THE STATE PORT PILOT
Volume 47 Number 40
April 21, 1976
Southport, N. C.
24 Page*
10 Cents
Amendments To
County Budget
The Brunswick County
Board of Commissioners
Tuesday placed an additional
162,364.72 in the 75-76 budget
to cover expenditures.
The board unanimously
approved the budget
amendments after they were
explained by County Finance
Officer Regina McKeithan.
The salaries and wages
section of the governing body
budget was increased by
$5,000 because of the special
and bond meetings that
commissioners are paid to
attend.
A total of $8,000 was placed
in the Administration section.
Salaries and wages will be
increased $500 to cover
severance money to the
former county manager and
clerk, telephone and postage
was increased $2,100, travel
$5,000 and department
supplies $400 — chiefly the
cost of the new county seal.
The board added $4,000 to
the Finance section. The
money will be used to pay for
the water system audit and
the purchase order system.
Under the legal section,
professional fees were in
creased $23,164.72. The
money will go to the New
York bond attorneys for work
on the sale of the revenue
bonds for the water system
between January 1, 1973 and
October 22,1975.
County Manager Don
Flowers, Jr., said he had
checked with state officials
and found the fee was in line
with charges for the services
of New York bond attorneys.
Commissioner Franky
Thomas said it was a perfect
example of why all budgets
must contain cushions to pay
unexpected charges.
The Sheriff’s Department
budget was increased $20,000.
A total of $16,000 will be used
for the maintenance and
repair of autos, $2,600 for
contracted services and
$2,000 for insurance and
bonds.
The board put $1,600 in the
Agriculture Extension
Service budget. Uses for the
money include $1,500 for
travel of fire ant personnel
and $100 for petty cash.
The $62,364.72 which will be
placed in the six budgets will
come from the one percent
sales tax revenues.
In addition, the board
placed $80,000 in Coastal
Plains grant funds in the
Mosquito Control budget.
Most of the grant — $72,600 —
will be used for salaries and
wages. Equipment rentals
will receive $2,800, depart
(Continued on page 2)
Yaupon Seeking Help
For Mosquito Control
' ^ By BILL ALLEN
Staff Writer
Yaupon Beach needs the
help of the county in the
annual battle against
|? mosquitoes, county com
missioners were told at their
meeting Tuesday.
Yaupon Beach Mayor
Marvin Watson wanted to
know if the county could do
the spraying until the town
purchases the equipment, or
if the county could help
purchase the equipment.
After a long discussion,
Mayor Watson requested that
the county give Yaupon
Beach $2,000 to support the
mosquito spraying program.
Chairman Steve Varnam,
Jr., who said it was not an
“improper request,” told
Mayor Watson that the board
would consider it.
Just before the meeting
ended, Chairman Varnam
asked commissioners to give
“serious consideration” to
the $2,000 request made by
Yaupon Beach.
Commissioner W.T. Russ,
Jr., said he had questions
about whether the county
could do a proper job in both
incorporated and unin
corporated areas.
County Manager Don
Flowers, Jr., said he would
Daylight Time Starts
You’re not losing an hour of sleep, you’re
gaining an hour of sunshine is the optimistic
way of looking at the change this Sunday to
Daylight Savings Time.
Before retiring for the night this Saturday, set
clocks ahead one hour (from ll to 12, for
example). That will get you to the church on time
Sunday morning.
Water Should
Draw Industry
Leland should be able to
attract industry to use the
water that will be flowing in
the area in the future,
Brunswick County com
missioners were told at a
meeting last Monday night.
Director Jackie Stephenson
of the county Resources
Development Commission
told the board that “it ap
pears that we can attract
blue-chip industry to the
county.”
Stephenson was asked to
attend the meeting to discuss
prospects of obtaining in
dustry than can use the four
million gallons of water the
county intends to purchase
from the Lower Cape Fear
Water and Sewer Authority.
The board voted
unanimously at its April 5
meeting to sign a letter of
intent to buy the water when
the authority runs its lines
into the Leland area in about
V
five years.
“You have made the right
deicision because I believe
we will attract the industry in
the next five years,”
Stephenson said.
