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Volume 62/ Number 51
Southport, N.C.
August 11,1993/ 50 cents

STAYING AFLOAT
Donnie Potter, district port captain with the
Corps of Engineers in Wilmington, has been
watching over the 365-foot dredge Markham
the past 18 months. Now he’s working with the
Photo by Marybcth Bianchi
Southport Maritime Museum to bring it to
Southport for use as a marine research
laboratory.
Markham Project
Dredge may end up at Southport
By Marybeth Bianchi
Feature Editor
The Southport Maritime Museum is spearhead
ing a move to bring the 365-foot dredge Markham
to town.
The ship, owned by the U. S. Army Corps of
Engineers, has been docked beneath the Cape Fear
River bridge at Wilmington for the past 18 months,
awaiting its fate.
Corps officials in Washington, D. C., already
have the ball rolling to strip the vessel and sink it
offshore to create an artificial reef.
However, museum director Mary Strickland
and others in Southport are trying to prevent that
from happening.
"The problem we have is that the logistics man
agement group of the Corps (of Engineers) would
like to have it sunk for a reef. We are trying to slow
See Project, page 6
J
County 'Smart Start'
sputtering at the line
By Terry Pope
County Editor
County officials are getting a late
start with the Smart Start program.
The early childhood project will
develop public-private partnerships
to provide high-quality day care to
every child who needs it.
Legislators approved $20 million
for 12 pilot programs for the 1993-94
fiscal year, one county in each of the
state's congressional districts.
Brunswick County health officials
will compete for the funds, but a com
munications breakdown apparently
has stalled the local effort.
"I've readjust enough about it to get
excited over it," said Wyman Yelton,
Brunswick County manager. "You
can always catch up if you try hard
enough."
Smart Start commits lawmakers to
eventually spend about S250 million
on the program statewide. The goal is
to encourage agencies to work to
gether to meet the needs of all chil
dren age five and under.
It may take several years to expand
to each county, but eight are expected
to join the first 12 next year.
Hunt made Smart Start the focus of
his legislative agenda. It was passed
by the General Assembly at the very
end of the recent session.
"Information got out late to the
counties," said Michael Rhodes, di
rector of the Brunswick County Health
See Smart, page 6
Smart Start is a
volunteer program
for families that
want to participate;
the goal is to lower
the child-teacher
ratio at day-care
centers to produce a
better learning en
vironment
Following^ all-day mediation
Schools get funds for
northern area school
By Terry Pope
County Editor
An agreement reached in the 14th
hour of negotiations Tuesday will
appropriate up to $865,000 this fis
cal year to start construction of a
new elementary school in Leland.
Brunswick County commissioners
and the school board both voted un
» animously for the deal that also
shifts $556,672 within the school
budget to current expenses.
School officials entered into
mediation seeking an additional $4.2
million for the Leland school and
another $600,000 for current ex
penses.
Chapel Hill mediator Andy Little
coached both sides into an agree
ment to keep the dispute from head
ing to Superior Court. Talks began
at 9 a.m. and concluded with signing
of the deal around 11:15 p.m.
The money will come from the
county’s current fund balance of
around $11 million and no tax in
crease is expected, said Don War
ren, chairman of the Brunswick
County Board of Commissioners.
"We see the need for a school,"
said Warren. "We’ve seen it all
along."
ihe approved $500,000 will pay
for land acquisition and planning.
The boards will work together to ex
plore methods to finance the remain
der of the school costs and an addi
tion to West Brunswick High School
in Shallotte.
If an agreement is reached on the
financing method, the county will
allocate another $365,000 this fiscal
year to get the school under con
struction. That money will pay for
engineers and architects.
"That was the major thing," said
Donna Baxter, chairman of the
Brunswick County Board of Educa
tion. "It was to get this school
started. We hope to purchase the
land this year."
School board attorney Glen Peter
son said the shifting of funds to in
crease current expenses will pay for
all programs currently in place. The
money will come from Category II
and Category III line items that
normally pay for transportation,
desks and supplies.
"This resolution will preserve the
current status of the school system,"
said Peterson.
His resolution asking for "better
lines of communication to discuss
issues regarding educational needs"
in the county was also passed by
both boards.
Under the plan, both boards will
appoint its chairman, finance officer
and executive officer to act as offi
cial liaisons to "meet and communi
cate to each other between the joint
meetings" to discuss how to finance
school construction.
