MUarren Hecorft
Volume 90 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, June 10, 1987 Number 23
Teachers Given Another Option Following Emotion-Charged Meetina
By THURLETTA M. BROWN
Staff Writer
A fourth option has been
presented to certified, non
vocational teachers as a result of
a rather emotional session held
Monday night as Warren County
board of Education members re
ceived a request from the Warren
County Chapter of the North
Carolina Association of
Educators (NCAE).
In a statement released early
Tuesday morning by Superin
tendent Mike Williams, certified,
non-vocational teachers were of
fered the option of making up as
many-as two workdays by work
ing an extended day on June 9-11
"and/or June 12 and/or Satur
day, June 13."
According to the written state
ment. the work must be sched
uled after 3:45 p.m., must be per
formed at school and must be the
equivalent of an additional one
half day shift. "Employees exer
cising this option will be asked to
complete and sign a statement of
days worked during the extended
days," the meme-andum stated.
Because non-certified employ
ees are restricted by federal
wage and hour regulations, and
vocatiortal education teachers
are barred by General Statute,
they are excluded from the pro
visions of the newly created
fourth option.
The new policy came on the
heels of a statement presented by
Ms. Kathy McLeod, NCAE presi
dent, concerning the organiza
tion's perception of a violation in
contract terms by the extension
of the school calendar for
teachers until Tuesday, June 16.
The original contract and statues
had provided for the end of the
school year on June 12. Because
of inclement weather, several
holidays and other available days
had been reclaimed by the Board
of Education as they sought to en
sure the full 181-day instructional
period.
According to Ms. McLeod,
NCAE's position held that the
contract had been broken.
"These are not the thoughts of a
few hot-headed individuals," she
said, "but, there is support from
many who have 30 years of ex
perience in the classroom." Ms.
Mcl^eod reported that the NCAE
attorney general had supported
the contention that the two addi
tional work days on June 15-16
were illegal in that the period
worked would extend over 10
calendar months, the terms of the
original contract. "It is not that
we don't want to live up to our
contract," she said, "but we were
not given a choice."
Emotional discourse among
board members and members of
the audience ensued surrounding
the decision to close Warren
County schools on Feb. 19-20, the
impact of the existing three op
tions for "working off" the last
two teacher days of the school
year, and a reduction of pay for
those teachers not reporting for
work on June 15-16.
Prior to the Tuesday morning
change in policy, available op
tions were as follows:
-Work June 15-16 and receive
compensation for the full
10-month contract term;
?Take annual leave on June
15-16 and receive full compensa
tion; and
?Receive a pro-rated reduc
tion in salary without reporting
for work on June 15-16 or using
annual leave for those days.
Expressing the sentiments of
other new teachers as well as
those without annual leave, Ms.
Artelia Covington noted that the
existing policies in fact penalized
teachers for something over
which they had no control (days
missed due to snow). "Why
should we be penalized for an 'act
of God' or for a decision in which
we had no input?" she queried.
Ms. Covington reported that War
ren was the only county in the
state in which the contract was
being broken. She noted that
other teachers in the state had
been given the option to work on
weekends or evenings to satisfy
the terms of the General Assem
bly stipulated contract.
Members of the audience com
mented that steps should be
taken to avoid potential litigation
by considering other options.
Superintendent Williams, in his
Tuesday morning statement,
thanked employees for their
cooperation in the matter of in
clement weather in January and
February and the resultant ex
tension of the school calendar.
"As we close out another highly
successful year, I appreciate
your many contributions and
wish for you an enjoyable, safe
summer vacation."
Who could ask for anything more? Shade trees, bountiful forage
and refreshing water contribute to this scene of "udder contentment"
during one of the recent warm days. The waterhole in this pasture
in the Wise community will no doubt be a favorite hangout from now
through the summer months. (Staff Photo by Howard Jones)
No Tax Increase
Needed At Norlina
To Balance Budget
No increase in the tax rate is
proposed by Norlina's town board
to support a proposed budget for
the fiscal year beginning July 1,
which is close to $130 larger than
the budget now in effect, accord
ing to Town Clerk Mae Gums.
