rifle as she drove to
her Dupont, Inc., job along
Lanvale Road in the vicinity
of Leland.
Pigott was charged with
first degree murder.
An investigation by
sheriff’s deputies revealed
that Pigott followed Mrs.
Lewis’ vehicle from the
Bolivia area. On Lanvale
Road, he attempted to force
her vehicle to halt.
Two passengers in the
Lewis vehicle stated the
suspect blinked the lights of
his car and pulled close to the
victim’s car.
Witnesses told deputies
that the suspect held a rifle
out of the left window of his
(Continued on page 16)
Brunswick Landscapes