P4/C3***********5-DIGIT 27944
PERQUIMANS COUNTY LIBRARY
110 W ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD, NC 27944-1306
5«^2002.
Weekly
W 0 8 OT2
35 cents
National Day of Prayer
ongoing
SUSAN R. HARRIS
County Commissioner
Charles Ward isn’t as hope
ful as he once was that
Perquimans County can
avoid becoming home to a
military outlying landing
field.
Ward said during
Monday’s regular session of
the county board that after
his first trip to lobby offi
cials in the nation’s capital,
he felt that Perquimans
might be spared. But his
latest talks and informa
tion have made him think
county residents had better
prepare for noise.
The problem, Ward said,
is that Virginia Senator
John Warner, a powerful
legislator, is lobbying to get
the entire squadron of
superjets stationed at NAS
Oceana in Virginia Beach
— along with the positive
economic impact ‘it will
have on the area.
Unfortunately for those
who oppose the landing site
proposed in the Whiteston
community, local officials
have learned that
Perquimans will be the top
choice for the site if the
entire squadron is sta
tioned in Virginia.
The problem facing
county commissioners,
who have gone on record
against the site being here,
is the balance of power in
Washington. Warner is a
well-connected, veteran leg
islator. The North Carolina
delegation, on the other
hand, faces some concerns.
Sen. Jesse Helms, whose
influence in D.C. is also
great, will not seek another
term and is in failing
health. Rep. Eva Clayton is
likewise not seeking re-
election. That leaves Sen.
John Edwards and Rep.
Walter Jones to lead the
fight on behalf of the coun
ty. Someone at Monday’s
meeting compared the situ
ation to David vs. Goliath.
Ward said if the planes
are stationed at Cherry
Point, Craven County will
get the landing strip.
Craven County officials
have gone on record sup
porting its location in their
county. That county would
also see economic benefits
to the site, unlike other
Northeastern counties.
There is also talk,
according to
Commissioners Chair Ben
Hobbs, of splitting the
squadron. In that case,
Washington, Bertie and
Hyde counties become the
prime locations.
Ward said he is more
concerned than ever about
the noise from the planes.
He said Whiteston is only
37 air miles from Oceana,
meaning planes will not be
able to rise over 1,500 feet
before reaching the site.
The low-flying planes will
definitely bring significant
noise, he said.
County Manager Paul
Gregory said residents
against the landing strip
should continue to contact
legislators, preferably by
email or fax as mail service
is still slow in Washington.
rnr:
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J
PHOTOS BY ALICE BREWIN
About 75 people attended the National Day of Prayer
service on the courthouse lawn last Thursday. The
Sun shines on
prayer service
event was organized by the Perquimans County
Schools Ministers' Council.
/j
ALICE BREWIN
Staff writer
The sun shone down dur
ing lunch hour for many on
May 2.
About 75 people showed
up on the Perquimans
County Courthouse lawn to
hear government, reli
gious, family and student
leaders pray for the nation,
its leaders, community,
families and youth.
Speakers included
Brenda Lassiter, Hertford
Mayor Sid Eley, Judge J.C.
Cole, Pastor Willie
Vaughan, Winfall Mayor
Fred Yates, Pastor Kenneth
McNeill, Superintendent
Kenneth Wells, Pastor Tom
McClaren,. Sharon
Riddick, Minister Gail Hill,
Melissa Williams, Pastor
Alan Gibson and Pastor
Steve Formo. Caroline
Wright was pianist.
Prayer leaders bow as they await their turns to lead
the community gathering.
Town office gets
new old lights
SUSAN R. HARRIS
A found treasures prove
that everything old is new
again.
One of the old-style fix
tures that used to brighten
the streets of Hertford was
found, in disrepair, but
found. Town Manager John
Christensen restored the
fixture.
In the meantime.
Department of
Transportation representa
tives realized that they had
some matching fixtures
and four cement poles in
storage. They brought them
out of storage, and now the
municipal building has
new period lights on its
front lawn. Main Street
Program Manager Belinda
Washlesky said
Christensen restored a sec
ond fixture for the front
lawn, and will repair the
other two for the rear of the
building.
Ironically, the fixtures
and poles are the same style
that will be installed on the
S-bridge c^nd along the
PHOTO BY ALICE BREWIN
Belinda Washlesky
admires the new lights on
the municipal building
lawn.
main business district on
Church Street next spring
through the TEA-21 grant.
County hits the books
Budget
meetings set
SUSAN R. HARRIS
It’s the time of year
local government officials
dread: It’s budget time.
County commissioners
will get an in-depth look at
the needs and wants of its
departments and the
school system this week as
budget talks get underway
in earnest. Meetings were
set forMay 7, 9, 22, 28 and
30.
With state reimburse
ments being held, the
county has already per
formed a juggling act to
meet the current fiscal
budget. News from the
state on anticipated rev
enues for next budget year
are not promising.
Two of the largest budg
et requests are generally
submitted by the
Department of Social
Services and the school
system.
Over the past two years,
the DSS budget has been
stressed by rising
Medicaid costs. The coun
ty is required to pay these
costs, whether or not they
are placed in the original
budget. Estimating what
will be spent is a daunting
task.
The schools will no
doubt be hit with cutbacks
from the state as officials
in Raleigh deal with rev
enue shortfalls in the bil
lions of dollars. The state
pays most teacher and
administrative salaries,
and there are talks about
cutting some of those
funds in order to balance
the state budget. The
schools will take their
budget requests to com
missioners Thursday at 8
p.m.
The only positive on the
revenue side may be a rec
ommendation made in
Monday’s regular meeting
regarding raising building
permit/inspection fees.
Chief Building Inspector
Izell Jackson told commis
sioners that overall, the
county’s fees lag behind
surrounding countys’ fees
significantly.
The county is required
to pass a budget by July 1.
The county manager gen
erally presents his budget
recommendations in June.
A public hearing is
required by law, and is
usually held in June.
Main
Street
designer
speaks
downtown
Downtown property
owners and merchants got
some one-on-one and group
consultation last month
when North Carolina Main
Street Designer Lauren
Malinoff presented a
design workshop in
Hertford.
Malinoff, the Main Street
Designer for 17 years, pre
sented examples of good
and bad design issues and
discussed code require
ments during her presenta
tion, sponsored by the
Hertford Main Street
Program. The veteran
designer has provided serv
ices for all 45 of the state’s
Main Street communities.
In addition, Malinoff has
written a book titled,
“Downtown Building
Rehab, Rescue and Repair.’’
After the presentation
property owners and me)
chants were able to me
with Malinoff to discu
design issues relevant
their particular buildings.
Twenty-two peon’"'
attended the morning me
ing.
The event was one o
many organized and spon
sored by Main Street to help
local business property
owners and merchants
increase their revenues.
The goal of the Main Street
Program is to revitalize the
downtown, making it a des
tination for shoppers and
visitors. A multitude of
services to help businesses
are available through the
program.
Bor more information on
obtaining design assistance
for properties located in the
Main Street Project Area of
the downtown Historic
District, please contact
Belinda Washlesky, Main
Street Program Manager at
426-1425.
The Chamber of
Commerce is also working
cooperatively with Main
Street to provide $1,000
matching facade grants to
help downtown business
property owners defray the
costs of improving the exte
riors of their buildings.
Applications are available
at the Main Street office in
the Visitors’ Center.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 85
Low; 62
Strong Storms
Friday
High: 79
Low: 53
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 75
Low; 53
MOSTLY Cloudy