Holder/ Hires Company
To Dispose Of Shrubs
Holdcn Beach has hired a local contractor to get rid of hundreds of
dead wax myrtle bushes on the Island at the expense of property owners.
Town commissioners Monday hired Grissett's Landscaping of Sup
ply to get rid of the dead bushes, which cover all or part of 103 lots on
Holdcn Beach.
The shrubs were killed in September 1989 during Hurricane Hugo
when salt water washed over the dunes. Officials want to get rid of the
shrubs because they are worried the plants could create a fire and health
hazard.
Town Manager Blake Proctor said Grissett's Landscaping had the
lowest of the three bids that met town specifications. Bushes within 100
feet of any structure will be cut off at ground level and hauled away.
Property owners who have dead bushes on their land can dispose of
them on their own or allow the contractor hired by the town to get rid of
them. Either way, the property owners will have to pay for the work.
Under the agreement reached with Grissett's Landscaping, the cost
for each lot will depend on how much of the lot is filled with dead bush
es. The cost will range from $125 for a lot full of dead shrubs to S10 for
a lot with only 25 percent coverage.
Proctor said letters will be mailed to people who have dead bushes
on their property informing them of their options.
In a letter ic the town lasi fall, Thomas Padgett of the N.C. Wildlife
Resources Commission recommended that the shrubs be cut down with
chain saws. He pointed out that it would be hazardous to burn them.
The biologist wrote that removing the dead shrubs would have a
minimal impact on wildlife if the work is done before April. Any work
after that time would have an impact on nesting birds and mammals that
use the areas for habitat.
BEACH GRASS APPROVFD
Board OKs Sand Saver Test
Holden Beach officials will allow
a small company based in Ohio to
use the local beach to test a device
designed to stop and reverse the
loss of sand dunes.
Saying they have nothing to lose,
town commissioners voted Monday
night to allow Sand Savers Inc. of
Bluffton, OSio, to try out their con
traption on the shores of Holden
Beach.
Town Manager Blake Proctor
said a representative of the compa
ny, William A. Mumaugh, asked
that the firm be allowed to experi
ment with the patented de\ ice at no
cost to the town.
"There's room up there at the east
end to do a lot of experimenting,"
said Commissioner Kenner Amos,
referring to continuing erosion
problems in that area of the island.
Proctor said the eight-foot-long
device made from recycled plastic
is stuck in the beach near the high
tide line. It has veins that open
when water washes over them and
close to trap sand when the water
washes back.
"We're willing to try anything to
save the island," Mayor John Tandy
said.
In another matter relating to the
beach, commissioners voted 4-1
Monday to spend up to $720 to
plant beach grass atop an 800- foot
stretch of dune near the west end of
the island.
Grass will be planted on the
frontal dune between 1049 and
1079 Ocean Boulevard West The
town planted beach grass in that
area early last year, but it was
pulled up when the town went back
later to build the dune higher.
Commissioner Gay Atkins voted
against the motion to replace the
grass. She said there arc other sec
tion of beach that need the grass just
as badly as the section targeted for
improvement She argued that it
should be up to the homeowners to
buy beach grass.
However, other town board mem
bers said the original grass died be
cause of a town mistake, not as a re
sult of erosion. They said the town
board has to treat everyone fairly.
While Holden Beach is collecting
discarded Christmas trees at its re
cycling station for use at other
beaches, the town is not certain it
will be allowed by the N.C. Office
of Coastal Management to use the
trees along its own dune line be
cause of its closeness to the water.
If not, the town would be the only
beach community in the county not
using the trees to rebuild dunes.
Caiabash Begins
Formal Process
Of Annexation
BY DOUG RUTTER
Calabash officials have taken the
first step in the formal annexation
process just in case state representa
tives don't grant their request to ex
pand the town limits through legis
5 lation.
Town commissioners adopted a
resolution of consideration Tuesday
night to annex land stretching from
the Calabash River and South
Carolina stale line to U.S. 17 and
; N.C.904.
The resolution of consideration
must be on record for at least one
year before the town can take the
next step toward annexation.
