Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / June 11, 1998, edition 1 / Page 1
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June 11,1998 li The Perquimans Ty ^/7c t r The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people Hertford, North Carolina 27944 No more time limits for downtown parking By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The 90-minute parking signs will come down in down town Hertford. Speaking on behalf of the Hertford Downtown Merchants’ Association, Mary White of The Wishing Well ksked the Hertford Town Council to consider taking down the signs. “Me do not want to send a negative, time-limit message to our customers,” White said. Most of the merchants and businesses on Church Street signed a request to do away with the 90-minute parking. White said anyone who parks in downtown Hertford is a potential customer. Hertford resident JoAnne Morris said Edenton has an enforced parking time limit which has not negatively affepted tourism. She said those who wish to tour or shop can park in other areas, such as the parking lot of Hertford Baptist Church, as well as downtown. Morris’s husband Don said he thought the 90-minute park ing was appropriate, and that if the town chose to remove the signs from Church Street, the same should be done on Market Street. White said the Market Street businesses did not join those on Church Street in making the request. Vice Mayor Billy Winslow said the signs initially went up at the request of the mer chants. One of the problems at that time was merchants and employees parking on the street all day. White said the businesses will police themselves on the parking issue. Council voted on a motion by Sid Eley to remove the signs from Church and Market streets. Eley said the signs New superintendent hired Gregory T. Todd to assume duties July 1 By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The 30-plus people waiting in the board room began to speculate that maybe the Perquimans County School Board would not announce the hiring of a news schools super intendent. But after a closed session that lasted just over two hours, the board unanimously voted to hire Gregory T. Todd as the new chief operating officer of Perquimans County Schools Tuesday. Todd is presently superin tendent of Northampton County Schools. He will assume his duties in Perquimans on July 1. The board called a special meeting for Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.for the purpose of hir ing a new superintendent. The board was scheduled to accom pany Todd on a tour of the schools beginning at 10 a.m. But after calling the meet ing to order. Chairman Wallace Nelson immediately called for a motion to go into short closed session to discuss personnel before making an announcement. The board moved to the superintendent’s office because of the large crowd of administrators, facul ty and staff gathered to hear its anticipated announcement. Over an hour after moving into closed session, Todd left the superintendent’s office. He returned in a few minutes with his wife, Elizabeth “Libby”, and the closed ses sion continued with both Mr. and Mrs. Todd. Finally, a little after 11 o’clock, the board returned to the board room, and voted to approve a 2-year contract with Todd. “The Board chose Mr. Todd after a thorough search process that solicited input from the school family and the community,” a prepared press release stated. “The Board found Mr. Todd to be a highly Hertford okays $986K budget By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor ' The Hertford Town Council approved a $986,529 general fund budget Monday night that will require a 2 cents per $100 valuation ad valorem tax increase. In addition to that hike, the town’s water and sewer rates will rise by 14 percent. The total valuation of prop erty within the city limits is $60,871,774. A one-cent tax increase yields about $5,500 at a 91 percent collection rate. Town Manager John Christensen noted in his bud get package that the ad val orem* tax is based on a valua- tfon of $51,904,618 with motor vehicle valuation of $8,967,156. The tax rate for the 1998-99 fis cal budget is 47 cents. The town anticipates col lecting $266,000 from ad val orem taxes for the current year and $20,000 from prior years. Hertford also expects to receive $245,000 in local option sales tax. A County holds line on FY 98-99 budget The Perquimans County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to hire Gregory T. Todd (left) as the new superinten dent of schools. Todd and his wife, Elizabeth, were introduced during the special board meeting. He will assume his duties on July 1. qualified and respected leader with extensive experience in all facets of public school administration. In selected Mr. Todd, the Board is confi dent he brings the expertise necessary to lead Perquimans County Schools into the next century.” According to information provided by the Board, Todd is a Bertie County native who earned an associate’s degree from Chowan College and both a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and a masters of arts degree in education administration from East Carolina University. With the completion of his dissertation, he will hold a doctorate of edu- cation from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Todd holds secondary math ematics, principal and super intendent certifications. Prior to his career in administration, Todd taught secondary math in Bertie and Edgecombe County Schools. He has been either principal or assistant principal in Bertie, Edgecombe, Chowan, Northampton and Tarboro City Schools. He served as superintendent in both Bertie and Rockingham counties before moving to Northampton County. Todd has four sons and three grandchildren. Todd was chosen to succeed Dr. Randall Henion who resigned effective April 1 to become executive director of Davidson County Smart Start, Inc. The most expensive depart ment to operate from the gen eral