Refers To N-J Editorial, School Superintendent's Column
Balfour Replies To Water
System, Finance Statements
An editorial in The News-Journal
and statements made by a News
Journal column written by Hoke
County Schools Supt. Raz Autry
drew the following replies in writing
this week from John Balfour,
chairman of the Board of Hoke
County Commissioners.
As suggested in an editorial in
the February 25, 1982 edition of
The News-Journal , the Hoke
County Board of Commissioners
would like to provide the following
information for publication in an
effort to inform the citizens of Hoke
County about the proposed county
water system and the 1974 bond
issue for school improvements.
PROPOSED COUNTY WATER
SYSTEM:
The Commissioners believe the
need for the proposed water system
is two-fold, as was correctly sug
gested in the editorial:
1. To provide a readily available
source and adequate supply of
water for future industrial growth
in the county. Industrial growth is
needed not only for the additional
jobs that would be available to the
unemployed, but it also would
increase the taxable value of pro
perty (tax base) as well. An increase
in the tax base would generate
additional tax revenues which
could be used to make improve
ments to the schools, provide other
county services, or to decrease the
tax rate.
2. To allow those property
owners near the proposed water
distribution lines to replace their
dependence on private wells with a
more reliable and sate source of
water.
It should be pointed out that the
Board of Commissioners has taken
only a few of the preliminary steps
which will be necessary to get this
matter to the point of allowing the
citizens of the county to decide
whether or not there is, in fact, a
public need for a water system. In
order to reach that point, the Board
of Commissioners must call a bond
referendum. On the date of the
bond referendum the citizens will
have an opportunity to vote "for"
or "against" authorizing the sale of
approximately 5800,000. of Gen
eral Obligation Bonds including
the authority to levy a tax. if
necessary, to pay the principal and
interest on those bonds. If the
referendum is approved, the funds
raised from the sale of these bonds
would be used to pay for the
non-state and non-federal share ot
the cost of the proposed water
system.
It should be further pointed out
that in North Carolina there are no
known cases of a county having to
levy a tax in order to pay the
principal and interest on a county
water bond issue, because the w ater
user charges have been sufficient to
pay the operating and debt retire
ment costs. We believe that a w ater
system should also be self
supporting in Hoke County and
that the charges to water users
would generate enough revenue to
pay the operating and debt re
tirement costs. However, this will
depend upon the number of water
users who are interested in tapping
on to the proposed system and the
amount of water used.
1974 BOND ISSUE FOR
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS
A majority of the votes cast in the
November 5. 1974 school bond
referendum did "authorize" the
sale of $1.25 million in bonds for
county school improvements.
On January b. 1975. Mr. Autry,
County School Superintendent,
met with the Board of Com
missioners and proposed that plans
be made to sell only $550,000 of the
$1,250,000 authorized.
On February 3. 1975. Mr. Autry
again met with the Board of
Commissioners and requested that
$250,000 of Revenue Sharing
Funds be allocated for school
buildings in order to reduce the
amount of bond money needed.
On February 10. 1975. Mr.
Autry met with the Board of
Commissioners and the Board
unanimously approved the sale of
$500,000 school bonds and allo
cated S250.000 of Revenue Sharing
Funds, when available, to the
school building program.
On October b. 1975. the Board
of Commissioners approved a
Resolution Providing For the Is
suance of $325,000. School Bonds
and these bonds were sold on
November 1. 1975. In the 1975-76
county budget, the Board of Com
missioners appropriated the
$250,000 of Revenue Sharing
Funds which had been authorized
on February 10. 1975.
Although some members of the
(See BALFOUR, page 13)
25
XJt
e ~t lewd
The Hoke County News - Established 1 928
VOLUME LXXIII NUMBER 45 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
?
- journal
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
$8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1982
Around
Town
BY SAMC. MORRIS
The weather last week went from
one extreme to the other. It was
over 80 degrees last Wednesday
* afternoon while I was playing golf.
w Then on Saturday it didn t get
much above freezing all day.
