TOWN BOARD SAYS TO COUNTY BOARD
‘Give
Help; We’ll Ask Bonds’
BY JIM TAYLOR
Rattord Town Board Indicated here Monday night It will
^ iall for a 1900,000 bond Issue (or water and sewer Improve*
manta If the county will participate In the program to the ex
tent of soma $20,000 a year.
Coiaity commissioners. Invited to the special meeting at
town hall, gave little encouragement to the proposal at the
time. However, they were asked to vote on the request at
their next meeting, so the town board will know how to pro
ceed from there.
The point-blank proposition came at the very end of the
meeting in which Richard Moore, consulting engineer, and
members of the town board had gone to great lengths to ex
plain the town's predicament In water and sewer problems.
In a nutshell, they told county commissioners the town and
county either has to provide some $1.3 million In water and
sewer Improvements, or cease to grow.
Worse than that, they said, the town and county will be re
tarded, because present facilities will not long serve exist
ing needs.
The town's new sewage disposal plant, completed two vears
ago, la badly overtaxed, largely because of Increased water
use by Burlington industries and Raeford Turkey Farms.
Water use creates waste, of course, and It Is the sewage
disposal plant’s Inability to handle more waste that has put
the town In a bind.
Burlington Industries, for example, uses about 1 million
gallons of water a day and discharges about that amount of
waste Into the sewage system.
Raeford Turkey Farms uses a similar amount of water
and creates a corresponding amount of waste, Moore said.
Without the needed Improvements, It Is likely that state
authorities will give the town permission to add any new cus
tomers to the overtaxed system.
That would eliminate adding the county’s new elementary
school, now under construction off Bethel Road.
It would prohibit the annexation of any new areas, and. In
fact, areas newly annexed would have to be de-annexed be
cause they could not be supplied water and sewer facilities.
No new Industry could be added (and a new Industry Is con
sidering building a factory here), nor could existing Industry
expand.
Raeford Turkey Farms Is contemplating an expansion pro
gram (or this year which would cost some $250,000. It would
add tremendously to the water and sewage load, however,
board members told county commissioners.
“Why not run one line to take care of the new school?’’
asked County Commissioner Ralph Barnhart.
The line would cost $120,000, he was told, and would b«
useless, because the treatment plant wouldn’t be able to
process the additional sewage.
A new south outfall Is planned In the Improvement project.
It would cost some $260,000 and serve the new school and
residential areas to the south and west of town.
Another new outfall Is projected from Burlington Industries
plants north of town to the treatment plant. That, plus the
south outfall and Improvements to the treatment plant, would
cost In the neighborhood of $1.3 million.
If action Is taken Immediately to cal. the bond referendum,
the project would make the April 1 deadline for a state prior
ity list used In getting federal participation.
The town would then be eligible for 30 per cent partici
pation by the federal government, or about $400,000, leaving
$900,000 to be covered by local bonds.
To repay the bonds without county participation would re
quire a 20-cent per $100 valuation Increase In town taxes and
an 80 per cent Increase In water bills.
Minimum water bill. Included a 20 per cent sewage sur
tax, Is $3.24. The average Is about $6, according to Town
Manager Ed Williams.
The proposed Increases would raise the minimum to $4.29
and the average to $9.60.
Town commissioners contend that tfte rQ^uy beaeflu as
much or more than does the town from d>e tadustnee served
by Its water and sewer lines.
Burlington Industries pays no town taxes, they saM, and the
county gets all the ad valorem benefits from the two plasts.
Both Burlington Industries and Raeford Turkey Farms pay
16 rents per 1,000 gallons fot water. Like private clUzeos,
they pay 20 per cent of that amotxtt additional for sewer ta-
cllltles.
Palmer \Alllcox, town commissioner, said at Monday night’s
meeting the town board didn’t call (or commissioners to meet
with them to directly ask for financial assistance.
'■We just wanted to acquaint you with the problem, and If
you could find a way to help us, we'd appreciate it,’’ he said.
