I Men BY SUSAN USHI The death of a western E preschooler from spinal meningitis an isolated incident posing no comn according to a local health official. However, "The rumors have res portions," Superintendent of Scho< said at a Monday night meeting of t ty Board of Education. Only brief r tion was made at the meeting. Rumors suggested that additio ingitis?sometimes called "spottec the rash that sometimes accompani firmed, but Brunswick County Heal Blum said that a survey conducted! of area health facilities and in-co sionals indicated otherwise. "No additional cases or suspects meningoccocal disease have be< stated in a Tuesday news release. Meanwhile, also on Monday, Un reported its highest number of ab than 400 of its 752 students. ' "About two-thirds of them were i Freeman Gause, "probably becaus "They'll probably be back tomor SO""??>os I 1 > Volume 23, Number 30 Propose Asks Fc BY SUSAN USHER A proposed $22.6 million 1983-86 county budget would require 'i fourcent increase in the property tax rate, the first in several years, but the accompanying $3.2 million water budget projects no rate increase. A.i pftfscetcd Monday night to tho Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, the budget includes $4.1 million for the Brunswick County Board of Education and $238,000 to Brunswick Technical College. It also suggests that, with the siinnort nf tho commissioners, the college call (or a bond referendum to meet its longrange development needs. A public hearing on the budget is slated Thursday, June 13, at 7 p.m. in the public assembly building, with adoption of a final budget required byJuly 1. In a related resolution adopted quietly by unanimous vote Monday, commissioners put agencies that receive county funding, such as Brunswick Technical College and the Brunswick County Board of Education, "on notice" that the commissioners want their employees to be residents of Brunswick County. The resolution goes into effect immediately. In January commissioners adopted a requirement that all future county emDlOVeeS must hcrnmp wwink residents within six months of hiring. The resolution adopted Monday advises tocjl governmenUl and quasigovernmental agencies that their compliance with this "desire" of the commissioners shall be taken into consideration when the board discusses funding requests. Contributions to agencies make up 11.603.965 of the proposed budget, excluding contributions to funds for the public schools, health ($605,000) and social sendees ($855,000) departments, revaluation project i $56.2501 and debt service ($t .l< million I. Developed during lengthy worksessi oris held by the commissioners and county staff, the proposed budget is foundeu on a tax valuation of $2.15 Deputy Del BY TERRY POPE A Brunswick County sheriff s deputy dismissed (ram his job for his handling of a recent rape case ui Shailotte claims he did nothing wrong and wants las lob back. Sgt Jody Nance of Calabash was fired (ram his yob last week by Sheriff John Carr Davis after the ofSerf d tn rmifn VVvm a rape at the Oasis Food Mart in Shallotte had nobAed Nance at the sheriff's department tust minutes before the crime According to Darts. the clerk at the a. * PWV- v^.a a ? i - r ingitis D 2R The cause of Irunswick County ed in lab resu i two weeks ago was ingococcal men -lunity health threat, The last know to this form of n iched epidemic pro- common, was i jls Gene Yarbrough Center for Hea he Brunswick Coun- firmed case, no ncntion of the situa- Meningitis is branes of the br nal cases of men- by bacteria, vir I fever" because of u shares the ies it?had been con- eluding a numb th Director Thomas disease 4 4 peaks, Sunday and Monday about four to fi unty health profes- diagnosis can t experts don't k id cases of invasive disease and not :n confirmed," he to, but never co Its after-effec ion Primary School fectionof theiri sentees ever, more called "water o sulfa and antibi Dut," said Principal in a memo e of that. students last F row." have been a fe Ml Oea!*'3"39 Shaiio..^. 5d $22.6 >ur-Cent billion. The proposed 63.5 cents per $100 valuation tax rate, with a 95 percent collection rate, would generate $12,969,875 in revenues, the largest source of income for the county. The figure reflects an increase of approximately $1.1 million in ad valorem tax revenues from the current year that ends June 30. County Manager William Carter said the budget gives "strong considerations" to education ($5.5 million); park development ($579,800)) reorganization, public safety, and staff needs (21 new positions at $267,434, including nine in the sheriffs department and one Jailer). Water System The water rate would remain at 94 cents per 1,000 gallons under the proposed water budget, with water sales of $2.07 million and a $866,381 supplement from the general fund the main sources of revenue. With added distribution lines and construction of the new 24mgd treatment plant, operating costs are expected to increase by about $535,000. The increase includes seven new positions, which would bring the department to 27 employees. Sales income is based on projec tions of 2,210.21 million gallons of water use per year, with Pfizer Chemical Inc. accounting for 76.55 percent of that usage. Education Appropriations proposed