THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 40, No. 24 ysps 42( 080 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, June 14, 19S4 25 CENTS
Commissioners hike taxes for Fiscal Year 484
By JANE WILLIAMS
After a lengthy discussion among the members of the Per
0 quimans County Commissioners and many spectators in at
tendance for the public hearing for the county's budget for
Fiscal Year 1984-85 a tax rate was set for the county at 63-cents
per $100.00.
The tax rate which has been set at $1.20 for the past two
years is changing this year due to property re-evaluations
done earlier to bring county property up to current market
value.
The tax rate, which was earlier proposed at 60-cents for the
upcoming fiscal year, was raised after being questioned by
1 Commissioner Elect, Thomas Nixon.
Nixon's questions concerning the tax rate were directed at
the School Bond Referendum, which was passed in the May
8th Primary. He questioned the county's ability to pay for the
school if a tax levy was not implemented for school capitol
outlay.
Commissioner Charles Ward told Nixon that the county
already had a surplus of $800,000.00 and asked him why the
county should continue to raise taxes while they accumulate a
surplus each year.
Commissioner Lester Simpson asked Ward "what was so
bad about increasing each year? It helps saving quite a bit."
Nixon told the Commissioners that if they didn't levy a tax
this year, then they would "wind up robbing Peter to pay
Paul."
Nixon continued to question the judgement of the Commis
sioners on the tax issue stating that "When you boys came in
here this thing wasn't in a mess, so don't go out and leave one.
If you raise taxes a little bit this year, then next year the in
crease won't be so frightening."
Ward stated that taxes were levied at 95 per-cent collection,
and that the county usually collected 96 and one-half percent.
He told the group that that already accounted for a cushion
that amounted to enough to make the payment on the school
bonds.
It was also pointed out that the school system's share of the
one-half cent state sales tax had already been promised by the
Board of Education to go towards the bond payment.
After further discussion Joe Nowell, Chairman of the Board
of Commissioners, called for a motion. The motion was made
by Simpson to set the rate at 63-cents. Hie motion carried.
The additional 3-cents will provide approximately $70,500.00
additional income for the county.
In other action the Commissioners:
?Heard a request from the State Department of Transporta
tion for a public meeting on secondary roads improvements
for June 28 at 2:00 p.m.
With all members in agreement the meeting was set. A map
will be placed in the Courthouse on June 14 for public
inspection.
?Voted to sent a letter of support to State Senators and
members of the House of Representatives for an Assistant
County Forest Ranger for Perquimans County.
?Selected Milton Knight to fill the expired term of Jan
Spruill on the board of the Albemarle Commission.
?Ammended the current budget for Federal Revenue Shar
ing in the amount of $19,536 to cover payments to Medicaid in
the amount of $14,575 and two payments to the Sanitary Land
fill at $4,961.
'Main Street 9 revitalization discussed
By JANE WILLIAMS
Approximately 25 area
business people congregated at
Gabby's Restaurant for a*
luncheon last week to meet with
a representative from the North
Carolina Department of
Commerce for a discussion on
revitalizing the downtown
district in Hertford.
The Luncheon was sponsored
by the Perquimans County
Chamber of Commerce.
Opie Jordan, Director of
Business Development, and
former director of the Main
Street Program, told the group
that upon her arrival in Hertford
her 'ffrat impression was that
"You have a heck of a resource
here that you're not utilizing."
Jordan's work with the
Department of Commerce has
included projects in Tarboro,
Salisbury, Shelby. New Bern,
Washington, Statesville,
Morganton, Clinton, Wilson and
Rocky Mount.
Jordan told the group that
there were "some fantastic
buildings in Hertford," but added
that there was work that needed
to be done.
"It won't take a lot to spruce
your downtown up, but somebody
has to take the first step,"
Jordan said.
Jordan presented a slide
presentation of before and after
Library blends reading and heritage
By JANE WILLIAMS
Children across the state will be able to learn
a little more about their North Carolina
heritage through the summer reading pro
grams available at the library.
"North Carolina Celebrates: 1584 - 1964" is
the theme for the fifth annual summer reading
program designed to coincide with the beginn
ing of America's 400th anniversary observance.
The program, which is sponsored by the
North Carolina State Library, has been endors
ed by Governor James B. Hunt and State
Superintendent of Public Instruction Craig
Phillips, and will be co-sponsored by Deneen
Graham, "Miss North Carolina 1964".
The program is designed to introduce
children to books, and to stimulate reading
through the use of films, puppets, crafts, con
tests, field trips, etc.
> The program is flexibly designed so that local
librarians are able to structure activities to suit
their communities. , ;
Terry Bosley, local librarian, has recently
announced numerous activities that will be tak
ing place each Friday, from June 29 through
August 10, during the summer reading
program.
The first program is geared to expose the
children to North Carolina crafts. Outside ex
hibits will be set up showing woodworking, pot
tery making, bread-making soan making
#4 f -?ic? *
basket weaving, along with a punch-tin
demonstration, a taxidermist display of North
Carolina animals and a display of shells col
lected by a deep-sea diver.
Children will also be exposed to the North
Carolina art of quilt-making, when they draw
their favorite book characters on muslin
squares for a quilt to be sewn together for
display at the library.
