Holder
BY DOUG RUTTER
A basically simple bill to limit the
height of buildings on Holden Beach
to 35 feet has run into more problems
in the state legislature.
After learning in April that a bill
ratified last summer was quite different
from what the town had requested,
Holden Beach officials
found out Monday that a substitute
bill introduced last week to correct
the problem is no better.
The original House Bill 2324
ratified June 29, 1988, restricted the
height of buildings on the island to 35
feet, but failed to include a clause requested
by the town board stating
TI I
in
^ Twenty-seventh Year, Num
A few lots and a portion of Concord S
last Tuesday evening when a sectio:
dredging project on the island gave w
said he didn't know what caused the r
Board Meets
Brunswick County Commissioners
announced no action Monday after
meeting behind closed doors with a
suspended department head who
pleaded guilty last month to forging a
$50,000 county check.
The 45-minute private conference
with Computer Services Director
Regina M. McKeithan was part of a
13/i _hnn r ovonn ti^rn eaooiAn
m. fi 1IWU1 VAVCUUVV. OV.OOIUII UUl tug
Monday night's regular commissioners'
meeting in Bolivia. The
secret session was requested by
Cousey Selec
Gwen Causev. a fourth urade
I Shallotte Middle
(*>1 Brunswiek CounShe
was
selected Friday
following seleccausey
tion committee
interviews with nominees representing
10 county schools. As teacher of
County
BY KAHN ADAMS
While county land use regulations
won't be off and running in
Brunswick County for at least
another year?if at all?commissioners
this week took their first solid
step toward countywide zoning.
On a split vote Monday night, the
board decided to instruct the county
planning department to draft a zoning
ordinance that will encompass
the entire county, not just the more
developed, coastal sections as was initially
proposed and approved Monday.
Planning Director John Harvey
has said a zoning ordinance can be
drafted in approximately a year, at
an estimated cost of $10,000 for
special legal services. After the draft
k
i Beach Heigh
that the only way to change the
regulation would be through a
referendum of voters.
State Rep. David Redwine, who introduced
the original bill last year,
told town officials two weeks ago that
he would correct it this session as
part of a similar piece of legislation
requested by the Town of Dong
Beach.
But a draft of the revised bill that
arrived in the mail Monday at Holden
Beach Town Hall still differed from
what the town had requested.
The revised bill, which also applies
to Dong Beach, allows town commissioners
to call for a referendum on
wr pt
iber 26 iw imi Brunswick beacon
i
1 I ;
JNf^5S2t?-''>S??t.-a4?!~"" Va/SS
mt,ii'v rn*" ' *<a*ww
llifcp I Hi' JM
jm 11'' m
i Viusa
Dike Sysi
treet at Ocean Isle Beach were flooded
n of the dike system used for a canal
ay. Building Inspector Druid Roberson
etaining wall to fail, but said he doesn't
; In Secret With :
County Attorney David Clegg.
County Manager John T. Smith
said Tuesday afternoon that Mrs.
McKeithan was still suspended
without pay, as she has been since
Feb. 7, when she was accused of forging
a county check last May to buy
more than $50,000 in computer equipment
for her department.
The county manager said Tuesday
he planned to "take some action"
concerning Mrs. McKeithan's job
status, but he did not indicate what
ded Brunswick C
the year, she receives a $1,000 cash
award from United Carolina Bank
and will compete next spring for
regional recognition.
Runners-up in the annual competition
were Janis Simmons, a third
grade teacher at Union Primary
School, and Shirley Bryant Williamson,
an eighth grade math and
science teacher at Leland Middle
scnooi, said Jean Parker, who coordinated
the program. They too
received monetary awards.
Causey, a public school teacher for
Board Puts
is presented to commissioners, state
law requires that public hearings be
held before the board decides
whether or not to enact the ordinance.
commissioner K.eny Holden, who
revived the zoning issue in February
and has been its only unwavering
supporter since then, was understandably
elated by the board's surprising
action. "I just feel great about
it," he said.
Holden later added that "the whole
thing just threw me completely off,"
because he did not expect the board
to seek countywide zoning. Thinking
he could not get board backing for a
countywide ordinance, Holden indicated
he was merely hoping to get
support for a draft to cover only the
it Limit Bill Re
the height limit, but does not permit
town residents to petition for a
special election.
More importantly, however, the
substitute House Bill 927 fails to
eliminate a section in the original bill
that permits the town board to simply
adopt an ordinance to change the
height restriction.
Holden Beach officials discussed
the draft bill briefly during Monday
night's regular meeting before asking
the town attorney to work with
the state representative to get what
the town board wants.