The total budget last year was
$335,123, Mrs. Gums said, and
commissioners are now looking
at preliminary figures which
total $462,955 for the next fiscal
year. Some $109,000 of the in
crease is expected to come from
the town's surplus funds, the in
terest on which in past years has
equalled about half the amount
collected in taxes, Mrs. Gums
pointed out.
The figures, which the town
clerk said probably will undergo
some additional increase before
the public hearing scheduled for
June 22, are broken down as
follows: general fund, $169,245;
water department, $175,000;
Powell Bill, $113,010; and
Revenue Sharing, $5,700.
The town this fiscal year has
operated on a budget which in
cludes: general fund, $143,085;
water department, $151,900;
Powell Bill, $25,128; and Revenue
Sharing, $15,010.
Norlina's current tax rate is 50
cents per $100 valuation.
Warren Official
Is Stepping Down
The end of the current fiscal
year will signal the end of the
15-year tenure of a Warren Coun
ty official.
Russell L. Currin, Warren
County veteran's service officer,
will retire from his post, effective
July 1, a position he has held
since Jan. 4, 1972. Duties of the
position have included processing
forms for the Veterans Admini
stration as well as providing ver
bal advice and counseling.
According to County Manager
Charles Worth, Currin's file is
filled with letters of appreciation
from survivors and relatives of
veterans he has served. "He has
been a very conscientious indivi
dual," Worth said, "and he will
be misr|d."
Buck-Spring 4-H Camp Given
$7,500 Grant By Foundation
A second grant has been
awarded to a county agency by
the Z. Smith Reynolds Founda
tion, Inc. of Winston-Salem.
A grant of $7,500 has been
awarded to Buck Spring 4-H
Camp. Notification was sent on
May 22 to Richard E. Hunter, Jr.,
Warren County clerk of court and
chairman of the board of direc
tors for the camp. The award
represents the fruit of a grant ap
plication and proposal sent on
Jan. 30 by George Koonce, exten
sion agent 4-H and co-chair of the
project.
"We are really excited," said
Glenn Woolard, extension agent,
4-H, "because the award gives us
the flexibility to go ahead on the
project."
According to Woolard, the.
grant will be used to supplement
the $10,000 appropriation made
by Warren County for a picnic
shelter in Phase I of the develop
ment. Other Phase I projects
designated for portions of the
grant include a section of road to
the shelter and parking lot, a
small parking lot adjacent to the
historic area, a T-shaped water
front area and renovations to the
tenant house on the property. The
renovated tenant house will be
used as a classroom building and
storage area.
If available funds are suffi
cient, workmen will complete the
first section of the proposed
nature trail. "About three-fourths
of it has been cut already,"
Woolard said. The nature trail
will provide a self-guided ex
perience featuring brochures,
identification posts and an inter
pretation of the environment.
Workmen will also begin work on
the softball and multipurpose
court which will be used for
basketball and volleyball.
Nelson and Harris Developers
to date have cut the main en
trance road which serves the
camp and the Buck Springs and
Macon's Landing subdivisions.
"We are especially grateful for
the Z. Smith Reynold's grant,"
Woolard said, "and we are also
appreciative of the many ser
vices that have been provided by
area individuals and businesses."
According to Woolard, Sonny
Peoples of the Lake Gaston Pier
Co. has agreed to provide a pier
for the water front area; R. M.
White of Norlina Water and Wells
will donate a portion of well drill
ing work; the Snow Hill Ideal
Club will paint one or two rooms
on the interior of the tenant house
on the property and the Warren
County Jaycees will paint the ex
terior in July.
According to Richard Hunter,
Henderson-based Vance Con
struction Co. has begun to rebuild
the main house which was
damaged by fire in 1976. The
work is being done under the
auspices of the Warren County
Historical Commission. "Once
that has been completed," he
said, "the historical section will
be completed?the main house,
the smoke house and the corn
crib."
Assistance for the 4-H camp
facility has been received from
external sources: the N. C.
Forestry Service will donate a
small parking lot adjacent to the
historic area and Texas Gulf has
agreed to donate all pipes for a
roadway.
"We are so very glad that our
application for assistance was
approved," Koonce said. "If
things are to be in place in time
for our day camps in August, it is
critical that we move ahead
now," he added. "The Z. Smith
Reynolds grant will help make
that possible."
