Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-04-28 Regular Meeting Minutes of the Meeting April 21, 195$ Continued i ti-,__,'"BIIAGET SHIFT5 & APPROPRIATIOtZS - to make cert ssar ain changes y County Auditor T. D. Love explained to the Board that it was nece riations and in a few instances increase th a ro f th e appropria- pp e in the original budget and shift sorle o p tions as follows: • Airport - Labor County Farm to nsurance i 00 ?g4 County Aid - Retiraaent " Aud tor Dues . 00 200 n n n n " Stationery, Suppl3es . . n n n " Clerk of Court - Capital Outlay 190•30 n n n it Commissioners.- Repairs Equipment 3.33 , n n n „ It - Telephone 85.00 n n a " Gpunty Aid - Public,';Audit ..,... ... . 50.00 a n n n " "- Social Security 2f000.00 ` n e n ^ Court House- FYre Ins. 375.00 n n n ?? n n_ LightB, Power • 325.00 n n n n n n_Capital OutlBy 185.01 n n n " Jail - Gse 150.00 n n n n ? - Janitors Suppliea 125.00 n n n n •• _ Produce from Farm 40•00 n n n " Tax Collected -Refluid Taxes • 150.00 Training School Donations " County.9id - Boolmobile 175.00 n n u n n n R n_ Fire Ins, Cape Fear Armory 25.00 Jail - Medinine " Jail - Elevator 3.52 n _ n " Jail - Water SeweragB 49•47 General F1md Dnergenep " " - Groceriea . 500.00 n a n n Sheriff - Auto Expense 11500.00 n v a " Superior Court - Jury Fees 3,000.00 n n n n 11 It - Witnesa Fees 11000.00 n n a n " " - Lodgingsl Meals 400•00 n n n " Prepaid Tax Discount 264•91 n n n n Commissioners- Duea, Subscriptions 50.00 n n n " Clerk of Court - 5elary 280.00 m m ? nI Superior Court - " 120.00 n m e n Tax Collector - Public Audit 227.50 MacEae Pgrk - Labor Farm " MacRae Park - Repairs, Fqu3.pment 315.00 Recorders Court-Bindera Record Booka " Recorders Court - Stationery,Supplies 182.65 Sheriff - Travel " Sheriff - Fire, Theft 1.00 Superior Court - 5pecial Attorney ° Superior Court - Ststionery, Supplies 150.00 County Aid - Retirement " Tax Listing - City Liatera Salaries 80.00 Tax Listing- Capital Outlsy n n n a u n 300.00 " " - Red Hook " " " - Telephone 50.00 Agriculture- Eoonomica, A S C " Agriculture-Economica,Countp -Agent Travel 100.00 County Home Dnergencq " County Home - F1ie1 500.00 n p_ n n n n - Groceriee 500.00 n n n „ ^ n - Fire Ins. 105.00 n n n _ Janitore Supplies 750.00 a n u n n " .. Medlcal 800.00 Mr. Williams offered a motion that the transfers and additional appropriations shown above be approved. This motion was seconded by Mr. Hall and unanimously adopted. DRAGLINE - \ Mr, Ha11' offered a motion confirming the action of the Hoard last fall promising relief for -?' water accumulation in a lake at the end of one of the runways at the New Hanover.County Airport. Right- of-Wc?y for this drainage ditch has been signed'ibythe property ownera through which the ditch must pass, and the Soil Conservation Office to stske out the levels and the Ekecutive 5ecretary authorized " to proceed at once for making arrangements to start thia operation as soon as possible. ° Mr. Mayhan sec- onded this motion but offered the observation that xe should require a daily report as to the munber of yards of soil moae3 each day. When the vote xss called, Mr. Williams regiatered a negative vote, the other four being affirmative. The Vice Chairman ruled the motion adopted. • ADJOURNhfENT - Upon motion of Mr. Holton, seconded byMr, Broadhurst, the Board adjovrne3 unanimously. ? . / - W. G. Houck, FScecutive Secretary Wilmington, N. C. April 28,1958 'ASSEhIDLY - The regular weekly meeting of the New Hanover County Comnissioners was held thia day in their ofFice in the County Court House at 9:30 A. M. PRFSENT Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr. Commissioners E. R. M3yhan, Berry A. Williams, L. E. Broadhurst, James E. Holton, Jr; County Auditor T. D. Love and County Attorney John Bright Hill. ? ??9"'""" • ,^A ryv ? IPNOCATION - Chainnan J. M. Hall, Jr, called the meeting to order and requested Rev. W. D. Morr,is, pastor o£ the Temple Baptist Church, to open the meeting with prayer for guidance. MINIITFS APPROV•ID - The minutes of the meeting held April 21st were approved, having been mailed to each oF the mem- bera £or revieW, and after the Gounty Attorney requested approval of the insertion of a reeolution which he would draw xith reference to the compromise settlement xith the Lumber'-Moore Plumbing Co.,, upon motion of Mr. Holton and seconded by Mr. Mayhan, unanimously adopted, , S• . i ? Minutes of the Meeting April 28, 1058 Continued INSURANCE DISTRIBUTION: v PiirsxaAnt to instructions on April 14, Mr. Walker Taylor, Jr,, representing the Stoek Insurance Companies and Mr. Garland Palmer representing the Mutual