In a cover letter accompanying the
revised bill, Redwinc said that it had
P;;' : V - ? "y
'*) K * i * > 1 4- J ? o -u
Shallotle, North Carolina,
'
tern Fails
exp.ect further problems with it. He a
worse than it is normally flooded after
the next day. Roberson also said he 1
resulting from the accident.
Suspended Depa
steps he would take or when the action
would be taken.
Smith said in February that Mrs.
McKeithan's employment hinged on
the outcome of her court case. Last
month, she pleaded guilty in
Brunswick County Superior Court
and received a suspended sentence.
However, Mrs. McKeithan asked to
meet with commissioners after her
court appearance, apparently to
discuss her employment, Smith said
last week. He indicated then that she
'ounty's Teacher
22 years, was recognized in March as
the 1989 Outstanding Teacher of
American History by the Daughters
of the American Revolution, North
Carolina.
As part of the selection process,
she and other nominees were asked
to prepare a statement of their
philosophy of teaching.
Her reply is as follows: "I entered
teaching because I felt a deep sense
of personal calling and total commitment
in and to my role. It is not a
September-June nor 8-3:30 assignPlanners
T<
areas south and east of U.S. 17.
Three separate votes on different
aspects of zoning were taken near the
close of Monday's 3V.?-hour meeting
in Bolivia, the topic, which was
listed on the board's agenda, was addressed
immediately following a
1%-hour executive session that was
requested by County Attorney David
Clegg to discuss land acquisition and
personnel matters (see related
story).
Despite the lengthy closed-door
session, citizens?most of them zoning
supporters?still filled the commissioners'
chambers when the zoning
questions were discussed.
Earlier in the meeting during the
public comments section, former
county GOP Chairman John Dozier,
turns To Tov
already passed the local government
committee and was moving to the
next committee. Redwine could not
be reached for comment Tuesday.
His secretary said he was in session
and had meetings all afternoon.
Holden Beach Town Administrator
Gus Ulrich said Tuesday that Redwine
had told him there is still time tc
get the bill passed this year. The bill
will have to be through at least one of
the houses of the state legislature no
later than May 11 to have a chance of
passage this session.
Town Attorney Doug Ledgctt said
Monday that he thinks the person
-
Thursday, May 4, 1989
| ?6 i - ! .
STAFF PHOTO BV RAHN AOAMi
dded that the street was flooded no
a heavy rainfall and that it dried up
mew of no major property damage
rtment Head
would remain suspended without pay
until the board reviewed her case.
The county manager was not pre
sent in the commissioners' conference
room Monday while Mrs.
McKeithan talked with board
members.
After the meeting, board Chairman
Frankie Rabon would not comment
on the commissioners' talk with Mrs.
McKeithan in the executive session,
except to say, "Nothing happened."
Of The Year
ment through which I satisfy an
employer. I do not count my hours,
nor watch my clock, nor simply complete
the books. In school and out of
school I am constantly looking and
thinking of new or innovative ideas
that will enhance my effectiveness as
a teacher.
"I believe I must teach the total
child, whether it be educationally
emotionally, physically, socially 01
morally. I use community resources
and specialized expertise of others tc
(See CAUSEY, Page 2-A)
5 Work Or
Brunswick County Board of Realtors
President Glenn Fugate, Carolina
Shores board member Jim Deehan,
Save Our Shellfish President Annie
Smigiel and Southport-Oak Island
Chamber of Commerce Executive
Director Douglas Kerr urged commissioners
to support zoning.
Thomas Yaegle, a member of the
Brunswick County Solid Waste Advisory
Board, was the only citizen tc
speak against zoning Monday night
He asked commissioners to call for a
public referendum on the issue
"Let's let the people decide what
they want," he said.
After Holden made his zoning proposal,
Commissioner Grace Beasley
unsuccessfully attempted to amend
his motion by asking that zoning be
vn With More i
who drafted the revised bill failed to ii
> look closely at the original bill. He b
said the author apparently did not
realize that the section allowing the tl
i town board to change the height ii
restriction was still included in the C
new draft.
"I don't think that they've taken
the two and put them together," said v
' 1-edgett. a
' The attorney also said the he ex- t
pects the town to have a difficult time P
' getting the bill ratified with a provi- E
sion allowing the people to petition tl
for a referendum. Going on what he
' called a "gut feeling," Ledgctt said, t
1 "If you try to get that wording back b
25c Per Copy 44 pa(
Holden Bea
Say Yes To'
j Manager A
BY DOUG BUTTER tl
Holden Beach will soon have its ?l
first town manager at the helm. K
Town residents voted 92 to 38 Tues- Si
day to amend the town charter and tl
change the form of government from
a mayor/council format to a coun- n
I cil/manager system. t<
Holden Beach Board of Elections ri
Chairperson Charlotte Pringle said a
130 of the 368 registered town voters
cast ballots in the special election, a n
turnout rate of approximately 35 pe- e
cent. ?