for the public schools would include $4.1 million for operations, about $300,000 less than requested. The sum includes a 10 percent increase for salary and fringe benefits. Another $1 million would be provided to meet the schools' basic capital outlayneeds other than its construction prograin. Of a proposed $860,000 capital reserve fund basically financed by half-cent sales tax revenues, 40 percent would be set aside for the schools' future capital needs while 60 percent would be set aside for the county. Brunswick Technical College ends Actions Oasis called the sheriffs department prior to the alleged rape and asked to speak to Nance She then gave Nance some information about a suspicious suspect loitering outside the store. Davis said. Twenty minutes later, she called back and told Nance that she had been raped. Davis said. An officer ?< not dispatched to the store until after the second call. "My pant is that an officer should have been sent." Davis said, "even if she haifc't asked far one Since it was in the city of Shaliotle, Jody should have asked that one of their officers a-, r.-uuii " rcspcxai I RUMORS, NOT FEVI eoth Said the three-year-old's death was confirmlts received last Wednesday as meningitis. 71 death in Brunswick County attributed leningitis, which happens to be the most n October 1976, according to the State 1th Statistics in Raleigh. The last con n-fatal, was in February 1978. an acute inflammation of the memain, spinal cord or both. It can be caused uses, protozoa, yeasts or fungi, symptoms of many other diseases, iner of childhood ailments. Typically the " or reaches its most contagious stage, ve days after symptoms appear and a te made, Blum indicated. But medical ;now why some people can carry the become infected and others be exposed ntract the disease. :ts can include deafness, paralysis, ins, arthritis and hydrocephalus, common n the brain." It is usually treated with otic drugs. to parents of Union Primary School riday. the school advised that "there w cases of illnesses that can be con NSWI Caroiina, inursaay, June Million B Tax Incre would receive $208,000 for operating expenses and $218,000 for capital needs, including the money needed to exercise a purchase option on Land adjoining the campus. Fire And Rescue Each of 19 fire departments and 10 rescue squads In the county would gel $io,oao this year, up from $7,500. Also, a discretionary fund of $50,000 per each of the five districts would be set up, but no distributions made until policies are adopted. Funding is included for new fire departments at Navossa and Northwest and one new rescue squad if they organize. Parks and Recreation In addition to providing about $580,000 to construct a new park in District 5 complete parks in Districts 2 and 3, and improve those in Districts 1 and 4, the parks and recreation budget reflects a proposal to upgrade three of the five laborers in the department to "park supervisor trainees." Each would be assigned maintenance and supervision of a township park. Programming and scheduling would remain centralized at the county office. Salaries would account for $160,527 of the total $940,431 budget. New Departments Two new departments, construction and older adults, are expected to improve the delivery of services without increasinc exoenHitnrps Carter said. Other Agencies The county's two chambers of commerce would get $60,000 toward a promotional package, double the $30,000 they received last year, but less than the $100,000 they requested. In addition to $5,000 each for the N.C. Fourth of July and Oyster Festivals, the budget reflects identical contributions to the Navassa Homecoming Parade and the N.C. Festival By the Sea at Holden Beach. A $50,000 request from the Brunswick Bay Artificial Reef Association would be cut to $25,000 Airports on Long Beach Road and at Ocean Isle would get $10 000 each. Following Hi: Nance, an eight-year veteran with the department, was the shift sergeant on duty the morning of the alleged rape He stated Monday that in the first telephone call, sometime around 6 a.m., U? clerk gave him a man's name and asked him to "see what I could find out about him." a request be said he gets frequently from people he knows oo his usual beat. "She never asked that I send someone," Nance said. "She never expressed tf be was still there or not" Nance said he used the name the clerk gave him to run through the department's Police Information ER, ARE 'EPIDEMIC' f No Cau* tagious at Union Primary School", as! contact a physician if their child contrac of the following symptoms: high fever creased irritability, colds, skin rashes ai The memo was written at the central r-? e 1 * * wvc-u wv? i- lcciiutu iui reieasc, ne saia. A second memo went out Tuesday, th Brunswick County Health Department. 