Brunswick-Columbus
BY MARJOR1E MEGIVERN
After a Hurry of interest and ac
tivity on behalf of a Brunswick
Columbus County site proposed for
the multi-million dollar Global Air
Cargo Industrial Complex, the 11
proposals finally under study do not
include this one.
Russell Baldwin, former Lcland
mayor, touted a site straddling
northern Brunswick and Columbus
counties that would offer the pro
posed complex plenty of space and
proximity to air, land and water
transportation.
However, Paul Shumaker, chief
assistant secretary with the state
Department of Economics and
Community Development said last
week that 11 of 13 bidders for the
project were invited to make presen
tations April 27 and 28 to the N.C.
Air Cargo Airport Authority. The
Brunswick-Columbus site was not
among them.
"This does not mean the
Authority might not later on take an
other look at that site," Shumaker
said.
Baldwin wrote to Governor James
G. Martin in early April, describing
the advantages of the location, but
county officials declined to prepare
a formal proposal, with expense a
majot Ucteiicfii.
Kelly Holden, chairman of the
Brunswick County Board of Com
missioners said, "We'd welcome it,
but we're not rcmly to put up the
money to cnticc it here."
According to the county's Re
sources and Development Director
Thomas Monks, the cost of a formal
proposal would have been about
550,000.
"It involved a survey and inves
tigative studies of gco-tcchnical and
environmental concerns, with 20
copies of everything," he said.
He explained that the Authority's
request for proposals came with on
ly five to six weeks notice, but com
mittees of 100 from Southport and
Shallottc had met and investigated
the possibilities.
"1 tried to get Columbus and
Bladen counties to go together in an
effort, but they weren't interested,"
he said."Now, 1 don't give us much
of a rhunrp- hnwcvpr any location
fix the facility will benefit people in
a 75-mile radius, so a Duplin
County site, for instance, could
mean jobs for Brunswick County
people."
Duplin County's oral proposal is
among those to be heard by the
Authority, as are ones from Bladen
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Monks pointed out that not every
one in Brunswick County supported
locating the complex here.
"We didn't have that much sup
port from the movers and shakers,
and we would have needed man
power as much as money to make a
proposal," he said. "Everybody's not
behind it. The reason a lot of people
live here is bccausc of the quiet
quality of life here and this would
disrupt the whole county."
County Manager David Clcgg
was one of those who was not sup
portive. "There are certainly quality
of life issues," he explained. "There
would be noise and congestion and
it would inhibit other kinds of devel
opment"
There are three options consid
ered by the Authority for an air car
go facility. Construction of a com
pletely new facility would cost
about S552 million, while a joint-use
facility could be developed with an
existing military airfield for only
S281 million. Even less costly
would be the development at an ex
isting commercial airport, estimated
2! SI 56 million.
The chief advantage of the
Brunswick-Columbus site is the un
STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN USHER
How Time Flies
Eighteen-month-old twins Kristian (left) and Pierson Tedeschi and their big sister Kristina (center) oc
cupied themselves for more than an hour sifting for clams in the wet sand around a piling at the
Sunset Beach Pier last week. With their mother, Katherine, and au pair, Jessica Englund, the young
sters were visiting an uncle, Richard Borrelli of Sunset Beach.
' 1 994 TAX REVALUATION
Decision Expected Monday
On Property Tax Proposal
Brunswick County Commissioners
will decidc Monday how to conduct
the 1994 property tax revaluation.
The county has accepted bids for
contracting the job to a private firm,
but some commissioners feel the job
should be done in-housc using lax
department employees.
Bids were opened April 17, said
Brunswick County Tax Admini
strator Boyd Williamson. Five firms
submitted bidft under four scenarios.
Commissioners will decide
whether to: 1) hire a contractor that
uses the county's computer hard
ware programs; 2) allow tax em
ployees and an outside supervisor to
do the job; or 3) hire a firm to do a
complete "turn key" package indc
pcndenUy.
Quotes range from a high of
5852,000 for a complete "turn key"
job to a low or 5140,000 to hire a
supervisor.
Firms submitting bids were Cole,
Layer and Trumble Co. of Norcross,
Ga.; Cott Systems of Charlotte;
Pearson's Appraisals of Richmond,
Va.; Specialized Data Systems Inc.
of Greenville; and Tax Management
Associates of Charlotte.
