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THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
25 CENTS
Extensive damage^ reported
' Union School fire being probed
. .. , .. ~
School Board begins plan for high school
By JANE WILLIAMS
( The Perquimans County Board of
Education met in an early session on
Monday to visit the high school
Bloodmobile
today
I The Perquimans County
' Jay cess will sponsor an
American Red Cross
bloodmobile on Thursday,
October 20, at the Hertford
United Methodist Church
from 3-7 p.m. Thegoal for
this drive is 60 units of
blood.
This drive is extremely
important because many
i of the October blood drives
have had a decrease in
blood donors with B and O
type blood. 0 blood type
donors are particularly
being sought since it is the
"universal donor" type
and can be transfused
when the patient's own
. blood type is not im
' mediately available.
Traditionally, blood
usage increases during the
upcoming holidays,
m .? Statistics show that
approximately 38 percent
of the population has 0
type blood and 11 percent
of the population has B
type blood.
? Anyone between the
ages of 17 and 86, weighing
at least 110 pounds and in
good health is eligible to
Consumption by the 56
Virginia and North
Carolina hospitals in the
'Tidewater Region
'jgaaaai
property and discuss possibilities of
construction with Sam Ashford,
owner of an architectural firm in
Raleigh.
The Board discussed with Ashford
the basic needs for the new structure
to replace the two-story 1924 circa
building.
Among these needs was the central
placement of a new cafeteria
designed to meet the needs a larger
student body.
Other needs for the new structure
included science labs, additional
teaching space and classrooms.
The Board expressed their wishes
to salvage the auditorium located in
the back of the old building.
The Board voted unanimously to
work with Ashford on developing
plans for the new complex, and asked
School Superintendent Pat Harrell to
meet with Ashford at their earliest
convenience to look at the time lines
involved and specific priorities for
the plans.
The financial report for September
was presented and discussed, no
action was taken.
A check was received from PL874
Federal Impact Aid Funds in the
amount of $5,150. The money will be
put into the capital operating funds.
The Board voted to insure the
computers located within the school
system with Pete Overman of
Nationwide Insurance at a cost of
$237.90 per year.
Anita Grimes was approved for
employment as an aide at Hertford
Grammar School.
The Board heard a report from
Morris Korenegay and school
principals concerning topics being
discussed in the Family Life
Education program.
The transportation plan was
discussed and carried over to the
next meeting.
The Board received two bids
Low income households
eligible for heating aid
RALEIGH ? Ail estimated 165,000
low-income households across the
state will be eligible (or financial
help with their heating bills this
winter through the federal Low
Income Energy Assistance program.
Bonnie Cramer, assistant director
for program administration in the
Department of. Human Resources'
Division of Social Services, said Low
Income Energy Assistance provides
? one-time payment to help eligible
households pay their heating bills.
"It's not the purpose of the program
to pay all of a family's beating bills,
but to provide some relief from the
high cost of energy," she said.
Last year more than 145,000
households received assistance
under the federal assistance
program, with payments averaging
$202 per household. The site of the
payment a family receives depends
upon the number of people in the
household, their incomes, the region
of the state where they live, and the
type of heating fuel they use.
County social services depart
ments will determine eligibility. All
households will be required to apply
at these departments. Elderly or
handicapped individuals may send a
representative to apply lfor them or
call to make other arrangements.
All county departments are
currently taking applications, and
will continue to accept applications
through November 30. Priority will
be given to the elderly and han
dicapped.
A one-time payment will be made
in February after all low-income
households have applied and
eligibility has been determined.
For more information about the
Low-Income Energy Assistance
Program contact The Perquimans
County Department of Social Ser
vices or call CARKUNE, toll-free at
1-M0-M2-7030. Hearing impaired
TTY/TDD users nay call the same
number for information
.. ' ' ???' " "
concerning the purchase of a walk-in
freezer/refrigerator for Hertford
Grammar School. LaClaire
Rogerson reported that bids had been
received from Atlantic Equipment
Company of Norfolk and United
Restaurant Equipment Company of
Raleigh. The bids were $9446.80 and
$9517.20 respectively.
Board member Mack Nixon
suggested purchasing the freezer
from United Restaurant Equipment
Co. because of their past dealings
with the firm and their reputation for
service.
After discusssion the Board voted
unanimously to purchase the unit
through United Restaurant Equip
ment Co.
The Board approved the purchase
of Venetian blinds at Perquimans
Union School from Dize Awning and
Tent Company in the amount of
$983.29.
The Board approved to contract
with Richard Askew to install the
Venetian blinds at the cost of $25.00
minimum charge plus 15 cents per
square foot.
The Board approved a motion to
contract with Richard Askew to
repair the Venetian blinds in all the
county schools for the contract sum
of $922.00.
The Board elected Clifford Win
slow to be the voting delegate at the
North Carolina School Boards
Association State Conference on
November 10-12.
The Board voted to contract Gary
Eure to do the rough-end plumbing
work on the public restroom project
on the football Held at a cost of $1,125.
