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THE STATE PORT PILOT
^6-19^
Volume 47Number 19 November 26, 1975
Southport, N, C.
18 Pages
10 Cents
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Brunswick County is in “an
extremely healthy financial
position now and for the
foreseeable future,” ac
cording to a survey con
ducted by the county Plan
ning Department.
“Brunswick County will be
able to provide its citizens
with all the services and
facilities they require” now
and in the future because all
indicators show the “ex
tremely healthy financial
position,” the survey con
cluded.
The Planning Department
survey reached the con
clusion after examining both
the ad valorem tax base and
county revenues in depth.
The survey predicted that
the tax base, which has ex
panded rapidly during the
last eight years, “will have
definitely strong growth for
the next three years.”
“By then, the major in
dustrial and utility plans now
under construction should be
complete and their total
appraised value placed on the
tax books,” the report
pointed out. “On the negative
side, taxable construction
equipment will probably be
removed from the county as
these construction and high
way projects are com
pleted.”
“Therefore,” the report
continued, “the tax base
growth should level about
1978 unless major industrial
construction boom occurs.
But the tax base can be
considered to be very stable
since 81 percent of it is in real
property and utilities.”
The report said that the tax
base is assuming “even
greater importance” since it
has been growing faster since
1968 than the other revenue
sources, which have been
providing an increasingly
smaller percentage of the
total. ; '**
“When it is considered that
from 1968 to 1974 — before
reapppraisal — that the value
of the tax base increase at an
annual rate of 59 percent
compared to 41 percent for
revenue and 30 percent for
expenditures, it would seem
that the tax base is able to
assume this importance,” the
report stated.
It was noted that the total
revenues received by the
county increased at an an
nual rate of 22 percent and
the total expenditures in
creased at an annual rate of
14 percent between 1968 and
1972. From 1972 to 1974, the
annual rate of increase rose
to 42 percent for revenue and
39 percent for expenditures.
“The more rapid rise in both
revenue and expenditures
from 1972 to 1974 corresponds
directly to the period of
greatest population growth, it
was explained.
In more depth, here is a
summary of what the
Planning Department report
had to say about the tax base
and revenues of Brunswick
County:
The total tax base in
Brunswick County has grown
at a rapid rate since 1965. The
increase has been the result
of a general increase in land
values and new construction,
especially industry and
utilities.
Real property is expressed
in appraised property values.
In 1965, the total value was
$61.5 million. By 1970, the
value had grown to $99.1
million; 1974, $131.2 million
and in 1975, an estimated
$646.8 million. The large
increase in 1975 is estimated
from preliminary reports of
the 1974 countywide reap
praisal.
Some examples of the
escalation in property values
based on sales or offers for
known lots at one of the
county’s beaches are $3,000 in
1964 to $27,500 in 1975; $1,200
in 1964 to $15,000 in 1975; $500
in 1963 to $2,250 in 1975; and
$3,000 in 1968 to $25,000 in
1975. One rural tract was $150
an acre in 1966 and $800 an
acre in 1975.
“The impact of a major
industry on the real property
base can be illustrated by the
$21 million in value added by
just one industry in the past
five years,” County Planner
Johnny Sutton.
Personal property, also ex
ressed a in appraised value
has increased from a $17.8
million appraisal in 1965,
personal property went up to
an estimated $283.9 million in
1975. Of this, the major
portion can be attributed to
industry since the equipment
in one plant alone is valued at
$177.3 million, it was noted.
“Since industrial equip
ment is subject to faster
depreciation than structures,
and since personal property
includes construction
equipment, commercial
fishing vessels and other
items that can be moved from
the county, personal property
is not considered a very
stable component of the total
tax base,’’ Sutton explained.
Utilities, appraised by the
state to total value, are not
divided into real and personal
property. The principal
reason the value of utilities
grew from $4.6 million in 1965
to an estimated $569.9 million
in 1975 was the construction
of an electric generating
plant. “The value of utilities
can be considered to be a
stable component of the total
base since it is unlikely that
any of the facilities would be
removed,” Sutton pointed
out.
