School Board's Baxley Steps Aside To 'Promote Harmony7
BY SUSAN USHER
Faced with mounting tension and dissension among
members, Brunswick County Board of Education
Chairman Douglas Baxley stepped aside Monday night
so as not to block a sought-after change of leadership.
Named to replace him was District 2 member Dot
Worth, a candidate for re-election. James Clemmons of
L .eland, also seeking re-election, will continue as vice
chairman.
Worth was nominated by District 3 member Donna
Baxter. In tum. Worth attempted to nominate Baxter
for vice-chairman, only to learn the seat had not been
vacated by Clemmons.
Worth said she felt tiiat every board member should
have the opportunity to serve as chairman sometime
during their multi-year term on the board. In the past
she has also expressed concern publicly that fellow
board members were not open to proposals she's made
and have attempted to "shut her out" of board deci
sion-making.
That split is just one of several among board mem
bers that prompted Baxter to suggest the need for a
board retreat in order to air those differences and learn
to work belter together. When held last month, howev
er, the retreat ended up as an educational session on
existing programs and staff goals for the coming year.
Worth will serve as chairman until the first meeting
in December, filling Baxley's unexpired term as chair
man. Baxley will continue on the board as the District
1 representative. Regular board elections will be held
at the board's December meeting.
A change in the method of electing board officers
was first proposed by District 3 member Robert
Slockctt in lale 1989. At the board's January meeting,
when a proposal amendment to the board policy was
presented for first reading, Slockett pushed for the
board to allow its adoption at that meeting instead of
waiting until after a second reading as required by
board policy. That effort failed on a split vote.
The measure did pass on second reading Monday.
As amended, the board's policy now provides for elec
tion of officers each December, rather than only in
December of the years during which new members are
(See DOT WORTH, Page 2-A)
THEB
HO AG
ir- 1 ;
L ' '
r\ ! f\l or, 7
49284
IVUIWVV IV
TWenty-elghth Year, Number 13
eiMO TMC MUM8WICK BCACOM
Shal 'otteVNorth 9arollna' T?1 u r 8 d a yT February 8, 1990 25* Per Copy " 38 Pages, 3 Sections
STAFF PHOTO BY ftAHN ADAMS
Too Cold For Copperfone
A bundled-up Holly Kay Baxley keeps an eye on her frisky little dog, Cricket , during a chilly after
noon stroll recently at Ocean Isle Beach. Four-year-old Holly is the daughter of Elbert and Sue
Baxley of Shallotte.
Holden Board Rejects Annexation
BY DOUG RUTTER
Four Holdcn Beach Commission
ers lived up to a campaign promise
Monday when they voted to rescind
an ordinance annexing approxi
mately 67 acres on the mainland
side of the bridge.
Commissioners voted 4-1 at their
regular monthly meeting to overturn
the controversial annexation ordi
nance, which was adopted lasi sum
mer and set to take effect June 30.
Bob Buck, Gloria Barrett, Kcnncr
Amos and Judy Bryan voted to re
peal the ordinance Monday, while
Gay Atkins opposed the motion.
The vote brought applause from
some of the 45 people attending the
town meeting and no reaction from
others. This week's vote ends ? at
least temporarily ? talk of annexing
the causeway and surrounding prop
erty, which has been discussed for
more than three years.
Upset by Monday's turn of
events, Commissioner Atkins said
the four board members who voted
to stop tne annexation were throw
ing away years of work done by two
previous town boards and a spccial
annexation committee consisting of
island and mainland residents.
Also, Ms. Atkins said she was
upset that the three new commis
sioners who took office in Decem
ber never spoke to her about annex
ation before this week's vole or sat
in on any of the early meetings
when annexation was discussed.
"Where arc you going to have
commercial growth on this beach?"
she asked. The commissioner added
later lhal mainland property owners
will never allow the town to build a
sewer system in the area without
annexation.
Ms. Atkins repeatedly asked
board members to put off the vote
for one month, saying the commis
sioners should study the matter fur
ther. Most of her comments were
quickly dismissed by other board
members.
In voting to overturn the annexa
tion ordinance, the four commis
sioncrs kept promises they made
last November when all five scats
on the town board were up for elec
tion. All four said ihey would vote
to slop annexation before it took ef
fect, and all four were elected.
Buck, who was in the minority
when he voted against annexation
last June, made the motion Monday
night to rescind the ordinance.
Based on an annexation feasibility
study completed last year, he said
annexation is not in the best interest
(See ANNEXATION, Page 2-A)
River Closed To Shellfishing
The status of shellfishing in Lockwood Folly River has run full
circle during the past week, but at press time Tuesday evening the
river was once again ik<?ed.
The state Division of Marine Fisheries closed the lower section of
the river Monday morning after water samples taken Sunday
indicated that bacteria levels were unsafe for oyster and clam
harvesting, said Bob Benton, chief of the state Shellfish Sanitation
branch.
