COUNTY BUDGET ADOPTED
School Board Expected To Ask Commissioners For More Money
FY RAHN ADAMS
Not long after they formally
adopted the county's 1989-90 budget
ordinance Monday, Brunswick Coun
ty Commissioners were warned that
their action probably won't sit well
with the local school board.
Near the close of Monday night's
45-minute commission meeting in
Bolivia Brunswick County Board of
Education Chairman Doug Baxley
informed the five commissioners
that the school board is expected to
hold an emergency meeting either to
day (Thursday) or Friday, to con
sider requesting a joint session with
commissioners concerning the school
system's budget.
Under state law, the school board
has seven days from the date the
county budget is adopted to ask for
changes in school funding, if the
board feels it cannot operate within
that allocation, Baxley said.
Anticipating the request, Commis
sion Chairman Frankie Rabon ten
tatively set the joint meeting for
Monday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m., in the
commissioners' chambers.
Rabon also scheduled two sessions
to begin at 5 p.m. on July 11 and 12,
for the county board to interview 12
architectural firms interested in
designing a new Social Services
building and jail addition.
Need Is Expressed
As part of the county's $31.1 million
budget, the schools were allocated
$6.17 million for current ex
penses?some $561,369 more than
commissioners budgeted in that
category last year.
However, the schools expect an
operating shortfall of $746,984, Bax
ley said after Monday's meeting. The
school board requested a $6.78
million current expense allotment
from the county, with much of the in
crease due to anticipated cuts in cer
tain areas funded by the state.
Overall, the schools estimate that
state funds will total $22.6 million,
compared to $21.3 million in 1988-90.
But due to a drop in enrollment last
year, school officials say the state
might not fund 19 positions, including
10 teachers, six teacher assistants,
two assistant principals and one sup
port position this year.
New enrollment figures and the
state funding level will be determin
ed after the first 10 days of school this
It puts us in a position where we
either find some money somewhere
else, which is very difficult in this
budget or release some people. "
? Doug Baxley
Stnooi Board Chairman
fall.
"It puts us in a position where we
either find some money somewhere
else, which is very difficult in this
budget, or release some people,"
Baxley told reporters.
Baxley said county and school of
ficials met informally last Thursday
in Bolivia to discuss the school
system's budget. Both board
chairmen, Commissioner Grace
Beasley and School Board member
Robert Slockett were present, as
were staff members from both
groups, Baxley said.
Budgets Adopted
In addition to adopting the county's
1989-90 budget ordinance, commis
sioners approved the coming year's
$3.88 million water system fund,
which reflects no increase in water
rates.
The $31.1 million county budget is
$3.8 million more than last year's
budget. The 1989-90 property tax rate
is 594: cents per $100 of valuation ? a
five-cent increase from last year.
Commissioners had set the new tax
rate and tentatively approved the
budget on June 20.
Property taxes are expected to
raise $22.96 million this fiscal year,
with an additional $675,000 an
ticipated to come from delinquent
taxes, penalties and interest.
Departmental funding in the new
budget is as follows:
?Governing Body, $103,856.
?Public Inspections, $241,258.
Brunswick's Debt Good 'Chunk'
(Continued From Page 1-A)
higher populations provide," High noted, adding that
per capita fiscal rates are consistently high in the
state's coastal and mountain resort counties.
With several proposed capital improvement pro
jects looming in the near future, county officials con
tinue to explore possible financing options including
bond sales and lease-purchase arrangements, which
have become more popular "lately with local govern
ments, according to the Institute of Government in
Chapel Hill.
The proposed projects mainly include a new
elementary school, a 911 communications facility, a
new Social Services building, a jail addition and water
system improvements. Initial estimates were that the
projects would total at least $18 million.
Commissioners, however, are looking at ways to
reduce estimated capital improvement costs, whether
by undertaking smaller projects or by using existing
buildings outside the county complex. They also have
indicated that revenue from four cents of this year's
five-cent tax rate hike might be used to begin the pro
jects.
As far as additional bond sales are concerned,
Brunswick County conceivably could borrow an addi
tional $312 million, since the legal debt limit is eight per
cent of a county's assessed value. According to Ms.
Hahn, Brunswick's anticipated property valuation this
year is $4.06 billion.
General obligation bonds would require the formal
" The population is not so
high, but (Brunswick
County is) providing
sen/ices that areas with
higher populations
provide. "
? Robert High
State Finance Official
approval of voters, with the county's promise to repay
the debt guaranteed on the strength of its ability to tax
property owners. "The reason we could get (additional
bond funds) is because of our ability to raise money,"
Smith explained.
