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I LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40200
WEEKLY
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I
DEMOCRATIC MEETING
? Archie T. Lane Sr.,
chairman of the Per
quimans County Demo
cratic Party, presided at a
meeting to discuss issues on
the Nov. 8 ballot. Special
guest at that meeting was
Ms. Priscilla Hardle who
discussed the state's con
stitutional amendments
and bond proposals.
IN DISCUSSION - Follow
ing the Oct. 11 meeting of
local Democrats, Ms. Har
dle discusses one of the
statewide issues with Mrs.
Anne Young, Vice-Chair
person of the County
Democrats. (Staff photos
by Kathy Newbern)
I
County Democrats Gather
By KATHY M. NEWBERN
"C 6 duty Democrats
gathered in the Per
quimans County Court
house Oct. 11 to hear discus
sion on upcoming state and
local issues facing voters on
Nov. 8.
Priscilla Hardle, District
1 Democratic Coordinator,
was here from Raleigh to
present an update on the
state issues and to answer
questions.
In brief comments, she
explained the constitutional
amendments and proposed
statewide bond proposals
which will appear on the
ballot.
Concerning the proposed
1300 million road bond
issue, Ms. Hardle iaid,
"The northeastern part of
North Carolina just has not
received its fair share in
roads, money and other
things that people across
the state enjoy. I'm almost
90 per cent sure that a big
portion of that money (from
i proposed road bonds) will
come into this area and it
should because that's
where it's needed the
most."
Ms. Hardle also pre
sented highlights of the
clean water bond issue say
ing, "In North Carolina, we
have over 150 small towns
that cannot hook up any
more systems to the main
water system they already
have.
Concerning the financing
of road and water im
provements, the coor
dinator explained, "None of
these bonds will mean more
taxes for you. The money is
there."
The constitutional
amendments were also
outlined for the group of
Democrats present. Ms.
Hardle explained that Con
stitutional Amendment ? 2
would allow the homestead
exemption the same for a
man as it is for his wife. She
said, "If a wife has life in
surance and owes debts at
the time of her death, the
money can be used to pay
those debts. That's not so
for a man. This would make
it fair." She added that the
amendment is a kind of
reversed equal rights
move.
The controversial
Amendment 03 was also
among those discussed, a
measure which would allow
North Carolina's governor
a second term in office. Ms.
Hardle spoke very strongly
in favor of the amendment
saying, "This is not a vote
in favor of or against
Governor Hunt. We need
this to give us some type of
leverage in dealing with the
General Assembly." She
also added that during the
last election in state's that
have the second term
allowed, two-thirds of the
governors did run for office
again and half were not
successful.
Amendment #4, Ms. Har
die explained, would allow
municipalities the right to
have local bond referen
dums to buy shares in
power companies. On this
issue, Hertford Mayor Bill
Cox commented, "The
legislature has already
given counties and towns
the authority to band
together to buy a generator
which would cost highly.
This amendment would
give authority to buy
shares. This could mean
holding power down to a
reasonable price."
The last of the statewide
issues discussed was con
stitutional Amendment #5
which would require the
state to maintain a
balanced budget. Ms. Har
dle pointed out that North
Carolina does this cur
rently, a requirement by
law, but said that adding
this in the constitution
would allow the require
ment to be better enforced.
In summing up her
presentation, Ms. Hardle
said, "We feel all of these
things are needed. They're
long overdue in North
Carolina." She added,
"You people in this room
can see to it that the people
in Perquimans County get
out and vote."
Time at the meeting was
also devoted to discussion
of the one local issue, the
proposed $1.85 million bond
referendum for construc
tion and renovation at Per
quimans High School. Pat
Harrell, Superintendent of
County Schools, was pre
sent to discuss the proposal,
what it would cost, the work
that it would involve, and to
answer questions. The only
comment from the group
was made by Bill Cox in
favor of the referendum.
Cox said, "We're going to
have to get out and support
this school bond issue.
When we were coming
along, someone provided
schools for us. We have to
provide today for the
future."
Hunt Holds Development Conference
Citizens will have a
chance to say how they
think state government can
help get better, high-paying
jobs in North Carolina when
Gov. Jim Hunt holds an
economic development con
ference in each of the
state's 100 counties in
October.
The County conference
for Perquimans has been
set for Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
in the Perquimans County
Courthouse. Bill Cox,
Chairman is urging all in
terested citizens to be
present.
The purpose of the county
conferences, which will be
r open to the public, is to
allow citizens to tell state
government what they
believe the economic prob
lems are in their own com
munities, and what local,
state and federal govern
ment should do to help solve
them.
