THE STATE PORT PILOT Volume 47 Number 9 September 17, 1975 Southport, N. C. 20 Pages 10 Cents EXAMINING NEW SEATS in the Brunswick County Courthouse in South port are county officials (left to right) Commissioners Ira Butler, Jr., Franky Thomas, W.T. Russ, Jr., Steve Varnam, Jr., and Personnel - Pur chasing Director David SwalnT^** ": Consolidation Vote Possible Next March Residents of Long Beach and Yaupon Beach may be able to vote on the question of con solidation next March. That target date was set last Tuesday night at a meeting of the Consolidation Commission, which includes four members from each of the two Oak Island communities. The fact-finding group will present its report to the commissioners of Long Beach and Yaupon Beach in the next few months, with open public hearings possible in December. The Commission will ask approval of the respec tive town-boards for the employment of the In stitute of Government at Chapel Hill “for advice and guidance.” Cost would be between $1,000 and $1,200 — “considerably less than the $5,000 ap propriated” by the beach towns, it was noted. Present at the meeting, held at the Long Beach town hall, were Chairman Hannon Templeton and Mrs. Inez Shannon of Long Beach and Mrs. Dorothy Thompson, Hugh Zachary and Mack Aman of Yaupon Beach. Mrs. May Barbee of Yaupon Beach and Troy Davis and Ed Morgan of Long Beach were absent. Rushed, 3-2 Vote Picks County Complex Architect By BILL ALLEN Staff Writer The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners took a major step toward the employment of an ar chitectural - engineering firm to design the new county complex on a split decision during a regular meeting Monday at the Hood Building in Southport. The board voted 3-2 to employ Jerry Lewis ** Engineers in association with LBC&W to provide ar chitectural and engineering services for the new county complex, “contingent upon a satisfactory contractural agreement being worked out.” Commissioner Willie Sloan cast the swing vote on the split decision to act to hire Lewis and LBC&W for the major project. The motion was made by Commissioner W.T. Russ, Jr., and seconded by Commissioner Steve Varnam, Jr. Chairman - Interim County Manager Franky Thomas and Com missioner Ira Butler, Jr., voted in opposition. Lewis, a former county manager and Republican county chairman who is associated with the con struction of the water system, the LBC&W representatives Paul Wood, Dennis Day and Galloway Tract Wins Site Committee Favor By KENNY HEWETT Staff Writer The Richmond Galloway tract was chosen by the Site Selection Committee as its first priority to present to the county commissioners on Monday. The site offered by Canal Wood Development is directly across from the state park on US 17. It has 3,234 feet of road frontage on US 17 and 1,500 feet on State Road 1401. The 199-acre tract is offered at a price of $750 per acre, City Aldermen Lower Tax Rate To 68 Cents By ED HARPER News Editor The tax rate for City of Southport property owners was lowered from 92 cents to 68 cents Thursday night by the Board of Alermen. And the rate could be considerably lower, aider men felt, if not for “something wrong” in the county tax department. "We were expecting $30 million (property valuation),” said Auditor Walter Aldridge. With about 99 percent of the information in, City Manager Alvin Kornegay said, “We have come up way short.” $20.5 million is the figure the city got from the county, and it represents only an 80 percent increase over last year’s $ll-million tax base. Aldermen said most property owners report a two- or three fold increase in their property values. The 92-cent rate, which was "tentatively” adopted June 12, was based on a $19.5 million estimated tax base, which Aldermen thought to be conservative at the time. But the 68-cent rate formally adopted Thursday night was lowered primarily because of a revised budget — not more tax base. The Budget Committee, which included Aldermen Harold Davis, Pierce Horne and Conley Koontz, deleted from the Administration budget one-half of the cost of a bookkeeping machine and the salary of the building inspector. Savings amounted to $10,644. From the Police budget the committee cut $3,440 by eliminating the purchase of a new vehicle. From the Street budget, $6,000 in capital outlay was omitted. The committee trimmed $7,500 from the donation to the Frying Pan Lightship project, at the suggestion of Horne. The lightship project will receive $7,500; the $7,500 which was deleted was earmarked for the purchase of land adjacent to the lightship, but