. THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 37, No. 310 USPS 428-000 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, AUGUST A, 1981 20 CENTS
Commissioners hold up
1 flood insurance approval
"The feds have got you between a rock
and a hard place," the Perquimans
county commissioners were told Monday
when Keith Painter, state representative
for flood insurance, returned to seek once
more their acquiescence and approval
| for the federal flood insurance program
based on a controversial map showing
the county as a flood prone area.
Surrounding counties have accepted the
program "while not liking the map any
more than you do."
"Why do you need our approval for a
citizen to purchase flood insurance ?"
queried Lester Simpson, acting chair
man in the absence of Joseph Nowell.
| Tied into the program is the issuing of
building permits, requiring a resolution
Ity the board approving the program
before permits may be issued and flood
insurance obtained by the builder. Also,
before building permits may be issued,
the builder must be informed he is in a
flood prone area and must elevate the
structure above the 100 year flood level as
shown on the current and official flood
map.
Citing the grip the "feds have placed
on compliance," Painter further in
formed the commissioners that "no
federal agency - not the Veterans Ad
minstration or FHA - can make a loan to
a builder" without the formal approval of
the local government. "Nor will any
federal bank-any bank related to federal
funds-make any home loans," he said.
"Farmers Home Administration has
been making loans all over the place,"
Commissioner Marvin Caddy stated.
"Not any more," Commissioner John
Ward responded, later calling on the
board to talk to local bankers to discover
the serious consequences of failure by
the board to go along with the insurance
program. "What the feds are saying is
'we have you between a rock and a hard
place.' If you are not going to make flood
insurance available to people in your
area, we are not going to make funds
available to them," Painter said.
If a county is in the flood insurance
program, individuals can appeal and be
reimbursed his first year's flood in
surance premium should he provide
valid evidence.
The county also may appeal the con
troversial map.but it would be costly,
requiring formal studies and surveys,
Painter said and urged the board to
accept the map to obtain the ad
vanatages for home builders. In
Perquimans County flood zoning is based
on storm surge, rather than
precipitation, and it was conceded by
Painter and the board there would be few
revisions in a new map.
Board attorney John Matthews asked
if it would be appropriate for a resolution
indicating the willingness of the board to
participate in the program and to go by
the maps, but with a preliminary
statement saying, "Although the com
missioners feel the maps are flawed and
(See Commissioners, page 2)
County Commiuioiien, above, weigh the
advantages and disadvantages of giving
into the federal Tax Insurance Program,
based on a map showing the to be largely
flood prone based on a 100 year history.
Standing, left, to make his point is
Commissioner Lester Simpson, (moving
right) W. W. White, Marvin Caddy, and
Paul Ward.
' Town board may protest Governor's liquor tax
Hertford and other municipalities will
experience a decrease in revenue with
"the governor's 28 percent tax increase"
on alcoholic beverages sold in North
Carolina, Cecil Winslow, local ABC
board chairman, warned the Hertford
I town board Monday night.
Winslow, who attended the annual
conference for the N.C. Association of
ABC Boards in Asheville last weekend,
told the councilmen that the tax bill
would hurt locfcl government revenue in
spite of the ammendment ear-marking a
three and a half percent cut for the
county, an<f asked the board to schedule
k
a special meeting to consider making a
formal protest.
"The bill was just about killed when
they added the three and a half percent
cut to go to the county to gain the support
of the League of Municipalities and the
Association of County Commissioners,"
which previously opposed the tax in
crease, he reported. "It sounds good, but
when sales drop 10 to IS percent, there
will be no profit."
Winslow said "it was the consensus of
the people representing ABC boards"
from across the state that the 28 percent
increase woTild hurt not only sales, but
the main business of the boards "to
control alcoholic beverages in the state."
Noting 41 counties bordering Virginia and
South Carolina where "liquor is cheaper
than in North Carolina, even now,
without the tax," he said, "We will lose
sales and control."
He said it is difficult to enforce the law
prohibiting transport of more than one
gallon of liquor in the state. "A man goes
to Virginia or South Carolina and brings
back a case and how are we going to
control that?" he asked.
The bqard agreed to schedule a
meeting it an early date for further
> discussion and consideration of a
meeting with area boards, and with area
I legislators.
Before leaving, Winslow reported total
sales of J33.540.20 for the year to date, an
increase of $995.65 over the same period
last year, due to higher prices, reporting
a decrease in bottle sales of 270 bottles.
Councilman Erie Haste, citing the
frequency of high speeders on Grubb
Street and the need for caution in the
recreation area, called for opinions from
the board on lowering the 35 mph speed
limit on Grubb Street.
"People who drive 35 mph or 25 mph
are not the ones who drive 60 and 65,"
Councilman Jessie Harris responded.
Councilman John Beers noted the need to
keep traffic moving on Grubb Street,
"It's the busiest thoroughfare we have,"
he said.
The board asked Police Chief Marshall
Merritt to maintain a speed watch on
Grubb Street and agreed to take action
for installation of a traffic light at the
intersection of the Parks and Recreation
Center.
In other business the board
-Received a police report for the month
of July, noting twenty arrests, noting
seven for assault and battery, two for
breaking and entering, one for first
degree burglary, one larceny of a motor
vehicles and nine miscellaneous. There
were 26 reported violations, two ac
cidents investigated, two fire calls, five
funerals and 125 subpoenas served
-Heard a request by John W. Simmons of
Elizabeth City to establish a franchaise
for a one car taxi service in Hertford.
Simmons was asked to meet with Mayor
Bill Cox and board attorney Bill Bentley
to confirm proper procedure for
establishing the service. The board noted
> ?he need for a taxi and generally favored
the request.
