'I
Page 2-A?THE BRUNSWICK BEAC
J
BY RAHN ADAMS
A decision has long been reached
1 but not yet announced in an appeal
that could lower property taxes paid
I by a forest products company in
Brunswick County.
The N.C. Property Tax Commission's
ruling on a consolidated appeal
by four paper and forest products
companies in 16 counties across the
state may be made public this month,
according to Director Frank
Goodrum. The commission is
scheduled to meet Sept. 27 through 29
1 in Raleigh.
Goodrum said that although a decision
has been made, the commission
is waiting for additional information
from attorneys involved in the appeal
before signing a written order in the
case.
"This is a very important
matter .. . and there has been a lot
of rewriting," Goodrum said, referring
to the order.
The counties are represented by
Morganton attorney John Alexander,
while the paper companies are
represented by Greensboro attorney
Jim Phillips.
Canal Dre
Go-Aheac
BY RAHN ADAMS
Faced with losing the town's initial
investment in the proposed project,
Sunset Beach Town Council this week
decided to proceed with a canal
Hrpritnno fimionf otrnn t-Ur.
0"*0 h" * *?* muugu Uic
town must cover assessments that
haven't been paid yet by participating
property owners.
The action came at Monday night's
l1,4-hour town council meeting. The
full board was present, with the exception
of council member Kathy Hill
Peed.
On a motion by Councilman A1
Odom, the town board voted
unanimously to advertise for bids on
tne areaging worK, wnicn will involve
four east-end canals and the entrance
to Jinks Creek.
Prior to the vote, Finance Officer
Minnie Hunt indicated that $232,0%
or about 78 percent of the project's
original $296,000 estimated cost has
been collected from property owners.
Mrs. Hunt noted that the total project
cost probably will top the
/
| Marina Permit
A decision on whether to issue a
permit to Channel Side Corp. for a
au-sup marina at its Lockwood Folly
development is still on hold, awaiting
more information from the
developers.
Preston Howard, manager of the
Division of Environmental Management's
regional office in Wilmington,
said Channel Side's engineering firm
has submitted additional material
last week relating to its sewage treatment
plan for the 500-acre golf and
residential development, as requested.
"We wanted them to be
more specific about which areas are
to be served by which type of system,
not just in general terms," said
Howard.
The information was reviewed and
sent with comments early this week
to DEM's Raleigh office, for additional
consideration before forwarding
to the N.C. Office of Coastal
Management which will make the
final decision on Channel Side's application
for a major CAMA permit.
That decision was due Sept. 1, but
was delayed when it was discovered
that sewage treatment plans had not
I
|
I HOW TO SI
j THE BRUNS1
I POST OFFICE E
SHALLOTTE. F
FOR AWARD-WINNI
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION R>
In Brunswick County
j N.C. Sales Tax
Postage charge
TOTAL
Elsewhere in North Carolina
N.C. Sales Tax
I Postage charge
TAT A I
VI Mk
I Outside North Carolina
Postage charge
TOTAL
Complete And Rett
Name
I Address
I City, State
( Zip
I
ION, Thursday, September 15,1988
ion On Pap<
Alexander indicated last Wednesday
that the attorneys are completing
their review of numerous exhibits
that were used in last
September's commission hearing. "I
suspect that very shortly the initial
decision will be announced." he said.
Across the state, the consolidated
appeal involves almost 148,000 acres
of timberland owned by BoiseCascade,
Champion International,
Georgia-Pacific and Weyerhauser.
The other counties involved in the
appeal include Anson, Bertie,
Bladen, Burke, Chatham, Currituck,
Franklin, Granville, Hertford, Martin,
Onslow, Pamlico, Polk, Rutherford
and Washington.
Georgia-Pacific initially appealed
its property tax valuation to the
Brunswick County Board of
Equalization and Review in 1987. The
board denied the appeal, which involved
8,087 acres of timberland
throughout the county but mostly in
Waccamaw Township.
