Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / March 5, 1981, edition 1 / Page 1
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. THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Volume 37, Wo. 9 USPS 428-010 Hftford, PtrqiHmons County, W.C., Thuredty, March 5. WW 20 cents Futile effort Firemen's efforts to fight a fire at the Willie Malta? residence in New Hope last Wednesday afternoon were futile. The two story home was completely demolished. w Fire destroys New Hope home A two story farm house burnt to the ground near New Hope last Wednesday afternoon. Terry Mallory fled the house in her I stocking feet after detecting the fire then " she watched in a mild state of shock as smoke and flames billowed from the roof. Her husband, Willie Mallory, said that he was outside and saw smoke coming from the house between a power line and a window, and notified the fire depart ment. Because of its distance from the Inter County Volunteer Fire Department, ? chief Danny Gregory said that his department radioed the Hertford VFD for assistance while Inter-County trucks were on the way to thefire. "When we* got there the roof was totally engulfed in flames," said Gregory. The house was some 12 miles away from the station in Woodville, he said. ' Shortly after two Inter-County trucks arrived, the county tanker truck, and another back-up truck from Hertford arrived. Mallory expressed anger that not enough water was being put on the fire, and, indeed, there were short periods of time in which no water was applied at all as firemen tinkered with a truck. Gregory said the department's pumper truck had mechanical difficulty. The fire was also tanned by a high wind, and the lapse time between call and arrival gave it a good chance to get started. "When we got here the roof was totally engulfed in flames," said Gregory. "In my opinion, I'd say the roof would have fell anyway," he said. - The owner of the house, Willie 0. Mallory, was attending to business in Elizabeth City when the fire broke out. He, his son and daughter-in-law, and the couple's two year-old child resided in the structure. Mallory's son is constructing a new home within site of the old homeplace The house is closed in, but not yet ready for occupancy. He said be didn't knew where his family would stay. None of the family's household possessions were removed from the burning structure. Mallory wasn't certain how old the farm house was. "I was born there and I'm 33 years old," he said. The fire underscored the need for a volunteer fire department on Durants Neck. Just three miles away in the heart of New Hope was a sign that read, "Future home of Durants Neck Volun teer Fire Department." Abolishment of EDA would hurt ARPDC The federal Economic Development Association is targeted for extinction through President Ronald Reagan's budget cutting efforts, and if successful, the move could severely crimp regional government organizations. "It would have a horrendous impact," said ARPDC director Don Flowers. EDA, he said, is budgeted to contribute 172,600 in administrative money during the present fiscal year to the Albemarle 1 Regional Planning and Development Commission. The money pays for a full time plan ner, and for the cost of regional economic planning, said Flowers. ? If all of the funding is phased out, Flowers said it could not be made up through increased contributions from C This week An amUtous CPR training i c)o?er to its goal? set page I lie county Jayoes and Jayeettes bm of the community for special i? eeepagei Onhnriit lay Window tails of a Weather word ARPDC member governments. "Ob viously, a lot of it could not be made up at ' all," he said. "It would mean a reduction in per sonnel, and it would also mean tero economic planning in this area for in dustrial development," Flowers said. He said that the mood of the country demands government spending cuts, and that EDA should absorb its share of the cutbacks, but argued that the program should continue to serve those areas in which it is needed. "It can be cut and should be cut... but keep in mind that EDA was originally intended to promote industrial development in rural areas. What happened is they got involved in the great social programs," Flowers said. He said the program should be allowed to continue to promote economic development in rural areas of the country like Northeastern North Carolina. An article appearing in a recent edition of Time Magazine projected that at tempts to phase out EDA would be successful because the organization had been a dismal failure that spent 160,000 for each job created. Studies commissioned by EDA, however, and conducted by a private consulting firm showed job creation costs ranged from a few hundred dollars to less than 110,000, depending on the program. At its February meeting, the 66 member ARPDC board of directors adopted a resolution