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^ USPS 162-880 KENANSVIM-E. NC 28349 JULY3.1980 20 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Board Transfers Education Money
The transfer of $100,000
from capital outlay to the
school current-expense
> budget was authorized by the
Duplin County Board of
Commissioners Thursday.
the fund transfer will be
contingent upon transfer of
the old Kenansville Elemen
tary School property to the
county from the school
system", according to the mo
tion made by Commissioner
W.J. Costin and approved by
. a three-to-one vote. Com
missioners Costin, Allen
Nethercutt, Calvin Turner
and Franklin Williams ap
proved. Commissioner D.J.
Fussell opposed.
Fussell said transferring
money from capital outlay to
current expense funds
helped the state and harmed
the county, as the county's
basic responsibility is build
ings and the state's is
teacher salaries, books and
I supplies.
Nethercutt said, "Al
though we're voting to allow
the transfer, we're digging a
deeper hole because next
year they'll have to come
back and ask for an addi
tional $100,000 in capital
outlay funds."
In its request to the com
missioners, the board of
education had asked for a
transfer of $158,8%.
When the fund transfer
becomes effective, the school
system wiil have a current
expense budget of $1,696,
750 for 1980-81. The capital
outlay fund will be reduced
to $245,000. Victor Tucker,
school system accountant,
also reported the school sys
tem has $145,000 in unspent
current expense funds it can
add to the next year's cur
rent-expense budget.
The school board's original
request of $2,024,232 for
current expenses for the
1980-81 budget year was cut
to $1,555,000 by the county
commission when the com
missioners set the county ad
valorem tax rate and budget.
County Manager Ralph
Cottle said the school board
probably would ignore the
commissioners' request to
hold salary increases to the 7
percent of other county em
ployees and eliminate the
$4,000 supplement to the
state-paid salary of the sup
erintendent. He said the
school system did not have to
follow the commission's
recommendation.
School
Districts
Ratified
i
I
Duplin County Board of
Education members will be
:lected by districts and for
?-year terms, according to a
ocal bill ratified by the
?ecently ended General As
iembl' '* mini-scssiou.
In the pkst, school board
nembers have been elected
>n an at-large basis and for
iix-year terms.
Another change wiH be the
I :xpiration date of the terms,
n the past, terms have
ixpired on the first Tuesday
n April. They now will
;xpire at the first December
neeting, along with terms of
>ther elected county officials.
Newly elected board
nember Joe Swinson will be
iworn into office at the first
neeting in April 1981, and
. vill be the last school board
' nember to take office on the
>ld date. His term, however,
viH continue for six years, as
he new law becomes effec
ive January 1st, 1981.
iwinson will represent Dis
rict 2. which includes
Talypso, Wolfscrape.
Jlisson, Albert son and Smith
ownships, when the district
.ystem becomes effective.
The terms of E.L. Boyette
ind Graham Phillips will
' :xpire at the first meeting in
Jecember 1982. Boyette will
?epresent District 3, which
ncludes Limestone and
Typress Creek. Phillips will
epresent District 4,
ncluding Island Creek and
lockfish townships.
Two board members now
ive in Warsaw. The terms of
'at Broadrick and Jimmy
| itrickland will expire in
1984. District 1 will include
Warsaw and Faison town
ihips and District 5 will in
:lude Rose Hill, Magnolia
ind Kenansville townships.
ROT ASIAN OF THE YEAR-John Weatherly
left, was presented the Rotation of the Year
Award by John A. Johnson on behalf of the
Warsaw-Kenansville Rotary Club. Weatherly
>
was selected by his fellow Rotarians for his
outstanding service to the Rotary Club and
what it stands for. Weatherly is the past
president of the local club.
0
Magnolia Mayor Says
Rural Areas Favored
An accusation that Duplin
County's government does
nothing for the towns despite
their tax input came from
Magnolia's acting mayor in
Rose Hill last Tuesday night.
Melvin Pope spoke at the
monthly meeting of Duplin
county town mayors and
administrators. The county
commissioners and manager
were invited, but only one
commissioner, W.J. Costin
of Warsaw attended.