According to Brunswick County
Tax Administrator Boyd Williamson,
the dispute is over the constitutionality
of a state statute that treats in
tuuii iu i i um
W Vif I
i From Suns
$300,000 mark. The dredging work
itself is expected to cost around
$280,000. The town has already paid
$20,000 for engineering services.
"The question is, do you want to invest
$51,000 to get the $20,000 back
you ve aireaay invested.'" Mrs. Hunt
asked her fellow board members.
Also, Odom pointed out that the '
assessments covered by the town
eventually would be recovered.
By law, the town cannot assess the 1
75 participating property owners until
after the work is completed. Pro- '
perty owners then have up to 10 years j
to pay the assessment.
Due to the expected expense of the [
project, property owners were asked 1
to make voluntary, up-front 1
payments of $1,760 per lot. The coun- 1
cil's goal was to receive up-front
payments amounting to 90 percent of
the project cost.
Annexation Delayed '
Also at Monday's meeting, Council 1
delayed action until next month on a
request from Long Bay Developers
Action Delayed
been included in the application
packet.
However, the decision will be
delayed still further, Howard said
Tuesday, because the Channel Side
engineers have notified him they are
proposing additional changes in the
plan.
Said Howard, "It's on hold until we
hear from them again."
While a few of the 10 state and four
federal agencies commenting on the
project expressed some reservations,
only one agency has gone on
record opposing the project, which is
located just south of Varnamtown on
the Lockwood Folly River.
Division of Marine Fisheries Director
William Hogarth said his agency
nnnncnc tVio nrniont Kanancn nf fKo
U|/f/wuvu vuu pi UjWV 1/bV.DUOb Ui LUC
river's sensitivity and frequent
closures due to stormwater runoff,
and its importance to the area's
shellfishing resource.
While establishing a marina
doesn't automatically close surrounding
waters to shellfish, he said
every other marinas in the state has
a shellfish closure associated to it.
1
JBSCRIBE TO
WICK^BEACON i
tOX 2558
IORTH CAROLINA 28459
INGNEWS COVERAGE
\TES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen j
n 6.30 "cf 5.30 I
.32 .27 I
3.68 3.68 1
10.30 9I25 I
6.30 n 5.30 ' ]
.32 .27
8.18 8.18 |
14.80 13J5
n A 30 rt ^ in .
9^65 9.65
15.95 14.95 |
irn To Above Address
I
I
I
I
I
1 j
V.
> * r ? ? ? \ *. ,
Br Com pan
If a decision was r
the paper companit
result in the loss of
in tax base and the
in tax revenue."
dividual and corporate owners of
timberland differently.
Current state law does not allow
public corporations to qualify for present
use valuations, which range
from $100 to $425 per acre for
timberland owned by individuals or
family companies.
Instead, land owned by public corporations
is appraised at its highest
and best use. By that method, the
average value of timberland in
Brunswick County is between $1,200
and $1,500 per acre, depending on its
location, Williamson said.
Georgia-Pacific's 1987 property
ct Gets
;ef Council
for the voluntary satellite annexation
of a commercial tract near the intersection
of N.C. 904 and N.C. 179 at
Seaside.
The board unanimously approved
Mrs. Hunt's motion for the town's administrative
staff to obtain informalinn
An *- 1 A A
nun uii 11IC trainilcUUU (JUS I OI exiending
town services to the Long Bay
Development and the estimated tax
revenue that would be derived from
it.
During a public hearing Monday on
:he matter, Long Bay official Bill
3enton and Shallotte attorney Steve
fount said a shopping center that is
jlanned for the tract definitely will
nclude a Food Lion supermarket.
Vlso, the U.S. Postal Service is
legotiating the purchase of four lots,
fount said.
Yount estimated that the annexaion
would add $3.5 million dollars to
:he town's tax base. At the town's 16.7
cents per $100 valuation tax rate, the
property would net approximately
$5,887 in annual property taxes.
Public Hearings Set
Council set two public hearings for
its Oct. 3 meeting.
One hearing will involve a proposed
accommodations tax that would
allow a surcharge of up to three percent
on lodging rentals, with the proceeds
to be used for tourism promotion
and other tourism-related expenditures.
