®h t Parr en Heoir& Volume 85 25« Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren. North Carolina Wednesday, November 10. 1982 Number 44 School Property Declared Surplus, Is Ordered Sold The Warren County Board of Education Monday night voted to sell one vacant school and appointed a committee to study the possibility of disposing of another. With little discussion, members of the board agreed to offer for sale, Patrol Van Is Removed From Town The Highway Patrol bus which has been parked in Warrenton as a command post for nearly seven weeks was removed from Warrenton on Tuesday morning, as need for highway patrolmen at the Afton landfill has diminished with the filling of the landfill on Wednesday afternoon of last week. Water has been pumped out of the landfill, and PCB-laden soil has been covered with sand sloped to drain, and covered with several indies of clay. This clay after being compacted will be covered with a plastic liner, which in turn will be covered with grass and seeded. Target day for completion is Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 25. Since a special term of court for trial of PCB cases adjourned on Tuesday morning of last week, known activities of Citizens Concerned About PCB has consisted of a few night meetings, and a march of around 160 protesters from Warrenton to a point near the Afton landfill last Saturday. No laws were violated and no arrests were made. The protesters said they will not give up their efforts to have (Continued on page 5) by sealed bid, the AftonElberon School property, leased for several years by the AftonElberon Ruritan Club. The unused AftonElberon School is situated on 4.85 acres of land and is not useful for school purposes, Superintendent Mike Williams tobl the board. In declaring the property surplus, the board took the advice of Attorney Frank Banzet and agreed to offer the property in two tracts, each with frontage on Highway 401. The board also appointed a committee to look into the possibility of disposing of the old Oine School property, leased by the Oine Development Club for the past five years. The decision to name a committee to investigate possible disposition of the property came after Mrs. Mary Patillo of the Oine Development Club appeared to request a 10-year lease or a chance to purchase the property. She was informed by the board that her club would risk loss of the building should the club not be the high bidder at a public sale. Named to a committee to study the matter and report to the board were Henry Pitchford, Henry Bobbitt and Leigh Traylor. The board also voted to declare three old cars owned by the Warren County Board of Education surplus property and authorized Superintendent Williams to negotiate a sale. A committee was also named to look into the possibility of replacing at least two of the four county-operated activity buses. The school system currently operates a 1980-model, a 1969-model, a 1967model and a 1962-model activity bus. The two (Continued on page 4B) WORK PILES UP — Four-year-old Rux Boyd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Boyd of Graham Street, Warrenton, finds himself tackling a Job with no visible end in sight. At leaf raking time, leaves seem to fall faster than a small boy can rake, as Rux is fast learning. (Staff Photo) Water Matters Consume Much Of Board's Time Matters directly and indirectly connected with water occupied the bulk of the time of the Warrenton Town Commissioners at their hour and a half regular meeting here on Monday night. Mayor White presided with all commissioners present except for Commissioner Gordon Haithcock, water committee, and Commissioner A. A. Wood, police committee. The first item of business after reading of the minutes was hearing a complaint of Willie Atkins, who was disturbed over alleged excessive amount of his water bill. It was agreed that Bill Neal, superintendent of the Warrenton Water Company, would meet him at his home early Tuesday morning in an effort to find the difficulty. Following Atkins, a delegation of citizens living on Dameron Street in southwest Warrenton appeared before the commissioners in regard to needed work on their street, primarily because of water leaving the street and pouring across and standing in their yards. There was some comment on the need for trimming limbs blocking egress to and from the street. Lee Cheek was the principal speaker with a number of other residents adding their comments. The commissioners agreed that the mayor would accompany the town administrator and the chairman of the street committee to Dameron Street within a few days to see what the town could do to correct the problem. Later in the meeting, following the reading of a letter from Glenn Newsome, county manago:, concerning water rates charged Soul City, there was considerable discussion, and the recording of an agreement on such rates between the county and the town, which will be set forth in another article in this newspaper. In addition, during committee reports, Commissioner Eddie Clayton, chairman of the finance committee, said that it appears that (Continued on dmr *1*1 Soul City Customers List Concern The Board of Town Commissioners, meeting here on Monday night took notice of a protest made by residents of Soul City concerned with being charged the town's outof-town rate, after Mayor B. G. White had read a letter to Glen Newsome, county manager, asking for a hearing at the first Monday meeting of the board, which was granted. At this meeting spokesmen pointed out that they were willing to pay the town's in-town rate, but not the out-of-town rate, pointing out Soul City's essential part in establishing a regional water system, and stating that they had no wish to make Warrenton rich. The town commisriooscs pointed out that the County «t Warren, and not the town at Warrenton, has the duty ol setting the water rate, and that 75 percent of the water bill charged by the town is turned over to Warren County to pay expenses. The town accepted the job as the county's agent with the understanding that it should receive all profits from handling sewage. A part of the agreement with the county was that the town make all needed repairs to lines and equipment at Soul City at cost, first giving the coimty notice of needed repairs and their coats. At present, and until there it substantial growth at Soul City, it is a losing proposition for Warrenton, the commissioners said. Following a lengthy discussion, W. A. Miles, chairman of Warrenton waste water treatment plant, moved that the town's agreement with the county be adopted. The motion was seconded, and unanimously passed by the five commissioners, as follows: "Recommend