”1 think it is the feeling of both
Proposal allows phase-in
Smoking restrictions may drag on
By Terry Pope
County EtUtor
When the air dears, health officials hope restaurants tnBrura wick
County will have smoke-firee areas.
But reaching that goal may take some lane - up to three years.
A proposed smoking control ordinance would eventually re
quire restaurant owners to either ban smoking or have separate
heating, an and ventilation systems where smoking is allowed.
The Wake County Board of Health rules adopted in June, and
used io help draft a local ordinance, give eating establishments up
to three years to make those changes.
Brad Kerr, member of the Boms wick County Board of Health,
is chairman of a committee formed to draft a local ordinance. He
likes Wake County’s approach to phasing out tobacco in puhiie
places.
"We may modify them somewhat, but this is the basis from
which we will work,* said Kerr.
Local ordinances must be adopted prior to October 15. The
llllilfllfw
boards that we never have to go
through this again," said Peterson.
School board member Bill Fairley
was out of town and did not attend
the sessions that broke briefly so
commissioners could hold a sched
uled public hearing on rezoning re
quests in Bolivia.
What was labeled a final offer by
See School funds, page 18
Hurricane watch
Do you know what to do if a hurricane were to threaten the
Cape Fear coast?
Ail facets of preparation, evacuation and the return home will
be covered during a program entitled "H.E.L.P.” (Hurricane
Emergency Local Preparedness). It wiilbe presented at 7 ;30 p.m.
Monday. August 16, at Southport City Hall.
The Southport Maritime Museum has gathered experts to
cover all aspects of hurricane preparedness. Scheduled speakers
include Southport mayor Norman Holden, city manager Rob
Gandy and police chief Bob Gray, as well as Mac Harris of
Carolina Power and Light Co., Frank Colvin of Military Ocean
Terminal Sunny Point, Cecil Logan, director of Brunswick
County Emergency Services, and licensed practical nurse Cathy
Holth. A meteorologist will also be on hand to explain how a
hurricane develops.
Among the topics to be discussed will be evacuation proce
dures, shelter facilities, personal preparations and returning
home after the storm.
the program is free and open to all area residents.
District board
still seeks site
By Jim Harper
Staff Writer
Having barked, the Southeast
Brunswick Sanitary District board
Monday failed to bite the hand hold
ing the land where they hope to pro
cess wastewater.
The board in July had issued a vir
tual ultimatum to owners of the 45
acre site near Beaverdam Creek, which
is considered the most suitable loca
tion in the district for a sewage treat
ment plant.
Then chairman James W. Smith
implied that condemnation would pro
ceed if land negotiations were not
completed by August. The overall
timetable for the district system al
ways has envisioned August as the
time for site acquisition.
But consultant Finley Boney said
Monday that negotiations with Homer
Wright and Claude Smith (no kin to
chairman Smith) had not been con
cluded, despite assurances by Wright
The board in July
had issued a virtual
ultimatum to
owners of the 45
acre site near
Beaver dam Creek
that everyone was in agreement.
The district has offered 100 resi
dential impact fees, or equivalent flow,
to Wright and Smith for their land.
In discussion, commissioner
Tommy Bowmer said, "I don't think
we should play games with (owner
Smith); we should let him know we
mean business."
Chairman Smith asked for aresolu
tion that the board would automati
cally start condemnation proceedings
if the deal were not closed within ten
See Site, page 7
Forecast
The extended forecast
Thursday through Sat
urday calls for partly
cloudy skies with a
chance of showers
and thundershowers.
Highs in the mid-80s
to 90 degrees; lows in
the mid-60s to 70.
Tide table
high low
THURSDAY, AUGUST 12
3:13 un. 9:40 a.m.
4:03 p.m. 10-34 pjn.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13
4:19 a.m. 10:41a.m.
5^3 P-m- 1133 pjn.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14
532a.m. 11:40a.m.
559 p.m. am.
SUNDAY, AUGUST IS
630 ».m. 1237 un.
652 pjn. 12:36 pm.
MONDAY, AUGUST 16
7:16aj«». 1:18am.
7:43 pm. 137 pjn.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 17
8:09 a.m. 2:05 ajn.
832 pjn. 2:18- pjn.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18
931 ajn. 2:52 ajn.
Mlp. . 3.-09 pjn.
Ine following adjustments should be made:
Bald Head blind, high -10, low -7; Caswell
Beach, high -5, low -1; Southport, high +7,
low +15; Yaunon Beach, high -32, low -45;
Lockwood Folly Inlet, high -22, low -8.