Newspapers / State Port Pilot (Southport, … / Oct. 30, 1974, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE STATE PORT PILOT A Good Newspaper In A Good Community VOLUME 46 NUMBER IS 22 PAGES TODAY SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA OCTOBER 30, 1974 10 CENTS A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY No ‘Speedy And Fruitful’ Answer Dosher Has The License, Planning To Keep It State officials turned a cold shoulder to a two - hospital plan Thursday, but Brunswick County commissioners were faced with the possibility that if there is only one hospital it could be Dosher. Smithville Township Commissioner James W. (Bubba) Smith strongly urged state represen tatives Larry Burwell and Jim Wilkerson to re - evaluate local hospital needs, citing Brunswick as the fastest - developing county in the state. “Everyone in this roam except the two people from Raleigh have the best interest of Brunswick County at heart,” Smith said. What is best for the county, however, was a matter of opinion. William A. Kopp, Jr., chairman of the board of commissioners, had called on Burwell (Health Hanning Division, Dept of Human Resources, and Jim Wilkerson (Dept, of Facility Services) to dear - up “misunderstandings about the hospital situation in Brunswick County.” Southport Mayor Eugene B. Tomlinson presented the two - hospital plan, then reminded those present that Dosher Memorial has the license for hospital services in the county and intends to keep it Mason Anderson, chairman of the board of trustees for die proposed Brunswick Memorial Hospital, spoke at great length about inflation, the sanctity of state planning and the general merit of a hospital at Supply. Kopp said the meeting should “luring die matter of hospital care in Brunswick County to a speedy and fruitful conclusion.” He noted there had been conflicting newspaper reports about what medical services could be anticipated. ‘UNNECESSARY AND COSTLY’ Burwell spoke first. He said the original Brunswick Memorial application for a GO - bed facility was rejected because a second hospital would be “unnecessary, duplicative and costly” and would “over - bed” the county. Dasher already had 51 beds; the county was allotted 60 beds under a formula that Wilkerson later noted, “becomes the Bible so to speak.” Second thoughts by his department, Burwell said, leaned towards consolidation in a new facility that “expressed the interest” of the people in the $2.5 million hospital bond issue in June, 1973. He said the status of Dosher was unclear; it was not determined whether die hospital would be phased out or the services modified. Burwell said Thursday he still supports “at this point in time” the one - hospital plan. Where it is located, he added, “my office has no preference.” He said the matter of location was of “a local nature” and he had hoped the issue could be resolved locally. He noted the decision apparently was not that simple. Wilkerson said he is concerned with two matters: (1) the grant that Brunswick County “prepunably” would be eligible for once the hospital issue is settled, and (2) the licensure for Medicaid and Medicare. FUNDS ARE EARMARKED He said Dosher is “not up to modem - day standards” and has been issued only a tem porary license to operate. Wilkerson said he “assumed” the new hospital would replace Dasher but if not, the older facility would have to be modernized. The representative said federal Hill - Burton funds for medical facilities have expired but that $1 million has been earmarked for Brunswick County. He noted that the formula that designates 60 beds for Brunswick County “can be debated from now ‘til doomsday.” Anderson said the $1 million — available if die county sticks to “the state plan” — may not be enough to complete construction of the proposed new hospital. The Duke Endowment, he added, “won't give price tags” but reportedly is in terested in giving money. The state plan would be required by Duke, Anderson said, “and we have attempted to meet the state {dan.” Wilkerson said he doesn’t “have the authority nor does anyone else in the bureaucracy have the authority” to grant Hill - Burton funds; the decision is up to the Medical Care Commission. $1 million reportedly is the maximum. Wilkerson warned that the dollars may be slipping away. “If we see that Brunswick County can’t use the funds,” he added, “we’ll have to (Continued On Page 22) Racing Cited After Wreck The Highway Patrol has ctogcd a Southport youth with racing after in vestigating the death of a wreck victim last week. Patrolman Jamie Adams of Lei and charged James Daniel Cochran, Jr.. 1*. of Southport with racing fallowing the investigation into the death of Patricia Fairdoth Thomas on Oc tober SB. He will be tried in District Coart December 3. Mrs. Thomas, who lived at Dutch Village, tied after her car crashed at a