Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / July 3, 1980, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Volume 36, No. 27 USPS 428-010 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, July 3, 1*0 20 CENTS 1980-81 budget is adopted by county The Perquimans County Board of Commissioners adopted with little fanfare a 1900-81 budget of some (2.5 million at a Tuesday night meeting. In the only other significant budget t related move of the evening, the com ' missioners increased travel com pensation paid to county employees to 25 cents per mile. County finance officer D.F. Reed, Jr. fcaid the figure is in keeping with what the Itate will pay in the coming fiscal year. "I was real pleased that we were able to hold it this close," said commissioner Marshall Caddy as he made the motion to ^ adopt a budget based on a $1.15 tax rate, up five cents over last year. Reed also announced that the final tax work had been completed for the fiscal year and that the collection figures were "very close" to 96 or 97 per cent of the 1979 tax levy. "The tax situation at the present time is very good," said Reed. "If we do this in the coming year it will be very nice," he said. ^ The 1980-1981 fiscal year budget is based on a collection rate of only 92 per cent of the total tax levy because of the present state of the economy. Besides adopting a new budget, the commissioners closed out work on the present year's budget. Some $67,000 was forwarded over into the new budget as unencumbered balance. The commissioners also accepted with regrets the resignation of R.S. Monds, Jr. as an Albemarle Regional Planning and Development Commission board member. Commissioner Lester Simpson projected a restructuring of ARPDC, adding, "Let's hope we have a stronger organization for it." In announcing his resignation at the June ARPDC meeting, Monds called for a reduction in the size of the board from its present 60 members and represen tation only by elected officials of the 22 member governments. In another matter, board members were informed of a flood elevation study to be conducted in Hertford and Perquimans County. The study will be used to carry out flood plain management objectives, and to help determine flood insurance premiums. "About the only thing they've got any money for is studies," lamented Simp son. "We've been studied to death." The short session of the N.C. General Assembly ended last week, and the commissioners were informed by first district representative Charles Evans that a hunting bill had been deemed inappropriate for consideration. The bill would have required hunters firing high powered rifles to be elevated at least eight feet off the ground and would have required that a hunter have written permission in his possession when hunting on another person's property. The short session, however, is traditionally reserved for budget mat ters and emergency legislation. The commissioners were also in formed that a secondary road im provement public hearing with North Carolina Department of Transportaion officials had been scheduled at the county courthouse on Monday, July 7, at 9 a.m., just prior to the regularly scheduled commissioner's meeting. Perquimans gearing up % for a festive Fourth A large crowd is expected to gather at Perquimans High School tommorrow for ? day-long celebration of the Fourth of July. . Unusual activities will combine with the more traditional for a lengthy list of fun and games. It all begins at 10 a.m. with cartoon ) movies at the high school cafeteria for the children. At 10:30 a.m., entries are due for a cake decorating contest. . Anyone can enter the contest, and cakes can be decorated according to any theme. , The prize winning cake decorator will walk away with $25 in prize money. All entries must be donated. The pet-bicycle parade is slated to J begin at 11 a.m. Participants should dress their pets and bikes up according to a Fourth of July theme and prizes will go to those who do the best job of it. Activities scheduled from 12 noon to 6 p.m. include horse shoes, a dunking booth, a car smash, bingo at the high school cafeteria (cash prizes), and helium balloon sales. A series of bizarre contests will also begin at noon with a shaving contest at 12, and a ping pong ball drop at 12:30 at the high school athletic field. dropping 1000 ping* pong ball*. Those persons collecting the most balls will receive prizes. Opening ceremonies will begin at 1 p.m., with a welcome from area civic leaders. Appropriately, a cow chip throwing contest will follow the opening ceremonies, beginning at 1:30p.m. Next is watermelon seed spitting at 1:45 p.m., a water ballon toss at 2 p.m., a hog calling contest at 2:30 p.m., a pillow slip race at 2:45, and a balloon swat at 3:30p.m. In the balloon swat, couples will be blind-folded and tied together with balloons attached to them, then handed Oyswatters to try and burst the balloons. It should be interesting. At 4 p.m., competition between the Tyner and Perquimans County Jaycees is scheduled, and at 4:30 p.m., an egg toss will be held. From 5 to 6 p.m. Perquimans County pitiching arms will get a chance to test against the best when their throws are clocked by a radar gun manned by the HaitlmlgeticM Cepw tment. Participants can compare their speeds to that registered by Jimmy Hunter. At 5:30 p.m., a nail driving contest is scheduled, at 5:45, a Miss X contest, and at 6 p.m., sack races. Husbands and wives will go at it beginning at 6:30 in a beating con test, which will be followed at 7 p.m. by a mummy contest. A drawing will be held at 7:30 p.m. for |100 in Susan B. Anthony dollars, as well as awards, and a pie in the face raffle. Special entertainment is set at 8:30 p.m., and at 8:45 p.m., songs and a message from area ministers, followed by the grand finale of the Fourth of July festivities, a 9 p.m. fireworks show. WBXB of Edenton will provide radio coverage of events from 1:30 p.m. on. The activities are coordinated by the Perquimans County Jaycees, with assistance from the Jaycettes. Symbol of