MOST TRYING TO AVOID RATE HIKES
1 7 Towns Take Different Approaches
In Adopting Budgets For Cominq Year
BY SUSAN USI1KK
June .<() is gone ami a new fiscal
year has begun, bui the N.C. Gener
al Assembly has yel to adopt a bud
get, leaving local towns wondering
where they stand in terms of state
revenues.
A lack of certainty of what to ex
pect in shared revenues has led at
least three Brunswick County towns
U> delay setting a lax rate and adopt
an interim budget of their own.
Instead they've adopted interim ap
propriations so they can continue
operating without a budget.
"It's been a difficult budget
time," said Jean Yates, finance offi
cer and tax collector for Yaupon
Beach, one of those taking a wait
and see attitude.
Nine other towns are holding the
line for the 1992 fiscal year, keep
ing lax rates the same as this year.
These include most of the South
Brunswick Island communities ?
Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach,
lloldcn Beach, Shallotte and Var
namtown, as well as Bolivia, Bel
villc and Leland.
At Sunset Beach, Mayor Mason
Barber attributed the town's "good
budget" in part to increased accom
modations tax revenues, a source ol
revenue also enjoyed within the
South Brunswick Islands area by
Ocean Isle Beach and I lokicn
Beach.
"It's higher than normal as a re
sult of the occupancy tax," said
Barber when the budget was adopt
ed last month. " The gixxl Lord
willing the people will keep on
coming." For the coming year the
town is "conservatively" estimating
it will receive S15(),(KK) in accom
modations tax revenues.
Long Beach didn't raise taxes,
but looked for other ways to hold
costs down, said C'athy Harvell, fi
nance officer. These included a
"lease-purchase" package lor a
group of five or six replacement ve
hicles.
One town. Calabash, cut taxes by
4.5 cents to 10.5 cents per SHX) val
uation instead of expanding services
as some of its residents had suggest
ed. Commissioners hat! proposed an
H-cents decrease at the public hear
ing on the budget, but then in
creased funds for roadside mowing
and several other line items.
Two towns have increased ihcir
lax rale, while several others antici
pate increases to ollset projected
losses in suite revenues and higher
costs of providing service.
The highest lax rate increase by
far is the Village of Bald Head
Island's 7-cent hike.
Stall had recommended a tax cut
from 55 cents to 5(1 cents per SI'XI
valuation, said Cathy McDowell, fi
nance officer. Instead the governing
body increased the tax rate to 62
cents to cover a portion of the
town's share of a proposed beach
rcnourishmcnt project with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
Figures were not available lor
Navassa, whose staff did no! return
phone calls last week, or from
Sandy Creek, whose mayor could
not be readied by telephone.
Yaupon Beach, which has posted
a KM) percent tax collection rate for
the past four years, did not increase
its water rate, absorbing a 5-ccnt in
crease in the county wholesale rate
for water. But it expects to increase
the lax rate by three cents.
Several other towns, including
Shallotte and Sunset Beach, passed
along the cost hike to their cus
tomers. The towns sail! increases
were needed to not only cover the
increase but to set aside more funds
lor upkeep ol their aping water dis
tribution systems.
Soulhport, Yaupon Beach and
Caswell Beach are waiting to get
tirm figures from the slate before
locking in a tax rate lor the coming
year.
Rob Hitcs, Southport town man
ager, said he was following the rec
ommendation of the N.C. League of
Municipalities, which sent out a
memo regarding budget:; last week.
It suggested towns that didn't
"feel comfortable" estimating state
revenues consider adopting an inter
im appropriation instead.
"I'm following their recommen
dation," said the manager.
The interim budget allocates
$540,(KX) for a six-week period.
Before that period ends, at the
city's July 1 1 regular meeting, the
board of aldermen is hoping to
adopt a budget.
Yaupon Beach officials adopted
an interim budget lor July and ex
pect to adopt a budget for the full
Most Towns Hold
Firm On Tax Rate
1WN R.VI'K CHANGK ltl'DCiKT VALlAHON
Calabash 10.5 -4.5 S 438.809....$ 88.0 million
Sunsci Beach 16.7 N/C...1.36 million 17.1
Ocear. Isle Beach 17.0 N/C 3.1 305.0
Shallottc 47.0 N/C 1 .2 7 1 .5
Holdcn Beach 18.0 N/C 1 .5 230.0
Varnamtown 4.5 N/C 79,321 10.0
n??i "
Bolivia 25.0 N/C .5.0
' able
1.8
5.0 N/C 405.635 34.0
Navassa .