"The Harbor Lights," an area square danc
ing team will be on hand on July 27 to teach the
children how to square dance and clog, and also
on the 27th children will hear North Carolina
ghost stories and the story of Blackbeard.
Also scheduled for July is a filmstrip on North
Carolina Indians, and Billi Whitehurst of the
Museum of the Albemarle will talk, with the
children about Indians that used tohabitate this
areft.
There will also be a display of drawings by
Join Mansfield depicting an early form of In
dian baseball. :.J5I .* ,-v'
Other programs will include puppet shows,
dramatic plays by the children, activities to
take home and a birthday celebration for the
400th. *:
Registration for the summer reading pro
gram will begin the last week of June for grades
one through seven. The programs are open to
all ages. For more information call the libary at
4?4S19.
* n ? *
shots taken of businesses in
downtown districts in the other
areas that she has worked in. She
emphasized that most of the
projects did not require a great
deal of money, and that the
newly created facades greatly
improved the appeal of the
town's 'Main Street'.
Jordan also told the group that
the backs of the stores shouldn't
be neglected, discussing ideas
that could be implemented to
make the back of buildings
attractive to consumers.
Jordan reminded the group
that they already had possession
of drawings for guidelines for
suggested facade improvements.
The drawings were done in the
late 70's by Howard T. Capps,
Landscape Architect, Planning
Consultant, for the town.
She posed several questions to
the group to entice them to look
for answers and research needs
that the b*<siness community
has.
She told the group that
statistics had proven that people
are looking for nostalgia in
towns, and that Hertford would
make a wonderful, quaint little
village.
Although there was little
discussion during the luncheon
and slide presentation on other
revitalisation projects, many of
those in attendance seemed
amiable to the idea of
Improvements along the main
street area of town. '
Jordan told the group that they
weren't in the position yet to
begin a campaign to attract
commercial development,
because they would have to
improve the resources that were
already available before other
groups would be interested in
locating in the area.
<r
Council urges water
usage cut-back
ByRUTHMENGEL
Citing problems that exist with the town's number two water
pump, Hertford Town Council members went on record Mon
day night asking town residents to cut back unnecessary
usage of water until the pump could be placed back into
service.
John Wills, a representative of Layne-Atlantic out of Nor
folk, Va., reported to the Council that a study of the well in
dicated problems with a heavy accumalation of iron that has
caused corrosion within the pump's casing, along with approx
imately 30 feet of sand that has sifted into the well.
Tony Winslow, Hertford Water Plant Operator, concurred
with Wills' findings.
Wills told the Council that it would take approxiately three
weeks to correct the problem.
The well has been in operation for the town for about 22
years with no repairs to date.
The Council discussed two major options that could
eliminate^ the problem at this time. The well can be
rehabilitated by removing the sand, or a new well could be
constructed to replace the current well on the same site, or at
a site approved by the state.
A decision was tabled, pending studies by Payne-Atlantic.
In other action the Council:
?Heard a report from the local ABC Board indicating that
May sales showed an increase in revenue.
?Heard a report from Hertford Police Chief, Marshall Mer
ritt, concerning the new child restraint laws that will become
effective July 1, 1984.
?Planned a budget meeting for Fiscal Year 1984-85 for June
19, 1984 at 7:00 p.m.
?Set June 26, 1984 as the date for a Public Hearing on the new
budget for the town.
Winfall applies for
CDBG funds
By JANE WILLIAMS
The Town of Winfall is among 15 communities throughout
the state that have applied for funds in the second cycle of the
1984 Community Development Block Grant competition.
The funds are geared for economic development and the ap
plications total $5.2 million from the seven municipalities and
eight counties that have applied for funding.
Winfall has applied for $225,000.00, which if approved, will in
all probability create 20 full time jobs at Ward & Nixon, Inc.
(the cotton gin) in Winfall.
The money will be loaned to Ward & Nixon by the town to
build a storage warehouse for cotton for export purposes.
Currently the company must process the cotton and ship it
out for storage until ready for export.
Charles Ward, of Ward & Nixon, stated that currently the
employees work three months out of the year, but this will in
crease them to full-time employees.
Money obtained through the Community Development
Block Grant Program (CDBG) for loans to businesses is
repaid to the town at a lower interest rate than available
through commercial loan agencies, and then the town can use
the money for other economic development purposes.
Throughout the state, proposed activites range from water
system improvements to accomodate an expanding industry
in James ville to assistance for enlarging a manufacturing
Arm in Cabarrus County. All projects must primarily benefit
low and moderate income individuals.
According to Natural Resources and Community Develop
ment (NRCD) Secretary James A. Sumners, the funding re
quests represent local initiatives to combat unemployment
and enhance economic recovery. "Despite the news of an
upswing in the national economy, officials in these cities and
counties have realized that local actions are necessary to
stimulate economic activity in their communities.
"The task now facing NRCD is to review the applications
very thoroughly based on the established scoring system to en
sure that the limited CDBG funds will have the maximum im
pact across the state," he said.
Designed to create or retain jobs, all proposed projects are
rated according community needs, project design, benefit to
low and moderate income individuals, other funds to be used
in conjunction with CDBG dollars, and the project's consisten
cy with state policies and programs.