The other hearing will deal with a
proposed amendment to the town's
animal ordinance which would proi
; u : i J x- ? *
muii resiaenis irom Keeping
livestock or wild animals.
Other Action
In other action at Monday's
meeting, the council:
Held a public hearing, then later
annexed a .32-acre tract located
behind Town Hall.
Voted to zone an undeveloped
tract located on the Intracoastal
Waterway within the town's one-mile
extraterritorial boundaries as AF-1,
a transitional designation for
agricultural and forest lands. Property
owners Joe Stanaland and
Pauline Ransom questioned town officials
about the zoning during a
public hearing Monday.
Instructed Town Attorney Mike
Isenberg to draft an ordinance for
future consideration that would
regulate the use of jet skis at Sunset
Beach.
I THIS IS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME on-1
portunity for me to contribute to the
welfore of children's education. Please
support my candidacy
for the Brunswick Coun- W
ty School Board on Nov. ?
BOB \i' |
SLOCKETT, V j
Retired DuPont Leland ' J
Plont research chemist, //"'*
Community College Physics teacher,
and decorated World Wor II combat
vet- 1968 IHE BRUNSWICK BtACOU
We're The Bed
1 CV
? ANCHOR LI
)- i ivA/v/ i -t rot i-f-i i i
? nvv I . I / iUU in/ bh
_
y's Tax Aj
eached in favor of
ss . . . it would
millions of dollars
yusands of dollars
?Boyd Williamsoi
Tax Administrate
valuation in Brunswick County i
more than $2.4 million, with a tax
of $12,585.45, according to Tax Col
tor Nancy Moore.
Although the company's valuat
this year is about the same, its ta
rose to $13,576.07, due to an incre
in the county tax rate. "We've bil
for the current year as we alwj
have," Williamson noted.
Ms. Moore said the paper compi
paid its 1987 taxes in full. Howe\
Williamson indicated that if
statewide appeal eventually is dei
ed in the four companies' fa\
COMMISSIONER CHRIS CHA1
left) expresses his position Mon
proposed expansion of the counl
vices building. Also pictured (cl(
6
SN& J? * J, - \
THIS NEW BUILDING, locat
garage at the local government
Expansio
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Operations Board, to discuss I
study before the alternatives discu
ed in it are given formal conside
tion. Webb had indicated that a wi
committee would be formed
review the study.
The study was prepared by c
suiting engineers, Houston i
Associates (formerly Lewis i
Associates) of Shallotte.
Also at Monday's meeting,
commission discussed a project
the Lower Cape Fear Water i
Sewer Authority (LCFWSA) to c
struct a raw water line across r
thern Brunswick County to Cape
dustries in New Hanover County.
Brunswick County Attorney Da
Clegg, who also serves as chairn
of the authority, confirmed t
Takeda Chemical Products and
City of Wilmington also are consic
ing buying raw water from LCFW!
Both parties have authork
engineering studies of the propo
service, he said.
Brunswick County presently
LCFWSA's only customer a
therefore, is responsible for pay
the authority's entire indebtednt
The addition of new customers wc
decrease the financial burden
Brunswick County, Clegg said.
Responding to questions from c<
missioners and Smith, Clegg assu
that the county would not have to
pend local funds on the estimate<
k Supermarket!
SEE OUR DISPLAY OF Decks
Walkways
Patio Squares
, LUMBER FOR ALL BUILDINl
& DO-IT-YOURSELF NEEDS
OPEN ALL DAY SATURDAY
See King Freeman at...
UMBERCO.
IALLU lit/ b/y-B038
peal Still Per
Brunswick County would have to C
reappraise vieorgia-r-acmc s proper- a
ty and refund the difference between E
the two tax bills. p
Even though a ruling for the com- c
panies would immediately affect only
Georgia-Pacific's 1987 taxes in tl
Brunswick County, Williamson said I
the change could have a more far- s
1 reaching effect. E
"If a decision was reached in favor
E of the paper companies, then it would ti
be my assumption that all of the L
paper companies would apply, and c
vas they would have to file for exemp- t
bill tions," Williamson said. "It would 3
lec- result in the loss of millions of dollars c
in tax base and thousands of dollars $
in tax revenue."
