Sports North Brunswick looks for second-round playoff win against Mt. Airy team — 1C Ehoto by Jim Harper This is prime time for southward migrating yachters, and also prime time for south-bound yacht watch ers, as sunny days and brisk northerly breezes seem to call forth at least a little sail for proceeding down the Intracoastal Waterway. State response mixed Caswell Beach Road is threatened by sea By Richard Nubel Municipal Editor State Road 1100, better known to locals as Caswell Beach Road, is threatened once again by the steady Forecast The extended forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and near record low temperatures for the period of Thursday through Saturday. Highs will only be in the mid 50's. INSIDE District Court .. 9 Church. Obituaries .. . . .8B Schools .4C TV schedule ,... 5C Business ....... 7C Classifieds.ID creep of the ocean. Town commissioner Bill Boyd Thursday told fellow commissioners the erosion rate beside Caswell Beach Road from the Oak Island Beach Vil las to Caswell Dunes may have reached 4.5 feet per year. A mere 18 feet of sand separates the road from the Atlantic Ocean at the closest point. Boyd and commissioner Bob Spake recently met with N. C. Department of Transportation engineer Doug Bowers, Bob Stroud of the state Di vision of Coastal Management and others to lay plans to move Caswell Beach Road landward. A stretch far ther to the east was moved some years ago. Reaction of the state officials was mixed. “Bowers said if we had ten feet (separating the ocean and road) they would take some drastic measures to shore-up the dunes,” Spake said “We’ll keep measuring.” As things stand now, it appears DOT may be convinced to push sand See Caswell, page 6 Bald Head 'point' effort progressing By Jim Harper Staff Writer Bald Head Islanders have raised $410,000of $1 million needed by Decem ber 31 to forestall major development and help preserve Cape Fear in it present state. Smith Island Land Trust board president Nancy Maguire reported Monday that a pledge party on the island over the weekend raised the total of cash and pledges to $410,000. Another pledge party will be held on the island November 30, after a No vember 29 public information session brings the preservation project into See Bald Head, page 6 TOP STORIES ON THE INTERNET www.soutliport.net County rates at issue v{ .■■■ — — — Long Beach to test water on well plan By Richard Nubel Municipal Editor It was a close call for Long Beach Town Council Tuesday night. But. by a narrow 4-3 margin, council members and mayor Joan Altman decided a water supply study performed by consulting engi neers suggested a plan to construct a well held and water treatment plant is feasible enough to proceed with groundwater testing. If l ong Beach proceeds to devcl op its own groundwater source and water treatment plant, it will cease to he the largest municipal water customer of Brunswick County. Also Tuesday night, councilor Doris Hertel appeared to catch fel low council members by surprise, tendering her resignation from council effective February 1. Hertel said she intends to leave council for personal reasons and her decision to do so was a difficult one. She did not elaborate. “I'm sorry we won't be able to continue to benefit from what you have to offer," mayor Altman said as council accepted Hcrtel's resigna tion. The mayor said a new coun cilor will be seated at council's February meeting. Altman broke a 3-3 tie of coun cilors to enter the next phase by which council will determine if Long Beach will develop a well field and treatment plant for its drinking water. Consulting engi neers said initial costs of drinking See Long Beach, page 6 Larger than original plan County will pay more to start school offices By lerry Pop* Countv Editor Redesign work on the new schools central office building has forced it over budget. But Brunswick County commis sioners voted unanimously Monday to dip into the county’s fund balance to pay the difference and to award contracts to the low bidders so the project can proceed on time. “The project has been so success ful up to this point," said architect John Thompson of Southport. "It’s a disappointment that we didn't arrive at the $2.4-million figure.” Instead, the school administration office, cooperative extension build ing and combination staff develop ment center will cost $2,708,809. It will be constructed along the south ern edge of the planning department parking area at the county govern ment center near Bolivia. Low bidder for the general con struction phase was Smith Construc tion Co. of Whiteville at $2,037,800. ‘It’s a loose fit. It’s not two sizes too big for both folks, but maybe a half-size too large to allow room for growth.’ John Thompson Project architect Other contracts will be awarded to the following: Kelly Plumbing, $106,700; Pridgen Brothers for me chanical work, $ 122,809; Harris Elec tric, $334,650. Under earlier plans, school officials had asked for 15,000 square feet of space and cooperative extension 3,000 square feet on a $1.8 million budget. Thompson studied the request and determined it would be inad eauate for future erowth and needs. What has been designed is 20,000 square feet for school administration, 4,000 square feet for cooperative ex tension and a 2,700-square-foot staff development center adjoining the two buildings which can be shared by the agencies. “Each had asked for a staff devel opment and training area, so it made sense to build a shared facility,” said assistant county manager Robert Hyatt. “Generally, we were quite pleased with the bid results.” Hyatt said the current trend in pub lic projects is having to readvertise because of insufficient bidders. It is becoming more rare to be able to often bids on time because the amount of work available exceeds the limited number of qualified bidders in the area. The original estimates were not based on the actual project that is be ing built, said Hyatt, nor did it include a joint staff training center. Commis See County, page 6

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