THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 62, No. 39
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, December 16, 1993
35 Cents
Sports:
Pirates use control
to whip Knights,
54-41: Page 6
Sports:
Middle school Tiger
teams claim first
season wins: Page 6
Citizens
group wants
grants for
water, sewer
installation
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Estelle Felton told the county
commissioners last Monday that
some county residents live in
“deplorable conditions," with in
adequate or nonexistent plumb
ing and sewage. And Felton
wants to help rectify that situa
tion.
Felton volunteered to lead a
Housing Task Force under the
auspices of the Perquimans 2020
Coalition to determine the extent
of the problem countywide, and
recommend a course of action.
Felton told the commission
ers that the lack of adequate
sewerage and plumbing is a
health hazard and affects the
quality of life for county resi
dents. She added that the condi
tion brings shame to the county.
Felton told the commission
ers that she was informed that
grants are available to alleviate
the problem, and asked for
county support to seek im
provements. She said she was
not asking the county for money.
> “We can no longer blame the
victims,” Felton said.
Felton said she knew of 11
occupied houses in her neighbor
hood. Beech Springs, with no
bathrooms. Some, she said, do
not have running water.
Commissioners chairman
Mack Nixon told Felton and ap
proximately one dozen residents
who came to support her request
that the county is presently
working with a $302,000 Com
munity Development Block Grant
to renovate about a dozen homes
In the U.S. Highway 17/Ferry
Road area. Included in the pro
ject is adding and/or updating
water and septic facilities to the
housjes. He said the grant rep
resented the first the county has
sought, and was matched with
$20,000 in local funds, an indi
cation, he said, that the commis
sioners are concerned about the
lack of sewer and water availabil
ity to some residents. Nixon
added that the board will seek
additional grants foj; more up
grades. ■
Commissioner Charles Skin
ner was chosen as the liaison be
tween the task force and the
commissioners.
Winfall name's
Miller mayor
pro tern
William Ray Miller will serve
as mayor pro tem in Winfall, af
ter being unanimously chosen by
council members Monday night
Council voted to send Police ;
Chief David Lane to radar school'
on the Outer Banks, Jan. 3-7, *
and to provide uniforms for town '
maintenance supervisor David
Peckham.
JPERQUIMANS
WEEKLY
riff'4?
DEADUNES
• News Release
Monday * 3:00 p.m.
• Advertising
Monday • 3:00 p.m.
Trimming for the holidays
The fireplaces and mantles through Steve
and Phyllis Perry’s 18th century home, Riv
erside, were adorned with live greenery and
silk accents. The Perry home was one of
three on the annual Perquimans Extension
Homemakers Christmas Ramble. (Photo by
Susan Harris)
Simplicity marks
seasonal decorations
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The annual Perquimans County Extension
Homemakers Christmas ramble featured homes
adorned with trimmings designed with a busy
holiday season in mind.
The beauty of many of the decorative
touches was in their simplicity. All three homes
were outfitted with decorations that left rooms
uncluttered enough for easy everyday living, yet
festive enough for holiday entertaining.
Luminaries lighted the path to the wicker
filled sunporch of Cheryl Phillips’ Woodland Cir
cle home. A Victorian Christmas tree filled with
ornaments made by Miss Phillips was the focal
point of the living room. The tree’s theme was
carried through with pastel-wrapped gifts
topped with matching bows and flower sprigs.
Greenery filled the room’s mantle.
A miniature tree brought the holiday spirit
into the combination st^dy, sewing* and guest
room.
In the master bedroom, a handmade quilt
behind the double bed lent a country feel to the
room.
The hallway was made festive with a gold
lame drape over a forest green cabinet. Flicker
ing candles atop , the drape brought sparkles to
the area.
Simmering spices and a festive red-velvet
cake brought the smells of the season to the
kitchen. Even the utility room was decked with
a basket of poinsettias and a suspended white
bird cage filled with red and green.
Greenery and candles flickering in the win
dows welcomed guests to the historic Riverside
Farm, home of Steve and Phyllis Perry. Inside;
floral sprays placed on the home’s many hearths
provided a focaf point in each room.
The warm country kitchen was accented
with a gingerbread village atop the freezer.
The Perrys enlisted Charlsie Perry and Mi
chael Clinkscales to fill the home with holiday
melodies, and Matt Tunnell and Mark
Clinkscales assisted guests up and down the
tall steps leading to the front and back doors of
theca. 1790 home.
