Commission's
Cuts In Senior Citizens
Meals Criticized
ItY TERRY POPE
Sonic residents asked Brunswick
County Commissioners Monday to
restore funds cut from the senior
eiti/en meals program.
Commissioners trimmed funding
last month for meals served at its
senior citizens centers, stating that
too many people who arc neither el
derly nor needy were taking advan
tage of the program.
"If present budget cuts arc not
amended, the senior citizens are go
at the Shaiiotte Senior Citizens
Center.
She addressed commissioners
Monday on behalf of the senior citi
zens there who arc upset at having
the number of meals cut. The coun
ty allotted enough money this fiscal
year to serve about 1 .(XX) county
meals a month rather than the 2.3(H)
per this! hud been
served.
"I owe it to them for what
they've done for my Mom," said
Ms. Hewett.
A volunteer with the program.
ing to hurt,"
said Patsy He
wett of Shaiiotte
Point.
HEWETT
Ms. Hewett
said her mother
is typical of se
nior citizens
who benefit
from the nutri
tious meals and
friendship found
Jack Brady of Calabash, said com
missioners have cui tfv number of
meals served from at out 110 per
day to around 50 per lay. The ma
jority is being penalized because of
a few abusers, he saiJ.
Brady delivers meals to persons
who cannot travel to the centers.
Commissioner Jerry Jones noted
that funding for home delivered
meals was not cut in the budget.
"I'm here to tell you gentlemen
that the majority (of those served)
arc elderly," said Brady. "They're
feeble and they're impoverished. It
may he the only hot meal they get
that day."
Funding to operate the centers
themselves, in Shallottc. Lcland,
Souihpon and Oak Island, also was
not cut. Lunches arc served around
noon live days a week at the centers
except for oak Island, which serves
lunch once a week.
Commissioners listed to the com
ments but look no action.
Commissioner Gene Pinkerton was
out of town on business, said
Chairman Kelly Holdcn.
"That center means a lot to our
old people," said Alma Tolson of
Shallottc. "It's just more than a
meal. It's something to fill our
lives."
She the senior citizens play
games and make crafts before and
after their meals.
"That is our life," Ms. Tolson
said. "We just enjoy being togeth
er."
The Brunswick County
Department of Older Adults will rc
ccivc S7.135 in county funds in this
year's budget for congregate meals
as opposed to 565,740 in 1990-91.
I"he Older Adults department has
grown to cost taxpayers one cent on
the tax rate, Hoklen said, which
wasn't the intent of the program.
Persons 60 years or older qualify
to receive free lunches at the cen
ters. Volunteer contributions from
those served meals also help to de
fray the costs of the meals.
A majority of funding for the
meals program is channeled through
the Cape Fear Council of
Governments.
Carolyn Sodcrs, COG aging ad
ministrator. said Brunswick County
will receive around S70,(XK) again
this fiscal year for congregate
meals.
Historically, Brunswick County
has always matched aging alloca
tions "almost dollar for do! jar," said
Ms. Sodcrs.
"Yes, we provide a meal at the
congicgatc site," said Ms. Sodcrs,
"but they are also coming to the site
for the socialization. That gives
them something to look forward to,
to help them live longer."
Other Business
In other business Monday, com
missioners:
? Heard an appeal of a building in
spection fine from James S. Mintz
Plumbing, who told the board he
mistakenly began work on a projcct
thinking the homeowner had al
ready obtained permits. The board
upheld the penally levied against
Minor by Robert Tucker, county en
gineer and supervisor of the build
ing inspections program.
?Agreed to set adoption of the
county's new subdivision ordinance
for Aug. 5. To pass on first reading,
a full board must be present.
Planning Director John Harvey said
52 people helped revise the ordi
nance that went to a public hearing
in April.
?Hntcrcd into a lease agreement
with the State Employees Credit
Union, which will install a 24-hour
teller machine at the county govern
ment complex in Bolivia.
?Amended the county building
code to set a S25 fee for Tire inspec
tions of industrial and commercial
buildings.
