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DEC 0 9 1996
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December 10,1
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HERTFORD Nc 27944
The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 66, No. 50
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
PCEDC
es
by-laws
Board split on
move to allow
Nixon to remain
on commission
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The Perquimans County
Commissioners voted 4-2
Monday to change the by-laws
of the Perquimans County
Economic Development
Commission to allow Mack
Nixon to remain on that board.
PCEDC chair Chris Lane
asked the county commission
ers on behalf of the PCEDC
membership to amend the
PCEDC by-laws. Lane said
Nixon has spent many hours
working on the development of
the commerce center and has
been a valuable member of the
PCEDC. Lane added that the
PCEDC members feel the com
merce center development is
at a critical stage, and that
Nixon’s continued member
ship would be beneficial to the
county.
Lane said the by-laws call
for two county commissioners
and one citizen at large in the
membership mix. PCEDC
requested that the by-laws be
amended to allow one county
commissioner and two citizens
at large to sit on the board, and
that Nixon be appointed to fUl
the additional at-large slot.
She said in addition to allow
ing Nixon to remain on the
commission, the change would
also create more community
involvement in the PCEDC.
Both Nixon and commis
sioner Charles Ward were on
the PCEDC board as county
commissioner representatives.
But Nixon lost his commis
sioner’s seat in the November
general election to Ben Hobbs.
Without a by-law change,
Nixon was no longer eligible to
sit on the PCEDC unless the
citizen at large representative
resigned.
Commissioners Bert Hayes
and Ben Hobbs objected to the
amendment. Hayes said
PCEDC held an illegal closed
meeting to discuss the issue.
But County Manager Paul
Gregory said the issue fell
under personnel, and could
therefore be discussed in
closed session.
Hayes still held that it was
an illegal meeting because the
discussion was to change the
by-laws and therefore should
have been held in open ses
sion. He cited passages of thd
state’s open meetings statutes
to support his argument. He
added that Nixon’s value to the
PCEDC was no greater than
anyone else’s.
Hayes said he wanted to
take politicians off the PCEDC
at the beginning of his (Hayes’)
term, but the commissioners
wouldn’t approve his sugges
tion.
He called the move “collu
sion, “ adding, “It just stinks.
We have all the resources we
need.”
Hobbs said while he agreed
that Nixon was a valuable
PCEDC member, he was skep
tical of changing the by-laws
because of dissatisfaction over
the election outcome.
On a motion made by
Archie MUler and seconded by
Shirley Yates, the amendment
and appointmerrt were
approved 4-2 with Hayes and
Hobbs casting dissenting
votes.
Bethel residents fight mobile home park
Commissioners
may not be able to
stop development
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Citing land devaluation and
environmental concerns, over
a dozen residents in the Bethel
community asked Perquimans
County Commissioners to halt
development of a mobile home
park at the intersection of U.S.
17 South and N.C. 37 known
locally as the 5-mile Y.
Willis Proctor was the first
to speak against the 32-lot
mobile home park being devel
oped by Phillip Harrington.
Proctor said a mobile home
park was not desirable in the
community. He said the devel
opment would devalue sur
rounding properties.
Proctor said the condition of
the property between Food
Lion and other mobile home
parks could show commission
ers what can happen if they
allow the development to pro
ceed.
He also asked the commis
sioners if they would have con
sidered allowing a mobile
home park to be put on the 9.22
acres they approved for a pur
chase option in the commerce
center earlier in the meeting.
“I’m not real happy about
it,” Dan King told the commi-
sioners about his reaction to
the development.
King said the park would
make property in the area
hard to seU. He also stated that
he had concerns about the
environmental impact of the
development. King said he
thinks there will be too many
septic tanks, which may cause
leeching and lead to damage to
the environment. He added
that water may back up in the
area due to a ditch being filled
in.
If the county does approve
the park. King asked that com
missioners make sure that all
regulations are followed to the
letter and that no variances be
allowed.
“I’m entirely against the
park,” he said in closing his
remarks.
Community resident Jeff
Proctor also cited concerns
about the number of septic
tanks in the development. He
said land owners often have
problems obtaining septic
tank approval from the health
department for a single-family
dwelling. He said he did not
understand how the develo-
ment could be approved for 32
lots, each with separate septic
tanks.
Brant Wise spoke on behalf
of the developer. He said the
Army Corp of Engineers and
other agencies had determined
that there are not wetlands on
the site. He said that the ditch
work was done by NCDOT, not
the developer.
