1953-08-31 Regular Meeting4 49'
Meeting of August 24, 1953 - Continued -
? report was received'from-DT: James R. Brandori for Dr. G. R. C. Thompson, Edvising that Deputy Sheriff David
W. Flxlcher who was treated by him £or injury to his hand while per£orming his duties as a deputy sheriff July
2nd, 1953, stated that the cast was removed ; the hand looks good, and was discharged on July 2Q, 1953. The
report was made under the grovisions of the Worlanen's Compensation Act.
A 5tate Inspection Certificate for operating a boiler at the County Home was received from the State for post-
;,.`?ing in the boiler room required by law.
??/'A report of the Tax Office showing that $1,638.98 was collected for the City and $2,361.31 for the County inak-
ing a total o£ $4000.29 back taxes collected for the month of July.
Notice received from Veterans Administration, Winston-Salem, N. C,, that they hold first'mortgage on lots 29
1M641and 30, Seagate, in the name of the present owner Chester Davis, formerly oumed by George C. Baltzegar, request-
ing that all future notices for taxes be mailed to them, was referred to the Tax Collector.
??2Qeport on sale of aviation gasoline at the Airport for August 19th, was received and filed.
•e1h5?Reports of the County Electrical Inspector £or May and June were received and filed.
Four applicatiors for the Investigator-Collector for indigent and Hospital cases job, were received and order-
45,f?Ved turned over to the Civil Service Commission £or certification for employment at the meeting scheduled to be
held Tuesday, August 25th.
/ The Board approved a revised taY abstract £orm prepared and outlined by the Chairman, that would simplify tax-
V07' listing an3 eliminate a number of possible errors that have been experienced in the past, or to make such flur- ,
ther changes that would improve the system.
The Chairman-announced that the names of persons who are due to list their personal property for taxes but have
/ not listed anything at all, will be turned over to the Solicitor for handling with the Grand Jury in accord-
ance with the law, and others not listed in compliance with recent written request made by the Tax Supervisor
to come in and discuss their returns made locally in comparison with their State returns, to be sumc,oned be-
, fore the Tax Supervisor and required to list as required by 'law.
'D tl? Upon motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by yr. 0'Shields, County bills No. 380 to 569 were approved for pa,yment.
_..-
? A recess was then•taken Until 10:00 o'clock A.M., iJednesday, August 26th, 19539 to investigate the drainage
situation at Carolina Beach and vicinity with the Beach Officials.
4Y- Clerk.
? Wilmington, N. C., August 31, 1953•
The regular weekly meeting of the Board was held this day at 10:00 o'clock A.M.
Present: R. T. Horton, Chairman and Commissioners Claud 0'Shields, Thurston C. Davis, Hal J. Love, Raifor3
' Trask, County Auditor T. D. Love and Marsden Bellamy, County Attorney.
The meeting was opened with prayer by the Reverend G. D. Carnes, Pastor o£ N,t. Zion Methodist Church, Colored.
Copies of the minutea of ineeting of August 24, 1953, having previously been'furnished each member o£ the Board,
the same were upon motion of,Mr. OfShields, seconded bp Mr. Davis, approved.
The Chairman reported that after looking into the Carolina Beach drainage matter, the same situation exists
in the lake area and reconvnended the installation of a flood gate there to prevent the water backing up, and
that A"ss. Strickland the City Manager, and N,r. Hecht would meet with him this week to work out a system of
control.
The Chairman also reported the Civil Service Group had turned back to the Board the applications for the Hos-
_,,?P??'J'pital Investigators job, for the reason they claim notice of examination of applicants was not given by ad-
vertisement.
Inasmuch as one o£ the applicants has been, and'is notir,'employed by the County in similar work,
it would not be necessary, in the opinion of the Board, to pasa her application on to the Civil Service Group
for further certification. Thereupon Mr. Davis moved and it was seconded by Mr. Trask and unanimously car-
?)ried that I?irs. Juliette M. Highsmith, experienced and presently employed in the Welfare Department, be em-
ployed to fill the position as Investigator of indigent hospital cases and Collector of accounts.