supporting the continuation of ARPDC. Two members voted against the resolution, but Flowers said the vote indicated overwhelming support for the efforts of EDA. "With a 66-member board it's rare to get a unanimous vote on anything," said Flowers, "even what the weather is." He said because the board includes a Flowers large number of private cititeas not otherwise connected with government, the vote represented a solid show of public support. On Monday morning, however, the Perquimans County Board of Com missioners declined to adopt a resolution supporting the continuation of EDA funding for rural areas. A letter from ARPDC chairman Raleigh Carver had urged them to do so. but commissioners Lester Simpson and Charles Ward said they favored the Reagan administration's proposed cuts. Joe No well, chairman of the board of commissioners, said board members who wanted to express support for BDA could contact their representatives in dividually. Reaganomics threaten Effort* to cut back on federal and lUte spending could have a severe impact on the Perquimans County Public Schools That was the grin assessment ottered to the county board of education by schools superintendent Pat Harrell Monday night. "It's nt a very bright picture at aU from the federal scene... and the picture is to brighter on the state level," Mid Harrell. Ksaganomks are threatening to trim back programs Mi eliminate a few poeitioos. Nothing is definite as of yet, but Harrell has been warned to expect minimum reductions In federal _ v ' V 7 programs of 20 percent. ? Funding cuts are expected in remediation, handicapped, aad early childhood handicapped programs, and remaining funds for those programs wwOd to lumped together in a block grant with Ion federal strings attached. Barren aaid. "That's net all tod," he Vocational education mtr would not toi The poosibUty of narrowing the i of handicapped In include only handicapped stadeats la also Drastic cats arc propose* lor nutritional programs as well, be said, ttere wooM be no nore retoabor ?????' lor paid lunches, be said, aad tbe | figure is 11.5 cents per hack Breakfast prograaas *wM be mM, Harreil said, aad tree reduced price hmefces vwidbtcdback. Food services aerrtag ka tbaa 91 probably bave la daae dam. Harreil to c?t I V County may up recreation share The Perquimans County Board of Com miss were decided on Monday to ?Dow the county recreation department ? (30,000 figure for drawing up its 1981 1SB budget Though the figure is not a firm one. it represents an increase of some 33 per cent over the current year's $20,000 stipend. Commissioner Welly White pushed for the amount, despite opposition from two commissioners. "Let's figure them ?0.0?." said White. Since officials of the town of Hertford have adopted a resolution that attempts to shift full financial responsibilities for the program to the county, the increase would still mean fewer dollars for recreation. But the commissioners believed that if the county contributed $30,000, the town would provide $10,000. "Right now I'd agree to $30,000 and $10,000." said Nowell At a meeting Monday night, town of ficials agreed to those terms. But the case is yet to be closed. Commissioner Lester Simpson main tained that the county's share of recreation should not be increased at all. and commissioner Marshall Caddy argued that the program should be fully financed and administered by the county. In another budget-related matter, the commissioners decided on 10 per cent as a budget making figure for cost of living increases for county employees. White said be could support no more than an 8 percent raise, and it was stressed that the 10 percent figure was not binding. The commissioners also discussed in executive session the possibile sale of the Blanchard Building and lot adjoining the courthouse. Peoples Bank executive vice-president R.L. Stevenson was in vited to the meeting to detail his firm's interest in the property. Nowell asked commissioners Caddy and Charles H.Ward, as well as county attorney John Matthews, to explore the matter further with Peoples Bank of ficials. The building was purchased by the county in January of 1979 for $55,000. The board had solicited bids for an addition to the county office building on Edenton Road Street to provide more office space for Farmers Home Ad ministration offices, but did not act on them pending the outcome of Blanchard Building negotiations. Low bid for the addition was $16,000 from Landing Supply in Hertford. Local contractor Donald Riddick followed with a bid of $18,500. In another matter, Donald Vicini of Compass Corporation Cable TV, again sought franchise rights to provide ser vice to the county. Matthews recommended that the county study the required ordinance further before taking action. Caddy asked whether the firm would consider serving more isolated sections of the county, but Vicini maintained