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MADISON 1
COUNTY LIBRARY
^ GSNirRAL DELIVERY |
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ID
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY SINCE 1901
82nd Year No. 44
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N C
WEDNESDAY, November 2, 1983
15* Per Copy
Ponder: Marshall
Will Attract Industries
By ROBERT KOEN1G
Marshall is on the threshold
of a period of development ac
cording to mayor Lawrence
Ponder. "Our new sewer
system, the industrial park
and the new four-lane highway
all contribute to making Mar
shall attractive to industry."
Ponder said he hopes to see
the work of his administration
bear fruit soon during a
telephone interview Monday
night,
Asked why he is seeking a
fourth term as Marshall's
mayor. Ponder said, "I've got
a lot of effort tied up in trying
to improve the situation in
Marhsall and I'd like to see the
job through. Projects like the
industrial park and the new
sewer system were started
eight years ago. When you
work for something like -this
for so long, it almost becomes
a part of you. Vancey County
has gotten some industry late
ly and Marshall is the closest
town to Asheville that's still
under -developed If we can
continue to work with the N.C.
Dept. of Commerce, I'm sure
industries will start looking
our way."
Ponder said that his years
working with his father,
Lorado Ponder, has prepared
him for the task of attracting
new industries to Marshall.
During the elder Ponder's
tenure as Marshall mayor,
Ponder said, the town was
able to attract Oeringer
Manufacturing.
The mayor defended the
decision to cut both police and
garbage collection in the past
two years, saying that the
town is unable to afford either
police or additional trash col
lection. The Marshall police
force. Ponder said, was built
up with federal funding. When
the grants funding the police
were cut, the town had no
choice but to cut the force. "I
wish we had the money to put
a policeman on every <corner,
but the most pressing rieed
facing the town is capital im
provements to the water and
sewer system."
Ponder said the sewer
system currently being in
stalled is the highlight of his
past term as mayor. He said
the next major challenge fac
ing Marshall is in making im
provements to the water
distribution system. "Once
the sewer project is com
pleted, we will have to work as
quick as we can to get a new
water distribution system to
provide people with clean
water and cut the town's
power bill."
Following a new water
system, attracting new in
dustry is the mayor's top
priority. He told The News
Record, "For too many years,
we have been exporting our
most precious natural
resource ? our young people.
This is a trend that we must
work to stop by bringing in
new industries and jobs."
Fonder said that Marshall
needs a new athletic field
within the town because the
town's present field on Blan
nerhassett Island is too often
overcrowded. He added that
he has been discussing a grant
with the Soil Conservation Ser
vice to develop a new field.
Regarding the town's recrea
tion center, Fonder said that
the building is in need of
repairs if it is to be used to its
full potential. The mayor said
that the roof needs repairs and
(Continued on Page 10)
THE NINE MADISON COUNTY and Lawrence Cutshaw. (right to
residents who attended the Gover- left, middle row) Kimberly Willis,
nor's Statewide Volunteer Awards Julia M. Young, Lucretia Giffin, and
Ceremony in Asheville Saturday, Vanda Cook ; (right to left, back row,
October 22, posed for a picture with beside Mrs. Hunt) Rev. George A.
Governor and Mrs. James B. Hunt, Moore and Charles Tolley. Not
Jr. They are (right to left, front row) shown are honored volunteers Clate
Nancy Anderson, Thelma Ponder, Grindstaff and Judy Majors.
\s
Powell : No
Annexation In
Near Future
Mars Hill will expand in the
coming years, but Mars Hill
mayor Bill Powell says he
Joes, not foresee the town an
nexing any property in the
next two years. "Annexation
is too expensive. It requires a
lot of advance planning in
order to pay for itself. Right
now, there's no area outside
the town that could do that.
Providing services is expen
sive and you have to have the
tax base to make it wor
thwhile."
Powell's comments came
during an interview with The
News Record Monday night in
the Mars Hill Town Hall.
Powell is seeking his tenth
term as mayor of Mars Hill in
next week's municipal elec
tion.
Asked his reasons for seek
ing a tenth term, Powell said,
"The basic reason I'm seeking
re-election is to get the sewer
system completed as soon and
as painlessly as possible, with
the least disturbance to the
town." Powell led the cam
paign to approve a sewer bond
issue to finance construction
of the new system. Mars Hill
voters approved the bond
issue during an August refer
endum.
BILL POWELL
Speaking of future expan
sion, Powell said that he ex
pects that the town will con
tinue to expand, with the next
addition being toward U. S.
19-23 and north toward Burn
sville.
Powell said that he hopes to
expand the town's summer
recreation program at the
Mars Hill Recreation Center.
"It's used all summer and we
hope to expand its usage in the
future. Many of our people use
(Continued on Page 7)
Sewer Project On Schedule
Work on the Marshall sewer
project is proceeding accor
ding to schedule according to
Bill Lapsley, the engineer on
the project Lapsley came to
Marshall last week to inspect
work (m the project and to
clear up some questions
residents have asked concern
ing work on the Kollins portion
of the project.
