THE VIOffeRACON
Twenty-fifth Year. Number 38
.ursday. July 30. 1987
25c Per Copy
34 Pages
Heavy Smoke Sparks Opposition To Burning
SAN USHER with SOrinnt intiirioc A!«n nn in. ir. . » . . . . .
BY SUSAN USHER
A lingering blanket of smoke from
controlled burning pushed some
Brunswick County residents to their
limit of tolerance last Wednesday,
and into action.
Wednesday was the day state of
ficials measured a 5,000-foot column
of smoke and stagnant air over much
of western Brunswick County.
That was also the day angr>' people
from Calabash to Ash and Winnabow
set telephones ringing in Bolivia,
Raleigh, Atlanta, Ga., and
Washington. D.C. in an effort to gel
rid of the smoke and the fires that
caused it.
Their immediate goal: to get
Brmuswick County back on the N.C.
Division of Forest Hcsources’ list of
“high hazard counties.” so that some
t>T)es of large-scale controlled burn
ing hero run be more strictly
regulated by the state.
While grass-roots opposition to con
trolled burning and air poiiuiion is
forming through a group called
Citizens Against Toxic .”henanigans
(CATS), changing weather condi
tions were expected to bring some
short-term breathing relief by mid
week.
Iasi Wednesday afternoon, the
N.C. Division of Forest Resources
announced that major paper com
panies in the area had agreed to start
no new fires in Brunswick. Pender.
Columbus and New Hanover counties
until conditions improve. County
forest rangers arc also asking local
Areas from Wilmington to
Calabash are experiencing limited
visibility on highways, with heavy
smoke blamed for a three-car crash
Sunday morning west of Shallotte
that sent two people to the hospital
with serious injuries. Also, an in
creased munber of residents have re
quired medical attention for
breathing problems.
Arrording to ihe N.C. Division of
Forest Resources, the smoke pro
blem is caused by controlled burning
initiated in past weeks combining
with a large stable air mass over the
eastern part of the state. Smoldering
organic matter is adding to the pro
blem.
“It’s not an increase in smoke, but
a decrease in the amount of smoke
the atmosphere can handle,” Assis
tant Regional Forester David Jar
man told attendees at CATS’ Monday
meeting.
While designation as a “high
hazard" county wouldn’t solve all the
group’s problems, he said, it would
help.
Wednesday’s rash of calls promp
ted one state employee to tell to a
Beacon newswriter, “I’ve talked to
every resident of Brunswick County
today.”
The continuing smoke has promp
ted some residents to organize their
opposition. About 50 people—some of
them fnistrated with response's to
their earlier calls—attended a
meeting Monday afternoon at
Shallotte Town Hall to support the ef
forts of the new environmental
group, CATS. The group’s aim is to
work for a pollution-free environ
ment, said Duane and Ginger Smith,
two of its organizers.
Many of those at the meeting also
plan to attend the 10 a.m. Monday
meeting of the Brunswick County
Board of Commissioners. They want
commissioners to ask Rep. E. David
Redwine to introduce legislation to
pul Brunswick County back on the
N.C. Division of Forest Resources’
list of “liigh hazard” counties.
Redwine said he is amenable to
putting the county on the list, but
since it was taken off the list at a
t)oard of commissioners' request, he
would like this l>oard’s recommenda
tion before acting.
The county was taken off the list in
1982 by local legislation at the re
quest of the county commissioners
and the county’s legislators. Rep.
Tom B. Rabon Jr. and Sen. R.C. Soles
Jr.
“We need to get back in high
he»2..ard.“ Holden Beach businessman
Jimmy Hobbs said last week in a
series of calls to public officials and
the local press.
He continued. “I know real estate
developers and the paper companies
need to burn, but they didn’t have to
pick this time of year.
iiavc .some
tourists,” he added. "Some of them
are threatening to pack up and leave.
They can't go out of their house."
Controlled burning isn’t a new
practice in the county. It is routinely
used by farmers to clear fields,
developers to clear acreage and
timber companies to prepare land for
new planting and for wildfire preven
tion in tree plantations.