'on A 1987 study by the Institute of s
xes Southern Studies in Durham showed a
ase that five of the 10 largest landholders t
^ in Brunswick County were major C
ays paper and forest products com- t
panies. Statistics for the study were
iny compiled during the two years prior 1
rer> to its release last fall. S
During the study period, Federal j
Paper Board, International Paper, a
'or> Boise-Cascade, Weyerhauser and t
i
?i S--1
Ijyppf
PPELL (fourth from Grace Beasley, Frai
iday in support of the Hahn, Jim Poole, R<
ty jail and Social Ser- and Jolm Smith.
>ckwise from left) are
ed near the county opened Friday to hous
t complex in Bolivia, Solid Waste, and Buil
n Projects To B<
the "(The county should)
J; fwo projects as soor
ark
to
on
md million project, if Takeda and Wilm- ti
ind ington decide to buy water along with C
Cape Industries. A
Further discussion revealed that E
tjje Pender County also has contacted the c
by authority about possible raw water t
lnd service, according to Clegg. Also, t
;on. Smith said there has been
lor_ "favorable" contact recently bet- f
jn. ween local administrators and Wilm- r
ington officials about Brunswick
vj,j County supplying treated water to
lan Ehe city.
hat Other Business
the Also during Monday's work sesler
sion, commissioners:
SA. Briefly discussed in public the
sed proposed purchase of a 300-acre tract
sed of paper company property adjacent
to the county landfill for expansion of
is the facility. Smith said the county is
nd, preparing to open the last section of
ing the landfill.
;ss. ?Voted to allow Smith and Finance
mid Director Lithia Hahn to approve
on small capital expenditures, instead
of continuing to require that all
Dm- capital matters be brought to the
red commission for approval,
ex- 'Heard a report from Smith that he
i $8 has received proposed job descrip?T
I
9 I I
\ Daily Sunset Cruises
6 PM
Southport Dinner Cruise
Thursday 3:30 PM
Fall Fishing Trips
J Start Saturday, Sept. 17
f 4-Hour Trips
8-12 Noon and 1-5 PM
Bring Your Gear and
Join the Fun!
Fishing Tickets ?$10.00
1988 THE BRUNSWICK BEACON
- .4 ft ' f
iding 1
leorgia-Pacific together owned
bout 35 percent of the land in
i runs wick County, with the comanies
controlling about 197,770 of the
ounty's 550,714 total acreage.
Of the four companies involved in
he statewide appeal, only Champion
nternational was not listed by the Intitute
as a major landowner in
Irunswick County.
Federal Paper Board and Internaional
Paper, which are not involved
a the appeal, were named as the
ounty's top two landowners, con
rolling about 163,174 acres or almost
0 percent of the county. The tv/o
ompanies paid approximately
280,217 in property taxes last year.
Officials have said the commision's
decision undoubtedly will be
ippealed. Alexander said last week
hat the case may bypass the N.C.
;ourt of Appeals and go directly to
he N.C. Supreme Court.
"There were some discussions eary
on that if this is going to the
Supreme Court anyway, it should
ust go on to the Supreme Court,
ilthough procedurally it would go to
he Court of Appeals," he said.
ikie Rabon, David Clegg, Lithia
:gina Alexander, Benny Ludlum
?2^ %4:
ie offices for Operations Services,
ding and Grounds.
3 Tackled
get on with those
i as possible."
?Chris Chappell
County Commissioner
ions from Onslow County's Clean
)ounty program and from Keep
Lmerica Beautiful for the director of
Irunswick County's proposed Clean
Jounty Department. Smith indicated
hat the department could be in place
>y the first of the year.
Voted to request at least quarterly
inancial reports from agencies that
eceive county funding.
THE BRUNSWICK^ BEACON
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N. C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year $10.30
Six Months $5.50
ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $14.80
Six Months .$7.85
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $15.95
Six Months $8.35
Second class postage paid at
the Post Office in Shallotte,
N. C. 28459. USPS 777-780. 5