"Everything is set up for
the rural area and not the
towns," Pope said. "For
instance, towns have to
maintain virtually two fire
departments because they
have to keep one truck in
Hn "j$ - >4
town when they send a truck
out to fight a rural fire."
He said 33 percent of the
county's population lived in
towns and 85 percent of the
local sales tax money was
generated by businesses in
towns.
Tom Phillips, Wallace
town administrator, agreed
and added that most fires
occurred in rural areas.
Each town fire department
serves a four-mile area
around the towns. State law
requires a town fire depart
ment to keep part of its
equipment inside the town
when the department
responds to a rural call.
"People who live in town
are triple-taxed," Pope said.
"They have to pay town
taxes, county taxes and gar
bage pick-up fees where
people in the country pay no
garbage fees."
Pope also emphasized that
towns pay for recreation
facilities which are used by
rural residents. He said he
felt the county should help
fund the facilities used by
rural people as well as
townspeople.
"You raised the county tax
two cents. You could have
raised it one more penny,
which would have raised
$58,000, which you could
have distributed to the towns
on a per capita basis," Pope
**- ??? * .v'?jrr " ' "?r " . i
said, speaking to the com
missioner present.
Wallace Mayor Melvin
Cording said, "If it weren't
for our pride and good sense,
we'd tear up our city charters
and become wards of the
county."
The possibility of com
bining some town and county
functions to reduce costs was
discussed.
Costin agreed some com
bining of functions would be
practical and said he would
talk with other commis
sioners in an attempt to form
a committee of commis
sioners, mayors and some
town and county workers to
improve the overall situation.
? ? ? i. WJ V *".? ?.? -
Budget Hearing
Kenansville Tax Rate 65*
By Emily Killette
The Kenansville Fire
Department released the
town of Kenansville frorti the
contract requiring expansion
of the fire station in re#utfri
for town office space, during
a public hearing on the town
budget June 23rd.
Fire chief Lauren Sharpe
read a resolution which re
laeased the town from its
contract with the fire depart
ment. The 15-year contract
had been drawn 'up eight
years ago calling for expan
sion of the fire department
during the second and third
five-year periods of the
agreement. During the first
five years, the town hall was
allowed to headquarter its
business and offices in the
fire station. The town was
required to pay for the reno
vation of the building into
office spaces during the first
five years, and set uo a
capital reserve fund for the
replacement of fire trucks.
The town is in the eighth
year of the contract, and
estimates for the expansion
of the building would add 2'/?
cents to the 1980-81 budget.
An additional 2'/? cents will
be needed for the final
expansion of the building.
Both expansions are esti
mated to cost a total of
1 $80,000. At the May meeting
of the town commissioners,
the expansion of the meeting
room and the truck space,
the final two phases, were
discussed in one project. The
fire department would be
borrowing money for the
expansion of the fire station
from Farmer's Home Ad
ministration with five
percent interest, and the
town would be paying off the
loan. According to Sharpe,
no lower interest rates could
be obtained by the town, and
in October the FmHA
interest rate will rise two
percent.
The resolution allowed the
town one year rent free if the
town hall continued to
remain at the fire station.
Beginning in July 1981. if the
town wished to remain,
rent would be paid. Sharpe
said the fire department
wanted to cooperate with the
Board, and because the cost
of building would add to the
tax rate the fire department
was releasing the town from
the contract. The fire depart
ment belongs to everyone,
Sharpe said, and many
undue criticisms and rumors
have been raised by the town
citizens over the tax increase
of 2'/? cents to meet the
contract. He added, the fire
station would be jointly
shared by the town and the
fire department, even though
the building is deeded to the
fire department.
The funds needed for the
expansion of the meeting
room are included in the 1980
tax rate, Mayor Doug Judge
stated during the public
hearing. A show of hands
revealed no public opposition
to fulfilling the contract with
the fire department. How
ever. there was much oppo
sition shown by the 58
persons attending the hear
ing to cutting one member of
the police department. Over
20 voted to maintain a third
policeman and increase taxes
to 74 cents to pay the salary.
