The News-Journal
Volume LXXIX Number?
DSS program
calls for
more help
By Sally Jamir
News-Journal Staff Writer
Caseload redistribution will in
crease efficiency at the Department
of Social Services, but additional
help may be needed when another
program is added this fall, accord
ing to a DSS spokesman.
Income maintenance specialist
Tanya Currin explained to DSS
board members at their meeting
last Tuesday that cases would be
divided alphabetically among the
workers.
This method of distributing the
workload will increase efficiency,
Currin said.
“Dividing the caseload into two
sections will make the information
coming in on cases easier to deal
with since it will be easier to deter
mine who has what case,” said Ac
ting Director Susan Moss.
However, case distribution will
probably need to be looked at
again when a new program may be
established this fall.
The program is entitled Aid to
Families with Dependent Children
(AFDC) for unemployed parents
and is in the state legislature right
now, Currin said.
The program would most likely
be approved to be functional in
September or October, Currin
said.
N.C. DSS Director’s Assistant
Bonnie Allred said last week that
three different bills including
AFDC for unemployed parents
have been introduced to the Sen
ate.
Allred explained that the pro
gram would be similar to the
AFDC services now provided.
Currently AFDC assists families
whose children have been deprived
of parental support through death,
physical or mental incapacity or
continued absence from the home.
“With this bill people would be
served who were in families where
the principal wage earner became
unemployed,” Allred said.
The program would provide
benefits to those who had currently
exhausted their Employment
Security benefits, she said.
Under the current wording of
the bill, if passed, the program
would be effective July 1. Accord
ing to Allred, an extention of this
date has been requested so that
(See DSS, page 6)
RAEFORD. NORTH CAROLINA
25 CENTS
Thursday, June 4,1987
New steeple
Dundarrach Presbyterian Church’s new steeple sits atop the church
building off Highway 20. The steeple was dedicated in a special service
on Sunday, May 24 (See related story on page II.)
Turkey Festival plans get underway
By Sally Jamir
News-Journal Staff Writer
The third annual N.C. Turkey
Festival plans are underway and
promotions for the festival are be
ing carried out with no delay, ac
cording to festival promotions
chair Kay Thomas.
This year the first day of the
festival falls on September 17, the
day in 1787 on which the signing of
the United States Constitution
took place. Thomas said this has
inspired the board to adopt a
patriotic theme for this year’s
festival.
Hodges Associates Inc. have this
year embellished the festival’s
turkey symbol and have named her
“America’s First Feathered
Lady”.
“The name of the symbol will
put emphasis on North Carolina’s
“firsts”, Thomas said. “Turkeys
are first in agriculture in the state
and first choice for the Thanksgiv
ing dinner. And North Carolina is
first in turkey production in the
country.”
Thomas said the festival symbol
this year is a more feminine render
ing and is reminscent of Kate
Smith, who was known for singing
“God Bless America”.
The broad-breasted, flag-waving
patriotic figure will appear on all
of the festival’s promotional
material including brochures, news
releases, posters and T-shirts. The
shirts will be blue this year,
Thomas said, and will be ready in
the next few weeks.
(See FESTIVAL, page 6)
Local leaders ask DOT to speed up
project to widen U.S. Highway 401
by Ron Anderson
Associate Editor
Three community leaders asked the state last week
to move a project to widen US Highway 401 into the
fast lane.
The leaders, Alice Glisson, president of the
Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Commerce, Terry
Houston, past chamber president, and Economic
Developer John Howard made their requests during a
public meeting held last Wednesday by The North
Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) at
Randolph Technical College in Asheboro.
The hearing was for the department’s Division 8,
which includes Hoke, Randolph, Chatham, Moore,
Montgomery, Scotland, Lee and Richmond counties.
Included on the panel that listened to comments
from spokesmen representing communities within the
division were Richard K. Pugh, the Division 8 Board
of Transportation commissioner who serves as the
board’s vice chairman and former U.S. Rep. William
W. Cobey Jr., who is now deputy secretary of the
DOT. The comments will be considered when the DOT
decides which highway projects will be included on the
department’s revised Transportation Improvement
Program (TIP).