Representing the county board were commissioners Barn
hart, John Balfour, Tom McBryde and A ebb. Commlsskm
chairman T. C. Jones was not present.
At the end of the session, Barnhart called (or a direct pro
posal.
“I want you to give us your pr(X)osltion,’’ he said. "There
Is no question but the new school has to have ^.ater and sewer,
so lay It on the line.’’ he said.
"It’s this simple,’’ replied Town Commissioner McNeill.
"You promise us a third of the ‘non-tax’ furds, and we’ll
call for the bond Issue.’’
Don’t
Call It
ABC Cash
All Town Wants
Is Part Of t
The town board has been
wrestling with the water and
sewer problem for more dian
a year. In fact, one year ago,
it tried to get a federal grant
for half the cost through the
Economic Development Act, but
failed to qualify.
lo the intervening 12 months,
estimated costs have gone up
12 per cem, Moore said.
At Its regular meeting Feb
ruary 6, the town board passed
^ a resolution asking Rep. Neill
McFadyen to Introduce a local
bill In die General Assembly
to grant the twon one-third of
the proceeds from the local
ABC store.
That resolution got a chilly
reception from county commls-
* sloners, and from McFayden,
who said he could not In good
conscience introduce the leg
islation unless the county board
of commissioners agreed.
*1f there is a d^agreemhnt
as to how the money should be
——appropriated, it Should be set-
tM at the local lewl, and not
in the General Assembly," Mc
Fadyen said. "As soon as the
two boards have agreed among
themselves how they want the
prohls distributed. I will be
glad to introduce any legisla
tion they request jolntiy."
Privately, many citizens
hooted at the town board's re
quest, saying that when the ABC
store was approved by voters,
it had to be built In the county
^ rather than in town because
a town ordinance forbids the
sale of liquor Inside the town
limits.
Town commissioners said,
however, that die town board
never took action prohibiting the
^ establishment of the store in
side the town limits.
"We requested one-third of
the ABC profits because we
tiiought that might be one source
of funds the county could share
with us," Commissioner JJ).
McMlllian said. "If the county
can provide an equal amount
of money from another source,
we’d be very happy to receive
It"
At Monday night’s special
meeting of the town board.
County Commissioner J.A.
Webb said it was regrettable
that the town specifically re
quested ABC money.
See DON'T CALL, Page 9
Balloon Sale
* Rained Out
A balloon aale in connection
with the current Heart Fund
^ campaign In Raeford and Hoke
County was rained out last Fri
day and Saturday and will be
held this Friday and Saturday,
officials of the drive reported.
Members of Hoke High
School’s Beta Club will sell
the balloons on downtown
streets. Other (und-ralslng
activities are reported In an
other stor>' on Page 3.
Scott Trial
Is Scheduled
The trial of Johnny Scott,
19, of Shannon was expected
to be called Wednesday after
noon In District Court here.
Judge D.B. Herring was pre
siding.
Young Scott (aces a series of
chsrgss In connection with an
m Incident here about Jsunary 1 In
which State Highway Patrolman
J.D, Robinson charged Scott
forced him off the street during
a wild chase through the south
section of Raeford.
* The Ntws-Journal went to
press before the case was call
ed, but a complete report will
appear In next week’s edition.
- journal
The Hoke County News- Established 1928
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXl NUMBER 41
RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
10# PER COPY
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1967
Boards Request
John McNair Agrees
To Widening NC 211
I
$
«
I
EDWARD ROBINSON, LEFT, MODELS NEW UNIFORM FOR DIRECTOR JIMMY JAMES
Band Uniform Fund
Passes Halfway Mark
S loko High School band uniform campaign
» passed the halfway mark yesterday when
contributions reached almost $4,000.
Goal In the campaign to raise money for
^ 70 band uniforms Is $6,000. Each uniform
costs $87.86.
