Shallotte Welcomes
State Plans For
Overpass
BY DOUG RUTTER
A feeling of satisfaction spread
through Shallottc last week ? the
kind of feeling that can only be
found in a community that pulls to
gether and achieves a common goal.
Most area residents were relieved
and content after learning of the
state's plans to construct an over
pass where N.C. 130 crosses the
U.S. 17 Shallotte bypass.
Shallottc Mayor Sarah Tripp said
she was "delighted" by the news,
but not really surprised with the
state's decision. "I felt like if it was
approached in the right way and
they saw the need they would come
through."
Marilyn Williams of Wilmington,
the area's representative on the state
transportation board, announced
plans for the overpass at a news con
ference last Thursday at the
Southeastern Welcome Center.
An interchange will be included
in the draft Transportation
Improvement Program presented to
the N.C. Board of Transportation in
July.
Mrs. Williams said she expects
approval of the S3.4 million project
at that time, although construction
won't begin until early 1994.
Community residents have been
calling for an overpass at the inter
section since a wrcck last November
which killed a West Brunswick
High School student and a well
known Shallottc businessman.
There have been at least two other
serious accidcnls ai the intersection
since the double-fatality, which
prompted the state to make safety
improvements and study the need
for an overpass.
"1 am elated for the people of this
area who made their voices heard
about their concerns for the safety of
this intersection," Mrs. Williams
said. "I assure you that those voices
were heard."
State officials who studied the in
tersection citcd several factors in
concluding that an overpass is justi
fied, including accidcnt history since
the bypass opened last May.
Other reasons arc the intersec
tion's proximity to West Brunswick
and downtown Shallouc, which are
on opposite sides of the bypass.
Inexperienced drivers from the high
school cross the bypass almost every
day.
Mrs. Williams added thai N.C.
130 has more traffic than any other
road that crosses U.S. 17 between
the South Carolina state line and
U.S. 74-76 near Wilmington.
She said slate officials considered
all of the public support for an over
pass in making their decision.
"I've had over 100 letters from
the students over at the school?I'm
a big believer in citizen input," said
Mrs. Williams.
Sincc losing classmate Misty
Dawn Carmichael last fall. West
Brunswick students have been sup
portive of an overpass. They sent
letters to officials and held a demon
BYPASS
US 17
WELCOME CENTER/
straiion when the welcome ccnicr
was dedicated in February.
Hilda Smith, a high school
teacher whose husband, Steve, was
also killed in the wreck last fall, said
.
Friday that students were pleased
with the slate's decision.
"We talked about it today and
See SHALLOTTE, Page 2-A
THE p?u.^..ICK#^EACOM
Thirtieth Year, Number 28 C't*? TMf MUMSVflCK tEACON Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, May 14, 1992 50c Per Copy 38 Pages, 3 Sections, 3 Inserts
mmmaawis* ' r?T
SlAfF mo TO BY SUSAN USHfc*
THREE TEEN-AGERS were inside the Bronco (left foreground) when it overturned in a shallow
ditch along N.C. 179. All escaped serious injury.
Two Teen-Agers Charged With
Unlawful Speed Competition
Two teen-agers were charged
with unlawful speed competition by
the State Highway Patrol following
an accident late Friday night in
which one vehicle overturned and
another burned beyond recognition.
None of the four teen-agers in
volved in the 11:15 p.m. accident
on N.C. 179 near Brick Landing re
ceived serious injuries.
Mark Douglas McKeithan, 17, of
Shalloue, driver of a 1987 Bronco,
was charged by Trooper B.L.
Wilkes with unlawful speed compe
tition and speeding. Adam Abbott,
16, of Ocean Isle Beach, was driving
the second vehicle, a 1978 Nissan.
He was charged with unlawful speed
competition, speeding and driving
while impaired.
According to Wilkes' report, the
two vehicles were racing side by
side, northbound on N.C. 179,
when they went around a curve and
the Nissan ran off the road and then
returned to ihe road, striking the
Bronco.
