October 31,1
The Perquimans W
^Z ulllti 1 9v'7 Z'C
= ERaUI;':ANS COUNTY LIBRARY
110 W ACADE-'Y ST
HERTFORD .C 27944
Vol. 64, No. 43
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Royalty/Homecoming court crowned
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Perquimans royalty was
crowned Friday night during
halftime of the homeconaing
football game at Perquimans
High School.
Seniors Shikara Elliott
and Brian White were named
queen and king by the stu
dent body. Crowned princess
and prince were juniors
Jennifer Rountree and
Tavarus Ferebee. Chosen
Miss and Mr. Class of 1999
were Brandy Hollowell and
Andrew Harris. Named Miss
and Mr. Class of 2000 were
Brandi Dennison and Ryan
Woodell.
The Marching Pirates pre
sented a special halftime
show featuring selections
from their 1996 competition
program and “When a Man
Loves a Woman.” The musi
cians also provided music
and drum cadences to accom
pany the cheerleaders during
the Friday afternoon pep
rally.
Homecoming festivities
ended with a post-game
dance in the school gym.
Friday started with stu-
denbts arriving at P.C.H.S.
dressed in school colors,
black and gold. Several stu
dents entered the car decorat
ing contest. Contest winners
were Mike Bail, first place;
Leary Winslow, second place;
and Lee Bail, third place.
After about a 20-year
absence, a parade was part of
PHOTOS BY SUSAN HARRIS
On the Perquimans High School homecoming court were (above, left to right) Faith Dean,
Miss Class of 2000 Brandi Dennison, Miss Class of 1999 Brandy Hollowell, LeAnn Ferrell,
Julie Bunch, Princess Jennifer Rountree, Queen Shikara Elliott, Erica Ennis, (below, left to
right) Brian Holland, Mr. Class of 2000 Ryan Woodell, Korey Moore, King Brian White, Toby
Crandall, Prince Tavarus Ferebee, Mr. Class of 1999 Andrew Harris, and James White.
msoE.. mms
homecoming. Over 30 entries
made their way from the
high school through the
downtown area Friday after
noon. Floats, the band, deco
rated cars and the homecom
ing court, all entered by
groups from the high school
and the middle school, made
up the parade. Two former
homecoming queens, Georgia
Winslow Stallings and
V
Sharon Riddick Lane, rode in
the parade. Dr. Randall
Henion led the parade.
Students enjoyed a variety
of events all during home
coming week.
Hertford casts
compromise
fishing rule
S-bridge open to
fishing during
daylight hours
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The Hertford Town Council
cast a compromise vote this
month when the board decided
to reopen the S-shaped bridge
to fishing.
Council visit
ed the bridge
fishing issue in
May, when sev
eral residents
appeared before
the board and
requested that
fishing from the bridges in the
town’s municipal limits be
halted. Among the problems
cited by the residents were
fishermen in the roadway,
casting into passing vehicles,
litter, loud talking late at
night, alcohol consumption,
public urination and parking
on private property. Town
manager John Christensen
called state officials the next
day to determine what steps
the town would need to take to
outlaw fishing oh the bridges.
In June, council voted to
ask the state DOT to take
action on the town’s request to
close the bridges to fishing.
The state approved the request
“We reached a
compromise.”
John Christensen
Hertford Town Manager
and fishing was banned on the
S-bridge, Walter’s Bridge and
Skinner’s Bridge.
August brought residents
with a petition to the town
board’s monthly meeting bear
ing 100 signatures requesting
that the town reconsider its
ordinance. Willie Riddick and
George Riddick presented the
petition to the town, and asked
what problems had occured
that caused council to ban fish
ing. The pair
said if they
could find out
what the prob
lems were, they
and other fish
ermen would
help police the
area to curtail
the problems.
Council agreed to reconsid
er the issue.
This month, the board voted
to reopen the S-bridge to fish
ing during daylight hours
only. Walter’s Bridge and
Skinner’s Bridge remain
closed to fishing.
“We reached a compro
mise,” Christensen said this
week. He said many of the
problems that led to the town’s
decision to close the S-bridge
to fishing occured at night. By
allowing fishing only during
the day, council is hoping the
former problems will not
recur.
Trick or
treat
hours set
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Ghosts, goblins and witches
will make their way through
Hertford Thursday evening,
repeating the familiar refrain
“Trick or treat!”
Hertford Police Chief
Bennie Murphy announced
last week that trick-or-treat
hours for the town will be 5:30-
8 p.m. Murphy said only chil
dren 12 and under should
trick-or-treat, and all trick-or-
treaters should be accompa
nied by an adult or older
youth. Only those homes with
porch lights on should be visit
ed.
Murphy also said his offi
cers will be on the look-out for
those who use Halloween as an
evening to commit mischief.
Such as smashing pumpkins.
Perquimans Sheriff David
Lane said following simple
tips can make Halloween
activities safer and more fun.
Suggestions for a safe
Halloween include;
• Use face paint instead of a
mask when possible to that
children can see well.
• Wear reflective clothing,
carry a bright bag and a flash
light or glowstick.
• Always walk on the side
walk or left side of the road
facing traffic.
• Young children should be
accompanied by an adult.
• All candy should be taken
home arid inspected by parents
before being eaten.
• Unwrapped candy and any
suspicious-looking goodies
should be thrown away.
• Lighted jack-o-lanterns
and electrical decorations can
be a fire hazard. Keep them
out of reach of small children
and away from flammable
materials.
