LAWSUITS SEEK EASEMENTS
Local Firm Submits Low Bid On Point Area Water Project
BY TERRY POPE
Shallofe Poini residents are closer to receiving
county water.
Brunswick County Commissioners picked a local
contractor Monday that will route water lines to the fish
ing community south of Shallouc.
Also stemming from the project, a number of law
suits have been filed in Brunswick County Superior
Court stemming from easement and right of way dis
putes between property owners and the county.
Carmichacl Construction Co. of Long Beach submit
ted the low bid of S64K.743 from among five bids
opened by project engineers Camp, Dresser and McKce.
The contractor has worked on a number of county SAD
water expansion projects in the past.
"It's a rather historic vole," said Commissioners
Chairman Kelly Holdcn.
Plagued with harsh water and drying wells, the Point
community has asked for county water for years.
The Phase 111 and 11I-A S7 million expansion project
will make water available to all Point residents, either by
main distribution lines or SAD lines. The project w ill al
so increase water capacity for the Sunset Bcach, Ocean
Isle ami Calabash areas.
Other companies submitting bids were: Snceden
Inc., S650.678: Mark H. Johnson Inc., S661.831; State
Utility Contractors. 5780,888; and Central Builders Inc.,
S838.212.
County officials filed lawsuits against six landown
ers last week that have not rcached agreements with the
county over rights of way and easements for the water
project. That number is low compared to the overall
number of property owners affected, said County
Attorney David Clcgg.
New lines will extend along U.S. 17 south to
Grissettown, along N.C. 903 io Seaside and to the
Shallotte Point community. A lot must also be purchased
in Shallotte Point for the placement of an elevated water
tower.
The complaints and declarations of taking, filed by
attorney Stephen Yount of Shallotte, claim the county
and defendants have been unable to agree on the pur
chase price or fees for use of the property.
The property has been condemned and checks for
the amount Brunswick County is willing to pay have
been filed with the Brunswick County Clerk of Court's
officc.
Owners have been given 30 days' notice that the
land will be taken for public use for the Phase III water
supply and distribution system. Under state law, coun
ties have the authority of eminent domain, to take prop
erty needed as right of ways for public water and sewer
projects.
The defendants will be allowed to remove timber,
buildings, structures, permanent improvements or fix
tures on the property. The lawsuits also ask for a trial by
jury, if necessary, on the issue of just compensation for
the land.
The suits were filed against the following property
owners with the amount deposited by the county also
shown:
?Jerry W. and Carol H. Danford, for an easement on a
.49 acre tract on Mulberry Street, Shalloltc, SI ,5(X);
?United States of America, Farmers Home
Administration, for an easement on a .56 acre tract on
Bailey Street, Shallottc, S1,5(X):
?Randall S. Parker, Sarah Parker and Bobbie Parker, for
an easement on a tract at N.C. 904 and Saw Pit Branch;
$1,500;
?N.C. Department of Transportation for an easement at
N.C. 904 and U.S. 17,51,500;
?Odcll DeCarol Williamson and LaDane Williamson
Bullington, for a temporary easement at N.C. 904 and
S.R. 1 163 (Old Georgetown Road), $3(X);
?Stan-Lands Development Inc., for a fee simple title to
1.61 acres at N.C. 179 and S.R. 1152 (Pigott Road)
Shallottc Point, SI 0,465.
Also Monday, commissioners voted to accept the
Brunswick County Utility Operations Board's recom
mended assessment rates for four SAD projects.
SAD 16, Sea Aire Estates and Styron's Landing near
Holden Beach, will be assessed S364 per lot. Others arc
as follows: SAD 7 on the Holden Beach causeway, .058
cents per square foot of lot space; SAD 9 on the Holden
Beach Causeway, .051 cents per square foot of lot space;
and SAD IX, Hurricane Haven and Seashore Estates
near Holden Beach. .04 cents per square f(X)t of lot
space.
STAFF PHOTO BY OOUO RUTTE*
DIGNITARIES CUTTING THE RIBBON Friday afternoon at the Southeastern Welcome Center included (from left) State Sen. R.C.