Mrs. Edmund Murray, Mrs. Ralph Barn-
hart and Mrs. Carlton Niven are heading
:¥ the project. Solicitation of business estab-
llshments and Individuals has provided most
of the proceeds.
With a great many canvasses Incomplete,
g the campaign passed the 43-unlform mark.
That money already Is In the bank. Other
pledges Indicate the goal may be reached
^|: by the end of the month If individual con-
^ tributtons hold up to expectation,
g; This week, a model of the uniform the
band selected arrived and was modeled for
band members. It Is being put on public
display In the show window of Niven’s Ap-
pUance and Furniture Company.
A signboard showing progress In the drive,
g as well as a list of contributors to the drive,
ilso Is being arranged In the window.
§ The campaign was launched here earlier
this month after a great many Interested
citizens decried the situation concerning
uniforms for the high school band.
Three years ago, the band consisted of
one or two performers who half hid them
selves In the stands at football games and
emitted trumpet renditions of the old caval
ry "charge" bugle call.
Then, thehlgh schoolhlred Jimmie James,
then band director at St, Pauls High School.
In three years, James built the high school
band to 70 members and Inaugurated a pro
gram of elementary school band activities
which will assure recruits for the high school
band for years to come.
Earlier this year, the band was Invited to
the University of North Carolina to partici
pate in band day activities there. Lacking
formal uniforms, each band member was
dressed In white shirt, dark trousers, "Mex
ican" straw hat, and a saddle blanket piece
of goods that passed as a serape.
Rain washed out the scheduled perfor
mance of high school bands during halftime
of that Saturday’s football game. Raeford
band members expressed delight that they
didn't have to perform^ apoarently because
See BAND, Page 3
New Width
Will Be
24 Feet
Hoke and Moore county com
missioners extracted a promise
from the district's state
highway commissioner here
Tuesday to widen N.C. 211 to
24 feet In width between Raeford
and Aberdeen.
John McNair of Laurinburg,
the commissioner, met with
members of the two boards at
a special gathering in the county
courthouse.
A contract already had been
awarded to resurface the road
from the Hoke-Robeson line to
Aberdeen. Following his de
cision here Tuesday, McNair
contacted state highway officials
and arranged to have the re
surfacing contract withdrawn
and bids re-submitted for March
letting. That move won the
approval of the company which
had been awarded the resurfac
ing contract.
The improvements also will
Include re-routing the highway
at McCain. The new section
of the road will run behind the
state sanatorium there. A sepa
rate contract was awarded for
that project some time earlier
and work is already under way.
At their February meeting,
Hoke County commissioners
passed a resolution to ask Mc
Nair to recommend the widen
ing project At that time, they
were told by Jim Fout, manager
of the local chamber of
commerce, that If the resur-
See NC 211, Page 9
T
w
/
wEARrj
TO SAVE A LIFE—These women didn’t wait until Heart Sunday to make a start on the door-
to-door canvass for the 1967 Heart Fund drive. Here, they call for Mrs. Ralph Barnhart’s
contribution. Making the canvass are Mrs. Harry McLean, Heart Fund chairman, and Mrs.
Ed Murray. Little Susan McLean lends a helping hand by carrying the revealing sign. Funds
collected will go toward research In an effort to combat diseases of the heart and circulatory
system.
County Health Officer Says
He Locked Out Of Plant
Town Board Names Six-Man Team
To Survey Local Housing Needs
A six-man commission to
study housing needs In Raeford
and suburbs has been appointed
by the town board.
The appointments were made
Thursday night at an adjourned
meeting of the board, held pri
marily to consider the town’s
pressing water and sewer
needs.
Named to the group were Fred
Culbreth, chairman, James
Wood. Benny McLeod, W. L.
Howell Jr., Bill Moses and
Jlmtwy Sinclair.
Alternates are Robert Gat
lin, Lonnie Bledsoe and Walter
Coley, In that order.