Lapsley told The News
Record, "We're actually
ahead of schedule at this
point. The Walnut Creek sec
tion was a disaster, but the
contractor has worked faster
than we had thought he could
I'm satisfied that they will be
through with the Walnut Creek
, portion by Thanksgiving."
The project calls for new
sewer lines to be installed
along Walnut Creek up to a
point adjacent to the Marshall
Housing Authority.
Lapsley also cleared up
questions regarding the in
stallation of sewer lines to the
Rollins section. The engineer
said that the project calls (or a
two-inch force maiH line from
a pumping station in Rollins to
the treatment plant in Mar
shall. Residents have ques
tioned town officials on the
reason such a small pipe was
being used when the service
line being installed in the
Rollins and Hayes Run sec
tions was an eight-inch line.
Lapsley explained that the
smaller line would be ade
quate to serve Rollins Hayes
Run and the industrial park
because the pumping station
located at the north end of
Rollins has two pumps that
will pulverize waste and feed
it into the smaller line at the
rate of 35 gallons per minute
each.
The two pumpp to be install
ed in the Rollins station are
"more than adequate" to
meet the needs of the com'
munity according to Lapsley.
Should expansion require, he
added, the town would only
need to increase the size of the
pumps.
Work on the pumping sta
tion is continuing, with
workers drilling a 14-foot hole
into which the pumps will be
installed. Lapsley said that he
expects the contractor, Taylor
and Murphy Construction Co.,
to add a second crew on the
project next week. The second
crew will begin work in the
Rollins section.
The lines installed on
Walnut Creek will be hooked
into the system within the next
few weeks, he added. In order
to connect the new lines with
the treatment plant on Blan
nerhassett Island, it will be
necessary for the crews to cut
through the railroad tracH*
owned by Norfolk Southern
Railway. The town had obtain
ed permission for the cut
which will close the main line
to rail traffic between
Asheville and Knoxville for up
to eight hours. Lapsley said
the cut in rail service will be
made sometime this week.
Lapsley also said that tem
porary paving of the section of
U. S. 25-70 torn up by the pro
ject will be made during the
coming week. He added that
the paving will be a temporary
measure until spring when it
will be repaved.
Marshall Man
Charged In
Murder
A' Marshal) man was ar
rested at his home in the
Panhandle section Thursday
and charged with murder in
connection with the shooting
death of an Alabama man.
Sheriff E.Y. Ponder
reported that Haven Payne,
41, of Route 2, Marshall was
arrested and charged with
murder for alledgedly
shooting Billy Joe Robinson,
43, of Huntsville, Ala. Payne
said the shooting occured
after Payne found Robinson
and Ronald Ralph Simpson of
Tulsa, Okla. trespassing in
Payne's deserted homeplace.
According to Sheriff
Ponder, Payne found the two
men in the abandoned home at
about 8:15 p.m. Thursday.
Payne told the two men to
leave the house and went in
side to investigate. He then
came out of the house and
fired a shot at a 45 degree
angle down the road.
Robinson was later found
fatally wounded. He was taken
to Memorial Mission Hospital
in Asheville by a unit of the
Madison County EMS where
he died shortly after arrival.
Ponder said that he and
deputy Frank Ogle arrested
Payne at his home. Payne was
later released after posting a
$10,000 bond qrdered by
District Court judge Robert
Lacey.
Hoffman: New
Ideas Needed
Jeanne Hoffman, a can
didate for mayor of Mars Hill,
says the town needs a long
range plan for future growth.
Her comments came during
an interview conducted in The
News Record office last week.
"We desparately need a
long-range plan, keeping both
our zoning and enforcement
codes as we attract small in
dustry." Hoffman said, "We
need to learn from the ex
periences of other towns.
Boone was developed
haphazardly, for example. I
would hate to see that happen
in Mars Hill."
The candidate foresees
development taking place in
Mars Hill as the town expands
its present limits. "Right now,
we don't have industry
because we don't have the
land industry needs. We've got
the people and I think that
small industry will come to
the Mars Hill area sometime
in the near future."
Hoffman was quick to add
that she is not running against
the present mayor. "I'm not
running a negative campaign.
I don't want to run against
anything. I just want to offer
people a new approach to the
problems we face."
Hoffman said she favors
cooperation, both between
Mars Hill and Marshall and
between the town and college,
and would work to encourage
both. "1 don't think we do
enough cooperatively.
Cooperation is necessary,
because the time has past
where we could go it alone.
Why should each town have to
operate its own backhoe?
Tliere are all kinds of ways we
can get together. Mars Hill
and Mars Hill College are in
separable. Somehow, we need
to better coordinate activities
between the town and college
for the benefit of both "
Hoffman said she would also
(Continued on Page 6)
Sexton Calls For New Attitudes
Marshall needs a new
cooperative attitude accor
ding to Charlie Sexton, a can
didate for the Marshall Board
of Aldermen in next week's
municipal elections. Sexton
made his comments during an
interview with The News
Record last week.
"I definitely feel like we
need to get the people involved
in the operation of the town, I
don't koow all the answers.
The buck would stop with me,
but if 1 don't know the answer,
I'd find the answer."
