PROGRESS SENTINEL
I ' ?
VOL. XXXXVII NO. 19 USPS 162-860 KF.NANSVILLE. N.C. 28349 MAY 12. 198.1 16 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
1-40 Connector Picks
k Up Powerful Allies
I * i: Li?*' - ? a? /?
State senator Harold Har
dison, one of North Caro
lina's most powerful legis
lators. said this past week he
will' "support anything that
will speed construction of
1-40."
Hardison, whose district
includes Lenoir. Duplin and
Jones counties and part of
^Pender County, was refer
Pring to the freeway that will
link the Interstate highway
system to the Wilmington
port. A funding plan pro
posed by state Representa
tive Harry Payne. D-New
Hanover, was thwarted in a
House committee two weeks
ago. Gov. Jim Hunt opposes
the Payne proposal, which
would earmark up to S50
million in federal funds for
^the 1-40 connector.
Hardison. chairman of the
Senate Appropriations Com
mittee, said "We'll just have
to muster up some more
votes to get the job done."
Duplin County's state rep
resentative also vowed this
past week to back Payne's
campaign to secure continue
tunaing tortne rreeway.
State Representative
Wendell Murphy, D-Duplin,
of Rose Hill, who represents
Duplin and Jones counties,
said, "I'll trade any of my
political future for 1-40. It's
the most important issue to
come before our area. We've
been left out since the road
building program began. No
question but that we'll get
the road. The question is how
soon."
I strongly support Harry
Payne and his efforts to get
money committed to the
project," Murphy said.
"There's doubt in my mind
that he'll be able to get what
he wants unless he can get
the leadership to go along
with it."
In a reference to highway
spending under former
Republican Gov. Jim Hols
hauser, Murphy said, .
.the money went west and we
were left out, and we haven't
been overly blessed since
then."
Discussing other legisla
tive issues, both Hardison
and Murphy said they be
I1CVC num 3 CMllliaies OI
stale income for next year
are too high. Murphy said he
believes income was over
stated by about S80 million.
He said a big question
before the legislature is that
of liftina a state employees'
wage freeze. "I believe it's
safe to say it will be lifted,"
he said.
Hardison wants any addi
tional money for state wages
spread across the board.
Only about two-thirds of the
state employees would
receive increases under a
meru plan, ne aaaea.
Murphy, who is serving
his first term, described his
initial months in office as a
"learning experience." He
said the General Assembly
wastes a lot of time, as for
example, in its debate on a
nuclear arms freeze reso
lution. "Everyone's against
a nuclear war but we re not
the ones to deal with this,"
he explained.
The legislative session
should start later in the year,
he added. "Some say a later
start would merely mean a
later adjournment, but we
don't know much about the
state's income until later and J
so we don't have the infor- ,
mation to set up the budget
until long after the session
begins."
Extending school hours or
days is out of the question, <
Murphy said. "The funds are
not available."
Murphy, a hog producer,
called the Watson Seafood &
Poultry Co. financial problem
"a disaster to Duplin County
and Southeastern North
Carolina."
He said he sympathizes
with everyone involved, par
ticularly the growers who will
lose income from not having
broilers to put in their
chicken houses but must
continue paying for the
houses.
Murphy said he continues
to favor the safe roads act.
even though it might create a
backlog in court. "If it cuts
down on drunk driving it'll
be worth the trouble," he
said. "Only time will tell. "
?Firm Begins Audit Of
Duplin Hospital I
i ho J'nce-Waterhouse *
auditing" firm of Raleigh
^ began its study of the Duplin
PGeneral Hospital's financial
condition and prospects last
week.
County Manager Ralph
Cottle told the Board of
Commissioners last week on
Monday that the firm expects
to have a report ready for the
board by June 3.
The auditor will be paid
$10,000 at the end of four
weeks of work. The final cost
^will be determined when the
? study is complete. When the
contract was authorized last
month, the total cost of the
?
stfMV ?? estimated ai'
$18,000 to sio.ooo.
Duplin General has lost
money for more than a year,
due in part to many potential
patients' going to hospitals
in other communities and in
part to payment limitations
of the Medicaid and Medi
care programs for poor and
elderly patients.
The board will consider the
auditors' report at its June 6
meeting.