?Revised the a contract with Tax
Management Associates of
Charlotte to allow the company to
continue to uncover hidden property
taxes for a set fee rather than on
commission, in light of a State
Property Tax Commission ruling
declaring such commission work il
legal. The firm will be paid on a
sliding scalc, based on collections.
The company could receive from
$650 to as high as S5.200 should it
discover more than $5 million in
hidden taxes.
?Heard that state funding for the
Caw Caw and Shallottc Swamp
Parcel Fee Bill Gives County What It Wanted
A law allowing couniies to charge panel fees
for solid waste disposal was ratified by the Stale
House Monday, but after Brunswick County
Commissioners had met for its regular monthly
meeting.
County Manager David Clcgg told the board
Monday that in its modified version HB 86
would do for Brunswick County what officials
had wanted it to do ? allow the county to charge
a set fee per improved parcel to fund the coun
ty's solid waste department.
Although its passage was virtually assured,
Clcgg advised die board not to take any action
untii receiving official notice that the bill had
been ratified.
At a budget meeting in June, commissioners
transferred SI. 2 million from other departments
to fund solid waste before adopting the 1991-92
budget. Budget amendments must now be
adopted to return the funds to their original
sources.
Brunswick County Tax Administrator Boyd
Williamson has estimated a fee of S40 per im
proved parcel would provide the necessary
funds for solid waste.
The new law allows counties lo adopt an or
dinance so thai such fees would appear on prop
erty owners' tax statements. The fee would be
payable and collected in the same manner that
delinquent personal or real property taxes can
be collected.
The bill falls in line with House Bill 623, in
troduced by Rep. Leo Mercer of Columbus
County. That law allows Brunswick and
Columbus counties to enter into long-term solid
waste disposal contracts and franchise agree
ments.
The bill is important for Brunswick County
because it also applies to county recycling pro
jects, said Clcgg.
"We plan to contract our recycling to private
industry," said Clcgg. "It would cost us more
just to buy the vehicles than to fund the pro
gram itself."
County Engineer Robert Tucker and county
recycling coordinator Terry Munn will oversee
development of die recycling program.
"One of their first marching orders is to de
velop requests for proposals so we can move
forward." said Clcgg.
The county will first build recycling and solid
waste stations on N.C. 904 near Seaside and on
N.C. 21 1 near SouthporL
The Seaside site is ready for construction,
Clcgg said.
As the new stations come on line, some coun
ty green box trash disposal sites will be elimi
nated.
Some green boxes in the Funston and Ash
communities have been removed, he said, be
cause the landowners have requested the county
do so.
State Budget Includes Welcome Center Funding
BY SUSAN USHER
The suite budget package adopted
this week includes money and oper
ating guarantees lor the South
eastern Welcome Center at ShaJ
lotte.
The law also mandates that the
state Department of Transportation
complete the structure by the Labor
Day weekend and that it not close
the center.
Dean Walters, chairman of the
board of directors of Southeastern
Welcome Center Inc., said he sup
ports Redwine's actions in support
of the center, which is under con
struction near the intersection of the
U.S. 17 bypass of Shallotte and
N.C. 1 30 west.
"As long as they're going to give
money to any welcome center, we
think we should get it too," he said
last week. "Brunswick County just
wants to be treated the same as die
others."
"He (Redwine) asked if we want
ed to be included and I said yes. I
appreciate what he's doing. He's
just trying to help us out."
At first Rcdwinc had planned on
simply seeking operating funds for
Southeastern to match those re
ceived in an earlier budget by the
two existing centers. Then he and
representatives of the districts
where the other two suite-built, lo
cally-operated visitors' centcrs are
located got together and introduced
a bill that would provide each cen
ter S50,000 in operating money dur
ing 1991-92 and 1992-93.
They proposed taking the money
from a portion of personalized li
cense tag revenues set aside by the
N.C. Department of Transportation
for wildllower and landscaping pro
jects statewide.
Thomas Harrclson, secretary of
transportation objected to both the
funding and its proposed source of
revenues, saying the legislators had
reneged on agreements reached ear
lier with the state and were taking
funds fioin a statewide kitty for lo
cal projects.