The Z. Smith Reynolds Founda
tion was established in 1936 as a
(Continued on page 9)
Expansion and Improvements to two rural firehouses has been
under way during recent months. In the upper photograph, an Afton
Elberon fireman takes his turn at putting the finishing touches on the
exterior of the building following the addition of >61 square feet which
includes a third track bay and two baths. Work is also progressing
on the addition of a third track bay at the Areola Rural Fire Depart
ment (lower photo). (Staff Photos by Howard Jones)
Deputies Recover
$40,000 In Goods
Goods valued in excess of
$40,000 have been recovered by
the Warren County Sheriff's
Department, Sheriff Theodore
Williams announced this week.
On Wednesday, June 3, a 1985
Ford 1820 tractor, valued at
(20,000 was discovered aban
doned near a field in the Afton
community. The vehicle, proper
ty of Liverman's Landscaping, a
Virginia Beach, Va. firm, had
been missing since February.
The vehicle was stored at the
Warren County jail parking lot
until Chesapeake officials were
able to claim it on Saturday.
Warren officials continue to
work with the Chesapeake Police
in the investigation of two
suspects.
Chief Deputy Bobby Bolton is
the local investigating officer.
Filing Deadline Earlier
Goods valued at $20,590.39,
which were stolen from the Lake
Gaston area in July, 1982, were
recovered in Loudoun County,
Va. Deputy L. W. Newsome was
the initial investigating officer.
Loudoun County detectives
contacted Sgt. Lawrence Har
rison on Sunday to report
recovery of merchandise which
included boat motors, gas lines,
tools and jacks. Ninety-eight per
cent of the missing goods were
found.
According to Sgt. Harrison, a
suspect in Loudoun County will
be interviewed by local officials
at the end of this week. "We are
real pleased to have recovered
such a large amount of missing
items," he said, "this represents
good investigative work." Sheriff
Williams concurred.
No other details were available
at press time.
Political Pots Simmer
In Towns In Warren
By MARY C. HARRIS
Staff Writer
A number of elected officials in
Warren County's three
municipalities are expected to
throw their names in the ring
when the filing period for this
year's municipal elections opens
on July 3.
As a result of action by the
General Assembly, candidates
must file for office between noon
July 3 and noon August 7. This is
earlier than the filing period in
previous years when candidates
filed from mid-August to mid
September.
Election Day will fall on Tues
day, Nov. 3.
In Warrenton, Mayor B. G,
White indicated he has not yet
made up his mind whether to run
for a fifth term. This year com
pletes White's 30th year in town
government, which included 22
years on the town board before
serving as mayor. White has also
been active in the regional coun
cil of governments.
Six of the town's commis
sioners, W. A. Miles, Eddie
Clayton, Charles White, Bobby
Edmonds, A. A. Wood and Ray
Shear in, said they probably will
run again for office in November.
When questioned about re
election plans, Commissioner
Phil Daniel said he needs to give
the matter further thought before
stating his intention.
Norlina Mayor Bill Perry has
not decided whether to run again
for the post he has held for 14
years.
Commissioners Dwight Pearce
and Walter Newman intend to
seek seats on the town board
again in November, but fellow
board members Eleanor Hayes
and William Leonard said they
are still undecided about running
for reelection. Commissioner
James Vaughan, who is
hospitalized at Wake Medical
Center where he recently under
went back surgery, was not
available for comment.
Also unavailable was Macon
Mayor M. C. Clary. Macon's five
commissioners stated intentions
to seek to serve again on the
board, including Carroll Harris,
W. R. Shaw, Glenn Riggan, W. L.
Edwards and Katherine Hilliard.
Telephone Work
Is Under Way
Carolina Telephone recently!
began construction for replacing
cables and relieving telephone!
facilities along U.S. 401 south of |
Warrenton, district commercial [
manger Richard R. Barnes, Jr.|
has announced
Barnes Mid, These facilities I
will replace det-" orated cables |
and provide add tonal lines tol
serve the c infinities of Aftonl
and Elberon and the i
A recent development fa
indicates there will be 4491
working by cutover i
September 1M7, and I
to 857 Unas by l