Insurance Companies appeared beFore the Board and proposed that all oP the County's insurance covetage be written under one insurance contract, thereby re- ducing the clerical work and con£usion on the part of the County employees and that the commissions earned be equall,y divided among all o£ the local qualifietl agents. Mr. Walker Taylor, Jr., in explaining the details of the proposal by the Stock Companies, stated that the reason for their concern about the County'a insurance program was because of a amal.l loss suffered at the,airport amounting to 06.25 on which the County was only entitled to collect $2.25 distributed among seven or eight companies which w ere only liable for small amounts and because of non-concurrency we were not entitled to collect the total. He stated that this might well have been a loss for $625,000 on which the coverage would have been proportionately the same. He proposed that the Wilmington Association of Insurance Agents represented by twenty-six members be allowed to write the coverage, after a survey by experiencel insurance engineers and a recommendation for the correat insurance coverage for full protection, the commiss- ions to be divided eqvally between all qualified local insurance agents, Mr. Garland F. Palmen;.representing the N,utual Insurance Agents, proposed that the Countp's property have insurance under one contract and he recommended the General Insurance Co. of America, a participating stock company and one of the fifteen largest Fire Insurance Companies in the U. S,, to write the entire schedule of County property and further stated that this compan}* is currently paying a 15% dividend on this type coverage which would save the County considerable money. He, too, proposed a division of all earned commissions between all qualified local agents, except in a8dition, he thought that the agent actuslly xrit- ing the policy should receive a 5% service charge from the total commission. He also thought that qualified inaurance engineers ehould make a survey and recoannend the proper coverage. m??, After discussing the two proposals briefly, Mr. Williams offered a motion that a committee be C a?? ? appointed to study this matterj rrith Mr. Holton, a Commissioner, as Chairman of this committee to meet with a representative of the Wilmington Association of Insurance Agents and a representative of the local Mutual Insurance Agents along with the Executive Secretary and the County Auditor, and report their recommendation back to the Board. This motion was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and unanimously adopted. t? BOILER INSURANCE: ? 0 Pursuant to £he inquiry of Mr. Broadhurat about the insurance settleoent on the damages to the ? boiler at the County Home, the Ekecutive Secretary contacted the carriers, H. G. Latimer and Son, and was referred to Mr. Walter Vaughan, Adjuster. After explaining that the settlenent would be made on the basis of a similar item of new equipment as the damaged one, he said that the Longley Supply Co, had furnished him with a cost of $1766.00 and that they estimated the cost of installation as $500.00 making the cost to replace a aimilar boiler at $2266.00 Since all insurance adjustments are made on the basis of replacanent coct less depreciation, they generally estimate the life of a boiler at thirty years and to the best of our knowledge the boiler at the County Home was approximately twenty-Eive years old so Mr. Vaughan was willing to propose a settlement besed on depreciation of 75% or a total of $1699.00 leaving a liability of the in- }4-9'rt1.Q- aurance company at$567.00. He also stated that the insurance company would be liable and wil].ing to pay for the demolition and removal of the old boiler which was estimated at $100.00 making a total proposed settle- ment of 667,00 to the County. After some discussion by each mEmber of the Board, they unanimously agreed bp common consent for the County Home Committee to meet at the County Home and review the needs and then decide if engineering services should be enployed to draw specifications and recommendations for securing bids as a basis ofzeplacement cost aid then a gree on a settlement. The discussion developed the fact that probably a larger unit was needed than the one now being used on a temporary basia through the courtesy of the Bca rd of Education. HOND ISSUE: The Clerk reported to the Board that the bond order entitled °Bcexi Qn3er authorizing the issuance of $600,000 School Bonds of the County of New Hanover", ahich had been intreduced on April 14, 19582 ' had been published in The blilmington Morning Star, on April 16th, 1958, with notice that the Board of Com- C f?G missioners would hold a public hearing thereon on April 28, 1958, at 10:00 o'clock, in the forenoon. Berry A. Williams moned that the Board proceed to hold a public hearing on the bond order. The motion was seconded by L. E. Broadhurst and was unanimously adopted. c ?At 10:02 o'clock, A. M., the Chairman announced that the Board would hear any citizen or taxpayer who desired to be heard with respect to the bond order. At the direction of the Chairman the Clerk read thGy? bond order and the published notice of hearing. ?