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P. R. HANKINS
HY TKRKY I'OI'K
Brunswick County Board of
Education members ended a five
month search for a new school su
perintendent Monday night, voting
4-1 to give acting superintendent P.
R. Hankins a two-year contract ef
fective October 1.
Board member Bob Slockctt cast
the only dissenting vote against hir
ing Hankins, a 33-year veteran of
the Brunswick County School sys
tem. The vote came following four
hours of interviews Monday night
involving the top four candidates
for the job. Hankins will replace
former superintendent John Kauf
hold, who was fired in April.
"Now we'll try to get things in
motion," Hankins said following
the vote. "We'll try to get the ped;?l
down some now instead of riding
the clutch."
Board member Doug Baxley's
motion to hire Hankins for a two
year term was seconded by James
Clemmons. Chairman Dorothy
Worth said the board will now ad
vertise and start the process neces
sary to hire someone to fill the as
sociate superintendent's position
Hankins had held since 19X8. He
was also assistant superintendent
for federal programs in Brunswick
"We' 11 try to get
the pedal down
some now instead
of riding the
clutch
?P. R. Hankins
Superintendent
County from 1973 to 19XK.
"It was a very hard decision,"
Ms. Worth said, "and one that I'm
glad is made. In the four years thai
I've been here on the board, it has
truly been the hardest decision
we've had to make."
Board attorney Glen Peterson
said the contract will become effec
tive October 1 with a local supple
ment of $12,696 in addition u> his
state salary.
Hankins said his first order of
business is to call the central office
staff together to "sit down and take
assessment of where we arc."
"I don't know if I'm going to
make any revolutionary, drastic
changcs," he added. "I'd like to
think that what we have to do is
fine tune. We already have some
gixxl programs in place."
The other final three candidates
interviewed Monday were William
Harrison, the county's assistant su
perintendent for curriculum; Bar
hara D Rogers, principal of East
Wake High School; and Betty C.
Wallace, who is on leave from the
N. C. Department of Public Instruc
tion, where she was a deputy assis
tant superintendent.
It was the second set of inter
views for the final four list. School
board members voted last week to
rcintcrvicw the candidates follow
(See BOARD IIIRKS, Page 2-A)
THE L.
Twenty-eighth Year, Number 43 yaoo re beacon Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, September 13,1990 25c Per Copy 34 Pages, 3 Sections, Plus Insert
PHOTO BY C C MIITCH**D
THIS 'MONSTER' ALLIGATOR was tied with ropes and taken to the Green Swamp after mak
ing an appearance on the Holden Reach strand last Thursday night.
Alligator Taken To Green
Swamo After Beach Visit
BY DOUG RUTTKR
An alligator the size of two grown men was cap
tured and taken to an isolated section of Brunswick
County last week after making an unwelcomc holiday
visit at Holdcn Beach.
The alligator, which weighed more than 500
pounds and was more than 12 feet long, was taken to
his new home last Thursday night after surprising a
group of people enjoying an evening stroll on the
strand.
The large reptile was caught on the beach and later
released at Driving Creek in the Green Swamp, one of
three areas in the county approved for the relocation
of alligators, said Fred Taylor, local enforcement offi
cer with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
"That's the biggest 'gator we've ever had to mess
with," Taylor said in a telephone interview Monday.
"He was real tounh to handle."
Working with wildlife officer Milton McLean of
Lake Waccamaw, Taylor said it took about 2 1/2 hours
to tie up the alligator, which had crawled out of the
ocean and onto the bcach in the vicinity of KKX)
Ocean Blvd. West.
The officers were called to Holden Bcach around
11 p.m. last Thursday and it was after 2 a.m. when
their work was finished. They used ropes to restrict
the alligator's movement, placed it in a boat and then
released it ir. the Green Swamp.
It took about 30 minutes to get the first rope around
the alligator's neck. "You have to play cowboy and
just lasso him," Taylor said.