If it gets that far, the next step
would be a resolution of intent. The
large area in the first resolution
would be narrowed down to include
only areas that qualify for annexa
tion under state statute.
Town Clerk Janet Thomas said
Tuesday that a previous town board
adopted the same resolution of con
sideration in March 1988. However,
it expired in March 1990 without
the town taking any further action.
Since the resolution expired, Mrs.
c Thomas said the town had to start
the process from scratch in order to
bring any land into the town limits
through the involuntary annexation
i process.
Commissioner Stu Thorn sug
gested starting the formal annexa
i lion process in case State Rep.
David Redwinc and Slate Sen. R.C.
Soles Jr. don't honor the town's re
quest to bring several areas into
town through a state act.
Town officials made the request in
hopes of filling some unincorporated
pockets in the town boundaries that
were created when the old town of
Calabash merged with the Carolina
Shores golf community in 1989.
So far, the state representatives
have not indicated whether they will
support Calabash's request. How
ever, Redwine said earlier he would
prefer the areas be brought into the
town limits through the normal an
nexation process if it can be done
that way.
In other business Tuesday, com
missioners authorized Mayor Doug
Simmons to sign a contract with
Chambers of South Carolina for
sanitation service. The contract calls
for the company to unload dump
sters at the Persimmon Road dump
site starting Feb. '? .
Chambers will provide four green
boxes at the site and empty them
three times per week at a cost of
$109.75 per week. The town plans
to hire someone to staff the dump
site and recycling center.
Vehicle stickers that will be re
quired for dumping trash at the site
starting in February can be picked
up at the town hall Jan. 25 through
Feb. 2.
Expect
Near-Normal
Weather
Temperatures across the South
Brunswick Islands are expected to
return to near normal after reaching
a high of 75 Monday.
Shallotte Point meteorologist
Jackson Canady said he anticipates
near-normal temperature and rain
fall over the next few days. Temper
atures should average from the mid
30s at night into the mid-50s during
the daytime, with about a half-inch
of rainfall.
For the period Jan. 1-7 he record
ed a high of 75 on the 7th and a
minimum low of 40 on the 6th.
An average daily high of 60 and
an average nightly low of 44 com
bined for a daily average tempera
ture of 52 degrees, which Canady
said was about six degrees above
average for this time of year. *
He recorded .55 inch of rainfall,
which is about normal.
Commisioners Vote To
Change Speed Limits
BY DOUG R UTTER
Holdcn Bcach Commissioners
volcd Monday to raise the speed
limit on all town-owned streets, but
to reduce the speed limit along a
section of Ocean Boulevard West.
Despite some objections from the
public, the speed limit for town
streets was changed from 20 mph to
25 mph.
The town board also voted to
change the limit on Ocean
Boulevard west of the Holden
Bcach Fishing Pier, which is 35
mph during the tourist season and
45 mph the rest of the year.
Commissioners voted to set a
year-round speed limit of 35 mph
along the entire length of Ocean
Boulevard, subject to the approval
of the N.C. Department of
Transportation. The state owns the
street.
Most of the objection to the high
er speed limit came from residents
of Brunswick Avenue, the longest
town-owned street on the island.
They said they are worried about
safety of pedestrians and claimed
that the 20 mph speed limit had not
been enforced.
Residents also said motorists will
be able to drive up to 34 mph with a
25 mph speed limit without being
ticketed and convicted.
Commissioner Judy Bryan said
the slate police told her speeding
charges don't hold up in court un
less the driver is caught exceeding
the limit by at least 9 mph.
As part of his motion to change
the speed limits. Commissioner Bob
Buck called on the police depart
ment to use all of the resources it
has available to enforce the limit
Taking a suggestion from the au
dience, Buck also said the town
I
should get street signs saying the
speed limit is strictly enforced. "It'll
intimidate the honest folks," he
said.
Although board members ap
proved the speed limit changes,
they weren't very receptive to a
plan to let police officers issue
warning tickets to speeders.