-' After the Board had heard all persons who requested to be heard, J. E. Holton, Jr, moved public hearing be closed. The motion was seconded by E. R. Mayhan and was unanimously adopted, Berry A. Williams moved that the following resolution be adopted: WfEREAS, the bond order entitled "Hond Order authorizing the issuance of $$6000000 School Bonds of the C'ounty of New Hanover" introduced at the meeting of the Board of Commissioners held on April 14 1955, has been duly published with notice of hearing thereon ar.d the Board of Coaunissioners.has,, at the time an3 place specified in such notice of hearing, heard any and all citizens and taxpayers who desire3 to protest against the issuance of the bonds, and such hearing has been closed; and Wf:EREAS, the County Auditor has, by direction o£ the Board of Commissioners, filed in the office of the Clerk of the Board of Commissioners a statenent of debt incurred anii to be incurred for school purposes under bond orders either introduced or passed, complying with the provisions of the County Finance Act, and such statement eo filed shows that the net indebtedness of the County is 4.2% of the assessed valuation of pro- perty?in said Co:mty as last fixed for County taxation: NOWp THEREFbRE, BE IT RFSOLVED by the Board o£ Commissioners of the County of New Hanover as fol- lows: . (1) The'6ond,order entitled "Bond Order authorizing the issuance of $600?000 * School Bonds of the County of New Hanover^, introduced at the meeting of the Board of Commissioners held on April 14, 14589 is hereby adopted without change or amend- ment. that ' ?_ ? Minutes of the Meeting Agril 28, 1958 BOND ISSUFS - (Continued) r? ?'-- ? Continued (2) The C1erk of the Board of Commissioners is hereby directed to cause, a copy of said bond order to be published with the statement as to its adoption prescribed,by xhe County Finance Act in The Wjilmington Morning Star, a newspsper published in the City of Wilmington, North Cerolina, in said County, and such publication shall be made in the manner prescribed by The County Finance Act. The motion having been duly seconded by L. E. Broadhurst, it.was unanimously adopted. Berry A. Williams moved that the following resolution be adopted': WHERF.ASt the Board of Commissioners adopted on April 28, 1958 a bond order suthorizing the issuance of $6100,000 of bonds of the County to finance the cost of acquiring land-and erecting thereon, for the use of the Wilmington Com- munity College, one or more buildings contafning classrooms, laboratories, administrative offices, utility plants, libraries, cafeterias and auditoriwus, and of purchasing and installing equipment suitable therefor, and said bond order and the indebtedness to be incurred by the issuance of the bonds suthorized thereby* should be submi.tted to the voters of the County of New Hanover, for their approval or disapproval, in?order to comply with the Constitution and Laws of North Carolina: NOW, THEftFFORE, BE IT RESOLVED• by the Board of Commissioners of the County of New Hanover as follows: (1) A special election shall be held in the County of New Hanover on May 31s 1958, simultaneously with the holding of the State Primary Aection required to be held on May 919 19582 for the purrmse of submitting to the qualified voters of said County, for their approval or disapproval, the bond order described in the notice of special election hereinafter set forth and also the indebtedness to be incurred by the issuance of the bonds authorized by such bond order. (2) The Clerk of the Board of Commissioners is hereby authorized and direct- ed to publish a notice of said election in substantially the following form: ' COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER, NORTH CAROLINA, NOTICE OF SPDCIAL ELECTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a 5PECIAL ELECTION will be held in the County of New Hanover, North Carolina, on May 31, 1958, eimultaneously with the holding of the State Primary Fleetion required to be held on Me.y 31, 1958, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of said County, for their approval or disapproval, the following question: QIIF5TION N0. 