Newspapers / State Port Pilot (Southport, … / March 5, 1975, edition 1 / Page 1
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7^6-l9le Volume 46 Number 33 March 5, 1975 Southport, N. C. 22 Pages 10 Cents School Board May File Suit To Correct Leak Problems The Brunswick County Board of Education indicated Monday night it will go to court in an effort to correct leaking roofs at the three consolidated high schools. The board set March 20 — one month after a meeting of all concerned parties — as a cutoff date. “We’re looking for somebody on the roof, working,” said board at torney Mason Anderson. Anderson outlined for the board the meeting of Feb. 20, stressing the fact that nobody in particular was blamed for the problem that has plagued the board for the past 18 months. The parties involved were urged to get together, find a solution and fix the leaks. Otherwise, the board agreed, there was no choice but to bring in a state con sultant who would draw plans to correct the roof problems, which affect North, West and South Brunswick high schools. Then, the Board of Education would ask bids on the project and sue the parties to blame for the ex pense. Have the consultant draw the plans, Anderson said, “then we’ll know how much to sue for.” It was emphasized by the board that simple patching of ... the roofs has not worked and >. would not be accepted as a •^corrective measure. The >•. answer the board is looking for, it was noted, is i “whatever it takes to correct the leaks.” Anderson told the board the general feeling of the in volved parties has been, "You tell us what to do and we’ll do it” to stop the leakage. Monday night the board said it expected no answer from the parties, just action. “It’s gone too long now,” said Chairman Wilbur Rabon. In other matters before the board during its regular meeting Monday night, one of the parties in the pending roofing lawsuit, architect Jack Croft, appeared with contractor Dick Ray con cerning a 45 - day extension of the contract for finishing Southport Primary School. The board allowed the ex tension, primarily because of the inability of the City of Southport to furnish elec tricity and water to the site. The new target date for completion is May 23. Ray noted good progress in construction of the school facility but said second - coat painting, door - hanging and other essentials were im possible without electricity. “We’re not asking for this time to drag this job on,’’ said the Chauncey and Ray partner. Three Southport Board of Aldermen members met with the board later on another subject, and gave the education board assurances that the supply of utilities to the school site was “the top priority.” Alderman Robert Howard noted that, according to the city manager, the state had just given its permission for the city crew to work on the access road right - of • way. He said he understood water could be available at the property line today (Wednesday). What the aldermen — Howard, Harold Aldridge and Harold Davis —came for was to ask the Board of Education to make available to the town the old gymnasium and marineology buildings once the county ceased using the property for educational (Continued on Page 2) Unsigned Contract Good Enough Beach Manager’s Post Under Fire By Board § Bickering among Long Beach town officials resur faced Friday night when board members learned the services of Town Manager Frank Kivett could be ter minated only for “un satisfactory performance.” The occasion was a special board meeting, called to discuss among other things Oak Island consolidation, the hiring of a planner and the purchase of a drug dog. But the topic of greatest impact was the contract between Kivett and the town. Town Attorney James R. Prevatte said it was the consensus of .several at torneys that a contract exists, although no such document ever has been signed. Details of a July 23, 1974 “contract" are in the approved minutes, Prevatte noted, and the fact Kivett has served under the provisions of such a “con tract” is sufficient to show he agrees with the pact. Kivett said Friday night he has not signed a formal contract because a proposed document differs from the agreement of last July 23.. Councilman Ellis Dudley said it is “his (Kivett’s) right to not sign a contract.” When other iiems of business were completed Mayor E.W. Morgan called for an executive session relative to the manager’s contract. Kivett said he preferred the matter to be aired in public. The town manager, who was employed last spring by , the same town council, said he was aware his contract^ had been the topic . of many 'recent conversations in the Oak Island community. When he came tb Long Beach, Kivett explained, he (Continued on Page 2) . ' ' ■. ■' * -. . • Long Beach Okays Island Merger Vote % Long Beach commissioners gave unanimous approval Friday night to a referendum by town residents to decide whether Oak Island should be consolidated into a single community. The resolution was iden tical to one passed 4-to-l by the Yaupon Beach town board February 19, except for the provision a vote be held at a time mutually - agreeable to both town boards but no later than February 1, 1976. Mayor E.W. Morgan ter med the proposed con solidatin “a wonderful thing.” He said that both communities would benefit by the