Results Were Close In District 9 Race
A Sunset Beach businessman came close to
unsealing a long-time member of the Brunswick
Electric Membership Board of Directors
Saturday as a write-in candidate.
Edward (Eddie ) Gore Jr. of Sunset Beach re
ceived 22 fewer votes than Bryan R. Smith, a
Longwood area farmer who has served on the
BEMC board more than 10 years. The count was
396-374 in the District 9 race at BEMC's 52nd
annual meeting in Whiteville Saturday.
Gore said he was approached Oct. 1 and asked
to run. He agreed on such short notice, he said,
because he was supportive of their concerns
about the board's pension program ;ind because
he had concerns of his own.
"I really was kind of surprised (at the close
vote), but a lot of people were supporting me."
he said. "The only other election I've ever been
in was for Sunset Beach Town Council. I only re
ceived a fourth of the votes I needed. I haven't
tried to win any kind of election since then."
If he's not bogged down in other activities
three years from now. however. Gore said he
might try again to win election to the utility
board. II nothing else, he's interested in learning
more about how the co-op's board operates.
He was approached to run by a group of BE
MC members who were upset over an annuity
pension plan established by the board in I0S6
lhat many members of the cooperative were noi
aware existed.
"I agreed with them, I was against it," said
Gore.
Directors also receive per diem payment of
Sl(X) per meeting plus mileage and health and
dental insurance. "I think that is all the compen
sation the board should get." he said.
Board members should be concerned with
working together to provide electricity as cheap
ly and efficiently as possible, he continued, in
keeping with the co-op's origins.
"I've never been able to figure out why our
electric rates are higher than C'P&L's though we
arc a cooperative and don't have to pay taxes and
aren't subject to some of the restrictions they
are," he said. It may stem from the co-op's rural
nature. "We may still have to many miles of line
per connection for the rates to be competitive. I
don't know."
And after Saturday's meeting, he is concerned
at the lack of interest expressed by a majority of
co-op members. While more than 900 members
registered for Saturday's annual meeting, that
represented lust over 2 percent of the co-op's
membership of more than 38,000. Most of those
present left alter the awarding of door prizes,
leaving the membership unable to conduct new
business because there was no longer a quorum.
Some members feel they no longer have any
control over the board, evidenced by frustration
expressed in questions raised at Saturday's meet
ing.
But Gore, who was attending his first BKMC
annual meeting Saturday, said lie and other co-op
members need to get more involved if they arc to
cffcct change.
"I was very disappointed when I saw so many
leaving after the dix>r prizes," said Gore. "If the
members arc not concerned about the board s
management there may not be a whole lot we can
do about it."
The annual meeting agenda, as adopted by the
membership, schedules awarding of the door
prizes after the elections but before the balance
of the business meeting. Meetings alternate be
tween Brunswick and Columbus counties.
Gore also thinks elections could be run better,
with more safeguards.
"They were talking about it being an SHO mil
lion organization; well, I don't think that's any
way to run an $80 million business," he said.
With such low turn-out for annual meetings,
one option might be instituting use of proxy
votes as well as in-person votes to ensure greater
member participation in elections and other busi
ness, as is routine practice for companies with
stockholders. Gore suggested.
Co-op Members Unseat Two Directors
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Members were met at the door
Saturday morning with livers and
card- si /e slips of paper advocating
either the incumbents or the alterna
tive candidates.
Asked w hy someone should vote
for the write-in and petition nomi
nees. David R. Gore of Nakina said.
They're new. TheY can't be any
worse than the ones already in
there."
Brunswick Electric has had a re
tirement plan for directors. In its
early years, any director who served
20 years received "director emeri
tus" status and received retirement
benefits of S100 a month, paid di
rectly from the general operating
fund.
In 1986 that changed when the
National Rural Electrification
Cooperative Association (NRECA)
offered a deferred compensation
plan through a subsidiary, ELCO.
that, depending upon length of ser
vice on the board, could pay a for
mer director or the director's sur
vivor S208 to S832 per month for 8
to 16 years. The Management
Incentive Plan pools money from
144 participating co-ops (out of
more than 900 nationwide) , then
purchases insurance policies and
annuities for board members and
managers. BEMC has coverage for
its directors. General Manager
David Batten and his assistant. Chip
Lcaviti.
"I think it's a good deal." board
Chairman Frederick Tedder. "It
doesn't cost the co-op anything and
it gives a good return. It gives good
men an incentive to run for the
board, men who will take the time
to study and learn what the board
can and cannot do."