1 Shall the qualified voters of the County of New Hanover approve the lond order which was adopted by the Board of Counniss- ioners on April 28, 1958, and which (1) suthorizes bonde of the County of New Hanover of the rriaximum aggregate principal amount of $600,000 to finance the cost of acquiring land and erecting thereons for the use of the Wilmington Community College, one or more buildings containing classrooms, lahoratories, admin- istrative offices, utilitq planta., libraries, cafeterias and suditoriums, and of purchasing and installing equignent suitable therefor, and (2) also authorizes the levy of an annual tax sufficient to pay the principal of azd interest on the bonds author- ized thereby; and approve the in3ebtedness to be incurred by the issuance of said bonds? In the event that a majority o£ the qualified voters voting at such election shall approve such bond order and the indebtedness to be incurred by the issuance of the bonds thereby suthorized, bonds of the maximum amount authorized by such bond order shall be issued for the purpose described in such bond order, and a tax will be levied for the payment thereof. . The polls for the election will open at the hour of 6:30 o'clock, A. M.. and will close at the hour of 6:90 o'clock, P. M., Eastern Stsndard Time. 11ie elect- ion will be held at the same polling places at which the last election was held in New Hanover County for the election of inembers of the General Assembly. The registration books containing the lists of registered voters of the County of New Hanover shall be opened for the registration of voters at 9:00 o'clocko A.M.$ on Saturday, May 3. 1958,, and ahall be closed at avnset on Suturday? May 17? 1958. On each day (Sundays excepted) during such period, the Registrar for each election precinct in the County will keep the book for euch precinct open between the houra of 9:00 o'cloek, A.M., and sunset for the registration of votere in such election precinet. On each Saturday during such period each Regiatrar will attend at the polling place in his election precinct between the hours 9:00 o'clock, A. M., and sunset for thef'egistration of noters. Bp order of tkie Board of Commissioners of the County of New Hanover. Dated, April 28th, 1958 . ? ? Clerk ofrthe Bodrd of Commissioners of New Hanover County., North Carolina , \ { 51 Minutes of the Meeting BOND ISSUFS - Continued April 28, 1958 Continued S'aid natice of special election shall be published three times and there shall be an:interval o£..at least one week between said publicationa and the first of said publications shall be not later than thirty days prior to the date of such election. (3) The polls for said election shall be opened and closed at the times and at the places state3 in said notice and eleetors shall be registered for said election in the manner stated, in said notice. . . (Q) The,ballots to be used at said election shall be in substantially the following form: (1). To vote "YF5" on any questiony make a cross (%) mark in the square to the right of the word "YE5". (2) To vote "NO" on ar?y question, make a cross (R) mark in the square to the right of the word "NO". , (3) If you tear or de£ace or wrongly mark this ballot, return it and get another. 9UESTION N0. 1 Shall the qualified voters of the County of New Hanover approve • ....... the bond order which was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on .. . April 28, 1958, and which (1) authorize§ bonds o£ the County of YES . .• New Hanover of the maximum aggregate principal amount of $600,000 •...... to finance the cost of acquiring land and erecting thereon, for the use of the Wilmington Community College, one or more buildings con- ....... taining classrooms, laboratories, administrative offices, utility • • • plants, libraries, cafeterais and auditoriums, and of purchasing No • • and installing equipment suitable therefor, and (2) also authorizes ••••••• the levy of an annual tax sufficient to pay the principal of and in= • - terest•on the bonds authorized thereby; anci approve the indebtedneas • to be incurre3 by the issuance of said bonds? . • (FgeSAmil.a SiRnattu'e) • ' Chairman of the County Board of Elections of New Hanover County, • • North Carolina. . , . . . , . (5) The County Board of El.ections is hereby requested to print and distribute the the necessary ballots and to provide the registration books, booths, ballot boxes and , other equipment required for the hol3ing of said election and to c6nduct=and supervise said election. . L. E. Broadtiurst