BRUNSWICK IN BRIEF
Harnett wants to
join commission
BOLIVIA - Harnett County has
applied to join the Southeastern
Economic Development
Commission, a move supported by
the Brunswick County Board of
Commissioners.
The SEDC was formed in 1968
by the counties of Brunswick,
Bladen, Columbus, Hoke, Pender,
Robeson, Sampson and Scotland to
assist one another in their efforts
for economic development.
Brunswick County approved a
resolution of support on February
17. To be accepted, members of the
commission must vote on allowing
Harnett County into the organiza
tion.
Brunswick collects
$794,866 in taxes
BOLIVIA - The N. C.
Department of Revenue has report
ed $794,866 in local two-percent
sales and use taxes collected by
Brunswick County during the
month of January.
According to the report issued by
revenue secretary Muriel Offerman,
the state collected a total of $132.6
million in January. It is an indica
tion of local economic strength.
Neighboring counties collected
the following: New Hanover, $4.2
million; Columbus, $614,069; and
Bladen, $251,121.
Leland awarded
housing grant
LELAND — The Town of Leland
has been awarded a 1996
Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) to rehabilitate pri
vate dwellings, relocate homes,
acquire land, pave streets and
install water lines.
The target area is Old Fayetteville
Road and includes Murrill Lane,
King Moore Road and part of Oak
Lane. Housing rehabilitation bid
packages were picked up by several
contractors and the bid opening was
February 18.
Work involving housing improve
ments is expected to begin soon.
Budget cuts would
affect farm service
SHALLOTTE — Farmers in the
area are upset by proposed federal
budget cuts that could close 35 of
the state’s 78 Farm Service Agency
offices, including one in Brunswick
County.
Brunswick’s office would be
combined with Columbus County’s
office, along with Bladen’s.
Farmers say the move would force
many of them to make longer trips
to get service.
Farm Service officials hope
Congress will find the funds to
keep the offices open, despite the
proposal to shut some down. The
agency administers programs cov
ering crop insurance, farm credit
loans and conservation measures.
After Hurricane Fran, the agency
Photo by Terry Pope
Above the trees: Forest Service officials hope to reactivate the Maco community fire-spotting tower in time for this spring’s wilfire season.
Spotting the fires
Hurricane damage turns fallen trees into fuel for wildfires
Trees knocked down by two hurricanes
last fall are posing another problem
now six months after the storms. It is a
problem out of sight of local homeowners but
one which could place neighborhoods and
communities in southeastern North Carolina in
serious danger. ^
Forest service officials fear the debris strewn *
in wooded areas will help fuel forest fires this
spring or make it difficult for firemen to put
out such fires. The state has decided to find
enough funds this spring to reopen some of the
fire-spotting towers closed by last year’s bud
get cuts.
Brunswick County rangers on Friday were
trying to find someone to operate the tower in
the Maco community, one of six in southeast
ern North Carolina that officials hope will be
reactivated. The tower is located off U.S. 74
76 at Sandy Creek.
Others are located at Shallotte, Rocky Point,
Forest officials hope to
reopen six fire-spotting
towers, including the
one located in
Maco community. 1
Wards Corner, Chadboum and Chinquapin.
The tower near Bolivia has remained open dur
ing the busy wildfire season.
Fourteen towers located in hurricane-dam
aged areas, and another 24 that were to remain
open for four months of the spring fire season,
will now be operated for eight months instead.
The fire towers operate on the state’s fiscal
year with a budget that begins in October.
The N.C. Division of Forest Resources will
shift some of its funds, $44,800 budgeted for
salaries of vacant positions not needed this
year, to help keep the towers open during the
most dangerous period for wildfires in the
coastal region. After that, the division hopes to
find state funds to keep the towers open in the
future.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) officials have also surveyed the area
to look for trouble spots where downed trees
from the storm pose problems for firefighters.
It is possible that FEMA funds can help offi
cials remove the hazards and clear the path for
firefighters responding to wildfires.
Hurricane Bertha in July and Hurricane Fran
in September both struck the Brunswick
County coast as did two tropical storms during
the hurricane season that starts all over again in
June.
also administered $17.5 million to
help farmers clean up their crops.
Tobacco and peanut price support
programs are funded by the grow
ers but also administered by Farm
Service.
County bags funds
for trash station
SUPPLY — County commission
ers have budgeted $679,820 to
build a garbage transfer station at
the county landfill near Supply.
The capital project ordinance
approved last week funds construc
tion of the station for which a con
tract was awarded on December 16.