Sandy ( reek Information not available
1.8
34.0
.Information not available
Rolvilln information not available
Ptv,lc '50 N/C 218,100 1 a
Lelarnl. * " 1 ?
hoi avananie
Boiling Spring Lakes. ..40.0 +3.0 749,910 59.0
Southport Adopted interim budget
Bald Head Island 62.0 +7.0 1 .85 125.0
Caswell Beach Adopted interim budget
Yaupon Beach Adopted interim budget
Long Bcach 39.5 JM/C 3.87 364.0
Note: Tax raic is shown in ccnis per SiiX) vaiuaUon.
fiscal year on July X. Jean Yates, fi
nance officer and uix collet lor, said
she is expecting a 33-cents tax rale,
an increase ol 3 ccnis, and a total
budget of S530.1 IK.
Based on projections in slate
funding she said she expects most
receipts from the state to he frozen
al their 1990-91 levels, while oper
ating costs have increased.
Casweii Buich expects to firm up
its opcrati-.g budget for the coming
year on July i 1 , hoping by that lime
the sunt has a budget of ils own.
Meanwhile the town is running on
an interim budget.
Linda Bcthunc, town clerk, said
she expects a 3-ccnts increase in die
tax rate to 2 1 cents, up from the 1 S
cents levied lor the past four years.
The town has adopted a water fund
budget of S76,4(X).
ORDINANCE PASSES ON FIRST READING
Holder i Beach Inches Closer To
Nudity Ban
BY doug r utter
Holden Beach is a step closcr this
week to joining the list of local
bcaches that have outlawed risque
swimsuits and sunbathing "au na
turel."
Town commissioners voted 3-0
Monday night in favor of an ordi
nance that would prohibit public nu
dity.
However, a second reading is re
quired before the new rules take ef
fect. The town board cannot pass an
ordinance on the first reading with
out approval from at least two
thirds of the board.
With a five-member board, that
means four of the five commission
ers have to vote in favor of an ordi
nance to pass it on a first reading,
according to Town Attorney Ken
Campbell.
Commissioners Kcnncr Amos
and Judy Bryan were absent from
Monday night's regular monthly
meeting. Mayor John Tandy said
Amos wasn't feeling well, and Mrs.
Bryan was out of town.
If it's approved, the ordinance
would make it illegal for any female
over the age of nine "to willfully
expose her breasts in any public
area."
The proposed rule defines expos
ing as "the revealing of the female
breast with less than a fully opaque
covering on any portion thereof
lower than the top of any part of the
areola."
Anyone over five years old
would be prohibited from appearing
If the ordinance goes through, H olden
Beach would he the third South
Brunswick Islands community to adopt a
public nudity ordinance this year.
in public "in such a slate of dress or
undress so as to expose lo the view
of others the human male or female
pubic area, pubic hair, anus, vulva
or buttocks with less than a fully
opaque covering."
Public areas arc defined as any
areas in town that arc "ordinarily
open to public use." That includes
the beach strand, commercial
premises and parking areas, public
parking and access areas, town
rights of way, public parks and
town-owned property and any areas
in town that are "visible under nor
mal and usual lighting conditions to
anyone making normal use of those
areas."
People who violate the rules
would be fined S25 for each occur
rence. They would have 72 hours
from the lime they were cilcd to pay
die Fine at town hall.
Commissioners first reviewed an
ordinance addressing public nudity
last week, and this week's version
was expanded to define public areas
and clarify the penally.
Seated in the audience, resident
Daphne Fournicr asked if the ordi
nance would apply lo an adult girl
dancing topless on a deck ? a sitihi
she has seen from her Lion's Paw
Drive home. "Our renters do pet
kind of wild," she said.
Campbell said the ordinance
would cover anything that is visible
from a public area, such as a street
or l inger canal.
If the ordinance goes through,
Holdcn Beach would be the third
South Brunswick Islands communi
ty to adopt a public nudity ordi
nance this year.
Occan Isle Beach officials im
posed a ban on public nudity in
May. Sunset Beach Town Council
adopted a similar ordinance in
January.
