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THE STATE PORT PILOT
^e-1916
Volume 48 ■ Number 20
December I, 1976
Southport, TV. C.
22 Pages Today 10 Cents
* A LATE-AFTERNOON SUN dropping over a wintry Brunswick County
beach is the subject of this photographic study by Whiteville photographer
Dan Sears. ... • ^
■. ■ • *3 . . »
County Will Supplement
Leland School Funding
By ED HARPER
County commissioners will
provide $78,059 to match the
bids for construction of
Leland Middle School, but
have restated their belief that
a bond issue is the answer to
the need for new educational
facilities.
The board granted the
amount equal to the
difference in what the Board
of Education said last week it
needed and the amount the
school board found in its own
coffer. But a change was
made during the past week in
what the school board was
asking for.
“They have given us the
run-around,” Commissioner
Ira Butler said of the Board of
Education after reviewing
the fund request.
Last Monday night in a
joint meeting of the Board of
Commissioners and the
school board, school officials
said they needed almost
$400,000 for a “turn-key” job
at Leland Middle School. But
they said enough of the
project could be deleted, or
postponed (playground,
paving, curbing, land
scaping, food service) from
the original bids to bring the
required extra funding down
School Officials *Find9
Way For Leland Work
By ED HARPER
The Board of Education, with the
help of a $78,057 supplement from
the county commissioners, has
awarded bids for construction of
Leland Middle School.
But the contract includes paving
and curbing of the parking lots —
something the commissioners
believed would be delayed in the
interest of economy. (See related
article, this issue of The Pilot.)
The Board of Education, which
held a brief meeting Tuesday night
prior to attending an open house at
Bolivia school, accepted the re
commendation of Supt. Ralph King
that $70,584 be taken from “con
tingency” funding and be applied to
the paving and curb work. The
transfer reduces the contingency
fund to less than $14,000, which Asst.
Supt. John Hicks said is “probably
not going to be enough” to last
thorough the current budget year.
Architect L.R. Evans said the fund
would require “at least” $7,000 more
between now and next July 1, the
start of the new budget year.
“It is a smart move we are
making,” Evans said, in awarding
bids for the complete building,
except for the kitchen.
The Board of Education met with
the county commissioners on
November 22 and said it needed
$142,509 to award bids for con
struction of the Leland area facility.
Upon the request of county com
missioners, school officials
“scrutinized” their budget and
found $64,450 that could be applied to
the need amount. Monday night, the
county Board of Commissioners
(Continued on page 2)
w
Two Quit, Then Return;
Charter Is Unchanged
By BILL ALLEN
Long Beach Com
missioners Ellis Dudley and
Russell Morrison announced
their resignations publicly
during a heated board
meeting Monday night.
However, Morrison an
nounced Tuesday morning
that he had withdrawn his
resignation from the board
“to hang on awhile longer.”
Morrison said he wrote his
letter of resignation and
delivered it to Town Hall at 10
a.m. Tuesday morning as he
said he would do at the
meeting Monday.
<* But Morrison said he with
drew his letter of resignation
at the last minute. “No one
influenced me,” he stated.
“It was my own decision. I
will stick it out the last 11
months of my term if I can
make it.”
liong Beach Mayor Harold
Crain announced just before
presstime that Dudley has
withdrawn his written
resignation.
Dudley, however, did
resign Tuesday. He sub-*'
mitted his letter of
to $142,509.
The remaining items could
be funded next year, school
officials agreed, because
estimated construction time
is 570 days and the items were
not needed in original con
struction.
On instruction from the
school board, Supt. Ralph
King presented com
missioners with information
that the school board could
provide $64,450 of the
necessary balance. This
would leave $78,059 to be
provided by the county
commissioners.
But Monday night during
their special meeting the
commissioners were asked
for $148,643. After much
figuring — no school officials
were present to explain — the
commissioners determined
that the school board had put
the paving and curbing back
into the request.
Commissioner Franky
Thomas said the school board
had come asking for $6,000
mere than they did the week
before “without their $64,000
even in there. It don’t balance
out with what they had last
week.’’
He suggested that the
board take the figure
presented last week, deduct
the school’s $64,000 and pay
the difference.
And Thomas suggested that
the amount be repaid to the
county’s general fund from
the pending lawsuit con
cerning the school roof leaks.
Where the school board
found the $64,450 was not
explained in the letter from
Supt. King to the com
missioners. At the joint
meeting last Monday night,
and in the Board of Educationc
(Continued on page 2)
resignation to Mayor Harold
Crain Tuesday morning.
When contacted by The
Pilot, Dudley said he believed
that Mayor Crain should
release his letter of
resignation. But he said he
resigned because his
“motivation, integrity and
objectivity” were questioned
in the eyes of the public at the
meeting.
The two announcements
made Monday night came
shortly after the board turned
down on a 3-3 deadlock vote
an ordinance to amend the
town charter.
“My effectiveness as a
commissioner has been
questioned and you will have
my resignation,” Dudley told
Mayor Crain.
“My resignation will be in
the office also due to personal
and business reasons,”
Morrison declared shortly
after Dudley made his an
nouncement.
Mayor Crain urged the two
commissioners to reconsider
since he said the two
resignations at one time
could leave the town without
a government while the
vacancies are being filled by
the board.
“It is my opinion, Mr.
Mayor, that you don’t want
any government,” Morrison
responded.
Dudley and Morrison made
their surprise an»
nouncements during the
discussion after the board
had turned down amending
the charter on the deadlock
vote.
Judgment In Favor Of
Dosher Hospital Tax
The county commissioners ‘‘are
entitled to proceed to levy a four
cent tax on property in Smithville
Township for 1976 for hospital
purposes,” according to a ruling by
Superior:. . Court Judge Henry
McKinnon.