A budget hearing was held
in a special meeting May 10
in the courthouse in Kenans
ville.
The board filed two appli
?
cations for eomrfitffiity* de
velopment block grants fol
lowing the final public
hearing on them Monday. It
asked for $601,900 for re
habilitation of an area west of
Faison called Burning Bush.
The application calls for re
modeling 39 houses and de
molishing 15. In the other
application, the board asked
for $148,060 for a recreation
facility in the Rockfish area
west of Wallace.
County Attorney Rusty
Lanier suggested the county
negotiate with the Seaboard
Systems Co. for payment of
property taxes, which the
railroad firm has witnhesd
since 1979 pending resolu
tion of court action on valua
tion of railroad property. In
1979 the railroad property in
the county was assessed at
$1.304.226. With the 1979
tax rate of 68 cents per SI00
valuation. the county
received $8,868.74 in taxes
from the railroad.
Sitting as a board of equal
ization and review, the board
reduced the valuation of a
structure being built bv Cecil
Kornegay of Glisson Town
ship from $15,000 to $10,000
and changed its classification
from dwelling to farm
storage building.
Duplin Board Solicits
? Watershed Bids
Sealed bids for the first
phase of construction in the
Muddy Creek watershed of
southeastern Duplin County
will be received until 10 a.m.
May 17 in the board of
commissioners office in the
courthouse in Kenansville.
0 Bids will be opened at that
time by Duplin soil con
servation district officials.
District Conservationist
Kenneth Futreal said the
first phase will entail 21.000
feet of channel restoration
and installation of three
basins to trap silt. The work
will be near the mouth of
Muddy Creek, which empties
into the Northeast Cape Fear
River near Chinquapin. The
creek flows westerly from
near the Onslow-Duplin
County line southeast of
Beulaville.
Futreal estimated the cost
of this phase at not more
than $100,000. He said last
week five prospective
bidder-, had inspected the
work area.
While it is a small part of
the entire Muddy Creek
project, it will benefit the
31.000 acres of crop and
woodlands in the watershed
by providing an inproved
outlet for excess water in the
area.
Work is expected to begin
Aug. I. the earliest date
permitted under environ
mental regulations. Channel
work is banned from March 1
to Aug. 1 because of possible
destruction of marine life
during the spawning season.
The remainder of the
project is divided into Phase
2A and Phase 2B.
Phase 2A will include
about Id miles of channel
restoration. Futreal said he
expects to call for bids on this
phase in late June. Phase 2B
will include 3*> miles of
channel excavation. Futreal
said he hopes to call for bids
on that phase this fall.
Futreal estimated cost of
the entire project, including
land treatment and struc
tures at $1.780,000 with
about $500,000 of this for
channel restoration and
$200,000 for excavation.
Kenansville Board
? Considers Sewer Extension
Kenansville officials will
ask the Local Government
Commission to determine the
most economical approach to
extension of town sewer lines
to an N.C. Department of
Corrections unit a mile south
of town.
Because sewage disposal
has become a problem,
prison officials have asked to
M have the unit connected with
the city sewers.
Last week the town board
studied the question. The
town could annex the prison,
which would add 1 IS people
to the town population. This
would increase tweipts to
the town from state or
federal funds based on popu
lation.
Without annexing the i
a prison, the board agreed, the
'town would permit a prison
connection to the sewer
system if the state would lay
a sewer line to the town lines
and install a pump or lift
station. The lift station would
be near James Sprunt Tech
nical College between the
town and the prison. James
Sprur.t is connected to the
town sewer system.
If the town did not annex
the prison, the price for
providing sewer service to
the prison would be twice the
standard rate, which is based
on volume of water used.
The town supplies water to
the prison which uses about
350,000 gallons a month, at
an average price of about
$600.
The Local Government
Commission is being asked
whether the town would
benefit more from annexing
the corrections unit or
serving it at double the
standard rate without annex
ation.
After no one appeared for
a revenue-sharing public
hearing on Monday night,
the board voted to add the
$9,765 it will receive in the
next six months to the
1983-84 fiscal year general
fund. Half of the money will
be received in July and the
rest in October.
The board also decided to
hold a budget workshop at 7
p.m. May 18 in the town hall.
