Tli
Twenty-sixth Year, Number
REV. COY PKIVETTE OF KANNA
distributes copies of his Christiai
publication. "Building a Better Tome
day's Actions," to members of the I
Pastors' Conference last Thursday
Pastors' C
Repeal C
I
BY RAHN ADAMS
With less than three weeks until the
May 3 Democratic primary, incumbent
State Rep. David Redwine has
drawn criticism from local Baptist
ministers over legislation he sponsored
last year that allows
Brunswick County sports clubs to obtain
ABC permits.
The Brunswick Baptist Pastors'
Conference Monday "unanimouslyexpressed
its disapproval" of the
legislation and voted to seek repeal of
Redwine's bill, according to the
group's vice president, Rev.
Franklin Myers.
"They i pastors t did not take any
action on supporting one candidate or
another," Myers said. "What we are
going to do is get a resolution up and
send it to the candidates and
representatives, and express a desire
to get it (the sports club bill) repealed."
Redwine, who is seeking his third
elected term to the 14th District N.C.
House seat, faces challenger Glen
Peterson in thp nnenminiT
Democratic primary. Republican
candidate Rozell Hewett is unopposed
in the GOP primary.
Emphasizing that they do not want
to "get into personalities," Myers
said the pastors intend to inform
their church members about Redwine's
bill and "let them make a
decision" about whom to support.
According to Myers, more than 20
pastors were present at Monday's
meeting. The Brunswick Baptist
Association is composed of 44 churches.
The conference's action this week
followed a special meeting that was
held last Thursday at Supply Baptist
Church. Rev. Coy Privette of Kannapolis,
who is head of the N.C.
? *
unrisuan Action league and also
serves with Redwine in the N.C.
House, met with 12 pastors to discuss
the sports club bill and other
statewide issues.
During the P2-hour meeting,
Brunsw
by doug rutter
Brunswick County Democratic
Party delegates Saturday rejected a
resolution that called for review of
existing septic tank laws that are
limiting development in some areas
of the county.
Appointment of district delegates
and a speech from State Rep. E.
David Redwine also highlighted the
Brunswick County Democratic Convention
held Saturday in Bolivia.
Delegates also went on record supporting
an overpass, rather than an
at-grade crossing, where the
Shallotte bypass will intersect with
N.C. 130 near West Brunswick High
School.
The septic tank rules resolution,
submitted by delegates from the Oak
I
HO AG & SONS BOOK Bit
SPPINGF'ORT MI
23 ? 1988 THE 88UNSWICK 8EACON
! ? ;
: \ ' 'Vvv -'Ti"".'" '- . : K '
POLIS (standing) Church. Local
i Action League clockwise from
irrow Through To- Wint Hale, S.L
Irunswick Baptist Doshcr, Bill Buc
at Supply Baptist Hardwick.
lonference
>f 'Sports C
Privette told the ministers that Redwine's
bill was the "hole in the dike,"
because it was the first time that
ABC legislation was approved
without a vote of the people in the affected
area. He cited a 1981 countywidc
ABC referendum in which
Brunswick County voters soundlj
defeated on- and off-premises beei
and wine sales in unincorporatec
areas of the county...
I^ast year, Redwine's House Bil
1093 passed the House by a 57-41
margin and gained Senate approval
on a 33-7 vote. Redwine is chairman
of the House ABC Committee, of
which Privette also is a member.
"Redwine's bill basically circumvented
the will of the voters,"
Privette said last Thursday. He noted
that it was a statewide bill that had
strictly local implications, since it affected
only sports clubs, such as golf
courses, in Brunswick County.
"He just took our vote and threw it
out the door," commented Rev. S.L.
Doty Jr. of Woodburn First Baptist
Church. Earlier in the meeting, Doty
said local pastors also were concerned
about the "secretive way this took
place in Raleigh."
Privette added that the bill "set the
pace" as a precedent for other
similar legislation last year which
allowed beer sales at Charlotte Motor
Speedway in Cabarrus County and
ABC permits at an Allegany County
resort even though voters in both
counties earlier had defeated ABC
rofnrnnHiimp on K?*?l
iviviciiuuiuo a.-) iiau di uiiswil'tv
voters.
"I don't know where in the world
Redwine's bill is going to leave the
state of North Carolina," Privette
said.
In an interview last Thursday,
Redwine told The Brunswick Beacon
that the purpose of his legislation was
not to override the 1981 referendum,
but to allow "better control" of
alcoholic beverages at local golf
clubs and to allow them an
"amenity" that was already offered
ick Democr
Island II precinct, supported re>
examination and possible reinter
pretation of state laws which require
tit lpnct nno fnnt rvf nrininnl oa!I
... ..HU. w?v iWV vr? ui Iglliai OVJ1I UUUVl
the water table for issuance of a sep
tic tank permit.
A reinterpretation of the law by the
Brunswick County Health Depart
ment last year has reduced the
number of lots approved for septic
tank permits. In particular
numerous canal and marsh lots al
Holden Beach and l-ong Beach have
been denied approval for septic tank
permits.