He said he had “no solid
prospect” ready to locate in
the Leland area at the
present time. But he said the
situation has changed now
because of the decision to
purchase water and the
approval of the state industry
bonds. “They will make my
job easier,” he delcared.
Stephenson said a $60
million industry failed to
locate in the county because
of the lack of fresh water. A
$75- to $00-million industry
located in South Carolina
because of fresh water.
He told the board that the
decision to obtain the water
“would have a significant
(Continued on page 2)
talk to Yaupon Beach aW
Long Beach officials about
conducting a joint mosquito
spraying program.
Commissioner Franky
Thomas said the board must
consider the entire county in
making its decision. Flowers
said he would present cost
figures at the next meeting.
Chairman Varnam told
Mayor Watson that he was
sure the county could do the
spraying until Yaupon Beach
purchased the needed
equipment.
Mayor Watson said Yaupon
Beach needed spraying now
since the mosquito season has
started. Chariman Varnam
said the county mosquito
trucks, which do other jobs in
the winter, are expected to
start spraying “in the very
near future.”
Flowers said the county
believed it was better for
municipalities to do their own
spraying because of com
plications in the program.
But he said the county never
said it would not spray in
municipalities. “We can’t do
the job you can do,” he ex
nlainpH
Citizen John Barbee
questioned why
municipalities are not en
titled to the same services
that the rest of the county
receives since both pay taxes
to the county.
“I realize that, but in
corporated areas govern
themselves and can apply for
the same grants,” Chairman
Varnam responded.
Yaupon Beach Com
missioner William Smalley
said he believed it was
“unfair to penalize” a beach
community that sees its
population increase greatly
in the summer months. “I
don’t think it is unfair to
expect the county to help us
100 percent with mosquito
spraying,” he stated.
County Planning Board
Member Eileen Kellagher
said that Yaupon Beach is not
considered a municipality by
the county Planning Board
because of the developers’
interest.
She also expressed concern
about the board approving
high - rise development when
only 10 percent of the people
in the county support it,
according to surveys.
Chairman Varnam said the
county could only provide
limited spraying in towns and
cover the entire county. “The
(Continued on page 2)
THE SOUTHPORT JAYCEES have installed new officers
which include, left to right front row, Second Vice-President
Jerry Dilsaver, President Bill Coring, First Vice-President
Ben Blake and'Director John Richards; Second row, Directors
Randy Ellis and Charles Trott, Jaybird Hammie Ballantine,
Secretary Bill Ezzell, Treasurer Lucian Vick and State
Director Rick Johnson.
Water System Delay
*.Not Fault Of County9
Chairman Steve Varnam, Jr., expressed
concern about delays in the Phase II water
system in the western area of the county
during a meeting Tuesday.
“We need to get the ball rolling on tis thing,
that is for sure,” Chairman Varnam declared.
“We are being blamed for things that are not
our fault.”
He made his comments after being infor
med that the board needed to approve a
resolution requesting Pierson - Whitman,
engineers on the project, to assist the county
in making applicatin for Clean Water bonds
and other grants for Phase II in the western
area of the county.
Both Chairman Varnam and County
Manager Don Flower, Jr., said they un
derstood the Clean Water bond money had
already been approved for Phase II. “That is
what we have been told all along,” the
chairman stated.
County Planner Johnny Sutton and Public
Works Director Rodney Tart told them that
Pierson-Whitman officials said the board
needed to approve the resolution to seek the
funds during a meeting in Raleigh last Friday.
Sutton said that seeking funds is part of the
contract Pierson-Whitman signed with the
(Continued on page 2)
Meeting Of
Area Towns
Mutual problems affecting Caswell Beach, v
Long Beach, Southport and Yaupon Beach were
discussed at a joint meeting Tuesday night.
The mayors of the four towns were requested
to attend the next meeting of the Board of
Commissioners to see what can be done about
the county providing “adequate” mosquito
spraying. County officials have written letters
indicating they don’t plan to spray in
municipalities this summer.
In addition the mosquito spraying, the 20
members from the four government units at
tending the meeting discussed the Long Beach
water bond issue, planning, and fire department
and rescue squad assistance. They agreed they
could accomplish more working together on
mutual problems than trying to “go it alone.”