Judge McKinnon, in handing down
his decision last Wednesday, said
the commissioners “are the proper
‘governing body’ to act for Smith
ville Township in actions to establish
and support a hospital” under the
General Statue which authorizes the
petition, election and tax.
Also, Judge McKinnon ruled that
“This article and the steps taken to
date are not unconstitutional on any
grounds alleged by the plaintiffs.”
Arguments were heard last
Monday from the plaintiffs,
represented by attorney J.B. Lee of
Whiteville; the county, represented
by attorney James R. Prevatte, Jr.;
and three ‘‘intervenor defendants”
— the City of Southport, the Dosher
hospital trustees and individuals—
represented together by attorney
Carter Lambeth. Judge McKinnon
had ruled earlier that the city, the
trustees and individuals had a “real
interest” in the outcome of the case.
The plaintiffs alleged that the
original defendants — the county
commissioners — had acted im
(Continued on page 2)
Watson Resigns Yaupon
v
Beach Mayor’s Position
By BILL ALLEN
Mayor Marvin Watson
resigned his positions during
a special meeting of the
Yaupon Beach Board of
Commissioners last Tuesday
morning.
“It is with great pleasure
and humbleness this morning
that I announce my
resignation as mayor and
council member of Yaupon
Beach,” Mayor Watson
declared.
Mayor Watson, who has
been a Yaupon Beach board
member for the past three
years, resigned since he has
been elected a Brunswick
County commissioner from
Smithville Township. He has
served as mayor for the past
year.
Mayor Watson said he
considered it “a distinct
honor” to have served on the
Yaupon Beach board. “I am
grateful for the cooperation
and support most of the
citizens have given me,” he
declared.
He said he was “also
Entertainment, Ideas Are
Holiday House F eatures
Committees for Holiday
House, scheduled this
weekend at the Southport
Community Building, have
been announced by co
chairmen Mrs. Julia Coan
and Mrs. Jean Fairley.
Holiday House is a display
of ideas for decorating for the
holidays. Registration for
items to be exhibited will take
place on Friday from noon
until 5 p.m. and Saturday
from 9 until 11:30 a.m. The
show will be held Saturday
and Sunday from noon until 5
p.m. each day.
The Sea Notes, a local
choral group, will perform on
Saturday at three o’clock. On
Sunday afternoon, the en
tertainment will begin at 2
p.m. with a singing group,
The Melodaires, of St. James
AME Zion Church. The group
is directed by Mrs. Cora
Davis with Mrs. Lillian
Clemmons, Mrs. Mary
Anderson and Mrs. Mary
Jackson. Miss Romia Gore,
also of St. James, will be a
performing soloist.
From three until four
o'clock the Dixieland Trio
consisting of Bill McDougle,
Dick Conrad and Jack
Burnish on piano, clarinet
and bass, will perform.
Beginning at 4:15 the Tillie
Sugg’s Bell Choir will play.
Mrs. Cindy Sellers will direct
the Trinity United Methodist
Church Children, Youth and
Adult choirs.
Committees for Holiday
House are Registration —
Miffie Johnson and Barbara
VanDerslice; House —
chairman Marty Dodd, Grace
Ruark, Mary Young, Mary
Allen Bailey, Elinor Handler,
and Josie and Bill McDougle;
Placement — chairman
Jinx Rideout, Cecilia Franck,
Betty Sias and Leola
Pickerell; Hostesses —
.(Continued on page 2)
,1
Most of the discussion
before the vote was centered
around one of the duties of the
town manager if the charter
change was adopted. It said
that the manager could hire
and fire town employees “in
accordance with such general
personnel rules, regulations,
policies or ordinance as the
council may adopt.”
Mayor Crain expressed
concerned that if the general
statement was placed in the
charter, the “council would
have undue influence over the
manager.”
Mayor Crain pointed out
that Dudley said at a public
hearing on the charter
changes that he planned to
introduce ai^amendment that
the manager will be required
to “consult” with board
members on hiring and firing
but could make the final
decisions himself. But he said
the matter was not being
considered at the meeting.
Dudley, who has been
pushing for the charter
changes, said he was con
cerned because the town
manager has “unquest
ionable” power to
hire and fire without telling
board members why the
action was taken.
- If the manager makes a
decision that the board ap
poses, Mayor Crain said the
“remedy is to fire the
manager.”
Dudley said he would not
want to fire a manager over
such an issue because the
town would have to pay him
three - months’ salary under
the contract.
Dudley said the board was
unable to provide any in
formation when residents
(Continued on page 2)
honored” to be elected a
county commissioner and
“will always remember the
solid support of my
hometown people.”
“I love the Town of Yaupon
Beach and Oak Island and
hope to live the rest of my life
here,” he continued. “May
God bless all of you and I ask
for your prayers and support
as I become a county com
missioner.”
After voting unanimously
to accept Watson’s
resignation, Mayor Pro-Tem
Louise Corbett took charge
and presided over the rest of
the meeting.
Joe Wiggs, a CPA, was
unanimously selected to
replace Watson on the
Yaupon Beach town board.
Commissioner William
McDougle first suggested
that the board take no action
at the meeting to fill the
vacancy since all members
were not present.
Commissoner Ted Wood
said he had discussed his
nomination (of Wiggs) with
Commissioner Bill Smalley,
who agreed with the selec
tion. McDougle said it was
true that Smalley agreed.
Wiggs, a native of
Fayetteville who has lived in
Yaupon for the past eight
years, is a CPA in Southport.
He is the brother-in-law of
Town Clerk Judith Wiggs.
Board members said after
(Continued on page 2)