Holden Beach Board OKs BY DOUG RUTTER Holden Bcach Commissioners ap proved u lunuSCuping plan for town hall last week, but still haven't de cided where to house the police de partment. Commissioners unanimously ac cepted a beautification committee proposal at their meeting last Wed nesday to dress up the west and north sides of town hall with planus and walkways. The supplies and labor will cost less than 55, (XX), said Beautification Committee Chairperson Margaret Vasco. She said the shrubs need to be planted before March 3 1 . Plans also call for a ramp at the meeting icom door to make it accessible to the handicapped. On a 3-2 vote, commissioners agreed to have a gutter installed on the west side of the town hall roof so rainwater wouldn't harm the new plants. Commissioners Gay Atkins and David Sandifcr voted against the idea, which was proposed by the bcautification committee. Sandifer said he wanted to know the cost of the project and where the money would come from in the town budget before approving it. Ms. Atkins said she thought ths board should agree on an overall plan for the town hall complcx be fore putting up a gutter on one side of the town hall. Commissioners toured the com plex grounds during their meeting last week, but came to no conclusion about where to put the policc depart ment. The force currently works out of the bottom floor of a house the town owns at the northwest comer of Davis Street. The town board that left officc in December had planned to renovate the old public works parage and use it for the police department. But the new board, which features four new faces, hasn't decided whether to follow those plans or leave the police department in the house. Bids received for the garage reno vation were about twice as much as what the town had expected. Instead of S30.000, renovating the garage as planned would cost the town about S60,0(X). If the town board decides to leave the police department where it is. Building Inspector Dwight Carroll said the house would have to be brought up to current standards. Carroll said the state has already given Holdcn Beach two extensions so the police can use the house on a temporary basis. In a related matter, earlier plans to replace the underground gasoline storage tank with an above-ground model are on hold. The town has removal the old tank and is presently buying gas at local scrvicc stations. Commissioners indicated last week that they might like to keep it that way to save the town money on the new tank and insurance. Street Lights Coming Brunswick Elcctric Membership Corp. has agreed to set up two types of street lights on Holdcn Beach so residents can choose the one they like best. Town Manager Gary Parker said two "metro" and two "decora" lights will be erected on poles near the 100 block of Ocean Boulevard West, with a 400-foot separation between the two types of lights. Older Adult Programs Face State Changes BY TKRRY POPE Services for Brunswick County's older adults will undergo state-man dated changes this year, leaving lo cal officials wondering about the outcome. Affected July 1 arc two programs in Brunswick County's Department of Social Services and two in the Brunswick County Health Depart ment. DSS must give up control of its in-home health care and adult day carc programs for the elderly. "There's a possibility of good and bad," said Brunswick County DSS Director Jamie Orrock. "You don't know how it will impact" County commissioners must des ignate a local agcncy to develop a plan for older adult services for 1992-93. That agcncy will coordi nate programs through the N.C. Department of Human Resources' Division of Aging. The state is not asking for cuts in older adult programs, just that one agcncy serve as coordinator in each county under the direction of local boards of commissioners. The goal is for county commis sioners to become muie involved in planning the types of services to provide for the elderly. The state plan was outlined in March 1991 by the Division of Aging in a publica tion tided, "North Carolina Aging Services Plan: A Guide for Suc cessful Aging in the 1990s." The county can either keep its present Department of Older Adults, now headed by Ronnie Robinson, and have it implement programs for the elderly, or it can choose a private agcncy. A decision is expcctcd by March, in time to prepare the coun ty's 1992-93 fiscal year budget. "What our commissioners choose to do, I do not know at this point," said Orrock, who said he will meet this week with County Manager David Clcgg to review the changes. Orrock said state officials arc also slow in delivering the news. "We're not getting much informa tion out of the Division of Social Services," he said. What Orrock docs know is that his department will lose its $30,000 in-home care for the elderly pro gram and its S8.000 in-home adult day carc program to another agency. Those provide in-home health carc for patients who arc perhaps steps away from being placcid into a nurs ing home. The county's Department of Older Adults oversees the congre gate meals programs at senior citi zens centers in Shallottc, Lcland, Soulhport and Oak Island. Meals are served five days a week at all but Oak Island, where meals arc served once a week. The department also coordinates home-delivered meals and senior transportation programs. The health department helps DSS with its Community Alternative Pro gram (CAP) and Personal Care Ser vice programs by providing nursing assistance. The current ongoing caseload in CAP is 26 patients and 14 for Personal Care Services, said Health Director Michacl Rhodes. "It docs allow your county com missioners to become more involved in selecting the types of services for the elderly in the county," said Orrock. "TTial can be based on what the community believes is needed." The state's Aging Services Plan details a 10-ycar vision for develop ing "county-based programs on ag ing, strengthening services for the impaired and improving services that maintain the health and inde pendence of all older adults." The shift is aimed at improving state, area agency and county plan ning for a growing older population in North Carolina. According to statistics, the state's older population is expected to increase at twice the national rate during the 1990s as more and more retirees settle here. The study also noted that per capita spending for in-home services across the state in 1990 for persons 65 or older was unevenly distributed by countics, from a low of S7.77 to a high of S392. In-home services, transportation and housing emerged as the most important issues facing the aging in North Carolina in a 1990 survey of all 100 countics, the study indicated. Timothy P. Gibble, M.D. Adult Medicine Board Certified Internist Susan Gibble, PA-C Physician Assistant Complete Adult Medicine Care New Patients Welcome All Medicare claims filed. Assignment accepted on ail in patient care and out-patient procedures Convenient to 754-8921 The Brunswick Hospital Landscaping Plan A majority of the lown commis sioners arc in favor of renting street iigiits from the iocal utility. Parker said placing them at each intersec tion and spacing them every 500 feet would cost about 530,000 per year. Town officials asked for the free sample lights on Ocean Boulevard so residents can see them operating and decide which type they want to have on the island. The board's next workshop will Ik held Monday. Feb. 17, instead of the regular Feb. 19 date. Several commissioners will be attending a class for newly-elected officials in Chapel Hill on the 19th. Other Business In other business last week, com missioners: ?Took no action after meeting for about one hour in executive session to discuss legal and personnel mat ters. ?Did not discuss a proposal that would allow the building inspector and lown manager to interpret rooms on house plans as bedrooms if they can reasonably be expected to he used as bedrooms. Gil Bass, Sandifcr and Ms. Atkins volcd against a motion by Sid Swarts to bring Uk issue oil tbc tabic. ?Heard from Allan Damcron that Brunswick County Travel Package will be asking the town to contribute money to help fund an upcoming meeting of the N.C. Board of Transportation in Brunswick County. Damcron said he would come back to the board s(x>n with a specific request. ?Asked Parker to get bids from companies interested in handling the town's trash pickup and removal. Board members want proposals for multi-year contracts and curbsidc re cycling included with the bids. The town's contract with its current hauler. Chambers, expires March 3 1 . ?Briefly discusscd delays with the underground utilities project. Parker said he expects work crews to return no sooner than March, and possibly as late as September. ?Appointed Commissioner Jim Foumier as Holden Beach's repre sentative on the Water Quality Task Force. Why wait for ? your federal income tax refund? Rapid receive your refund anticipation loan within a matter of days available whether we prepare your return or not H&R BLOCK Resort Plaza, Suite 10, Hwy. 17 S., Shallottej _A_ Open 9 AM-6 PM Weekdays m 9 AM-5 PM Sat., Phone: 754-6067 B3 Ears, Nose and Throat Surgical & Medical Care Available In Southport ijpj| COLE, M.D. i y Previously associated with Duke Practice Includes: ? 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