Aldermen are investigating another means of acquiring the land for a waterfront park. Mayor Eugene Tomlinson voiced concern over the low tax rate that has been set by the county Board of Com missioners. “If there is not $1.5 billion worth of property in the county,” which the mayor doubted, “then the county is in trouble” He said he is not (Continued on page 12) firm until September 30. The committee voted to choose three sites with first, second and third priorities, after having narrowed their choice to four from the six sites viewed. The first choice receiving three points, the second, two points, and the third, one point. The Canal Wood site received 30 points. The second choice of the committee was the site proposed by Arliss Willetts^ receiving 12 points. The tract is 1.5 miles north cf the fire tower. Willetts has offered to donate 50 acres and sell an additional 50 acres for $900 pei* acre. The third choice of the committee was the McKay McKeithan tract receiving 10 points. The selling price is $1,500 per acre, and if 100 acres or more are needed there will be a donation of 25 Correction The State Port Pilot in correctly quoted two statements by Long Beach Commissioner Ellis Dudley in a front-page article last week. The Pilot said other board members knew in advance what Dudley would read from a prepared statement. In fact, none of the other board members knew what Dudley would read. Dudley read from his statement that “at least $70,000 of any additional tax monies should be set aside’’ to rebuild the cash balance of the town. The Pilot reported the figure incorrectly as $7,000. acres. A fourth site presented by L.A. Lewis, consisting of approximately 160 acres for $200,000, received six votes but will not be included in the recommendation to the commissioners. Committee members Paul Dennins (Shallotte), Hoyal Varnam (Lockwood Folly) and James Bellamy (Shallotte) heavily favored the Canal Wood Development site. Varnam stated that, “the Canal site was the best piece of land and could be bought at a very good price.” Dennis noted that he “personally wanted the board to keep their thoughts on the county for the next 200 years and the Canal site was the A-l choice.” Bellamy commented that the committee “choose a site where the complex would be consolidated in one area so the people could park and visit all the buildings from that point." He noted that the McKay-McKeithan site was a straight lavnut and only a limited amount of designing could be done. You would have more than one entrance - exit and numerous parking lots,” Bellamy told the committee. Phil Yount (Town Creek) and Donald White (Nor thwest) favored the McKay McKeithan site. Yount noted that “Bolivia would serve the complex with a water system, and a sewage plan would be submitted im mediately if the site (McKay McKeithan) were chosen.” John Hughes told the board (Continued on page 2) Bald Head Receiver Will Assume Control By BILL ALLEN Staff Writer A receiver has been ap pointed to administer the Bald Head Island property covered by the deed of trust in security held presently by Builders Investment Group (BIG). Bruce Macleod of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, was appointed receiver following a hearing on BIG’s foreclosure suit to satisfy an indebtedness of $6,288,344.63. The hearing was held in Brunswick County Superior Court last Wednesday with Judge Thomas Lee of Raleigh presiding. Macleod will take into his possession and control the real property and im provements already made, including fixtures and per sonal property subject to the proceeding. BIG agreed to advance funds to Macleod that they deemed necessary for the completion of the harbor construction project, “if feasible.” He is authorized to request funds from BIG that may be required for the maintenance and operation of the project. “Any advance made by BIG for such purpose shall have the same priority and the same interest rate as advances for the completion of construction,” the order noted. All funds advanced shall bear interest at the rate agreed upon in the promissory note of Carolina Cape Fear Corporation. They will constitute and be deemed a charge and lien against the property, paramount to that of all lien creditors. Macleod will be required to file with the Clerk of Court monthly accounting that reflects all receipts and disbursements made during the preceding accounting period applicable to the management of the receivership estate, the completion of construction and all costs and expense incurred. He is required to file bond in the amount