The Bronco ran off the right-hand
Se? TWO, Page 2- A
Calabash Dumps
Commercial Pickups
BY TERRY POPE
Calabash Commissioners voted 3
2 Tuesday not to pay for trash pick
up for its restaurants and other busi
nesses when part of the town's cur
rent garbage contract expires in
November.
Saying commercial pickup has
gotten too expensive, the board vot
ed to fund residential pickup twice
weekly within District 1 and to con
tinue providing green boxes for resi
dents in District 2 under the 1992-93
fiscal year budget.
District 1 includes about 50
homes, 17 restaurants and 30 other
businesses within the main business
district and riverfront community.
"District 1 residents get liule or
nothing for the tax dollars they put
in," said Commissioner Ed Rice.
"TTwy really do not."
Rice and Commissioner Keith
Hardee voted against the motion. It
was approved by George Anderson,
Robert Noe and Jon Sanborn, all
from District 2.
"Do you think you're treating
your commercial people right?"
asked an angered Hardee, who owns
a Calabash business. "If you all
don't need us, then we don't need
you."
Residents in District 2 carry their
garbage to four green boxes on
Persimmon Road (S.R. 1167).
Chambers of South Carolina is cur
rently under contract to operate the
green boxes until June 30. Its con
tract to collect garbage at homes and
businesses inside of District 1 ex
pires Nov. 15.
According to a Calabash Planning
Board study presented to commis
sioners last month, the estimated an
nual cost of picking up garbage from
businesses and restaurants would be
$57,759.
The town's combined garbage ex
penditure for both districts is cur
rently 552,750 per year.
"I see no reason why we should
continue with commercial pickups,"
said Noe. "You can see from the fig
ures that it's going to be more and
more expensive to do so."
Hardee and Rice said it was an
other example of District 1 taxpay
ers getting shortchanged on services.
Rice said that of $1,759 spent by the
town in April on street lights, ap
proximately 90 percent of the ser
vices benefits District 2 residents.
"It's puzzling why you voted to
join the two neighborhoods togeth
er," inteijected Anderson, referring
to the merger of Calabash and
Carolina Shores.
Carolina Shores, which has more
than 600 homes in District 2, has
See CALABASH, Page 2-A
Foster Forgoes Runoff Race
BY TERRY POPE
Steve Foster of Long Beach said Monday he would
not call for a runoff election in his bid for the District 3
Republican nomination on the
Brunswick County Board of
Commissioners.
"The expense would be prohib
itive," said Foster. "Also, for the
party's sake, I've chosen not to go
for a runoff."
Candidates had until noon
Tuesday to make that decision. No
other county races were close
enough to warrant a runoff.
i-ostkr jn iast weed's primary, Foster
came within 135 votes of Bob Slockcti of Yaupon
Beach, who will now be declared the Republican nom
inee for the seat. He will face Democrat Wayland
Vercen of Long Beach, a former county commissioner
trying for a comeback, in November's general elec
tion.
Slockett had 1,022 votes to Foster's 887 but came
up just four votes shy of capturing the necessary 40
percent to avoid a second primary, which would have
been held June 2.
Slockett, who sits on the Brunswick County Board
of Education, chose U) file for the commissioners' race
instead. In addition to Foster, he outdistanced three
other candidates ? William "Bill" Sisk, Joseph Tyler
Lcnins and Tom Yeagle.
Following canvass of the votes last Thursday, no
changes were noted in the county's unofficial results,
said Lois Baccamy of the Brunswick County Board of
Elections office.
"Everything stayed the same, "she said.
Foster said the county's expense of having a runoff
election to decide just one race played a role in his de
cision to forgo a second primary.
"If it had been just one more race involved, then
maybe," he added. "But the thought of having to gear
up for another campaign played a role, too."
