1959-03-05 Special Meetinge? p
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New Hanover County Drainaqe Committee Called Meetinq
Grand Jurv Room Court House March 5. 1959 2:00 P. M.
CONVENTION - `
A called meeting of the New Hanover County Drainage Committee was held this
day at 2:00 P. M. in the Grand Jury Room of the Court House. Those present were: Chair-
man Gariand S. Currin, Colonel Charles H. Burnett, Mr. M. S. Emmart and Mr. Herman H.
Hall; Mr. Dave W. Rivenbark, Drainage Supervisor of New Hanover County and Mr. J. B.
Simpson, Engineer, United States Department of Soil Conservation. Committeemen James
Ferger, John Tinga and Dirk Siaart were unable to attend the meeting.
The Chairman opened the meeting by announcing that he thought they should listen to any
suggestions that might be made by members of the Committee. The matter of a Fire Warden
was brought up and while they agreed that it was not a direct function of a Drainage Com-
mittee, it would play a large part in keeping dead limbs and trees killed by fire from
falling into streams and damN ng them.
It was observed by several members that at their last meeting they had recom-
mended that proper legislation be drawn in an effort to prevent the stopping up of ditches
by cutting treetops or piling brush in them or pushing stumps in the clearing of land in
the drainage canals. They again unanimously went on record as recommending that the 6L'wv
County Attorney prepare a Bill making it a misdemeanor and set a fine for such deliberate
action.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Committee unanimously recommend to the
Board pf' Commissioners that a system of fire control be considered by them and also recom-
mend tf1'e above legislation.
DRAGLINE REPORT
Nr. Dave Rivenbark, the Drainage Supervisor, reported that the present job
would be finished in approximately one week and ready to go on the next project which
would require a clam shell type bucket for the cleaning out of old ditches where it was
necessary to lift the spoii without "feather-edging" the banks. They thought this would
save time as well as prevent the tearing up of the grow3.ng vegetation on the sides which
helps keep the sand from washing in,and cave-ins.
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DRAINAGE REQUESTS - v
Henrv Street Request - The Petition of the citizens in the Foxtown Subdivision 617-rm pl-
? involving Evans, Ciay and Henry Street has been investigated, and found to be a very un-
healthy condition due to water standing under the houses and over the top of septic tanks.
It is recommended that the matter be reported to the Board of Heaith and in the meantime
Mr. Dave Rivenbark wili contact Mr. Lassiter to see if some temporary relief might be
worked out. Cursory investigation indicates that it might require the services of an
engineer as it seems it might inveive the lowering of a eatchbasin and ali of the drain=
aoe pipe carrying water to Burnt Mill Creek. The Committee unanimously agreed on the
above covrse of action.
Prince Georae Creek - A Petition from a group of taxpayers was received re-
questing the cleaning of Prince George Creek in the Blue Clay Road section of the County.
All of the members of the Committee are familiar with this problem and unanimously agreed
that it would be a summertime ,job for the dragline and thought it should receive top
priority as soon as the.weather permitted. In the meantime it was recogni2ed.that the
Petition was not on the proper form and they recommended that the Secretary forward the
proper Petition to Nr. L. W. Latham with the suggestion that it be signed by all of the
property owners who wili be involved with the cleanir.g out and straiohtening up where
necessary in order to relieve the trouble.
N}vrtle Grove Sound -
(a) Myrtle Grove Crardens- A Petition for drainage relief near Red Johnson's
Store on the Masonboro Loop Road knorm as Myrtle Gardens was considered and unanimous]y
? the Committee recommerided that the petitioners secure an engineer to set the grades and
establish the levels to be run domn the property line rather than follovring the old run
of the branch. Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Comrnittee unanimously went on
record as recommending that this be the next project after the Gordon Road project where
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the dragline is operating at present. J
(b) Another Petition requesting mosquito control work in the same generalarea ,P_Q?_?
known locally as Everett's Creek was considered and by common consent, the Committee un-
animously agreed that since the location was within one-half mile of the one abo"ve, the
dragline equipment could be "walked" to it and save considerable moving expense and
trouble. They alsc recommend that an engineer be employed by the taxpayers to establish
the grades and levels for this project and that it be done immediately after the one
above.
Carolina and Kure Beaches - Requests by both the torms of Carolina Beach
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and Kure Beach for c2eaning out ditches draining toward the river were received and dis-
cussed. The Acting Secretary informed the Committee that these problems had been dis-
cussed by the Board of County Commissioners before being referred to them and that the
Post Engineer, Mr. Tomlinson at Sunny Point, was contacted and he promised to get in
touch with the officials at both places and arrange to have the portion of the stopped
up ditches cleaned wherever they were in the Federal property or buffer zone. The Com-
mittee suggested that as soon as the Federal Government cleaned their end of the ditches
then the County should clean up to their line.
? Lonq Branch - This Petition requested cleaning and deepening of the canal
? known as Long Brznch which runs parallel to the Carolina Beach Road. It seems that one
land owner ori this ditch had refvsed to sign so the Chairman, Mr. Currin, requested that
he be allowed to keep the Petition and discuss the matter with the missing-party as he '
knew him personally and felt like he might be able to persuade him to sign it. The Com-
mittee aareed for the Chairman to do this and thereiore took no other action.
