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% THE STATE PORT PILOT ^6-19^ Volume 47 Number 12 October 8, 1975 Southport, N. C. 24 Pages 10 Cents Bolivia Area Site Is Offered County A new site for the new county complex near Bolivia was presented to Brunswick County Commissioners during their regular meeting on Monday. George Frink of Bolivia told the board about the new site, which is located about one mile south of Bolivia on the northwest side of US 17. Frink said that the site contains about 160 acres of land on both sides of the highway. However, the vast majority of the acreage is located on the north side of the highway. It has 1,800 feet of high way frontage. County Manager Don Flowers, Jr., said he hoped that the com missioners would have all the information needed in order to select a site at the next regular meeting. It was pointed out that the county Planning Board has been asked to hold a special meeting to gather information about the proposed sites. The Planning Board information will be given to the commissioners. The newly - presented Bolivia site is owned by C.W. Knox, the J.H. Knox heirs and the John Brown heirs, who have offered the land to the county “at a reasonable price,” according to two statements presented to the board by Frink. The statements were signed by C.W. Knox- and R.M. Brown. R.K. McKeithan of Bolivia told the commissioners that they wanted to present the land to the Site Committee, but they could not contact all the heirs in time. ‘Official’ Start For Collection Of Taxes The collection of 1975 taxes “officially” started in Brunswick County Monday. County commissioners -«? unanimously approved a resolution that “authorized, empowered and com manded” Tax Collector Homer McKeithan “to collect the taxes set forth in the tax records filed in the office of Tax Supervisor K.T. Bellamy and in the tax receipts herewith delivered to you in the amounts and from the taxpayers likewise therein set forth.” In his monthly report to the board, McKeithan said tax notices were sent to Wac icamaw Township residents September 18, Northwest re sidents on September 29 and Town Creek residents on I October 6. County Manager Don Flowers, Jr., said tax notices will be sent to Sniithville Township residents late this week or early next week. He said Shallotte Township residents will receive their tax notices the last week in October. McKeithan said in the report that he had already collected $17,083.73 in 1975 taxes. He also noted that 99.04 percent of the 1974 tax levy had been accounted for, in cluding $5,084,039.14 in cash collections. Chairman Franky Thomas said the Northwest residents he talked with over the weekend wanted to thank the board for “the.lower tax rate. Their taxes did not go up and most came down,” he added. In other Business, Com missioner Steve Varnam, Jr., reported that the county Fire Commission had approved giving the Leland Fire Department their entire yearly donation in one lump sum “to help them over a hard time.” He said the depart ment will receive the check when the request is signed. He said first quarter donations are being sent to the other fire departments in the county. But he said second quarter checks will not be sent until the requests are signed. County Clerk Judy Holden said only six of the county fire (Continued on page 22) | School Dedication Set Sunday At 2 O’clock ? The new Southport Primary School, which opened for the first time this year, will be officially dedicated during formal ceremonies Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Dr. A. Craig Phillips, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, will deliver the featured address during the dedication ceremonies at the school. The public has been invited to attend the ceremonies. After the citizens dedicatory statement read by Supt. Ralph King, i ' residents will have an opportunity to tour the new school, located at the end of 9th Street in Southport. Chairman Franky Thomas of the Brunswick County Board of Com missioners, Southport Mayor E.B. Tomlinson, Jr., and Waccamaw Bank and Trust Company Vice - President Robert Howard will make remarks during the dedication ceremonies. The Rev. J. Earl Richardson, pastor of Trinity United Methodist (Continued on page 10) Many Land Values Changed The Brunswick County Board of Equalization and Review approved tax valuation changes affecting an estimated 600 to 700 property owners during their final meeting Tuesday at the Hood Building in Southport. After spending almost two hours reviewing the property re - appraisal reports on land in the county, the board voted unanimously in one motion to approve the changes. The 600 to 700 property owners affected by the action of the board will be notified within 30 days of the changes in valuations made. When The Pilot asked for a list of changes made and the property owners affected, Acting Tax Supervisor K.T. Bellamy and Commissioners W.T. Russ, Jr., Ira Butler, Jr., and Willie Sloan, — the only county officials at tending the meeting — said in no un certain terms that they did not believe the information should be made public. Allied Appraisal Company did “an extremely poor job” of re - evaluating property in Brunswick County, K.T. Bellamy told commissioners serving on the Board of Equalization and Review during the final session. Bellamy recommended to the board that the more than $18,000 due Allied be withheld from the appraisal company. “These funds should be transferred to the tax supervisor’s office in order that we may hire additional appraisers to complete the work that Allied Ap praisal company failed to do,” Bellamy told the board. Commissioner Russ, presiding over the meeting of the Board of Equalization and Review, recom mended that no action be taken on Bellamy’s recommendations until all members are at a Board of Com missioners meeting. But he said he (Continued on page 10) New Postal Service Set The U.S. Postal first-class mail service improvement program will go into effect at the Southport post office on Saturday, Postmaster Livingston has said. “Under the program, first class mail will receive service that is equal to or better than airmail,” shesaid. The major, new service step will extend to all first-class mail weighing 13 ounces or less. “In practical terms, what this service im provement