THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In "A Good Community
VOLUME 45 NUMBER 34 16 PAGES TODAY
SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA
MARCH 13,1974
10 CENTS A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
New Elections
Board Chosen
The county board of
elections was sworn In
Monday afternoon — the first
Republican - controlled board
this century.
L.C. Babson, H.H. Bellamy
and John H. Mills, Jr., were
appointed to two • year terms
to the three - man board.
Mills, the new Republican
member, replaces A.H.
Gainey, Jr.
Babson was elected
chairman by the three after
beng sworn in by county
Clerk of Court Jack E.
Brown.
Election board members
are appointed by the
governor. One member of the
group must come from the
minority party.
Beer-Selling
Vote Pending
Legislation has been in
troduced to allow Bolling
Spring Lakes residents to
vote on off • premises sale of
beer.
Rep. Tommy Harrelson,
who Introduced the bill at the
request of the town council,
said the measure has already
been passed by the House of
Representatives.
The bill should be passed by
the Senate sometime in the
near future, according to
Harelson. The town council
would then be able to call for
the special election, he said.
Harrelson emphasized he
was requested to introduce
the legislation by unanimous
vote of the town council.
“There wouldn’t be any beer
joints or anything,” he said of
the proposed off - premise
sales.
PLANTING TREES for the observance of Arbor Week are members of the
Woodbine Garden Club of Southport. Left to right are Mrs. Paul Sias, Mrs.
Joseph Rideout and Mrs. Ward Fuller. The three are planting crepe myrtles
on the southwest corner of the old cemetery.
Bond Amount Raised,
Vote Date Undecided
The board of education
Monday raised a proposed
bond issue to $6 million.
The board also agreed to
solicit the views of county
commissioners on when to
hold the bond referendum.
The commissioners hold the
power to approve or deny
bond issues.
The main question among
the education board mem
bers is whether to hold the
bond issue before, after or
during the general election in
November.
The $6 million bond issue
would fund part of an $11.5
million, six - year school
improvement project. The
project cost was raised
$500,000 Monday by including
plans for an administrative
complex, last on the list of 14
priorities.
The board also agreed to
meet in the South Brunswick
High School cafeteria next
Thursday at 3 p.m. to receive
Southport Primary School
bids.
Assistant Supt. John Hicks
said he expects to have
“ample bidders” for the
primary school. However,
Hicks said he “didn’t know
what to say about prices.”
The county commissioners
about six months ago limited
the Southport Primary School
project to $1.4 million.
Architect Jack Croft said
bids on the school should be in
line with the projected cost.
He said the facility plans
contain “nothing costly.”
“Let’s hope we get some
real nice bids," said Rabon.
At the conclusion of the
business session, the board
heard a presentation by the
Leslie N. Boney architectural
firm of Wilmington. Various
architects had been invited
earlier by the education
board to consider hiring a
firm for the proposed $11.5
million project.
Leslie N. Boney, Jr., said
his organization specializes
in the educational field. The
Boney firm, he said, has
designed more than 1,000
public school projects in 55
North Carolina counties. He
said recent examples of his
company’s work include
Hoggard High School in
Wilmington and New
Hanover Memorial Hospital
in Wilmington.
The board agreed to meet
with Dr. J.L. Pierce, director
the state School Planning
division, to discuss the ad
ministrative complex plans
and the proposed $11.5 million
project.
Architect Jack Croft also
expressed interest in being
considered for the school
improvement project. His
firm was the architect for the
county’s three consolidated
high schools.
King discussed r'lent
education legislation witn the
board, approving a bill on
school budgets and fiscal
control. This bill, he said,
would “revamp the whole
existing law’’ on budget •
making by the education
board.
King called the bill “a real
plus.” He said the bill would
require a uniform budget
format. A public hearing on
education budgets would be
necessary before being
submitted to the county
commissioners for approval
before May 5, he said.
