THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Volume 37, No. 10 USPS 421-060 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, March 12, 1961 20 CENTS Annexation generates little interest in Winfall by JACK GROVE An annexation bearing, held Monday night at the Winlall Town Office, went totally unattended by Winlall citizens. The annexation extendi the town's boundaries 500 feet on both sides of U.S. 1,7 and N.C. Highway 37 and brings in an additional >00 feet near Union School. Some 300 to 300 acres of woodland i % bounded by the town limits also become part of the town. Mayor L.R. Morgan emphasized, however, that farm and woodland would not be Und by the town. Town Attorney, Walter Edwards, Jr., said that annexation procedures had been started in the past but never completed. Edwards said that the current annexation includes past efforts. Morgan pointed out two purposes for the annexation. He said one wu to more clearly deliniate the town's boundaries. The other be indicated, was to bring all the town's water lines into the town. When asked if this action would in crease revenues. Morgan indicated that it would but he couldn't say ho* much the increase would be. Morgan did indicate one immediate benefit to thooe citizens affected by the plan. They will no longer have to pay for trash pickups. After Edwards read the annexation ordinance for the record, the councilmen adopted it unanimously placing it into effect immediately. Perquimans County Deputy Sheriff Joe Lothian spoke to the councilmen, inviting them and Winfall citizens to a com munity watch program sponsored by the sheriff's department. The meeting for all county residents will be held at the Court House tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Tony Young from the Governor's Community Watch Program in Raleigh. Lothian pointed out that several community watch organizations had already been started in the county. The program is designed to get citizens in volved in helping to reduce the crime rate. Lothian said that such programs in some Piedmont counties have helped reduce the incidence of such crimes as breaking and enterings and burglaries as much as 75-00 percent. Glen Hassell, head of the Albemarle Law and Order Association, had been scheduled to appear at the council meeting but was unable to attend. Morgan said that Hassell has shown his interest in assisting Winfall in setting up an embryo police department. Although the town cannot afford a full-fledged department now, it is looking at the possibility of a part-time policeman with a car and radio. Morgan stated the idea of a part-time officer working in conjunction with the sheriff's department and an organized community watch program would ease law enforcement problems in the town. Conspiracy Youths plead guilty to reduced charges Three county youth accused of con spiring to commit murder pleaded guilty [%to lesser charges and were issued suspended sentences at a probable cause hearing last Wednesday. Mark Lane, 17, William Madre, 17, and David Lynn Eure, 18, all of Route 3, Hertford were handed 8 to 12 month sentences suspended for three years and will each serve three weekends in the Albemarle District Jail following plea bargaining that reduced charges of conspiracy to murder down to con j ? spiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon. According to Perquimans County Deputy Sheriff Joe Lothian, letters ex changed between Eure, and the alleged victim's 15 year-old daughter were evidence, along with Eure's statement, that a murder plot had been in the making. The victim presented the letters to the sheriff's department on Feb. 10, when Lothian said he had come seeking i % assistance "fearing for his life." But the defense argued that there was never any intent to follow through with the murder. Gerald White, attorney for Eure, told Judge J. Richard Parker, that the entire incident stemmed from Eure's relationship with the victim's daughter. "It all originates with his (Eure's) going with (the victim's daughter), and her unhappy circumstances have brought us here today," said White. "This originates, not justified of course, out of some unfortunate con ditions in the household of the (victim's) family, and if things were more ideal in the (victim's) household, if things went a little smoother, this might not have happened," said White. Although Lane and Madre admitted to accepting $140 from Eure as partial payment for the deed, both testified that they had no intention of murder. "We were sitting in my dad's van at White Hat Seed Farm when David came up and asked us if we'd kill somebody," said Lane. "We looked at each other and decided it would be a good way to make some money." con tinted Lane, who added that of the $140 he had received from Eure, he had given $50 to Madre. "I saw a quick $10 out of it but we had no intentions of killing him," said Lane. Madre testified similarly, telling the judge that the plot had simply been "a way to get some money, but we knew we weren't going to do it." "I don't think we have to worry about if ?Tri-county search begins The search for funds to construct a center that would teach advanced ^academic and vocational courses