1963-12-16 Regular Meeting,,27 2
'.^!ilmington; N. C
ASSENBLY -
December 16. 1563
The Nei-i Hanover County Board of Commissioners met iri reguclar semimonthly
session this date at 9:00 o'clock A. M. in the Commissioners' Room at the Court House
with the follovaing in attendance: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners John Van B.
Netts, Jr., Ernest R. Mayhan, Leon E. Broadhurst, Peter H. Braak and County Attorney
L. Bradford Tillery and County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr.
. INVOCATION -
' The Chairman cailed the meeting to order and requested the Reverenid G: C.
Johnstone, retired Presbyterian minister, to oive the invocation.
? SPOIL AREAS - NORTHEAST RIVER The Chairman reminded the members of the Board of, the recent efforts to.
stimulate interest in the deepening of the IVortheast River channel. He reported that
he had received information that the Federal Government had appropriated $135,000 for
additional Survey and pre-construction Plannina for this project which will eventually
reach an expenditure estimated to be $6,000,000,and to reach the ocean bar. Local in-
terests would be required to supply a place to dispose of the "spoil" and include a
"hold harmless" clause in the agreement. He has a letter from the Corbett Package
Company agreeing Lo make 100 acres available for disposing of the spoil and that•he had
a verbal understanding with Mr. Cameron who owns interests along the river for depositi
spoil. It wili be confirmed by letter. After some consideration of the proposal,
Nr. Netts offered the following motion and Reselution:
• 4JHEREAS a proposal has been submitted to the U. S. Corps of Engineers
,to modify the existing Wilmin•gton Harbor project in the Northeast (Cape Fear)
River to enlarge the turning basin and provi•de an extension of the channel
upstream, and •
WHEREAS J. M. Hall, Jr, is Chairman of the Board•and is personally informed
of the proposed federal project requirements and is the Executive Officer•of the
New Hanoner County Commissioners, therefore •
BE IT RESOLVED that the•New Hanover County Board of Commissioners will pro- '
vide the necessary lands, easements, riahts-of-way, and other items of local '
cooperation as may be required, including adequate spoil-disposa? areas along the
east bank of the channel extension above the Hi,lton Bridge in the\river and defend
the Federai Government in their use of the lands for -spoil disposal?,and that the
Chairman be empowered with authority and avthorized to execute the necessary docu- ?
ments or legal instruments to that effect. _ ,,
\The motion was seconded by Nr. Broadhurst and unanimously adopted.
ISALARIES -
PUBLIC FUNDS REPORT - • • • '
• Clerk of Superior Court, H. Foster Edwards, stated that his regular report
public funds was completed and it was his intent to submit it at this time, but that
was being revie4?ed by the resident Superior Court Judoe so he asked for an extension
time for making this report.
\ASSISTANT SOLICITOR - , . •
. The Chairman reported to the Board Ghat he had had an oral request from the i
Super.ior Court Solicitor, J. M. Bowman,, asking thab W. Allen Cobb be reappointed Assist-
tant Solicitor for this district. Nr. Mayhan offered a motion that this reauest be j
(granted: Motion i:ras seconded by Mr. Broadhurst and unanimously approved. II
FERRY SERVICE. The Chairman read a Resolution from the Brunswick County Soard of Commissione$s
requesting Lhat ferry service be established from Fort Fisher to Southport, and that
U. S. Highway 17 be improved and iai-dened from U. S. High-way 74-76 intersection to Supply I
No particular action was needed by the Board. • ••
IINSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT - • • I
The Chairman read a letter to the Board from John L. Sanders, Director of '
the Institute of Government, statino that March 16, 1964 wouid be the most convenient
date for a visit to Wilmington for the purpose of discussing consolidation of the
governing bodies in the County. After a brief discussion of this matter, it was de- I
cided that the Institute of Government representatives should be invited to lunch along 'I
with the official governang bodies of the other municipalities in the county. By com-
mon consent, the Executive Secretary was authori2ed to invite the various Governing
bodies and arrange for a luncheon at either the Boucan Room - Heart of Wilmington,
or Fisher's Restaurant.
on ,
it
of
• Mr. Edwards reminded the Board•that the last three girls employed in hi5 de-
partment accepted the work on the basis of a salary amounting to $2,600 per year, which
amoun.ts to approximately a$700.00 reduction in the salaries that would have been paid
had the old employees remained. He requested that the salaries of the new employees
be res.tored to the $3,000 per year level as the money is already in the budget-and it
would require no additional.appropriati•on. After some discussion of this subject,,
Mr. Mayhan.off•ered a motion that the salaries of the three new employees be increased
by the amount of $15.00 per month.eff.ective January 1, 1964. This motion was seconded
by Mr.: Metts and unanimously adopted. • •
WOTING FfiAACHINES - '
Otto Pridgen, II, Chairman of the County Board of Elections, reported that
he had made a quick study of-the voting machines situation except for the finances,
and that his Board had passed unanimously a Resolution approving their use. His Board
a2so was of the opinion that the offer by Mr. Bost to rent the machines was "a good
offer." Mr. Pridgen said he had contacted the 5tate Election Board with reference to
the amourit'of rent they would be willing to pay for the use of the machines, but as
yet has not had a repiy from Mr. R. C. Maxwell, their Executive Secretary. (A later
c..w.LL?.ication from Mr. Pridgen indicated that the State Board of Elections would not
, H ?? ?