In the resolution, local delegate!
argued that area residents sufferec
no apparent health problems anc
that there were no confirmed cases ol
pollution caused by faulty septie
' B Jjjj
' ? i i SSS
Shallotte, North Carolina
MgkhJW}
I
STAFF PHOTO BV RAMN ADAMS
ministers pictured include (seated,
left) Vic Potter Jr., Truettc Rogers,
Doty Jr., Jessie Bentiey, Bryan
hanan, James Whitworth and Donald
To Urge
iub' Bill
at South Carolina golf courses.
"If I had passed legislation to allow
alcoholic beverages in all unincor
porated areas of the county, I would
probably agree with them (the
pastors)," Redwine said, "but what I
did was take one little aspect of the
economy of the county where people
were doing it anyway ... If alcoholic
beverages aren't available to them
(certain golfers), they're going to bring
it themselves."
At last Thursday's special
meeting, Privette told the pastors
i that in order for the sports club
legislation to be repealed in the
General Assembly, a bill to that effect
would have to be introduced by a
Brunswick County legislator.
However, Redwine told The
Beacon that since the bill is
statewide, any member of the
General Assembly?including
Privette?could sponsor legislation
to repeal the bill.
Redwine said last Thursday that he
has "no intention" of seeking the
bill's repeal?a position which he expressed
to the pastors' conference
itself last month.
Although Privette did not directly
encourage the pastors to oppose Redwine's
re-election bid, the Kan
napolis minister did point out that
"the democratic system is, you
speak through the ballot box, and
you've got an election coming up
May -3."
"I think if you deal with the issues,
personalities will fall in line,"
Privette said, advising the pastors
not to personally attack Redwine
from their pulpits.
In response, Redwine told the
Beacon that the pastors "better be
careful about throwing the baby out
with the bathwater."
"They need to make sure that if
they encourage a change in representation
that they're going to get their
desired results," Redwine said.
"When they look at the big picture,
(See PASTORS, Page 2-A)
DEIEGAT!
"nfs Dnnncf
? -rr?
tanks recorded during the time when
the previous interpretation was in
: use.
: There was no discussion of the pro
posal, which was defeated in a roll
call vote by a count of 43 to 29.
: County Democratic Party Chair
man W.A. Stanley said after the
! meeting that he agrees with those
: that voted against the resolution,
, feeling that the old septic tanks have
t caused pollution.
s "I just think the people are more
; environmentally-minded than they
used to be," he added.
j Democrats also went on the record
1 Saturday as supporting the establish1
ment of a state lottery,
f Stanley said the issue had not been
: previously discussed by the local par
i, Thursday, April 14, 1988
Local Di
Com mi
With Se
BY RAHN ADAMS
Six Brunswick County men involved
in local development were among
a group of coastal residents to appear
before a legislative study committee
last week in Bolivia to ask for "immediate
relief" from septic tank
laws that they said are stifling
economic growth.
Some 12 individuals from Currituck
to Brunswick counties spoke
last Thursday night to the Legislative
Study Committee on Control of
Development Around Small Public
Water Supply Reservoirs and State
Permitting of Septic Tank Systems.
About 60 people attended the 2^-hour
public hearing that was held in the
Brunswick County Public Assembly
Building.
The committee, which will report
its findings to the 1989 N.C. General
Assembly, is co-chaired by State
Rep. David Redwine of Ocean Isle
Beach and State Sen. William Barker
of New Bern. According to Redwine,
the committee's task is to make
recommendations that balance
developmental concerns with public
health needs. Eight of the
committee's 11 members were present
at last week's public hearing.
Laws Criticized
The general consensus among local
speakers was that a recent new interpretation
in Brunswick County of
1982 septic tank laws is threatening
the county's continued development.
In particular, local developers
questioned why lots wliieh contain fill
soil are not approved as being
suitable for septic tanks?and
therefore buildings?and why the
state does not encourage the use of
certain residential waste treatment
systems other than conventional septic
tank systems.
Lots must contain at least 12 inches
of original soil above the water table
to be approved for septic tanks.
Since the Brunswick County Health
Department changed its interpretatinn
nf the sentir tank !aa?c lact fall
more than 200 lots at Holden Beach
alone were found to be unsuitable for
septic tanks. The lots, most of which
are located on finger canals, were
created from dredge material.
Probe Continue
Investigation into the death of a
Columbus County man found last
week in Brunswick County continued
Tuesday with three law enforcement
agencies involved.
According to Detective Lindsay
Walton of the Brunswick County
Sheriff's Department, local
authorities were waiting for a report
on evidence being examined at the
State Bureau of Investigation lab in
Raleigh.
Walton said Tuesday he did not
know when the report would be comMAAACn
If UVIWU
? Review O
ty as far as he knew and that he expected
more controversy in passing
the resolution.
"Maybe this lottery thing is beginning
to come about," he said.
"Maybe the people are starting to
think differently on it."
Under the resolution adopted,
funds generated by the lottery would
benefit education, water and sewer
projects, secondary road improvements
and community development.
In other business, local precinct
delegates rejected a resolution supporting
a three percent increase in
the sales tax for purchases of liquor,
wine and beer.