seconded the motion and the motion was unanimously adopted. FINANCIAL STATF24ENT - Mr. Fred B. Graham, Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Boerd of Trustees of Wilmington Community College,,was recognized by the Chairman, and observed that he considered the College to be New Hanover Countyls most valuable asset and that it had been his privilege recently to attend an indus- triel conference in Greenville, N. C. and that he was agreeably surprised to find instead of a small country totm, a city develope3 and grown up around the college there. He fluther stated tYn t if,we would observe the industrial development in the Piedmont section of North Carolina, we urould find that towns had dev.eloped extensively around the college areas and by the same token, it was his opinion that we should get behind ovr college here and push it for everything it was xorth. He believed it would . mean much in the life of this community as well as be a wholesome influence in the consideration of in- dustry locating in this County. He submitted the following Palance Sheet showing the 1958-59 proposed Budget which amounted to approximately $15,000 more than the 1957-58 Budget, explained by the fact that the Board of Education ha.d contributed that amount in the past as the college was operated under that administrative budget: Wilmington College Budget 1958-59 • 1957-58 1958-59 Stumnary by Ob3ects Sa].aries and Wages 1513731.00 191t635.00 Supplies and Materials 6p201.89 72000.00 Postage, Telephone, Telegraph 728.27 • 940.00 Travel ' 1x072.72 11500.00 Printing and Binding 845.95 10000.00 ' Motor Vehicle Operations - - - 300.00 Lights, Power, Water, Aeat --- 2,300.00 Repairs and Alteration"s 292.95 19500.00 General FScpense 11217.76 1;500.00 Insurance and Bonding - - - 500.00 Audit - - - . 12000.00 Equipanent 32033.59 ' 5j000.00 Totals $ 165t]-24.13 $ 214,135.00 'A r??2 Minutes of the Meeting April 28, 1958 Continued FINANCIAL STATENIETIT: (Continued) Wilmineton Colleee Budeet 1958-59 (Continued) Income 1957-58 1958-59 15iition and Fees 859000.00 . 8'79500.00 County Taxes 65tOO0.00 72t120.00 State Appropriation 48,141.00 53,000.00 Other 11500.00 11515.00 $ 199t641.00 $ 214,135.00 This information was presented to meet the legal requirement that it be filed before May lst, 1958. ' ALL DRAINAGE DAMAGE CLAIN6 - ? Pursuant to instructions of the Board at the March 24th meeting with reference to the claim C?nyv? of $3,500 by W. W. and Frances M. A11 for damage to•their property through their attorney, Isaac C. Wright, County Attorney John Bright Hill reported that from the best information that he was able to d and ino thetive damae had accrued b because of the Count in a an a emerl, being n1caT?eConnen The P?i g Y gencY during Hurri that Board, by common consent, instructed the Countq .Ettorney to inform the claimant that it<would..refill the ditch and place the property in the condition as it was before the ditch was cut. . . PUBLIC WELFARE - Mrs. Helen B. Sneeden, Supt, of the Pub1Sc Welfare Departmentt was recognized.by.the Chair- ??•`?^' man and stated that she was having difficulty reconciling the salary schedule of her Assistant Supt., Miss Uirginia 5pear. She was upgrad a3 in Oct. 1957 and Mrs. Sneeden, being unaware that salary in- creases had to be approved by the County'Commissioners, approved and recommended a:salary.of.$290 for Miss Spear xhich amounted to two step-ups in the Merit Systan of $10.00 each. Qn Dec. 16th, two other Welfare workers were upgraded in their position and their salary increase of $10.00 each present- ed to the Board for approval. The County Auditor was present at the time and inSormed the Board of the $20.00 increase sent in for Miss Spear in October. The Board, at that meeting, approved an increase of $10.40 for each of them which meant that Miss Spear's salary had to be adjusted back to October at the rate of $280 per month instead of $290. Mrs. Sneeden explained to the Board that under the Merit System, after an employee has been approved and has received a stated salary, no reduction can be made unless other workers in the same category are reduced; or she ahould be demote3, therefore, it was necessarq to refund the State'and Federal Ftxnds portion of Miss Spear's salary. Mrs. Sneeden requested the Hoard to approve and ratify the salary of $?90 per month for Miss Spear rather than have the confusion 'of re- funding the over-payment which occurred in Oct., Nov. and Dec. 1957. Mr. Holton then offered a motion, seconded by Mr. Willisms that the salary of Miss Spear be approved to $290, unanimously carried:,. -?' While Mrs. Sneeden was