Soles Jr., State Rep. David Redwine, Brunswick County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kelly Holden, Center Director Sabrina
Hodges, Souf. Brunswick Islands Chamber of Commerce Hresuitnt Terry Tsarbee, Brunswick County Commissioner Dvnaiu Shaw, Fusi
Chamber Fresident Annette Odom, N.C. Transportation Secretary Tommy Harrelson, N.C. Board of Transportation Member Marilyn
Williams, Billy Carter, Fat Finkerton, David Kelly and Dean Walters.
West Students Call For Overpass
(Continued From Page I -A)
Harrclson also said he will wrile
to judges asking ihcm 10 impose ihc
maximum penalty allowed for mo
torists caught speeding on the by
pass.
The transportation secretary said
he thinks the speeding is a result of
driver frustration. After traveling
several miles on a two-lane high
way, he said motorists have a ten
dency to speed up on the bypass to
make up time.
"Driver error and driver responsi
bility is the major cause of the
crashes...," he said. "They were irre
sponsible in the way they traveled."
Forrest Gilley, a local trucker at
the ceremony, wanted to make it
clear that out-of-town drivers have
been involved in each of the acci
dents at the intersection.
Giiicy said most local truck
drivers know the intersection can be
dangerous and slow down to 40 mph
when they approach it. "It's not that
all the truckers don't care. We do
care."
In his keynote address, Harrelson
said the new welcome center will be
a positive influence to the local
economy and a great benefit to
tourists.
Through the center, Harrelson
said visitors will learn about the
beaches, golf courses, fishing tour
naments and historical landmarks in
southeastern North Carolina.
Harrelson said Z5U people visited
the center the first two days it was
open, and officials expect 100,000
visitors to pass through each year.
'That means more dollars for
southeastern North Carolina," he
said. "Good transportation and eco
nomic development are insepara
ble."
The state paid for the land and
construction of the 1 ,200-square
foot center. Southeastern Welcomc
Center Inc., a non-profit organiza
tion that receives funds from
Brunswick County, the Wilmington
Chamber of Commerce and the
Cape Fear Coast Convention and
Visitors Bureau, runs the center.
Besides Harrelson, other govern
ment leaders attending last week's
ceremony included Slate Sen. R.C.
Soles, State Rep. David Rcdwinc,
State Rep. Leo Mercer and elected
officials from each of the South
Brunswick Islands towns.
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Mix Of Rain,
Sunshine On Tap
Weather patterns should continue
as they have for the past few weeks,
showering the South Brunswick
Islands with more intermittent sun
shine and rain.
"We're looking for a continuation
of cach," Shallottc Point meteorolo
gist Jackson Canady said Tuesday
afternoon. "Rain and sunshine."
He said both temperatures and
rainfall should be above normal for
this time of year.
Daytime temperatures should
range in the low 60s, and evening
temperatures should fall around 40.
he said. Canady predicts around
three-fourths of an inch lainfall over
the next week.
Last weekend's balmy, springlike
temperatures and blue skies were "a
result of ;? shift in the pattern,"
Canady saici. "Abnormally high
temperatures in the winter won't
happen day after day."
For the period of Feb. 1 1 through
17, Canady recorded a maximum
daytime temperature of 79 degrees
on Feb. 16, and a minimum evening
low of 36 degrees on Feb. 1 3.
The average daytime high tem
perature was 66 degrees, Canady
said, and the average evening low
was 42 degrees, he said. This pro
vided a daily average temperature of
54 degrees, which Canady said is
eight degrees above average.
He measured .04 of an inch of
rain at his residence.
Correction
An articlc in the Feb. 13 issue of
The Brunswick Beacon regarding an
information session between Tom
Cassell of the N.C. Division of
Community Assistance and resi
dents of Calabash Acres, Caiahash,
contained errors.
Pali Lcwellyn, chairman of the
Calabash Planning and Zoning
Board, said the meeting was called
to explain differences between deed
restrictions and zoning.
Also, both of two petitions signed
by residents of Calabash Acres re
quest the northern portion of
Calabash Acres be rczoned to allow
for mobile homes. Neilher requests
such a change for the enure subdivi
sion.
