The News record
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF ' "-""'N*" * ?
MAUI SON
COUNTY LIPRARY
81*t Year NO. 31 PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHA| GKNERAL DELIVERY ' 15c Per Copy
' ? ? r. i i ' r 1 ' " I MARSHALL. NC 28753 'J
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Town Meeting Explains Sewer Bond Issue
BY ROBERT KOENIG
Editor
The last in a aeries of public
meetings to explain the pro
posed sewer bond issue was
held in the Marshall Town hall
on July 29. Town officials and
a consultant on the proposed
project answered questions
regarding the project.
The bond issue to improve
the sewer system will be
decided by Marshall voters in
a public referendum on Aug.
38.
The voters will be asked to
decide whether or not to ap
prove a (600,000 bond issue to
upgrade the town sewer
system in order to comply
with federal Enviornmental
Protection Agency standards
and provide lewer service to
several areas of Marshall
which presently do not have
such service.
Marshall has already
received more than 1700,000 in
state and federal grants to
assist in the project. Hie
town's share of the cost of the
project will be financed by the
$600,000 bond issue. A
guarantee of $496,000 has been
obtained from the Farmers
Home Administration. The
FmHA will purchase the
bonds at an interest rate below
the current market rate. The
FmHA will also give the town
outright grant of $275,000 to
finance the construction.
N.
In addition to the FmHA
money, the Appalachian
Regional Commission has ap
proved a 1200,000 grant and
the state of North Carolina has
approved $289,000 for the pro
ject.
According to Gary McGill,
consultant on the proposed
project, the sewer upgrading
is long overdue. He told the
meeting, "We've been trying
to do something about the
sewage problem for eight
years now. Getting the project
started has always revolved
around obtaining federal fun
ding. Money for these sort of
projects has always been
available. The problem was
that funding was always
allocated on a priority basis
based on population and the
volume of sewerage. Smaller
towns like Marshall have suf
fered because the funds
always went to larger cities
and towns. It took a long time,
but Marshall has finally
climbed on the priority list.
We had gotten grants in the
neighborhood of $100,000 to get
through the preliminary
stages of planning. We were
ready to go last year when fun
ding from the Enviornmental
Protection Agency dried up.
Towns like Marshall had no
hope of having their water and
sewer projects funded
anymore. We could either
have thrown up our hands and
said, 'We'll wait it out,' or seek
alternative funding sources."
The alternative funding he
referred to includes the grants
from the FTnHA and the Ap
palachian Regional Commis
sion.
McGill stressed that the
Aug. 26 referendum must pass
if the grants are to be used in
the project. He said, "Nothing
will be done if the referendum
does not pass. We can't hold
onto the money because of the
competition for grants. If the
referendum goes down, the
grant money will go
elsewhere."
McGill also warned the
meeting that the state EPA
has been patient with the
situation in Marshall, waiting
until something could be done
to clear up the raw sewage be
ing dumped into the French
Broad River. He said,
"They've said that if the
referendum doesn't pass thaty
they will come in and do
something about the problem.
They haven't been specific,
but it could be very bad for the
people of Marshall."
Mayor Lawrence Ponder
warned the citizens of the
economic consequences fac
ing Marshall if the
refernedum is not approved.
He told the audience, "Aug. 26
is the most important day in
the history of this town. We've
got to approve this bond issue
if Marshall is to grow. We're
mighty fortunate. Hundreds of
communities would love to
have the opportunity we have
here now. American Greeting
Card is moving ahead with
their plans to build a plant
here as if the bond issue will
pass. If the sewer bonds aren't
approved, they will have to
move elsewhere."
Town attorney Ed
Mashburn cited the pollution
aspect of the project. He told
the audience, "No one did this
just to give a contractor a job.
It was designed for the public
health and saftey. Water stan
dards for the French Broad
River weren't designed by a
bunch of bureaucrats, they
were designed according to
health standards. One death
as a result of sewage wouldn't
be worth the entire cost of the
project."
McGill told the meeting that
work on the new project could
begin about a month after the
bond issue is passed. The pro
ject would be undertaken on a
priority basis, with the Walnut
Creek area being first to get
needed repairs. McGill
estimated that the entire pro
ject could be com pelted by
MEMBERS OF THE
BEAVTIFICATION PRO
JECT stand with a new sign
they recently erected at the
entrance to the Rollins com
munity. From left, they are
Gerri Allen and husband,
Jerry Allen, John Ray, Annie
Ray and Janice Wild. The sign
was made by Mrs. Allen's son
Victor Greene.