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Z? Drainage Committee Called Meeting March 5, 1959,Contimued
f DRAINAGE REQUESTS - (Continued)
Snow}s Cut - Seabreeze - A Petition sianed by the interested taxpayers and
property owners along an oblique ditch running from a culvert under US # 421 near Snow's
.?-----? Cut to the Intra-Coastal waterway at Seabreeze was presented and after discussion by the
members familiar with the conditions, the Committee unanimously aoreed that hand ditch-
ing would be sufficient to relieve this unhealthy situation and instructed N;r. Rivenbark
to use his ditchino crew in doing so.
Azalea Drive - The Executive Secretary of the New Hanover County Board of
y Commissioners informed the Drainage Committee that Ditching Supervisor Rivenbark had
inspected the ditch running into Jumping Run Branch from the rear of the houses along
Azalea Drive and Live Oak Parkway in response to a complaint by the property oomers
throuoh' John R. Murchison, Richard A. Shew et ai and found that the water table in
that area is high but that the fall at the present time was sufficient to drain all of
the water out of the ditch provided bricks and other debris thrown ir.to the ditch was
removed allowing the water to flow. 4Je found that the water was flomring freely in Jump-
ing Run Branch and that the water table could be lowered as much as 18inches provided
the property oe,mers would deepen their ditch below the hardpan which wouid mean that
they would have to feather-edge their ditch banks as the soil along its course is "sugar
sand" which will continue to wash into the ditch. The Committee does not recommend any
aciion until the property oe,mers secure competent engineering advice and plans for the
area.
POLICY -
? It was the unanimous opinion of the Committee that the Commissioners set a
??- Policy taith reference to the County forces taking over the maintenance and upkeep of pri-
vate developments. At the present time a request is underway over ditches in theaLin-
coln Forest Development which have not been properly engineered in the opinion of the
Committee and they do not recommend the County assuming corrective measures for drainage
probiems left by improper engineering at the time it was opened. In other words, they
do not thin}c the Gounty taxpayers should take over any new development ditch and pay for
correcting errors left by the developer. They request a ruling by the Board of County
Commissioners on this matter.
ADJOURNMENT -
There being no further matters to come before this Committee, the Chairman
deciared the meeting adjourned,
/. 'Or1,
? W.,G. Houck, Acting Secretary
Wilmington, N. C. Narch 9,1959
ASSEMBLY
The regular wee}ciy meeting of the New Hanover County Board o: Commissioners
was heid this day at 9:30 A. M. in the Commissioners' Room of the Court House. PRESENT:
Chairman J. E. Holton, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, J. M.
Hall, Jr. and Berry A. kJilliams; County Avditor T. D. Love and County Attorney John
Bright Hill.
I Nl/OCAT I ON . -
The Chairman called
Pastor of St. Andrews Episcopal
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES -
Mr. Williams offered
as written. It was seconded by
the meeting to
Church, to op
a motion that
iNr. Braak and
order and asked Reverend L. S. Jeffrey,
an the meeti-ng urith prayer. the minutes of the last meeting be approved
unan:mously adopted.
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CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT -
? 1- Law Librarv Treasurer - Mr, Foster Edwards, Clerk of Superior Court, in-
formed the Board that his assistant, James H. Adams, had been appointed Custodian of the
Lata Library and that since it was his responsibility to administer the functions of that
---? office, he requested permission to allow him to sign checks for expenditures connected
with it. Mr. Braak offered a motion, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst, that this request be
granted. It was unanimously adopted by the Board.
2- County Attorney John Bright Hill informed the Board that they were schedul-
ed to sit as a Board of Equa2izaLion and Review beginning next A4onday, March 16th and
that since some of them would be out of town, he saw no reason why they should not'all
take the Oath required at this time, The Board unanimously agreed 4rith this idea and
since the Cler}c of Superior Court was present, he administered the Oath to the entire
Board qualifying them to sit as members of the Board of Equalization and Review.
3- Non-supnort Costs -Mr. Edwards further informed the Board that his office
was put to considerable expense in handling rion-support funds which originate through the
National Reciprocal Non-Support Law, Recorder's Court and the Superior Court. He finds
that the multitudinous details are becoming a burden and suggesLS that the Commissioners
consider the advisability of recommending to ovr Representatives to the General Assem-
bly that a Biil be enacted allowing judges handling such cases be p,ermitted to 2dd a por-
Lion of the cost of administration to the Court judgement. He suggested $5.00 although
he admitted that would not defray the t; al expense of handling.
? T-HANGARS
M r. K e n n e t h G. W o o t en, represen ting Group A o f t he loca l Civ i l Air Patrol
Wing, asked the Board for permission to erect T-Hangars on the Airport property for hous-
' ing their planes. The government has demanded that they be kept under cover or they wili
? be requisitioned back as government property. Airport Manager John A. Westbrook advised
the Board that the hangars could be erecLed so that they would not interfere with the
? efficient operation of the Airport. Upon.motion of Mr. Broadhurst, seconded by Mr. Hall,
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