Volume 61/ Number 43 Southport, N.C. June 10,1992 / 50 cents
County pens new chapter for library system
By Holly Howards
and Marybeth Bianchi
Brunswick County library workers and volunteers are celebrating this week,
and Brunswick County officials say they are creating a legacy.
Commissioners approved the 1992-93budget Monday afternoon and awarded
the newly formed Brunswick County library system nearly $1.5 million, in
addition to the $250,000 originally proposed. They also decided to drop the tax
rate from 68.5 cents to 68 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
"If we piecemeal the library system, it will take us ten years to have the
system we need," said commissioner Gene Pinkerton, who made the $ 1.5
million proposal. "This would give the people of Brunswick County what they
have been asking for... a state-of-the-art library system."
It’s been difficult for library director Reecie Tate to contain her excitement
about the increase in funding.
"Can you record a shriek of delight?" she said. 'Tve spent so many years
pinching pennies, I won't know where to begin. It's better than Christmas. It's
just unreal."
r
We could have reduced taxes by two
pennies or build a library system. Why
not seize the moment now?’
Gene Pinkerton
Tate said she had originally requested $60,000 for the purchase of books,
double what she had budgeted in the past. The $200,000 suggested by
commissioners for books and educational programs is a windfall.
"It will buy a lot of books," Tate said.
She said the increase in funding is due to "a tremendous team effort" which
included the library board. Friends of the Library, Oak Island and Leland
library boosters, the library staff, commissioners and the county manager.
"When you get all these people working for you, how can you lose?" she
wondered.
Ann Hines, president of Oak Island Library Boosters, Inc., agreed. "I could
just go on and on with accolades" for the many people who have been
supporting the library.
"Thrilled, absolutely thrilled," by the news of the funding, Hines said she's
looking forward to getting out of the fund-raising business as county funds are
used to construct a library for Oak Island. Money has also been designated for
construction of a library in Leland, for which Edith Tillman and others have
raised about $ 145.000.
"I am absolutely thrilled," saidTillie Sugg of Yaupon Beach, who has served
eight years on the library board. "It's just something we dreamed of, having the
county finance us in this way. I feel like our work has bom some fruit because
we certainly have had dreams like this.”
Sugg said she believes a library is an essential part of a community that offers
a good quality of life.
"We have a good library, but it is not adequate for the population." she said.
See Library, page 6
Pittman leaves hospital post
Reception for
administrator
is held Friday
By Marybeth Bianchi
Feature Editor
Dressed in a tuxedo and black
leather Reeboks, Arthur Pittman
spent his last day as administrator
of Dosher Memorial Hospital serv
ing lunch to his staff and accepting
- • theirbestwishes in his new life:
Pittman handed his resignation
to the hospital board of trustees
May 19, giving them two-and-a
half weeks notice that he was leav
ing after nearly seven years on the
job.
"I'm sad about the whole thing,"
trustee Ben Blake said Friday at a
reception honoring Pittman. "I'm
very appreciative of what he has
done for this community and this
hospital. He certainly was the right
man at the right time. But nothing
stays the same."
"You can see the growth of the
hospital," trustee Bill Kirby said.
"The finances of the hospital are
vastly improved."
Kiiby also credited Pittman for
hiring competent department
heads.
"He's been a proven leader and
you can tell by the hospital. We've
been fortunate to have had him as
long as we've had. It’s going to be
hard to fill his shoes but we have to
takeapositiveattitude," Kiiby said.
In the search for a new adminis
trator, Kirby said he'll be looking
for some of the same traits Pittman
has, such as strong leadership.
rnuio oy maryoem tsiancni
LuAnn Stiller, director of respiratory therapy away present to hospital administrator Arthur
at Dosher Memorial Hospital, and Joanna Zeron Pittman during a farewell party on Friday,
of the hospital’s business office, present a going- Pittman’s last day at work.
"Arthur wasn't wishy-washy. He
was real strong in his convictions
and his beliefs," Kirby commented.
"I'm sorry to see him leave. He's
been good for the hospital," Dr.
James Adams said. "I regret he's
moving on."
"He's sad, I tell you that. We
both are," Adams' wife, Connie,
added.
Ann Watson said she appreci
ated Pittman's support of quality
management which monitors the
hospital's level and quality of care.
Watson said Pittman also promoted
good public relations within the
community.
"I'm sorry to see him go," said
Shirley Whitney, who has been a
volunteer at the hospital for the
past 12 years. "Since he’s been
here there are so many more doc
tors and equipment," some of which
she pointed out has been paid for
by the volunteers.
Pittman resigned as administra
tor to pursue another business in
terest unrelated to health care;
however, he declined saying ex
actly what he would be doing.
Replacing him on an interim basis
is Jim Shomaker, who has served
for several years as director of
finance at Dosher.
Pittman said his tenure at Dosher
has been "the most professionally
rewarding job I've ever had. It's
just the best organization I've ever
worked with. That's one of the
things I enjoyed doing was mak
ing it work."
N.C. Fourth ofJuly
Top bands headline festival
By Ed Harper
Pilot Editor
A celebration worthy of Southport's
200th anniversary year has been
planned by the N. C. Fourth of July
Festival Committee.
The annual festival. North
Carolina's official observance of In
dependence Day, will be held in
Southport July 1-4, with Thursday,
July 2, designated "Beach Day" with
activities and entertainment on the
Long Beach strand. The festival will
feature an arts and crafts show with
over 100 exhibitors, and will climax
on the Fourth of July with the parade
at mid-day and fireworks over the
Cape Fear River at nightfall.