that we adopt the county's suggested policy regarding water and sewer charges to Soul City: "1. Effective Nov. 1, 1982, water and sewer statements will be mailed to all residences of Soul City. (Suggested out of town rates). "2. Sewer charges (town of Warrenton will receive all revenue from sewage). "Water charges (town of Warrenton will receive 25 percent of revenue). (County of Warren will receive 75 percent of revenue). "3. All necessary repairs to be billed to county at cost. (County to be notified in ad vance of repairs needed.)" Mayor White notified the commissioners that a public meeting would be held by the town zoning committee and the board of commissioners on Nov. 29 at 7 o'clock at the town municipal building for the purpose of hearing arguments for the retoning of two small pieces of property from residential to highway business. One of these lots is the site of a gin on East Franklin and Hall Streets, and the other is on the rear of a lot owned by Carolina Power and Light Company on Highway 401, in order to extend the lot more than 400 feet so that a warehouse may be built on the property. What disposition it to be made of the gin property baa not yet been aimounoad. Warren County Is Recipient Of Big Block Grant Warren County has been awarded a community block grant in the amount of $340,707 for renovation and rehabilitation according to announcement made this week by Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. No matching funds will be required by the county. The award represents 70 percent of the funds requested in the application. Last year no grant application was approved for Region K; this year there were two grants in the region, one in Warren County and one in Vance County. Total community block grants in the state totaled $45 million in federal funds, with applications in the amount of more than $157 million. Governor Hunt described the program's value as "immediately evident," noting that the grants awarded to 89 local governments across the state will create over 700 jobs and rehabilitate more than 1800 houses. Funds for economic development will be matched with over $7 million in additional funds. "These benefits," the Governor said, "in keeping with the program's purpose, are primarily for those North Carolinians in the low and moderate-income brackets, these individuals who have been hardest hit by the current economic crisis." The Warren County grant proposals included the following goals: 1. Extension of sewer services to area not served by municipal sewer (8 in. line at cost of $260,000). 2.Upgrading water main - 2-inch lines replaced with 6-inch lines. Better fire protection. 3. Tear down two delapidated houses, and rehabilitate eight to 10 other houses Cfte grant was requested to provide better housing in the predominantly black Red Hill neighborhood on the outskirts of Warrentoo.) In addition (4) it was planned to a Senior Citizens Center. Warren County Board of Education has offered building on Hawkins School property across from Red Hill for this purpose. Glen Newsome, county manager, yesterday expressed his delight that Warren County has received the grant, but said that because of cut in the amount of funds, some refiguring will be necessary . He said that a meeting will be held - j.i. *- - witti tat scale wnen those projects which ber of points will probably be selected. Mayor White, at the Town Board meeting Monday night when he announced that Warren ton's request for a grant had been turned down, expressed his pleasure that the county's grant had been awarded, saying that it would mean much to Warrenton. To Be Held Dec. 4 Christmas Parade Plans Are Listed There may be plenty of shopping days before Christmas, but there are fewer than three weeks before the lights go up on Warrenton's annual Christmas parade. Saturday, Dec. 4, has been set as parade date, according to parade chairman Walter Gardner, and anyone interested in entering a float in the parade should contact him before Dec. 1. Floats will be judged in two categories this year, Gardner said, with cash prizes being given for the best float with a religious theme and the best float with a secular theme. "We're hoping that the addition of a religious category will bring the participation of church groups," Gardner said. Already on the entry list for floats are Roanoke - Wildwood Ladies Auxiliary, Warrenton Junior Woman's Club, Warren County Javcees, and the North Warren Safety Patrol Marching Unit. "We anticipate a lot of public participation by beginning the parade at 6 p. m. when manufacturing plants are closed and employees can enjoy the parade with their families," Gardner commented. Anyone interested in entering a float in the parade should contact Gardner at 257-3104 during the day, or 257-4307 at night. Dedication Of Gym Scheduled By Board The gymnasium of Warren County High School, which will be used for the first time this year by the school's varsity basketball teams, will be dedicated during a ceremony to be held on Tuesday night, Dec. 14. This was decided Monday night during a regular meeting of the Warren County Board of Education. Board members selected the date of the first home game — »gi»in«t Athens Drive High School of Raleigh - as the logical time for dedicatory services. Lack of seating in the spacious gymnasium prevented the use of the gymnasium for home games last year. Playing their home games at the John Graham Gym, the boys' basketball team went on to win the state championship. In other business handled during Monday night's routine session, the board heard from Superintendent Mike Williams that a new copying machine is needed at Warren County High School and agreed to a request that funds not needed for in«t»in«g mi kiitniww system at the school be used far this purpose. The purchase request was included in one at approved by the board. The board also authorized newly elected board members to be sworn in for their new terms along with other county office-holders during a ceremony to be held at noon on Dec. 6 at the Warren County Court House. Board members were informed by Principal Walter Sweeney that repair of the roof at the Mariam Boyd School had greatly improved morale at the school, (Continued on page 4B) Crafts Program Info Is Given Senior citizens over 50 who are interested in interviewing for a co-op crafts program that will help them to market their crafts are invited to be at the Office of the Coordinating Council for Senior Citizens for Warren County at 138 A South Main Street in Warrenton on Friday morning at 9 a. m. Ms. Mary Aycock, project coordinator, asks those interested to bring with them a sample of their craft and verification of tfasir