Blue Mold Found
In County
It has been reported that a
number of tobacco farmers in
Madison County have
discovered blue mold in their
fields. Blue mold is the most
devastating disease that can
strike the crop.
Despite the presence of the
disease in the county, there is
no cause for alarm at this
time. According to
Agricultural Extension agent
Gary Ealey, "There is blue
mold present in some fields in
the county, but only in Fields
that were not treated with
Ridomil. We've seen five or
six cases of blue mold this
week, but it's a very small
amount, maybe one percent of
the county's crop
Blue mold can destroy a
field in just a matter of a few
days. According to Ealey,
"You can find blue mold on a
Friday and see the entire field
destroyed by Monday morn
ing."
The Agricultural Extension
office recommends spraying
fields with a mixture of one
quart Ridomil per acre.
Farmers who detect the
disease should mix one ounce
of the pesticide to' each gallon
of water used and apply the
mixture in a spray around the
base of the plants.
Despite the limited outbreak
of the disease, the outlook for
county tobacco farmers is
good this year. Ealey said,
"We expect to have the best
tobacco crop in several years
this year." He also noted that
the minimum average support
price for the crop this year
will be ll.Sl a pound.
The first cutting of the
Madison County crop is ex
pected to begin about Aug. IS.
Mars Hill Man Drowns
James Paul Shepherd of
Mara Hill drowned on July 17
?a boat from which he
?Mag capaized in 14 feet
of water according to the
Madlaon County Sheriff *
Department
Shepherd and two Mends,
Michael Sutton, 14, and Jim
? * -- Davis. ?, had been
from the boat in an
farm pond
* Rd The
swimming
boat at
into it.
Shepherd and the boat had
The two men called the
Mara Hill Fire Department at
about S p.m. The Fire Depart
notified the ahertTa
and the
fmrnm
body at about I
ty medical examiner Dr. Otia
Duck waa called to Inveatlgate
Dr Duck reported that
?Kkictedby Dr Carl
of Aahevllle confirm
l that S I had died of
Rollins Cleans Up
The Madison County com
munity of Rollins lies jiust one
mile south of Marshall on the
former US 25 and 70. It's only
a mile-long stretch alongside
the Southern Railway right-of
way, but it's a small com
munity with a big heart.
Concern, enthusiasm and
cooperation make Rollins a
fine little corner of Madison
County. These days, it's a
pretty coftier of tbe couaty,
VA ADMINISTRATOR Robert Nimmo and
Bill Hendon
County Jobless
At 8.2%
The latest figures released
by the N.C. Employment
Security Commission on Fri
day indicate that Madison
County's unemployment rate
for June stood at 8.2 percent of
the work force, a full percen
tage point below the statewide
total of 9.2 percent. National
ly, the rate stood at 9.8 percent
in the same period.
Employment Security Com
mission figures show that the
8 2 percent figure represented
730 Jobless workers.
. Glenn Jernigan, chairman
of the ESC said the jobless
rate rose in M of North
Carolina's 108 counties in June
while 38 counties reported an
increase in employment He
said, "A major contribution to
reported an unemployment
rate of 23.6 percent, th<
highest in the state. Rura
Allegheny County reported at
unemployment rate of &8 per
cent, the lowest in the state
Orange County, which had tlx
lowest rate for the past sever
months, saw its rate climb tc
3.9 percent.
Unemployment increased ir
eight of the state's tei
metropolitan areas. The
Charlotte/Gas tonia area in
creased from 6.5 percent to 6.1
percent; Greensboro/Winston
Salem/High Point from 7.1
percent to 9.3 percent;
Raleigh/Durham from 4.1 per
cent to 6.4 percent; Wilm
ington from 9.9 percent to 10.1
percent; Salisbury /Concord
from 6.3 percent to 6.9 per
cent; Burlington from KM
it to ll.S
from)
too, thanks to the combined ef
forts of many of the residents.
Set against the pleasing
backdrop of the French
Broad, Rollins residents have
planted trees, shrubs and
flowers and set up front yards
with rock gardens and fences.
/ ? t/ " I / [-'i'x \ ;
Rollins Road is home to less
than 100 families. It starts at
Ernest Rector's home and
runs down to Texie
Arro wood's on the south end of
the road. Along the way, there
are a wide variety of home
styles, ranging from the old
two-story homes of W.F.