In another local race, the State Board of Elections
is cxpccted to hear a candidate's complaint in the two
member District 14 State House election. Democrats
picked incumbent E. David Redwine of Ocean Isle
Beach and Dewey Hill of Lake Waccainaw in last
Tuesday's vote over Michael Mills of BolUm and
Shirley T. Greene of Robeson County.
Greene complained to the Columbus County Board
of Elections last week that Hill did not live at his Lake
Waccamaw home for a year before the general election
as the state constitution requires. Greene also alleges
that Hill's filing application misrepresented where he
lived.
On advice from the state attorney general's office,
the Columbus County board dismissed tltc coinplaiau
saying it did not have jurisdiction. The case is expect
ed to be heard Friday by the state board in Raleigh.
$1.1 MILLION ALLOCATED
Hearing Monday On DOT, County Road List
BY TKRRY POPE
Stale Department of Transportation officials will
hold a joint public hearing with Brunswick County
Commissioners Monday, May 18, to gather input on its
1992-93 county roads improvement program.
The county's allocation for paving, improved
drainage and grading of secondary roads for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1993, is SI, 157 ,040, according to
Marilyn Williams, member of the N.C. Board of
Transportation.
That figure is based on unpaved roads measuring
144 miles in Brunswick County, compared with un
paved mileage statewide. The hearing will be in the
commissioners' chambers at the Brunswick County
Government Center in Bolivia at 6:30 p.m.
Commissioners must approve DOT's priority list,
which was posted with a map at the Brunswick County
Courthouse on May 4.
The Board of Transportation has approved a paving
priority rating system with two lists in each county, one
for rural roads and another for residential or subdivision
streets. It expects to take action on the list in July.
Following are proposed DOT secondary road im
provement expenditures, which includes the paving of
9.7 miles, for the period through June 1993:
?Spot stabilization, paved road improvements, safety
improvements and bridge replacement, S22 1,078;
?Right of way signatures, surveys and resolutions for
road additions, S50.000;
?Green Hill Road (S.R. 1410) at Winnabow, grade.
drain, base, surfacc and erosion control from MaulLsby
Road (S.R. 1409) 10 Town Creek Road (S.R. 1413), 4.40
miles. S4 29,650;
BGreen Bay Road (S.R. 1317) at Grissettown, grade,
drain, base, surface and erosion control, from U.S. 17 to
Old Shallot te Road (S.R. 1316), 1.30 miles, 5100,000;
?First Street (S.R. 1275M) at Shell Landing, grade,
drain, base, surface and erosion control, from Shell
Landing Road (S.R. 1208) to end of street, .40 miles,
S30.000;
?Sea Aire Circle (S.R. 1236) near Holdcn Beach, grade,
drain, base, surfacc and erosion control, 1.10 miles off
of Sea Shore Road (S.R. 1139),S73,000;
?Lockwood Folly Drive (S.R. 1229M) at Sunset
Harbor, grade, drain, base, surfacc and erosion control,
from Sunset Harbor Road (S.R. 1 1 12) to end of .63 mile
road, S62.000;
?East Tanglewood Drive (S.R. 1261) in Tanglewood
Subdivision, Holden Beach, grade, drain, base, surface
and erosion control, from Sea Shore Road (S.R. 11 39) to
a dead end, .33 miles, S28.000;
?Egret Road (S.R. 1814M) at Goose Creek, Shallotte,
grade, drain, base, surface and erosion control, from
Goose Creek Road (S.R. 1 155) to include all roads, 1.04
miles, S70.000;
?River Street (S.R. 1286) in Fisherman's Village, grade,
drain, base, surface and erosion control, from Boone's
Neck Road (S.R. 1137) to end of system, .50 miles.
See HEARING, Page 2-A
I
Sunset Beach, Calabash Seeking Funds For Regional
Sewerage
BY SUSAN USHF.R
Two southwestern Brunswick County towns agreed
this week to jointly pursue a regional wastewater system.