Despite support of the resolution by
Hedwine and Glen Peterson, who will
25c Per Copy
svelopen
ttee For S
ntir TnnU
jjjaaiSf a H q va a B i ^
1. ^
91
mfl . A
STAFF PHOTO BY RAHN ADAMS 1
LbCAL BUILDER MARK
SAUNDERS tells members of a
legislative stnriv rnmmlHoo that o 1
u w._ mm j II1UI U
recent new interpretation of state '
septic tank laws has had a "stagger- '
ing" impact on Brunswick County's 1
economy. (
In the same period, about 1,600 lots
at Long Beach were turned down for
septic tank permits.
"The rules haven't changed, but
the bureaucracy has changed its interpretation,"
said Holden Beach
realtor Alan Holden, who also is a (
member of the Holden Beach and ,
Brunswick County planning boards. |
"I didn't know God was still making
new soil," Holden said in j
reference to the state's position on fill ?
material. He later added, "What's
wrong with the filling of sand? The r
bottom line is, what is wrong with t
God's old sand?"
Shallotte developer Mason Ander- s
son echoed Holden's comments, as (j
did several other developers, but
Anderson also encouraged the committee
to recommend approval of
alternative waste treatment systems "
that will meet immediate needs.
Calling the present situation "the '
most serious problem facing the landowners
of Brunswick County,"
s Into Death Of (
pleted.
Police found the body of James c
Thomas Smith, 38, of Nakina, face a
down on the shoulder of N.C. 904 approximately
2.5 miles from the Col- s
umbus County line at 4:39 a.m. Fri/fan
uoj. r
Walton said Smith had been shot, i
apparently with a shotgun, in the
chest area. He said the number of
times he had been shot could not be c
determined. t
A truck apparently owned by Smith I
was parked partially off the road a *
few feet from the body, he said. i
f Septic Tanl
oppose Redwine in next month's s
Democratic primary, other county c
delegates opposed the support of any f<
tax increase during an election. Con- r
sideration of the resolution failed on n
a voice vote.
According to the drafted resolu- t
tion, the alocoholic beveraue sales ?
- o- ? V
tax would have provided funds for h
personnel increases in the state s
Highway Patrol and the state Alcohol a
Enforcement Agency.
Democrats also rejected a resolu- (
tion advocating adoption of the r
"comparative negligence" standard
in wrongful death and personal in- v
jury court cases. p
According to Rex Gore, a local
lawyer and member of the county i
party's resolution committee, the
I
J
38 Pages Plus Insert
5 Ask
> a
upporr
Laws
inderson said, "We're at the point
mere something must be done."
He urged the committee to take
lefinite action instead of simply stulying
the matter for several years.
"We need immediate relief," he
eiterated.
Impact Underscored
Mark Saunders, president of the
south Brunswick Islands
Homebuilders' Association, told
:ommittee members that the new inerpretation
has cost Holden Beach
in estimated $7 million to $10 million
lollars in development.
Emphasizing the impact of that
loss on all phases of the building iniustry,
Saunders said, "We are talking
about eroding and deteriorating
the livelihoods in this
irea .. . (Across the county i I think
the economic impact would be staglorinrt
"
Earlier in the hearing, Nick
Newton, president of the Brunswick
Islands Board of Realtors, responded
:o the attitude of some that
tevelopers want to sell land at any
:ost.
"We brokers of real estate don't
have any intentions to rape the environment,"
Newton said, adding
that realtors wouldn't "kill the goose
that laid the golden egg."
Other Comments
Also last Thursday, I.ong Beach
resident Bob Miller read a prepared
statement from "concerned citizens
of Ixing Beach" which also questioned
the new interpretation of septic
ank laws.
Jack Stout, a developer from Currituck
County, asked for state consideration
of alternative systems.
The only entirely positive comnents
came from New Bern septic
ank contractor Michael Foreman,
vho said he thinks enforcement of
eptic tank laws by local health
lepartments is "very fair."
Officials Respond
State and local health officials also
re re present at the public hearing.
leve sieinoecK, supervisor of the
I.C. Department of Human
lesources' On-Site Sewage Pro(See
DEVELOPERS. Page 2-A)
lolumbus Man
"We've got leads we're following,"
ontinued Walton, "but nothing solid
it this time."
He added there are several
aspects.
According to Walton, a family
nember reported last seeing Smith
n Nakina about 2 a.m. Friday.
Because the incident occurred so
lose to the county line, Walton said
he Columbus County Sheriff's
Department as well as the State
lureau of Investigation were called
n to assist in the investigation.
c Laws
tandard provides a fairer way to
ompensate individuals and their
amilies in such cases than the curent
state standard of "contributory
egugence.
Brunswick County Board of Educaion
Chairman James Forstner addd,
however, that insurance rates
lave increased about 10 percent in
tates where the standard has been
dopted.
Following rejection by voice vote,
lore called for a roll call vote and the
esolution failed by 5-1 to 14.
During his speech Saturday, Redrine
urged his fellow Democrats to
mil together and carry out their
obligation" to vote for party
nernbers this fall regardless of
(See DEMOCRAT. Page2-A \
t