PROGRESS SENTINEL
VOL. XXXXV NO. 26 USPS 182-880 KENANSVILLE. NC 28349 JUNE 26. 1980 12 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
'School Board Seeks Legal
Study On Budget Cuts
Faced with a $500,000 cut
in its 1980-81 budget re
^ quest, the Board of Educa
tion decided last week to ask
its attorney "to study legal
ramifications" of the county
commissioners' actions and
report to the Board at 8 p.m.
this week.
The commissioners
reduced the school's pro
posed current expense
budget from $2,024,232 to
$1,555,000. The county ap
propriation for the next fiscal
year will be $46,000 more
than it was this year.
Board Member Jimmy
Strickland made the motion
to restudy the budget in view
of the cut and to ask for a
legal study.
"It seems the two boards
are at an impasse on the
budget," said E.L. Boyette,
chairman. "There are
processes to be taken if the
question is not settled by the
two boards. The staff should
go over the budget to cut all
but the most worthwhile
items, and if the two boards
still can't agree, the budget
should be examined by an
impartial official."
Boyette then asked Strick
land to make the motion.
Strickland said he believed
the two boards should meet
again on the budget. "It may
be a year that we need to
take a beating (on the
budget)," he added.
Assistant Superintendent
L.S. Guy asked the board to
set priorities for the staff to
follow in meeting the com
missioners' cuts.
}
'Duplin Rescue Squad
Cuts Pender Service
Rescue squad services
^ provided to residents of
northern Pender County by
Wallace Rescue Squad have
been cut off until the Pender
County Commissioners ar
range a contract with Duplin.
County, according to Hiram
Brinson. Duplin's director of
Emergency Services.
Pender citizens in Willard,
Watha and other nearby
^communities have been
? served by the Wallace
Rescue Squad from across
the Duplin-Pender County
lines, lite Wallace squad is
closer to those communities
than the Pender County
Rescue Squad in Burgaw.
?xrSm.W '* "****'], y~
Man Dies In
% Motorcycle
Crash
Fitchure Chestnutt, 42, of
Route 1, Magnolia, was
killed last Thursday night in
a motorcycle accident on
McCrae Street in Magnolia.
_ According to Magnolia
^ Police Chief Sherwood
Ezzell, Chestnutt and his
half-brother, Robert Raines,
were riding their motorcycles
about 7:15 p.m. Ezzell said
Raines told him he was
riding some distance ahead
of Chestnutt when he re
alized he could not see
Chestnutt in his rearview
mirror. Raines said he looked
around and saw Chestnutt
_ lying in the middle of the
V street.
Chestnutt was taken by the
Magnolia Rescue Squad to
Duplin General Hospital,
where he died from head
injuries.
The accident occurred on a
straight stretch of road, ac
cording to Ezzell. The inves
tigation is continuing, he
said.
m
Duplin County was ad
vised by the N.C. Attorney
General's office several
months ago that Duplin
rescue squads cannot legally
serve Pender without a con
tract between the two coun
ties. The Wallace Rescue
Squad continued to serve
Pender residents in spite of
the ruling until about three
weeks ago when its ambu
lance failed to pass a state
inspection.
"We could slip down there
because we had an ambu
lance of our own," J.C.
Bryant, captain of the squad
said Friday. "There are no
boundary restrictions when a
squad owns its own vehicle.
But our vehicle utas not
recertified. The ambulances
we're using now are county
controlled. so it's illegal to go
down there.
"We don't want it to be
this way," Bryant said.
"These people are not out
siders. They're home folks.
They do business in Wal
lace."
Bryant said an accident
occurred at a ballpark near
Wallace, but within the
Pender County boundary on
Thursday night.
"A guy's arm was broken
in several places," he said.
"We could have been there
in two minutes, and it took 25
minutes for the Pender
squad to get there from
Burgaw. Don't get me
wrong, I'm not criticizing
them, but it puts us in a bad
position. People look down at
us for not responding, but it
is illegal for us to do business
in another governing body's
territory without getting the
consent of that body."
A meeting has been
scheduled for June 30 at the
Upper Union Community
Building to discuss the prob
lem with residents of the
area, Bryant said.
According to Brinson,
Duplin officials asked the
Pender County Commis
sioners about a year ago for a
financial contribution for
rescue squad services. They
were told the Pender, squad
could take care of Pender
citizens, he said.
Bryant said the Pender
Commissioners were later
contacted and asked for per
mission for the Wallace
Rescue Squad to come into
Pender without a charge, but
the commissioners never
responded to the request.
S. Franklin Williams,
chairman of the Duplin Com
missioners, said Friday he
sent a letter to Pender Board
Chairman John W. James.
Jr. this past week with a copy
of the attorney general's
ruling to clarify the problem.
"One of the Pender com
missioners was quoted in a
local paper this week as
saying he didn't really know
what the problem is," Wil
liams said. "I want to be sure
that they do understand the
problem. It's not that they
don't have a good rescue
squad, but the distances are
an issue sometimes. They
may have to go 15 miles to
respond to a call that would
only be a couple of miles for
the Wallace squad. Some
one's life could be at stake."
