1960-01-13 Special Meeting?
i
Citv Council Chambers
CONUENTION -
SPECIRL JOINT NEETING
Municipal Buildinq
Januarv 13. 1960 10:00 A. M
A joint meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners and the Wilming-
ton City Council was held today with the following members present: Commissioners - Chair-
man J. M. Hall, Jr., Peter H. Braak, J,. E. Holton, Jr., Berry A. Williams, County Attor-
ney John Bright Hill and W. G. Houck, Executive Secretary; City Council- Mayor E. S.
Capps, Jr., James H. Batuyious, Russell T. Burney, W. Ronald Lane and J. E. L. Wade,
City Manager J. R. 13enson and City Attorney Cicero P. Yow. Commissioner L. E. Broadhurst
was unable to be present for the meeting.
CALL TO ORDER -
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Capps who explained that since the pur-
pose of the meeting was to discuss the advisability of continuing with the survey or study
to determine if it was feasibile to consolidate the governing bodies of New Hanover County.
He requested Commissioner Berry A. Williams to report the latest development.
CONSOLIIIATION DISCUSSION -
Mr. Wiiliams explained that Dr. Albert Coates, Director of the Institute of Govern-
ment, was in Wilmington last Sunday and stated to him that he would•be glad to make a prelim-
inary survey a°fter which it might be possible for him to estimate the approximate cost of a
complete study. At present, he is reluctant to quote any definite figure but promised that
if they wanted the work done, he would be glad to do it on an actual expense basis. Mr.
Williams asked him if he thought a rough estimate of from $5,000 to $7,500 would be suffi-
cient to complete the job. Dr. Coates felt sure that it would fall somewhere in between
these figures but he stressed his willingness to stop the survey at any time they decided
to discontinue it. Commissioner Williams continued to express his own personal convictions
that it was unfair to ask a jury to reach a decision before ali the evidence was heard and
since he is not all sure in his own mind because he does not knpw the facts, it seemed to
him that a long range county-wide planning program had many advantages and as Dr. Coates is
wi2ling to supply a resume of the advantages and disadvantages without cost if requested to
do so, he thought it should be done. Councilman Satuyios suggested that a letter be written
to Dr. Coates authorizing him to make a preliminary survey of the situation. Mayor Capps
informedthe Board that he had written Dr. Coates a letter which had never been answered and
he was reluctant to make further overtures on the subject. Commissioner Hall reminded the
Boards of his previous stand on the question and stated that no information had come to him
which would cause him to change his mind and he did not think it was fair to accept a free
service unless there was some possibility of having him complete ihe study later. Council-
man Wade offered a motion that the joint governing bodies go on record authorizing Dr. Coates
to make a preliminary survey to determine the cost of the study. It was seconded by Mr.
Williams and when the votes were cast, Counc3lman Batuyios and Wadeand Commissioner Williams
voted in the affirmative whereas Councilmen Burney and Lane, Commissioners Hall and Holton
voted negatively. Commissioner Braak abstained from voting, The Chairman ruled the mo-
tion defeated.
TAX COLLECTOR -
--r--? Commissioner Williams remarked that at the last meeting of the Board of County
Commissioners, the uniform vacation, sick leave, and holiday schedules for CounLy employees
had been rescinded and offered a motion that the Tax Collector's department be put under
-r-- the City regulations. It was seconded by Councilman Wade, whereupon, Commissioner Hall
moved that the motion be tabied until some subsequent meeting.x After some discussion of
the subject, Mr. Hall withdrew his motion to table, and after the seconder agreed, the
question was called on the original motion and it was unanimously adopted. :tTHis motion
was seconded by Commissioner Hoiton.
ADJOURNMF,NT -
Commissioner Williams offered a motion that the joint session be adjourned. It
was seconded by Council Batuyios and unanimously approved by the two Boards.
^
W. G. Houck, Executive Secretary
Wilmington, N.C. January 18, 1960
CONVENTION -
The regular semimonthly meeting of the New Hanover Board of County Commissioners,
was held this date in the Commissioners Room of the Court House at 9:00 with the following
members present: Chairman J. M. Hall,'Commissioners L. E. Broadhurst, J. E. Holton, Jr.
and Berry A. Williams; County Attorney John Bright Hill and County Auditor T..D. Love.
Commissioner Peter H. Braak was absent from the meeting due to illness.
INUOCATION -
Chairman Hall called the meeting to order and asked Reverend A. P. Hill, Pastor
of Wesley Nemorial Methodist Church, to open the meeting with a prayer for guidance.
FORTUNE TELLING -
Nr. Vii•lliams explained that he had an appointment with his doctor this morning
and requested permission to discuss two or three problems in which he was particularly in-
terested. He called attention to the ease in securing licenses to practice palmistry in
New Hanover County because of its exemption from the General Statute 14-401.5 requiring a
residency of 15 years before a license can be secured. The Sheriff cited a recent case in
.? which the Recorder's Court was called on to settle a dispute over whom the license belonged
to. This seems to indicate that a license can be purchased by one person and be used by
another. After a general discussion of the subject, Mr. Williams offered a motion that in
the future 1- All applications for license to practice palmistry in New Hanover County be
made to the Board of County Commissioners. 2- The applicant is to be investigated, finger-
, printed and photographed by the Sherifffs Department, recommended, if after screening he is
satisfied that the appiicant is reliable. 3- The maximum fee to be charged and license
issued after approval by the County Commissioners, 4- All fortune teliers now holding a
license to practice palmistry in New Hanover County will be given 30 days in which to comply
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