E.C. Duncan, who was in the
barber shop on Monday while I was
getting a haircut, asked me if
Robert Gatlin had gotten any rest
keeping up with the weather during
the past week. I couldn't give him
an answer because I haven't dis
cussed the weather with Gatlin this
^ week.. Maybe his report for the
? month of February will be in the
paper this week.
The snow on Friday really came
as a surprise to me. I had been to a
funeral in Louisburg that day and
was on the way back to Raeford
when I ran into it in Vass. By the
time we arrived in Raeford the
ground was covered. It was not
sticking on the highway and this
made me very happy.
The forecast is for 60- degree
) weather for the remainder of the
week, but after the change last
week anything can happen.
? * *
Ken Witherspoon called me
Monday and said that the Girl
Scouts were going to be putting up
signs about the United Fund later
in the day and wanted to know if
i ^someone at the office would take a
picture.
Now I don't know what the signs
are about, but I hope it means that
the United Fund drive is to be
started. I still get calls every once in
awhile from people wanting to
know if the United Fund is going to
have a drive.
The Hoke County United Fund
over the more than 25 years of
being in existence has met its goal
V , most of these years. It has done a
lot for different organizations in the
community and state and to many
individuals that were never publi
cized.
The workers are almost 100%
volunteers and very little goes to the
operation of the organization. Most
of the money that is contributed
goes to some wprthy cause. In my
estimation it is the best way to raise
money for charity.
So if the drive is to get underway
this month be sure to have your
donation ready when the volunteer
comes to see you.
? * ?
Have you registered to vote in the
upcoming primary? Have you
moved from the precinct that you
lived in since the last election?
fwThen now is the time to go to the
Reelection office on El wood Avenue
and get ready for the primary. The
books are now open and the office
is open on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday. They open at 8 a.m.
and close at 5 p.m. The clerk does
take an hour for lunch from 1 2 to 1 .
If you will be 18 years of age
before the first Tuesday in Novem
ber, then you can register and
vote in the primary.
But- remember if you don't
register, you can not VOTE.
It is important that everyone
register and vote.
? ? ?
The signs on the bank buildings
that were formerly The Bank of
RAeford are now UCB. This oc
curred over the weekend and
Monday many of the executives
^ (See AROUND TOWN, page 1 3)
n
But County Not Obligated To Accept
Water Grant Application To Be Filed
United Way Drive Set
The United Way Campaign for
Raeford and Hoke County will be
conducted between March 1 1 and
April 16. So stated Ken Wither
spoon, campaign chairman, for
1982, Tuesday.
A $20,281 goal will benefit the
following agencies he said: Girl
Scouts, Boy Scouts, Senior Cit
zens, 4-H, Children's Center,
Home Health, White Cane, Hoke
County Rescue Squad, and Hoke
County Chapter of the American
Red Cross.
Witherspoon indicated that he is
quite anxious for people to feel
good about contributing to the
United Way. He said: "Often
individuals contribute very little or
unfortunately nothing at all be
cause the agencies supported by the
United Way do not directly benefit
them.
"Individuals this year are being
challenged to look beyond their
own personal gain when contribut
ing to the United Way. Each group
brings its own special value to the
quality of life for citizens of
Raeford and Hoke County. Strong
agencies make our area an attrac
tive place in which to live."
The White Cane. Senior Citi
zens, The Children's Center and
Home Health, Witherspoon added,
provide services in particular to the
blind and elderly, the retarded, the
disabled, and the infirmed. Girl
Scouts. Boy Scouts, and 4-H are
working with our young people
upon whom the future rests. The
Red Cross provides disaster relief
as well as blood services on an
ongoing basis. The Rescue Squad
stands ready to respond when an
emergency or crisis arises. All of
Raeford and Hoke County should
feel a little more comfortable about
the future just knowing that these
agencies are available.