Duplin has an emergency
services contract with Samp
son, Lenoir and Wayne
counties.
"We have the same situ
ation up in Mount Olive as
the Pender County and Wal
lace situation,'J Brinson said.
"Deopl??*in the northern end ?
of our county are nearer to
Mount Olive, which is in
Wayne County, than to Wal
lace, and they are on the
Mount Olive telephone ex
change. We pay the Mount
Olive Rescue Squad St 75 a
month. It's much cheaper for
us to help them out than to
have to organize another
rescue squad in that area."
Pender County Clerk
Howard Holly said Friday the
question of a contract with
Duplin County had been
scheduled for discussion at
the Pender board's July 7
meeting.
Miss Duplin County
Competes In
State Pageant
Contestant 13, Shari Are
letcy Jones Miss Duplin
County 1980 is participating
in the Miss North Carolina
pageant in Raleigh this
week.
Out of the 45 Miss North
Carolina contestants
from across the state, Miss
Duplin., a native of Warsaw,
will be contestant number
13. The state pageant began
Monday and final competi
tion will be Saturday night.
"Thirteen is a lucky
number in my family," Shari
said. "I would really rather
have that number than any
other number."
The Miss Duplin. County
pageant is sponsored by the
Warsaw and Calypso
Jaycees, and Shari says she
is glad to have the oppor
tunity to promote Duplin
through the aid of the Jay
cees. Being Miss Duplin
County involves miles of
travel all over the state to
make appearances. Shari
added that meeting the dif
ferent queens in her travel
has been a rewarding ex
perience.
"But, what I like to do
most, as Miss Duplin
County, is to appear at
events in Duplin. And, it
really means a lot to me to
know the people at home
appreciate me. After all the
people at home are what
really matter.
"There were two reasons 1
wanted to be Miss Duplin
County. It was something 1
have always wanted to do
since I was a little girl, and
being Miss Duplin County
gives me the opportunity to
brag about my county and
maybe help get it on the
map. Another reason is the
money. Scholarship paeeants
are good ways to help girls
further their education.''
Shari is presently working
with the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill as a
secretary in the office of
Public Health Administration
Services. While working,
Shari also attends the Uni
versity part-time and plans to
major in radio, television and
motion picture production.
She is a 1976 graduate of
James Kenan High School
and a 1978 graduate of
Mount Olive College.
As Miss Duplin County,
Shari says she represents
more than just a county, but
the Jaycees and the next
queen. Whatever a queen
does during her reign, she
must always remember the
people she represents, and
especially the girls who will
follow, because there will
always be someone to follow
you, Shari said.
"I have already been
thinking about the next Miss
Duplin County pageant,
trying to get ideas to make
next year's pageant better.
Regardless of what happens
at the state pageant, I can
come home and know the
people still love me, and will
always remember me as
Miss Duplin.County."
To promote Duplin during
the state pageant, Shari said,
Cates Pickles and Liberty
Cart Brochures will be distri
buted to as many of the Miss
North Carolina contestants
as possible. With each con
testant receiving Duplin
County favors, a little bit of
Duplin will be spread out
across the entire state, Shari
said.
Shari is the second Miss
Duplin County in the Jones
family, but she said the
entire family treats the
second time as a new ex
perience. And, she added,
her sister. Miss Duplin
County 1974, is her biggest
supporter. Shari is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Arnold Jones of Warsaw.
By Emily Killette
' '**? _________
MISS DUPLIN COUNTY
Kenansville Tax Rate
Reduced To 65 Cents
The Kenansville Board of
Commissioners met June 16
and 17 and reduced water
and sewer rates, cut the tax
rate to 65 cents, and ap
proved a $331,756 budget for
1980-81.
During the June 16th
meeting, the town adminis
trator, Woody Brinson,
informed the commissioners
$13,113 of additional re
quests had been added to the
proposed budget which was
distributed to the board June
2. The budget proposed at
the June 2nd meeting of the
board totaled $357,075; with
the addition, ihc budget
would total $370,188. The
addition would result in an
!!-cent tax increase over the
25-cent increase needed to
balance the proposed
budget, Brinson said. The
1979 tax rate was 44 cents.
Commissioner Jimmy
Johnson told the Board a
water rate increase of more
than one dollar would de
stroy the credibility of the
commissioners. Johnson
stated an increase of one
Miss Liberty
Contestants
Nine contestants will be
vying for the title of Miss
Liberty 1980, June 27 at 7:30
p.m. in the Pink Hill School
auditorium.
The contestants are being
sponsored by Pink Hill busi
nesses, who will also provide
gifts for the contestants and
Miss Liberty 1980. Yvonne
Deatherage. pageant chair
man. said the theme for this
year's program will be
"Yankee Doodle," which all
the girls will feature in the
opening number. Directing
the opening performance will
be Miss Liberty 1979, Sherri
Mincey, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Durwood Mincey of
Pink Hill
Contestants participating
in the Miss Liberty pageant
include: Kerry joe Bell.
Kelly Cauley, Wendy
Stallings. Celia Turner. June
Sandlin. Merry Freeman,
Flora Howard, Sharon Hill
and Brenda Holt. Advanced
tickets for the pageant are on
sale at Brewer Drug, R.L.