Benton mM th#> hatf.lnrh nf rain thp arp# rwfivert over lh?
weekend was apparently enough to push pollution levels in the river
beyond the critical point. Rainfall and stormwater runoff often
carry bacteria into the river and make shellfishing unsafe.
After being closed to harvesting for three months, the lower
section of the Lockwood Folly River was opened to ciammers and
oystermen Jan. 23. Since that tune, the river has been closed, opened
and closed again.
"That river is right on the borderline as far as water quality
goes. It doesn't take much to push it over the edge," Benton said
Tuesday. "That's what we're faced with."
State environmental officials believe septic tanks and
stormwater runoff are the two most likely causes of pollution in the
river.
Former Commission Chairman
Hired As New County Manager
BY RAHN ADAMS
While no one voiccd objections
about the man who was chosen,
Brunswick County Commissioners
were split Monday over the surprise
hiring of former board chairman
William Kopp as the county's new
manager.
Kopp, who will assume the
$56,000 per year job March 1, is
presently employed as controller for
the N.C. Department of Crime Con
trol and Public Safety in Raleigh.
The 53-year-old Southport native
replaces John T. Smith, who was
forced to step down from the county
manager's post Dec. 4. County At
torney David Clegg has served as
interim county manager.
A Republican, Kopp served as
chairman of the Brunswick County
Commissioners from 1970 to 1974,
while he was a partner in Kopp
Brothers Inc. of Bolivia. His famil
iarity with Brunswick County was a
major factor in his hiring, according
to Chairman Gene Pinkerton.
"This is an opportunity to gel
someone who is a native of the
county, has county and state experi
ence, and has expressed a desire to
return to Brunswick County,"
Chairman Gene Pinkerton said after
the meeting. "I just think it's an op
portunity to take advantage of."
The board's 3-2 vote to hire
Kopp followed a 25-minute execu
tive session called by Commission
er Frank ic Rabon to discuss "per
sonnel." Commissioners Kelly Hol
den and Benny Ludlum cast the dis
senting votes. Prior to the vote, Hol
den stated he felt that commission
ers should be allowed to interview a
prospective manager before his hir
ing.
After the meeting, Holden told
the Bcacon that the board consulted
with Clegg behind closed doors
over whether or not the commis
sioners could hire a county manager
without advertising the position.
"You can do it," Holdcn said, "bui I
don't think it's the ethical thing to
do." He also noted that he didn't
know Kopp was under considera
tion until Monday's executive ses
sion.
Ludlum commented Tuesday, "I
was told about Thursday or Friday
that the three (Pinkerton, Rabon and
Grace Bcasley) were going to hire
Bill Kopp . . . You and it know that
they didn't just pick him up off the
street." Ludlum added that he
thought highly of Kopp. "It's just
the way they went about it," he said.
"I expect things to be brought in be
fore the commissioners."
Pinkerton indicated to reporters
Monday that he had spearheaded
the move to hire Kopp after meeting
him during Hurricane Hugo recov
ery efforts here. "Mr. Kopp indicat
ed to me that he wanted to return to
Brunswick County," Pinkerton said,
adding that he met with Kopp "a
couple of times" in Raleigh and
eventually discussed the prospective
county manager with Crime Control
and Public Safety Secretary Joseph
Dean.
However, when contacted Tues
day in Washington, D.C., Kopp said
he was initially contacted about the
"rtnnlii manonrtfV Tsrsct oKaii! fntlf
WUtiiJ Ul/WUk
weeks ago by Rabon, a life-long ac
quaintance, and then on at least two
subsequent occasions. Kopp said he
told Rabon over the weekend that
he would accept the job, if it were
offered.
Kopp said he came to Brunswick
County in an official capacity im
mediately after the September hurri
cane. He returned here last month
with Dean, to deliver public assis
tance checks to the county and local
municipalities.
"I look forward to coming back
to Brunswick County," Kopp said,
"and to the challenge of the position
of county manager ... I don't antic
ipate any problems at all. I've al
ways exhibited fairness in public of
fice."
Ironically, Kopp was chairman of
the commissioners when the county
board was successfully sued by The
Brunswick Beacon and The Slate
Fort Pilot over a violation of the
N.C. Open Meetings Law.
"You learn from experience, and
experience tcachcs you well," Kopp
said Tuesday of the legal episode in
the early 1970s. "I think it will help
me in dealing with the media, be
cause 1 believe in openness, and I
will not be a party to secret meet
ings that aren't within the strict con
fines of the open meetings law."
A 1961 graduate of East Carolina
University, Kopp also has worked
as assistant director for administra
tive services ami business manager
of youth services in the N.C. De
partment of Human Resources. He
was previously a managing partner
for Associated Insurance Agency of
Wilmington Inc., chief deputy clerk
of U.S. District Court's Eastern Dis
trict, and a New Hanover County
school tcachcr.