( P°' `,
?n.'.^ ? ?
Minutes of the Meetinq
December 16. 1963
Continued
° _ - - ---
VOTING MACHINES - (continued)
be obligated to pay any rent for the use of the voting machines. -This decision /
was based on the fact that it•is not a concern of the State of North Carolina whether or
not our County purchases,voting machines. The law only requires that the State pay the
actual expenses incurred by a county in the holding of a state election.) Mr. Pridgen
said that his Board recognized that voting machines are a modern convenience such as air
conditioners. and automobiles, but they do not feel that it will save money-- rather it
would cost money to have the voting machines; however, in their opinion, it would encourage
more people to vote and thereby lessen the per vote cost. He is also of the opinion that
a realignment of the precdntts could not be done until after the process of drawing the new
city limit lines was completed; therefore,the County Board of Elections does not think it
wise to make a change at this time. By common,consent, the Board of Commissioners unani-
mously aoreed to defer any action on this question until more definite information is received.
TAX LISTER -
Tax Supervisor; W. G. Houck, presented the name of Ralph W. Soverel and recommended
that he be approved as a tax lister for this year. Mr. Metts moved that Mr. Soverel be
, approved. This motion was seconded by Mr. Braak and unanimously carried.
' CHRISTMAS VACATION - • ?
Mr. Broadharst offered a motion that all department heads open their offices un-
til 12:00 noon on Christmas Eve; December 24, and that other employees be allowed to be off
and,not return to work until Friday morning, December 27, 1963. Motion was seconded by Mr.
Metts and unanimously approved.
, TRANSFER OF FUNDS - /
County Auditor, T. D. Love,, Jr., reported that the Welfare Travel Account was
overspent and that it will need $800.00 more to finish the year. The question of how the
travel money was spent came up and Mr. Braak, who is also Chairman of the Department of P.ublic
Welfare, reported that travel allowance in and out of the county should be an interchangeable
I, item, as it is impossible to administer a program if the agency is tied down by lack of
I county travel. He mentioned untrained supervisorst workshops, case workers' workshops,
home economics workshops, and psychiatric consultations as some of the conferences which the
personnel of the Welfare Department are required to attend. He then reported that the Dir-
ector, Miss Lela Moore Hall, is on the Government Committee for the Aged, the American Public
Welfare Association -- Child Welfare Committee, and on state committees such as P.ublic Assist-
ance, Child Welfare, Merit System, and Special Committee; and she also attends administra-
tive conferences fr.om time to tame iin Raleigh, Mr. Metts made a motion that a transfer of
$800.00 to the Welfare Travel Account be approved. It was seconded by Mr. Braak, but before
II the vote was taken, Mr. Broadhurst offered a substitute motion that the request be declined.
This was seconded by Mayhan and when a hallot was taken, Messrs. Broadhurst and Mayhan
Ivoted for the substitute motion and Messrs. $raak, Netts, and Hall voted against it. The
Chairman then declared that the?original motion was approved.
GRAND JURY REPORT - ?
n The Chairman read the report of the Grand Jury for the month of December made
to His Honor Rudolph I. Mintz, the presiding Judge of the New Hanover Superior Court. There
were no questionable itemsrrepor,t2d:. They examined sixteen witnesses and found forty-nine
true bills.
APPRECIATION - /
The Chairman read a letter received from Champion McDowell Davis in which he
' thanked the Board for the Resolution which they passed on November 18, 1963. Mr. Davis
also remarked that he felt the aoed group is frequently a neglected one and often an un-
? wanted one; and that he could leave this world much happier by establishing a non-proFit, '
i non-denominational home to aid and comfort them in their riper years.
RECORDER's COURT REPORT - ?
I
County Auditor, T. D. Love, Jr., reported that his examination of the Recorder's
,914.05, of
Court records for the month of November revealed that they had collected $14
which the County received $10,757.35 as provided for.by Law; the other being distributed
to the various funds set out by the Statutes.
OFrICIAL BOND - /
The New Hanover County Board of Edacation sent a public official bond covering
County Auditor, T. D. Love, Jr., in the amount of $25,000.00 as surety for the funds he
handles for the Board of Education. The County Attorney approved the bond as to form and
isuggested thatttie_-Execvtive Secretary have it probated and delivered to the Register of
i Deeds for registration.
REPORTS - ?
a. Home Economic Agent's Report
b. Cooperative Extension Service Report ?
c. USO Report
d. Wilmington Public Library Report -?
After reviewing these reports briefly, the Board ordered them filed for future reference.
ADJOURNMENT -
Upon motion of Mr.
'voted to adjourn the meeting.
Broadhurst, seconded by Mr. Mayhan, the Board unanimously
W.
t sry,
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