Hood Pharmacy and the
office of Har- Scott Co. Ad
vanced tickets are 50 cents
for ages 0-15, and $1.25 for
16 and older. Tickets at the
door will be 75 cents and
51 .SO.
dollar per customer had been
the projected rate when the
citi/ens passed the water
system improvement bond
He suggested the rates be
changed to allow a dollar
increase over the old rates,
and the sewer charges be
half of the water bill. The
board moved to reduce water
and sewer charges from the
proposed rates, leaving a
518,800 loss in 1980-81 water
and sewer revenues. With
the loss of water and sewer
revenues, a tax rate of 93
cents would be needed to
balance the 1980-81 budget,
Brinson said.
The commissioners agreed
to reduce the town employ
ees by three people. Two
workers, a clerical position
and a public works em
ployee. both CETA positions,
will not be funded in the
coming budget. The board
also reduced the police de
partment by one employee.
And the commissioners
completely cut their salaries
along with the salary of the
mayor. A total of $19,130 was
cut in salaries, an additional
56.740 was cut when local
government employees re
tirement was trimmed from
the budget. Capital outlay
funds of $7,500 for a new
police car were cut and the
5500 for the firemen's annual
dinner An additional $4,562
was trimmed from other
budget items, leaving a total
budget of $331,756 and a tax
rate of 65 cents.
A motion to set th^ 1980
tax rate at 65 cents was made
by Commissioner William
fennell and seconded by
Commissioner Earl Hatcher
The 65-cent tax rate was
unanimously approved by
the board.
The proposed 1980-81
budget includes $189,011 in
the general fund, $71.440 for
water and sewer, and
530,130 for debt service. The
recreation budget is $41,1 75.
none of which comes from
town funds; all revenue
comes from profits made bv
l.ie recreational activities at
the park, and grants.
%
Faison Budget Includes Recreation Funds
Faison town commis
sioners adopted a $317,828
balanced budget including a
$16,500 recreation fund, at
the special meeting June 16.
During a budget session
held June 4, the Board had
voted in a three to two
decision to trim the recrea
tion budget. Commissioners
Helen Britt, Rachel Clifton
and Fred Wheless had
moved to reduce the recrea
tion budget from $21,500 to
$10,000. Commissioners
William lgoe and Billie Hol
lingsworth opposed the cut.
Funds taken from the rec
reation budget were allo
cated tor sidewalks. $2,000;
rescue department. $3,000;
and capital' reserve for a
trash truck, $6,500. The
$5,000 allocated for side
walks anu the rescue depart
ment was revenue sharing
funds, while the $6,500 had
come from the general fund.
A public hearing on the
town budget was held June
12th. The only topic dis
cussed during the hearing
was the cut of recreation
funds. Approximately 111
town citizens appeared to
oppose the $10,500 cut in the
recreation budget, and a
petition with 330 signatures
supporting a full-time
recreation department was
presented to the Board. Two
Faison citizens appeared to
oppose the use of tax money
to support a full-time rec
reation program.
Leading the discussion at
the June 16th meeting of the
Faison Board, Commissioner
William Igoe said, "Over
whelming support for the
recreation program was dis
played at the public hearing.
There was a good repre
sentation of the town's or
ganizations, largest busi
ness, and each age grou^.. '
lgoe made a motion that
the $6,500 (general funds) be
taken from capital reserve
and placed back into the
recreation budget. -The mo
tion was seconded by Com
missioner Hollingsworth.
"It looks as if I'm going to
be the green dragon, but it
seems as if the parents could
pay part of it (recreation
expenses) for their chil
dren," Commissioner Clifton
said. "If there are 2,000
people participating a month
and they each pay a dollar.
then there would be $2,000
more a month. I think the
recreation department
should be like the water and
sewer departments; the ones
who use it should pay for it."
Commissioner Britt aoded
that the lack of monthly
financial reports to the Board
from the recreation depart
ment, and the recreation
director is not bonded to
handle tax money, are two
reasons she would be voting
against the recreation budget
increase.
"I have not changed my
mind," said Commissioner
Wheless. "1 think the county
should help support recrea
tion. I was surprised by the
petition, and haven't
changed my mind, but I will
support the petition."
Voting to increase the
budget to $16,500 were
Commissioners lgoe, Hol
lingsworth and Wheless.
Opposed to the increase were
Commissioners Britt and
Clifton. The 1980-81 town
budget was approved by the
Board balanced at $317,828.
The tax rate will remain at 57
cents per $100 valuation.
Bridge Support
To Be Replaced
The division of Highways
of the North Carolina
Department of Transporta
tion has closed a Duplin
County bridge over Gum
Swamp for approximately
four weeks, according to
Division Engineer Ted
Fundcrburk. Located near
Bculavitle on Road 1735, the
bridge was closed to allow
crews to replace bridge sup
ports. It is scheduled to
reopen in July. Traffic will be
detoured over local roads.
W
Rich Boyd, First Rehearsal Of Liberty Cart. Drama will open July 18th
? 4