The project to four lane US Highway 401 from 71st
High School in Cumberland County to the Raeford
Bypass is listed on the TIP for 1987-1995. It is current
ly in the planning stage and right-of-way acquisitions
are scheduled to begin in 1989; the project should be
completed by 1995.
However, the three Hoke County leaders who at
tended the meeting would like to see the project moved
up.
Calling the widening project “the lifeline of our
future,” Howard told the panel that the growth of
commerce between Hoke and Cumberland counties
depends on keeping the project on schedule or “even
bettering it if possible.”
Howard pointed out that there is no four-lane
highway in Hoke County and presented the panel with
copies of a resolution by the county board of commis
sioners that supports the widening project.
“We must eliminate the dangers that exist for our
citizens and those.who travel the road,” Howard said.
“Anything that can be done will be appreciated.”
Glisson told the panel that 6,000 vehicles a day use
the road between Raeford and Fayetteville. She held
up a computer readout listing the 75 accidents that oc-
cured last year on the 10.6 miles of road scheduled to
be widened. She said that there were two fatalities on
the highway in 1986.
(See 401, page 6)
No increase in tax rate
City approves budget
By Sally Jamir
News-Journal Staff Writer
Members of the City Council approved their
1987-88 budget of $3.7 million with no tax rate in
crease.
The budget represents a decrease of $143, 955 over
that of last year.
“City residents will not face a tax, water or sewer in
crease,” said City Manager Tom Phillips.
Phillips said, in his presentation to council
members, that the budget will provide for the improve
ment of the sewage treatment plant, sludge handling,
expansion of the landfill and repairs to city streets.
The budget represents a decrease of $143,955 over
last year, Phillips said, with a tax rate of 58 cents per
$100 valuation. The tax valuation for this year
amounts to $143 million, or an increase of $5 million
over last year.
Tax collections are based on a collection rate of 97.5
percent.
Last year, water and sewer rates increased resulting
in this year’s rates remaining the same, Phillips said.
The city’s practice of investing in capital reserve funds
will enable major renovations to be made at the waste
treatment plant without raising the rates.
The capital reserve fund, funds set aside and ear
marked for specific capital improvements, am.ount to
$685,000. Phillips said the funds will be used for pur
chase of vehicles as well as improvements to utility ser
vice operations.
Sewage plant and other water and sewer improve
ment will be made through the use of these funds,
$264,800 as well as those anticipated from a federal
Environmental Development Act grant of $457,200
and $40,000 anticipated from the county.
Phillips said the budget does not allow for a cost-of-
living increase for the city employees, but does reflect
a five percent budget adjustment for department heads
to reward outstanding employee performance with a
merit increase.
Sewage plant improvements include $220,000 for
the construction of a grit chamber at the sewage plant
and $70,000 for development of a better solution to
disposing of sewage sludge.
Revenue sharing will no longer be available to the ci
ty this year. There are $12,500 left in the budget from
revenue sharing funds.
In other business, the city adopted the sewer use and
pretreatment ordinance. The ordinance includes re
quirements local industries are to fulfill in order to be
in compliance with their discharge wastewater permits.
The permits were recently updated by Black and
Veatch Inc. engineering firm.
In additional business, council members received a
petition to reinstate the position of city dog warden
from Catherine Shepard.
Shepard had obtained 257 signitures from Raeford
residents who agreed that the position should be
reinstated in order to enforce the leash law.
(See CITY, page II)
Tax increase considered
County reviews proposed budget
By Sally Jamir
News-Journal Staff Writer
Hoke County Commissioners on
Monday reviewed the proposed
1987-88 budget which will provide
needed improvements in school
facilities and community develop
ment while raising the tax rate to
84 cents.
The three-cent tax rate increase
will generate $98,808, according to
County Manager William (Bub)
Cowan, who presented the budget.