The proposed law, King
said, would also limit com
missioner budget changes to
“lump appropriations.” No
“line item” changes would be
allowed, a practice King said
the commissioners now
follow. Also, King said, the
3 Drop-Out
Of Elections
Three Democratic can
didates from Shallotte
Township have withdrawn
from the May 7 primary and
the November general
election.
Those pulling out of the
race include Mack Ray
McLamb, candidate for
sheriff; K.T. Bellamy,
candidate for state House of
Representatives; and
William A. Stanley,
candidate for county com
missioner.
The narrowed represen
tative campaign field leaves
Democrats V.A. Creech, Jr.
and Allen C. Ward seeking
the nomination to oppose
incumbent Republican Rep.
Tommy Harrelson.
Incumbent Republican
Sheriff Harold Willetts faces
Alvie E. Lewis in the primary
election for the slot.
Democrat challengers
remaining include D.E. Tripp
of Shallotte Township, J.
Walton Willis and Herman
Strong of Smithville Town
ship.
Stanley’s withdrawal from
the commissioner race leaves
six Democrats vying for the
five slots to be voted on. They
include Andrew Gray from
Lockwood Folly Township,
Willie E. Sloan from Town
Creek Township, Ira D.
Butler from Smithville
Township, Frankie Thomas
from Northwest Township,
(Continued on page 4)
law would require the
commissioners to fund
schools regularly with a
“uniformity in installments.”
The board also discussed
plans to visit individual
schools next month.
A contract was renewed
with auditor Fred A.
Turlington, Jr., and com
pany. King said the firm has
done the school system audit
for ten years.
In other business, the board
approved employment of
Lisa Fredricks for Southport
Middle School.
Funds Have Been Transferred
County Buys Equipment
For Landfill, No Site Yet
By BOBBY HILL
Partially disposing with a
year - old headache, county
commissioners let bids
Monday for about $67,000 for
sanitary landfill equipment.
The equipment includes a
truck and 100 four - cubic -
yard refuse con tamers.
Commissioner J.T.
Clemmons cast the only vote
against purchasing the
equipment at the special
meeting. “I honestly don’t
think you’re ready,” he said
of the equipment acquisition.
. Clemmons has repeatedly
opposed the new landfill
system. Monday, he said the
commissioners should first
purchase a landfill site and
Plaque Cites
Site Donation
School officials, students
and other guests attended
ceremonies Friday at South
Brunswick High School
recognizing the donation of
land for construction of the
new school by the Reeves
Telecom Corporation.
Mrs. May Barbee, member
of the Board of Education,
unveiled a plaque com
memorating the donation of
the 55 - acre tract of land. The
{deque is to be permanently
mounted in the entrance
corridor of the school.
Board of Education
Chairman Wilber E. Rabon,
Mrs. Barbee, School Supt.
Ralph C. King, South
Brunswick High School
Principal Mark Owens, and
Student Council member Jay
Barnes expressed ap
preciation to Arthur Greene,
general manager of the
Reeves’ Boiling Spring Lakes
development, for the land
donation.
Greene stated that he was
happy to have been able to
donate the land on behalf of
his corporation, and that he
was “immensely proud” to
have made it possible that
such a fine school could be
built in the dty of Boiling
Spring Lakes.
“I consider the school a
great asset to our community
as well as to the county as a
whole, and I take great
pleasure in showing this
school to people who are
considering making Boiling
Spring Lakes their home,”
Greene said.
construct a shed to protect
the equipment. He asked for a
delay to get a “package deal”
for die new system.
The commissioners
directed Sanitary Landfill
Director Edwin Clemmons to
present plans next Monday
for a landfill site and a shed.
The bid was awarded to
Simpson Equipment Cor
poration. The company’s bids
on three separate items in
cluded: (1) $23,890 for a truck
with a front - end loader and a
compactor body, (2) $16,948
for a front - end loader and
refuse - collection body, and
(3) $26,500 for the 100 refuse
containers.
Water Supervisor Hired
Yaupon Erosion
Tax Is Knocked
John Thompson was hired
by the Yaupon Beach town
council Friday as water
department supervisor.