fund is the police depart ment. The town expects to spend $364,700 plus a $27,000 grant in law enforcement for total expenditures of $337,700. Last year’s budget, including a $17,206 grant, was $333,564. Over $223,000 will be spent through the street department. The administration depart ment will take $181,080 of the general fund budget. The fire department will get $63,016, which includes a $15,000 grant. The rate increase in the water and sewer department will raise the 3,000 gallon water rate from $8 to $9.25 and the sewer from $7.45 to $9. Christensen said the cost is still lower than the county’s $17.10 for the same amount of water consumption. He said the department has lost money over the last few years, basically through depre ciation which shows a lack of Please see Budget, page 11 Chamber commissions ornament coiiection Courthouse 1st in limited edition pieces Christmas trees in Perquimans County may begin to take bn a distinctly home-town, historic flair in 1998. The Chamber of Commerce has commis sioned a historic landmark ornament collection. The first in the numbered, limit ed edition historic orna ments will depict the Perquimans County court house, circa 1825. The orna ments will be gold-plated solid brass. Plans call for the produc tion of two ornaments each year depicting a pair of the multitude of historic land marks in Perquimans County. The ornaments will be limited editions of 150 pieces, which should increase the value of what Chamber Executive Director Sandra Smith said are sure to become collec tor’s items. The ornaments are approximately 3.5 inches wide and 4 inches deep. Each will come gift boxed. Smith said in addition to adding a decidedly unique adornment to holiday deco rations, the ornaments will make great gifts. Not only is the project a fund raiser for the Chamber, but a component of the Chamber’s work plan to promote the rich history of Perquimans County. To reserve an ornament, stop by the Chamber office at the corner of U.S. Highway 17 Bypass and Harvey Point Road and put down a $7.50 deposit on the $15 ornament. Sales will be on a first-come, first-served basis. By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The county’s proposed$7.9 million general fund budget does not require a tax rate increase. Perquimans County Manager Paul Gregory submit ted his proposed 1998-99 budget to the county commissioners last Monday during the board’s June meeting. “This budget for fiscal year 1998-99 will not require an increase in the county tax rate,” Gregory said in his bud get message. “FY 1998-99 will be the fifth consecutive year with a 78 cents per $100 valua tion tax rate. It is also being recommended that the solid waste fee remain at $65 per year.” The general fund budget proposal exceeds last year’s budget by only $76,147, but is $1.77 million over estimated actual expenditures for 1997- 98. The $1.77 million left from this year’s budget resulted from a change in the way the state handled reimbursement from some social services pro grams and funds budgeted for projects that were not complet ed during the present budget cycle. The funds will be car ried over to next year’s budget. The general fund budget is .based on property values exceeding $478 million and a tax collection rate of 93.3 per cent. From property taxes, the county anticipates collecting almost $3.5 million for the bud get year and $170,000 from prior years. Sales, intangibles and beer and wine taxes should gener ate $1.3 million. State grants, including $894,102 for social services programs, will amount to almost $1 million. The budget includes an across-the-board 2.5 percent salary increase for employees and merit raises for approxi mately one-third of the county Staff. The school system will receive the lion’s share of the - budget. Gregory’s budget shows over $4.9 million in local funds going to the school system, although not all of that amount is reflected in the gen eral fund budget. What is reflected in general fund is $1.25 million in current expense, $367,728 in bond and loan payments, and $250,000 in capital outlay line items. In addition, the school sys tem will get $2 million in loan money and $1 million in land transfer taxes for construction in Winfall and Hertford, and $77,000 in fines and forfeitures Please see County, page 11 Keel building to be demolished By SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor The Keel building is finally coming down. Nine years after being placed atop a list of buildings in Hertford that needed to be improved or condemned and torn down, the town’s govern ing board voted Monday night to spend $21,291.50 for demoli tion of the building. Tildon Whitehurst was the only contractor to bid on the project. Town Manager John Christensen said Whitehurst specified that he could have the building down five work ing days from starting the pro ject. His bid also included tip ping fees for disposing of the building and its contents. Whitehurst was also award ed a bid of $3,500 to demolish a house at 409 King Street. Vice Mayor Billy Winslow put a motion on the floor to reject the bid, but the motion did not pass. Councilman Sid Eley moved to accept, a motion approved by council. Eley said the Keel building has been an eyesore in the town for at least 15 years, and the number 1 item on the town’s property “hit list” since he was voted onto council. Town Manager John Christensen said he would check to see how much the town has collected from lots sold that were owned by the town to help pay for the con tract. Council told Christensen to try to get Whitehurst to agree to have the Keel building down within 30 days. Outside THURSDAY f High: Low; 80s 60s PARTLY CLOUDY 1 FRIDAY 1 SATURDAY I n n High: Low: 80s 60s PARTLY CLOUDY High: Low: 80s 60s PARTLY CLOUDY
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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June 11, 1998, edition 1
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