Kopp also served as a member of
the Cape Fear Council of Govern
ments from 1970 to 1974, and was a
charter member of the N.C. Coastal
Resources Commission from 1974
to 1976. He completed the Gover
nor's Executive Management Pro
gram in 1988.
May 8 Primary Elections Set;
Seven Seek Sheriff's Office
BY RAHN ADAMS
Brunswick County voters of both
political parties will have a bevy of
races to decide when primary elec
tions roll around May 8, thanks to a
flurry of last-minute Tilings Monday
in Bolivia.
According to county Elections
Supervisor Lynda Briu, seven can
didates ? including three Republi
can sheriff hopefuls ? tossed their
hats into the political ring Monday
prior to the noon filing deadline.
The filing period opened Jan. !.
After a purge of local voting
records last October, 25,550 Bruns
wick County residents are regis
tered to vote this year, including
15,903 Democrats, 8,684 Republi
cans and 963 unaffiliated voters,
Ms. Britt said. New voters have un
til April 9 to register for the May
primary; that is also the deadline to
change party affiliation or precincts.
Nominations that aren't decided
in the May 8 primary will be settled
June 5 in the state's second primary.
An expected change this year is that
a cand^ ite will be able to win the
first primary with 40 percent of the
vote, rather than 50 percent as in
previous years. The change, which
was approved iasi year by uic Gen
eral Assembly, has yet to be en
dorsed by the U.S. Justice Depart
ment.
Sheriff
The race for Brunswick County
sheriff is by far the most hotly-con
tested election this primary season,
with five Republicans and two
Democrats seeking the post held by
Democratic incumbent John C.
Davis, 61, of Bolivia.
The three GOP sheriff candidates
who filed Monday were Charlie
Long, 51, of Lcland; Carl Collins,
42, of Long Beach; and James
Brown, 4 1 , of SouthporL They join
David L. Gause of Shallotte and
William "Bill" Sisk of Long Beach
on the Republican tickcL
In the Democratic primary, Davis
will be opposed by J.R. "Jim"
Vaughan of Boiling Spring Lakes.
Clerk of Court
Until the last day of filing,
Democratic incumbent Diana Mor
gan, 37, of Long Beach figured to
be the first local clerk of court can
didate in 24 years to be elected
without opposition in either the pri
mary or general elections.
There will be no clerk of court
primaries; however, Ms. Morgan
will face lone Republican challeng
er Donald L. "Don" Willeas, 50, of
Bolivia, in the November general
election. Willetts, a local business
man, filed Monday.
Commissioner, Dist. 2
Three Democrats and two Repub
licans vie for the District 2 Bruns
wick County Commissioners seat
now held by Benny Ludlum, who
announced in December that he
would not seek re-election.
Democrats include Allan Damer
uii, 4i, oi rioiuen Beacn; w.A. "Al
fonza" Roach, 54, of Route 3, Sup
ply; and Joseph Stevenson, 41, also
of Route 3, Supply.
Republicans running for the Dis
trict 2 nomination are Eugene Hew
ett, 67, of Route 1, Supply; and Jer
ry Jones, 44, of Shallotte.
Commissioner, Dist. 5
In the District 5 commissioners
race, incumbent Democrat Grace
Bcasley, 53, of Route 3, Leland,
faces three Democratic challengers.
J.N. "Joe" Gaincy, 65, of Leland,
filed Monday, joining fellow Demo
crats Mike Holmes, 40. and V.A.
Creech Jr., 63, both of Leland.
Former county building inspector
Rudy Benton, 49, of Leland, filed
Monday to oppose Donald Shaw,
50, of Route 1, Leland, for the Re
publican nomination. Benton was
dismissed in Dcccmbcr after he fail
ed to obtain required state inspec
tions certification and then chose
not to accept a job transfer and cut
in pay offered by county commis
sioners.
School Board, Dist. 2
Democratic incumbent Dorothy
A. Worth, 56, of Shallotte, filed
Friday for re-election to her District
2 seat on the Brunswick County
Board of Education. In May, she
will face fellow Democrats Joseph
B. "Joe" Carter, 58, of Route 2,
Supply, and Polly G. Russ, 39, of
Shalloue.
Republicans Richard F Bangs,
65, and W. James Payne, 29, both of
Shalloue, seek the GOP nomina
tion.
School Board, Dist. 5
Incumbent James "Jimbo" Clem
mons, 69, of Leland, is opposed by
Julie Strickland, 37, also of Leland,
tor tne Democratic District :> school
board nomination. Republican
Yvonne Lewis Bright, 46, of Route
1, Leland, is unopposed.
State Representative
Like Clerk of Clerk Diana Mor
gan, 14th District State Rep. E. Da
vid Redwine was headed for an un
opposed re-election bid unti! the fi
nal day of filing. Monday, former
Brunswick County Public Schools
Superintendent Ralph C. King, 56,
of Route 1, Ash, filed against Rcd
(See ELECTIONS, Page 12-A)