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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXIX NUMBER 8 RAEFORD. HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA
~ journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY. JUNE 23. 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
As this column is being written
l uesday morning, it is the first dav
of summer, but from the hot
weather over the past few days it
seems that the calendar was wrong.
The rain Monday night was
welcomed as it had become dry in
many places in the county.
I am not sure it rained all over
the county, for it was reported a
difference of from 4 to 5 tenths of
an inch in Raeford alone Sunday
atternoon. It was according to what
side of the city you lived at as to
now much rain you received.
Anyway the forecast is for
? continued warm weather. Yes
summer is here.
? ? *
* _ T|?c following letter from J.W.
1 urlington, principal of Raeford
elementary School is appreciated.
Dear Sam:
Let me again express our
appreciation to you and your staff
for the continued support and
cooperation with us here at Raeford
tlementary School.
It is so good to know that when
we ask you for help, in any way that
you can, that we will get it.
This cooperation has been going
on for years. If anything, it gets
better rather than deteriorating as
so many of these associations do.
c? fhank you and the
taff of The News-Journal for your
working with us. Have a delightful
summer, all of you.
Yours truly,
James W. Turlington
tl i .. Principal
Ihanks Jim for the nice letter
and we hope that this type of
association will continue for years
to come.
? ? ?
Dick and Jessie Neeley returned
last week from an extended trip to
the western part of the United
Mates that included Salt Lake City
and the Canyons of Utah. They
reported a fine trip except for most
Motels were full and Dick said if
you were going on a trip to make
reservations ahead.
Neeley was also telling of an
experience that happened while on
the trip. He and Jessie had stopped
at a lookout spot at Canyonland.
Utah and were admiring the
scenery when they noticed that the
small car parked next to them had
North Carolina license plates on it.
According to Dick, a young man
soon approached the auto and
noticed that his car had N.C. plates
and stopped to talk with Jessie and
him. The man asked them where
they were from in North Carolina
and Dick replied. " a small town
that you wouldn't know about "
Then Dick told him Raeford and
started to say as we all do. "next to
Ft. Bragg."
The young man said he had been
to Raeford many times and asked if
Dick knew Bubba Dickson. Of
* course you know what Dick's
answer was, Yes!
"Hie young man was Leslie Todd,
a free lance photographer who
t roomed at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill with Bubba
Dickson and John Morris, both of
whom are from Raeford,
I told Dick that this young man
certainly knew where Raeford was.
and after living for a year with
Paul s son and my boy. he might
know more than we did about the
town.
Anyway. Dick said this was a
small world.
While on the subject about the
Neeleys. John Ropp asked Jessie if
Dick came back with her last
Sunday morning. I believe he
meant to say would she let him
come back with her.
? * ?
The Democrats met last Sat
urday and elected new officers for
the next two years. The meeting
was very orderly, and everyone left,
still Democrats and awaiting the
next election.
Cotton Blooms
Coantjr con mini oner John
Balfour produced the wmoh'i lint
cotton bloom Monday night.
?allow told they woio picked on
bl? hm on? day last week. He
?polagUed for not allowing then
?oo?er to they could bo photo
Iv?
SHADE ? Wendy Wood seeks a bit of cool shade in a concrete pipe.
She apparently thought the cross ventilation was fine. [Photo bv
S.H. Aplin |
7% Pay Raises
Slated F or City
The proposed 1977-78 city bud
get contains seven per cent pay
increases for nearly all city em
ployees except the mayor and the
city council members.
Listed below are the proposed
annual salaries for city department
supervisors with the current salary
in parentheses. (The higher figure
also reflects a Christmas bonus)
City manager -- SI 6,830
($15,000)
Public works supervisor ?
512,096 ($10,800)
Municipal garage supervisor --
$9,243 ($8,403)
Chief of police ? $12,179
($10,972)
Full-time fire chief -- $10,882
($9,984)
Streets department supervisor ?
$11,659 ($10,599)
Tax collector -- $8,244 ($7,4%)
Water and sewer department
supervisor - $12,210 ($11,000)
A public hearing on the proposed
new budget is scheduled June 27 at
7:30 p.m. in city hall. The 1977-78
budget will be formally adopted at
that time.
Buie Firm Awarded
Ambulance Contract
Pilot Sues City
In Hanger Dispute
The owner of a flying school at
Raei'ord Municipal Airport which
closed for business last month has
filed a lawsuit against the city in
District Court here.
The suit, filed June 15, was
brought by Paul Rose, owner of
Raeford Aviation, and requests
$15,000 for the market value of a
hangar which Rose alleges belongs
to him and the city has refused to
let him move.
The complaint alleges that the
city terminated its lease agreement
with Rose for the airport property
on June 2 because the plaintiff
defaulted on the agreement. The
following day, the complaint
alleges. Rose notified the city he
would move the hangar and at that
time the city told him the hangar
constituted real property of the city
and he could not take it.
The plaintiff contends that the
hangar was built with the approval
of the city under the provisions of
his lease and therefore is not a
permanent part of the property.