Funds committed to the program
stay on the co-op books as accounts
receivable, an asset. The co-op re
ceives interest on its investment
(S50,(XX) from 1986 to 1990) that is
paid into the general fund.
Eventually the co-op gels its initial
investment back plus a gain of a
UK) percent to 2(X) percent.
"If you had been on the board
and heard it the way it was present
ed, you would have voted for it
loo." said Smith.
Tedder fielded members ques
tions Saturday while votes were
counted. He urged members to read
the co-op bylaws, find out more
about how the organization works
and get more involved.
He termed investment in the plan
"a good business decision" by the
board.
"I'm not saying lhat it is a had
business decision. ..but that it is a
morally had issue," said William
David Gore of Nakina. "I believe
you need to review it. You call it an
incentive program: I see it more as a
retirement program for the board.
"I realize the money will come
back. But it's costing us up front.
And my electric bill has done noth
ing but go up."
In other benefits or perks, direc
tors are paid SKX) per meeting (usu
ally held monthly), plus travel reim
bursement and medical and dental
insurance.
Tedder told the group BEMC's
directors had discussed the issue
and decided to stand with the retire
ment program.
"That means it didn't matter to
you what we said here today," Jerry
Perry of Supply rose and told
Tedder.
Tedder replied, "No, that's your
statement."
Earlier Perry's wife. Jewel, ques
tioned Tedder about directors' perks
while complimenting BEMC on its
service.
Tom Duncan of Nakina, whose
brother Pete Duncan serves as a di
rector, said he thought it violated
federal law for each candidate nol
to be allowed to name someone to
watch the votes counted, a task now
handled by the co-op's appointed
election committee, which includes
one member from each district.
Tedder pointed out that the rules
arc set up to make sure the election
is honest, with a member from each
district named to the elections com
mittee.
Another member asked how ben
efits for employees who retired after
30 years with the co-op compared
to those provided directors.
General Manager David Batten
answered only generally, saying,
"Their benefit package is good," in
tended to help keep good employ
ees.
Grovcr Faulk of Nakina wanted
Tedder to specify where the money
comes from for the board retirement
program and who pays it. Earlier he
had told the Beacon, "I'm paying
for that and you're paying for it. If
that's not cheating and stealing I
don't know what is."
Tedder quickly adjourned the
meeting, only to rescind the action
after learning votes were sull being
counted. The meeting adjourned
once the results were announced a
lew minutes later.
Chambers Company Offers
Recycling To Communities
(Continued From Page 1-A)
initiated the proposed recycling pro
gram following an Aug. 7 meeting
with town officials.
John M. Rodgers, general manag
er of Chambers' Conway Division,
outlined the company's proposal in
a Sept. 13 letter to the towns and
Brunswick County.
For the curbside program to
work, Rodgers said it would be nec
essary to have participation from a
"significant portion" of the perma
nent and seasonal residents in all
five towns.
Chambers serves approximately
4,671 residential units in the five
towns, but more than 70 percent of
them are on a seasonal basis.
With good participation, Rodgers
said the cost of curbside recycling
could be as low as $5 per unit per
month. The total cost for the five
towns would be $280,260 per year
based on the S5 per unit cost.
As an alternative to curbside re
cycling, Chambers could set up one
or more recycling centers in each of
the five towns.
Residents would drop off their rc
cyclables into six-cubic-yard con
tainers designated for plastics, clear
glass, aluminum and newspapers.
The towns would have to provide
staff for the centers and pay
Chambers S6(X) per month if the
containers are emptied once a week.
Despite the higher expense.
Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Betty
Williamson said she favors a curb
side recycling program over one in
which items must be dropped off at
a central location.
She said more residents and visi
tors would take advantage of a con
venient curbside service, and a cen
trally-located recycling center
would be unsightly in a resort area.
1
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Troops Sought For Festival Parade
Men and women who served in ihc Persian Gulf conflict earlier ihis
year arc being sought to participate in the N.C. Festival By The Sea pa
rade scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The parade is being dedicated in honor of the U.S. troops who
served throughout the middle cast during the Gulf conflict.
In addition to being featured in the parade, participating troops will
also be honored later that afternoon in a special ceremony at the enter
tainment stage at 1 p.m.
All troops may register for the ceremonies and receive special in
structions, including complimentary meal money, at Craig Realty (118
Ocean Blvd.) located on the island next to the bridge.
The parade and ceremonies arc part of the Festival By The Sea held
at Holdcn Beach on Oct. 25-27.
For more information and details contact Greater Holdcn Beach
Merchants Association president Johnny Craig at 919-842-2777.
Pleasant Weather In Forecast
Generally pleasant weather is
forecast for the South Brunswick
Islands as N.C. Oyster Festival
weekend approaches.