In non high-hazard counties a burn
ing permit is required for any burn
ing in or within 500 feet of a wooded
area between midnight and -1 p.m. .\
ground-clearing permit is needed for
tracts of more than five contiguous
acres. The law doesn’t apply to cer-
Uiin contained fires within 100 feet of
a dwelling. Permits can be canceled
and all open burning prohibited dur
ing periods of “hazardous forest fire
conditions or air pollution episodes. ’
In this instance, the problem was
too localized for the National
Weather Service to declare an
episode.
However. Bob Jamieson, manager
of the Department of Natural
Resources and Community Develop
ment’s Wilmington office, said Mon
day neither the declaration or an air
quality study now underway should
have been necessary to respond to
the problem.
He apologized for what he said was
a too-slow response by the state.
High Hazard Status
In the state’s 18 high hazard coun
ties, Jarman said, the rules for open
burning are stricter.
A permit is required to bum in or
within 500 feet of a wooded area
regardless of the time of day the fire
is started. And a special permit is re-
quu eu to uUi ii debris, SturTipS, bnish
or other groimd-clearing materials
on five or more contiguous acres,
when the material is placed in piles
or windrows, regardless of the prox
imity to woodlands.
Six criteria must be met for
groundlearing bums. Prevailing
winds must be away from populated
areas, the amount of material to be
UUI
lieu iiluai iiiitiiiiix&eu, ibe lOCa-
tion at least 1.000 feet from any dwell-
.•6 or structure in a “predominately
SIGNS WARNING MOTORISTS
17 south of Shallotte.
'Ll
STAIf PHOtOST PO^I
residential area” unless the
residents permission is obtained, and
no burning can be started when stag
nant air conditions or inversions ex
ist. Heavy oils, asphaltic materials
and items containing natural or syn
thetic rubbers—such as old
tires—can’t be used to ignite the fire
or speed up the burning. The hours
for such bums are also restricted.
However, the practice used by
most timber companies and
operations is “flat burning,” with no
piling of debris. It is exempted from
the regulations. Paper companies
voluntarily comply with limits on
when they are allowed to burn.
Car
of the smoke were placed on area highways last week. This sign is on U.S
forestrj' office in Whiteville said he is
(See HEAX'T, Page2-A)
Clerk Of Court Takes
Time Off With Pay
CLERK OF COURT GREG BELLAMY announces
plans to take a “leave of absence” pending trial on a
SI AH PHOTO bv SUSAN USHIB
Charge of cocaine possession. At right is his local at
torney, Rov Trest.
Holden Beach West End Suit
Gets Nov. 9 Court Date
BY SUSAN USHER
Brunswick County Clerk of Court
Greg Bellamy announced last
Wednesday morning that he is taking
an immediate paid "leave of
absence” while awaiting trial on a
charge of felonious cocaine posses
sion.
He also said he will plead not guilty
to the charge.
Reading from a prepared state
ment at a press conference in the
county law librar>*, Bellamy told
those present he intends to serv’c out
his term, but added, i feel it would
be inappropriate to attempt to con
tinue to perform the duties of my of
fice while this allegation is hanging
over me.”
Bellamy. 38. is ser\*ing his third
term as clerk, a post in which he
earns about $34,500 annually. His
term expires In December 1990.
He was indicted July 20 by a
Brunswick County Grand Jur>' for
alleged possession on Oct. 24,1985, of
between one and 28 grams of cocaine.
He reminded the audience that he is
innocent until proven guilty and told
media their handling of the allega
tion agaiiLst him "will determine
whether that presumption is still-
valid in American society today.” He
said he will exercise his rights to face
his accusers in court and to be tried
by jury.
In his statement, Bellamy also
noted that the charge against him
does not •allege any misconduct in
the performance of my duties as
’7 fee/ if would be
inappropriate to attempt to
continue to perform fhe
dufies of my oHice while this
allegation is hanging over
me."
— GREG BELIAMY
Clerk of Court
clerk of Superior Court. The truth of
the matter is there has not been any
misconduct on my part as the clerk of
court of this county.”
Question Of Wording
Bellamy announced he was taking
a "leave of absence.” However, the
director of the Administrative Office
of the Courts. Franklin E. Freeman
Jr., said the term is inaccurate.