Buck suggested giving policemen
the discretion to issue warning tick
ets in marginal cases, where mo
torists drive five to eight mites per
hour over the limit.
He suggested that warning tickets
be used for visitors, not to favor res
idents or local business people.
Warning tickets would be an effec
tive way to enforce the speed limit
for 95 percent of the visitors. Buck
said.
A couple ot residents seated in
the audience said giving warning
tickets to visitors and not others
would be selective enforcement.
They said everyone should be treat
ed the same.
Commissioner Bryan and other
board members also opposed the
plan. She said town police officers
have been issuing speeding tickets
and drivers are starting to slow
down on the island.
Town Manager Blake Proctor
said town police officers already
have the discretion to warn mo
torists if they don't want to issue a
speeding ticket. Officers just don't
have printed warning tickets.
Rules Are Unchanged
A controversial ordinance regu
lating outside lights at Holden
Beach was kicked back and forth
Monday night but when the dust
settled, the town board decided to
make no changes.
The commission voted 4-1 to
slick with the ordinance as it was
adopted in November 1990.
Commissioner Gloria Barrett cast
the only dissenting vote, but she
was supported by several residents
in the audience.
The main point of contention
Monday was a provision in the ordi
nance that prohibits security lights
higher than 10 feet off the ground in
residential areas.
Mrs. Barrett said a light 10 feet
off the ground is not high enough to
provide adequate security. Others
said 10 feet is high enough and any
thing higher can become a nuisance
when it shines in a neighbor's win
dow.
Holden Beach Planning and
Zoning Board Vice Chairman Sid
Swarts said the board had to reach a
compromise to come up with the
outside light ordinance, which took
effect about two months ago.
Swarts said some people on the
island want lots of light for security
reasons, and others don't want any
light because it interferes with their
view of the stars.
Other Business
In other business Monday, com
missioners:
?Set a workshop for Monday, Jan.
14, at 7 p.m. in the town hall. The
board will discuss sidewalk con
struction and expansion and renova
tion of the town hall complex.
?Postponed action on a proposed
drug testing program for town em
ployees and prospective town em
ployees. Board members won't
adopt the program until they hire a
new town attorney. They want the
attorney to make sure the program
complies with state law concerning
drug testing of municipal employ
CCS.
? Adopted a resolution asking state
Rep David Redwine to introduce a
local bill this year that would allow
the town to set up tax districts for
each of the three canal subdivisions.
The special tax money would be
used to dredge and maintain the
canals and construct bulkheads at
lots deemed undevelopable.
? Set a public hearing for the Feb. 4
meeting on a proposed oidinancc
that would require owners of ocean
front homes to put house numbers
on their beach walkways. "We've
had occasions where people have
almost drowned and they wanted to
call the ambulancc and they didn't
know where to tell the ambulancc to
come," Commissioner Kcnncr
Amos said.
? Set another public hearing Feb. 4
on a proposal to limit to two the
number of consecutive terms a per
son can be appointed to a town
board. Commissioner Buck's pro
posal was first discussed in June
1988. The Holdcn Beach Planning
and Zoning Board voted last month
to recommend against the proposal,
saying board members serve at the
pleasure of the town commission
and can be removal from office at
any time.
?Adopted a scries of resolutions
confirming the assessment roll and
levying assessments for recent
paving work on Brunswick Avenue
West, Neptune Drive, Roger Street,
Boyd Stieet, Sailfish Drive and
Cole Street.
?Took no action on a proposed or
dinance designed to protect sea tur
tles from sources of artificial light
Due to public opposition, the town
manager withdrew the ordinance
from consideration.
Meeting Set
About Manager
(Continued From Page 1-A)
The N.C. Open Meetings Law requires that
meetings callcd on less than 48 hours' notice be
of an "emergency nature." However, Tandy said
the town board wanted to resolve as quickly as
possible "the personnel problem it had got into"
during the earlier session. Because of the nature
of the .natter, he said he preferred to have all
board members present.
Several members had left town Tuesday af
ternoon, but were expccted back Wednesday.
Commissioner Kenner Amos, who is undergo
ing a treatment in High Point, was not expected
back for the meeting.