high rate of speed on Highway 311. Patrolman Adams said that Mrs. Thomas, driving at “an excessive rate of speed.” attempted to pass Cochran. He said she sideswiped the Cochran vehicle and last control of her car. It ran off the side of the road, hit a ditch and overturned four times. Cochran, who was also going at an “excessive rate of speed,” skidded after being sideswiped but managed to bring the vehicle under control, Adams sad. Patrolman Adams estimated that both cars were traveling at speeds qp to ID mph at the time of the ac cident. Club Will Head UNICEF Effort The Junior Woman’s Club of Sotfbport is sponsoring the UNICEF drive for this area, and all children are being asked to participate. Headquarters is the Primary School cafeteria. Participate should meet as soon as school is dismissed on Thursday, Oct. 31. Hallowe’en Day. Residents are requested to watch for children with the UNICEF collection boxes. Mrs. Susie King, chairman of the dub’s International Affairs department, has asked everyone to give to this worthy cause. WORK IS PROGRESSING rapidly on the Brunswick County water system, with Dine now being laid in the vicinity of the NC 211 and Beach Road intersection. The system, which will originate in the Beaverdam section along 211, will serve Pfizer,Inc., Southport and the Oak island beach communities. Bolivia School Checked; Board Receives Report By BILL ALLEN Members of the Brunswick County Board of Education heard a report about con ditions at Bolivia school (taring a special meeting Monday night. Supt. Ralph King presented boar d members with a three - page report about an in vestigation the central office conducted into conditions at the school. The report covered general information, sanitary conditions, in structional program, food service, transportation and recent maintenance work completed. A large number of school patrons, calling themselves the “concerned Prteatg of Bolivia School.” came to the board meeting October 7 and told members abort con ditions that needed to be corrected at the school. Supt. King reported the school has 804 students, 39 teachers, eight teacher aides and nine other staff mem bers. The main bnihing was constructed in 1927, the vocational building and gym in 199 and the cafeteria in 1957. The school has 17 per manent - type classrooms and 14 relocatable units. He reported that the Health Department gave the school a sanitary rating of 91 in Oc tober. Custodial supplies are “adequately provided as requested,” he said. He said the school has a contract with a pest control firm and monthly inspections are made. “Some degree of cleanliness (daily cleaning schedules) is evident, but improvements could and should be made.” Supt. King said in the written report “Fire hazards were noted in two locations. The sdiool has an insufficient custodial staff and an additional allocation has been made. The custodial staff deployment and schedules should be revised.” He reported that the school was in the process of hiring (Continued On Page 4) Election Is Next Tuesday County Board, Sheriff Race Highlight Ballot [ t By BILL ALLEN > Brunswick County voters will receive a total of seven ballots when they go to the polls Tuesday to elect county I and state officials. Chairman Lester C. Babson > of the Brunswick Canty | Board of Elections estimates ; that abort 7,000 or more residents will cast ballots in the genera! election. Others familiar with county elections estimate that the number of voters casting ballots win be much higher. They point out that a hotly contested sheriff’s race — something Brunswick County has this year —always draws large mmbers of voters to the polls in non-presklential elections. Bnnswick County has a total of 13,701 registered voters, up 701 from the number on the books for the primary elections this spring. Chairman Babson an nounced that the polls in the 20 precincts in Braswick County will be open from 6:30 ajn. until 7:30 pjn. Tuesday to allow voters to cast ballots. All voting wiO be done at the same precincts used in use sfiruig |x tmary eMxuuos. Although a change was discussed, Chainnaa Babson said Belville will still vote at the lay-14) basin office. The Boird of Elections will tally the vote at election headquarters at the Agricultural Building in Supply Tuesday night. Chairman Babson said the county ballot will be tallied first. All voters entering the voting booths will receive county, U.S. Senate and member of Congress, state attorney general, two state judicial, constitutional amendments, and the non partisan couity Soil and Water Conservation district supervisors ballots. Because of a new state law, Chairman Bahson said that all seven ballots used in the election will be different colors. Five seats on the Brun swick County Board of Commissioners, the sheriff, the clerk of Superior Court, the coroner, the stale house, the state senate and district judge will be at stake in the county elections. The big question is whether the Republicans will be able to hold and expand their control of county govern ment. Or, will the Democrats be able to make a comeback after being odt of control for the past four years. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have been conducting fairly quiet ptidic campaigns and some can didates remain relatively ixiknown despite the fact election day is less than a week away. One of the major unknowns in the county election will be which way the hospital issue cuts. It has been the subject of much debate for more than one year. Incumbent Republicans William A. Kopp, Jr., of Town Creek and Vardell Hughes of Waccamaw are seeking to hold their Board of Com missioners seats. Both men have served on the board for the past four years. Republican James W. (Bubba) Smith of Smithville, who was appointed to the board this summer, is seeking election for the first time. He replaced John Bray, who resigned. The other two Republicans naming for seats on the board are John J. Childs. Sr., of Northwest and William A. (Billy) Hickman of ShaUotte. Childs, who is a super-visor with a building contractor, was nominated to run in the spring primary while Hick nan, a farmer and former school teacher, was selected to replace incumbent Robert Simmons when he withckew. The Democratic challengers for the five board seats are Fraiky Thomas Northwest, Willie E. Sloan Town Creek, Ira D. Butler Smithville. Steve Varnian Lockwood Folly and W.T. Russ, Jr., of Shallotte. AO (Continued On Page 6) Si Si 8* S| Judgement Continues Who WU1 Pay & How Much? Payment of cowt costs involved in the Open Meetings injunction will not be paid until more in vestigation can be done on the matter. Mrs. Carole Greene, clerk to the Brunswick County Board erf Commissioners, told The Pilot Monday that she recommended delaying payment tntil die “meaning of the court order is fully understood.” Mrs. Greene said the Deputy Freed Of DUI Charge A Brunswick County deputy sheriff was acquitted of a charge of drunk driving in District Court in Southport Friday afternoon. However, Deputy J. Herman Osborne. 56. was found guilty of failing to decrease speed and was fined $25 and court costs. Deputy Osborne pleaded not guilty to both charges when the case was called shortly after 5 pan. Osborne, Mr. and Mrs. Steven Wayne Henry of Brnk Landing, Patrolman W.L. Long, Deputy Sheriff Herman Phelps and Sheriff’s Department Supply office dispatcher Lila Barnett all testified in the case, which took about 20 miniAes to hear. After hearing the evidence. Judges Giles Clark of Elizabethtown acquitted Osborne Of drink driving and found him guilty of failing to decrease speed. Assistant District Solicitor Wilton Hint of Whiteville prosecuted the case for the state. Attorney A.H. Gainey, Jr., of Southport represented Osborne. Deputy Clerk of Court Dianna Saunders told The Pilot it was “nothing inusuaT’ for a person to be tried five days after he is charged with an offense. “It happens all the time,” she declared. Mrs. Saunders said that Deputy Osborne requested that the case be tried as soon as possible. “We had several persons who were arrested earlier in the week and were tried in District court Thursday and Friday,” she said. Although the Sheriff’s (Continued On Page 22) county will contact the At torney General’s office in Raleigh late this week to determine what Judge EL Maurice Braswell meant in the judgment order. The judgment order says the court costs should be taxed against the defendants individually and as the Board of Commissioners. “I don’t feel personally the money should come out of the commissioners’ pockets.” Mrs. Greene said. “But if that is what the order means, that is what they (commissioners) will have to do.” Mrs. Greene also said she “assuned” the county will pay the full costs when the bill is paid. The Brunswick County Board of Commissioner was fouid guilty of violating the N.C. Open Meetings Law on June 7. Judge Braswell order the members and the board to pay the cost. The board voted 3 - to -1 on October 21 to use county funds to pay $1,281.70 of the $1,814.44 bill on the recom mendation of County At torney Thomas Home. Board Chairman William Kopp, Jr., cast the negative vote. He went to the Clerk of Court’s office and paid $362.90, which was one - fifth of the total cost. Clerk Court Jack Brawn submitted to the board a bill of cost totaling $1,814.44. However, County Attorney Horne recommended that the board pay only $1,644.60. After the vote, the county had planned to pay the Clerk of Coirt’s office $1,281.70, last (Continued On Page 22)
State Port Pilot (Southport, N.C.)
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Oct. 30, 1974, edition 1
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