Wise added that Harrington
has followed all requirements
of the mobile home park ordi
nance created by the county in
1987, which he said are more
stringent than subdivision reg
ulations.
The district health depart
ment ap^oved the develop
ment after review, setting the
one-acre lot sizes required for
septic tank permits, he said.
Wise also said that the devel
oper has secured all permits
required and followed all ordi
nances for approval of the
development.
Wise added that without
zoning, there is nothing to stop
“this type of development.”
According to County
Manager Paul Gregory,
Harrington has worked with
the county planning board for
the past several months on the
project. He said the planning
board has followed all regula
tions in the mobile home park
ordinance in its deliberations.
Per regulation, Harrington
wiU be required to put in coun
ty water, septic tanks, paved
streets, street lights, parking
pads and fire hydrants. In
addition a 10-foot buffer zone
of green planting will be
required around the develop
ment. The requirements are
much stricter than subdivi
sion regulations, according to
county officials.
Please see PARK, page 12
Holiday parade
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Piney Woods Friends Meeting earned first place in the church/civic category in Saturday’s
Christmas parade with their fioat “Christmas in the Pines.”
The PCHS Marching Pirates got parade-watchers in the hoiiday
spirit with rousing arrangements of Christmas meiodies.
Parade ushers in
holiday season
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By SUSAN R. HARRiS
Editor
Hundreds of little eyes were
all aglow Saturday, as Santa
himself rode through the
streets of Hertford during the
annual Perquimans County
Christmas parade.
Themed “A Carolina
Christmas,” the holiday affair
stretched out for a mile
through the streets.
“We were real pleased with
the parade,” said Chamber
Executive Director Sandra
Smith. “I think we had won
derful participation this year.
One of our volunteers had said
the parade was over a mile-
long this year. We feel every
one worked together to help
make this one of our best
parades ever. We hope next
year will be even better.”
The Chamber sponsored the
parade. Smith said a legion of
volxmteers worked throughout
the afternoon.
First place float in the
church/civis category went to
Piney Woods Friends Meeting.
Bagley Swamp Wesleyan took
second place.
In the school division.
Beacon Academy claimed first
place. Albemarle School was
named second.
Ford Motor Company was
first place business float.
Marching unit trophies
went to the Christmas Angels
and Northeastern High School
Band. The Perquimans County
High School band does not
compete in the parade, but
rather performs as a holiday
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PHOTOS BY SUSAN HARRIS
Beacon Academy claimed first place in the school category in the Christmas parade. Parents,
students and staff have created winners for the past several years.
gift of appreciation to the com
munity for their support
throughout the year.
Grand marshalls for this
year’s parade were Rep. and
Mrs. BiU Owens.
First purchase option approved for commerce park
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
The Perquimans County
Commissioners approved the
first purchase option for land
at the Perquimans Commerce
Centre Monday.
County Economic
Development Director Robert
Baker presented the commis
sioners with an option to pur
chase 9.22 acres of land on the
river side of the development
at a cost of $110,000 to Shore-
Flyte. The tract includes about
200 feet of waterfront property.
Shore-Flyte is an estab
lished marine repair industry.
Baker said the owner antici
pates an initial investment of
$2 million. About 25 jobs will
be available at start-up, with a
possibility of growing to a
workforce of aroimd 50.
“The project meets every
goal that we’ve been interested
in,” Baker said. He said the
business will provide job cre
ation and an expanded tax
base. In addition, it should be
a catalyst for center develop
ment.
He said there are specific
requirements written into the
contract that the prospective
owner must meet or the coun
ty can exercise its mandatory
buy-back clause and recoup
the property.
Baker said he has been
working with the client for 20
months.
In other business, the com
missioners:
• approved a request from
the school board to use state
capital funds of $226,715 for
roof work at Perquimans High
School;
• approved the $60,400 low
bid submitted by Court One in
Raleigh to build the new ten
nis courts;
• voted to expand the plan
ning board to add a minority
and a female;
• approved paying Rescue
Squad volunteers by the hour
to answer emergency calls;
• created four permanent
part-time EMS positions;
• placed a moratorium on
the expansion and construc
tion of adult entertainment
businesses for one year;
• formed a nominating
committee composed of
Charles Ward, Bert Hayes and
Evelyn Stubbins to make nom
inations for board appoint
ments;
• accepted a bid of $376.51
for a county-owned 1990 Ford
Ranger with no motor.