June
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pPRQUI: ANS COUNTY LICRARY
110 0 ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD '-C 2794+
The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 64, No. 23
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
County to
borrow
$4.25M
for water
system
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The Perquimans County
Commissioners voted Monday
to borrow $4.25 million from
BB&T to finance improve
ments to the county water sys
tem.
A public hearing advertised
for Monday at 2:45 p.m. drew
no response from county resi
dents.
Unlike financing with
bonds, the county will not
pledge its total assets, includ
ing its property taxing power,
as security for the loan.
Instead, the loan will be collat
eralized only with property
that is now a part or may
become a part of the Bethel
water plant. If for any reason
the county should default on
the loan, BB&T would be enti
tled to foreclose only on those
assets pledged as security
against the loan.
The loan will be paid back
over a 15-year period at an
average interest rate of 5.27
percent. The initial rate is 4.19
percent. The rate will change
at set intervals during the loan
period to a rate of 12.38 percent
in years 14 and 15.
The state’s Local
Government Commission was
scheduled to review all paper
work involved with the water
system improvements and
loan documents on Tuesday
afternoon.
To finance the loan repay
ment, county water rates will
rise effective Aug. 1.
Customers who use 2,000 gal
lons per month will see a $4
increase in their water bills.
Those who consume 3,000 gal
lons per month will see a $6
rise. For those who use 4,000
gallons per month, the rate
will increase $8.
Large consumers will see a
larger dollar jump. Customers
using 10,000 gallons of water
each month will now pay
$48.30, a $20 increase. For
those using 20,000 gallons, the
bill will rise from $50.30 to
$79.80.
Tap fees will also increase.
Fees will rise to $800 for 3/4-
inch line, $1,500 for a 1 inch
line, and $2,000 for a 2 inch
line. The charges are presently
$425, $500 and $825, respective
ly-
The rate increases are the
second imposed since the
county water system began
operation in 1976.
Commissioners anticipate
that the loan will be repaid
solely with profits from water
sales. Loan repayment will not
come from tax proceeds.
In order to complete the
plant upgrade, the county
must purchase additional land
near the Bethel'plant. The
county has spoken with Bethel
Fire Department officials
regarding purchasing the
property presently used as the
department’s fire station.
Another option is to purchase
a suitable site for future fire
department relocation and
trading deeds with the depart
ment.
No decision was made dur
ing the water renovation and
loan discussion; however, the
commissioners did convene in
closed session to discuss land
acquisition Monday.
State championship bound!
The biggest celebration ever held on a Lady Pirates softball
field took place Friday evening after the Perquiman squad
defeated Williamston 7-0 in the third round of state playoffs,
earning the right to play for the state championship. The
PHOTO BY BRIAN MCLAUGHLIN, THE DAILY ADVANCE
Lady Pirates will play in a double elimination tournament at
Walnut Creek Softball Complex in Raleigh. The team’s first
game is Sunday at 2 p.m. against Surry Central High School.
The tournament will continue on Monday.
of the
fleet is
Saturday
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
A day of fun is planned for
Hertford Saturday when the
Hertford Downtown
Association sponsors “Pirates
on the Perquimans.”
The day will kick off at 10
a.m. on Church Street. The
Perquimans Arts League will
showcase talent with an art
show and sale. There will also
be a boat show.
DJs Mickey and Aaron
Phelps will provide entertain
ment, while vendors will offer
pizza, oriental food and
seafood. One vendor will offer
banners.
At 11 o’clock, activities will
move to the boat ramp behind
municipal building for the
blessing of the fleet. Boaters
are invited to attend the cere
mony and decorate their boats
in Pirate theme. Julie Bunch
and Kregan Winslow will sing
at the blessing ceremony.
At noon, the-drawing for the
Chamber of Commerce fire-
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
A modern-day Perquimans County pirate, who
happens to favor Emily Christensen, is just
one of the sights one may see Saturday during
Hertford Downtown Association’s Blessing of
the Fleet. Activities wiil be held at the water
front park behind the municipal building and
downtown Hertford. Sidewalk sales, vendors,
entertainment and fun are on tap for the event.
works raffle will be held.