In signed agreements, local orga
nizers for all three centers had
agreed that if the state built the visi
tors' ccntcrs, they would raise funds
locally with which to operate them.
Walters was one of the local lead
ers to sign the agreement for the
Southeastern Center, but doesn't
think the group should be bound by
it since the other two ccntcrs have
received funds from the General
Assembly already.
"We just want to be treated the
same," he said.
When Harrclson argued against
the legislation, said Redwinc, he
lost "a fair fight."
In turn, Harrclson let it be known
that the legislators' actions could
have consequences ? reducing the
likelihood of the state reaching fu
ture agreements for similar centers
and possibly a decision by DOT to
put the ccntcrs it has built or is
building to other uses.
In the House, Redwinc and other
backers of the funding proposal
moved to block Harrclson, relying
again on the legislature's lawmak
ing powers.
A budget conference committee
agreed to include provisions that 1)
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Southeastern and two other existing
centers would get their 550,000
each for two years; 2) that the
Southeastern Center would be built
and completed on schedule, by
Sept. 1; and 3) that this center and
the two other centers would not be
shut down.
The budget package had to be
adopted or rejected in its entirety,
making the ccntcr provisions "a
done deal," Rcdwine said Monday.
While he doesn't expect it. Red
wine said the centers can choose not
to accept the funds. "If they want to
send it back, fine. There's nothing
in the law that says they have to ac
cept it."
Rcdwine says he doesn't plan to
seek additional funds for the cen
ters, but should visitation figures
support the move as he expects, and
he remains in office, he would con
sider asking that the centers be
made a full-fledged state-operated
welcome centers.
Walters said he doesn't think the
state funding "takes away" from
anything and that Harrelson might
not have objected so strongly had
the money come from elsewhere.
The center now has commitments
of funding support from entities in
Brunswick and New Hanover coun
ties only, but Walters said he ex
pects that to change once the center
is in operation. "We're looking to
bring in other counties when they
see it is viable."
Like Redwine, Walters said he
believes the state should and even
tually will take over operation of
the ccntcr.
"It's an asset," he said. "It's a
positive influence on the area.
drainage projeel, sums of 58.480
and S29,5(X) respectively, had been
relumed to the county.
?Set a public hearing for Special
Assessment District 12, made up of
10 subdivisions between Ocean !s!e
and Calabash, for July 29, 7 p.m., in
the public assembly building at the
complex in Bolivia.
?Agreed to sell timber cut at the
construction site for the new 911
center at the complex.
?Awarded a bid of S 165,997 to
Carmichacl Construction Co. for the
water extension project from the
Malmo Treatment Plant to the
Jennifer subdivision on Mt. Misery
Road in Leland. Wells in Jennifer
arc tainted with gasoline.
?Set a public hearing for Aug. 5,
6" I S p.m.. on the county's property
address and display ordinance.
?Appointed Robert Williams to the
Industrial Facility and Pollution
Control Finance Authority, which
reviews applications for tax-exempt
financing bonds for new industries.
?Tabled three appointments to
the Brunswick Interagency Trans
portation System board.
Suspects Charged With
Illegal Whiskey Sales
BY TERRY POPB
Five people were arrcslcd over
the weekend following an under
cover operation thai brought more
than 80 gallons of moonshine, or il
legally distilled corn whiskey, into
Brunswick County.
Officers with the Brunswick
County Sheriff's Department and
N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement of
fice in Wilmington seized 61 gal
lons of whiskey when making the
arrests Sunday, said Tom Parker,
Wilmington ALE agent.
Ten charges were filed against
Lindscy Jacob Simmons Sr., of
Apollo Street, Shallouc, who had
two vehicles seized and was placed
under $30,000 bond, Parker said.
Simmons is charged with three
counts of selling non-tax paid
liquor, three county of possession of
non-tax paid liquor, two counts of
conspiracy to sell non-tax paid
liquor and three counts of selling
liquor without a license.