About 10 voted against the
tax increase.
"I think the number one
concern of most of the people
here is police protection,"
Joe Quinn. Kenansville mer
chant. said. "If it takes a
little more money, then I
think most of us will go along
with it."
Even with three police
men, Mayor Judge said the
town does not have fulltime
protection. The schedule of
the police department does
not provide full night pro
tection.
After adjourning the
public hearing in the court
house and returning to the
town hall. Commissioner
Cordell Johnson made a
motion the tax rate be set at
74 cents and the third police
man be retained. The motion
was seconded by Commis
sioner William Fennell, but
was not approved by the
board in a two to three vote.
A motion was then made
by Commissioner Earl
Hatcher to adopt the 1980-81
budget as presented to the
public, setting the tax rate at
65 cents. The motion was
seconded by Commissioner
Betty Long and approved in a
three to two vote. Voting
against the second motion
were Commissioners
Johnson and Fennell. The
third vote, for a majority,
was cast by Commissioner
Jimmy Johnson. The
approved budget totals
$331,756.
Duplin Today And
Pink Hill Review
Merge
Sale of The Pink Hill
Review was made public
Friday in an announcement
made jointly by Gordon
Lewis, panner in The Pink
Hill Review, and Ike F.
Riddick, president of Duplin
Publishing Company, Inc.,
which has purchased The
Pink Hill Review.
The sale was effective this
week. Duplin Today, pub
lished weekly in Kenansville,
was started in January. 1979.
The Pink Hill Review and
Duplin Today will be com
bined into one edition pub
lished on Thursday each
week. Lynda W. Stroud will
continue as correspondent in
the Pink Hill area.
I
Lewis said, "The Pink Hill
area will be better served by I
the combination of the two
newspapers." He added,
"The people in southern
Lenoir County have been
very good to me and the Pink
Hill Review in years past. I
hope the people will treat the
new owners equally as well."
Commenting on the
change of ownership,
Riddick said. "Under the
leadership of Gordon Lewis,
The Pink Hill Review has
rendered an outstanding
service to southern Lenoir
County and to its people. It is
our purpose to continue to
provide the people with an
encellent newspaper."
MISS LIBERTY CROWNED - Miss Liberty
1980 is pictured above as she received her
trophy and crown from last year's queen.
Pictured above, on the left, is Miss Liberty
1979 Sherri Mincey. and on the right. Miss
Liberty 1980 Merry Freeman.
Citizens Participate
In Local Recreation
By Emily Killette
Duplin recreation depart
ment^ are forming in most
'county towhs, and each pro
gram works differently to
ptovide the local citizens
with organized sports and
activities.
Kenansville developed a
recreation program around a
volunteer organization, a
15-member recreation com
mission. And, working with
the recreation commission
are volunteers who help the
program by operating the
concession stand, said
Willard Mitchell, a member
of the commission.
The recreation budget for
the town of Kenansville in
1980-81 is $41,275, but none
-?f the money will come from
town taxes. The budget is
composed of funds from
grants, recreation fees, park
rental fees and co..eession
sales. The sales from the
concession stand will
generate about $6,000 and
Mitchell said the stand will
bring in about $300 a week
during the softball and base
ball season.
The Kenansville recreation
activities are located at the
park, according to Mitchell.
Six leagues play on the ball
field, and 465 people arc
participating in the softball
and baseball leagues. Each
team pays an entry fee.
Mitchell said, which covers
the costs of the game. The
adult softball entry fee per
team is $250. Youth softball
and baseball entry fees are
$5 per individual.
"Adult softball supports
itself, but Little League and
Dixie Youth fees do not pay
for their programs."
Mitchell said. "But. the
money made on concessions
during the LL and DY games
is enough supplement to
make the programs self-sup
porting."
Mitchell added that the
recreation department-makes
most of its money on softball
tournaments which the com
mission tries to schedule
every three weeks. Money
made during the ball season
is used to complete and
repair the park, he said.