Commissioners amended the
1996-97 budget to make the funds
available for the solid waste depart
ment project. The transfer station is
needed to manage garbage arriving
by trucks at the Supply landfill.
Under a 25-year contract with the
Vedco Energy Corp., the trash is
suppose to be shipped to a sorting
plant in Fayetteville tor recycling
and incineration.
No news yet on
garbage shutdown
BOLIVIA — County officials are
still awaiting word on whether the
Vedco Energy Corp. incinerator and
recycling plants in Fayetteville will
be reopened soon.
The plant stopped accepting trash
from the county on December 16.
BCH Energy, operators of the plant,
indicated it may be six weeks to
three months before the company
can resolve financial and mechani
cal problems surrounding the pro
ject.
Brunswick County has a 25-year
contract with the company that
operates a recycling sorting plant
and incinerator at the DuPont Co.
plant in Bladen County. Company
officials believe the plant will be
reopened within a year.
Meanwhile, Brunswick County
has been using its own landfill in
Supply to dump garbage and has
been negotiating long-term options
with the Browning Ferris Industries
landfill in Sampson County and the
New Hanover County incineration
plant.
Split vote pulls the
plug on copy deal
BOLIVIA — A 3-2 vote has
pulled the plug on a deal to seek
purchasing power on copiers for
departments at the county govern
ment center near Bolivia.
A motion to enter into agreement
with Robert Segal of High Point, an
expense reduction consultant, was
defeated along party lines with two
Republicans — Leslie Collier and
David Sandifer — favoring the
move. Three Democrat commis
sioners - Don Warren, Bill Sue and
JoAnn Bellamy Simmons - voted
against the agreement.
Segal has worked under contract
with the county to reduce costs. His
work has focused on energy, the
cafeteria, housekeeping and insur
ance premiums. He is paid half of
the initial savings the county
records in the first year after imple
menting his recommendations.
Some county commissioners,
however, question if the county
should continue the projects with
Segal.
Homemakers host
‘get acquainted tea’
SUPPLY — The Brunswick
Extension Homemakers will hold a
“Get Acquainted Tea” at 2 p.m. on
Friday, March 17, at the Brunswick
Electric Membership Corp. meeting
room at the district office on U.S.
17 north of Shallotte.
Anyone interested in knowing
about the homemakers activities
along with all members past and
present are invited to come and dis
cover the many aspects of member
ship.
Learning, creating and a host of
interesting projects to help mem
bers and the community make up
the programs of the extension c\ub.
County asks state
to pay energy costs
BOLIVIA — A resolution adopted
by Brunswick County commission
ers asks the N.C. General Assembly
to pick up the energy costs for pub
lic schools.
In 1990, the state paid up to 40
percent of the school system’s costs
for energy and transportation and
heating. During the next two years,
in 1991 and 1992, the counties saw
a complete phase-out of state fund
ing for the costs, without notice to
prepare for the shortfall.
Inflation has had a “sobering
effect on the costs that the public
school system must pay in order to
meet the increasing demands that a
healthy economy and increased
population have placed on the edu
cational system,” the resolution
states.
The resolution forwarded to state
legislators indicates the state is in a
better position to pay 100 percent
of the energy costs for schools.
Seafood Source
RETAIL MARKET
8164 River Rd. SE, Southport • 457-0606
Fresh Atlantic Salmon.$5.50 lb.
Fresh Local Whiting.$225 lb.
Fresh Sea Scallops.$6.95 lb.
Coming Soon.... Smoked Trigger Fish
We accept food stamps
f$BDDLERS
miRY
DISCOUNT G»OCE»r
AUNT JEMIMA ORIGINAL.32 02.99c
CAP'N CRUNCH CEREAL.is & 16 oz. $175
OCEAN SPRAY CRAN DRINKS.48 02. $1.50
GOURMET CRACKERS.8 02. box 79c
CAN VEGETABLES.asst 35<
TOMATO SAUCE.802. 25C
KRAFT MARSHMELLOWS.10 oz. 50C
WEIGHT WATCHERS MAiONNAISE.32 02. $ 1.00
BREATH SAVERS MINTS.8 pic. $1.00
TAGAMET.64 tabs. $5.50
ULTRA GLOW SKIN CREAM.3.6 oz. $2.00
ANNUAL
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Brunswick County $ 10.8 7 Senior Gtzens $8.87
North Carolina $ 16.4 7 Senior Citizens $ 14.4 7
Elsewhere $ 1900 • Senior Citizens $ 1 TOO
Clip & Mail with Payment to:
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RO. Box 10548, Southport, NC 28461