By combining the three
components, the total tax
base has grown from $83.9
million in 1965 to an
estimated $1.5 billion in 1975,
(Continued on page 2)
Sales Tax Receipts
A total of $271,078.25 collected from the one -
percent sales and use tax during the third
quarter was returned to Brunswick County and
its municipalities, according to the Department
of Revenue.
Brunswick County received a total of
$245,157.61 of the tax collected during July,
August and September while the rest went to ten
municipalities.
County municipalities receiving money from
the collections included Boiling Spring Lakes,
$927.79; Bolivia, $125,62; Calabash, $261.62;
Holden Beach, $2,132.38; Long Beach, $9,741.98;
Ocean Isle Beach, $1,507.66; Shallotte, $2,284.48;
Southport, $5,482.48; Sunset Beach, $1,397.49;
and Yaupon Beach, $2,059.14.
Caswell Beach and Shady Forest did not
receive any moneyjfrom the county sales and use
tax collections in the third quarter.
Winter Term
Opens Dec. 1
Registration for the winter
quarter in the college tran
sfer program in Brunswick
County, in cooperation with
Southeastern Community
College, will be held during
the first two class meetings in
which students are enrolled.
Registration dates for
courses offered at South
Brunswick High School are
Dec. 1, 3, 8, and 10.
Registration dates at West
Brunswick are Dec. 2, 4, 9,
and ll. Classes meet at night
at the two locations, and the
courses are fully-credited
and transferable to four-year
institutions.
The Brunswick County
program of college transfer
studies is the result of an
arrangement between
Southeastern Community
College, which provides in
structors, and the Brunswick
County Board of Education,
which provides the sites.
Mrs. May Barbee of
Yaupon Beach is coordinator
for the program and has an
office at South Brunswick.
The winter quarter begins
Dec. l and 2, with some
classes meeting weekly and
others meeting twice-a-week.
The winter quarter will take a
Christmas recess from
December 19 through
January 5. The quarter ends
March 2.
The South Brunswick
program offers General
Biology on Wednesdays;
Freshman English on
Mondays; Business Law on
Mondays; Introduction to
Algebra on Mondays; College
Reading on Wednesdays; and
Fundamentals of Design on
Mondays and Wednesdays.
The West Brunswick
program offers American
Literature on Thursdays;
Fundamentals of
Mathematics on Thursdays;
Western Civilization on
Tuesdays; Public Speaking
on Tuesdays; Introduction to
Education on Tuesdays and
Thursdays; and Survey of the
Old Testament on Tuesdays
and Thursdays.
PRESENTING A DONATION of $165 to the Southport Teen Center is
Public Affairs Chairman Gail Calandra of the Junior Woman’s Club of
Southport. Accepting the gift is Doug Williams, president of the club. Mr.
and Mrs. John Greene, adult coordinators of the facility at the corner of
Howe and Brown streets, said the funds will be used to purchase necessary
equipment.
County To Receive
Community Funding
Brunswick County will
receive a little more that
$100,000 in Community
Development funds this year,
Chairman Franky Thomas
has announced.
R.B. Barnwell, area
Arts & Crafts Show
At Shallotte Dec. 6-7
“Crafts of all descriptions
to be exhibited, sold and on
display, along with many
baked goods, canned goods,
games, prizes, a softball
tournament, etc., are being
planned for the weekend of
Dec. 6 and 7 at Shallotte
Middle School,” the Arts and
Crafts Festival committee
has announced.
“Our quilt is on display at
the Bank of North Carolina in
Shallotte. Donations for this
are only $1 and can be pur
chased at the bank or from
any committee member.
They can also be purchased
at the fair. Hams will be
given away periodically
throughout the festival.
“We’re planning for a nice
program booklet with
numbers on them,” the spok
esman said.
The Civie Town VFD is
having a fish fry on Saturday,
Dec. 6, beginning at 11 a.m. at
the Middle School cafeteria.
The Shailotte Rescue Squad
will be serving snack food on
Sunday afternoon.
The Christmas parade
begins at 1:30 p.m. on
Saturday. The Ladies softball
tournament begins on
Saturday, also. Final plans
for a horse show are being
made for Saturday night.