Shallotte Point meteorologist
Jackson Canady said Tuesday that he
e.xpccts near normal temperature and
prccipaiation. Temperatures should
average from the mid-50s at night in
to the mid-70s during the daytime,
with no more than a half-inch of
rainfall.
For the period Oct. 8-14, he
recorded a maximum high of 82 de
grees Oct. 10 and a minimum low
of 39 degrees Oct. 8.
A daily average high of 79 de
grees combined with a nightly aver
age low of 50 degrees for a daily
average temperature of 64 degrees,
about two degrees below average,
said Canady.
At his residence at Shallottc Point
Canady measured no rainfall during
the period.
Brunswick County Law Enforcement
Officers Association announces...
HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE
The Brunswick County Law Enforcement Officers
Association is gearing up for their annual food drive
with baskets to be delivered to hundreds of needy
families in the county.
Each food basket will contain a 12-14 lb. turkey or
ham, dressing, canned goods, bread and sweets,
designed to feed a family of 4-6 a holiday feast with
food left over.
Don Stovall, president of the local L.E.O.A., said
this is just one of the many community activities the
organization does each year.
"We try to seek out the families who really need the
food," Stovall said.
Officers will call on businesses and individuals
throughout the county for their support in this effort.
"We want to thank everyone who has helped in our
programs in the past," Stovall said.
The B.C.L.E.O.A. is comprised of the sheriff's de
partment, the N.C. State Highway Patrol and mem
bers of the town police departments.
SIAff PHOTO BY DOUG *UTTt?
FIREMEN PREPARE to spray water on the vacant fertilizer plant
in Navassa Monday morning. Brunswick County Eire Marshal
Cecil Logan expected the building to continue burning at least
through Thursday.
Firefighters Bottle
Novossa Fertilizer
Plant Blaze
(Continued From Page 1-A)
partmcnts were still at the scene
early Tuesday morning as ihe struc
ture continued to burn.
Logan, worn out after spending
all night at the lire, called for more
volunteers, pumpers and tankers on
the lire radio Tuesday afternoon.
"We had some crews that were to
tally exhausted," he said.
The fire marshal said finding wa
ter to fight the bla/e was no prob
lem. Tankers shuttled water to the
scene all day Monday and went for
more water when they ran out.
A Bolivia VFD fire truck drafted
water from the Brunswick River for
about two hours Monday afternoon.
Logan said extra tankers were
called in early Tuesday morning to
dump 20.000 gallons of water on a
brush fire caused by sparks from the
burning building.
The N.C. Forest Service had
doused a small brush fire beside the
building Monday morning and later
dug a trench to prevent any fires
from spreading. No other buildings
or homes were threatened by the
blaze.
Logan said the CSX railroad line
located next to the building was
closed for about two hours Monday,
but there weren't any delays in rail
service. Several trains used the rail
Monday afternoon without any
problems.
Lcland businessman V.A. Creech
Jr., co-owner of the property, said
the industrial building had been va
cant since he bought it for resale in
1986.
A trucking company used a sales
office on the property until two or
three months ago, he said.
Creech, a former county commis
sioner who has varied business in
terests in northern Brunswick
County, said he didn't have any idea
how the fire might have started.
"There no reason it should have
started," he said. 'There's no justifi
cauon for it."
He said there was no electricity at
THE BRUNSWKIT&tEACON
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Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
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the plani.
Creech said there have been
problems with trespassing and van
dalism since he bought the property
five years ago from Estech Inc., the
last company to produce fertilizer at
the plant.
Creech said he didn't have any
lire insurance on the property. "This
building has no insurance on it, not
one iota. There is nothing sinister
about it from my part."
Several volunteer firemen at the
scene Monday, including Navassa's
chief, said the fire was the worst
they have ever had to battle.
Jeff Cox of Navassa, who worked
four years as a fireman in
Greensboro and has served 12 years
as a volunteer, said the fires he's
fought in high-rises were nothing
like the fertilizer plant blaze.
"That structure is so old, and with
the fertilizer in the building it
makes it hard to breathe," he said.
"When you run out of air you've
got to get out. You can't pussyfoot
around."
Fertilizer plants like the one that
caught fire Monday have played a
major role in shaping the history of
Navassa.
The community is named after
the Navassa Guano Fertilizer Co.,
which was founded in 1869 and
sold fertilizer made from decom
posed bird excrement.
Chief Carlisle said the V-C
Chcmicals building was one of four
fertilizer plants that used to operate
in the community. "This is what
Navassa was founded on, right
here."
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