being heard, she also presented a Petition for Relief of Mrs. I31a C?,NB" R-- Revola D. LeGwin who is quite elderly and physically and mentally unable to care for herself. She re- quested care at the Covnty Home and will pay on the basis of $45.65 per month. Mr. Holton moved and Mr. Williams seconded the motion, that this be granted, unanimously carried. ROAD PETITIONS - ??en Nnad Petitions were received from the citizens of the Sidbury RQad which is in Harnett Town- ehip and runs from U. S. 17 to U. S. 117 through the Blue Clay Road and since part of this mad is also in Pender County, the Board instructed the FScecut4uP Secr,Btagy to transmit and apgrove this request to the Penfl er County Board for their approval of the end of the road in their County and tranamit the petit- ions then to the 3rd Division of the Stste Highway Commission for their consideration. FREEMAN BEACH ERO5ION Commissioner J. E. Holton,Jr. informed the Board that he had been approsched on several occas- ? ions about sand dune erosion at the North end o£ Carolina Beach, commonlq called Freeman Beach and in his opinion some definite action should be taken to provide protection for thia Beach area. The Chairman? Mr. Hall, then informed the Board that he and Mr. Broadhurst had surveyed this situstion on one occasion and that he, too, thought that we should take some action but that it would require three groins at a cost of from $4,000 to $6..000 each to do this xork and that he thought aerious consideration should be given to this matter at the next Budget time. HIIRRICANE PROBLII?15 - The Corps of Engineers in£ormed the Board that a Public Hearing would be held in the Southport Comraunity Center at 8:00 P.M. on May 23, 1958 to discuss problems affecting the ffiorth Carolina shoreline WA4wl?y from the Cape Fear River to the South Carolina line. Mr. Williams suggested that the Executive Secre- tsry recall this matter to the Board's attention at their meeting on Yay 19th so that arrangements could be made to attend this meeting. IMPORT AND EXPORT RATFS - ' ' Lettess from'the president and general manager of the Chamber of Commerce were read and review- ed with reference tb their stand in favor of nbn-subsidization of the St. Iawrence 5esway operati.ons and p? their objections to'the'operation of this Seaw&y by a Military authority. The Hoard instructed the FScecu- ('/?`?a4")wv tive Secretary to arrange for either a represefitative from the Chamber of Commerce or Mr. Frank A. Down- c9't'?? ing, Director of thb City Bureau of Rates Industry and Commerce, to explain the matter to the Board in an effort for them to determine whether any aetion should be taken. G? DITCHIIdG Pursuant'to action of the Hoard at their meeting on April 21st with reference to the ditch ?- ? problem presented by Messers Jim T. Barker and Jesse Clemmons, the Board instructed the Executive Secre- tary to inform them that if they reopened the ditch which had been closed by then, the County would con- tinue to maintain it, e • LUNCHDON INVITATION - The FScecutive Secretary was instructed to express the Board's appreciation for the invitation by Yayor J. E. L. Wade to the luncheon on Thursday, April 24th given by the City Council honoring the cloff3cer personnel from Camp LeJeune. 0 , /I <?, ? eF_ ?\ e}M a Minutes of the Meeting lpril 28, 2958 Continued ?-^ ROAD PE2'ITION - DITCHING Puxauant to a meeting with the Board on February 17th with reference to improvement of the road to a proposed chicken farm by Nm. H. L. Darden and Mr. W. Frank Joyner and the possible assistance of the County in having the ditches cleaned out, the Executive Secretary along with Supervisor Dave W. Rivenbark investigated this aituation and found that the County's ditches and canals carrying the surplus water in that area to the Sound were open and while it vould be an improvEment if the ditch banks were cleaned off and some of the sand throxn out of the ditch, but so far as wa could determine the Countyts ditches were,_draining properlq and not backi.ng up water that would i.nterfere with the road leading to his place. It did seem that probably the lateral ditch alongside of the road needed to be ditched out but these were the responsibility of the property owners or the State Highwaq Department in the event they accepted the road for maintenance. • PURCHASE OFFER: Pursuant to instructions issued at the regular Board meeting on April 21st to the County IAuditor with reference to the offer of the Oleander Co. to purchase a tract in Block Q, Part of Ivt 4 owned Jointly by the City and Countpp Mr. Love reported that the Tax Assessor had reduced the appraisal from $1,000 to $500 since it would revert to a profitable taxpaying piece of property if sold to a pri- vate business. Mr. 1(illiams offered a motion, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst that we a ccept the price of $500 provided it was satisfactory with the City. Mr. Iove informed the Board that the County had a4?