? ?Upon motion of Mr. Love, seconded by Mr, Davis, Mr. C. R. Morse was re-appointed Consolidated City-County Tax
/??-- Collector for a term of two years, and his bond fixed at $37,500.00 each by the City and County as heretofore,
subject to the approval of the City Council.
Upon motion of Mr. Trask, seconded by Mr. 0'Shields, The Wilmington Junior Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of
C?n.?.tthe King-Brothers-Christianni Circus to be held at Legion Stadium September 7, 1953, were released from the
payment of the Schedule "B" tax to the County to present an exhibition of the circus as scheduled, for the
reason the proceeds will be used exclusively for charitable purposes. The City of Wilmington having taken
similar action. It being c7:early understoo3, however, that this action in no manner, sets a precedent to
" release any future event of similar purpose, £rom the payment o£ the tax.
With reference to granting the Bog Scounts the use of the Keepers Lodge and premises at the old abandoned
1_02\,?10 `?iVortheast Cape Fear River Bridge at Castle Hayne, at meeting of April 132 1953, which inadvertently failed
to set a time limit, the same was amended by permitting the Boy Scouts to use the said Lo3ge and Premises as
long as the same is activeJ,y used by them for Scout purposes.
?D ?gQ,,The following resolution was adopted:
,R?
WHEREAS, G. W. Fleming, C. S. Ftoyal and Ella K. Rnyal, his wife, and Mildred Fleming Pawell, and H. E. Powell,
her husband, filed a petition with this Board on Jul.y 27, 1953 pus'suant to the provisions of subsection 153-9
(17) of the General Statutes of North Carolina, requesting this Board to order the closing of certain streets,
in the subdivision of Flemington, formerly called "Pocomoke*''o'r °Poc6moke Hills", in Cape Fear Township, New
Ha.nover County, North Carolina, designated as Fleming Street, Second Avenue and the unnamed streets Northeast
of and parallel with said Second Avenue on a map of said subdivision recorded in Map Book Q, at Page 64, in the
Registry of said County, copy of which map is attached hereto; and
WHEREAS? this Board calendared the request for hearing at a meeting to be held in the Court House in Wilmington
N. C., at 10:00 A.rl., on August 31, 1953, and notice o£ the time and place of said hearing was duly given in
accordance with the terms of said statute by mailing notices thrreof by registered letter to all persons own-
ing property adjoining said streets, or either af them, who did not join in the request for the closing there-
of, namely: Mrs. Ida Lewis Pressly (Mrs. L. R. Yressly), and husband, Mrs. S. F. (Mary) Lewis, and Mr. Alec
(Aleac) Malpess and wife; and by publishing notice of the request and the nature thereof an•-1 the time an3 place
of the meeting thereon once a week for four weeks, on the 4th, lltht 18th, and 25th days of August, 1953T in
the Wilmington Star-News, a newspaper published in said County; and
I
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*?`n'? Meeting of August 31, 1953 - Continued -
WHEREAS, a public hearing was held by this Board at the time an3 place.specified in said notices, on Aug-
ust 31, 1953, at which time all interested persons desiring to he heard were heard, wh'ich persons were ?
the proponents who appeared thru counsel and presented several witnesses who testified, and several:own=
ers'of property in the vicinity of the said streets who appeared in person and who were represented by
counsel in opposition to said request; and
WHEREAS, upon all the evidence and after iiiae consideration thereof, it appears to the Board and the Board
finds that:
(1) Prbper notice of the public hearing on this'matter was duly given to all interested per-
sons bf registered letter an3 by public3tion as required by subsection 153-9 (17) o£ the General Statutes
of North Carolina.
(2) Althougi said s treets were shown and designated on a plat of said sub-division above re-
ferred to they have never been opened or used in ar?y way or mamner as streets, roads or other public ways.