Once the rope was secured around the alligator's
neck, officers got ropes around its tail and mouth and
tied its legs together behind its back.
Taylor said the alligator was too heavy to lift, so
officers used boards for leverage and hoisted the rep
tile into a boat, which was used to transport the alliga
tor to the swamp. Taylor said the alligator took up al
most all of the space in the 14-foot boat.
"He was just a monster alligator," Taylor said.
"Even after we had him tied up, I wasn't comfortable
getting around him. 1 wasn't comfortable with him
until he crawled into the creek."
Taylor said the alligator was first spotted in the surf
off Holdcn Bcach Sept. 1. The alligator was a couple
"That's the biggest 'gator
we've ever had to mess with.
He was real tough to
handle."
?Fred Taylor, wildlife officcr
of hundred yards off the bcach. however, and officers
couldn't remove him without seriously risking per
sonal injury.
The alligator probably passed through either
Shallottc or Lockwood Folly inlet on its way to the
ocean. Taylor said most alligators that end up in the
ocean usually find their way back inland through an
inlet.
The wildlife officer said the alligator probably got
tired of the salt water and fighting ocean currents and
went onto the beach. "When he finally got to the
beach, he wasn't going back into that ocean," he said.
Taylor, who said he's called on to relocate six or
seven alligators cach year, said Brunswick County has
a good population of the reptiles. Most of the ones
he's had to remove have been less than six feet long.
The wildlife officer said last week was the first
time he has ever felt apprehensive about releasing an
alligator. "He was still a little bit feisty when wc went
to cut the ropes off," he said.
Taylor estimated that the alligator was 50 to 60
years old based on its size. He said it's very unusual
for an alligator that old to go to an area with a lot of
people.
He said any alligators over six feet long can pose a
threat to humans. Alligators usually harm people by
clamping down on limbs with their strong jaws and
rolling. The also can be dangerous when they snap
their large tails.
"Wc were just lucky with this one, cspccially with
him out there on the beach at night," Taylor said.
"That 'gator was really Ux) big to leave down there
around people. 1 don't know where 'gators like that
come from."
County, Shallotte Think
Census Figures Short
BY TERRY POPE
Local officials have until Monday lo question the
1990 preliminary population and housing figures re
leased by the U.S. Census Bureau last week.
Brunswick County commissioners have instructed
Planning Director John Harvey to protest the population
count for the county, which they believe falls about
4,(XX) persons short of the actual number of residents
According to the Census Bureau's preliminary fig
ures, about 50,681 persons live in Brunswick County,
but Harvey believes die actual count should be closer to
55,000 residents. In 1980, about 35,777 people lived in
the county.
Some incorporated areas also stand lo hurt in tax
revenues if the figures are not amended before the final
tabulation. Shallotte officials estimate that about 500
people living within the town limits have gone uncount
ed in the 1990 census.
According to the figures, Shallotte increased in pop
ulation from 680 people in 1980 to 828 residents this
year. However, town officials believe the actual popula
tion stands closer to 1,400.
Town Clerk Mary Ella Hewetl says Shalkille will
file a protest this week to try to correct the figures. She
believes die stale Budget Office's 1989 estimate oi
1,459 residents within the town limits is a more accu
ratc figure.
"We want to go ahead and file our response and get
il in," Ms. Hewetl said. "I don't know if that will make
a difference or not, but we're going to try."
Shallotte isn't the only municipality confused by the
preliminary figures.
"Soudijxirt thinks they're way undercounled, by
about 1,6(X) people," said Harvey.
Soulh.ixMt's population showed 2 dccrcssc, from
2,824 residents in 1980 lo 2,338 people in this census.
Belville showed a decrease by 36 persons while Bolivia
lost 26 residents in the new census.
However, not all local towns are upset by the census
results. Holdcn Beach Town Manager Blake Proctor
was pleased with the numbers.
It's not too late to
return your 1990 U.S.
Census questionnaire.
