Newspapers / The News-Record (Marshall, N.C.) / March 10, 1988, edition 1 / Page 1
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The NEWS RECORD ' Serving Madison And Northern Buncombe Counties No- 10 Thursday, March 10. 1988 2?e Gore, Bush Win In Madison, Buncombe From Staff Reports Voters in Madison and northern Buncombe counties overwhelmingly endorsed U.S. Sen. Albert Gore and Vice President George Bush in balloting in the "Super Tuesday" presidential primary. In Madison County, Democrats gave Gore a whopping 60 percent of the vote, while Democrats in nor thern Buncombe precincts (Weaver ville 1 and 2, Flat Creek, Reems Creek, French Broad and Ivy 1 and 2) gave the Tennessee senator 54 per cent of the vote. On the Republican side, Bush claimed 61 percent of the vote cast in Madison County and 51 percent in northern Buncombe County. Those primary election returns, unofficial until Thursday's canvass, echo the results of balloting across North Carolina. Gore was the winner, across the state, taking 35 percent of the vote. The Rev. Jesse Jackson finished a close second, with 33 percent of those going to the polls picking Jackson. Jackson did not fare as well in predominantly white Western North Carolina, however, finishing a distant third in both Madison and northern Buncombe. In Madison, Jackson col lected only 9 percent of the vote, < while he could get only 8 percent in northern Buncombe precincts. t Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis finished second on the Democratic ballot in WNC, claiming 19 percent of the vote in Madison County and 29 percent in northern Buncombe. Dukakis could only do as ~ well as third in the state, however, with 12 percent. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day came on the Republican side of the ballot, where U.S. Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas finished a disappointing se cond in the state. Western North Carolina voters also followed that trend. According to unofficial tallies, only 40 percent of Republican voters across North Carolina picked Dole. Madison Republicans gave Dole 30 percent of the vote and northern Bun combe Republicans gave him 31 per cent. Dole, whose wife, Elizabeth, is from North Carolina, had hoped to win the state. Another surprise for the Republican Party was the poor show ing of former television evangelist Pat Robertson, who could collect only 10 percent of the Republican votes :ast in North Carolina. Robertson supporters had expected heir candidate to do better in the "Bible Belt" areas. In Madison and northern Bun combe counties, Robertson finished in third place with 5 percent of the vote in Madison and 10 percent in Buncombe. Voter turnout ill both Madison and Buncombe counties was light, with an -Continued on back page Madison County Sheriff Dedrick Brown, right, and finance officer Ralph Rice discuss proposed cutbacks in the sheriffs depart BILL STUDENC PHOTO ment with the Madison County Board of Commissioners. Weaverville Official Considers Resignation I By BILL STUDENC Editor To resign, or not to resign. That is the question now facing Ann William*, one of the newest members of the Weaverville Town Council. Williams last week announced that she intended to resign from the council after serving for only three months. But this week Williams safd she has been contacted by a number of people urging her to reconsider her resignation. "I have had several people call me, come by the house and stop me on the streets asking me not to resign," she said Tuesday. "At this time, I don't know what to tell you." Williams has typed up a letter of resignation to submit to town of ficials, but Weaverville Mayor Reese Lasher told her to hold onto the letter, she said. Lasher could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Williams said she is uncertain exactly what she will do now. "It was a hard decjgou to make, -Con timed on page Ann WUHami on resignation Mars Hill Gels ? A I PONDER SUff Writer I The Mars Hill Board of Aldermen | discussed the annexation of several housing developments during Mod day'a meeting, but took no action Hk first annexa request was presented by Cliff and Diane Schom met of Mars Hill who would like to ?ff East View Drive to build M single family dwellings The;. Arpm approached the town Plann ing Board and has agreed to split the coat of the work. If the town will pro vide the piping, then Arpin Construe (ion will do the ground work that ia in voiveo The final annexation request was brought to the board by J.F Robin son, who said iee a new housing at he meeting and until the cost of the pro Jects can be determined Another matter on the agenda was the approval of a proposed Tennswse Valley Authority pilot program The TV A pilot program is designed to help the economic development of poor areas. 11k program could help vrHh job creation and income Budget Problems May Force Deputy Cutbacks By BILL STUDENC Editor Sheriff Dedrick Brown got some good news and some bad news Mon day from the Madison County Board of Commissioners. First the good news: The commis sioners agreed to allocate another $46,000 to the Madison County Sheriffs Department, a move that will enable the department to con tinue operations through the end of the year. Now, the bad news: Despite the ad ditional $46,000 allocation. Brown will have to initiate some drastic depart- , mental cutbacks - perhaps including decreasing the number of deputies from four to two. The budget amendment -- unanimously approved after a lengthy and lively discussion between Brown, the commissioners, county attorney Larry Leake and finance of ficer Ralph Rice - also meant some bad news for the county commis sioners. The extra $46,000 allocated to the sheriff's department wilf come from the county's already-depleted contingency fund, and will leave com missioners with only 12,000 for use in case of emergency. ? The reason for the additional ap propriation is that the sheriff's department, as of March l, had spent $177,474.59 of $189,129 originally budgeted for county law enforce ment. "Now there is $11,000 left from the original budget," Rice said. "That's not enough to meet the March payroll." If Brown continues spending at the same rate he has been for the first eight months of the fiscal year, he will have spent $265,000 - $75,871 more than originally allocated and $38,000 more than Brown's requested budget of $227,000, Rice said. Commissioners said the county simply does not have enough money to allow Brown to continue spending at that rate. "Here's the problem," said Com missioner Reese Steen. "We wish we -Continued on back page Appointed Tax Collector To Be Studied By County By BILL 8TUDENC Editor Madison County Commissioner Reese Steen suggested Monday that county officials seek legislative ac tion changing the way school board members and the county tax collector arc selected. Steen, during the monthly meeting of the Madison County Board of Com miss toners, suggested that the county consider asking the General Assembly to change the Madison County Board of Education to a non partisan body. Currently, school board members are selected in a par ttoaa election, with Republicans and Democrats running for school board I 1 seats. Steen also suggested that the com missioners look into making the coun ty tax collector an appointed, rather than elected, position. That move could result in a higher tax collection percentage, he said. He told fellow Commissioners Robert Capps and John Hensiey that he was making suggestions and not asking for their official approval. "I am not making a motion, but I will at a future meeting," he said. "I want to give you time to study this." Steen has been a vocal supporter of changing the way members of the school board are selected. He has fre quently called for the election of school board members on a non partisan basis as a way to remove politics from the school system and improve the educational process New was Steen's suggestion that commissioners seek legislative ac tion enabling the commissioners to appoint the county tax collector, who is now elected every two years in a countywkle election. "As you gentlemen are aware, we are constantly asked why we can't collect taxes. How many meetings have we had where people demanded that we collect back taxes?" Steen asked -Cootiiwed an tack page ?i WMMH Seeks $ 20*000 From Marshall [ ? Ml ????I ay while laying a wait bypau a 50,000-gatton reservoir The town hav a righi of way to town Unda Dotbon
The News-Record (Marshall, N.C.)
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March 10, 1988, edition 1
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