Proctor began work as town manager Aug. 6.
Selected from among 65 applicants, he had sev
en prior years of experience in municipal gov
emment administration. He has an employment
contract with the town that ends June 30, 1993.
However, the board retains in the contract the
right to dismiss the manager at any time.
Proctor succecds Gus Ulrich as town manag
er. Ulrich resigned last July after serving as
town manager for less than a year, citing per
sonal reasons.
Ulrich was Holden Beach's first town manag
er following a vote by residents in May 1989 to
switch from a mayor/council to council/ manag
er form of town government.
Seaside Solid Waste Station
To Replace Green Box Sites
BY TERRY POPE
A new waste disposal site on N.C. 904 near
Seaside will be the first noticeable change in the
county's attempt to do away with many of its 67
green box sites.
Brunswick County Engineer Robert Tucker be
lieves that building mini-transfer stations like the
one planned for the Seaside area can do away
with many of its front loading dumpsters that cre
ate an eyesore when they bccome overloaded.
Tucker addressed Brunswick County
Commissioners Monday with his oudine to reor
ganize the county's solid waste collection system.
The board agreed with Tucker's plans and voted
unanimously to contract work on an 580,000
green box site on N.C. 904. The land has already
been purchased by the county.
The mini-transfer stations will have roll off
carts with packers rather than the drop in green
dumpsters. The county will eventually have to
phase out most of its front loading trucks, replac
ing them with roll off trucks.
Each mini-transfer station will be staffed by a
county landfill employee.
Another station will be constructed later on
N.C. 211 between Midway Road and Southport.
A third station is scheduled for construction this
year in the Winnabow area. Land has not been
purchased for that site. The county has budgeted
$80,000 for construction of each of the three sites
in the 1990-91 fiscal year.
Tucker said once a contract is signed, the
Seaside station would be completed within 90
days, or near budget time in June.
"I believe that we could take a person and as
sign him full time to that site," Tucker said. "We
could keep it a lot cleaner by having someone
there full time. They could also separate the
items."
Tucker said about nine green box sites in the
Seaside and Ocean Isle Beach area could be
eliminated. Persons may have to drive a Utile fur
ther to dispose of their trash but would not have
to worry about the green boxes always being full.
Green boxes would still be maintained by the
county for non-public uses. Those would includc
boxes at 1 1 county schools, parks and Brunswick
Community College sites in Supply and
Southport
Tucker said a study he did comparing the solid
waste department budget with the amount of
waste collected at green box sites brought about
the need for reform. It costs more to maintain
green box sites than transfer stations, and most of
the county's garbage is collected at transfer sta
tions.
According to Tucker's findings, 26 percent of
the county's solid waste is collected at transfer
stations and 13 percent at green boxes. The Sea
Trail and Oxpcn Road sites are the busiest, ac
counting for 18 percent of the waste going into
the county landfill in Supply.
According to the solid waste budget, 30 per
cent of the funds are used to maintain the coun
ty's three transfer stations at Ocean Isle, Leland
and Southport; 31 percent to the Sea Trail and
Oxpen Road stations; and 33 percent to all other
green box sites.
"With little or no modification, these new sites
can be upgraded so that we can cut down on the
number of green box sites," Tucker said.
Last month, commissioners ordered that land
fill employees clean up the county green box
sites. Trash, debris and appliances were being
dumped in and outside of the dumpsters creating
an eyesore.
"I'd like to thank the commissioners for hav
ing the green boxes cleaned up," said Thomas
Yeagle of Sunset Harbor.
Yeagle told the board that the green box sites
looked better than they have in 10 years.
Solid Waste Supervisor Leo Hewett told com
missioners Monday that his department could not
afford to lose a person to staff the new Seaside
station once it is completed. Commissioners
agreed to consider, at budget lime in June, possi
bly hiring men to stall Uie new mini-transfer sta
tions.
Other Business
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
?Gave final contract approval for the S160.000
Brunswick County Jail expansion project at the
county complex in Bolivia. Tucker told the board
that all requirements had been met to close out
the project.