Proctor doesn't think ali of the 628 people counted
at Holden Beach arc permanent residents of the island
but just happened to be there when the census forms
were delivered in April.
He added that the high figure should help the town
in obtaining state and federal lunds. The number of esti
mated year-round residents is believed to be lower.
"It gives us a liule more clout than 380 people
would give," Proctor said.
Holden Beach gained almost 600 housing units
since 1980, according to the census. Ocean Isle Beach
gained close to 1,500 housing units while Sunset Beach
gained close to 500 additional uniLs.
"For die county, we're close on the number of hous
ing units," Harvey added. "The concern is she popula
tion numbers reported.''
Commissioners instructed Harvey to draft a letter
"expressing the county's concern over the differences
between this preliminary census population count and
our own projections."
Towns and counties were given the preliminary fig
ures August 27. They have been given 15 working days
to respond.
Brunswick County will address iLs concerns to
William Hill, director of the Charlotte Regional Census
Cmtrr In a letter 2ddfCSSCd tO COUHty ofTlciuiS AligUSt
23, Hill warned that the figures released arc "partial and
preliminary in nature" and that they arc subject to
change "pending completion of ongoing census activi
ties." Those activities will include the work of a
Postccnsus Local Review Program, which will hear
(Set CENSUS, Page 2-A)
Sunset Beach Names New Chief
BY SUSAN USHER
Sunset Bcach has a new police
chief.
Jesse Buell, who has been chief
of the Bethel Police Department in
Pitt County for the past five years,
will begin work in approximately
two weeks.
The post has been vacant since
June 4, when the Sunset Bcach
Town Council voted unanimously to
fire then-chief William Hill, not
making public the reason. Hill had
held the job since 1982.
Buell, 46, was one of seven ap
plicants interviewed for the post by
a committee comprised of Town
Administrator Linda Fluegel,
Mayor Barber and Councilman A1
Odom. Odom was unable to attend
Monday's meeting, at which Buell
was hired on a unanimous vote.
The new chief holds a B.S. de
gree in police science from South
eastern University in Tucson, Ariz.,
-J U~ in .
anu iui.> ?-v/ ill
work. He is qualified to train other
officers in the department in fire
arms, radar and investigative work,
indicated town spokesman Cookie
Minton. He spent eight years in the
U.S. Army.
He and his wife have two chil
drcn and were interested in relocat
ing to the beach, said Cookie Mint
on, accounting clerk, who discusscd
the hiring in Ms. FluegtTs absence
Tuesday.
The post drew a stack of applica
tions from points as diverse as At
lanta, Ga., Virginia Beach, Va., and
New York, as well as the Carolinas,
Ms. Fluegel said Monday. "1 was
shocked."
Buell will earn a salary of
525,500 and supervise a staff of
four officers, Anna Redmond, Ed
Rudloft, Tommy Grantham and
Lisa Hoagland.
Roach Appointed To County Planning Board
BY BOH HORNE
A Holden Beach realtor and developer who
iias a pfCCeuCiii-SeUiiiK vafuiiKc icquesi pending
before the Brunswick County Planning Board
Wednesday night was appointed to that board.
William Alfonza Roach of Roach Realty was
unanimously approved by the Brunswick County
Board of Commissioners to replace Alan Holden
as the District II representative on the Planning
Board. He was nominated by Commissioner
Benny Luilium.
Also appointed to the Planning Board was
Troy Price of Calabash, a Kelly Holden nomina
tion representing District I. He replaces Planning
Board Chairman Ed Gore. John Barbee's term,
representing District III, also has expired but
District III Commissioner Gene Pinkerton was
absent Wednesday night, so no action was taken
on that slot. Pinkerton's father is ill in Asheville.
Scott Irby of Calabash was unanimously appoint
ed to fill the unexpired term of Dennis Crocker,
who recently resigned from the Resources Devel
opment Commission. All three appointments are
effective immediately.