Rather, one designates N.C. 179
as the dividing line for rezoning, the
other asks that Mearcs Street be the
dividing line.
Also, a comment regarding com
plaints from residents regarding
"rundown" conditions of some mo
bile homes in the subdivision was
incorrectly attributed to Ms. Lew
ellyn.
The Beacon apologizes for the er
rors.
? Holden Beach
: May Take Over
y I Dredging Projects
BY DOUG RUTTER
The last lime finger canals at
Holden Beach's were dredged,
homeowners supervised the project
and some people refused to pay their
fair share.
There won't be any free-loading
the next lime around if the town de
cides to get involved.
Holden Beach Commissioners
this week asked Town Manager
Gary Parker to meet with represen
tatives from the island's three canal
subdivisions to work out a dredging
plan.
Commissioners said at their meet
ing Monday that the town could co
ordinate a dredging project and col
lect money from everyone who
owns land on a canal.
"I think it's long overdue," Com
missioner Sid Swarts said. "I think
we've neglected the canals too
long."
Parker said the town could handle
dredging the same way it handles
street paving projects. The town
couki pay ior the work up front, and
then assess property owners to re
cover the funds.
Representing the canal areas
Monday night were John Broadnax
of Heritage Harbor, Charlie Pahl of
Holden Beach Harbor and Ted
Rivenbark of Harbor Acres.
They said the canals are a valu
able asset to the town, but must be
dredged and maintained so boats can
continue to use them.
"If we don't do something with
the canals we're going to lose a lot
of lax base," said Pahl.
Rivenbark said more than 80 per
cent of the lot owners in his neigh
borhood paid voluntarily the last
lime the canals were cleaned out.
Some of the canals have not been
dredged in 10 years.
A recent survey indicated that
most property owners are willing to
pay their share for dredging, he
added.
Complex Situation
Commissioners continued to talk
about planned changes at the town
hall complex Monday, but didn't
make any decisions.
Instead, board members asked
Parker to find out if the police force
can keep using the house on Davis
Street without making expensive
improvements.
Building Inspector Dwight Car
roll said the town must bring the
house up to state code if it wants to
continue using it for the police de
partment.
Among other things, the bottom
floor would have to be elevated two
feet and the ceiling would have to be
raised one foot to comply with the
rules.
THE BRUNSVWICfefEACON
Established Nov. 1 , 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year SI 0.36
Six Months $5.55
ELSEWHERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $ 14.86
Six Months S7.90
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $15.95
Six Months $8.35
Second class postage paid at
Shalloue, N.C. 28459. USPS 777
780. Postmaster, send address
changes to:
P.O. Box 2558,
Shallotte, N.C. 28459-2558
The N.C. Department of Insur
ance requires that buildings be
brought up to code if there is a
change in use.
Carroll said Holdcn Beach has al
ready received two extensions for
making the changes, and he doesn't
know when lime will run out.
Commissioner Jim Foumier said,
"We vc got a situation where they're
going to evict the police force, and
something's got to be done."
Board members want to know if
there's an appeals process that
would allow the town to use the
house as police headquarters without
making any changes.
Commissioners balked at the
original plan to renovate the old
public works garage for use as the
police department when bids came
in too high.
Town officials estimated the reno
vation would cost about S30,000,
but the low bid was around S60.000.
On Monday night, commissioners
asked Parker to seek more bids for
the proposed project.
"This is just unreasonable to me,"
Commissioner Gil Bass said of the
S60,(XX) offer. "I think we're being
taken."
Other Business
In oihcr business Monday, com
missioners:
?Accepted a donation of land from
Lyn Holdcn. The tract between 200
and 202 Hillside Drive is 10 feet
wide and about 30 feet deep. The
town may use the land for a beach
access.
?Tabled a request from the Greater
Holdcn Beach Merchants Associ
ation for the town to rent a billboard
on U.S. 17 at Mt. Pisgah Road. The
10- by 32-foot sign advertising
Holdcn Beach would cost S600 per
month if it's rented for three years.
Commissioners will consider the
proposal this spring when they start
working on the new budget.
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