1 the department has received "many, ? calls" on the subject. In it, Blum said the procedures used the case conform to those of the N.C. Dii Services, the Centers for Communicabl American Academy of Pediatrics and Public Health Association. "We referred the family to a private pi as a precaution," Blum said. The immediate household was evalua cian and Brunswick Hospital revi( employees may have had. "Based on the directives for evaluatin of spread," said Blum, "they wen Therefore, additional measures in members of the public or other instituti schools were not deemed necessary undf guidelines. CKfj / i nr?r n 1 O, I70J 7J udget ?ase while the cuunty library would get $105,000. Other contributions include the foresty service, $92,284; Southeastern Mental Health, $125,260; Task Force Against Family Violence, $2,500; Resources Development Commission, $112,500; public radio, $1,000; Offender Aid and Restoration, $4,214; Lower Cape Fear Hospice, $300; Special Olympics, $3,000; and SENCland Community Action, $5,000. Department Run-Down A breakdown by the proposed budget by department (excluding contributions to agencies and funds) follows: Uovernlng Body. $134,386, includes wages of $40,543 and per diem of $30,890 for the commissioners, plus the clerk's salary and $14,100 for codification of the county's or- I dinances Public Inspections, $96,246, a new department required by state law, includes two new positions, building inspector and office operator. Public Utilities, $137,482, the county engineer's office, includes two new positions, soil scientist and | secretary. Administration, $123,795, includes a new receptionist for the administrative building. Board of Elections, $139,562. Planning, $130,263, including $5,000 per diem for planning board members. Management and Clerical Support, $88,000, Finance and Purchasing, $158,540. Computer Services, $106,798. Tax Supervisor, $381,583 Tax Collector, $190,403. County Attorney, $176,506, including $100,000 for professional services such as expert witnesses, court recorders, etc. Register of Deeds, $290,000, includes a new deputy register of deeds. Housekeeping, $167,748 Building and Grounds. SSOt.370, (SeeTAX. Page i-A) | > Dismissal Network computer It was Later discovered that the name was wrong, but that the information was enough to pursue a suspect in the case. Later Saturday. Shallotte Police Sgt Rodney Cause arrested El wood Pigott, 72, of Mulberry Street, ShaUdOe. at las place of work and charged him with the alleged firstdegree rape. uavis said there is s witness who was at the dnre the morning of the rape that overheard the clerk ask for an officer during the initial telpher* conversation Nance said las only proof that ahe did not (See DEPLTV, Page t-A? ?e For Ai ting parents to Blum said he hai ted one or more contact with the ch , stiff neck, in- red to a physician, id sore throats. had called and dis office and die- added. "I realize the fla is one from the tried to calm it doi Like the school, nany telephone AH four memtx Ansley and their I in dealing with medication as a vision of Health Mrs. Ansley said, e Diseases, the child who died; tlx the American tim several days And at least one lo lysician simply the drug most coi ment. ited by a physi- If further invest! iwed contacts dicates additional | procedures affecti g other sources the health departrr ;n't affected." mediately." volving other In any case, h< ons such as the Pediatrics recomn :r these various value in deciding necessary. wasi StACI 5r Per Copy 32 ; ;! -; : ?. , .oSto Pf.JB hHBE 1 at i m matt matching the description walking along the east end of the beach. Davis said Davis then contacted Holden Beach Police Chief Raymond Simpson. and together they went hun&ng lor the suspect on the east end and f larm i recommended that anyone in close ild who develops symptoms be referAlso, a number of local physicians cussed the incident with him, Blum p in the community," he said. "I've vn." irs of one family, Steve and Tina :wo children, are taking preventive voluntary precautionary measure. The Ansleys are neighbors of the sir children had played with the viebefore his sudden illnes and death, cal drugstore ordered extra stock of Tunonly used for preventive treatigation and follow-up of the case Inirecautions are needed, "a change in ng the public's health," Blum said lent will inform the community "im ; said the American Academy of lends that throat cultures are not of whether preventive treatment is DN TM Pages Plus Supplement ''-Mm IVAM PHOIOav CAVOtVN tWfATT rr County Prison superintendent, with ' deputies, lead escapee Hoydt Rogers ims Into stody began following some track* "The chief and 1 approached this man in swimming trunks," Davis said. "The chief said, 'I'd like to talk to you.' But he ran and Jumped in the surf." Davis said the suspect began swimming up and down the shoreline Just beyond the breakers. An Oak Island Ui>. Coast Guard boat was also called to the scene, but did not try to apprehend the suspect For the officers on the shore, it became a waiting game. As many as 15 officers had gathered along the beach strand sooner or later, he had to get tired end come out of the waiter," Davis laid After swimming for about an hour, Rogers moved closer to shore, where Stalling* had already kicked off his shoes and began wading into the surf after the suspect After identifying Rogers as the escapee, he was handcuffed and taken tack to the facility in Sew Hanover County. Rogers will (ace tnai in court for his escape and could receive an added three months to a year in prv.-.i "That's unfortunate," Davis said "The fellow wns putting in a year for DWI and will probahiy get another sis months for escape." 4 i