(3) 'Said'streets have not been accepte3 for public use or maintenance by this County or by the
StaCe Highway and Public Worlcs Commiseion of North Carolina;
(Q) Sai3 atreets are not located within the lunits of any mnnicipality.
(5) No individual owning property in the vicinity of said streets or in the sub-division in ?
which 'they are located will be deprived of reasonable means o£ ingress an3 egres§ to his property by the
closing of said streets;
(6) The closing of said streets is t;ot contrary to the public interest;
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the r"eques't for the closing of Fleming Street, Second Avenue, and the
other unnamed streets northeast of and parallel with said Secon3 Avenue, as shown on the map of Flemington
recor3ed in Book o£ Maps No. 4 at Page 64, in the Registry of New Hanover County, be an3 the same here-
by is approved, and the said streets hereUy are ordered closed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, and it hereby is ordered, that, unless an appeal is taken f'rom this order within
thirty days as prescribed by statute, a certified copy of this order together with copies o£ the register-
ed letters giving notice of this hearing, the return receipts, and 'the affidavit of the publication of sai3
notice, shall be recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds for New Hanover County. ?
??ls Mr. T. D. Love, County Auditor presented', in accordance with the law, a statement of receipts and disburse-
l? ments of the New Hanover County Retirement System as of June 30, 1953, showing a surplus on hand of
, $131,765.54.
. a Upon motion of hir'. 0''Shields, s econded by Nir. Love, the County's appropriation to the County I2nployes Re-
tirement System, of an amount equal to 5% o£ the total salaries paid to County Dnployes participating in
the County's Retirement System for the fiscal year ending J"ne 30, 1954, Was approved, authorized and direct-
ed on the recoramen3ation of the County Auditor as being required by law.
A letter requesting payment of $$140.16 one third cost of 0420.50 £or printing aclvertising folders by the
Chamber of Commerce, to be paid one third each by the City, County and the Chamber of Commerce, was present-
??`'?' ed to the Doard by Mr. P. N. Camak, bcecutive SecretaPy, together with a request of the Chamber of Comnerce
for an appropriation of $1y500.00 for the year 1953-1954 instead of $500.00 appropriated formerly for ad-
vertising pnrposes, were received for investigation and stu3y in connection with a statement of the break-
down of advertising expenditures last year.to be furnished by the County Auditor.
Upon motion of Mr. 0'Shields, seconded by Mr. Trask, the Chairman an3 bir. Davis were appointed to a ct as
a committee to represent the County on the James k'alker Hospital Building program, recommended and re-
Y? quested by the Board of 14anagers of the Hospital. It was requested by the Hospital Board that the Hos-
pital, Cowity and City each appoint a two-man cornmittee fo: the purpose of carrying out the discussion.
? _y Upon motion of Mr. Love, seconded by Mr, Trask, Mrs,. Elnily Corning, 410 Central Aoulevard, paralyzed and
? el''- no one to care for her, was granted admission to the County Home as a pay patient at ??40.00 per month when
room is available.
A letter was received from ifir. M. Aigene Bullard, President o£ the Boar3 of Directors of Associated Chari- ?
ties, expressing his thanks and appreciation of his Board, for the County's support and ihterest given the
Associated Charities over the years prior to the County Discontinuing its financial support, August 15, 1953: .
A copy of the minutes of the meeting of Community Hospital Board of Trustees of July 15, 1953, were re-
? ceived and filed. '
A report of the Health Departmentfar July was received and filed.
?-- ?s
_ 0\_n?yQ.t A report of Airport receipts for August 25, 1953, was receive3 and filed.
,? Contracts to audit the accounts and records of New Hanover County, Bos?d of Health and Board of Fducation
y?U for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1953, submitted by Mr. William C. Barfield, Certified Public Account-
? ant, was approved and the Chairman and County Auditor authorized to execute the same on behalF of the County.
t,c? T'?'. Horton recommended going back to the old system of the County Auditor auditir.g the various County De-
-_i?'?' partment Heads throughout the year with a final audit to be made by a Certified F'ublic Accountant.