to 'students from Gates, Chowan, and Perquimans Counties is now underway. .Publication of a 23-page prospectus outlining the Tri -County Career Center concept marked the end Of the planning stage and the beginning of an ambitious funding search to offset an estimated $$,790,104 in construction costs. The prospectus was distributed to members oif the Perquimans County Board of Education last Monday, and Mcopies are already in the mail to some potential funding sources, according to Tri-County Steering Committee director Kenneth L. Stalls. lie said that funding will be sought from both public and private agencies, and that to get enough money to build the center, several sources will have to contribute. Stalls expressed confidence, however, ^ This week pages. to pay last year's debts aad fat ttts year's crop fa the grated -aee page Mb Weather word Fair Thursday aad ftttay, cheaee el Mte lew that at least part of the money would be available. "We know we're going to put our hands on some money but we doot know how much," he said. "If we think we have an amount sub stantial enough to get started, we'll go ahead," he said. Copies of the prospectus will initially be sent to between 20 and SO agencies. "We"ll start at the top with funds where we feel we will have the most chance for success and go on from there," Stalls said. After agencies have received the prospectus and had a chance to review it, education officials of the three counties will schedule follow-up visits to deter mine whether or not there is aa interest in committing funds to the concept Stalls said he did not fed that budget cutting efforts on the federal level would have an immediate impact on efforts to secure funding from public sources. The prospectus begins with letters of endorsement from A. Craig Phillips, state superintendent of public in struction, and governor James B. Hunt, Jr. Topics addressed la the prospechu include reasons the center is needed, consideration of reservations expressed concerning the center, curriculum that would be offered, and em such logistical information as location and The prospectus calls for a W,Vt square foot facility that would serve IN stmt i term half of their school day, or 300 students at a time. The center would be located sum 15 we let these boys go out on the sidewalk this afternoon, who's going to get shot." he continued. Lane's attorney, O.C. Abbott, argued that the incident stemmed from im maturity. "I call it teenage immaturity more than actual intent to kill somebody." Madre's attorney. William Bentley, also told the judge that he believed the incident stemmed from childishness. "What we have is a group of boys who thought they'd get some money and found themselves in a very serious situation. "I call it a prank by a bunch of young men." said Bentley. In addition to the suspended sentences and the weekends in jail, Parker ordered Madre, a sophomore at Perquimans County High School, to remain in school, advised Lane to get a job. and told Eure to keep his job. All three were ordered to have no association with the victim, and will be subject to supervised probation for three years. Because of the involvement of a juvenile, the victim or his daughter's name cannot be disclosed. Marc Basnight Hertford plant Getting started Jarvis Copeland did some preliminary grading work last week at the eventual site of Hertford's Missing Mill Park. Bid preparation is expected to be completed by March 16. If approved, work could begin in 90 days. Planning input sought The town of Hrrtford is currently distributing a questionnaire to gain public input for a land use plan. The n is required by the Coastal Area Management Act, and is a first for the town. "Last time we were included in the couaty plan b\it we decided it would be more beneficial to do one of our own," said Hertford Mayor Bill Cox in a meeting with members of the town planning board last Tuesday. The planning board will play a role in developing the plan, and was briefed for the first time on the subject by Howard Capps, a landscape architect-planner contracted by the town to coordinate the work. "The preparation of a coastal area land use plan helps you determine the type of community you want, how the community will grow and how land is used in the town of Hertford. (It in volves) looking at current land use and the typfcef growth you would like to see," said Capps. The questionnaire is based on com munity concerns, some of them man dated to be addressed in the plan, Capps said. Public participation in the plan is required by law, and a questionnaire is one way of gaining that input, Capps said. Planning board members looked over the survey to determine whether or not it addressed most areas of concern, and whether or not any questions were ob jectionable. The questionnaire covers history, industrial development, utilities, recreation, and general services provided by the town, said planning board member George White. "It looks like it's pretty inclusive," he said. " It's touching on about everything I can think of that the town could provide," said White. "From history to garbage," threw in board member Ray Haskett. The form also includes a catch-all