Active agencies and services are
going to become more important
than ever, he said. Witherspoon
encourages everyone to remember
that funds provided to these agen
cies do not come close to meeting
the value you receive from them.
"Most appropriately contribut
ing to the United Way is your good
faith effort to show your support for
these agencies," he said.
"Expanded participation by all
industries, businesses, and their
personnel is another goal of the
1982 Campaign. Sharing in the
future of Raeford and Hoke County
is a responsibility that is shared by
all.
"When someone asks you about
contributing to the United Way,
your careful consideration about
your contribution is encouraged by
Ken Witherspoon. Campaign
Chairman for 1982."
-zmm
APPRECIATION John Balfour, chairman of the Board of Hoke County'
Commissioners, presents Mrs. Lena Mae Shaw with the Resolution of
Appreciation adopted by the county commissioners in recognition of her
services to the county. She served as county jail cook from August 19, 1968.
till she retired January 31. 1982. The presentation was made Monday
morning at the commissioners monthly meeting. [Staff photo].
To Determine Need For Updating
Zoning Ordinance, Maps To Be Studied
The Raeford City Council de
cided Monday night to have the
city's zoning ordinances and maps
and subdivision regulations studied
to see whether they needed up
dating to meet future develop
ments.
Consequently action on Julian
Wright's request that Holly Park
Subdivision Section Three be ap
proved was delayed. City Manager
Ron Matthews and Public Works
Director Bill Sellars asked the
council for the extra time so the
present policy regarding who is to
pay for water, sewer and drainage
systems' installations and street
paving on this and other sub
divisions would be studied.
Matthews went to Fayetteville
Tuesday afternoon to confer with
the Fayetteville office of the State
Division of Community Planning
on the study.
The city's zoning ordinance and
maps and subdivision regulations
haven't been reviewed since they
were adopted eight years ago.
Matthews called the decision to
review tor needed changes a mile
stone for the city. He also said he
would push for adding a new
position of citv planner in the city
budget tor fiscal 1982-83. The
planner's job is being handled
currently by Sellars in addition to
his other duties.
In other business, the city
manager notified Mayor John K.
McNeill. Jr.. and the council that
the state has granted the city
$22,500 extra to help meet the
overrun on the contract for con
struction of the waste-water treat
ment plant and accessory system.
The council authorized Matthews
to accept the grant.
The extra state grant will be
added to the S90.000 in State Clean
Water Bonds monev previously
approved for the city to help with
the project. The city has been
granted $720,000 by the federal
Economic Development Adminis
tration and has set aside $40,000 in
the city budget. Last month the
council authorized sale of $58,000
in city bond anticipation notes to be
deposit to accumulate interest, for
use if needed to help pay the cost of
the waste-water treatment system.
The additional state Clean Water
Bond money was applied for after it
was found that low bids on the
general construction and electrical
work totaled $784,870. With
engineering fees, legal and ad
ministrative charges and construc
tion contingencies, the total cost
will total $945,000. The total cost
originally had been estimated at
about $900,000. The bids on the
project were opened last Sep
tember.
The council also Monday night
heard a request from owners of the
North Fulton Street site for con
struction of duplex houses and
from owners of contiguous property
that the area he annexed to the city.
The council set a public hearing on
the request for 7 p.m. April 5. the
date of the next regular meeting of
the council.
The council approved the city to
contract for $994 with the State
Department of Administration Per
sonnel Office to assist in updating
and looking at the present classifi
cation and play plan for the city's
employees. The plan hasn't been
reviewed since it was adopted four
(See COUNCIL, page 13)
19 Inches Fell
In 3 Months
Les Simpson
Hoke Tax Supervisor Resigns
Les Simpson gave the Hoke
County commissioners Monday
morning his resignation as county
tax supervisor and assistant county
manager.
He gave no reason for his action
and said he had no other job in
view at this time. Simpson turned
in his resignation in writing near
the end of the commissioners'
monthly meeting.
The commissioners voted not to
accept the resignation till they talk
ed with Simpson, tabling action till
the next meeting, which is schedul
ed for 7:30 p.m. March 15.
