February 26,1997
SOUTHPORT,
N.C
VOLUME 66/ NUMBER 27
50 CENTS


Bond
issue
County weighs
funding choice
for new schools
By Terry Pope
County Editor
A financing deal which built the
new $8-million Belville Elementary
School didn’t raise the county tax rate
and involved no bond money over z
seven-year period. It will take anothei
two years before $10 million in bonds
used to build three county high
schools more than 20 years ago are
completely off the books.
That is the example Brunswick
County commissioners are likely to
mention when school officials ask
that a $50-million bond referendum
be placed on the ballot this fall.
“The Belville school did not raise
our taxes,” said Lithm+Iome, direc
tor of fiscal operations for Brunswick
County. “My recommendation is to
use structure financing so we don’t
raise taxes. The county is financially
capable of affording a $50-million
debt, but my recommendation is to
structure it so we don’t have to re
quest any tax increase. I believe in a
conservative approach, and that’s
how I’ve been recommending that we
finance projects.” ~
The Brunswick County Board ol
Education has indicated it will ask for
a vote of the people for up to $50
million in general obligation bonds to
finance overall capital needs for the
next decade — including expansions,
upgrades and new schools to meet a
population increase. At a board retreat
earlier this month, commissioners re
quested an update on current bond
debt and information on if the county
could sustain another $50 million in
bonds.
“Basically, we said when we get the
information from the schools, we’ll
have to analyze it,” said District 3
commissioner Leslie Collier of Long
Beach. “We will need to get more in
formation first. I’m really concerned
about the immediate needs of two
schools - South Brunswick Middle
School and Bolivia Elementary — and
their problems can be solved with
additions.”
A liaison committee of school and
county officials met Friday afternoon,
See Issue, page 9
Young Addison Phipps had the opportunity recently to enjoy one of Southport’s winter delights -- an un
close look at a pair of pelicans at the Potter seafood house on the yacht basin. And these voung pelican'- had
a chance to view Addison, safely shielded from him by a netting barrier.
Deadbeats
County
into the
ACTS
By Terry Pope
County Editor
The crackdown on deadbeat parents will
intensify in Brunswick County with instal
lation of a computerized automated collec
tion and tracking system (ACTS) in March.
“It’s going to help us give more efficient
services,” said Beverly Hewett, child sup
port supervisor for the Brunswick County
Department of Social Services. “We will be
able to track an absent parent quicker. With
this particular system, we will be able to lo
cate a parent overnight.”
The department’s nine employees in the
child support division will undergo training
See ACTS, page 9
Blowing smoke?
County students lighting
up despite cigarette ban
oy Holly towards
Feature Editor
Tobacco smoke fills the bathrooms at South
Brunswick High School during class changes
and groups of students smoke and socialize
in the school parking lot before and after
classes.
Although smoking by students is prohib
ited on campus, students say smokers are
rarely punished for puffing at school.
“Most teachers just run everyone out of the
bathroom,” said Monique Jackson, president
of the school Anchor Club. “And once a year,
someone always sets the bathroom on fire
somehow.”
As the percentage of teens who smoke
reaches its highest level in 16 years, the South
Brunswick High School Anchor Club, under
the guidance of teacher Nellie Westbrook, has
initiated several projects to help students quit
smoking and to make both smokers and non
smokers more aware of tobacco’s health risks.
With a $2,000 grant from Project ASSIST,
the Anchor Club sponsored an essay contest
‘I have some friends who
smoke and I mess with
them about it. They say
they don’t get anything out
of it, but they’re always
hollering they need a
cigarette.’
Darnell Hill
about tbo dangers of smoking, purchased educa
tional ' ideos about tobacco, will displa\ a lung
taken In an a smoker who died of cancer prov ided
by New Hanover Regional Medical C enter, and
is conducting a project to target smokers w ho want
See Smoke, page 8
No permit in hand
County asks
mine lawsuit
be dismissed
By Terry Pope
County Editor
Attorneys for Brunswick County
have asked a Superior Court judge to
either dismiss Martin Marietta Mate
rials’ lawsuit against the county or
stay all further proceedings until the
company obtains a mining permit
from the state.
Martin Marietta filed the lawsuit in
December and claims an anti-explo
sives ordinance the county adopted
October 7 and a zoning amendment
on October 21 deprive the company
of common law vested rights on a
1,000-acre tract it leased and pur
chased to conduct a mining operation
north of Southport.
Contrary to claims made in the law
suit, attorneys Reginald Gillespie Jr.
and Michael Ortiz of Durham, repre
senting the county, argue there is no
certainty Martin Marietta will even
apply for a mining permit or if it does
that one will be granted by the state
on the controveisial location neai
‘There is at least a
possibility that
plaintiff will never
apply for a mining
permit, or if it does
apply, that the
application for a
mining permit will
be denied.’
Bethel Church Road.
“In fact, numerous North Carolina
state government agencies and oth
ers have expressed serious concerns,
and some have even objected to” the
mining company’s plan to locate a
See L awsuit, page (>
Long Beach decision
County water
policy change
is prerequisite
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
When county commissioner David
Sandifer earlier this month suggested
county officials “tuck their tail be
tween their legs” to visit Long Beach,
he neglected to mention what county
emissaries should bring in hand to that
visit.
The county commissioners’ color
ful visitation suggestion was aimed
at forestalling a Long Beach effort to
develop its own groundwater recov
ery and treatment system, a possibil
ity in which the town has already in
vested about $100,000.
It that municipal drinkingAvater
source and treatment capability is
developed by Long Beach, the town,
now the county’s second largest wa
ter customer, would be in the water
business itself and later could become
a competitor of the county’s for other
municipal water customers in this
area.
Long Beach mayor Joan Altman
this week said the town is early in the
process of weighing its potential as a
water provider. The right offer from
Brunsw ick County could change the
town's course But, the county may
lace a substantial job of convincing
Long Beach down Council it is better
oil remaining a county water cus
tomer
' low n council's interest is now and
has always been in good quality wa
ter from a reliable source at an afford
able rate.” mayor Altman said. “In
order to assure those things, we in the
town have to do a lot of long-range
planning to meet the needs of the fu
ture. We would expect the same on
the county's part.”
So, w hen the county emissary goes
tail between legs to Long Beach, he
must be prepared to assure the town
of four things:
■ An affordable water rate will be
charged Long Beach.
■ An agreement for long-range
price stability can be reached.
■ An agreement whereby water
quality issues can be reached.
■ A long-range plan for profitable
county water system development can
be made.
With regard to the issue of water
price now and in the future, Long
Beach has a strong bargaining point:
See Water, page 6
forecast
The extended forecast calls for
mostly sunny skies Thursday through
Saturday with highs in the 60’s.
INSIDE
Police report ... 7
Business ....... 12
Obituaries ..... SB
Schools.. 7B
Calendar.8B
District Court .. 6C
Legals - 7C
TV schedule.... 8D