"That was a good turnout," said tl
Commissioner Gay Atkins. "We have
a lot ot people that just aren't around P
here during the week." P
Mrs. Pringle said there were no t
challenges filed during the election
and that voters flowed through town ?
hall slowly but steadily all day. '
"Everything went very smooth," she 1
said. "We were glad to have 130
voters." i
In casting their ballots in favor of t
the charter amendment, voters back- 1
ed town officials who initiated the 1
change last year.
Commissioner Bob Buck, who >
served as the town's administrator s
for approximately five years, had r
pushed hard for the switch-over since r
last summer. Tuesday night he said
he was very happy with the election [
outcome. ?
"It's pretty much what 1 had ex- c
nected and hnnpd fnr " hp said "I'd t
been hoping for it for years." '
Ms. Atkins also said she expected '
Local Shellfish
Brunswick County shellfishermen
following a week of dry weather.
Oyster and clam beds were opene(
Intracoastal Waterway between Lock
let after being closed for more than a
Waters near the mouth of Shallott<
ning from the south shore of ShallotU
Swash, are also opened to shellfishing
' Other local oyster and clam beds
been shut down since March 2. Th
' Elizabeth River and Dutchman Creek
The areas that reopened over the
1 closed to shellfishing due to rainfall an
pollutants.
Lockwood Folly River, which ty
county rivers to clear itself of f
shellfishing as of Tuesday.
i Zoning Ore
i decided in a referendum. "I do not a
i think it (a referendum) is a cop-out," s
. she said. "I think that's democracy
! in this county we live in." a
I Holden countered that commis- n
sioners lately have decided other o
controversial issues without public "
input and that it was the board's s
responsibility to decide either for or c
against zoning. "We don't always ii
' have the opportunity to make a z
popular decision," he said,
i The proposed amendment failed on
a 1-4 vote, with Ms. Beasley as its on- F
t ly supporter. Holden's original mo- 1
tion then passed 3-2?split along par- *
ty lines?with Republican Commis- '
sioners Holden, Frankie Rabon and s
I Gene Pinkerton voting in favor.
Then came the surprise for Holden
Errors
i there, you may never get it (the
ill) back."
Mayor John Tandy said he thinks
his latest error was the result of try:ig
to rush the bill through the
leneral Assembly.
Commissioner Georgia Langley,
fho helped push for the original bill
nd was very upset after learning
hat it had not gone through as exacted,
said Monday that Long
leach officials were also upset about
he mistake.
"This can be drug out one more
imc and the General Assembly will
e out of session," she said.
,
ges, 4 Sections, Plus Insert
ch Voters
Fown
pproach
ie measure to pass, but noted that
pposition to the proposal seemed to
row as the election approached. She
aid a good turnout was needed for
ie referendum to pass.
The change in the form of governlent
will allow the town to hire a
awn manager, who is expected to
elieve town officials of their daily
dmirmtrntivp tasks
Unlike a town administrator,
lanagers can hire and fire
mployees and have more authority
i implementing policies dictated by
he town board.
Ms. Atkins said, "I think we need a
irofessional running the town, and I
luess other people thought we did
oo."
Gus Ulrich, who was hired as town
ulministrator in January, will
jeeome Holden Beach's first town
nanager.
Mrs. Pringle said the vote will be
verified Thursday when town elecion
officials recount the ballots and
nake sure that the referendum was
egal.
An ordinance passed earlier this
ear by town commissioners to
imena me io\vn cnarier suDjeci 10 a
eferendum becomes effective imnediately
after the vote is verified.
Although Tuesday's referendum
an smoothly, town officials struggl>d
earlier this year to set an election
late. Originally slated for February,
he special election was rescheduled
;wice before finally being set for May
Beds Reopen
i were back in business this week
i Tuesday morning in the Atlantic
wood Folly Inlet and Shallotte Inmonth.
; River, downstream of a line run;
Creek to the south shore of The
r
?
reopened last Thursday that had
ey were the Cape Fear River,
past week had been temporarily
d the resulting runoff that carries
pically takes longer than other
jollutants, remained closed to
linance
nd the other zoning supporters preent.
Before making the motion to draft
countywide zoning ordinance, Comnissioner
Benny Ludlum?who had
pposed Holden's proposal?stated,
It is my belief that if we zone, we
hould zone the whole of Brunswick
lounty . . . Let's see if we're for zonng
or if we're just for spot (area)
oning."
He added that zoning was
>resented as a countywide issue at
he nine public forums which were
>eld across the county in March and
Vpril to gather public input. Also, he
aid it wouldn't be fair to "clean up"
>ne area and leave a neighboring
(See PLANNERS, Page 2-A)