THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
yolume 57, No. 7,
USPS 428-OSO
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, February 12, 1??7
25 CENTS
Serene and beautiful!
The Perquimans River remained relatively calm Monday despite gale-like conditions in the area. White caps
could be seen on the water, but for the most part the river appeared serene and beautiful.
Financial options for financially stressed farmers
By JACK R. WARD
* Area Assoc. Ext. Agent
Farm Management
This is the third article in a 4 part
series on the Financial Crisis Facing
Farmers here in Perquimans
County.
Earlier articles have dealt with the
(acts that financial problems for
farmers are a reality and with ways
of dealing with stress. We shall now
look at some of the options a farmer
pnay have to remedy or at least to
lessen the intensity of his financial
dilemma.
The first step in this process is to
define the problem. That is, he must
analyze his financial situation to de
termine what events or lack of events
may have caused him to be in his sit
uation. In order to do this he might
ask himself the following questions:
1. How much do I owe?
2. How much do I own?
3. What time limits are placed on
when I am to pay?
4. How much more do I have to
make to be able to pay up?
5. Can I make any more money than
I am now?
6. Am I doing the best job I can with
my farming operation?
7. Can I cut back on operating or liv
ing expense?
8. Should I change the mix of my
crops (more peanuts, less corn, in
clude a vegetable crop, take out a
crop that is a loser, etc.)?
9. Will getting bigger or smaller
help?
10. Can I move some of my debt to
longer terms?
11. Would reducing the interest rate
allow proper repayment?
12. If my debts could be reduced
could I make it?
13. Would a part time job help be the
answer?
This list of questions could go on
and on. Answers to these and other
questions would determine what
methods could be used to work out of
this financial dilemma. A partial list
of potential alternatives would be as
follows :
Change operation by increasing or
decreasing size (remember? get
better before getting bigger).
2. Sell assets to reduce debts and
consider renting.
3. Rent more land to better justify
equipment investment (careful at
tention must be paid to this option).
4. Consider custom work with your
equipment.
5. Reduce operation and seek em
ployment outside the farm.
6. Ask your wife to work outside the
farm.
7. Move short term obligations to
longer terms.
8. Seek different source of money
with lower interest rates.
9. Make every effort to reduce oper
ating inputs without reducing yield
potential.
10. Learn to market for a profit con
sistently (hedging).
If your problems are beyond the re
medies listed above then you may
have to consider more severe forms
of action.
Go to your creditor and explain your
situation and ask for his help. Sug
gest a reduction in current payments
and ballooning the principle at a later
date or maybe forgiving part of the
principle. Should you find no relief in
this manner, you may have to con
sider one of the chapters under the
bankruptcy code. In fact, due to cur
rent financial situations on the farm
a new chapter has been designed spe
cifically for family farmers, Chapter
12. If, after an analysis has been com
pleted and Chapter 12 will not work
due to valuation, term, rate or feasi
bility, then you may have to consider
Chapter 7 or total liquidation and
look ahead to some other way of mak
ing a living. These are hard choices
and create great stress in both the
decision making and follow through.
You will probably need help during
these times but have problems in
asking for it. The purpose of this and
earlier articles is to make you aware
that you are not alone and that a help
ing hand is yours just for the asking.
As awkward as you may feel in
asking for help, it does not compare
with seeing someone hurting and
knowing you could help but fearing to
offer because of how it might seem.
Help your friends help you, reach out
and ask.
The Fourth and final article in this
series will be entitled "Back to the
Basics".
High school students take
second in local quiz bowl
On Wednesday, February 4th,
members of the Perquimans County
High School Quiz Bowl team traveled
to Creswell to compete in Quiz Bowl
1967.
The Perquiman's team made up of
Calvin Hobbs, Capt., Alan Kirby, Bob
Luke, and Stuart Rayburn did very
well, but for the second consecutive
John A. Holmes High School of Eden
ton edged past Perquimans for the
win.
, Perquimans High School was unde
feated and lead the competition going
into the last round, but Holmes High
School beat them twice to clench the
match and advance to the district
competition.
; Quiz Bowl competitions were
started in the state of North Carolina
Ui 1978, and in 1961 Pettigrew Re
gional Library became involved with
the quiz bowl program. The library
flow sponsors the program which is
conducted throughout the state.
I Local students compete annually
4* quit tc.vi competitions which are
held at different high schools
throughout the region. The local re
gion includes Creswell, Plymouth,
Cblumbia, Edenton, and Perquimans
high schools.
Quiz Bowl competitions are de
signed to give students with a flair
for academics a chance to become
itate champions, a chance that be
fore was only available to student
The quiz bowl competition also
gives local libraries a chance to in
teract with the school systems, and
the local community.
