mmmm
m
ID
iiiiA \m*
Football Season
Kicks Off Friday
North Brunswick lineman Vincent Mon
tgomery (top) stretches out over team
mate Bill Watson prior to the Scorpions
practice last week. Previews of all three
county high school teams are in Section
of this issue.
OTHER INSIDE HIGHLIGHTS
•Calabash To Study Planning Options, 3-A
•Waterway Dredging Nears Finish, 6-A
•Sunset Beach Delays Opening Bids, 8-A
•Shaliotfe Eyes City Limits Expansion, 12-A
•Fishermen Gear Up For Fall Season, 12-C
Her 17fh Year
Behind Wheel
Meet Myrtle Carnill. Inis driMT :it
Bolivia Klemciit.irv Schmil.
substlliile sehooi learner ami lurmiT
teacher’s aide. Sl.e is featured
“Under the Sun ” t'lis week
M :/ SONi t:00i oINOElvy'
I ’SPRlN'jp'dRT f-il I
w' mw i
Twenty-fifth Yeor, Number 42
1987 TM{ BRUNSWICK B(ACON
Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, August 27, 1987
25c Per Copy
32 Pages
Fired Brunswick Tech Chief Claims Board Hasn't Supported Him
3Y DOUG RUTTER
In the wake of his firing Monday night, Brunswick
Tech President Joseph Carter said Tuesday the
college’s trustees had not given him adequate support
and managerial freedom during the past year.
Carter’s dismissal is effective Sept. 1. 'The trustees
have asked the State
Department of Community
Colleges to provide an in
terim administrator, who is
e.xpected to be named in the
near future.
The institution’s foun
ding president, Carter has
served in the post seven
years.
Tuesday he .said the
board had recently become
“too involved” in the
decision-making process of
the college and that he was
not given enough freedom.
Carter
“The board should be concentrating on enl.ancing
the image of the college and insuring professional con
trol of the college," he said. “Instead, they are more in
volved with the educational procedures, which is not
their job.
“They should first and foremost live by their own
bylaws.”
Carter was fired on the recommendation of the per
sonnel committee, which earlier Monday had asked un
successfully for his resignation. Committee Chairman
James Rabon made the motion which trustees approv
ed unanimously, although not all voiced their approval
during the vote.
Carter said he found out about his potential firing at
the board’s .-\ug. 17 meeting attended by State Depart
ment of Conununity Colleges President Robert Scott.
Board members refused to say whether the visit
from Scott or any other circumstance was the deciding
factor in Carter’s dismissal.
Carter said Scott insinuated he had not cooperated
with the State Bureau of Investigation and figurately
“slapped” his hand.
nie SBl investigation of Brunswick Tech began in
March after the discovery of fraudulent clasps at Cape
Fear Tech in Wilmington were reported. District At
torney Michael Easley is expected to present the fin
dings of that report to a Brun.swick County Grand Jury
on Aug. 31.
A statement issued Monday night by board Chair
man David Kelly indicated trustees fired t'arter "feel
ing that a change in leadership was in the best interests
of the college.”
Regarding the .SBI investiuation. Kelly’s statement
indicated the board knows of nothing that would lead it
“to conclude that either Dr. Carter or any member of
his staff and faculty has engaged in any illegal
activity.”
Trustees declined further comment on the .situa
tion, deferring all questions to Kelly’s prepared state
ment.
Carter agreed with Kelly’s statement, but added
that he “cooperated in every way" with the SBI during
its probe.
He said the SBI had turned up evidence showing
that some Brunswick Tech students had signed up for
two classes at the same tune.
The practice itself was not unlawful at the time it
occurred. Carter .said. He added that in no w.iy s the
.school condone such behavior and now has a rule whu li
prohibits the practice.
A lack of computerization at Brunswick Tech ina'ic
it difficult to cross-reference student files ami deter
mine if they had actually signed up for  hisses mi reet-
ly. he said, adding that new computer oper.itions heiiii;
set up at the college will help prevent similar pn.oiems
in the future.
Options Rejected
Carter’s tennination followed a bid by him to L'iiiii
more time.
Carter told The Brun.swick Beacon he had proposed
two options to the personnel conunittee. whicii met
.Monday afternoon before the ineetinu of the full uotird.
Committee members rejected both, he .said, ami in
stead demanded his immediate resignation, which he
refused to give.
Carter’s first option called for a six-month proba
tionary period during which the board could evaluate
Carter’s performance as president and demand his
resignation if not satisfied.
