THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 38, No. 31 .USPS 428-080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, August 5, 1982 20 CENTS
Saying
goodbye
Hester Reid, supervisor at
the county Nutrition Site
since 1975, was honored by
site regulars at her
retirement luncheon last
week at the Missing Mill
Park.
Winfall Town Council applies
for housing renewal grant
The Winfall Town Council voted to
apply for a $522,725 grant from the
state's Community Development
Block Grant Program following a
public hearing on the proposal
Tuesday of last week.
If the state approves the grant
application, the town proposes to
demolish or rehabilitate nearly all of
the blighted area along King Street
and four sidestreets in northern
Winfall, affecting 122 of the 600-odd
residents of the town. Of those af
fected, most of them are of low or
moderate incomes.
The projeet, called the Desert
Road Revitalization Project, is the
same project proposed in January,
1981, but turned down for funding by
the CDBGP.
/
The Winfall Town Council proposed
to rehabilitate or demolish 53
residences along King Street, and on
White, Louise, Cathryn Streets and
Desert Road north of King Street.
This area contains mostly sub
standard or dilapidated housing, and
drainage there is so poor and the
water table so high that septic tanks
cannot work properly. Sixteen
residences in the area are served by
outdoor privies.
According to the application, the
town will buy 17 parcels of land
containing seven vacant dwellings,
nine occupied dwellings and one
temporary dwelling at a cost of
$90,025. Buildings on that land will be
demolished and the land cleared at a
cost of $11,200. Once cleared, the land
will be sold for development.
The 24 residents of the dwellings
there will be relocated to standard
housing at a cost of $73,500.
Another 32 sub-standard dwellings,
housing 91 persons, 83 of low or
moderate incomes, will be renovated
to standard housing at a cost of
$294,800. Landlords of these
dwellings will sign agreements
stating that the rent for these
renovated residences will not rise for
four years following completion of
the work.
The town estimates that of the 122
residents affected, 113 are of low or
moderate incomes. The percentage
of low income residents in the area is
one of the criteria for obtaining the
grant.
In addition, the town has applied
for $13,200 to construct 1 600 feet of
new drainage channels in the area.
Town officials expect to know
whether they have received the grant
by September 30 of this year.
"The Town of Winfall is vitally
concerned with the elimination of
blight and the provision of safe and
sanitary housing for low income
persons," the grant application
reads.
"The proposed Desert Road
Kevitalization Project would serve to
implement state policy and assist the
local community."
PROJECT MAP
DESERT ROAO REvrttUZATION PROJECT
WnMLL.NCWTH CMOLMA
JULY, IM2
Within thi$k black lines U the
area affected by the propoeed
Community Development
Block Grant
Tax schedule proposed
The county Board of Com
missioners , received some idea of
what property values would be like
for the coming years at their regular
meeting Monday, when they were
presented with the land value
schedule for the reevaluation of
property ia Perquimans County.
The board decided to table ap
proval of the schedule until their next
meeting.
The schedule calls for an average
252 percent increase in the
assessment value of land in this
county, and an average 245 percent
increase in the assessment value of
houses.
The new assessments, which go
into effect for the 1984 tax year, do
not necessarily mean that tax
payments will increase by that
amount, or any amount, but that the
value of their property for tax pur
poses will be more in line with its
prevailing market value. State law
requires the reevaluation to take
place in each county every ten years.
County Tax Supervisor Keith
Haskett estimates that, according to
this schedule, property will be
reevaluated at about 80 percent of its
market value. At present, property
here is assessed at about 40-45 per
centof its market value.
According to Fred Pearson,
assessor for Pearson's Appraisal
Service, Inc., the firm the county
contracted to perform the
reevaluation, land values will be
appraised according to the condition
of the soil, the proximity to dirt or
paved roads or waterfront, and the
land's use, along with a few other
lesser criteria.
For example, cleared farmland
deemed to be of good soil condition
along a paved road would be
assessed at $1,200 per acre. The same
land along a dirt road would be
assessed at $1,100 per acre. Poor soil
would reduce the value of that dirt
road frontage to $900 per acre.
Woodland would be assessed at
anywhere between $225 to $400,
depending on soil condition and road
frontage. Tracts of land smaller than
10 acres on a state road, which are
more suitable for homesites and
therefore of greater value, will be
assessed 10 percent higher for
cleared land, and 20 to 45 percent
higher for woodland.
Homesites on good soil along a
paved road would be valued at an
average of $4,500, while the same
sites on a dirt road would be valued
at between $3,500 and $2,000.
The value of houses would be
determined by its grade ? from AA
(superior quality) to C (average) to
E (sub-standard) ? the house's
square footage, and number of
stories, and whether the house had
such "extras" as a fireplace, garage,
additional bathrooms, and central
air conditioning.
For example, a C grade one-story
house of 1,500 square feet would be
assessed at $31,570, up from its
present value of $14,360, at 220 per
cent increase. Two-story houses will
increase in value by about 260 per
cent.
The assessors from Pearson's
Appraisal Service noted that they
would be available to explain their
methods before local civic
organizations within the coming
months.
In other business, the board :
?Tabled action on whether to
purchase a $7,000 right-of-way at the
intersection of NC 37 and SR 1219 in
Winfall.
The county Board of Education has
proposed allowing the state to
reconstruct the intersection so as to
be safer for bus traffic, but a small
parcel of land ? now occupied by an
empty service station ? must first be
purchased.
The commissioners indicated that
they would first want to find out
whether the state might purchase the
land.
?Turned down a request by the
Perquimans County Jaycees to make
a donation to cover the cost of last
July 4 fireworks show, indicating
that the donation might be an un
desirable precedent, allowing other
clubs to solicit donations.