Teams from the high schools are
made up of four members, and from
two to four alternates. Teams prac
tice prior to the competition for seve
ral months, and the actual competi
tion begins in February. The state
championship is held sometime in
April.
Questions for the competition are
selected randomly, and cover a
broad range of topics including poli
tics, history, science, literature, and
religion. The questions also vary in
their degree of difficulty.
Each quiz bowl game consists of
three rounds. The first round ques
tions are worth ten points each, and
are answered by individual members
of each team in a rotating order. Sec
ond round questions are worth 20
points and are answered individu
ally, and third round questions are
worth 30 points. Team members may
consult with each other regarding an
swers during the third round of the
game. If a team misses a question
during any round of competition the
question is referred to the other team
for one-half credit.
Quiz Bowl is based on double elimi
nation from the tournament, and pro
vides team members with a chal
lenge.
Wednesday's victory moves Eden
ton into the district level of competi
tion. The district competition will be
held in Wilson on March 7th.
Council approves sale
of town fire truck
The Winfall Town Council met Mon
day evening and accepted a bid for
the Winfall Fir* Department's
pamper track.
Two bids were received on the
pumper track, and councilman voted
to accept the highest bid of 9801.00
dollars from a gentleman at Holiday
Island.
The pumper track has been in use
by the Winfall Fire Department since
1968, and was recently replace with a
truck purchased from Perquimans
County.
The Winfall Council also voted to
put into service a van donated by
North Carolina Power. The van will
be used as an equipment vehicle by
the fire department.
There being no further business the
meeting was adjourned.
photo b? fita* hfm
Members of the quiz bowl team are pictured above as they battle Plymouth High School. They
defeated Plymouth, but later lost to John A. Holmes High School of Edenton.
Food assistance program to continue
RALEIGH? Governor Jim Martin,
Human Resources Secretary Phillip
J. Kirk, Jr., and Agriculture Com
mission Jim Graham, said today the
state will not allow the discontinua
tion of the Temporary Emergency
Food Assistance Program.
"We do not intend to let this impor
tant food program end," Governor
Martin said. "I have written to Presi
dent Reagan and the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture Secretary Rich
ard Lyng requesting the restoration
of the TEFAP administration funds,
and I will seek alternate funding
sources if federal relief is not forth
coming."
On January 14, 1987, the U.S. De
partment of Agriculture (USDA) no
tified the N.C. Department of Agri
culture that administrative funds for
the Temporary Emergency Pood As
sistance Program (TEFAP) were be
ing reduced 21 percent for the second
quarter of the federal fiscal year
(January-March 1987), and elimi
nated for the final two quarters
(April-September 1987). TEFAP dis
tributes USDA)-doaated commodi
ties such as cheese, butter, instant
milk, and rice to low-income North
Carolinians through 101 Emergency
Feeding Organisations through tout
the state.
"The recipients of this assistance
cannot qualify, in some instances, for
food stamps,' Kirk said. "This group
includes the elderly, laid-off textile
workers, drought-stricken farm
workers, the underemployed, and
others who have lost their jobs."
North Carolina is currently allocat
ing approximately $1.3 million in TE
FAP administrative funds for the dis
tribution of products valued at $15.5
million.
The administrative funds provides
staff, distribution, and storage costs
at state and local sites, according to
Commissioner Graham. He added,
"The loss of these federal funds will
deprive the needy of food and adver
sely affect the state's economy."
Secretary Kirk and Commissioner
Graham have enlisted Governor
Martin's support and have requested
funding from the contingency and
emergency fund or alternate funding
sources if federal funds are not re
stored. Initial estimates indicate the
need for approximately $500,000 to
continue administrative funding
through the end of the state fiscal
year (June 30, 1987).
"Secretary Kirk, Commissioner
Graham, and I are committed and
optimistic about finding alternative
ways to continue this important pro
gram," Governor Martin said.
Perquimans County Committee
of 100 holds annual meeting
The Perquimans County Commit
tee of 100 held their annual meeting
on Monday, February 2nd. The meet
ing was held at Angler's Cove Res
taurant at 7 p.m..
Members and guests were wel
comed by Mr. Gregory Terranova,
and Mr. Dennis Terry of the Albe
marle Commission was the speaker
for the evening.
Mr. Terry, Industrial Developer,
Albemarle Commission, highlighted
various programs offered by the Al
bemarle Commission, and described
some of the Albemarle Commission's
duties.
The Perquimans County Commit
tee of 100 also elected four new mem
bers to the Board of Directors. The
four new members elected in 1967 to
the board of directors are Henry Car
ney, owner and operator of Angler's
Cove Restaurant, David Carter, As
sistant Vice President, North Caro
lina National Bank, Erie Haste,
owner and operator of Hertford
Hardware, and Mrs. Shirley Perry,
Agro-Business. They join Ben Berry,
Vice President and Assistant City
Executive, Peoples Bank and Trust
Company, Hal By rum, Vice Presi
dent of Operations, Don Juan Mfg.