(See BRUNSWICK. Page 5-A i
Grading For Shallotte Bypass
Could Begin In Early November
THE FIRST REGIONAL BEACH ACCESS in the South
Brunswick Islands area has been constructed at
Holden Beach on property below tbe new bridge. Tbe
staff Photo by rahn aoams
facility consists of a 90-car parking lot, restrooms and
showers.
Holden Beach Access Is Almost Comoleted
BY RAHN ADAMS
Holden Beach officials say the
newly-constructed regional beach ac
cess there is expected to greatly
relieve traffic conge.stion, especially
on weekends.
According to town administrator
Tom Birmingham, the beach acce.ss
project is virtually completed, with
only some restroom fixtures—one
lavatory and mirror—yet to be in
stalled.
"nobody apparently thought about
how popular these little islands would
become.
Ms. Atkins said the regional access
should solve parking problems on
weekends, when vehicles often arc
parked "heltcr skelter” in various
areas.
featuring stainless-steel lavatories
and safety-glass mirrors.
Two cold-water showers are
located outside the building.
Estimated cost of the project is
$70,(X)0; all but approximately $10,0(X)
of that amount will come from state
grant monies.
Grading of the soulhen; liaU if '.I,.-
U.S. 17 bypass around Shallotte could
begin as early as November, but the
route isn’t expected to open to traffic
until the mid-1990s.
And Brunswick County planning
board members are concerned that
the bypass will be ob.solete before it’s
finished, Planning Director John
Harvey told county commissioners
last Thursday night.
At the request of the planning
board, commissioners directed Coun
ty Attorney David Clegg to draw up
for their consideration a resolution
urging the N.C. Department of
Transportation to reconsider from a
safety standpoint plans for an at-
grade intersection of the bypass with
N.C. 130 near West Brunswick High
School.
Harvey said U.S. 17 will be an im
portant, heavily-traveled connector
between Interstate 20 to the south
and Interstate 40 to the north. An at-
grade intersection could be hazarous
for public school students. N.C. 130
serves both West Brunswick High
School and Shallotte Middle School.
Cameron Lee, an assistant ad
ministrator for the NC. Department
of Transportation (DOT) said the
slate board -.viU open lii'ls on Siipl.
tor grading a 2.3-mile segment of the
project. It is expected to award a bid
at iUs October meeting.
Grading bids for the remaining 2.3
miles of the project won’t be opened
until June 1988. “That’s going to take
a good while to complete,” he added.
Also, under the current transporta
tion improvement plan, the first con
tracts for paving won’t be let until at
least 1990, with completion not due
until several years later. The plan is
revised annually.
Work on the companion four-laning
of U.S. 17 to the South Carolina line is
expected to begin before the bypass
is completed, but won’t be finished
until later, said l>ee.
County commissioners are ex
pected to adopt a resolution suppor
ting a grade separation at the in
tersection of N.C. 130 and the bypass
at their next meeting.
In an inten’iew earlier this month,
however, DOT Project Engineer
Cyrus Painter said the agency con
tinues to recommend a grade-level
intersection with cast-west stops.
The site would be looked at again
before all work is finished, he said. If
needed, the state could install a traf-
-I'.i. ii.c in-
tic .-iVT'.iu \i •.•,,..1 ■ .
wouid tie tf'.> laie '.(I
tersection.
.-\t the prc.sent tune, he addeil. the
proposed .spiced liniii for the inpa.ss is
55 mph. .Access to propiertv .-iluim the
route wiii be iiy small .sei-vice roud.s.
with no dri'. eway connection.^
I.ast ■>Vednc.sday night. ■.t>r.
Shallotte aldennen gave th.en siiji-
port to a resolution from 1)1)1’ a Inch
calls for the bypass to ;nti rseet U.S.
17 just north of S.R llilfi at the south
end of town and just north of.'^ R 1316
at the north end of .Shallotte. cir
cumventing the town on its east side.
.Mayor Jerry Jones said the tale
would be responsible for the adjust
ment co.st of relocating any city-
owned water and sewer lines liecause
the town’s population i976i doesn i
exceed 5.500.
■‘The town has been hoping for tins
bypa.ss for many, many years. V/v
are all very pleased that it is fm.dls
getting underway.’’ stud .limes.
The resolution adopted h\ the town
board also calls for a rest area to he
mairitaincd by the state. It will he
located at the intersection of the
bypass and N.C. 130.
A 90-space piarking area, located
off Jordan Boulevard near the old
Holden Beach Bridge, is already
open.