Rose signed a three year lease
with the city in 1974 to rent a
section of the airport for $60
monthly for a Fixed base operation.
City manager Robert Drumwright
said Rose was four months behind
in the rent as of the end of May and
the city decided to terminate the
lease.
The city manager said that Rose
had not received prior approval for
the construction of the hangar and
that in his opinion it belongs to the
city.
Rose, who is represented by
Raeford attorney Warren L. Pate,
is one of several figures in the
highly - publicized Fayetteville
pornography and prostitution case.
Rose was charged May 16 by
Fayetteville police with transport
ing women for the purpose of
prostitution in connection with a
flight made to Syracuse, N.Y. He is
scheduled to be tried on the
misdeamnor count this month.
Rose and three other men were
arrested following an investigation
into the activities of a modeling
school which allegedly was used to
recruit women for prostitution.
Planning Board Nixes
Central Ave. Rezoning
After receiving a petition with 20
names in oppostion, the Raeford
Planning Board turned down a
request to rezone a piece of
property at Central Ave. and Bethel
Rd. from residential to com
mercial.
Meeting June 14, the board's
action nixes an application from
Bobby Carter to make offices out of
an existing building.
According to the minutes, W.B.
and Eula Lunsford, the Rev. P.O.
Lee and his wife Helen, Berder and
Margaret Niven, Louise Wright.
Bennie Kelly, Joe and Helen
Dupree. Julian Wright, Hugh
Lowe. Bobby Smith and Harold
Gillis were present. Niven pre
sented the petition to the board
members.
Opponents of the rezoning cited
noise, decreased property valuation
and parking and traffic problems
in arguing against the change.
Carter said that when he
purchased the lot, litter was a
problem and the grass needed
cutting. He said that offices in the
area would be an improvement and
that property values should not be
affected.
In other business, the board
approved plans for a new sub
division requested by Tom Cam
eron. Cameron plans to construct
homes where the old airport was
located north of the city with
minimum prices at 524,000,
according to the minutes. Name of
the housing development is
Oakland.
The board agreed to change its
regular meetings from the second
Tuesday to the fourth Tuesday of
each month. Meeting time is 8 p.m.
Executive Committeeman
Calls For More Party Support
The newly elected representative
to the state Democratic executive
committee caused somewhat of a
stir during Saturday's biannual
county convention at the court
house as he began attacking party
apathy and pointed out to the
assembly that only two of the
county's elected officials were in
attendance at the convention.
Longtime Democratic partyman,
Ralph Plummer had begun what
appeared to be an acceptance
speech for his executive committee
post when he began to harangue on
I ' l
the dwindling interest on the part
of registered Democrats.
"It's a shame when we can't get
enough people to hold a precinct
meeting without going out and
having to recruit people to bring
the total to ten," he said.
Pointing out that for many years
tho general concensus had been
that no Republican could ever be
elected senator or governor of the
state of North Carolina, he said
that lack of interest on the part of
Democrats in the state paved the
PARTY CHAIRMAN - Hoke County's newly ? elected Democratic party
chairman Ken McNeill shows how he keeps a cool head under the pressure
of political life. McNeill. 51. a farmer and businessman, was chosen by
acclamation to lead the party here for the next two years during Saturday s
county convention. \Photo by S.H. Aplin)
way for the 1972 Republican victory
of Holshouser and Helms.
Plummer noted that of about
5.000 registered Democrats only 65
attended the convention. Of the
elected officials only Judge Joseph
Dupree and Clerk of Court Juanita
Edmund were in attendance Satur
day.
"Why should we be surprised at
anything that happens in Raleigh
or in the Capitol when we can't
even get support on this level?" he
said. "Too many people have been
taking things for granted."
Business
During the business portion of
the convention. Hoke Democrats
voted to give state Insurance Com
missioner John Ingram a vote of
confidence. The vote comes at a
time when the state Senate insur
ance committee is studying an
industry-backed bill which would
cut some of Ingram's ratemaking
authority. The measure is expected
to come before the Senate this
week.
Ken McNeill was elected to
succeed outgoing party chairman
Sam C. Morris. Other officers
elected include Mildred Odom.
first vice chairman; Dorothy Far
row. second vice chairman; Doro
thy Johnson, third vice chairman;
Sarah Leach, secretary; and Ralph
Huff, treasurer.
A motion requiring the county
party chairman to announce parti
culars of meetings seven days prior
to the meeting was approved by the
convention.
C of C New Budget
Still Hinges On City
The Raeford-Hoke Chamber of
Commerce has drawn up a $30,000
operating budget for the coming
fiscal year which includes a $4,000
subsidy from the city, although the
continued participation of the city
is still in some doubt.
The proposed Chamber budget
was presented to city council
members last week. On a 3-2 vote,
the council refused to authorize the
funding without knowing how the
$4,000 would be spent.
The Chamber estimates $30,000
in revenue -- $10,000 from mem
bership dues, $9,000 from auto
licensing fees, $7,000 from the
county government and the $4,000
from the city government.
On the estimated expenditures
side, the total amounts to $29,450.