Company, John Christensen, owner
and operator of Darden's Dept.
Store, Gregory Terranova, co-owner
operator of Apricot, Inc., and Charles
Ward, owner of Dixie Auto Parts who
were previously serving on the board
of directors for the Perquimans
County Committee of 100.
Ex-officio directors for the com
mittee of 100 are Randy Keaton, Per
quimans County Manager, Welly
White, Chairman, County Commis
sioners, Lloyd Ray Morgan, Mayor,
Town of Winfall, Bill Cox, Mayor,
Town of Hertford, Mary Harrell, Per
quimans County Chamber of Com
merce, and Jewel Hollar, Holiday Is
land Association.
The Perquimans County Commit
tee of 100 is a group of businessman
and concerned citizens who are work
ing to promote industrial devel
opment in Perquimans County.
Commissioners discuss
upcoming jail expansion
Area County Commissioners gave
the go ahead Thursday to expansion
of the Albemarle District Jail.
Members of the Albemarle District
Jail Commission met with commis
sioners from Camden, Pasquotank,
and Perquimans Counties Thursday
evening in Elizabeth City to ask for
their support of the jail expansion
project. It is hoped that expansion of
the jail will eliminate current over
crowding.
Alphonso Nixon, Chairman of the
Albemarle Jail Commission, told
area commissioners that the jail
commission was seeking the green
light to begin the search for an ar
chitect for the project. "We would
like you to go back to your counties
and make a resolution giving us the
go ahead to start searching for an ar
chitect for expanding the jail," said
Nixon.
Members of the jail commission re
ported that at certain times there
have been as many as ten people
sleeping on the floor at the jail, and
they added that numbers continue to
rise due the change in the laws espe
cially the drunk driving laws.
Nixon and other members of the
Commission stated that they feel for
tunate that no prisoners have called
them on the overcrowded conditions
which now exist at the jail.
Pasquotank County attorney, Her
bert Mullen, stated that the jail com
mission is open for law suits stem
ming from current conditions. "All
someone has to do s be stepped on,
and they'll sue the commission and
anyone else they can think of to sue,"
said Mullen.
The present jail facilty was con
structed in 1972, and is located off
Hughes Blvd. It is designed to house
46 prisoners, and six cells are set
aside to accommodate women pris
oners.
The preposed expansion project for
the jail calls for sixteen additional
cells and a jailor's station to be added
to the existing facility.
No cost figures were reported by
the commission. Cost figures will
come from the architect hired for the
project.
Funding for the project must still
be ironed out, and according to the
commission members state and fed
eral funds are limited, and may not
even be available for the project.
Pending formal approval by the
counties, the expansion costs will be
shared on a pro rata basis. Each
county's share will be based on pop
ulation, and according to Pasquotank
County Commissioner, Bill Owens,
Pasquotank County has already ear
marked $112,000 dollars for the pro
ject.
Town approves
ordinances
The Hertford Town council met Mon
day night and approved two new ordi
nances for the town of Hertford.
The first ordinance deals with the
mowing and trimming of grass from
lots within the city limits.
The ordinance states that if a lot in
the town becomes excessively over
grown with weeds or grass that the
town may enter the premises and cut
the grass or weeds. It also states that
the town may tax the land owner with
the costs of removal and fine them a
$10.00 civil fine.
The second ordinance deals with
pick up of tree limbs and debris. It
states that the town shall not be re
sponsible for pick up of tree limbs or
any other debris from trees over four
inches, it states that the town may be
contacted to remove same after it is
trimmed but there shall be a charge
of $25.00 per hour per truck and man
for doing so.
The ordinance also goes on to say
that the town shall not be responsible
for clean up after any construction
materials left on the street, and that
contractors doing the work have an
obligation to remove those materials
The town will also no longer be re
sponsible for pick up of refrigerators,
cookstoves, bathroom fixtures, or
any other large, bulky or unwieldy
debris unless notified and ask to do so
by the owner. The ordinance further
states that the town will charge a
minimum fee of $25.00 to pick such
items up.
Any violation of this ordinance will
carry a fine in the amount of $10.00.
The town council also voted to have
Mayor Bill Cox draw up a resolution
honoring Margaret Cash, retired
owner and operator of the Hertford
Cafe, for years of service to the com
munity.
There being no further business the
meeting was adjourned.
Turner selected
for district band
David Ziemba recently announced
that Renee Turner, an 8th grader at
Union School, was named to the all
district band.
Renee plays the clairnet.
All members of the district band
participated in a band clinic held
Februarytth at ECU in Greenville.