Simpson said that, in view of the
fact that countywide property re
evaluate is not yet complete, he
was not giving a two-weeks' notice
but left the date for his leaving up
to the commissioners.
Later Simpson told a reporter he
had "no comment" to the
reporter's asking him the reason or
reasons he had resigned but he ad
ded that it was an "accumulation
of things."
Simpson has been tax supervisor
since November 1976. He has been
working for the county since
September 1975 when he joined the
staff as county planner. Before
coming to Hoke County Simpson
worked with the U.S. Internal
Revenue Service and at the Camp
Lejeune Marine Base as a manage
ment analyst. Simpson is 50 and a
native of Jacksonville. N.C., which
is near the base, and is a graduate
of North Carolina State University
at Raleigh.
He and his wife have three
children, ages 7, 10, and 13.
The shortage of rain which
extended through last year in this*
area is over, thanks to the winter
rains.
Robert Gatlin, local observer tor
the National Weather Service, said
Tuesday the precipitation of the
past three months did it.
He said the weather table is back
to normal.
Gatlin said nearly I1) inches of
rain (including the equivalent in
snow) fell in December. January
and February and the February
precipitation alone measured f>.5
inches. He called this "the best" in
February in four years.
The measurements for February
1980 and '81 were 2.6 inches each
year, and in February 1979 a total
of 4.9 inches was recorded.
The Hoke County commissioners
Monday adopted a resolution
authorizing County Manager James
Martin to "execute and file an
application on behalf of the County
of Hoke with the State of North
Carolina for a grant to aid in the
construction" of Phase One of a
county wide water system.
The county manager pointed out
that the commissioners won't be
obligated to accept the grant,
consequently obligated to provide
the county's share of the project's
cost, till "the first dollar is spent."
The commissioners have favored
a system that would cost about S3
million. Of that total, the state
grant, from the 1977 State Clean
Water Bonds funds, would amount
to about $250,000. The county
would have to provide about
$800,000, which would be in
bonds, which would be bought by
the U.S. Farmers Home Adminis
tration; and the rest in an FmHA
loan.
John Balfour, chairman of the
Board of County Commissioners,
said a county bond referendum
would have to be held with the
proposed S800.000 bond issue
subject to approval by the majority
of the voters. He said that the plan
is lor the bond issue to be paid off
by the users of the water provided
by the system. If the payments
weren't sufficient for the purpose,
he said, then money would have to
be drawn from county tax revenues.
However, the bond election would
include a proposal that the countv
be authorized to set a tax levy if
necessary to pay off the bonds. Like
the S800.000 bond issue proposal
which would be on the ballot, the
tax proposal also would have to be
approved by a majority of the
voters.
Why does the county need a
water system, people have asked.
Martin explained, on Balfour's
request, the system is needed for:
Industrial growth, which would
enlarge the county's base for
obtaining more revenue from its
property tax. thus providing more
money needed to provide county
services to the p. >pie.
--To allow people to change to
the system from their private wells
as the source of their water.
The State Clean Water Bond
money is a\ailable to Hoke County.
Martin explained, but the appli
cation for it must be made by
March 31. or the money would be
returned to the pool for allocation
as an additional grant to another
applying county.
The plan calls for the county to
buy water for the svstem and build
an elevated tank near the Raeford
Airport, instead of going to the
additional expense of building and
? maintaining a countv treatment
plant.
HIGHWAY PROJECT
Earlier, the commissioners heard
Earl Fowler, executive vice presi
dent of the Raeford-Hoke County
Chamber of Commerce, report no
primary Hoke County project was
included in the State Department
of Transportation's Highway Im
provement Program for the 10
fiscal years through 1991.
The commissioners adopted a
motion authori/ing the county
manager to question the DOT
about this. Four-laning of U.S. 401
north from north of Raeford to the
beginning of the present four
laning near 71st High School in
(See WATI R.paHo 13)