Deaver and Herman Shipley,
built in the 1920's to other per
manent homes and several at
tractive mobile homes.
The community has united
to participate in the Western
North Carolina Beautiful com
petition, a communiy
beautification program spon
sored jointly by the WNC Com
munity Development program
and the N.C. Extension Ser
vice in 17 WNC counties.
Prizes range from $50 to
$400. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Allen
are the leaders of the com
m unity effort. They and their
neighbors have transformed
many corners of their com
munity.
Early in the spring,
members of the historic
Ponder's Chapel Church
erected a new church sign and
planted azaleas, junipers,
dogwood and several annuals.
Many of the Rollins
residents have resolved to
clean up and beautify pieces of
(intended property that have
become eyesores. Another
project the residents have in
mind is the restoration and
completion of the boat access
and picnic area constructed
by the TV A
The concerned citizens of
Rollins welcome the participa
tion of all the members of
their community in this wor
thwhile improvement project.
Their dedication to their com
munity can be an inspiration
to everyone in Madison Coun
ty.
The contest judging is set to
take place next week. Win,
lose or draw, the people . of
Rollins are winners with a
shining community.
VA Chief Visits Asheville
Veterans Administration
chief Robert Nimmo visited
Asheville on Monday for a tour
of the VA facilities in Oteen.
Nimmo and Congressman
Bill Hendon toured the Oteen
facility together. Following
the tour, the visiting ad
ministrator addressed a lun
chen gathering at the Grove
Park Inn Country Club. Nim
mo, a Californian appointed to
head the VA by President
Reagan in 1961, assured the
audience that Veterans Ad
ministration care for elderly
veterans will not be cut
despite the current federal
budget restraints.
An $11 million has been pro
posed for the Oteen center.
Hospital administrator Arthur
Landy proposed the addition
during Nimmo's tour of the
facility. Saying that 2S percent
of the nation's veterans will be
over 65 by the year I960, Lan
dy proposed the addition be
County
Homes
Below
Standard
Substandard bousing con
tinues to be a problem in <
Madison County, according to
a story published Monday by
the Associated Press. Accor
ding to the report, the 1M0
census figures reveal that Ave
percent of North Carolina's 1.3
million housing units were
subetand d.
North . rolina continues to
rank Uj< t in the amount el
substandjrd housing, with ?
planned in 1967 for a 1990 com
pletion.
The VA already has approv
ed a $5 million renovation of
the hospital's surgery and
surgical intensive care unit in
1985.
In his first year in office,
Nimmo has been one of the
most controversial ad
ministrators to head the VA.
At Monday's luncheon, he told
the audience, "Here I am. As
you can see, I haven't got any
horns growing out of my head,
regardless of what you may
have heard. I'm losing my
hair, but I haven't sprouted
horns."
Nimmo has come under Are
for implementing cuts
directed by President Reagan.
He told the audience, "A year
ago, President Reagan charg
ed me with the task of finding
ways to contain the costs of
veteran care so that the costs
do not become so exorbitant as
to lose the taxpayer's
support."
Citing the need for increas
ed medical research, the VA
chief told the gathering that
the VA will spend $183 million
for medical research in 1963.
Some of that money will be us
ed to study the Agent Orange
problem. He also told the
crowd that he will reccom
mend increasing the medical
research budget in 1984 to
study the effects of th'e
defoliant.
Nimmo denied ever referr
ing to Vietnam veterans as a
"coddled bunch" and pointed
out several areas in which his
agency is working to assist
Vietnam veterans. In addition
to the Agent Orange research,
Nimmo pointed out that the
Vietnam Veteran Outreach
program has been expanded
to include 130 centers
throughout the country. Six
more centers are currently
under construction.
Regarding older veterans,
Nimmo said that his agency is
studying the migration of
older veterans in order to
meet their needs in the future.
He said that many older
veterans have moved to Sun
Belt states from the north and
Midwest. Nimmo assured the
gathering that the administra
tion remains committed to
caring for veterans, saying,
"We understand the contribu
tions veterans have made
throughout the years. Even if
there is never another war,
and history would dictate
otherwise, 100 years from
now, we will still be in the
business of caring for the or
phan and the widow of he who
has borne the battle."
Following the luncheon,
Nimmo returned to Oteen to
meet with members of the
facility's staff. A reception
was held later in the day at the
VFW hall in Leicester
Mfe *
GRAfH VTES Or the
Maflaon Count} Day c?re
train ?kl their diplomas
ip The graduate wil! move