Board proceedings were
tape recorded for the first
time, a practice the board
expects to continue so it can
have accurate transcriptions.
No. 1 NCSU Seniors To Play
For Benefit In Kenansville
The Seniors from North
Carolina State University,
1983 championship basket
ball team, will be in Kenans
ville on Sunday. May 15th.
The Kenansville Jaycees are
sponsoring the game, which
will be at 3 p.m. at Kenan
Auditorium with all proceeds
going to the health care of
lori Mitchell.
The N.C.S.U. seniors will
pjav a team made i^p of local
Javeees and area school dis
trict basketball stars.
Advanced tickets will be $4
and can be purchased at the
following area businesses:
Kenansville - Kenansville
Drug Store, UCB. NCNB:
Bculaville- UCB; Warsaw -
BB&T: and at Faison Phar
macy.
A special door will be
provided for advance ticket
purchasers.
FLAG POLE FOR WARSAW RECREATION PARK B.G.
Kennedy and his dad. Billy Kennedy, are shown stringing
the flag for the flagpole at Warsaw Recreation Park. The
flagpole was a part of B.G.'s Eagle Scout project. The pole
is at the rear of the newly-erected "routed wooden sign."
The sign was made by Joe Lanier of W arsaw
Town Hall Renovation Plans
Requested By Beulaville Board
By Emily Killette
A set of plans for the
novation o. the old town
hifl was requested by the
Beulaville Board of Gtm
missioners during the May 2
meeting. Members of the
citizen renovation committee
were advised to present
plans and written estimates
at the lune meeting of the
town board.
"A set of plans will be
needed before a building
permit can be issued."
Beulaville town commis
sioner Elvis Sumner said. "1
don't think you can renovate
that building (old town hall)
for $12,500. 1 think you can
tear it down and construct a
better building, cheaper."
The citizen committee for
renovation of the old Beula
ville town hall, appointed by
the town board, reported a
$12,500 estimate to restore
the structure at the April
meeting of the commis
sioners. Commissioners S.A.
Blizzard and Elvis Sumner
had reported a $23.b40 esti
mate to restore the old town
hall and recommended the
construction of a new build
ing to replace the old struc
ture if need existed for
additional space, during the
February meeting of the
tow n board.
Beulaville citizen Sarah
Bolin appeared with repre
sentation by attorneys
Hubert and David Phillips of
Kenansville requesting
sewer service to property on
West Stanford St. Bolin's
property includes one
dwelling which the Duplin
County health department
has proposed to condemn
unless connected to proper
sewage facilities. The home
is serviced by a septic tank
>. iin.il was covered when an
addition was built onto the
house. Attorney David
Phillips requested the board
service the Bolin property
using Clean Water grant
funds earmarked for sewer
expansion in the Stanford
Street section of Beulaville.
Phillips pointed out the
Board's lack of action on the
sewer project since the
SI9.655 grant was approved
in May of 1982.
I have had the opportunity
to sell two lots on Stanford
5>t.." Bolin said. 'But, the
Farmers Hume Administra
tion won't approve them
without sewer service. And.
if the funds are a t:'able for
the sewer lines, why not use
them?" Bolin's real estate on
Stanford St. is classified farm
property.
According to Woody Brin
son of McDavid and Asso
ciates in Kenansville, engi
neers for the proposed
project in the northwest sec
tion of Beulavilie. the Board
of Commissioners held up
the job due to the town's lack
of matching funds. The total
project was estimated to cost i
$78.b2l. Brinson said. The i
funds obligated to Beulaville i
under the North Carolina i
Clean Water grant cover <
about 25 percent of the i
project. Included are
approximately 3.000 feet of 1
sewer lines and a lift station.
The funds are under a three- i
year obligation to the town.
Action on Bolin s request ,
was scheduled for the June
meeting of the Beulaville
tow n board.
The town commissioners I
requested Mayor Wilbur i
Husses talk with businesses
along the intersections of Lee
and Smith Streets with
Highway 24 about making
tin areas open to one ; ay
traffic on'v According to
recommendations from The
Department of Transporta
tion. approximately 10
parking spaces would be
eliminated at each intersec
tion if two-way traffic con
tinued to flow through Smith
and Lee Streets. Opening the
streets to one-way traffic
would reduce the number of
parking spaces eliminated.
