Newspapers / The Pamlico News (Bayboro, … / Feb. 8, 1984, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Pamlico News Vol. 17,No.6 20* per copy USPS 782-460 Wednesday, February 8,1984 '1 Resource Center p 0. BOX 185^ Highway 3°f’ '°U 28529 GraFtsihoro. n Lori Dunn and her mother (left) and Teresa Gibble and her mother (right). The two girls were rescued Saturday after being lost in the woods in Olympia for about five hours. Girls Found Safe After Lost In Woods Two Olympia girls, wet and hungry, were returned home safe ly Saturday afternoon after being lost in the woods for nearly five hours. Volunteers, many of them unknown to the families of the two girls, scoured the woods in an ef fort to find them. They were final ly located by Milton Jones, about 250 yards from the Dunn home, wandering in the woods, having lost their direction. Teresa Gibble, daughter of David and Annette Gibble, and Lori Dunn, daughter of Ralph and Janice Dunn, had last been seen about 10:30 am playing in the Dunn home. Mrs. Gibble, accom panied by Mrs. Dunn, had to take a child to the hospital emergency room. Upon their return, the girls, both age 8, could not be found. Mrs. Dunn said she became especially concerned when told that the two had been seen on the roadside. She said she was afraid they might have gotten into a passing car even though both had been warned never to do so. In actuality, Lori and Teresa had wandered into the woods to play behind the Dunn house and lost their way. Lori and Teresa said they saw a familiar house but didn’t go to it; Lori said they weren’t supposed to go that far and were afraid they’d be punish ed if their parents found out so they tried to find their way home themselves. It is estimated that the two traveled through the woods almost half a mile, nearly to the Craven County line. Teresa and Lori were found a little before 3:30 pm Saturday. “You really don’t know how many friends you’ve got until something like this happens,” said Mrs. Gibble. Vehicle Valuations May Change, l oo Commissioners Rescind Action On Mobile Home Parks’ Water Bills The Pamlico County Board of Commissioners, during their meeting on Monday, February 6, decided they may need to make some changes in two recently adopted policies which have not been received well by some citizens of the county. This past November, the board changed the classification and billing schedule for the water department. One major change implemented was that trailer parks would have to pay $7 per month per trailer or the actual reading of the water meter, whichever was higher. Before, they paid for actual usage or the minimum rate. The change became effective January 1. Lisker and Virginia Draughon, owners of the Green Bay Marina and Mobile Home Park near Oriental, have appeared before the board of commissioners on two occasions expressing their op position to the change. On her se cond appearance before the board, during the commissioners’ Citizens Day, Mrs. Draughon told the board that she and her hus band could not afford $308 water bills every month and were con sidering switching back to their well system. Commissioner Johnny Van Hook commented that the board should "Scrap that idea on the mobile home (parks). If we need the extra money we should charge everyone a few cents more to make up the difference. ” Commissioner Patsy Sadler ad ded that she did not think the change fair and had her doubts when she first voted for it. Allen Propst, water superinten dent, informed the board that this method of charging is the one be ing used by other counties. “That’s got nothing to do with it,” said Sadler. The water system, she said, was originally set up to be supported by 1,800 customers paying at least $7 per month. The water system now has about 1,000 customers more than anticipated. She added that she did not think the county should change its payment schedule “in midstream.” Sadler said that the Draughons paid $625 for their commercial meter and daght to be able to use the water as they wish. “I was not asking the mobile home park owners to pay the $7 per month,” said commissioner Brad Rice, “I was asking the trailer owners to pay it.” The system should not have been set up the way it is in the first place, he added. It was mentioned at earlier meetings that trailer park owners cannot collect $7 per month, Decision On Alliance UDAG Delayed Due to an incomplete applica tion package, the decision as to whether or not to provide the Ur ban Development Action Grant (UDAG) for the construction of a shopping center in the town of Alliance has been delayed for several months, according to a spokesman for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). But one of the developers of the potential shopping center said last week in a telephone inter view that they may not wait for the UDAG. The application did not contain complete Information on the private sector financing for the shopping center. Bill Wilkes, who with his brother, Ricky Wilkes, wishes to construct the $1.6 million center, explained that there was insuffi cient time to