?Approved a resolution to be
passed on to the state Department of
Transportation and Southern
Railroad requesting they reconsider
putting warning lights or traffic
gates at railroad track and road
intersections.
School construction project,
lunch program discussed
By SUSAN HARRIS
The Perquimans County Board of
Education at its regular meeting on
Monday night inspected the
renovations underway at
Perquimans Union School.
School maintenance department
spokesman Pete Howell guided the
board members to various areas now
being worked on by school main
tenance crews and private con
tractors.
The board climbed to the top of the
school building to examine the
roofing work done by Southeastern
Professional Coatings. They found
that Southeastern had failed to
properly reinstall the gutters.
Once in their business meeting, the
board approved payment to
Southeastern upon satisfactory
completion of all contract work.
Howell showed board members the
windows at the school that need to be
replaced and explained alternatives
proposed to he and Superintendent
Pat Harrell by state representatives.
In their business session it was
decided to invite the state
representatives back to the county to
address the board on the problem
and possible solutions.
Bids for ceiling tile, insulation and
installation of same in the water
damaged areas of Union School were
discussed. The Basnight Company
from Ahoskie was the low bidder on
2' x 2' tile and six inch insulation.
Harrell brought to the board's
attention that no local contractor
bidded on the materials, and only
one, Donald Riddick, submitted a
proposal on the installation. Riddick
could not, the board felt, complete
the project before school begins as it
would be at least two weeks before he
could initiate work on the ceilings.
With this in mind, the board
awarded the contract to Basnight
whose bid of $10,134 includes labor
and materials, if the company can
have the ceilings finished when
school opens on August 25.
Breakfast and lunch prices will
remain unchanged from last school
year. The board approved the
following recommended prices:
lunch, K-6 ? 80 cents; 7-12 ? 90
cents; adults $1.25; breakfast, K-6 ?
40 cents; 7-12 ? 45 cents; adults ? 65
cents.
Harrell recommended for em
ployment Michael Shafer as a math
teacher at Perquimans County High
School. Shafer, a math major and
graduate of East Carolina Univer
sity, taught last year at Eastern
Wayne High School where a
tightened budget cut his position.
The board approved hiring the
Navy Veteran.
Two new programs were accepted
by the board: Junior Achievement
and Adopt-A-School. Neither will
require any county funds or staffing.
Harrell told board members that
the state had allocated the county 57
teaching positions, which does not
include vocational programs, classes
for exceptional children and special
programs. He added that if
enrollment continues to climb,
another position may be* funded by
the state, reducing the strain on the
local budget.
It was also announced that
Alphonso Joyner, mechanics teacher
at the high school, will receive a
master teacher recognition at the
forthcoming State Vocational Con
ference. The board voted to write
Joyner congratulating him for his
outstanding achievement.
A most welcome letter
Most people are seldom excited
to receive a form letter in the
mail, but Claude and Myrtle
Williams were tickled to death
with the one they received
recently.
The letter came from Buenos
Aires, Argentina, the home of
their friend Enrique Rossi. Rossi,
called "Henry" while in the
States, lived with the Williams for
five months in 1956 as an
agriculture exchange student.
"We hadn't heard from him in a
long time," said Mrs. Williams,
"and we'd begun to wonder about
him.
"I was really surprised to get
the letter. I wrote back and told
him I was so surprised I almost
lost my false teeth."
The letter, the first the Williams
had received in years, was a typed
form letter opening with "Dear
friend," and going on to explain
the Argentine position in respect
to the Falkland Islands, called the
Malvinas by Argentines.
First noting two United Nations
resolutions condemning
colonialism, the letter went on,
"In March 1982 Great Britain
provoked a serious incident In the
area: a Royal Navy warship was
sent to evict Argentine workers
who were legally working on one
of the islands near the Malvinas.
In response to this aggression and
as a way to ensure the protection
of its workers, Argentina
recovered the Malvinas on
Friday, April 2, 1982."
The letter continued, "All the
foreign communities in Argentina
expressed their support (of the
Argentine invasion) and the 17,000
British residents requested the
British government to seek a
speedy solution to the conflict."
The letter concluded by asking
to "please help us convey the
truth to your friends and govern
ment." A handwritten note at the
bottom read "I'm going to wright
(sic) you soon. With love Enrique
and Maria Antonia Rossi."
Though a form letter, probably
sent to many Americans, Mrs.
Williams considered its source
and felt it was sincere. "Knowing
Henry," she said, "I felt he wants
to know the real feeling of the
people in America for Argentina."
She wrote back, explaining the
American position as she un
derstood it: that President
Reagan believed he had a com
mittment to England, but not. if
possible, at the exclusion of
Argentina.
A letter from anyone else in
Argentina might not have made
auch an impression to the
Williams but. as Mrs. Williams
said, "Henry was quite a guy. He
really was a smart guy. I don't
know what he's doing now, but I'm
quite sure he is 'somebody.' "
As a 25-year-old exchange
student in 1956, Henry observed
American agricultural methods
and spoke to local civic clubs
about his country and what he'd
learned here. Though he didn't
speak much English, his per
sonality quickly touched many
people in the county, and he made
many friends, Mrs. Williams said.
"He was quite a guy. We were
really wrapped up in him," she
said. "He used to call us 'Mom
Mert' and 'Pop Claude.' A lot of
people in the county liked him."
Henry, married with one
daughter, returned to
Perquimans County later on while
working on his master's degree in
agriculture, and the Williams
made him feel home again. Since
then, Mrs. Williams has sent him
Christmas cards, but hasn't heard
a word from him for the last few
years, less because of Henry's
neglect, she thinks, than because
of Argentine censorship
'The Williams still keep old
picture*, letters and newspaper
clippings about Henry. Maybe,
they hope, they can hear from or
tee him again soon "He was
really dedicated to his country,"
the said, "but he loved America "