Sexton said he decided to
run for the town board at the
urging of others. He had
previously worked for the
town as a backhoe operator
and water system maintainer,
Referring to his past ex
perience, Sexton said, "1 think
I can be an asset to the town
due to my knowledge of water
works and law enforcement. 1
hold two state certificates in
waste water Collection
systems and I've been in
wfrter services off and on for
the past IS years. I also have a
law enforcement background,
having worked for the
Asheville Police Dept. for ten
years."
While employed by the
town. Sexton said, he made
many suggestions concerning
the water system that the
town officials ignored. "What
I wanted to do was set up a
preventive maintenance pro
gram. If we had started five or
ten years ago, we wouldn't
have the problems we have to
day. You can't blame the town
employees because they are
only doing what they are told
to do. 1 suggested they go to
other towns and see how they
operate." ?
While calling for a restora
tion of twice-weekly garbage
collection, Sexton said he op
poses a joint operation with
Mars Hill. He said a single
truck shared by the two towns
would not be sufficient. 'T
think the town should stand on
its own two feet," he said.
Sexton also called for Mar
shall merchants to organize a
(Continued on Page 8)
Niles: Marshall Need Businessman
Marshall needs a
businesslike approach to
government and police force,
according to fid Niles, a can
didate for the town'B board of
aldermen. Niles made his
comments during an inter
view with The News Record
last week.
"I think we need a
businessman in town govern
ment," he said. "I think peo
ple should know what the town
owes and what is coming in."
Niles, the former operator
of Roberts' Pharmacy in Mar
shall, was the 1st candidate to
enter the race in Marshall. He
is seeking election to the board
for the first time. He had
previously served a year on
the board, filling out the term
of a board member that
resigned. He said that he has
lived in Marshall for the past
sr years."
"I'm not mad at anyone. I
just donl think the town is be
ing operated in a businesslike
manner."
Niles also called for the re
eatabiiahment of a full-time
police force in the town. "I'd
like to see the police depart
ment go back to the town. It
may not be necessary during
the daytime, bat at least at
night. I also think we need to
have garbage pickup twice a
week instead of once. It would
also help if the streets were
washed occasionally to keep
down the dust."
Niles said, "I feel like we
have a lot of people in town
who have good ideas we could
implement to make Marshall
a better place." Niles said he
favors the suggestions offered
by the TV A Town Lift pro
gram. "If we don't take hold
(Ooatinued on Page!)
' ' ? ' ami
Filiss Enters
Guilty Plea
Lionel Filiss entered a guil
ty plea to charges of manufac
turing a controlled substance
during last week's session of
Superior Court. Kiliss had
been charged with growing 609
plants confiscated in an
August raid. Judge Hollis
Owen sentenced Filiss to five
years in prison, suspending
the active jail sentence on con
dition that Filiss perform 2.000
hours of community service in
the next five years. Filiss was
alao fined $3,900 and placed on
supervised probation for five
years. Filiss' community ser
vice will be supervised by pro
bation officer Roger Haynie
In another case relating to
marijuana, a jury found
Michael Metcalf not guilty of
manufacturing the controlled
substance /
Dodson: Sewer Project Will Bring Jobs
in t hf near future. The TVA Is
working with sis to slop the
leaks. but that's n the < Hilt
answer the first tern
tofcl Th< News
that Mar
shall cannot aflord to fund ,
town : at line.
The town can't tUwnn ?
M*
now ft ? crime rata |
ceem tohavvgone ig> over the
put two years
if end ite grants
vallabte to fund the
poluc fortr>
ravor t? establishing th
first term
lie
member foresees industry
coming to Marshall in the
ed very promising."
Dodaon said that the town
would proceed with recom
mend*: improvement! to
Town Hall and the Water
Dipt, bu
Lift pla. : and that
I* and M brother Doug,
k
The court continued until
the Nov. 28 session of Superior
Court, charges of manufactur
ing a controlled substance
against Joe Balding, William
Cutshall, Jr., Auvery Fender
and Vardon Cody. Fender is
also charged with possession
with intent to sell controlled
substances The charges were
also continued until the Nov.
28 session
The court accepted a volun
tary dismissal of charges of
damages to property against
Ben L. (iahagan
Carrie Lee Shade was found
guilty of a misdemeanor
charge of food stamp fraud.
She received a suspended
18-month sentence, five years'
supervised probation and was
ordered to make $2100 in reim
bursement. Similar charges
against Otis Shade were
Unemployment
Declines InCounty
Unemployment in Madison
County declined for the third
consecutive month in
September according to
figures released Tuesday by
the North Carolina Employ
ment Securities Commission
(ESC).
According to the figures,
Madison's Jobless rate stood
at &.? percent of the workforce
during the month, down from
August when the rate stood at
13 percent. The 5 ?
rates were recorded in 28
counties in September IMS
compared to 42 counties in
September lMt
Franklin County registered
the highest unemployment
rate, 17.7 percent, which
meant that 1, MO workers were
unemploy ed in a labor force of
10.640 Other counties with
highest unemployment rales
were Graham. 1?.7 percent;
Bladen, 14 4 percent;
Brunswick and 1 r. 14 3
percent Warren 14.2 pir