A good morning stairway greeted guests in
the unique home of Van and Holly Johnson. The
home was built in 1985 from a bow house, kit to
resemble a ship. The Johnsons collected an
tiques and unusual collectibles over the years to
give the home the warm feeling of a historic
dwelling.
The keeping room featured a walk-in fire
place topped by a lighted antique stained glass
window. A huge live tree filled the keeping room
comer. An antique bread board filled with
greenery and fruit served as the centerpiece on
the harvest table, surrounded by an old church
pew and ladder-back chairs.
Refreshments were enjoyed at historic Hert
ford Baptist Church, built in 1854.
Perry opens dental office
The Perquimans County Chamber of Com
merce recently sponsored a ribbon cutting to
welcome the new dental practice of county na
tive Douglas Perry. On hand for the ribbon cut
ting were (left to right) bounty manager Paul.
Gregory, commissioners Archie Miller and
Shirley Yates, Hertford town manager trainee
John Christensen, Elliott, “Pete” Overman,
county commissioner Leo Higgins, Dewey and
Clara Perry, Cherie and Douglas Perry, Cham*
ber president Sherry Harrell, Hertford town
manager Bill Cox, Joe France, Hertford mayor
John Beers and Ed Walker. The office is lo
cated oh U.S. Highway 17 South of Hertford. {•
(Photo by Susan Harris)
Hertford on solid
financial footing
• Bad news is
electric fund
is too low
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Certified Public Accountant
Sonja Hibbard told the Hertford
Town Council Monday night that
the town is in solid financial
shape, but the town does not
have the reserve in the electric
department recommended by the
state.
The town had a fund balance
of $361,000 in the general fund
as of June 30, but Hibbard said
only $147,000 of that money is
unreserved. The council bud
geted $94,000 in the 1993-94 fis
cal year, and reserve accounts,
such as the $70,000 firemen's
relief fund, cannot be spent for
general expenses. The water and
sewer fund showed a net operat
ing loss of $114,522. Fixed as
sets accounted for over $3.1
million, brought down to total
assets of only $2.9 million with
the operating loss, which in
cluded depreciation.
Town manager Bill Cox said
preliminary results from tests
run on the water and sewer
lines Monday indicated the
town is facing at least
$200,000-250,000 in expenses
to update the system.
The electric department
showed income of $41,352 be
fore operating transfers to the
general fund. Hibbard said the
department showed a fund bal
ance of $925,000, but said that
$446,664 of that balance is ac
counted for in fixed assets. She
warned the council that the
electric fund balance falls short
of the three months of operating
expenses the state recommends
municipalities keep on hand.
In the good news category,
Hibbard said the town collected
94.57 percent of ad valorem
taxes for the audit year, an im
provement over the previous au
dit. Debt service was another
positive area. The town owed only
$89,535 as of June 30. The
amount represented payments on
a bucket truck, garbage truck,
street sweeper and water and
sewer bonds. She said the town
could borrow over $3 million
based on its financial condition.
Interim Police Chief N. Brdd
Krause told the council that he
has contacted Elizabeth City offi
cials involved in a growing Com
munity Watch Program about
helping to set up the program in
Hertford neighborhoods. Krause
told the board that since imple
menting the program in Elizabeth
City, the police department there
has seen a decrease in property
crimes and an increase in prop
erty recoveries.
The council told Krause to
continue to gather information on
the program, and gave Commu
nity Watch its full support.
Krause told the council that
the program will not work without
a network of dedicated town resi
dents as its backbone.
Krause also asked the council
to purchase three new patrol cars
on a lease-purchase plan. Krause
said he had found financing that
would allow the department to
purchase the cars and make pay
ments using the funds the town
agreed to budget to purchase one
new car each year. The acting
chief added that the town would
also realize significant savings by
pulling the two older patrol cars
out of service. He said low gas
mileage and maintenance makes
the cars expensive to operate.
Council asked Krause to put
his proposal in writing to allow
them to study the request further.
In other business, the council:
• voted to repair six streets at
a cost of about $21,000;
• was informed that county
fire marshall John Long has sent
a letter to the Lester Keel estate
with the news that the building
on the comer of Grubb and Eden
ton Road streets has been deemed
a fire hazard.
• entered closed- session to
discuss personnel matters.
O, Christmas tree
■TMiaiii 11 I i aii iiilliiaiiilniiMii 111 Mil
The Christmas tree in the keeping room of Van and Holly
Johnson reaches well up into the two-story room. A rock
ing chair and walk-in fireplace nearby add a feeling of co
ziness to the spacious room. The Johnsons home was
open for the Extension Homemakers Christmas Ramble
last week. (Photo by Susan Harris)