Square dancing by
professionals will be on
Saturday night and a gospel
sing will be held Sunday
afternoon.
“We have 17 tables and
booths now, so if you wish to
have one, please call 754-4623
from 7 - 9 a.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.
today.
“The West Brusnwick art
students are displaying their
work and will have some
things for sale while
exhibiting other works. Plan
/our weekend to include the
Arts and Crafts Festival.
Come to Shallotte. 20 percent
of all gross profits go to the
West Brusnwick Library
Building Fund,” concluded
the committee.
director of HUD’s Green
sboro office, informed
Chairman Thomas in a letter
that the county will receive
$113,729 to spend for fire
prevention radios and water
system projects.
Barnwell said the two
Brunswick County projects
have been “conditionally
approved subject to com
pletion of the environmental
review procedures. They
require HUD environmental
approval.”
“But the application (for
Community Development
funds) has been approved in
the amount of $113,729,”
Barnwell stated.
The projects receiving
conditional approval include
$18,990 for radios in fire
protection equipment, $84,400
for construction of two deep
wells and $10,339 for con
tingencies.
Chairman Thomas said
that J.L. Minton and
Associates, the Raleigh firm
employed by the county to
seek federal funds, aided the
county in obtaining the
Community Development
money.
The money that the county
will receive will come from
the metropolitan
discretionary fund of the
Community Development
block grant program.
Brunswick County
originally applied for $500,000
in Community Development
funds. The application was
later revised and the amount
(Continued on page 2)
Thanksgiving Holiday
Just about everybody takes a holiday Thur
sday in observance of Thanksgiving, and county
employees and school children have an extra day
off to be thankful for, too.
Financial institutions, city and state offices
will be closed on Thanksgiving Day only. Only
box service will be offered at the post office that
day.
Judge Orders Closing
Of Cedar Grove Club
By BILL ALLEN
A court order has been
obtained to close and padlock
a well - known Cedar Grove
Community night - spot,
Sheriff Herman Strong an
nounced this week.
Sheriff Strong said he
obtained the Order of
Abatement to close Purvis
Windell Hewett’s night - spot
following a hearing before
Judge Thomas Lee of Raleigh
in Whiteville last Tuesday.
The facilities at Hewett’s will
be sold at public auction.
“This is the first time I
have obtained a court order
to close one of the night •
spots operating in the
county,” Sheriff Strong said.
“1 took the action because of
all the citizens’ complaints
J5,000 Library-Grant—
The West Brunswick Library building fund is
$5,000 better off because of the generosity of the
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
That was the amount of the contribution an
nounced this week by Mayor Beamon Hewett of
the Town of Shallotte, which applied for the
grant with the help of the Cape Fear Council of
Governments.
Hewett, who said the $5,000 will be used to help
pay for construction of the library, also
acknowledged help from the county Board of
Commissioners, Southport - Brunswick County
Librarian Philip Barton “and numerous clubs
and organizations” in the Shallotte area in
securing the grant.
we have received about
Hewett’s.”
Hewett’s place of business
is located in a a double - wide
mobile home located on the
western side of SR 1130 about
four miles south of the in
tersection of SR 1130 and US
17 in the Cedar Grove area.
Sheriff Strong said that his
department and ABC officers
have conducted two raids on
Hewett’s business since he
took office in December of
lastyear. The business has
Been in operation the 'past
several years.
The department con
fiscated 11 cases of beer, two
gallons of tax - paid whiskey
and seven gallons of wine
during the last raid, which
was conducted October 24.
Hewett, who lives on Rt. 2,
Supply, was charged with
possession for the purpose of
sale following the October 24
raid. The case is scheduled to
be tried in District Court next
month.
Hewett’s was originally
padlocked October 31 when
Judge Lee issued a tem
(Continued on page 2)
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A HAPPY THANKSGIVING will be easier for several Southport area
families because of efforts of Southport Jaycees. President Tommy Gilbert,
John Richards and Bill Coring display some of the groceries donated by club
members to be distributed to needy families prior to Thursday.