The council also approved a
zoning ordinance for a public
hearing. Lawyer Obie Lee of
Lumberton should set the
date for the hearing this
week, councilmen said.
Thompson was awarded
the Job at $140 per week, with
Edward Lee Pippin the only
other applicant. Thompson
has served voluntary in the
same capacity since the
resignation of Bill Laster last
month.
Councilman Marvin
Watson asked Thompson if he
is “willing to work with the
mayor (Clarence E. Mur
phy)?” “I’ll work with
anybody,” Thompson
replied.
Thompson also said he
“would appreciate” being
able to go to Murphy to
“make a decision,” instead of
having to contact the entire
council.
Thompson recommended
that the town buy a truck. He
(Continued on page 4)
Prior to awarding the bid,
the commissioners received
telephone assurance the
company would lower their
price on the truck and leave
off a supercharger. Com
missioner John Bray said
expert mechanics claim
diesel superchargers are apt
to develop mechanical
troubles when used on dirt
roads.
The only other qualified
bidder was Roach - Russell,
Inc., with prices of $22,948.88
for a truck, $17,508 for a
loader and body and $26,750
for the containers.
The commissioners face a
July 1 state health depart
ment deadline to implement a
one - site landfill system. The
present five - site system does
not meet state requirements
that each landfill site be
covered at the end of every
working day.
Bray asked landfill director
Clemmons if the county could
obtain a six - month variance
on the deadline. Clemmons
said he had “no fear” the
extension would be granted if
the commissioners show
“direct intent” to comply
with state regulations.
At that point, Com
missioner Clemmons
repeated a motion he made
(Continued on page 4)
County Farmers Enjoy
‘Best Year Ever’ In 1973
Facing the highest
production costs in history,
Brunswick County farmers in
1973 produced a record $15
million gross return, ac
cording to a recent statewide
survey by the county ex
tension program.
Net profit is expected to be
lower this year than in 1973,
although the gross returns
have grown, according to the
report. Cutting into profit,
extension surveyors say, is
the rising cost of production.
Fuel and fertilizer are
reported 40 to 70 percent
more expensive than a year
ago with more price Jumps
expected.
The gross return in 1972
was estimaed at $10,391,213.
Tobacco, swine and
forestry led the field for
farmers and landowners of
the county.
Tobacco on 2,618 acres in
1973 yielded 5,404,211 pounds
for a gross of $4,755,705, an
average of 88 cents per
pound. Yield in 1972 was
4,739,315 from 2,341 acres to
gross $4,056,853, according to
Agricultural Stablization and
Conservation figures.
The return from soybeans
nearly doubled, rising from
about $866,400 in 1972 to
$1,587,300 in 1973. Farmers
planted 10,500 acres of
soybeans in 1973, compared
with 9,500 in 1972. The
average return 'per bushel
was estimated at $5.60 in 1973
and $3.80 in 1972.
Swine was second only to
tobacco as a money - maker
in 1973, with a gross return of
$3.8 million. This was a jump
of $1.1 million over 1972
figures.
Farmers sold an estimated
42,000 market hogs for an
average of $86.30 per head.
Hogs in 1972, with 46,000 sold,
brought a little over $50 per
head.
Beef cattle and calves
grossed $467,500 to gain about
$100,000 over 1972. Milk
grossed $108,000. Other
livestock items added $24,000
to the 1973 total.
Forest products return
increased sharply in 1973 with
rising prices. Pulpwood,
lumber, Christmas trees and
other products grossed
$647,000 from farms and
$1,455,000 from non - farm
areas in 1973 for a total of
(Continued on page 4)
UNVEILING A PLAQUE citing the donation of land for
South Brunswick High School is Arthur Greene, general
manager of the Reeves Telecom Corp. development of Boiling
Spring Lakes. Looking on are Board of Education Chairman
Wilbur E. Rabon and Mrs. May Barbee, member of the Board
of Education from Smithville Township. The 55 - acre tract is
located in Boiling Spring Lakes.