that it would not be financially feasible to do so. He said that as the county developed, service would be expanded. The firm hopes to serve Edenton and Chowan County, as well as Hertford and Perquimans County. Construction began Monday on facilities in Edenton, Vicini said. The commissioners also approved the transferral of $500 to the county in dustrial development commission from a county industrial development fund. The commission had requested from $1,500 to $2,000, but the county decided to start with a smaller sum so that the money could continue to earn interest. In a related matter, Nowell relinquished his seat on the industrial development commission because the organization's by-laws allowed only nine members and 10 members had been appointed. Town agrees to funding split by NOEL TODD Mclaughlin The Hertford Town Council moved Monday night to fund up to $10,000 of the recreation department's budget for the coining year, in hopes that the county agrees to chip in the remaining $30,000. The motion was based on the outcome of the morning meeting of the Perquimans County Commissioners, in which commissioners discussed the possibility of assuming a 75 percent share of recreation's annual budget of $40,000. on the condition that the town take over the remaining 2S percent of the fiscal responsibility Designation of 75 percent of the recreation department's budget by the county was for recreation's budget making purposes only, and not a firm commitment. What remains is a reckoning between the two boards after Monday's hint of a compromise. Town councilman John Beers said the time has come to quit playing games about recreation. "I'm tired of playing games." said Beers. "It's time to tell the county, 'If you go $30, 0M, we'll baek it with $10,000.' Hertford Mayor and Town Manager BUI On said he. too. felt it was "time for us to make whatever decision we're going to make." "The recreation department needs to know if there's any reason to sit down and make a budget, and the recreation director needs to know if he has a job next year." said Cox. Although council men T. Erie Haste. Jr. and Jesse Harris were initially agatost the motion to spell out Hertford's commitment to the department because they felt ? decision was "premature," Haste later changed his mind and joined torens with the rest of the board. Harris, however, remained adamant in his opp'ritjan to taking any action before ?ore deflate plans were unveiled by the hoard of com misswaers. "We mod to wait until next time to give a firm aacwer on this," said Harris. "I just think It in prematore to act on this tonight? I want to aee what the county is One of Harris' concerns was the town of Hertford's ability to fund any portion of the recreation program. Although the town had been footing most of the bill for recreation for some three years, a worsening deficit situation in the 1980-81 municipal budget forced them to make drastic cutbacks in present and projected spending. Haste said the only way to fund the program with any amount was to accrue additional revenues by either increasing taxes or by raising utility prices. "The people are going to have to pay if they want to go to the trough," said Haste, adding that he knew that area residents felt the recreation program was vital to the community. "We'll either pay for it one way or another," said Cox, "We'll either pay for it with recreation money, or pay for it with increased law enforcement money." In other business, Cox told the board that a man from Raleigh was expected sometime this week to look at repairs pending at the town ice plant. Operation at the plant has been halted since around the first of the year due to a breakdown in the compressor. Repairs are estimated between some $7,000 and $8,000, and the town council does not know whether it would be feasible to restore the business to operation or not. The council also: ?finalized the cable TV franchise or dinance with Don Vicini, representative of Compass Inc., a firm expected to bring cable television to Hertford within a year; ?appointed George White as a member and Carl Skinner as an alternate to the planning board; ?directed Hertford Town Attorney William Bentley to consult Electricities before granting Albemarle Electric Membership Cooperative joint use of' a town utility pole; ?moved to attend a meeting of the Association of Counties and Towns on Friday, March 8, at Angler's Cove, at which State Senators Melvin Daniels and Monk Harrington and Representatives Vemon James and Charlgs Ev ans, tnd Secretary of Transportation Tom Bradshaw, and Highway Commissioner Mare Baanigfct will discuss the needs of Region R as related to the 1M1 General Assembly.
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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March 5, 1981, edition 1
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