THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 37, No. 26 USPS 428-010 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, July 2, 1961 20 CENTS
Several area children hare a good time playing some mysterious form of tag during the Perquimans County Parks and Recreation Department's "Friday in
the Park" program.
County adopts
1981-82 budget
The Perquimans County Board of
Commissioners adopted the county's
12.776 million budget for 1981-82 at a
special meeting Wednesday of last week.
The Board passed the budget with one
dissenting vote, that of Commissioner
Lester Simpson, who explained later that
he disagreed with the county's ap
propriation to the Parks and Recreation
Department.
"I was a part of trying to get the budget
reduced," he said. "We asked Social
Services to cut back, we asked the
schools to cut to the bare mininum. Then
we raised the recreation department's
funding by fifty percent."
"I just don't think we treated the other
departments fairly. The county could
have done away with it (recreation) if it
had to. I don't think the people out in the
county benefit from it. It's all centered in
town."
Chairman Joe Nowell said after the
meeting that he believed the county had
made an obligation to increase its share
of the recreation department's funding.
"Some months ago, we had made a
verbal commitment to the town of
Hertford. At one time, Hertford wasn't
going to pay anything (as a contribution
to the recreation department), and later
they agreed that they would give $10,000
if we gave $30,000.
The recreation department's $51,000
budget is funded jointly by the county
and the town of Hertford, along with fees
generated by the department. Last year
the two governments split the money
equally.
The approved budget was essentially
the same one tenatively agreed to earlier
in June. It calls for a tax of $1.15 per $100
of assessed property value. This is the
same tax rate as last year.
The tax will generate $1,219,000 of the
revenue needed, the rest coming largely
from fees, interest on investments, and
unencumbered balance forwarded from
last year.
The county will get a bigger boost from
revenues other than taxes this year. This
year, about 56.09 percent of the county
revenues will come from revenues other
than taxes, up from 52.26 percent last
year.
Several amendments added to the
tentative budget would shuffle $7700 in
the general fund. Most of that money
went to the Sheriffs Department for
travel, repairs and supplies, and most of
it came from money originally ap
( Continued on page 2
Hertford approves budget , raises tax ten cents
The Hertford Town Council adopted
their 1981-82 budget, calling for a 13.3
percent increase in taxes, at a meeting
held Wednesday of last week.
The increase is the town's first in 12
years, boosting the tax from 65 to 75 cents
per $100 of assessed property value.
The council passed the budget with one
Q vote, Councilman Jesse Harris', in op
position. Harris shouted repeatedly
during the meeting that the town's meter
reader had resigned, suggesting that
i *
those duties be taken up by others on the
town payroll, without hiring a new meter
reader. This, Harris believed, would
save the town $3,600.
Mayor and Town Manager Bill Cox
tried to explain to Harris that if the town
didn't hire a meter reader, those duties
would have to be performed by
professional, higher-paid personnel. This
not only would take time away from their
duties, he said, but would cost the town
more money.
Jaycees throw
a Fourth fest
The Perquimans County Jaycees
invite residents to celebrate In
dependence Day at their annual
Fourth of July Festival at
Perquimans County High School.
The festivities begin at 1 p.m. with
bingo, horseshoes, football throw, and
a dunking booth. The program will
end at 9 p.m. with a fireworks display
entitled "Fourth of July in the Sky."
During the day, the program will
alternate between activities for
children beginning on the hour, and
those fc. adults beginning on the half
hour. At 2 p.m., there will be a balloon
throw for the kids, followed at 2:30 by
a mummy wrap for the grownup kids.
A crab walk race will start at 3, and
at 3:30 there is a sack race. At 4 the
kids win have a sack race, followed at
4:30 by a wheelbarrow race for older
crowd. The egg throw for tykes starts
at 5, and the adults get into it at 5:30.
The Carolina Good Ole Boys have
donated an hour and a half of their
musical talents from 6 to 7:30. A pie
and cake auction starts at 7:30,
followed at 8 by a pie throwing auc
tion.
At 8:30, there will be a drawing to
determine the winner of the $100, (SO
and $25 prizes Jaycees raffle, the
proceeds of which will go toward
paying for the fireworks. Tickets are
one dollar, and can be purchased from
the Jaycees up until a half hour before
the drawing.
At 8:45, there will be a county-wide
church service, followed at 9 by the
fireworks. A concession stand will be
open all day, and the proceeds from it
will go toward the fireworks.
?Avalanche kills
former resident
A former Hertford resident was killed
Sunday of last week in an avalanche in
Washington state while mountain
climbing.
Henry "Whit" Matthews. 39, of
A Auburn, Wash, died along with 10 others
when an avalanche descended on his
climbing party of 29 while resting on the
slope of Mount Rainier in Washington.
Matthews, who worked for the state
government in Auburn, was born in
Hertford and Bved here until he was in
the sixth grsd. '< 7
He attended the College of the
Albemarle and transfered to Old
* Dominion University ia Norfolk, Va.,
" where he earned a degree In history
education in 1917 and a master's degree
in 1975.
? *
He taught at Wilton and Churchill high
school! in Portsmouth, Va. for six and a
half years, then worked as a substitute
teacher in Reston, Va. before moving to
Auburn.
He married Linda Easie, a French
teacher at Wilson, in March, 1970.
Matthews had attempted Mount
Rainier on two previous occasions, but
weather and altitude sickness forced him
to turn back. He had planned a climbing
trip in Peru later this year.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his
mother, Cassir Matthews, of Port- |
S mouth; a sister Lillian Young, of Rich
mond, Va. and two aunts, Elma
Leicester and Lucille Jackson, both of
Hertford .
