Group needs help restoring downtowrl | ^ ® |1 Page 2 \ rrrajl Local farmer lobbies in D.C. Page 5 Funeral home offers new service Page 3 P4/C3 —— HERTFORD, NC 27944-1306 April 10, 2002 Vol. 70, No. 14 Hertford, North Carolina 27944 MMI n Perquimans Weekly Leaders named for 21st Century centers ANNA GOODWIN MCCARTHY Correspondent Four coordinators have been selected to supervise the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program at area schools. Freda Bonner, Tim Byrum, Tammy Miller White and Dou glas Umphlett have been named to coordinate after school, evening, weekend and summer activities to expand opportunities that benefit the educational, health, social, cul tural and recreational needs of the school and community. The job description of the 21st Century Site Coordinators also lists several responsibili ties that include: recruiting volunteers, conducting sur veys, encouraging parental involvement through planned activities, presenting progress reports, coordinating plans and activities with principals and SOS Coordinators, partici pating in “local, state and national staff development activities,” developing “family-school-community partnerships,” and preparing information for the media. “The Perquimans County 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program will increase learning opportu nities, enhance parental involvement activities and enhance community success through collaborative partner ships,” according to a state ment describing the original project. Continued on page 7 Chamber banquet, auction a success About 60 members and guest turned out for the Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and Silent Auction last month. The Mardi Gras-themed event was held at the Sound Side Grille at Albemarle Plan tation on March 14. Chamber President Becky Winslow thanked those in attendance for coming and gave a big thank-you to this year’s board for their out standing work. Board member Douglas Layden presented Winslow with a plaque thanking her for her work as president. Chamber Director Sid Eley also thanked all the members for their support and help dur- ing the past year. He announced that 43 new mem bers had been added to the rolls during the last eight months. He also stated that the Chamber was planning more seminars for its mem bers for the coming year. Several businesses donated to the silent auction. They Continued on page 8 MARKET SHOPPING Photos by Sam Wolfe/The Daily Advance Market Street Antiques and Design Center in Hertford opened its doors for business last week. The antique mall, located at 117 West Market Street, is housed in the old Byrum's Furniture Building. See story on page 8. Co-owners Edward Fearing and Rick Ladich cut the ribbon at the grand opening of Market Street Antiques and Design Center on April 3. Downtown design workshop April 23 Designs for downtown will be the theme of a workshop scheduled for April 23. The “Downtown Design Workshop” is sponsored by the Hertford Main Street Program. The workshop follows the recent completion of the five- year Strategic Development Plan for the Town of Hertford and the upcoming Street Light Project, Attendees will learn the importance of design for the downtown community. The workshop will be led by Lauren Malinoff, designer for the N.C. Main Street Center. It will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. in the County Commissioners Room of the Courthouse Annex on Church Street in downtown Hertford. A light continental breakfast will be provided. The workshop will cover a variety of subjects including restoration and rehabilitation; examples of storefront rehabilitation with before and after photos; signs, awnings, paint colors and lighting. Malinoff will also review the Hertford “Picture Down town” photo display. More than 30 people roamed through downtown Hertford last year taking pictures of buildings they liked and disliked. The photos were featured during the Main Street Vision Forum. Codes and investment tax credits will also be discussed during the workshop. According to Belinda Washlesky, Main Street Program Manager, understanding downtown design is important to the whole revitalization process. “Good downtown design is not only a consideration of what looks good, but understanding why it looks good and why good design is effective in the downtown com munity, Washlesky said. “Developers and architects will also better understand why downtown design is impor tant in the revitalization process and what we should be doing.” Malinoff has been the state’s Main Street Designer since 1984. She works in the Division of Community Assistance, Asheville Regional Office, and has provided Continued on page 8 Library celebrating anniversary Monday Take a glimpse into the past! Peer into the future! The doors of Perquimans County Library will open into the past and into the future on Monday, April 15, at 7 p.m. when the Friends of Perquimans County Library hold a celebration in honor of the library’s 65th anniversary. The celebration is spon sored by the Friends of Perquimans County Library which plans to highlight the library’s past while setting goals for its future during this anniversary year. After a very brief business meeting of the Friends begin ning at 7 p.m., local historian Charles T. Skinner Jr., wiU conduct live interviews with Hertford residents. The inter views, centered on key events and people, will be taped and added to the library’s archive of local history. Refresh ments will be served. Also, some printed booklets and maps of historical interest will be available for sale. Additional activities throughout 2002 have been planned by the Friends of Perquimans County Library and the Perquimans County Library staff and Board to highlight the anniversary year. They will focus on the library’s rich history and the history of the county which the library has served. The library traces its roots to the Hertford Public Library, which opened its doors for the first time on Friday, June 25, 1937. The library, a project of the Hertford Woman’s Club, was located in the Woman’s Club Room of the Community House. That building, on the corner of Grubb and West Academy Streets, has been significantly altered over the decades. Today it houses the Senior Citizen Center and Recreation Department. Today, the library is located in the building next door, at 110 West Academy Street. In June 1937 the library was open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For the past several years, the library’s hours have been 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays; 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednes days and Fridays, and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. A front page article in the June 25, 1937 edition of The Perquimans Weekly stated, “There are more than three hundred volumes on hand at the present time, and the State Library commission will loan the library a lot of books for children this summer. The women who are back of Continued on page 8 over budget ANNA GOODWIN MCCARTHY Correspondent HERTFORD — Plans to relocate the Public Works Department in the renovated former ice plant building were chilled Monday after town officials learned the project is $250,000 over budget. The Ice Plant Renovation Project, which includes pro viding new space for an expanding Public Works Department and restoration of the historic ice plant building, has been approved by Town Council. However, bids for the work apparently came in higher than expected. The initial budget for the project estimated the total costs at $872,624, while the cost projections now stand at $1,130,823. Town Council Member JoAnn Morris expressed con cerns about the town’s rising debt, but agreed the ice plant project would result in more space for the Town. “I agree we need to fix the building,” said Morris. “I think it’s a good invest ment,” said Town Council Member Carlton Davenport. Accordingly, Council approved the low bid of $903,769 from The Gardner Co., Inc., for the work on Mon day. Town officials directed staff to enter into contract negotiation with Gardner. Hertford Town Manager John Christensen explained to Council Members that engi neering and contingency fees also increased by $16,782 and $39,948. He said that the increased costs should not deter Town Council Members from pro ceeding with the project. Christensen said in order to offset costs, the Town Council should use $90,000 that remained in the fund balance from an insurance claim resulting from a fire at the ice plant several years ago. Chris tensen also said PoweU Bill funds could be used for paving which is estimated to be $11,322. , Christensen said that the architect for the project con sidered The Gardner Co., Inc. to be the lowest bidder and the most qualified. Mayor Sid Eley said that the Town Council needed to keep a close eye on the project, regardless of which construc tion company they chose. Weather Thursday High: 63 LOW: 47 Mostly Cloudy Friday High: 69 Low: 47 Partly Cloudy Saturday High: 68 LOW: 52 Mostly Cloudy

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