merger. “Together, we can accomplish many more things.” Spectator Don McNeill said it is “incumbent upon the board to give the opportunity (to the voters) to correct mistakes made when the island was first developed.” Mayor Morgan took a straw ballot of the standing - room - only audience at the special called meeting, and only one of approximately 40 spec tators showed opposition to the board’s resolution. One 12-year resident said con solidation was necessary; “We should pull together instead of against,” the board was told. Councilman Russell Morrison said the board wants “to do what the people want.” Councilman Ellis Dudley, who suggested the mutual consent and Feb. 1, 1976 deadline additions, said all island residents should be aware of what’s involved in the consolidation measure. He suggested a preliminary charter be drafted, a ten tative budget be proposed and as much information as possible be provided con cerning what affect con solidation would have on the taxes of the two communities. It was the board’s un derstanding that an interim study committee had been proposed for Yaupon Beach. Town Manager Frank Kivett told Board members the resolution would be forwarded to local representatives in the General Assembly, which presumably would solicit help from the Institute of Government and the N.C. League of Municipalities in preparing the required (Continued On Page 2) ■roririir*1T '™ ~ir.»»;> STATE 3-A BASKETBALL CHAMPION is the West Brun swick Trojans, that finished a 27-1 season with a victory in Durham Saturday night. Left to right, kneeling, are Tony Hewett, Joe Gore, Waymon Marlowe and Kim Evans. Stan mt.* ./■< ding, Jimmy Bromell, Chasey Brown, Lee Vance Frink, Durwin Moses, Kenneth Galloway, Donald Stanley, Woodrow Stevenson, Ray Bland and Billy Bromell. MAYBE FRIDAY .. .The official opening of the new high-level bridge to Oak Island is just around the corner, but some impatient motorists are already using the new facility to by-pass traffic hindered by the existing one lane crossing of the Intracoastal Waterway. The advantage of the new 60 foot high structure is abundantly clear. Nothing’s Changed, He Claims Anderson Expects City To Continue Donations Chairman Mason Anderson has attempted to answer questions about the Brun swick County Hospital Authority and Dosher Memorial Hospital asked by Chairman Franky Thomas of the Board of Commissioners. Anderson said that Mrs. Lorraine Eichorn, Dosher administrator, delivered to Dr. Fred Burdette the sum of $294.05 in the form of a check and two $250 checks con tained in the special fund of private donations. “These three checkB were contributions made with the specific understanding that the use was to be under the supervision and control of Dr. Burdette,’’ Anderson said. “All of the funds in the special account remain under the same account and were never obtained by the Hospital Authority.” Anderson said former Dosher Trustee Chairman Bill McDougle did not sign the check to transfer the funds in the special account to the authority. "An inspection of the records and a discussion by Mrs. Eichorn and Mr. Caldwell of Charter Medical and Ralph Nordquest of the Board of Trustees indicate, however, that substantially all of the funds in that ac count were donated by Brunswick County and to a lesser degree, the City of Southport. Apparently ap proximately $1,000 in the last two years has been con (Continued on Page 2) RDC Director Stephenson Rehiring Attempt Loses; Merits Of Case Weighed By BILL ALLEN An unsuccessful attempt was made to re - hire Jackie Stephenson during a meeting of the Resources Develop ment Commission Monday nifpit in Southport. The board voted 4 - to -3 not to reconsider the em ployment of Stephenson, who was fired as executive director of the commission during a special meeting February 4. J.A. Francis made the motion that Stephenson’s employment be reconsidered and O.W. Cleat on seconded it. Francis, Cleaton and David Broadway, a new member from Leland, voted in favor of the motion while Col. James Gordon, L.H. Stanley, Odell Blanton and Ralph Frazier were in opposition and killed the attempt. New Member Benny Ludlum of Lockwood Folly did not attend the meeting. Chairman George Inman did not cast a vote since he did not have to break a deadlock. Blanton had made a motion to advertise in the local newspapers and daily newspapers in Wilmington, Raleigh and Charlotte for a new director when Francis made his move. “People are still igwet about this (the firing of Stephenson) and they think we have done him an in justice by dismissing him without cause or good reason without recognizing the outstanding work he had done and losing the qualifications of this individual," Francis told the board. He said that if the purpose of the firing was to discipline him or reprimand him, “maybe it has served its purpose." Francis then made his motion and said it must be voted on since it was a sub stitute motion. The board never voted on Blanton’s motion to advertise for a new director because the meeting ended after a long discussion. Members decided to recess the meeting until Monday night at 8 (Continued On Page 4)
State Port Pilot (Southport, N.C.)
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March 5, 1975, edition 1
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