compile all the necessary information. The finan cing package includes such items as executed leases from the other two stores-the shopping center is to include an IGA grocery store, a Family Dollar store and a Rite Aid pharmacy, letters from those providing the financing for the INew Positions Added To County Alliance Town Board - Monday, February IS, 7:90pm, town hall. Minnesott Beach Town Tuesday, February 14, 70 pm. Beaufort County Board of Several new positions were added-in the tax, health and social serlces departments Monday but it is not yet known whether two of them will exist after the end of the fiscal year. Jim Baluss, director of the Pamlico County Health Depart ment, appeared before the board of commissioners during their meetng on Monday requesting that the county appropriate $452 to match $4,052 in state funds for the creation of an health aide for the county. Baluss explained that the county has been allotted additional Title V money to provide employment and ser vices for the elderly. The aide hired in this new position would perform “subprofessional health servics”, assisting patients receiving home health services with such things as ambulation, bathing and other personal ser vices. He said he was trying to recruit aides who have completed home health or home-hospital aide pro grams. In addition, the person must be SS or older and at or below the poverty level. The latter two requirements could make filling the position difficult, he corn men ted.The Aurora Home Health Agency has offered to assist with If necessafy, Baluss add of social services Joe I had a similar request to (See PoelUoas, page 11) equipment and from the lending institutions specifying exactly 'SeeUDAG.pagell) designated for payment of water services, from each trailer’s oc cupants since that would put the mobile home park owner in the position of selling water, illegal unless certain tests to the water entering the park are made on a regular basis. Commissioner Vince Sevenski commented that if any changes are made, it should be stipulated that every trailer be served by an individual meter. “Who’s going to pay to do that (for the trailers now being serv ed)?” asked Sadler, adding that the board should “think on (the matter) and work on it some more.” Rice said he could not agree to raising all water bills to offset the cost of supplying water to the trailer parks. “I’m not convinced (they) will have to be,” countered Sadler. The Draughons’ last water bill was $308. Propst told the board that the cost would have been $37.63 if the water had been billed at the straight commercial rate. “But he’s paid for every gallon of water he’s used, hasn’t he?” asked Van Hook. Rice asked the board if they believed the county was providing a service by making water available. And if it was a service, shouldn’t those who live here on a part-time basis pay as much for the service as others? Sadler replied that she hoped the county was providing a ser vice “and not making it a burden.” There are those who live in trailer parks in the county full time or operate them and they, too, have to be considered, she said. Commission chairman Robert Paul agreed that the change might not be “quite fair” to all but a part-time resident who has a trailer or home on his lot pays the $7 per month. But in the Draughons’ case, said Sadler, all the water is going through their business’s meter. A meter, said Van Hook, which was installed only a year ago and according to the specifications and regulations of the water department. Sadler suggested that the coun ty return to the previous method of billing trailer parks, minimum or usage, whichever is higher, un til the matter could be further discussed. Rice commented that perhaps the now-existing trailer parks with the same problem could be “grandfathered” in with the new regulations affecting only those trailer parks constructed in the future. Propst told the board that the state Division of Health Services had informed him that it would be costly for the Draughons’ to return to their well since line size regulations have changed since they switched from their well to the county system. The trailer park, he said, has 1 1/4-inch lines servicing the trailers and regula tions now call for 2-inch lines. Those at Green Bay mobile home park would have to be replaced before the well could be utilized. At the final vote, Sevenski, Sadler and Van Hook voted in favor of rescinding the new regulation pertaining to mobile home parks with Rice voting against. Those mobile home park owners who paid their bills under the new rules will receive credit on future water bills for the amount of the difference. ADPS Tax supervisor Randy Beeman appeared before the board to ask if they wished to establish a com mittee to review complaints about valuations on vehicles but before any decision could be made about the committee the board began a discussion of the ADPS pricing manual adopted recently by the county for setting the values on cars and light trucks. Van Hook said that he was against using ADPS. “I don’t like (See