Volunteers teach living skills
In addition to reinforcing skills in the
language arts, math, health and physical
education, 38 children, grades 1-6, now
know how to solve simple home electrical
problems, the proper way to clean a
bathroom and kitchen, selective grocery
shopping and ways they can help con
serve electricity.
Add to that list the use of a vacuum
cleaner and a sewing machine, so-called
gourmet cooking (or how to cook a
hamburger) and the curriculum will be
complete for the Home Survival Skills
class, which Miss Gay Howell initiated
for the four week summer school for
migrant children.
The summer program ended Friday:
There was no diploma, no certificate, but
each child had something of far more
value than a paper document to account
for their time and educational ex
perience. Boys, as well as girls, had
made a yellow cotton robe, begun in the
sewing class with Paige Underwood of
the County Extension Service and
completed during extra sessions with
Miss Howell.
Begun four years ago, the program
first dealt with math, music, art, the
language arts, physical education and
health. "This spring," Miss Howell said,
"Morris Kornegay, migrant director,
decided other needs should be met,
among them life survival skills. He wrote
it into the program, including use of
appliances, cooking, sewing, house
cleaning, simple household repairs and
nutrition."
It was Miss Howell's job to address
those needs. She went into the business
community and found volunteers to go
into the classroom and work with the
children. Allen Lassiter, a 26-year-old
Hertford vacuum cleaner salesman who
had not been in a classroom since he was
a student at the College of the Albemarle,
was a responding volunteer.
Visiting the classroom last week, he
was found encircled by the children as he
demonstrated his Glectrolux vacuum
cleaner, answering questions and
preparing the class for the hands-on
experience for.each child?for each of the
many attachments for the machine.
From 8 a.m. to noon, Lassiter talked
with the children and assisted them with
cleaning household furniture, which had
been brought into the classroom. By
noon, when the lunch bell had rung, he
was exhausted.. .but also overflowing
with the experience.
"It's a big kick just to talk with the
kids, to see what they pick up and how
quickly. It's something kids aren't ac
tually aware of until allowing them to do
it themselves, hands-on experiences," he
said.
"I learned just as much as they did,"
the volunteer stated, also indicating it
was his first involvement with the
schools in that capacity. "It's clear to me
that something like this will keep them
more involved than simply telling them
about it or showing a film. One picture is
worth a thousand words, but hands on
like this goes farther."
Lassiter turned to Miss Gay and ad
mitted it was tiring. "I gained more
respect for teachers by doing this," he
said.
Also dropping in on the class during
Lassiter's morning with the students was
Arch Manning, a consultant for the State
Migrant Education Division of the State
Department of Public Instruction. While
Lassiter held the attention of his group,
other students were taking turns at the
sewing machine with Miss Howell,
completing their robes.
"I like the kind of thing Gay is doing,
the emphasis on communication with the
children, relevance to living. It's down to
earth, learning for living, I'd say." the
consultant volunteered "With this kind
of involvement and person to person
communication, the student is not just a
number of just another child. It becomes
the 'I'm somebody' concept."
Sharing a similar experience to
Lassiter's were James Wilder of Hert
ford Hardware, teaching the children
how to repair electrical cords; Vernon
Lane of Big Star on comparison shopping
for groceries; Clayton Gentry of V'EPCO
with practical points on using electricity;
Mrs. Carolyn Lawson.a parent,
demonstrating how to cle.>n bathrooms
and kitchens; Paige Underwood of the
extension service and her staff of
volunteers for teaching sewing-Estelle
Felton, Lenora Brothers, Rachel Lewis
and Carolyn Lawson; Bill Tice. Hertford
grammar school principal for household
carpentry; and Juanita Bailey, also of
the extension service, for nutrition.
Evaluating the the total experience,
Miss Howell said many of the children
have "demonstrated more self control
and patience in dealing with frustrating
situations. I haven't had one child to fuss
about ripping out... and they are sup
portive of one another."
But the high point? "Their in
volvement with so many adult volun
teers," she said.
Local youth win awards at 4-H congress
Approximately 1,000 4-H Youth,
Volunteer Leaders, and Extension
Agents from across North Carolina
registered for the lttl N.C. State 4-H
Congress.
At 4-H Congress, 4-hers from all over
the state compete with ooe another in
demonstrations, attend workshops and
seminars designed to encourage
leadership, develop individual talents,
and provide a basic understanding of
political activities through 4-H.
There were delegates from Georgia,
Tennessee, Pennsylvania. Virginia
England, West Germany, Switzerland,
and of course, Perquimans County.
Winners and participaats from
<|
Perquimans county included Scottie
Winslow, son of Mrs. Judy Winslow of
Belvidere, who won first place in the 4-H
state Tractor Driving Contest; Torrence
Mack, grandson of Rev. and Mrs. Wright
Demery of Belvidere, who was invited to
share a piano solo at one fo the Delegate
Assemblies; Nickie Nixon, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Ed Nixon of Hertford, who
placed second in the State 4-H Livestock
Judging Contest. Other contestants in the
Livestock Judging along with Nixon
were, Rebecca Rayburn, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Walker Rayburn, Jimmy
Twine, son of Mr. and Mrs. James E.
Twine, and Eric Skinner, mm of Mr. and
Mrs. William I. Skinner of the Harvey
pint Community. SUnner was
?S
Perquimans Covnty 4-H State Council
Representative.
Mrs. Williams, a teacher and volunteer
leader, states that Congress was well
organised, with highly competitive
demonstrations; career-oriented
seminars; recreational activities,
district and state smeetings, and lots of
socializing with new and old friends.
Some of the most exciting events of the
Congress were; 1) presentation of State
Project and Demonstration Awards; 2)
the daily appearance of Dr. "Z" which
was a slide presentation of the previous
day's activities; S) election of State
Officers; 4) an address by Governor
Hunt; and 5) a Pig Pickin'.