?Set a breakfast to discuss legislative issues with
State Rep. David Redwinc and State Sen. R.C.
Soles Jr. for Jan. 18 at 8:30 a.m. Commission
Chairman Kelly Holden said the board will infor
mally discuss issues that affect the county before
the N.C. General Assembly convenes.
? Welcomed 1991 Miss Brunswick County Lisa
Young, who thanked the county for its continuing
support of the scholarship pageant.
? Denied a request from the Brunswick
Interagency Transportation System Board, which
had asked for a S20 per diem for meetings.
?Accepted bids for three trucks from Jones Ford
of Shalloue: a 3/4 ton truck, 516,797; a one ton
flat bed, 520,059; and a one ton truck, S 17,859.
The trucks, budgeted for 1990-91, will be used
by the county parks and maintenance depart
ments.
?Accepted bids for 12 sheriff's department pa
trol cars from Ocean City Chevrolet of Bolivia.
Each vehicle will cost 514,500.37. It was the sec
ond call for bids. Both times, only Ocean City
submitted the county a bid.
?Accepted a deed of dedication from Village
Point Estates in Shallotte for its water system.
Shallotte Firm Picked To Design Water Lines
Jay Houston and Associates, a
Shallotte engineering firm, has been
hired by the county to design Phases
HI and III-A of the Brunswick
County water expansion project
The 1991 expansion projects will
route a new trunk line down the
U.S. 17 bypass of Shallotte to the
Seaside area and lines to the Shal
lotte Point community. Shallotte
Point residents have been asking the
county for water for years.
Seventeen engineering firms re
sponded to the county's advertise
ment seeking a firm with experience
in designing water systems. Of
those 17, nine were invited to sub
mit proposals, said Interim County
Manager David Clegg.
Five firms were chosen for inter
views in late December, Clegg said.
Those five names were submitted to
Brunswick County Commissioners
Monday night.
Commissioner Donald Shaw's
motion to hire Houston and Associ
ates passed 3-2, with Shaw, Chair
man Kelly Holden and Vice Chair
man Jerry Jones voting for the Shal
lotte firm.
Commissioners Gene Pinkerton
and Frankie Rabon voted for Ken
Dresser and Associates of Wrights
ville Beach. Other firms under con
sideration were Peirson and Whit
man of Raleigh, The Wooten Com
pany of Raleigh, and McKim and
Creed of Wilmington.
Houston and Associates has been
a consulting engineering firm for the
county, designing a number of water
line extension projects to Special
Assessment Districts (SADs), subdi
visions where property owners are
assessed the cost of running water
lines into the developments off of
adjacent trunk lines. The firm is
presently designing SAD 12A,
which will serve 10 subdivisions be
tween Ocean Isle and Calabash.
Rabon said he would like to see a
copy of the proposals from all five
engineering firms placed under con
sideration.
"Has anybody seen the firms'
quotes?" Rabon asked.
Clegg responded that the engi
neering firm chosen would have to
negotiate a contract with the county.
"It's not my job to recommend a
specific firm," Clegg said.
Phase III of the water extension
project will carry a main line from
the Shallotte water plant down U.S.
17 and down N.C. 904 at
Grissettown to the Seaside area.
Growth in the Sunset Beach and
Calabash area requires that another
main trunk line be installed to help
the main line now located on N.C.
179.
Clegg said the project might also
include the design of an elevated
water tank on N.C. 904 near Old
Georgetown Road, if engineers feel
one is needed.
Phase II1-A would route water
Lines from N.C. 179 to the Shallotte
Point community, an area plagued
by harsh water. That community
should be getting water by the end
of 1991.
The projects will be Financed
through the county's bond funds,
Clegg said. Water line assessments
will help pay back the bonds.
According to a study prepared for
the county last year, William
Daniels and Associates of Cary esti
mate the 1991 Phase III project will
cost an estimated $3.8 million, not
including land acquistion or legal
costs. The elevated water tank
would also be additional. The study
did not address Phase III-A, the line
to Shallotte Point.