The conferences are
forerunners to a larger
statewide gathering on
balanced growth and
economic development set
for January 197S.
"These frill be infor
mation-gathering ses
sions," Hunt explained.
"We want the ideas and
thinking of as many people
as possible as we draw up
an effective economic
policy for the state. We
need to know what prob
lems relate to the needs of
each individual county in
terms of growth and
development."
Local resource persons
will join state government
representatives in leading
panel discussions at the 100
conferences. At another
point, those attending will
divide into three sub-groups
for roundtoble discussions
on agriculture, the
manufacturing and pro
cessing industry, and ser
vices industries, including
transportation, finance,
wholesale, and retail sales
and tourism.
Participants will have op
portunities to raise specific
issues at statewide im
portance which he*# or
hinder growth and
economic development.
r. ? " f
such as the inventory tax,
highway monies and
federal restraints; and
policies relating to such
matters as energy, water
and sewer facilities, water
resources and land use.
Each of the 100 local con
ferences will result in a
report which, in turn, will
be incorporated into 17
regional reports, and then
into reports from the three
geographic regions of the
state: Mountains, Pied
mont and Coastal Plains.
These regional reports
will be presented at the
Governor's statewide Con
ference on Balanced
Growth and Economic
Development in January.
Copies will be also be given
to the State Goals and
Policy Board, the chief
citizen advisory agency for
policy in the state.
Conferaico plans have
been made at the Gover
nor's request by represen
tatives (ram the Agri
cultural Extension Service,
Association of County Com
mission rs, Industrial
Development Association
and League of Munici
palities. Local plans
have been coordinated by
the 17 regional planning
agencies.
Discussion of North
Carolina's Economic status
comes at a time when the
state only recently moved
ahead of Mississippi as 4Mb
in the nation in average
hourly manufacturing
wages. The state ranks 39th
in the overall per capita
income.
Gov. Hunt has committed
his administration to im
proving" the economic base
in the state, and is seek
ing to attrect high-wage
industry.
WhUe the state is still
considered poor by national
standards, it is growing
substantially. What the
Givernor hope* to do in the
local conferences, and
eventually at the larger
event next year, is to ask
North Carolinians for their
ideas on how the state can
best achieve qnality
growth.
w
INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER - Baxter Williams (left)
of Currituck County is shown introducing the guest speaker
at the Thursday night meeting of the Albemarle Area
Development Association (AADA) held at Nags Head.
Presenting remarks was Marc Basnight (seated), Division
1 representative on the State Board of Transportation.
Williams and Basnight served, with other northeastern
North Carolina representatives, recently on the joint
AADA-ARPDC highway committee.
ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT - Presiding at the Thursday
night meeting was AADA's president, R.L. Stevenson of
Hertford. In addition to hearing remarks on the proposed
$300 million bond referendum for roads, the group also ap
pointed its nominating committee to draw up the slate of of
ficers for the coming year. (Staff photos by Kathy
Newbern)
AAD A Endorses Bond
*
NAGS HEAD - Mem
bers of the Albemarle Area
Development Association
(AADA)have unanimously
endorsed the Nov. 8 state
statewide bond referendum
to provide $300 million for
roads. That endorsement
came at the association's
meeting held Thursday
night here at the Seafare
Restaurant. The motion,
made by Baxter Williams
of Currituck County, also
included unanimous sup
port of two other issues fac
ing voters across the state
on Nov. 8: the constitu
tional amendment which
would allow the state's
governor a second term in
office; and bonds for clean
water.
The endorsements were
made following comments
by Marc Basnight, Division
1 representative on the N.C.
Board of Transportation.
Basnight, at several
points, referred to the
beneficial groundwork laid
by the joint AADA and
ARPDC highway commit
tee in setting priority areas
for road improvements in
northeastern North
Carolina. Basnight served
as Dare County's appointee
to that committee. He said
that committee resulted in
one of the "strongest
unified approaches" taken
before Tom Bradshaw,
Secretary of Transporta
tion, when meetings on sug
gested highway projects
were held in each division.
Basnight said, "I don't
think any other part of the
state had that (unified ap
proach). I feel we're doing
about as good as any part of
the state."
Speaking strongly in
favor of the $300 million
bond referendum for roads,
Basnight said, "There'll be
no tax increase; none what
soever. This would allow
$1,250 per mile available to
each county per mile of un
paved road." Basnight con
tinued, "We have the
largest network of state
maintained highways in the
nation. We're one of seven
*
state highway departments
totally funded by the gas
tax." Concerning the need
for improved highways,
Basnight said, "Without a
good transportation system
to move the people and the
products, there's no way we
can attract industry."
Basnight also discussed
the projects of concern to
the local representatives.