Hussey pointed out .
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. .. ...s ........ ... ...........
Construction in Beulavillc
mei with the Board request
ing the Commissioners look
into extrater.i'orial /oning to
continue one mile outside the
city limits.
A letter was received by
i he town board from Beula
ville residents requesting the
removal of a hog pen on
Robertson St. The board re
quested the town police de
partment contact the owner
Dan Moore, and negotiate
I he removal of the hog pen
From inside the Beulavillc
city limits.
Cemetery Committee
Appointed In Faison
By Emily Klllclle
The Board of Faison town
commissioners appointed a
three-member committee to
continue efforts to provide
perpetual catc for the Faison
cemetery, during the May 4
meeting at the town hall.
Appointed to serve on the
Cemetery Committee are
Anne Taylor, town commis
sioner Rachel Clifton and
Jane Precythe. According to
information submitted to the
board by Commissioner
Flelen Britt. 74 families have
agreed to participate in the
suggested perpetual care
project of the Faison Ceme
tery. And. Britt turned in an
estimate of $2,000 needed
each year for the upkeep of
the cemetery. The estimated
upkeep and agreements to
participate had been sub
mitted to Britt by Faison
citizen Anne Taylor.
Commissioner Melvin
Rogers was appointed by the
board to supervise the sale of
town water to interested local
farmers. A rate of S3 a 1.000
gallons was set for water sold
to farmers. The water may be
obtained on the lot across
from Rogers' business.
Rogers was also authorized
to negotiate Ihe sale and
disbursement of the 197(1
model Faison police car.
James E. Goodman ap
peared before the board
requesting a license to
operate a pool and game
room in Faison. Action was
delayed until further infor
mation on Goodman and the
proposed business could be
obtained.
Mayor Francis McColman
presented a letter from
Boney and Asviciates. town
engineers in the recent water
project. The engineering
firm advised the board of the
system's ability to provide an
additional 16.000- to 18.000
gallons of water per day to be
used in the proposed county
project to service the Burn
ing Bush community.
TK? k .....
1 lie Ul'OI Vi "A3 IlllV'lllieVJ VII
the cost to the Recreation
Department to provide
utilities for the Faison nu
trition site at the town gym
nasium at the park.
"The bills have been ex
tremely high. Last month it
was S276 and this month
$206," Frances King, recrea
tion department secretary
treasurer said. "The only
thing that has been helJ in
the building in the past
months has been the nut^i
lion meals and they only use
the lights and hot water
heater."
A change was made in the
policy for extending water
lines and service fees
adopted by the Faison Com
missioners during the April
meeting of the board. Com
missioner Helen Britt sug
gested the policy adopted in
April be changed to exclude
industry and commerical
users along with govern
mental agencies from the
rates adopted. The Board
agreed to set rates for com
mercial. industry or govern
mental agencies at the time
of application for service.
raison nre cniet uienn
Jernigan appeared before
the board during the public
hearing for revenue sharing
funds. Jernigan requested
the board allocate $3,000 to
each the fire and rescue
departments. According to
town administrator Neil
Mallory Faison expects to
receive as much as $15,000 in
revenue sharing funds.
Jernigan also requested
the board pass a resolution
exempting the Faison Fire
Department from HOSEA
regulations. He added, a new
state law allows towns of leas
than 10.(XX) in population can
exempt their local fire de
partments from HOSEA
regulations by passing a
resolution to that effect. The
resolution was drawn up by
the North Carolina Fireman
Association. Town adminis
trator Mallory presented a
request received from the
League of Municipalities
asking towns not to adopt the
resolution from the North
Carolina Fireman's
Association.
"We (Faison fire depart
ment) want to be exempted
from HOSEA regulations,"
Fire Chief Jernigan said.
"For one thing, we can't
afford to comply with their
standards. It would cost us
$3,000 to $5,000 to replace
just our turn-out suits alone
under HOSEA regulations."
Under the suggestion from
the league of municipalities,
Mallory pointed out, fire
equipment not meeting
HOSEA standards would be
inventoried and placed on a
list to be replaced to meet
specifications as the gear
wore out. The board unani
mously passed the resolution
to exempt the Faison Fire
Department from HOSEA
regulations. 'V