means is that domestic first-class postage now will purchase the level of service that previously only airmail could buy,” said the postmaster. “Under the new program, there no longer will be an advantage in purchasing airmail postage for domestic delivery,” she said. Priority mail (now starting at weight in excess of 13 ounces), which includes air parcel service, and in ternational airmail are unaffected by the im provement program and continue in their present form, the postmaster said. “Airmail stamps will be sold for use on priority and international airmail. They can also be used in various combinations with other stamps for first-class mail,” she said. iOUTMPORT PRIMARY SCHOOL BRUNSWICK COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA DEDICATION CEREMONIES for the new Southport Primary School will be held Sunday afternoon. State School Supt. Craig Phillips will be guest speaker at the program, to which citizens of the area are invited. An open house will be held following the ceremony. The school is located at the end of 9th Street in Southport, and is designed to accommodate 600 youngsters from the Southport and Oak Island area. Activity Bus Rules Adopted ByEDHARPER News Editor Churches and old people are not supposed to use school activity buses, but the unenforced rule has been the law for years, Board of Education members were told Monday night. And activity buses pur chased by local groups already belong to the county Board of Education. These two facts will be hard pills for county residents to swallow, Board of Education members agreed during their regular monthly meeting. But the facts were reinforced as the board voted 4-1 to adopt rules for a centralized school activity bus program. The vote puts into operation two new buses recently purchased by the Board of Education, and makes activity buses available to any county school in need of transportation. "Are we cutting them out?” Member Franklin Randolph asked about church and senior - citizen groups that have used school activity buses in the past. Supt. Ralph King replied, "Yes, as bad as it seems, as we move to the county system.” Board Attorney Mason Anderson agreed with King: when the title to the activity bus is in the Board of Education’s name, it is unlawful to use the bus for any purpose that is not school related. Member W.T. Bowen ex pressed concern about the financial loss to local school groups. He suggested that the county pay for the buses, and that the money be put towards school improvements, like carpeting. "They have made a great sacrifice,” Bowen said of the local school patrons. He said "they would feel better towards us” if the school board gave a little money. "I can’t see it that way,” answered Supt. King. The buses were bought to serve children, he said. "We should eliminate the question of •equity.’" King said Bowen was talking about $20,000 to $25,000 —"minimum". "I don't want to leave a bad taste," Bowen said. "I think weoweittothem." Randolph said the reim bursement was not his major concern, but that he was more worried about continuing the services to churches and senior citizens. Anderson said the rule against non-school use of the buses was "opinion" of the state Attorney General's office, but he felt it was correct. "It cuts both ways,” said Anderson, referring to the fact some people want the buses used for churches and senior citizens, while others object. "I would be slow about getting into it," he said, ad ding that "the problem is that it has been happening.” Chairman Wilber Earl Rabon, noting tht the board had decided to centralize activity buses for use by all (Continued on page 2) I School Board To Recommend Site For Complex By BILL ALLEN Staff Writer The Brunswick County Board of Education will try to recommend a site for the new county complex before October 20, it was decided at a joint meeting with the Board of Commissioners Tuesday night at the Hood Building. “We will review the information, visit the sites and bring back our recommendation,” School Board Chairman Wilber Earl Rabon told the commissioners. Chairman Rabon said the school board would have to decide whether it wants to locate in the complex and select a site. Commissioner Steve Varnam, Jr., first suggested that the school board select a site and present it to the board. School Board Member Franklin Randolph said he believed that the two boards should tour the sites together. Varnam said he believed it would be hard for the two boards to get together for a joint tour. School Board Member Barbara Yount said she was concerned about the school board recom mending the most expensive site. She said the price per acre of two of the four sites is not known. County Manager Don Flowers said he would be glad to contact the owners to determine the prices of the sites under consideration. Varnam said the commissioners wanted to select a site for the complex that would “please” the school board. “We would certainly not want to select a site that you don’t like,” he said. If trouble develops in selecting a site, Ran dolph said the school board could obtain the 30 - acre Corbett property, located at the intersection of the Midway road and US 17, for a “reasonable price.” He said the land is located very near the new site offered to the county on Monday. (See related story in this edition of The Pilot.) Randolph said he would personally like to see the site of the complex located in Town Creek Township to end talk of dividing the county. “I am in favor of re - uniting the county,” Randolph declared. “I love Brunswick County and don’t want to see it divided. God knows I would hate to see it split.” Although he lives in Lockwood Folly Township, Randolph said he favored a Town Creek location because he was looking to the future of Briu swick County. “This would eliminate this talk about splitting the county,” he declared. Of the four sites offered, two are in Town Creek and two are in Lockwood Folly, Mrs. Yount pointed out. “The Piney Grove Swamp is the dividing line between the two townships,” Randolph stated. Randolph also said he wanted to know if the commissioners had considered consolidating the' new hospital at the complex site “to save the county a tremendous amount of money.” He (Continued on page 21)
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