Commissioner candidates speak about issues
Part 5 in a series
Last week in The
Perquimans Weekly, the first
question asked all four county
commissioner candidates
appeared. This week, the rest
of the questions, along with a
little about each candidate,
appears.
The county is presently the
owner of a 400-acre tract of
land upon which a commer
cial park will be built. This
site is being developed with
county funds, along with lim
ited grant funds. What, if any,
incentives should be granted
to businesses desiring to
establish a business in that
park? Why?
Hayes: NONE! I believe in
bringing what businesses we
can to this county, but let pri
vate investors develop the
industrial “dream” park,
don’t use our much-needed
tax dollars. We have far more
important priorities that are
in need of our tax dollars i.e.
teachers, school equipment
and supplies, emergency
equipment i.e. fire truck and
ambulance. This year’s bud
get for the industrial “dream”
park exceeds $260,000. Next
year will be more of the same.
Howell: The county is not
in a position financially to
offer monetary incentives. We
would have to do a hard sell
on the physical and other
attributes we have to offer.
Miller: Business incen
tives should be offered when
the location of the business
will give benefits to the people
of Perquimans County, such
as jobs, increased tax rev
enues, and increased tax base.
Incentives could be of several
types, such as decreased cost
of property, infrastructure, or
utilities. At the same time the
benefits that the county would
receive would have to be
greater than the incentives
offered.
Yates: Once we have devel-
Election
\oi K Vote Coims
oped our infrastructure to the
park, we should be concerned
about what industry is inter
ested in coming and try to pro
vide training for people in the
county so they will be able to
acquire some of these jobs and
industry wiU not have to train
all of its employees. And we
will take a look and see if we
can offer some tjq)e tax incen
tives. The county has to be
concerned with developing its
own park if some assistance is
needed by the town of
Hertford and Winfall and we
havje the resourcjes to help
than I thinkw e should.
Development should be a joint
effort.
Should the county offer the
same opportunities/incen
tives for businesses in other
locations or for other projects
such as downtown revitaiiza-
tion?
Hayes: To my knowledge
the county has not helped any
local businesses. Our local
merchants have had to make
improvements on their own
property with their own
money. Before the County
Commissioners decided to
dump tax dollars into a indus
trial park they should have
improved the downtown area.
Major companies or business
es are going to locate in an
attractive well maintained
community. For a few thou
sand dollars the downtown
area could be spruced up and
made more appealing to
potential businesses. After all,
it has been our local business
es that have stuck with us
through good times and not so
good of times.
Howell: I believe in being
impartial so the same oppor
tunities should be offered to
all. I would not like to see a
ghost town in downtown
Hertford.
Miller: The county should
offer the same opportunities
or incentives in other loca
tions if these businesses can
offer the same advantages to
the citizens of Perquimans
County.
Yates: No answer.
How involved should com
missioners be in the day-to-
day operation of the county
government. Why?
Hayes: Commissioners
should not get involved in the
day-to-day operation of the
county. There is a tiered
structured form of manage
ment for most major business
es and local governments.
Commissioners delegate
authority and a measured
amount of responsibility to
the county manager who in
turn manages the over all
operation of the county.
Interference in the manager’s
role by a commissioner under
mines the authority of the
manager. If the commission
ers are displeased with the
poor performance of a partic
ular department then the
Chairman of the County
Commissioners takes the
matter up with the County
Manager.
Howell: Commissioners
should operate as a Board.
Individual involvement
would only cause disruption.
The Board is a policy making
body not a day-to-day opera
tive.
Miller: In my opinion,
county commissioners are
the policy making body of
your local government. The
county manager and the
department heads are hired to
take care of the day to day
operation of the county busi
ness. One responsibility of a
county commissioner is to lis
ten to feedback from the pub
lic and county employees to
determine if a problem exists.
Where or when a problem
exists in a department, all
commissioners should be
advised and proper action
should then be taken.
Yates: We should be
involved each day. I spend
time at the senior center and
deliver meals on wheels so I
can listen to seniors tell about
their needs. I work with the
school system to find out the
needs of children. I talknvith
young mothers and fathers in
the supermarkets, at games,
church, service stations and
anywhere I see people whom I
feel I should talk to. This is
now I am involved in the com
munity.
The county presently rents
office space for department of
social services overflow and
will soon move dispatch into
rented quarters. Other depart
ments report overcrowding
and the need for more space.
What is your solution to this
problem?
departments growing, our
population is remaining sta
ble at around 10,000 residents?
What services are we now
having to provide that we
have not been providing?
Before seeking more space I
would appoint a Blue Ribbon
Committee to look at the posi
tion descriptions of each
employee in those impacted
departments to se of the work
assignments could be consoli
dated. If it is determined that
more space is needed then the
vacant buildings downtown or
in Winfall should be explored
for possible renovation.
Howell: The county owns
land suitable for office space.
The possibility of having
office space constructed on a
lease to own plan would be an
alternative.
Miller: The commissioners
are aware of this problem and
there are funds appropriated
in this year’s budget to build
an office building on property
already owned by the county
that would help alleviate this
problem.
Yates: I think the county
should build its own office
building on land that it owns
and rent the space that is not
needed to help pay for the
building.
Hayes: Why are our county Please see Elect, page 9
Outside
THURSDAY
High: Low:
70s 50s
PARTLY CLOUDY
High: Low:
70s 50s
PARTLY CLOUDY
High: Low:
60s 40s
MOSTLY SUNNY