question, which reads, "What do you feel (Continued on page 2) * talk <to"unat Gas tax ? meeting jiscussw" OT According to elected officials, a statewide gasoline tax appears to be the best way to inject a much needed boost into the floundering budget of the Department of Transportation. State Senators Melvin Daniels and Monk Harrington and Representatives Vernon James and Charles Evans, and Highway Commissioner Marc Basnight met with citiiens of Region R to discuss the area's needs as related to the 1981 General Assembly at a meeting of the Association of Towns and Counties held at Angler's Cove in Bethel on Friday, and the concensus seemed unanimous in favor of some form of gas tax. Although only $100 million has been spent of the $300 million transportation bond issue, Basnight said the budget needed at least $200 million annually in order to operate effectively. And Basnight said a gasoline tax may be the best way to accrue additional revenues. "Some have called this the most equitable tax." said Basnight, "If you use you pay and if you don't you don't." Harrington was also in favor of the user's tax concept. "I believe taxes ought to come from the people who use the highways," he said, although he in dicated that he hadn't heard much favor for the tax from constituents. "I get the feeling people don't want it ( Continued on page 2) Ice man recommends update Obtaining Mock kc from the Hertford Town Ice Plant may be a thing of the fill After talking last week with a representative from an ice equipment Arm, town councilmen are considering purchasing equipment that would con vert the some M year-old plant into a crushed ice only operation. Bffl Banks, of Morris Associates. Inc., a Raleigh-based lee equipment manufacturing company, met with Hertford Mayor Bfll Cm and council mMBbars last Wednesday. According to Co*. Banks told town otBctels that he did not recommend repairing a fonlty compressor at the plant, which has halted operations sinee arouwd the first of the year. Previous estimations have put the coat Ok said nsmKBMa will he con sidering two propMsH: one *ald to volve two small units with a freezing capacity of 3 tons a day; and the other would involve a 7-ton single unit that could freeie up to 7 tons of ice per day. "We're talking about a different type of plant than what we've got, which would produce cracked, crushed ice rather than Mock form," said Cox, who deemed the production of block ice as "obsolete." "It's more expensive to produce a 300 pound Mock of tee than it is to produce 309 pounds of crashed tee," said Cox, who explained that crashed ice was largely frosen with Free-on, a method requiring less electricity and labor. He added that little site or facility preparation would be involved in the change-over. "We'd still use the same stone* room, it would just be a change In mechanics," said Cox. An alternative ice-manufacturing method would also require fewer em ployee* than the block system, according to Cox. Depending on what kind of hoars the plant would maintain, CM said he ex pected that water plant personnel could operate tee production and sale*, with the addition of one employee during peak months of June, July, August, and September. Before the council decides whether to purchase alternative ice-making equipment, Cox said they would in vestigate operations at similar plants. "If the decision is made to continue in the ice business, we'll have to feel assured it would be profitable to the town and not subsidized by the town," said Cox. Ice sold to produce trucks has been the operation's biggest money-maker in the past. But profits shown at the ice plant have been decreasing in recent years. While Cox estimated that the town sold anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 worth of ice a year, the last audit report indicated that annual sales exceeded maintenance costs by only some $4,000. Cox attributed decreasing profits to the "obsolete method" of producing ice. "It hasn't been as profitable in the last few yean because of the method we've been using to make ice," he said. One of the few existing block ice n^nufacturing plants left in the stateH the operation has been owned and operated by the town since 1920, when the building, located on Grubb Street, was built. Utilizing what Cox called the "am monia and brine method" of making ice, the plant came about during the ice box era. As the advent of modern refrigeration gradually took over, Cox said the demand for block ice declined. But he admitted that some still preferred the block-type ice, because of its keeping quality. Should the council deem the switch to crushed ice manufacturing a financial risk, Cox said the plant would close its doors for good. "If we find it's not feasible to purchase new equipment, we won't do it," said Cox. adding. "We don't think it would be feasible to repair the present equipment." If the town does, however, decide to purchase alternative ice-making equipment, Cox said they would like to have the business in operation by the end of May. Last year, the town sold some tlS.000 worth of ice during the months of June through September, j |

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view