Featured entertainment during the
festival will include the Band of Oz,
North Tower and the Embers.
"It will be a good festival," said
1992 president Michael Reaves,
"something that Southport can be
proud of in this its 200th anniversary
year."
The Bicentennial Fourth of July tunity for Southport to catch its breath
event begins on Wednesday evening, before two eventful days and achance
July 1, with a combination opening for Oak Island visitors to share in
ceremony and community church ser- some of the festivities without cross
vice at Southport Baptist Church. ing the bridge. Activities at the 46th
Thursday is Beach Day, an oppor- Streetcabanaswillincludesandcastle
| Ferry hours extended
Motorists who use the feny between Southport and FortFisher will
get to leave earlier in the morning and arrive later at night because of
new operating hours that began today.
I "The new schedule is designed to give tourists and commuters
more flexibility in planning their trips in the area,” an announcement
from the state Department of Transportation said.
The morning departures from Southport and Fort Fisher will begin
two hours earlier, while the evening departures will be extended by
a half-hour.
The new schedule will be evaluated for two months.
The new departure times from Southport and from Fort Fisher:
From Southport-6:00,7:40,8:30,9:20,10:10,11:00a.m.; 12:40,
1:30,2:20,3:10,4:00,4:50, and 6:30 p.m.
Rom FortFisher-6:50,8:30,9:20,10:10,11:00,1 l:50ajn.; 1:30,
2:20,3:10,4:00,4:50,5:40 and 7:20 p.m.
building and other games for chil
dren, volleyball and a surfing contest.
(High tide will be about 10 a.m. that
day, so events except for surfing will
begin later in the morning.) The Band
of Oz will be in concert late that
afternoon in the field between the
cabanas and the Town Hall complex.
On Friday in Southport the arts and
crafts show will continue in Franklin
Square to the accompaniment of vari
ety entertainment at the gazebo, in
cluding the Shallotte Middle School
Jazz Ensemble, doggers and magi
cians. Children's events will be held
on the Fort Johnston lawn overlook
ing the river, while a short distance
away military exhibits will set up
adjacent to Waterfront Park. Water
front entertainment will begin at 1
p.m. and continued until 10 o'dock,
topped off with a street dance featur
ing North Tower.
Saturday, July 4, will begin with
the Freedom Run 1QK race in the
early morning, followed by the tradi
See Fourth, page 5
Yaupon balks
at merger plan
»y jim narper
Staff Writer
A plan to continue talks about uni
fied police services for Oak Island has
gone aground over disagreement about
what Yaupon Beach should pay for
emergency medical services provided
by Long Beach.
The Yaupon Beach town board
Monday appropriated $5,500 for those
medical services for the coming year
— up from $3,000 this year, but less
than the $6,556 amount requested in a
letter from Long Beach mayor Joan
Altman.
However, the sticking point is more
than the obvious $1,056 difference.
In discussion of the budget item,
Yaupon Beach commissioners bridled
at the Long Beach formula for arriv
ing at the $6,556 figure. And in subse
quent consideration of an Altman pro
‘Why talk about
police when we
have difficulty talk
ing about money for
the rescue squad?'
May Moore
posal for a committee to discuss po
lice department consolidation, the
commissioners balked.
"At this time we want to put that on
hold," said commissioner Dot Kelly.
"Why talk about police when we
have difficulty talking about money
for the rescue squad?" said mayor
See Yaupon merger, page 5
lax rate stays at 33 cents, page 2
School board silent
on personnel moves
By Marybeth Bianchi
Feature Editor
Concern about the shifting of principals and administrative staff brought
television crews and dozens of parents to the Brunswick County Board of
Education meeting Monday night.
Word had crossed county lines last week of the New Hanover County Board
of Education's decision to move 11 principals to different schools, a move that
angered parents, teachers and students.
Under direct questioning from a Leland area parent after the meeting, board
chairman Donna Baxter was reluctant to say anything about personnel changes.
However, she did indicate there would be no action taken until the board
completes its search for a new superintendent of schools.
"We feel the superintendent should be on board before we make any drastic
changes," Baxter said, adding that the board can't make any decisions without
a recommendation by the superintendent.
P. R. Hankins chuckled at that comment and said the decision rests with the
board.
"I can't say what will happen. There's no way of knowing," Hankins said.
See School board, page 5
Forecast
Finally, good weather is
forecast. The National
Weather Service calls for
fair skies through the
weekend, with high
temperatures in the mid
80s and lows in the 60s.
Tide table
HIGH
5:29 a.m.
6:15 p.m.
6:25 a.m.
7.07 p.m.
7:16 a.m.
7:53 p.m.
8.02 a.m.
8:38 p.m.
8:48 a.m.
9:20 p.m.
LOW
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
11:38 a.m.
— pm.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
1227 a-m.
12:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 13
1:16 a.m.
1:16 pjn.
SUNDAY, JUNE 14
204 a.m.
202 pjn.
MONDAY, JUNE 15
2:48 ajn.
2:45 pjn.
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
9:29 a.m. 3:29 a.m.
9:58 p.m. 327 pjn.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
10:09 ajn. 4:10 a-m.
10:37 p.m. 406 pjn.
The following adjuatmenla (hoold be nude:
Bald Head wand, high >10, low -7; Caswell
Beach, high -5, tow -1; Soaihpan, high +7,
low +15, Yaupon Beach, high -32, tow -45;
Lockwood Folly, high -22, tow -8.