1959-03-20 Special Meeting\
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
AND REVIEW
Having been sworn in and the Oath having been
Commissioners, the Board met on Monday, March
bers present: James E. Holton, Leon E. Bro:
Supervisor,acted as Clerk to the Board.
The meeting was opened by Chairman Holton and
heard.
i Wiimington, N.C. March 16,1959
filed with the Clerk of the Board of County
16 at 10:30 A. M.,,with the following mem-
idhurst, Peter H. Braak; T. D. Love, Tax
several complaints were presented and were
Mr. L. G. Wolf, properLy owner, 417 Queen Street, complained in regard to the new assess-
ment placed on his property, stating that same was too high and was thought to be out I
of line with those in his neighborhood. Mr. Wolf was advised that the Board would in- ?
vestigate and he would hear from them in regard to their findings and decision.
Mr. J. C. Seymour, Forest Hills,was present and complained about the assessment placed
on his house located in Forest Hills, stating that the attic was not finished and only
one bath is in the house, and that the house was built in 1941. Mr. Seymour asked for
a comparison with I. M. Craig's house and Mr. Biaustein's. He was advised that an
investigation would be made and he would be advised as to the decision of the Board.
Mr. W. F. Jacobs, owner of property, 1402 Dock Street, complained in regard to the assess-
ment on this property, stating that the heating plant was completely obsolete and had to
be removed and that the half-bath was being removed. He was advised that an investiga-
tion would be made and he would hear from the Board about their decision.
Mr. Wallace Murchison, representing Mr. William N. Smith complained as to the assess-
ment placed on his Apartment House on Oleander Drive stating that the property was nine-
teen (19) years old and that in his opinion the.property would not bring the appraisal 1
that had been placed on same. He was advised this would be investigated and he would
be advised of the decision of the Board,
The Clerk was advised to notify fifteen (15) complainants that they will be heard on C?? e
March 23 at 10:30 A. M.
There being no further business, the Board recessed until 10:30 A. M. Monday, March
23, 1959.
/S/ T. D. Love, Tax Sunervisor
Clerk to the Board of Equalization
and Review
Snecial Called Meetinq
Commissioners' Room
Court House, Wilminqton, N. C.
March 20, 1959
RECONVENTION
Pursuant to the recessed meeting of Monday, March 16th, the following mem-
bers of the Board met today at 10:00 P. M. in the Commissioners' Room for the purpose
of discussing the acquisition of property to provide a site for the installation of the
approach landing lights.at New Hanover County Airport by the Federal Aviation Agency:
Chairman J. E. Holton, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, • and
Berry A. Williams; County Attorney John Bright Hill and County Auditor T. D. Love.
Commissioner J. M. Hall, Jr, was unable to attend the meeting since he is out of the •
city.
PROPOSED PURCHASE STATUS -
Chairman Holton reviewed the progress of the negotiations with the property
owner, Mr. Bruce B. Cameron, for the purchase of,and an easement over his property for
the use of approach landing lights at New Hanover County Airport. He.stated that on
September 29, 1958 a Committee was appointed by the Chairman to meet with Mr. Cameron
and make him an offer of $500.00 per acre for the land 3n question with the request
that his decision be made and reported back to the Board at a recessed meeting called for
$:30 P. M. October 1, 1958. He further explained that the Committee at this time re-
ported that for the consideration of $500.00 per acre (acreage to be determined by a
competent surveyor), the owner would deed a permanent avigation easement on a fifty
to one glide angle extending into his property to a point 35001 southwardly along the
axis of runway # 34 and extending 875' on both sides perpendicular to the axis. He
reminded the Board that at the time of this report on October lst, the County Attorney
and Airport Manager wer¢ instructed and authori2ed to proceed immediately to draw the
necessary papers and notify the proper authorities of this action. At the meeting on
October 13th, the Chairman reported to the Board that a former Civil Aviation Agency
engineer had informed him that the Federal Government authorities would go along with
the approval of a minimum purchase of 5? acres on which to construct the approach land-
ing lights and that the easements could be secured at a later date but recommended
that additional appraisals be made as governmental aid would not be available beyond
a fair and reasonable price. On October 20th, the Board had unanimously authorized
I
I
?.>Q0
Minutes of the SpeCial Ca1.1ed Meeting March 20, 1959 Continued
U'JI?