% interest in the price of this propert;y and the City had a 53% interest. County Auditor T. D. Ione also informed the Board that the tract owned jointly by the City and County in Block 498 and part of Lot L, was appraised at $300 and•that the Countp had a 32% interest in it and that the City had a 68% interest. An offer to purchase this property had been received from Ralph Burwell of 310 S. 14th St. Upon motion of Mr. Broadhurst, seconded by Mr. hfayhan, the Board unanimously approved the sale of this tract of land for $300 provided it was approved by the City Coun- cil. HIGHWAY MEETING - , . • • The Board we.s reminded that the State Highway Coaanission was holding an informal meeting in the Superior Court Room in Iihiteville on Tuesday, April 29th at 10:30 A.M. The Executive Secretary was instructed to write Mr. E. L. White requesting information on the dedication of the kTrightaville Sound bridge. . ADJOURNMENT - • Upon motion of Mr. Holton, and seconded•by Mr. hTayhanp the Board adjourned unsnimousljr. Wilmington, N. C. May 5, 1958 ASSIIMBLY The regular weekly meeting of the New Hanover County Commissioners was held this day in the CommiSsioner's Room at 9:30 A. M. PRESENT: 'Chairman J. M. Hall Jr., Commissioners Ernest R. Mayhan, Berry A. Williams, L. E. Broadhurst, and J. E. Holton, Jr;County Auditor T. D. Love, and County Attor- ney John Bright Hill. . INVOCATION - ' The meeting was called to order by the Chairman who asked the Rev. C. H. MeLean,, Pastor of the Delgado Presbyterian, to invoke Divirie presence through praper. MINUTES APPROVED The minutes of the meeting held on April 28th were approved after the paragraph headed "Public Welfare" was correcte3 to approve the request of Mrs. Helen B. Sneeden, the Superintendent, for ratifica- tion of Acting Supervisor Miss Virginia Spear's increase of $20.00 per month instead of $10.00 per month as approved in the Decenber 16th meeting and the paragraph heeded "Freeman Beach Frosiont' was corrected to say that Chairman J. M. Hall Jr, observed that three gro3ns would be required to giae adequate protect- ion to this beach and thst they would cost from $4,000 to $6,9000 each and the matter shoul.d receive serious consideration at the next Budget making time. Mr. IdillSams offered a motion to approve the corrected min- utes, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst, and unanimovsly ad`opted. . ST LAWRENCE SEAWAY Mr. F. .A, Downings SDirector of the City Bureau o£ Rates, Industry and Commerce, appeared at the request of the Board to eacplain why the subsidization of the St. Iawrence Seaxay operations o£ the Seaway Authority would be inimical to the best interest of the State Ports of North Carolina.. He explained that the original authority for operating this 5eaway contemplated rates based on a self liquidating term not to exceed fifty'years: The low toll proponents want to place the operation and msintenance of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation under the Corps of Engineers, United Ststes Artqy. In his opinion, the Commissioners should take action requesting that appropriation of proper administrative expenditures would be amortized and repaid from the Seaxay tolls as established bq the original Fhabling Act and urge ?G Congress to take vhatever action may be required to that end. The Board, by common c no sent, authorized the Ececutiye Secretary to write our Congressman and Senators advising them of thia stand on the matter. w WILMINGTON HARBOR - • / A 2etter was receined from the National Rivers and Harbors Congress informing the Board that the Nilmington, North Carolina Harbor Pro3ect was scheduled on tlie docket in the South Atlantic Division for a Hearing' to be held in the rast Room oP the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C. on We3nesday, Nmy 14th2 1958 at 10:00 A.. M. (EAST). After some discussion of this matter, Mr. Williams offered a motion that the Chairman be authorized to attend this Hearing provided, after proper investigation, he was convinced that it was desirable and advisable for some one to represent this County at that He.aring, or designate someone else to go if he was unable to attend. Mr.?Holton seconded this motion, and it was unanimouslp adopted by the Board. -A W. Ii. Houck, B7cecutive Secretary