News
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COU MADIS0N
15* Per Copy
COUNTY LIBRARY
82nd Year No. 22 PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSI
GENERAL DELIVERY
MARSHALL NC
28753
Graduation Day
i 1
JEFF BUCKNER, left, receives his diploma
from Madison High School pricipal David
Wyatt during graduation ceremonies held
Friday night at O.E. Roberts Stadium.
Madison High School
Graduates 182 Seniors
Madison High School held graduation
ceremonies Friday night for 182 seniors in O.E.
Roberts Stadium.
Graduating seniors Bobby Ingle, Teresa
Norris, David Sprouse, Denise Thomason and
Mark Plemmons addressed the capacity au
dience.
Madison High School principal David
Wyatt announced the recipients -of Madison
High School scholarships. The awards were
funded by a $25,000 grant from Hendersonville
businessman Robert "Dit" Williams. The
scholarships were presented to Dana Allen,
Karlyn Ammons, Karen Flynn, Robin Frisby,
Tim Gott, Stephen Halula, Nancy Holcombe,
Kim Johnson, Sandra Keller, Jerry Kent, Paige
Morris, Michael McMahon, Lynn Price, Elaine
Randolph, Shirley Reece, Debbie Ricker and
David Sprouse.
Wyatt also presented individual depart
ment honors to the graduates. Kim Thomas was
presented with the band award. Michael Gar
rison and Debbie Ricker were presented with
bus driving awards. Business awards were
presented with the award for drama. The
mathematics award was presented to Jerry
Kent. Amy Knisely was also presented with
both the French and science awards.
Danny Gouge was the winner of the
physical education award. Bobby Ingle was
also presented with a science award. Social
science awards were presented to Dana Allen
and Karlyn Ammons.
In vocational studies, Stuart Franklin was
presented the agriculture award. Mindy
Shepherd was the winner of the home
economics award. Martha Self was presented
with an award in marketing and Kristi Goforth
was the recipient of an award for training.
Teresa Norris was the class valedictorian
and Dana Allen was named the class
salutatorian.
Marshall Raises
, Property Taxes
By ROBERT KOENIG
Marshall residents will pay an additional
ten cents per $100 of assessed property evalua
tion next year. The ten-cent tax increase was
passed by the Marshall Board of Aldermen at a
1 special town meeting held Friday morning. The
aldermen's decision raises the Marshall tax
rate to 85 cents per $100.
Friday's special hearing in Town Hall was
called after the board failed to pass the 1983-84
budget at their regular May meeting. The
1983-84 fiscal year begins on July 1.
The aldermen debated the tax increase for
30 minutes before voting on a resolution
presented by Alderman John Dodson. Before
voting on the ten-cent increase, the board
members considered raising the property tax
five cents to 80 cents per $100. The aldermen
were told by Marshall Mayor Lawrence Ponder
that the five cent increase would raise only
$3,200 in tax revenues, not enough to help cover
the town's $275,270 operating budget.
Several residents present at the Friday
meeting urged the aldermen to proceed with
the ten-cent tax increase. Betty Wild told the
aldermen, "You're going to have to raise taxes.
It's going to be terribly difficult for people on
fijked incomes, but you're going to have to stop
steJWing over it and raise taxes."
Faye Reid, a member of the town's plann
ing board told the aldermen that she favored
the tax increase. Only Jackie Davis spoke out
against the tax increase, saying, "I don't like
raising taxes at all." Dodson's resolution call
ing for the ten-cent increase was seconded by
Alderman James Penland. The resolution pass
ed without opposition.
Following the vote on the tax increase, the
aldermen approved a proposed budget calling
for $275,270. Property taxes, federal revenue
sharing funds and water and sewer charges will
bring in the money needed to operate the town.
The proposed budget anticipates $187,650 in tax
revenues. Revenue sharing funds will con
tribute an additional $11,600, and water and
sewer charges will bring Marshall $65,520, all of
which is earmarked for running the town's
water and sewer system.
Town Of Marshall
General Fund Budget
The 1983-84 town budget anticipates tax
revenue collections totalling $187,650. These
revenues will be distributed to expenses in the
general fund. General Fund expenses are
budgeted as follows:
Administration $40,748
Recreation 4,000
City Cemetery 2,200
Tax 1,450
Police .26,200
Fire . 3,375
Street Services 34,750
Street Repairs 17,900
Sanitation 16,426
Non-departmental 40,000
TOTAL $187,650
Tax collections are based on a 96 percent
collection rate on the town's $6.4 million total
valuation.
The aldermen also approved purchasing a
used police car from the state Highway Patrol
to replace the present car.
The hour-long session became heated only
when Mayor Ponder was questioned by town
employees anxious to know if their jobs were in
jeopardy. The practice of contracting out ser
vices performed by the employees was discuss
ed at length but no action was taken on the mat
ter.
The Town of Marshall will hold another
special session Thursday afternoon beginning
at 2 p.m. At the meeting, bids on the sewer pro
jects will be opened. The aldermen's regular
monthly meeting will follow the bid opening at 3
p.m.
County Jobless Rate Drops
The unemployment picture
in Madison County improved
in April, according to figures
released by the N.C. Employ
ment Security Commission
last week. .
The state employment agen
cy reported that unemploy
ment in the county decreased
to 7.1 percent in April, down
from 8.5 percent in March.
Statewide, the unemployment
rate decreased in April from
9.7 to 8,7 percent. Unemploy
ment decreased in 94 of the
State's 100 counties during the
month.
ESC chairman Glenn R. Jer
nigan attributed the improved
employment figures to ex
pected seasonal factors such
as increased agricultural hir
ing and additional outdoor
construction work.
April's figures marked the
second straight month that
unemployment figures have
declined, both on the s^ate and
county level. Nationally, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported an adjusted national
unemployment rate of 10.3
percent in April, down from
10.2 percent in March
Orange County reported the
lowest unemployment rate in
the state at 3.2 percent while
Swain County had the highest
rate at 25.1 percent. Other
neighboring counties and their
unemployment rates were
Buncombe, 7.4 percent,
Haywood, 13.8 percent and
Yancey County, 14.? percent.
Madiaon County's 7.8 per
cent rate Is identical to the
rate reported in April of IMS.
Dowsers Don 't Need
A Wishing Well
> ,
Need more water in your
well? So did Don Spring - but,
unlike most people wishing for
more water, Don could call on
about It enthusiastic dowsers,
eager to take part last Satur
day in "knocking" more water
into his well.
ygjn Spring is the president
i North Caroiiiui
of the American
to the group and show them
how to "knock" more water
into a well.
Water-finding, the best
known form of dowsing, in
volves a forked stick or metal
rods that dip when the dowser
comes to underground water.
L.D Ballard of Mars Hill does
it that way, using a bent coat
hanger He figures that in the
iMt two years he's located
timifiV | L _
?BilMJi UUn !)CI S '?
ing's place were
are feftodaat (till on judg
ment by result," in the worts
of a pamphlet for new
members oC the society.
Sam Rogers and Don Spring
explained they had dowsed a
map of the Spring property
and located a blocked-source
of watar about aoo feet up a
? |ow-flnwmn
itself,
into
mkl
ssf
I
' iW * Inn a
string, the weight revolving or
?li c.-' Uin ways
dkate or "no,"
? - '? irse II sf^ms imposs
" ft!