Williamson told commissioners
that his office would review the pro
posals and visit projects where the
contractors have performed work.
He will make a recommendation to
the board at its regular meeting
Monday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m. in the
commissioners' chambers at the
Brunswick County Government
Center in Bolivia.
Every eight years counties arc re
quired by law to revalue property to
obtain fair market values. Such val
ucs arc used to determine the
amount of property taxes that are
due to the county. The current coun
ty tax rate is 68.5 cents per SI 00 of
valuation.
Plans are to begin appraisals in
May with new tax notices mailed in
November 1993. Commissioners
must approve the new tax listings by
June 30, 1994. The last revaluation,
performed by W.P. Ferris Co., was
conductcd in 1986.
Counties can conduct revaluations
every two or four years if they wish.
Doing the 1994 job in-house would
give the county that option in the fu
ture, said Kelly Holden, chairman of
the board of commissioners.
4 TO CHOOSE FROM!
* AT, AC, PS, PB, AM/FM Stereo
i S1 49V- ? $7,997" |:
^ *$1 ,097 down cash or trade, plus tax & tags, 60 mos. at 1 0.95% ft
A APR with approved credit
^ "Pius & tags
JONES FORD
? 1-800-832-5328 754-4341
Hwy. 17 N., Shai lotte * M-F 8:30-7:30, Sat. 9^4
County Site Not On Transoark Short List
developed land available. Baldwin
pointed out in his letter to Governor
Martin that this location could at
tract a BMW assembly plant, with
New Hanover International Airport
as interim air cargo facility, the
nearby state port in Wilmington ca
pable of receiving bulky compo
nents by ship, and distribution ot as
sembled cars by ship, barge, air, rail
and truck a possibility.
"Wilmington is the only place in
the state offering this unique combi
nation of advantages," he wrote.
According 10 Siiuinakci, a deci
sion on a site could be made next
month. The item is on the agenda of
the Authority's meeting on May 19.
Elect (Republican Candidate)
Brunswick County Commissioner
* Best Qualified Candidate
* B.A., M.A. - Public Administration
* Career in Local Govt. Management
* Management Consul.- Council of Govt.
Research Triangle Park, NC
* Concern for the Future of Brunswick Co.
Please vote for me on Tuesday, May 5
Elect
Janet Pope School Board
"A change for the better, not more of the same"
?A Christian by God's grace
?Wife, mother, grandmother
?Pro-Life leader
?Served as Missionary in Mexico
?Served on Brunswick County Drug Challenge Committee
?Parent Activist involved 5 years in school reform
?Student Advocate concerned for our children's welfare and
success
?A Jesse Helms conservative
?Only delegate from Brunswick County to attend Republican
National Convention in August.
I am NOT a politician nor an "educrat" (professional
educator/bureaucrat). Are you pleased with the quality of
education they have given our children these past 25-30 yrs.?
Why are there between 50-75 million illiterates in our nation
today and more each year? Why can't "Johnny" read? I am
NOT part of the problem but I want to be part of the solution. Having been labeled a "dangerous" and
controversial woman, I want to assure you it is true-Dangerous to those in our school system who
put their own self-interests ahead of the welfare of our children and are more concerned with
protecting an image or appearance than with the fact that Brunswick County schools remain almost
dead last in the nation and our kids keep on being sent out to face their futures academically
handicapped for life! Controversial to those who would teach our precious children that there is no
right and wrong, that whatever they "decide" for themselves is right for them is right for them; to
those who say they cannot teach character-building moral instruction in the schools. Not so! Most
states have laws requiring these values be taught. "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."
School reform is as simple as ABC
A. Accountabllitv-Those responsible must be held accountable.
B. Basics-How did America become the most literate, best educated nation in the world with coal oil
lamps, pot-bellied stoves and one-room schoolhouses? Simple-a commitment to moral and
academic excellence!
C. Competent-Administrators competent to manage, teachers competent to teach-result-young
people competent to face the challenges of their futures.
This will then restore the 3 Rs
Right - Reason - Responsibility
I pledge with the Lord God as my help and witness to represent ALL the children of Brunswick
County, not just my district, to be available and accountable to ALL parents and citizens of our
county and to conduct the business of our school system in an open, honest and equitable manner.
Janet Pope VOTE MAY 5 School Board
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