He pointed out that three
projects have been added to
the highway improvement
program: the Ahoskie by
pass; work on U.S. 64 in
Tyrrell and Dare counties;
and U.S. 17. Basnight added
that once a project has been
added to the program, it
cannot be removed.
Concerning the U.S. 17
project, Basnight said,
"Sixteen and two-tenths
miles would complete U.S.
17 to the Virginia line. It
will cost approximately $30
million to complete it at
today's cost and naturally
that will go up." The Board
member added that one of
his personal goals is to
move the construction date
for that project up to 1979
instead of where it stands,
1981 or 1982.
Basnight explained that
once a project was added to
the highway improvement
program, it takes e
minimum of five yean (o
start construction. "It
takes about seven years to
build a road," he said.
When asked if any local
road projects would be
under construction or com
pleted this year, Basnight
cited the work on U.S. 64 as
the only one to fit in this
category.
Following Basnight's
comments, AADA presi
dent, R.L. Stevenson of
Hertford, responded to
remarks on the suc
cessfulness of the joint
highway committee's ef
forts. He said, "I am
grateful to learn that what
we have done has been
noticed."
The next meeting of
AADA wili be held Nov. 10
in Tyrrell County.
Board Reaffirms Bond Support
By KATHY M. NEWBERN
Speaking on behalf of the Perquimans County Board of
Education, Chairman, Clifford Winslow said, "We go on
record reaffirming our positive and unanimous support of
the 1.85 million bond referendum and we are totally com
mitted to this program."
That statement was made Monday night by Chairman
Winslow when the Board of Education met in regular ses
sion. Part of that meeting was devoted to discussion of the
bond referendum which will face county voters at the polls
on Nov. 8.
Present for that discussion were four citizens serving as
Chairpersons for county wide group supporting the issue :
Miss Thelma Elliott, Milton Coston, and Mr. and Mrs.
Marion Swindell. There was no one present representing
opposition to the proposal.
Following lengthy discussion, the representatives an
nounced plans to hold a public information meeting on the
bond referendum open to all interested citizens. That
meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. in the
auditorium of Perquimans County High School.
In other business, the board adopted a policy on Family
Life Education following a report from the committee
organized to consider the program.
Committee members present included three physical
education teachers, Margaret Brothers, Carolyn Rogers,
and Billy Stallings ; and representatives of the county
health Department and Department of Social Services,
Beth Anderson and Barbara Haggar. Working with that
committee has been Morris Kornegay, Coordinator for
Secondary Instruction.
The policy, approved by a 3 to 1 vote, reads, "The Per
quimans County Board of Education recognizes the need
for a comprehensive course of study dealing with Family
Life and Sex Education for the Students of Perquimans
County Schools."
Several questions were raised by board members prior
to voting on the proposed policy. Discussion of tentative
plans fevealed that the new program could be included as
six weeks in the health and P.E. cirriculum for students in
fradM 7-12 with participation optional. Teachers would
receive prior special training, it was pointed out and ?ast
Carolina University has offered assistance in this area as
well at help In drawing up the course guide. Expert profes
sionals would also be utilized.
In personnel matters, the Board unanimously approved
fc
two items: granting careet Status to Earl Willis and the
employment of Linda Dowd in the Perquimans High
business department.
An update on progress in community education was
heard under program matters. Superintendent Pat Harrell
explained that the six county educational consortium,
Alliance for Progress, Inc., plans to submit a proposal to
the State Board of Education requesting $66,000 for the six
county region for community education. In the area of ad
ministrative operations, the Board approved submitting a
request to the state Board of Education for permission to
exceed the class size limit determined by law. The request
is for two second grade classed at Central Grammar
School, one for 27 students and one for 28. The Registation
sets the maximum class size in grades K-3 at 26 pupils and
up to 23 students are allowed per class grades 4-6.
Superintendent Harrell shared a request for local in
formation on a school transportation survey prior to ad
journment. No action was required.
Civic Calendar
THURSDAY, Oct. 20
Hertford BPW Club Meets.
+ + +
Hertford Lions Club Meets.
+ + +
Hertford Fire Dept. Meets.
SATURDAY, Oct. 22
Clean Up Day at the Park at 10 a.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 23
BPW Open House at Hertford Baptist Church.
MONDAY, Oct. 24
Perquimans Co. Rescue Squad.
TUESDAY, Oct. 25
Perquimans Masonic Lodge meets.
+ + +
Hertford Rotary Club Meets.
+ + +
Belvidere Homemakers Club meets.
+ + +
Woodmen of the world meets.
UP COMING EVENTS
American Legion will hold a turkey shoot at the high
school football field on Not. 5.