freedom Several Perquimans County residents are displaying American flags in their windows in support of the American hostages in Iran. With Independence Day upon us, the idea seems particularly appropriate. R-A-I-N spells relief Wet weather this past week was like the cavalry charging to the rescue for much of Perquimans County's corn. "The rain provided a welcome relief to the corn and was very timely from the standpoint that 60 to 70 per cent of the corn in the county will be tassling in the next week and a half," said Perquimans County extension chairman Bill Jester. He said that the less stress the corn crop is put under during the tassling stage, the better the chance for good reproductioin and a solid yield. The county corn crop had been plagued by extremely dry, drought like con ditions, but much of the problem was irradicated when a light steady rain fell in the middle of the week, and a heavy rain came on Sunday night and Monday morning. "On Wednesday we got about a half an inch," said Jester. "On Sunday night most of the county got an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half." Jester said that in the Whiteston area, some three inches of rain fell. But the rains came too late for some of the county's corn. "Even a lot of the corn that will look better because of the rain will have yield reduction," said Jester. He said that some eight to ten per cent of the county's corn was beyond the point of no return when the rains fell, with the early planted, early maturing varieties suffering the most damage. But the rain eliminated stress on peanut and soybean crops, said Jester, adding that the rain will help, but won't eliminate nematode problems. Resigning director WtoMll to MMpt ? paat to Bock; Recreation director submits resignation Perquimans County Parks and Recreation Director Billy Wooten resigned last week, saying that a lack of county government support for recreation influenced his decision. Wooten'c resignation, submitted to Hertford Mayor Bill Cox on Thursday, will be effective July 11. Soon after that date, Wooten will relocate to Rocky Mount, N.C., to take over the position of supervisor of special events, programs, and amusements within that town's recreation depart ment. He has served as recreation director in the county for nearly three years. Wooten said several factors influenced his decision to leave Hertford for Rocky Mount. "You could say the county's reluctance to realise the value of the recreation department influenced me," said Wooten, who added that a larger salary, more attractive job duties, and his previous work with the Rocky Mount department as a student intern were also deciding factors. Wooten emphasized that his ex perience with the town council had been very rewarding. "The council and the mayor have gone to all lengths for this department," he said. Cox said the town is presently ad vertising for another recreation director. "I would like to see another qualified person in the job as soon as possible," said Cox, adding, "We're really going to miss Billy ? he's done an outstanding job in developing our recreation program." Wooten said he expected his staff -to continue all recreation programs until another director is secured. Hertford applies for senior center grant The town of Hertford has applied for some $31,500 in grant money in hopes of expanding the Hertford-Perquimans Senior Center on Grubb Street. The center, which has undergone complete renovation, was opened for use last fall. "We have a very nice building now, but it's inadequate in size," said Hertford Mayor Bill Cox, "it needs an addition so that we can bring all of our senior ac tivities together." There are presently two senior citizen groups meeting at the center at different times. The grant, which falls under Title III of the 1975 Older American Act, has been approved on the regional level. Cox, optimistic that the grant would also be approved on the state level, said the town "should hear something by the end of July." Rail service a possibility here Hertford has not received passenger rail service since the U it train changed out of tows just after World War U. But a Greenville bated organization is pushing to get east-west passenger atrvico resurrected in. Eastern North U they are successful, Hertford would be the second stop on a Norfolk to Nash viUe rail link. The Rail Task Force, org ainixed by the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce, drew up a proposal endorsing such a passenger route. The proposal was later adopted as a resolution by the state boart* of economic development, which functions under the N.C. Department of Commerce. A feasibility study has been done by the N.C. Department of Transportation on the route, according to Lynne G. Olm stead of the Rail Task Force. "They feel our riri#rship would be a little low here right now," she said. But residents of towns along the route will be contacted by rail service promoters, to determine if there is in terest in1 passenger service. "We'll be asking you to tell us if you would ride," said Ms. Olmstead. The task force is hoping the answer will be yes. she said. Currently, however, a rail link between Charlotte and Raleigh it getting more attention, and might become a reality within a year, Ms. Olmsted said. Amtrak offers a matching agreement to states that would like to expand their passenger service. 8 * The rail service would cover 50 per cent of the startup cost and 80 per cent of the operating deficit the first year, 35 per cent of the operating deficit the second year, and 50 per cent in the third and following years. If the east-west route were to become a reality, connections could be made in Wilson, Raleigh and Greensboro to travel just about anywhere Am track goer Ms. Olmsted conceded, however, that any Norfolk to Nashville rail route Is a few years into the future. J'ljf t $
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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July 3, 1980, edition 1
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