The commission has been In
structed to survey the housing
situation In Raeford and con
tiguous areas and to report Its
findings, without recommenda
tions, at a public hearing to
be set for a future date.
The move Is In response to
a petition by 123 Interested
citizens asking the town board
to establish a Raeford Housing
■Authority to construct and ad
minister some 100 low-rent
dwelling units.
When the petition was pre
sented at the board's Febtuarj
meeting, action was deferred
until the special meeting last
Thursday night. .At that time,
Franklin Teal made a motion
to establish the study group.
Town Commissioner J. D. Mc
Mlllian nominated four of the
five regular members and two
of the three alternates.
Under the proposal, the town
board would create the housing
authority and there Us respon
sibility and authority would end.
The housing authority would
be empowered to Issue 40-year
bonds, which would be guaran
teed by the Federal Housing Au
thority, to construct the dwell
ing units.
When completed, the housing
would be available to low-in-
come families on the basis of
need. Rent would be inpropor-
tlon to the family's Income,
and In all cases, lower than
comparable housing would cost
If rented Irom private owners.
A director would be employed
to supervise theproject and col
lect rentals. His pay, set by
tradition, would be $4per month
per unit.
In lieu of taxes, the town
and county would share on an
equitable basis 10 per cent of
the annual rental Income.
The town and county would
be responsible for none of the
bonds, nor would they Incur any
expenses other than providing
normal services, such as water
and sewer, police and lire pro
tection, and street lighting.
Cost of any streets in the
project presumably would be
at the expense of the housing
authority.
It would not be necessary to
build all 100 units In one de
velopment, leaders of the peti
tioning group explained. They
might be built in groups ot 10,
or even 25 or more.
The housing authority would
have complete control o.er as
signment to housing units, thej
See SIX-MAN, Pa^e 9
BY JIM TAYLOR
Hoke County’s health officer.
Dr. Harry H, McLean, com
plained after a Monday night
meeting of Raeford Town Board
that he was "floored’’ by the
reception he received when he
went before the board'wlth sug
gestions as to how the town
might save hundreds of thou
sands of dollars In dealing with
Its current sewer and water
problems.
"It was the first public meet
ing I had ever been Invited to
leave," Dr. McLean said after
ward.
He appeared before the board,
he said, In a dual capacity.
1. As a taxpayer of the Town
of Raeford who was concerned
because his tax rate and water
bill are about to be increased,
"perhaps unnecessarily."
2. As Hoke County Health Of
ficer, hired presumably be
cause of his special qualifica
tions, whose recommendations
have been Ignored.
‘‘The latter specification ex
ists to the extent that I had to
threaten court action to get Into
the Raeford sewage treatment
plant after I had been locked
out," he said.
"More than the county not
being Interested In the town’s
water and sewer problems, I
was sent at county expense to
Houston, Texas, (last May) to
the convention of the Southern
Division, American Public
Health Association, one day
early to study the City of Hous
ton’s activated sludge sewage
disposal system," Dr. McLean
told the board.
When he returned, he said,
he gave the county board of
health and Raeford town board
a report stating that a possibil
ity existed that certain modifi
cations to the town’s sewage
treatment plant might-.astly in
crease Its capacity and capabil
ities at a fraction of the cost
now anticipated.
Dr. McLean said later that if
the Housl'jn procedure -- -labe
followed here, the problem
might be solved tor $50,000 in
stead of the some $800,000 an
ticipated In present plans.
"I want to stress that I have
always said ‘might’ and that the
possibility exists, rather than
that will work," he later said.
He said he told the l»oardthat
to the best of his knowledge,
It had never considered his
recom mendations.
P
y
y
DR. HARRY H. MclE.A.N
‘•At that pemt, Commissioner
J. K. McNeill told me they had
cal.ed m the State Board of
Health and they .the state Board)
told them .the town board) I
didn't know what 1 was taUtUix
about."
Ur. McLean produced Wed-
tce DR. McLEA.V. Pe^ »