But it is "a whole 'nother stcry," High pointed out,
as to how much additional debt the state would allow
Brunswick County to incur. The Local Government
Commission would review the county's total debt struc
ture before approving bond financing.
High said one factor would be how much the tax
rate would increase as a result of the added debt,
"although that's a decision the county officials have to
make? how much burden the citizens want to bear."
State Street Funds May Have To Be Repaid
(ConHnnnj From P?ge 1-A \
town may have been collecting state
monies not due it and that the matter
has been discussed privately in re
cent months.
He said the town attorney had ad
vised that the town contact the DOT
to work things out, but that most of
the board members wanted to see if
the matter could be resolved more
discreetly.
"It was nothing intentional to try to
deceive anybody," said Jones. "We
wanted to try to get this thing ironed
out, and it would have been brought
out if we had trouble."
However, Mayor Pro Tem Paul
Wayne Reeves said the board has
done very little or nothing to correct
the situation since he became aware
of the discrepancy last fall.
"My concern was why we con
tinued to report it when we knew
those streets had never been formal
ly dedicated to the town," he said. "I
was of the opinion, and still am, that
that was not proper."
Although he cited other reasons at
the time, Reeves said this week that
a recent vote against the paving of
two town streets reflected his feel
ings that the town should not use
money it may not deserve.
Beamon Hewett, who was mayor
when the roads were added to
Shallotte's Powell Bill maps in 1984
If was nothing intentional to try to
deceive anybody."
? Jerry Jones
ivivijr vi wi wiivtiiviilf
and 1985, said the streets were added
to the maps because the town board
had every intention of accepting the
streets shortly after the subdivision
was annexed, and the roads were im
proved.
"The developer wasn't supposed to
keep thern up forever. And the city
never intended for him to keep them
up forever," said Hewett. "1 think
there's been a misunderstanding."
Jones, who took the mayor's post in
December 1985, said the roads were
left on the Powell Bill maps each
year because he assumed when the
maps were completed each July that
the streets would be taken over by
the town during that fiscal year.
Ms. Chappell noted that state
transportation officials will have to
determine if the money was received
under false pretenses before asking
the town to pay it back.
"We have to make an in-depth
study of the situation. It's a lot of
legal work," she said. "We don't slap
anybody's hands before we're sure
they've done something wrong."
The highway analyst said refunds
to the state could be deducted from
future Powell Bill checks, or the town
could agree to pay back the money
over a number of years.
"We try to work with the towns and
not against them," she said. "It's
their program and we're not working
to catch them. We're trying to make
sure the towns are using the monies
right."
Ms. Chappell said the situation
could be an honest mistake, but she
pointed out that the mayor is
ultimately responsible for any state
funds the town receives.
She said state transportation of
ficials would probably contact the
town and research the matter after
reading this newspaper article.
Because of the situation in
Shallotte and similar circumstances
in other towns, the state DOT is re
quiring each municipality this year
to complete a street inventory and
submit a list of the names and
mileage for all roads maintained by
the town.
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STAFF PHOTO BY OOUC HUTTER
Tm Warning You!'
Renee Fulk of Carthage, left, appears to be warning her inflatable raft to
stay put before joining playmate Emily Smith of Albemarle for a quick dip in
the ocean Saturday at Holden Beach. The two girls were among thousands of
children taking advantage of the balmy weather and mild water
temperature during the area's busiest holiday weekend of the year.
Fair Weather Is Forecast
Seasonable weather conditions are
exocrtwi in thp Sh?.Uott'? sres ovsr
the next several days, according to
Shaliotte Point meteorologist
Jackson Canady.
Temperatures through the
weekend should range from around
70 degrees at night to the upper 80s
during the day. Rainfall is expected
to measure about three-quarters of
an inch.
During the period of June 27
through July 3, the daily average
temperature in the Shaliotte area
was 76 degrees, which Canady said
moc ftirA ^nrrrnnr Knlnitt nni'mol
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The daily average high
temperature was 86 degrees, and the
daily average low temperature was
67 degrees.
The maximum high temperature
during the period was 90 degrees, oc
curring on June 28. The minimum
low temperature was 59 degrees, oc
curring on July 1.
Canady measured .11 of an inch of
rain during the seven-day period.
CP&L Sets 'Growl' Test
During the period of July 11-13,
Carolina Power & Light Co. will con
duct a low volume "growl" test of the
sirens in the 10-mile area around its
Brunswick Nuclear Plant at
Southport.
The sirens will be sounded in
dividually in order to make sure each
siren works, a check made every
three months by the utility.