Town officials at both beaches
passed the ordinances partly be
cause of complaints about a scanti
ly-clad jogger.
Mayor Tandy said last week that
he hadn't seen or heard about the
jogger showing up at Holdcn
Beach.
He said the ordinance was
prompted by thong bathing suits,
which make wearers appear nude
from tht back. "I haven't seen it,
but I'm sure it's out there," Tandy
said.
Discussion Delayed
Wiih iwo board members absent
Monday, commissioners delayed
discussion of three items on the
agenda.
Town officials did not talk about
the 35-foot building height limit as
ii relates to rccent changes in feder
al flood rules.
Some builders have said the com
bination of the height limit and
llixxl rules could prevent some peo
ple from building two-story homes
and others from rebuilding storm
damaged homes.
Commissioners also postponed
discussion of a proposed changc in
the bulkheading requirements on
canal lots and membership in the
Ca|K Fear Council of Governments.
Other Business
In other business Monday, com
missioners:
?Met in executive session for
more than two hours to discuss le
gal and personnel matters.
Following the closed session, the
board voted to promote Police
Officer Robert Cook to sergeant.
?Set a public hearing for the
Aug. 5 meeting on a proposed
change in the fee for appealing a
building inspector's decision to the
board of adjustment. Town officials
arc considering raising the fee from
S35 to S50.
? Brictly discussed sidewalks and
made plans for two commissioners
to visit Ocean Isle Beach for a look
at their reinforced concrete walk
horeign Born Can
Practice English
Classes in conversational English
are available lo those whose native
language is something other than
English.
The English as a Second Lang
uage course is designed especially
for foreign-born students. Along
with English conversational prac
tice, students will study American
customs and share their customs
with others.
There is no charge for the course
or books.
AT VARNAMTOWN
BRING HOME
THEfcBEACON
On Sale At
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1989
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?All payments based with $900
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approved credit
Ocean City
Chevrolet Ceo
Hwy 17. Bolivia ? 253-5221
Prospective students can select
from three class locations. At Wacca
maw Community Center in Ash, the
class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. through July
30. Lcona Tripp is the instructor.
At BCC's Industrial Education
Center in Lcland, the course meets
Mondays ana Wednesdays through
July 31 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Marva
Moss is the instructor.
At St. Brendan's Catholic Church
in Shalloue, class meets Tuesdays
and Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9
p.m. and arc Uiught by Elena Foster.
For more information, contact
BCC's Continuing Education De
partment at 754-6922, 457-6329, or
343-0203.
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Summer b each reading is in:
Beast hy Pete r llenchky-equals his Jaiif.
Pirconhas by I lamld Robbir\s -al his
rfjxirious besl
And now in paperbacks:
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hyflblr Jfroun
An Inconvenient
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Plus the chilicr of the dciadr:
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bylhanasllcna
Shipping, Fax
and Copying
Services Available
FLAGS & KITES
State & American flags,
custom designs, too.
Colorful stunt kites.
CAUSEWAY PLAZA ? HOLDEN BEACH
842-5678-OPEN DAILY 9-9
Say *1 saw it in the Beacon!'
American Heart
Association
ways. Holdcn Bcach officials arc
considering concrctc, wood, marl or
grass sidewalks. The town has had
S40.000 in the budget for sidewalks
sincc the 1989-90 fiscal year.
?Voted to send a letter to the
president of Vision Cable objecting
to the way the company switched its
channels without notifying the town
or its customers ahead of time.
1988 Chevy
Cavalier
Auto, tilt, cruise, cassette,
stk# 1003A. (13.95% APR
for 30 mo.)
Or,lyS4,495or
S1 4962*
? per mo.
?All payments based with S900
down plus tax & tags with
approved credit
Ocean City
Chevrolet Ceo
Hwy. 17, Bolivia ? 253-5221
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Call Your Farm Bureau
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457-9559 ? 371-2111
Helping you is what we do best.
The Largest & Latest in Knitting & Seedlepoint Supplies "
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THE
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Take time this July 4th
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J.M. PARKER & SONS
Hwys. 211 & 17, Supply ? 754-4331
UNCLE ms PRICE ? ?
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"Service Is Our Commitment"\
Hwy. 17 N., Shallotte, 754-5147!
? ft****************************** i(