PROPOSED PURCHASE STATUS - (Continued)
the Chairman to sign the instruments which had been drawn by the County
Attorney, set forth as a Contract to Buy and Seil the necessary acreage for the
approach landing lights. The agreements were read and an appropriation made from the
Emergency Fund to cover the cost of the land and survey. After.the Contract was exe-
cuted,an engineer of the Federal Aviation Agency suggested that the whole proposition
was wrong and that he would recommend abandoning Lhe site covered by the contract and
therefore the County Attorney notified Mr. Cameron that since the Civil Aviation Agency
had abandoned the need for that site,the Contract to Buy and Sell was null and void.
Since that time, the Federal Aviation Agency has taken a firm stand on their need for
a site to place the lights as originally designated and in fact they had advertised
for installation bids which were to be opened on Tuesday, March 24th and had also ask-
ed the Corps of Engineers for approval on constructing an elevated walkway 121 above
the mean high waLer line over Smith's Creek. The Chairman further stated that it is
true that some mention of acreage was made from time to time in the discussion but it
was always an estimated figure and that when the actual acres included in the perimeter
description were determined it amounted to 72.3 acresa Recently, Mr. Cameron called
him and agreed to give a fee simple deed for the 12.2??Ejaired as an approach landing
lights site with a reverter clause in event the airport ever ceased to use or need
the site he would be willing to pay $500.00 an acre when it was redeeded to him. Mr.
Holton said it seemed to him that the matter had resolved itself to either procure the
easement on the other 60.1 acres and accept-the gift of the 12.2 acnes or abandon the
approach landing lights altogether. Mr. Broadhurst said he understood that the County
would also be required to get easements on some property at the north end of the run-
way. During a discussion of the status of the pro,Ject at this time, the Board seemed
to arrive at a stalemate. • '
RECESS -
Mr, williams observed that it was now 10:45 A. M. and offered a motion tIiat
the Board recess until 11:00 otclock. It was seconded by Mr. Braak and unanimously
approved.
RECONVENTION -
At 11:00 o'clock, the Chairman cailed the Board to order and after some dis-
cussion, Mr. Braak offered a motion that when informed by the Federal AViation Agency
of the exact amount of land required, after the contracts have been let, that the Board
of Commissioners assure them that they would condemn the necessary acreage for use of
the approach landing lights. The motion was seconded by Mr. Williams and when the vote
was cast, Mr. Broadhurst voted "NO" but the Chairman ruled the mof.ion prevailed.
MARKET STOCK SHOW -
The County Farm Agent, Mr. D. D. Baggett, informed the Board that aIviarket
Stock Show would be held at the new barn at the County Farm on April 15th and 16th
and invited the Commissioners to participate in this event.
ADJOURNMENT -
.
There being no further bus:3ness to come before this Board, Mr. Williams moved
that it adjourn, seconded by Mr. Braak and unanimousiy adopted. '
,.°1? ?
?
W. G. Houck?, F.xecutive SecretarV?
I
Wilmington, N. C. March 23,1959
ASSEMBLY -
The regular weekly meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners
was held 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. Williams; County Attorney John Bright Hill and County Auditor
T. D. Love.
INVOCATION -
The Chairman called the meeting to order and asked Reverend R. K. Johnson,
Pastor of Woodburn Presbyterian Church, to open the meeting with a prayer for guidance.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Chairman requested the Executive Secretary to read the minutes of the
recessed meeting held on March 20th, copies of which had not been mailed to each Com-
missioner. He then opened the Board for a motion approving both the minutes of the reg-
ular meeting on March 16th, copies of which had been previously mailed to each Commiss-
ioner and of the recessed meeting of March 20th. Mr. Braak moved the approval of the
minutes of both meetings as written. It was seconded by Mr. Broadhurst and unanimously
adopted. •
CAP - AIRPORT CONCESSIONS
Drink Stand.- The Executive Secretary explained to the Board that pursuant
Lo their instructions last week agreeing to the operation of concessions at the Airport
y, during the A2alea Festival by the Azalea Committee provided it was satisfactory with
the CAP, which had been granted permission to operate the concessions at the meeting on
Fiarch 9th, but since the CAP was not agreeable to this arrangement, Mr. R. M. Howell,
representing the CAP asked permission to expiain their position. In the first place,
the GAP service is rendered the whole 365 days in the year and is County-wide. The only
sources of revenue are through their orin efforts and donations. At the present time,
they are financially broke and since they can not share profits he contended that they
\1
?
?
?
?
1
?
\