The Board heard a report from the
Superintendent on parent par
ticipation in the schools.
"We have had significant parental
involvement and participation in our
schools during the last week,"
Harrell said. "During parent con
ference day on Monday we had HO
parents at Central, M0 at the
grammar school, 23$ at Union and
1M at the high school. We think that
is tremendous interest shown by the
parent* in the school."
Harrell also commented that
during National School Lunch Week
last week 370 parents participated
By JANE WILLIAM S
The Winfall Volunteer Fire
Department responded at 11:47 a.m.
Monday to a fire in the boys' locker
room at Perquimans Union School.
The fire was contained in that
room with smoke damage throughout
the building.
School Superintendent Pat Harrell
commended the quick action taken
by school personnel in combating the
fire and evacuating the students.
According to Union School Prin
cipal Gary Stubbins the 434 students
in attendance were evacuated in 50
seconds.
Winfall Fire Chief Wayne Winslow
said the fire was contained to the
locker room, totally destroying that
room and most of the schools athletic
equipment. He estimated damages to
be between 25 and 30 thousand
dollars.
"Most of the flame had been put
out by school personnel," Winslow
said.
"The biggest problem we had was
overcoming the heavy smoke that
occured when the fiberglass shower
stalls ignited. The fire was out in
about ten minutes, but it took about
three hours to clear the building of
smoke so we could get inside and see
what was going on," he said.
Winslow said that the fire was of
suspicious origin and that it was one
of several set that day at the school.
"The first fire occured between
8:00 and 8:15 that morning in a trash
can localed in a bathroom in the east
wing of the school. That fire was
extinguished by Stubbins," Winslow
said.
"At approximately the same time
the fire was ignited in the locker
room another fire was started in a
trash can located in a bathroom in
the west wing of the building. It was
also discovered that a piece of card
board had been ignited on the stage
area of the gym This fire ex
tinguished itself," Winslow said.
The fire is being investigated by
the SBI and the Winfall Police
Department.
Winslow commented that his
department received a lot of help
from both the Hertford and Belvidere
departments. "We also had response
from Inter-County, Edenton and
Elizabeth City departments.
Commissioners
discuss Community
Work Program
By JANE WILLIAMS
Monday night during their regular
session the Perquimans County
Commissioners were introduced to
Betty Heath by Perquimans County
Magistrate Broughton Dail.
Heath has been employed by the
State as a Co-ordinator of the
Community Works Program for the
New System under the DWI law.
Heath and her associate, Barbara
Woods, will work within a seven
county area through the court
system. Their function will be to
place violators of the DWI law in
community work programs
Immediately after their court
hearing, offenders that are found
guilty will be interviewed by either
Heath or Woods to determine their
available talents for community
service work.
Heath told the Commissioners that
State Statutes required that each
individual county provide office
space, equipment and a secretary for
the Co-ordinators. She told the
Commissioners that they did not
want an office in each of the seven
counties they would serve, but rather
a centrally located office in
Pasquotank County.
Heath told the Commissioners that
if each of the seven counties would
give approximately $200 it would
cover the cost of office equipment.
Heath stated that they would not
have need of a secretary.
Heath also asked the county for the
use of the Courthouse Law Library to
conduct confidential interviews with
offenders after their court case.
The Commissioners voted to grant
$200 for the office and approved the
use of the library.
Charles Ward reported to the group
that the No Hunting Signs had been
placed in the areas that were
requested.
County Attorney John V. Mat
thews, Jr. told the Commissioners
that he had checked into the
changing of values on the tax
evaluations.
"The law says that the tax
supervisor can change values, but
should give notification to the party
after the fact, but before the Board of
Equalization and Review Meeting,"
Matthews said.
The Commissioners asked Mat
thews to send a letter to Mrs. Eure
informing her of this situation.
The Commissioners heard a letter
of thanks from Don Flowers at
ARPDC concerning the gardening
maintenance and the hiring of a
janitor.
Floyd Matthews, Chairman of the
Conservation Committee requested
by letter $1000 for work on the
Whiteston river project.
Motion was made and carried that
the money be funnelled through the
Soil Conservation Service.
The Commissioners heard a letter
from Clayton Gentry, District
Manager of Vepco, concerning the
power to the water pumping station
in Winfall. Due to the fact that
Albemarle Electric Membership
Corporation already has equipment
near the sight and Vepco does not.
Vepco has relinquished all rights to
service this station to Albemarle
EMC.
The Commissioners accepted a bid
from Jack Leary for a 1984 contract
to spray, prune, fertilize and keep
weeded the property at the ARPDC
building. The total bid was $425.
The Commissioners announced
that beginning in November until
April they would meet at 7:00 p.m.
Chamber member Jeanne
White is shown here signing
up local merchant Cecil
Wlnslow at Winslow Motor
Co. for 1IM membership In
the Perquimans County
Chamber of Commerce,
beginning their annual
drive. (Photo by Ken
Castelloe)
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