C No objections were raised by the Board •to the application of Wilmington Cold Storage Company for a State
? Wholesale I4alt Beverage Permit to handle beer'at their loca.tion 518 North 2nd Streeto the same having been
- approved by the Sheriff.
Attornyty's Automobile Fleet-Policy Insurance was approved subject to check and approval by
_??'the Renewal
? Upon motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Love, the Board approved an exchange of land on 5mith Creek with
Corbett Industries, Inc,, to provide necessary land for the location of the State Highway and Public 4forks
Commission Third Division Headquart,ers, as follows:
Corbett Industries, Inc., to convey to the County 4.52 Acres of high land plus payment of $1,000.00.
in eacchange for approximately 20 acres swamp land which is now in process of being surveyed by the State
Highway Commission, and the County to transfer 8.07 acres of land to the State Highway and Rzblic Works
Commission for docking space on the Creek at $150.00 per acre, The County Attorney was instructed to pre-
pare the deeds in accordance with the map.
The matter of putting into effeet a schedule of fees set by the State and adoption of an drdinance that
would require the inspection of ineat houses and packing plants by a Veterinakian, which is recommended by
this Board, but inasmuch as the County Attorney was of the opinion the same is a mft'GtieT for the Health De-
partment to handle, was continued for further investigation.
,
Meeting of August 31, 1953 - Contin.ued - 4 q51
,_kk yIt was agreeable to the Board that we move the C.A.P. Building at the-Airport if it is ascertained that
such authority has been given us, and that we get bids on moving the old hangar.
,??0?'1'he Chairman told the Board the old tanks at the Airport were being used in connection?rith the County
drainage.
The Board agreed to meet as the Board of Directors at the T. B. Hospital this afternoon.
Upon motion of Mr. Trask, seconded by Mr. Davis, the petty cash account for the Register of Deeds was in-
y$30.00 to enable him to take care of Government papers recording which he has to wait severa
` ?lvcreased b
weel:s for payment which interferes with his monthly settlement with the County Auditor. This will bring
his petty cash account up to $50.00.
Upon motion of Mr. 1Y'ask, seconded by Mr. Davis, Mr. T. D. Piner, Harnett Township, was granted an abate-
/ment of taxes on a valuation o£ $100.00 ch,arged in error for the years 1952 and 1953, on lot 100x200 feet,
July 25, 1951, from W. M. Hill covering easement only over adjoining property. Miss FSnma Gac'e Hutaff uras
abated taxes on a valuation o£ $600.00, Pt. Biock 2, Wrightsville Beach account oi' double charge and error
for the years 1951, 1952 and 1953• The same was sold to Mrs. Fleanor Willetts in 1951, and the same list-
" ed an3 taxes paid by her. Fdward Er*ans was granted anabatement of taxes on a valuation of $665.00, per-
sonal property charged in error above its true 'value for the year 1952. ,,(AG?. 0'Shields suggested that we have a definite understanding with Department $eads as to any salary adjust-
ment with their employes, and should get together andsettle the question on an efficiency basis.
Mr. George H. Hutaff presented maps relative to certain roads on property, in Cape Fear Township.
A recess was then taken until 5:00 o'clock P.M., Wednesdap, Septenber 2, 1953.
X• ge ?: ?v • Clerk. ,
Wilmington, N. C., 5eptember 2, 1953•
Pursuant to recess taken August 31, 1953, the Hoard met this day at 5:00 o'clock P.M.
, Presant: R. T. Horton, Chairman and Commissioners Claud 0'Shields, Thurston C. Davis, Hal S. Love and
Raiforci Trask.
.,-After a discussion with Mr.'k. R. Ballman, President of France Neckware and Garver Manu£a'cturing Company,
?? concerning their 1953 personal tax returns, the same was continued far further consideration.