"I understand he chose to use the
term leave of absence,’ ” said
Freeman. "Technically a clerk can't
take a leave of absence unless he ap
plies to the governor and the gover
nor grants it-and then it is without
pay.” he added. " inat has not been
done, to my knowledge.”
Such applications are usually chan
neled through Freeman's office.
Bellamy’s local attorney, Roy
rrcsl. could not \>e reached for com
ment.
Like other public officials, the of
fice is Bellamy’s unless he resigns,
dies or is removed, Freeman said.
And while in office. Bellamy remains
responsible for the office and the ac
tions of its employees.
"In effect,” continued Freeman,
"it’s like taking a paid vacation.
When clerks go on vacation, they are
still responsible for the office and
have all the powers and duties of that
office and draw their pay. They can’t
be deprived of their pay.”
Bellamy said Chief Assistant Clerk
Diana Morgan will perform the
duties of clerk in his absence and ad
ded that the allegation against him
would ‘’in no way adversely affect
the operation of the clerk’s office.”
By law, an assistant clerk is
authorized to perform all the duties
of the office of clerk, said Freeman,
however, the clerk remains responsi
ble for the actions of his assistants
and deputies.
On the advice of his local attorney,
Roy Trest. Bellamy said he would not
answer questions about the case. He
strayed from his prepared remarks
only once, to add, "My experience in
politics has taught me that you don’t
argue with people who buy their ink
by the barrel.”
Citing the state bar associations'
rules of conduct, Trest said he
couldn't comment on the merits of
the case or evidence or lack of it.
He did say Bellamy’s ’leave” is
expected to continue until at least
.\ug. 10, when the next session of
Superior Court starts. At that time
pleas and/or initial motions would
probably be heard at an arraign
ment. Trial could be scheduled then
or at a later session, in October.
A new court dale lias tentatively
been .set for the lawsuit aimed at
keeping the west end of Holden
Beach open to the public.
The case is expected to be heard
during the Nov. 9 session of
Brunswick County Superior Court,
said Raymond Cope, chairman oi the
Concerned Citizens of Brunswick
County Taxpayers.
The lawsuit, filed in 1985 by Cope,
(olden Beach resident Royal
^illiaiiLs am) the Concerned Citizens
roup, was in response to the closing
of the west end of Holden Beach to
non-property owners in 1985. Public
access to the west end was closed by
Jim Griffin, principal partner of
Holden Beach Really and Holden
Beach Enterprises, which at that
time owned the west end tract.
'iiu ciiac, OI igiua’ily scheduled for privately e
June 29, was postponed. In April, a
Brunswick County Superior Court
judge approved a motion by the slate
to intervene in the west end suit.
The motion asks that Ocean
Boulevard West be declared a public
riph)-nf-way_ based on the argi.ment
of prescriptive casement.
Griffin has repeatedly stated that
his company had for several years
prior to closing the road used signs
and barricades of various kinds to in
form the public that the property was
-Cd. The
were repeatedly torn down. Griffin
elaiins.
Twenty-five people were arre.stcd
in 1985 for Irospa.ssing after they lield
a denionstralioii at the west end to
protest the closing of the road.
Chamber Office To Be Rededicated
Newly-renovated South Brunswick
Chamber of Commerce offices, at the
intersection of U.S. 17 and N.C. 130
West, will be rededicalcd at 6 p.m. to
day ( Thursday i with a ribbon-cutting
ceremony.
fAti'nc
county commissioners and chamber
officers will officiate.
A second floor has been added to
the original chamber office that was
completed in 1979, more than doubl
ing the heated .space from 1,100
square feet to 2.-160 square feet.
The expanded facilities include a
large meeting room, two additional
offices, and a handicapped restroom.
The South Brunswick Islands
Board of Realtors and the South
Brunswick Islands Home Builders
A.s.sociaiiuii will lease .small oBices m
the building. The home builders
group spearheaded the expaii-
sion/renovalion project, with its
members and chamber members
providing supplies and .services.
Also, Brunswick Technical Col
lege’s Small Business Center Direc
tor Velva Hall will provide help to
business owners through the
chamber office one day a week.
The building now has an expanded
parking area to accomodate vaca
tioners and group meeting needs.
During the renovation, the
chamber office was housed in the
Promenade Office Park, in space
donated by Karl Millikcn Jr.