"After the park is
finished, there will be money
available for other programs.
We discussed the possibility
of having winter programs
such as basketball, and pro
grams for the senior citizens,
but we do not have a facility
for those programs right
now," Mitchell said.
The recreation commission
is presently considering the
construction of a second ball
field at the park. Mitchell
said. With the number of
ballteams using the field,
scheduling the games on one
field is difficult, he added.
The new field would not
include lights.
In other county towns, the
recreation departments . re
cetve tax ? front the
towr. ana ? U u.-rne recrea
tion director is employed.
Warsaw and Faison are two
towns with directors.
Warsaw holds Softball and
baseball leagues ; :milar to
Kenansville's pryam, but
charges a lower enti v fee per
team, $129 for thi men's
teams and $90 for the ladies'
teams However. Warsaw
uses no lights, all their
games are played before
dark, and Kenansville plays
at night According to Rec
reation Director Neale Tur
lington. fees charged by the
Warsaw Recreation Depart
ment are set at a minimum to
cover the basic costs of ihe
program. For Softball. Tur
lington said, the fees cover
the cost of the umpires In
Faison. Recreation Director
Charles King said Softball
fees per men's team are $100
and $1 per member from
outside the city limits.
Women's teams pav $75
each and $1 per member
outside the city limits. King
added. One dollar is added to
all fees paid by recreation
participants from outside the
Faison city limits.
"We are going to start
charging for programs wc
were not charging for last
fall." King said. "The entry
fee will be what it takes to
>.over the cost of the pro
gram."
Both Warsaw and Faison
plan to run self-supporting
recreatipn programs, with
thr activities paying for the
plies used in the pro
gram. However, utilities will
be paid for from the recre
at ion budget, the directors
said, The cost of utilities is
budgeted at $.1,500 in War
saw and $2,500 in Faison.
Faison and Warsaw both
hold w inter programs such as
basketball, volleyball and
special classes. Faison has a
program for the senior citi
zens taught through James
Sprunt Technical College.
King said The senior citizen
programs include ceramics
and oil painting.
The concession stand at
the Faison recreation center
is operated two nights a week
b\ the Faison Women's
Club. King said. The F ison
Recreation Commission
plans to operate the stand
when the Women's Club
does not. he added. The
Women's Club uses the
proceeds to restore the old
Faison depot located at the
recreation center, and re
turns 25% of the profits to
the recreation department.
King said.
An average of 2.000 people
a month participate in the
Faison recreation program.
?4.08.1 people each month in
Warsaw , and 463 participate
during the summer in the
Kenansville recreation pro
gram.
Wallace Expects
6 Cent Tax Hike
The Wallace town board
expected to set a tax ratcof
65 cents per SI00 assessed
valuation during a special
meeting Monday. The
present rate is 59 cents.
The board met Thursday
night with the expectation of
approving its 1980-81 budget
and setting the tax rate.
However, as the proposed
budget was being reviewed,
a $67,500 error in printing
was discovered. Total
expenditures of approxi
mately SI .508,000 arc called
for in the budget. The total
will not be changed by the
adjustment necessary to
bring the utility fund into
balance. This required
transferring of some reserve
funds to balance the water
department utilities budget
fund.
"It is just a matter of
moving some figures
around." Mavor Mclvin
Cording said. "The tax rate
wiU remain as we expected,
at 65 cents."
The budget will call for a
10 percent increase in water
sewer user fees. The
tax hike and water and sewer
fee increases will bring in a
total of $59,000, Cording
said
A six percent salary in
crease for town employees is
provided in the new budget.
The new budget also elimi
nates the equivalent of five
town positions. "Library hours
will be rrJuced as one em
ployee will be eliminated.
The budget meeting was
attended by 25 persons who
protested lack of recreational
facilities. They also wanted
less budget emphasis on
police.
Charlie Toil said he
thought the police budget
should be cut in favor of
recreation. Last year the
police budget was $242,000,
about one-third of the total
for the town of 3,200 popu
lation. ) f