The Chamber manager's annual
salary has been raised from $8,000
to $10,000 in the proposed budget.
Chamber officials announced
that the Chamber will continue to
operate the Division of Motor
Vehicles licensing office and a
five-member study committee will
make recommendations on increas
ing efficiency.
Earlier this year, the Chamber
directors considered a suggestion to
close down the office when the
current contract expires June 30.
The county commissioners un
animously approved the $7,000
request last week. The city council
is expected to make a final discision
on the city's share during the next
budget meeting on June 27.
Board
OK's Log
Loading
Yard
The Zoning Board of Adjust
ments authorized a conditional use
permit to allow a timber loading
operation at the Aberdeen &
Rockfish Railroad yard after decid
ing that a fence must be built to
block the view from Main St.
According to the minutes of its
June 13 meeting, the application
requested by John R. Calloway and
the A&R was approved for a period
of 18 months providing that a fence
eight feet high and approximately
150 feet in length be constructed.
No existing streets would be
blocked by the operation. Calloway
told the board.
According to the minutes, the
board members and a group of
interested citizens went down to the
railroad yard for a first-hand look
during the evening.
In other business, the board
approved a request for a mobile
home sales office on Harris Ave.
over the objections of one citizen.
Lud Hales, operator of Bargain
Motors on Harris Ave., requested
permission to sell mobile homes
and maintain a mobile office on the
Bargain Motors property. Mrs. Iris
Davis spoke out against the plan.
The application was approved
subject to the city ordinance of that
district (C-2).
The meeting adjourned at 10:20
p.m.. according to the minutes.
The county awarded the ambu
lance service contract for fiscal year
1977-78 to Buie's Ambulance Ser
vice which submitted a low bid of
$25,000.
County commissioners opened
the bids Monday night. The cur
rent contract holder. Harris Ambu
lance Service, put in a bid of
$36,300. "Hie Harris firm received
527,000 in this fiscal year.
Tony Buie, who is an owner of
Buie Funeral Home on Vass Rd.,
told commissioners that even with
the $25,000 subsidy, he expects a
loss of $29,000 in the ambulance
operation, but that he has been in
the business for many years and he
figures the ambulance service will
help his funeral business.
Commissioners agreed the Buie
firm will begin the county service
July 1 provided his ambulance
meets all necessary state standards
and is radio-equipped. Commis
sioners directed county manager
T.B. Lester to make arrangments
to have the county-owned radios on
the Harris vehicles turned over to
Buie.
Board members also opened bids
on the garbage disposal service but
failed to officially award a contract
Monday night. Low bidder was
Brenner Industries of Winston
Salem. Its bid was 92 cents per
cubic year. Pickup Sanitation Ser
vice of Raeford, which currently
holds the contract, bid $1 per cubic
yard. Other bidders were Liebers
Sanitation of Favetteville, 95 cents
per cubic yard, and Mid-East
Services of Dunn, $1.05 per cubic
yard.
Hoke County commissioners
formally adopted the 1977-78 bud
get Tuesday night on a 4-1 vote.
Only commissioner Danny De
Vane voted against the budget
ordinance, arguing unsuccessfully
that the recommended pay raises
within the Department of Social
Services were too high.
DSS Director Benjamin Niblock,
one of about 16 citizens attending
the budget hearing, sparred with
DeVane in an exchange at one
point which ended when Niblock
told him "he knew nothing about
the Department."
The adoption of the new budget
means that county taxpayers will
pay 92 cents per Si 00 of property
valuation next year, an increase of
three cents.
Also Tuesday night, the board
formally awarded the solid waste
disposal contract to Brenner Indus
tries of Winston-Salem on a bid of
92 cents per cubic yard. The firm
currently serfices Robeson County.
The board voted to hike county
manager T.B. Lester's salary by
SI, 225, instead of the $750 he
requested, at the urging of De
Vane.
Lester will now receive 516,975
yearly.
Lester said the board agreed to
delay the award at the suggestion of
commissioner Danny DeVane. who
felt the firm should be checked out
first, since the board had ordered a
check on the Lieber firm, also.
In other business, the board
heard a revised budget request
from Sandhills Mental Health Cen
ter regarding a plan outlined earlier
to establish a mental health clinic
in Raeford separate from the public
health center.
V. Paul McDonald, unit director
of SMHC, said the agency could
rent office space in the Campus
Ave. medical arts building owned
by Dr. Riley M. Jordan for $6,000 a
year.
McDonald said the agency could
also use C.E.T.A. funds for a
full-time secretary, which would
reduce the budget request by
another $8,000, and he had also
deleted $6,000 from the proposal
for equipment outlay.
The new total requested in
county contributions is $28,950, an
increase of $1,950 over this year's
contribution.
Commissioners directed Lester to
make the change in the budget to
cover the Sandhills request.
The SMHC original plan had
been to rent a home on Palmer St.
Mun(t Parlor*
County Atty. Charles Hostetler,
who delayed the meeting nearly 45
minutes by his late arrival, present
ed a six-page ordinance regulating
(See BUIE FIRM. Page 15)