Martial arts students from
Dragon Combat Martial Arts
Academy will perform at 1:30
under the direction of Sensei
Pete White
At 2:30, the local alternative
band Solar Corpse will take
the stage.
Church Street will be closed
during the festivities.
Activities such as “Pirates
on the Perquimans,” the annu
al Easter egg hunt and the
community Christmas pro
gram are all organized by
members of the Hertford
Downtown Association with
support from the Chamber of
Commerce. The purpose of
sponsoring these events is to
bring people to downtown
Hertford to shop and to foster
a sense of community among
county residents.
Downtown business areas
in many towns have vanished
over the years with the con
struction of malls and other
alternative shopping areas,
and the construction of high
ways that bypass the heart of
many small towns. An effort is
underway in many areas to
revitalize the downtown busi
ness districts.
The Hertford Downtown
Association formed three
years ago to preserve and pro
mote the businesses and beau
ty in historic downtown
Hertford.
Hertford taxes may increase
County’s
rich
history
could
fuel
economy
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Preserving Perquimans
County’s history with an eye
towards tourism is high on the
agenda of the Perquimans
County Historic Commission.
'The commission is working
under the auspices of the
Chamber of Commerce to help
coordinate efforts by groups in
Perquimans County, including
the Perquimans County
Restoration Association, to
establish historic districts to
be included in the National
Register of Historic Places.
The first goal of the commis
sion is to get areas in the
Belvidere, Bethel, Durants
Neck, Hertford, Old Neck and
Winfall communities nominat
ed for the national register.
The group does not intend to
establish districts with proper
ty rights restrictions. That
means that homeowners will
continue to have control over
their properties..
Benefits of having commu
nity districts accepted in the
national register may include
building pride and spirit
among county residents, pre
serving the most endangered
historic homes, improving the
quality of life in general, pro
viding potential benefits to
historic homeowners and
bringing in tourism dollars,
according to commission
members.
The process to achieve pla-
clement on the register will
take considerable time, com
mission members say, in part
because an inventory catalog
of homes and sites must be
developed by a historic
archives consultant before reg
ister application. Funds must
be available to pay for this
process before the effort can
move forward.
To help with funding, a
fundraiser tagged “Picnic on
the Perquimans” has been
scheduled for July 28. Final
details of the day are not set.
Studies have shown that
tourism is one of. North
Carolina’s largest and fast
growing industries. With over
100 sites that should qualify
for National Register status,
Perquimans County has the
potential to see its economy
fueled by preservation leading
to tourism.
For information on the com
mission’s work, call the
Chamber at 426-5657.
Town Manager John
Christensen will recommend
budget cuts and a tax increase
to the town council for
Hertford’s 1996-97 fiscal bud
get.
Christensen said Tuesday
that the Local Government
Commission is requiring that
Electricities members curb
transfers from their electric
funds to their general funds.
To meet this mandate,
Christensen said he will rec
ommend that council okay a 2
cents tax increase, eliminate a
presently unfilled officer’s
position in the police depart
ment and privatize garbage
collection.
The town manager said
there has been some confusion
over garbage privatization.
Some residents believe that
there will be a per-household
user fee if the town opts to pri
vatize. That is not the case,
Christensen said. Garbage col
lection will be handled
through the general fund no
matter which option council
chooses.
Christensen will recom
mend a general fund budget of
$925,450 to council. There are
separate budgets for the water
and sewer and electric depart
ments, which are self-sustain
ing.
Council will hold its June
meeting on Tuesday, June 11
at 7:30 p.m., a change from its
usual Monday meeting date.
Christensen expects a decision
on garbage collection at that
meeting. There will be a bud
get hearing on June 17 at 7
p.m. at the town hall.
Outside
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80s 60s
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