Roach appeared before the Planning Board
July IS, seeking an elevation variance of require
ments under the county Fkxnl Prevention Ordin
ance for six lots in Sea Breeze subdivision under
"justifiable hardship" grounds. The hardship, he
told the board was that all six lots were sold and
he would have to buy them back if the variance
was not gianlcd.
The Planning Board tabled the request and
did not address the matter at its August meeting.
County Attorney David Clcgg said if the vari
ance is granted, it will be the first such variance
since the county Flood Damage Prevention Ord
inance was adopted in March 1987. From a legal
standpoint, he recommended that the Planning
Board approve the variance.
At the July 18 meeting. Roach produced a
letter dated May 6, 1986 in which Planner Don
Eggert identified lots in Sea Breeze subdivision
that were located in the flood hazard area. The
letter did not identify the six lots that arc now
listed as being in the flood hazard area.
During the meeting. Roach told Planning
Director John Harvey that he (Harvey) instructed
Eggert to write that letter. But after the meeting,
Harvey said he had no knowledge of the letter
until it was called to his attention in June, after
he performed a "flood check" of lot 10() in Sea
Breeze and determined it to be one foot too low.
Only Vernon Ward attended a public hearing
on the selling of bonds that precetxlcd the com
missioners' meeting. He said he understood that
S4 million worth of bonds were to be sold for the
Brunswick Community College auditorium and
that the auditorium was projected to cost only
S3.2 million. He asked the commissioners to ap
piy the $800,000 difference toward the Si.i mil
lion Brunswick County Industrial Training Cen
ter.
However, during the regular commissioners'
meeting. Finance Director Lithia Hahn said only
$3.5 million in bonds, not $4 million, are avail
able for the project. She said that approximately
$4.5 million, not $4 million, have been sold from
tiie original $tt million approved lor uic college.
The commissioners also unanimously ap
proved a Holdcn motion that the commissioners
instruct Planning Director Harvey to write a let
ter objecting to preliminary results of the 1990
census.
Holdcn said the census listed Brunswick
County as having 50,781 residents, which he said
the county Planning Department felt was about
5,000 short. Holdcn said housing starts increased
about 73 percent during the last 10 years and the
population figure increased 47 percent.
"They couldn't even find me," Holdcn said of
the United States Bureau of the Census. He said
he had to go to the census bureau to obtain a cen
sus form.
In other action, commissioners:
? Scheduled a ceremony and unveiling of a
(Set- OTHER, PAGF. 2-A)
State Sets Public Meeting
On Upcoming Oyster Season
A possible reduction in daily oyster harvest limits and other rules af
fecting the upcoming oyster season will be discusscd at a public meeting
next week in Shallotte.
The meeting is scheduled Thursday, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m. in the
National Guard Armory on Main Street, said Rich Carpenter, southern
disuict manage! with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.
A proposal to lower the daily limit on oysters from 15 bushels per
person to five bushels per person will be the most important issue affect
ing local fishermen. Carpenter said.
He emphasized that the five-bushel limit is just a proposal, "U's suii
up in the air," Carpenter said. "That's why we're having the meeting."
Oyster season usually opens in the middle of October and closes in
the middle of March. The state normally allows fishermen to harvest up
to 50 bushels per boat per day, with stricter limits on Sundays.
However, state fisheries officials are concerned about the pressure
on the oyster resource. Harvests have dropped dramatically each of the
past two years.
The small harvests have been blamed on overharvesting, pollution of
shellfish waters and oyster-killing parasites that were detected for the
first time in North Carolina waters in 1988. Tests taken this year have
shown small concentrations of the parasites.
Mike Marshall, fisheries development chief with the Division of
Marine Fisheries, said in a recent interview that the state needs more-re
strictive limits on daily oyster harvests to protect the resource.
"Generally, the harvest pressure has been very high," Marshall said.
"By limiting the amouni harvested each day, you limit the amount of
pressure on the resource."