Officers also made the following
arrests:
?Tony Edwin Benton, of Route 1,
Supply, was charged with one count
each of selling non-tax paid liquor,
possession of non-tax paid liquor,
conspiracy to sell non-tax paid
liquor and selling liquor without a
license. He was placed under S500
bond.
?Hannah Lewis Bellamy, of Route
5, Southport, was charged with one
count of aiding and abetting the sale
of non-tax paid liquor. She was
placed under S500 bond.
?Shcrrill Minson Tart, of Route 2,
Chadbourn, was charged with sale
of non-tax paid liquor, possession of
non-lax paid liquor, transporting
non-tax paid liquor, two counts of
conspiracy to sell non-tax paid
liquor, possession of equipment
used to manufacture non-tax paid
liquor and possession of liquor for
sale without a permit.
Tart was placed under S30,(XX)
bond and his vehicle was seized,
Parker said.
?Steven Shcrrill Tart II, of Route 2,
Chadbourn, was charged with one
count each of sale of non-tax paid
liquor, possession of non-tax paid
liquor, transporting non-tax paid
liquor, conspiracy to sell non-tax
paid liquor and possession of liquor
for sell without a permit.
He was placed under S15,(XX)
bond.
All of the suspects were taken to
the Brunswick County Jail, Parker
said. They will face trial in Bruns
wick County District Court Aug.
21.
Parker said the arrests were the
result of an ongoing investigation
dating to April 26. It was a coopera
tive effort of the two law enforce
ment departments, he said.
In all, HO gallons and 16 oz. of il
legally manufactured liquor were
seized in the operation. The liquor
sales would have resulted in lost tax
revenues of S3, 183 to the state,
Parker said.
N.C. Department of Revenue of
ficials can also enter judgments
against suspects for non-payment of
state taxes on income received
through illegal liquor sales, he
added.
VOTE SET ON TWO-YEAR TERMS
Redisricting
Plans Adopted
BY SUSAN USHKK
Rcdislricling plans approved by
the North Carolina General
Assembly leave Brunswick County
in a two-member House district
with Columbus County, but make
few other substantive changes.
In other legislative action, Bruns
wick County voters go to the polls
this fall to decide whether county
commissioners and school board
members should serve two-year
terms instead of four-year terms.
The new 14th District would in
clude Brunswick and Columbus
counties and Cape Fear I and II
precincts in the Castle Haync area
of New Hanover County. Columbus
County is presently represented by
Leo Mercer.
The existing 14th District, served
by Redwine, already includes a
small part of New Hanover County.
It also includes Topsail Township in
Pender County, which will become
part of another district under the
House plan.
In the Senate redisricting, the
18th District loses Beavcrdam
Township in Cumberland County
and picks up Wilmington No. 5, a
single census block in New Han
over County that includes the State
Ports Authority. The balance of the
district remains intact: Columbus,
Bladen and Brunswick counties.
The district is represented by Sen.
R.C. Soles Jr. of Tabor City.
The reconfigured 7th Congress
ional District, represented presently
by Rep. Charles G. Rose, would
lose Fort Bragg in Cumberland
County but pick up portions of
Pender and Onslow counties, in
cluding Camp Lcjcunc. The plan
keeps in the district Brunswick,
Columbus, New Hanover and
Robeson counties.
However, Rep. E. David Redwine
said Monday that all the plans are
subjcct to possible challenges and
could be revised in the future.
One House redisricting proposal
that was defeated, for instance,
would have creatcd numerous sin
gle-member districts as well as cre
ating a new minority district.
Redwine says he expects the
southeastern section of the slate to
be the target of rcdistricting chal
lenges by the GOP.
If voters say yes to two-year
terms in a Nov. 5 referendum, then
all five members of both boards
would be up for re-election at the
same time, every two years.
Presently the members arc elected
to staggered, four-year terms.
Redwine introduced the bill after
the issue was raised two years ago
at a Brunswick County Democratic
Convention. Public opinion on the
issue is sharply divided, Redwine
has admitted, with the county
Republican Party opposing two
year terms, saying the move is moti
vated by partisanship, and the
Democratic Party endorsing it.
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