?
Cox added that the town would be
"hard-pressed to operate with it (the
increase). It's almost impossible to cut
the budget further with things as they are
with inflation."
The approved budget is the same one
tentatively approvetfearlier in the
month. It calls for $451,213 in anticipated
revenues, down almost $22,000 from last
year. Increases in appropriations for
administration, police, fire, sanitation
and inspection departments are ac
counted for largely by salary increases
and higher fuel and supply costs.
Decreases are in the Powell Bill fund,
the Cemetary Department, non
departmental costs and the contribution
for recreation.
Id other action, the council opened bids
from four insurance companies for the
contract to insure the town. The in
surance will cover property and
buildings, comprehensive liablity, work
men's compensation, auto liability and
damage, and an umbrella coverage.
The four companies who entered bids
were Johnson-White, Twiddy, Nation
wide and Cliff-Ward. The council had
also received a bid from the League of
Municipalities that would cover only
workmen's compensation.
In a special session Monday afternoon,
the council voted to accept the League of
Municipalites bid for the workmen's
compensation coverage, and except
Johnson- White's bid for the other four
coverages.
The League of Municipalities' bid was
$7,384, almost $1,000 less than the other
companies had offered. Johnson-White's
bid was $8,202 for the other four
coverages.
Mayor Cox was pleased with the out
come of the bidding, saying that the town
had better coverage this year for less
money than in previous years.
Hertford adopts new land use policy
The Hertford Town Council approved
Wednesday of last week a town land use
plan which, among other things, showed
that the town is in most respects ripe for
future development.
The plan, conducted by planning
consultant Howard T. Capps of Elizabeth
City, was authorized in response to the
state's Coastal Management Act, which
established a cooperative program
among coastal counties in North
Carolina for proper development of
coastal resources.
The plan explains that though Hert
ford's population has remained about the
same since 1910 ? about 2,000 people ?
the town has the capacity for increased
industrial development in the years
ahead.
In his summary of the plan, Capps said
that there was excess capacity available
in the town schools, roads and water
treatment facilities. There is also land
available with soil suitable for building,
particularly along Grubb Street ex
tended and just west of the town limits.
In addition, because of the opening of
the Newbold-White house this week, the
town will also have some historic
heritage in which to attract tourism.
The only drawback to the town's
growth potential is that the sewage
treatment facilities are now running at
capacity.
Capps went on to say that although the
population of the county has increased
and will in all likelihood continue to,
Hertford's population will probably
remain stable for the next ten years.
The land use plan also updates land use
changes in the town since the last plan
was presented in 1976. Those changes
include redevelopment of blighted areas,
and new residential areas on Gaston and
Artie Drives.
The plan recommended that the
council continue to work with the county
and the state to promote industrial
development in the area, with the con
dition that proper zoning be used and
fragile enviornments along the
Perquimans River be protected.
School Board holds workshop , meeting
The Perquimans County Board of
Education held a workshop Monday with
members of the North Carolina School
Board Association.
After the workshop, a the Board held a
meeting in which Ed Dunlop, assistant
executive director of the NCSBA, gave a
legislative update on what the state had
done concerning school administration.
After the update, the Board gave
student releases to two area students
who wish to attend other county schools.
Then the Board discussed diploma
alternatives for II and 17 year olds which
is being considered by the State Board of
Education.
The Board also approved two budget
amendments to shift funds within the
school budget, and approved the ap
pointment of Deborah Coates to the art
program at PCHS.
The Board also discussed the state
wide teacher evaluation, and in another
personeU move, approved a $500 contract
for artist Frans Van-Barrs to complete a
mural at Peruqimans Union.
In other action, the Board approved a
motion to begin a survey of county
Fire destroys
New Hope home
It was a case of the beat laid plans of
mice and men. It seems as if when we try
to take every precaution, it all backfires
onus.
A fire destroyed a trailer in New Hope
on Monday of last week. According to
official* of the Durant's Neck fire
department, the fire was started by. of
all things, a smoke detector. At far as
officials can reckon, a spark from the
detector started the blaze
Hie owner of the trailer, Leonard R.
G arris, was away at the time. The fire
was reported by a passerby. Firemen
from both the Durant's Neck department
and the Inter-county department in
Woodville responded to the call at about
6:10 that evening, but the call was too
late to save the trailer.
Fire department officials estimate the
cost of the damage to be roughly $10,000
tor the trailer plus an undetermined
amount for the contents, which was
believed to include some antiques. The
officials added that Garris, fortunately,
is insured.
schools to see which are elligible for the
state's new replacement Insurance
Option, in which certain school buildings
can now be insured for the replacement
cost rather than their actual value.
Also discussed were the School Leader
Liability insurance, funds for a new
activities bus, and several capital outlay
projects, including window replacement,
energy conservation projects, and
bathroom renovations.
The Board will not meet on July 6. Pat
Harrell, school superintendent, will
attend a' Summer Superintendent's
Conference in Wilmington.
This week
Weather word
Chance at showers or thundershowers
Thursday, fair Friday, then a chance
of showers again Saturday. Highs will
average in the Ms.
Area offices take a
%
holiday for F ourth
All Perquimans County and Hert
ford town administrative offices will
be closed Monday, July 6, to observe
Independence Day. Normal hours will
resume on Tuesday.
The Perquimans County Library
win be closed July 4, and will be open
?
a half day. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. on
Julys.
The regular Monday meetings of
the Hertford Town Council and the
Perquimans Board of Com
missioner*, originally scheduled for
July I. will be held Tuesday. July T, at
their usual time.
u