Rescind, page 11) Sheriff Called To ‘Restore Order’ At Mesic Meeting During the February meeting of the Mesic town board, held Thurs , day, Feburary tod, resolutions concerning the contractor pay ment procedure for housing rehabilitation work, a system to provide relocation benefits, and an ordinance authorizing the town to borrow against anticipated revenues were adopted. Also, the sheriff’s department was called to “restore order” in the meeting. Giles van DeMark, a Mesic tax payer, asked why the town adopted an ordinance for borrow ing authority instead of a passing a resolution. Pickett Thomas, town administrator, replied it was done because an ordinance becomes part of the town charter once it is established. Van DeMark stated that an ordinance gives the town open authority to borrow and was told by Thomas that the ordinance gives the town authority to borrow against an ticipated goverment revenues, not against tax revenues. Van DeMark, apparently not satisfied with the answer, con tinued to question Thomas and was instructed by Mayor Cradle to “sit down and be quiet or leave the meeting.” When van DeMark stated be would not until his ques tion was answered, the Mayor asked tor the sheriff’s department to be called. When Deputy Sheriff Gyon Ensley arrived he instructed van DeMark to follow the request of the mayor who was in charge of the meeting. Ensley explained (to : 2k. . : _ * this reporter) that the mayor, in the absence of a police depart ment, is the highest law enforce ment authority in the town and has the right and responsibility to seek enforcement assistance if he deems it necessary. After enacting the ordinance to authorize the town to borrow against anticipated government revenues, the board approved a resolution whereby contractors doing housing rehabilitation work can receive a one-third draw within two weeks of beginning work; one-third following two thirds completion of the unit and one-third after final inspection and acceptance. It was explained that thediange would add flex ibility to the program and allow more participation by small con tractors. Due to the limited number of dwelling units in Mesic available for purchase or rent that meet health and safety standards the board approved a resolution to provide relocation benefits to any renter or homeowner displaced as the result of demolition. As a result of the resolution, the town will not acquire the property under the Community Develop ment Block Grant. During the citizen participation section of the meeting van DeMark asked for an explanation of ‘‘narastricted governmental funds’* as used in the town’s finan cial report. Cora Olllson, the town’s finance officer, stated, “I am sick of him and his lies and ac cusing me of not properly doing my job.” Ollison continued that in the last meeting she explained unrestricted governmental funds and felt that ‘‘most of us here are intelligent and educated enough not to hav,e to have explanations repeated over and over.” Ollison then faced van DeMark and said, “I feel sorry for you, you are sick,” and left the meeting. A question was asked concern ing secret meetings the town has been accused of holding and Henry Winfrey, covering the meeting for The Pamlico News, was asked by a member of the au dience if such was true. Winfrey stated that the meeting held by the board the Thursday night prior to the regularly scheduled board meeting was, if not secret, illegal in that a majority of the board was present, and town business was discussed without proper notifica tion being given to the public and the news media. Thomas replied that the town operated entirely within the law. Winfrey told Thomas that “I have tried to give you a copy of the open meeting laws of North Carolina and you have refused them.” Troy Potter, a Mesic landowner but not a resi dent of the town, stated that anytime a quorum of the board meets and discusses town business it is a public meeting and the public has to be notified in ad vance. Potter said his information came from meetings he attended at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill during his time as a county commissioner. Thomas replied that in Mesic he was “Chapel Hill” and the town obeyed every law of the state. Filing Closes While Pamlico County has a full slate for the upcoming primaries, there will only be ballots for two board of education seats at the polls in May. Filing closed Mon day noon. In Beaufort County, offices were either unopposed or are being sought by a Republican and a Democrat. Filing for office are: Stale House, tfmnnt District l ' -Howard B. Chapin (D), incum bent, and Robert Boyd (R). County Commission - District 1, Frank Bonner (D), incumbent; District 2, Ledrue Buck (D), in cumbent, and Ottls Crisp (R); District 3, Cecil V. Cherry, Jr. (D) and Rose Ann Fennell (R); District 4, Mrs. Arthur Lee Moore (D), incumbent; District 5, (See Filing, page H) \ i
The Pamlico News (Bayboro, N.C.)
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Feb. 8, 1984, edition 1
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