Resolutions adopted unanimously by the Sunset
Beach Town Council and Calabash Board of
Commissioners call for a joint effort to seek funding ap
proval for such a project from the Fanners Home
Administration (FmHA) . The resolution also authorizes
a consulting firm to complete a Phase I preliminary engi
neering report and a comprehensive wastewater study for
the proposed regional wastewater collection, treatment,
disposal and management system.
Both Calabash and Sunset Beach had hired the firm
Powell and Associates and Piedmont Olsen Hensley to
conduct studies for their respective towns. The cost of
the joint preliminary engineering report is expected to
cost each town between $8, (XX) and $10,000.
Consultants Joseph Tombro and Billups said a re
gional approach would be the most cost-effective and
most feasible system for the towns.
Also, they said rcgionalizatio.i is also being encour
aged by slate and federal agencies wherever possible, in
cluding FmHA, which is considered the most likely
source of funding for the project.
Following the regional scenario will do more tlian re
ducc the upfront money needed now and saving of mon
ey in the long run, the consultants said. It should also
hasten service to the high-priority areas while "buying
time" to identify additional funding sources and to devel
op a larger customer base, possibly involving additional
communities in the regional effort.
Three Stages Proposed
As proposed, the system would be implemented in
three stages.
Stage A would involve buying the Carolina Blythe
system that now serves part of Calabash, and extending
scrvicc to each town's priority service area: the down
town business district in Calabash and the Sea Trail area
of Sunset Bcach. The island of Sunset Beach would not
be served in this first stage.
Expected cost of this segment of the project is about
S6 million.
"You're talking about a pumping station and a force
main and you're in, " Billups told Sunset Beach Council
Monday night.
Stage B would involve expanding the Carolina Blythe
plant to its maximum treatment capacity of 925,000 gal
lons per day, allowing extension of the system to addition
al customers from Calabash to Sunset Beach and points in
between. While the plant Is actually treating about 130,00
gallons of wastewater per day now, Billups said its actual
ly capacity is greater, but that much of it has already been
allocated to future users. However, he said the state will
allow some of that capacity to be freed up for use if anoth
er treatment is under construction.
Stage C, construction of a central treatment plant to
serve additional customers and area, would take place
over a five- to seven-year timetable, said Tombro.
"If you take a look at the regional (sewer) map, you
can see that it just makes sense," Calabash
Commissioner Jon Sanborn told fellow commissioners
Tuesday night.
With the votes this week, Billups said the towns
should receive a determination of eligibility for funding
from FmHA within 60 days, clearing the way to actually
apply for funds in the form of low-interest loans and/or
grants. Because of the number of residents in each com
munity on fixed incomes, both Calabash and Sunset
Beach should qualify for grants to help bring monthly
user fees to a "reasonable" level in the S 16 to S 18 range.
Fach town booni will appoint a five-member
Wastewater System Citizens Advisory Committee of
voting residents, as required by FmHA, to work with the
consultants in the preapplicauon and application phases
to ensure that "all known citi/en concerns" an- addressed
Each town will designate two representatives of its
committee to meet and work together in the overall de
velopment of the joint system program.
Still to be worked out is what structure would be cre
ated to govern the regional sewer efforts.
"This is just the start of a long, long summary of
steps," said Sunset Bcach Mayor Mason Barber.
Survey Responses Mixed
Results of a mail survey conducted in April by the
Town of Sunset Beach indicated mixed support for a
central sewer system among property owners within the
town and its extraterritorial area (ETA). Of 200 surveys
mailed out, 124 were returned.
Of the 109 respondents who answered a specific
question about sewer, 44 percent supported implement
ing a central sewer system and 40 percent did not.
Another 16 percent expressed no opinion.
In a related question, 35 did not view lack of a sys
tem as a problem, while 23 considered it a major prob
lem and 31 considered it a minor problem.
Many respondents, said consultant Margaret Hayes,
staled that a new public sewer system had to be contin
gent upon the town requinng a referendum in order to
change the 35-foot building height requirement