The group voted unanimously to have each
board appoint two members to serve on an
executive committee. The committee will hold
periodic meetings to discuss and coordinate
possible joint projects of mutual benefit. They
also decided to hold the next joint meeting in
May.
Commissioners Should
Meet With The People
Brunswick County com
missioners and officials will
be attending township ad
visory meetings during the
next 30 days to explain about
county government.
Commissioners agreed to
attend the meetings during
their regular session Tuesday
after Commissioner Franky
Thomas said the board had
failed to educate the public
. f V ■ - .
about county government.
Thomas told the board that
he attended a community
meeting in Northwest
Township last Friday night
and found that “the average
citizen doesn’t know what is
going on. They think they are
getting the short end of the
stick.”
County Planner Johnny
Sutton said he agreed with
Member Short
For Authority
One more member still
' must be appointed to serve on
the Brunswick County
Hospital Authority, The Pilot
learned this week.
Board of Commissioners
Chariman Steve Vamam, Jr.,
said he has asked the
Hospital Authority to submit
the names of at least two
persons to serve as members
to fill the vacancy.
Last month, the Hospital
Authority recommended that
P.R. Hankins of Bolivia,
Louis Brown of Navassa and
Dorothy Gilbert of Southport
be re - appointed and that
Mrs. Pauline Morgan be
appointed. Mrs. Morgan was
nominated to replace South
port Attorney Henry Foy,
who was not recommended
for reappointment.
The board discussed the
matter and members said
they felt the Hospital
Authority should nominate
more than one person to fill
each position.
Chairman Varnam said he
re - appointed Hankins,
Brown and Mrs. Gilbert upon
the recommendation of the
other commissioners since
they have had experience on
the Hospital Authority.
But he said he did not ap
point Mrs. Morgan because
the commissioners wanted
the Hospital Authority to
submit more than one name.
Chairman Varnam said he
was not rejecting Mrs.
Morgan and she could still be
appointed after the Hospital
Authority submits more than
one name to fill the position.
“But I am not saying what we
will do until the names are
submitted,” he added.
Under law, the Hospital
Authority nominates all of its
members. The appointments,
however, must be made by
the chairman of the county
commissioners, who can’t
nominate a candidate.
Mrs. Morgan, wife of for
mer Long Beach Mayor Ed
Morgan, is known for he
diligent work and attention to
details while serving on town
committees.
Deadline For
Photo Contest
Entries to the Bict
Contest, sponsored by
Bicentennial Committee
Friday, April 30, at 5 p
headquarters, 114 East
port.
The contest, open
photographers who are i
will have two categories
color. The subject matt
relate to Brunswick Coi
and must have been tak
and April 30, 1976. The
minimum size of 8” x 10
on white or off-white m;
Judging will be based
quality of the photogi
propriateness to the cl
County, and will be judj
Linville and Elgie Clem
Purchase awards will
each category of $150 f
second place and $25 for
Thomas that attendance at v!
township meetings In- .
creases when commissioners
and department heads are
present.
Planning Board Member
Eileen Kellagher said she
makes a special effort to
inform residents when
meetings are held in Lock
wood Folly Township. She
said she believed that the
Planning Board represen
tatives should try to inform
the public when meetings are
held in their townships.
County Manager Don
Flowers, Jr., said the
Institute of Government
provides information about
county government that can
be distributed to citizens.
Thomas said he believed
that Flowers should visit in
the county to talk to residents
about their problems. He said
the people will know the
county manager is in their
area when they see the
county seal on his car.
County Attorney James
Prevatte, Jr., told Chariman
Steve Varnam, Jr., that the
board would not have to post
public meeting notices when
(Continued on page 2) ,
ntennial Photography
the Brunswick County
must be submitted by
m. at the committee’s
Moore Street in South
to any amateur
esidents of the county,
— black and white and
er of the entries must
mty or its inhabitants,
»n between July 1, 1975
entries must have a
’ and must be mounted
it board.
on the composition and
•aph as well as ap
aracter of Brunswick
;ed by Hugh Morton of
mons of Whiteville.
be made to winners in
or first place, $75 for
honorable mention.
it