Visitors using the new facility will
have an approximately 300-foot walk
from the parking area to the beach,
Birmingham said.
Holden Beach street and acce.ss
commissioner Gay Atkins said last
week that the facility will also allow
convenient access to the Intracoastal
Waterway for fishermen, with con
struction of a marl walkway from the
parking area.
Ms. Atkins said tourist traffic to
Holden Beach wi!! undnuhtixlly in-
crea.se with addition of the regional
access; however, she added that the
facility will also greatly iHMiefit
mainland residents.
“We feel like we’ll have more day
visits than liefore,” Ms. Atkins said,
“probiibly as far away as (’olumbus
County.
“Unfortunately, when the lieaches
were developed,’’ she added.
“I’m going to hope that with this
parking facility tliat traffic will use
this access,” .she .said, “and alleviate
some problems in areas that have
permanent re.sidents.”
Birmingham said maintcnence of
the facility will be handled by the
town. Police officers will open and
close the building, although hours
have not yet been set.
Commissioners Hire County
Manager On 3-2 Vote
Ms. Atkins said another plus will be
having public bathroom and shower
facilities, something not found at
Ocean Isle or Sunset beaches.
According to Birmingham, the
building has handicapped access,
iind is as vandal-proof as possible.
The Holden Beach regional access
is the first built in the South
Brunswick Islands, although Sunset
Beach is working toward developing
a similar facility.
The only other regional acce.ss in
Brunswick County is in Ixing Beach.
BY SUSAN USHER
After a five-month search,
Brunswick County is getting a new
county manager.
County commissioners voted 3-2
last Thursday night to hire John
Thomas Smith, 53, of Clinton. He will
earn $42,500 a year and will have use
of a county car. He is expected to
begin work w ithin about 30 days.
Smith, a former manager of Iredell
County, currently manages two tax
appraisal companies that handle on
ly revaluations.
Voting for him were Commis
sioners Frankie Rabon, Benny
I.udlum and Chairman Grace
Beaslev.
West Principal Drops Student Debt Policy
BY SUSAN USHER
Outstanding student debts at We.st
Brunswick High School won’t be
forgiven come Monday, but they will
lie forgotten-at least for the mo
ment.
Saying the school year needed tc
begin on a more positive note. Prin
cipal David R. Corley announced last
week that he will drop efforts to col
lect debts owed from previous years
before allowing students to attend
clas.ses this fall.
Instead, he will return to the
.school’s past policy of collecting all
overdue debt before seniors are
given their report cards.
“We were trying to prevent
burdening seniors with the extra ex
pense,” .said Corley, as well as giving
a lesson in financial responsibility
and solving a longstanding problem
for the school. Wc.st, along with other
schools, routinely loses revenue due
it from students who drop out or
move away ticfore graduation.
In mid-summer parents of approx
imately 200 students received letters
announcing their children owed the
school money. If the bills were un
paid by the start of school, Corley in
dicated in the letter, the .students
would not be allowed to pick up cla.ss
schedules. Instead, they would be
kept in the equivalent of in-school
suspension.
On Aug. 17, one parent took his
complaint about the plan to the txiard
of education, .saying the .school had
no proof his daughter owed the debt
for which he was billed.
I.ater in the week, Corley .said he
had decided “not to make an issue ot
it.”
Meanwhile, about half the outstan
ding debt has been cleared up.
Conunissioners t hris Chappell .uid
Jim Poole voted against hl.s hiring.
“We had a (Mitentiallv e.xcelleiit
candidate from the county, ’ .said
Chappell afterwards. I thought d
was time to try it."
I’hat candidate was II.C. illerhici
Ward Jr. of .Shallotte. manager of a
farm credit service and chainnan of
the Shallotte Planning Board. Cha(>-
pell .said Ward had no pa.st govern
ment employment, hut was i.ipahic
of learning the manager’s job
Poole supported another i .imiid.itc
who he said was ■'more ipiaiificd '
than Smith
"More people told me that they lik
ed what we were doing as far as
teaching financial responsibility."
said Corley, “But we did get that
negative ...”
However, bolli I’oole ami ('hap(>cll
.said they would give their full ..up-
port to the majority’s choice
Smith, in a telephone inleivuw
F’riday night, .said of the split vote.
"You always want 100 iienent -up-
port and a 1(K) percent vote
He added. But I o '1 woi'-. a.ud
enough to get all the 'xianl' .^p| ..rl
I’ll he working for llic gn, ! «,i the
(.SeeSPl.n VtllK. Bag. A i