The rotating sirens are mounted on
50-foot poles at 33 locations in
Brunswick and New Hanover coun
ties within a 10-mile radius of the
plant. If an actual emergency condi
tion developed at the plant, the sirens
would sound to alert the public to
turn on a radio or television for fur
ther information from the Emergen
cy Broadcast System.
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RED TAG ITEMS
July 1-8
The Potter's Wheel
DESIGNS IN CLAY
H OLDEN BEACH CAUSEWAY ? 842-4670 ? MON -SAT 10-5
*i
H\
?Non-departmental, $4,054,900.
?Contribution to Agencies,
$1,795,516.
?Debt Service Contribution,
$<>,004,110.
?Public Health Contribution,
$999,939.
?Revaluation, $56,250.
?Social Services Contribution,
$1,410,981.
?Schools Current Expense,
$6,175,054.
?Schools Capital Outlay, $579,905.
?Schools Capital Reserve,
$1,360,000.
?Aging Contribution, $202,311.
?Engineering, $80 008.
Othpr Fnnrf?i Approved
Commissioners Monday also
adopted various other funds, most of
which include substantial state
and/or federal monies. They were as
follows:
?Public Housing Fund. $1,060,504.
?Public Health Fund, $1,678,430.
?Social Services Fund, $3,801,431
(including $366,592 for Aging).
?Cafeteria Fund, $353,281.
?Schools Capital Reserve Fund,
$1,360,000.
?Revaluation Fund, $56,250.
Filina Period
Opens Friday
?County Administration, $1'j4,358.
?Board of Elections, $160,378.
?Planning, $163,980.
?Utility Operations Board, $58,590.
?Finance, $218,650
_ n i _ ?aa rn?
?ruiciutMiig, *ou,v>ou.
?Computer Services, $83,340.
?Tax Supervisor, $466,430.
?Tax CoUector, $193,592.
?County Attorney, $142, eao.
?Register of Deeds, $468,001.
?Housekeeping, $256,838.
?Buildings and Grounds, $682,465.
?Msintsnsncs Q3rs?6 $847 640.
?Sheriff, $1,514,930. ?
?Jail, $407,838.
?Veterans Services, $51,423.
?Emergency Management, $82,208.
?Transportation Steering Commit
tee, $7,790.
?Soil and Water Conservation,
$41,699.
? Parks and Recreation, $562,506.
?Agricultural Extension, $169,526.
?IPMA, $2,500.
?Operation Services, $425,841.
?Corps of Engineers, $35,500.
?Sanitary Landfill, $759,108.
?Clean County, $36,082.
?Coroner, $21,000.
?Courts, $21,901.
(Continued From Page 1-A)
seats than usual this fall.
Seats now held by Ed Oliver,
William Thorsen and James Brown
will be up for election in November,
with successful candidates earning
four-year terms.
Also to be filled, for two-year
terms, are the seats presently oc
cupied by Walter Aldridge and M;iry
Childs. They were appointed to fill
the unexpired terms of Linda
Phillips, who resigned to accept a job
in Raleigh, and the late Judy White.
Candidates for aldermen in
Southport run from one of two wards,
but are elected at iarge. Seats oc
cupied by Oliver, Brown and Childs
are from Ward I, and the others are
tt
II win uaiu u.
The mayor's post, now held by Nor
man Holder, is filled every two
years. The mayor may run from
either ward.
Navassa
Mayor Bobby Brown's seat and two
slots on the Navassa Town Council
will be up for election this year. The
council seats are now occupied by
Thurman Mosley and Edward
Williams. Council members serve for
four years, and the mayor is elected
every two years.
BelviUe
The mayor's post and two seats on
the town board of commissioners will
be up for election this fall in Belville.
Holding those slots now are Mayor
Ken Messer 2nd Commissioners
Thomas Butler and Roger Reigle.
The mayor is elected every two
years, and commissioners serve for
four years.
Dosher Hospital
Three seats will be filled this year
on the Dosher Hospital Board of
Trustees.
Seats up for election are presently
held by Doug Ledgett, Ben Blake and
Dorothy Gilbert, who was appointed
to fill an unexpired term Winners of
the seats now held by I>edgett and
Blake will be elected for six years,
while the seat occupied by Ms.
Gilbert is for four years.
Only Smithville Township
residents are eligible to vote for
members of the hospital's governing
board. Township residents pay a
special tax to support the hospital's
operation.
HOW iGSuBSCRiBt lu
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SHALLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA 28459
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ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citiicn
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N.C. Sales Tax .32 27
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TOTAL 14.80 13.75
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