If commissioners approve the
budget, the county tax rate will in
crease from 81 cents to 84 cents per
$100 valuation.
Under this rate, the owner of a
house assessed at $20,000 in value
would see the tax bill increase from
about $162 to about $168.
Cowan explained that the tax in
crease resulted mainly from the
loss of revenue sharing funds, a
loss of a total of $9,507,750 in the
tax base due to the repeal of the
iiousehold personal property tax
and a mandated law enforcement
retirement program.
The program will cost the coun
ty $17,592 each year.
The revenue sharing expenditure
from last year was $365,000. This
year the county will anticipate
$228,500 in new revenues from the
additional half-cent sales tax to
replace revenue sharing, Cowan
said.
However, the county is losing
$77,013 in revenues from the
repeal of the household personal
property tax.
“We’re losing more than we’re
getting in,” Cowan said in
reference to the shortfall in
replacement revenues.
Currently, the county has on
deposit ■$2(X),000 from the defunct
revenue sharing program. This
money will be transferred to the
general fund and earmarked for
the school’s current expense which
will delete the revenue sharing
funds.
Other increases in the budget in
clude a projected 12.8 percent rise,
or $74,029, in the Social Services
Assistance budget. The increase
‘We’re losing more
money than we’re
getting in.’
William Cowan,
County Manager
will provide for a federally-
mandated food stamp employment
program (FSIS). The county is re
quired to pay 50 percent, or
$18,450, for the program.
Cowan recommended to com
missioners that a new eligibility
specialist position be added to the
staff to handle the additional
workload anticipated in this pro
gram.
An addition to the budget this
year is a proposed central com
munications system which would
mean a total of $184,756. A capital
outlay amount of $95,000 is in
cluded in the amount.
Cowan said it is anticipated that
the city will pay for 25 percent of
the cost and that $25,000 is an
ticipated from the General
Assembly to go toward the cost of
equipment.
In a joint session between the
commissioners and the City Coun
cil held later in the day. Commis
sion Chairman Wyatt Upchurch
said that since the county budget
was being formed he felt they
could not discuss the system finan
cially but said he thought it was a
positive move.
In addition, the proposed
budget includes provisions for a
Community Development Block
Grant cash match of $50,000, and
a $100,000 appropriation to con
struct two solid waste compactor
centers.
The centers are part of five-year
Solid Waste Collection Program
approved, in concept, by commis
sioners at their May 18 meeting.
County employees will receive a
three percent cost-of-living adjust
ment and a two percent base ap
propriation for merit pay, if the
budget is approved.
The Pratt Building and the Old
County buildings received a com
bined appropriation of $40,800 for
renovations.
The commissioners scheduled a
public hearing for the budget on
June 15 at 7 p.m. in the Pratt
Building.
This year, Cowan presented a
new five-year Capital Im
provements Program. The pro
gram will enable the commis
sioners to evaluate long-range
capital needs as represented by the
various departments throughout
the county. They will be able to
(See COUNTY, page 6)
Around Town
By Sam Morris
1
Highway 401 statistics
Chamber of Commerce President Alice Glisson shows DOT represen
tatives a list of the accidents that occurred on Highway 401 during the last
year. Glisson was speaking at a public meeting in Asheboro last Wednes
day.
The weather in Alabama and
Mississippi has been hot on May 27
and 28. There hasn’t been any rain
either. The reason for this weather
report is because Mary Alice and I
are on our way to Texas to visit my
brother. Spec and his wife.
We left Raeford early last
Wednesday morning and drove to
Tuscaloosa, Ala. by way of Birm
ingham and Atlanta. The drive to
Tuscaloosa by the car speedometer
was 549 miles. Of course you gain
an hour coming west.
As most of you know, this the
city that is home to the University
of Alabama. The restaurant where
we had dinner had a sign which
read, “Home of Crimson Tide.”
That night while looking and
listening to the news, a reporter
was telling about the new football
stadium being built at Tuscaloosa
for the Tide. It will be completed
in 1988 and the team will play its
(See AROUND, page 6)