? The matter of selling the sand, or all land an3 timber on the approximate 63 acre tract of County "Quarry
L3.nd" at Castle Hayne, the•same was re£erred to the Chairman for investigation and with power to act.
?lessrs., R. L. Black, Register o£ Deeds; Foster Fdwards, Clerk of the Superior Court; and M. B. Register,
Sheriff appeared to request the Commissioners to re-consider and re-adjust salary increases set up in the
budget £or the clerks and denuties in their respective offices, for the reason some of the employes are up- I
set over the variation in increases allowed. No recommendations as to salary increases were made,,how-/
ever, by the Department Heads during the preparation of the budget.
Mr. Horton stated that inasmuch as the budget had been set and the efforts of the Commissioners were to
eqtzalize and adiust salaries, felt they had done a good job, and therefore felt it best to leave the ques-
tion o£ salary increases to remain as provided in the budget, and further consideration be given the matter
Dzxt year, motion offered by Mr. Davis to re-consider the sa7.ary raises an3 xcept recommendations from the Department
!?H'eads, failed for a second. The matter was £urther discussed at length, but no action was taken. _
?.x4? Requests o£ Recorder H. Winfield Smith and Recorders Court Solicitor John M. Walker for,o£fice expenses in
?4 connection with their official duties, was referred to the County Attorney for opinion.
Monday, September 7th 1953, being a legal holiday (Labor Day) and falling on the date for the next regular
meeting of the Board, a recess was taken until Tuesday, September 8th, 1953, at 10:00'o'clock A.M.
Clerk.
Wilmington, N. C., September 1953•
Pursuant to recess taken Wednesday, September 2, 1953, the Board met at 10:00 otclock A.M.
Present: R. T. Horton, Chairman and Commissioners Claud O'Shields, Thurston C. Davis, Aal J. Love, .
' Raiford Trask and County Attorney Marsden Bellamy.
The meeting was opened with prayer by the Reverend Mr. S. E. Jenkins, Pastor of the Church of the Good Shephard.
The mi.nutes of ineeting of August 31, 1953, copies of which were previously furnished each member of the Board,
the same were upon motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Love, approved.
The Board by reason of the persistent opposition and unanimous dis-approval of the Local Bar Association,
-46'irepresented by Mr. James B. Swails, and upon thestatement of Mr. R. L. Black, Register of Deeds, that the
Microfilm Recording Machine on trial use in the Register of Deeds office, makes a poor and unsatisfactory
record; upon moti-on of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Trask, voted to discontinue the use o£ the Microfilm Sys-
tem in the Register of Deeds 0£fice for the present time, and further voted not to purchase the said machine
which has been on trial use for several months. '
A petition of 102 residents of the Carolina Beach Road (U.S. 421) presented by Mr. C. D. Parker, requosting
the State Highway Safety Division to reduce the speed limit to 35 miles per hour over the said hip,hway from
the N?affitt Village stop light thru Echo Farm, was upon motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Trask, approved
and referred to the State Highway Safety Division with request that a stirvey be made of the traffic condi-
tions there with the view of determining and establishing a safe speed limit over the said highway thru the
area in question. D1r. Berry Williams objected to setting the limit at 35 miles per hour, stating it was too slow in that area
?A,,and would unnecessarily interfere with traffic, and if put into effect, might as well put it into ef£ect in
all parts of New Hrznover County.
? request of Mr. R. F. Shepard, President of Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce for an appropriation of
??'? $540.00 out of the County's advertising fund, was received £or consideration along with other similar requests.
/Mr. Davis brought to the attention en editorial appearing in the Saturday, September 5, issue of the Wilming-
ton Morning Star stating that the $4,000.00 City-County joint appropriation for Typhus Control in the Hoard
of Health Budget, on a basis of one third by the City, or $1,334.00, and two-thir3s by the County, $2,666.00,