July 4 celebrations Sheriff Carson Smith speaks to the crowd at the Willard Outreach Center July 4 celebration. See more photos of the event on page 6B and on Facebook.
POST Voice The Pender-Topsail
&
Football registration Football season is right around the corner. Pender United Football and Cheer will hold registration July 19 in Rocky Point. Read more in sports on page 1B.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Volume 43, No. 41
The Media of
50 Cents
Record for the People of Pender County
Community information meetings to be scheduled
Commissioners give nod to school bond propos By Tammy Proctor Post & Voice Staff Writer Pender County Board of Education members, Superintendent Terri Cobb, and bond counsel Robert Jessup Jr. presented a resolution that is the first step in placing a $75 million school bond issue on the November ballot. The Pender County Commissioners approved the resolution 4-to-1. Fred McCoy was the dissenting vote. “I am not sure this the time,” said McCoy. “I realize the need, but I question the affect this will have on our credit rating.” McCoy said he supports public education but he said he feels the issue should have been a part of long range planning. “This is the largest bond brought before the county,” said Kenneth Lanier, Jr., a member of the Pender County Board of Education.
The resolution, finalized by the board of education and the county late last week, was presented to the commissioners during the July 7 commissioners’ meeting. The commissioners urged the board of education to conduct public meetings to explain why the bond issue is needed. “I agree with the Chairman,” said Commissioner George Brown. “I want the public to hear about the need. Tonight is just a formality.” Brown said he felt the bond issue had been put together in haste but the board listened to the public, especially after the outcry from the community of Penderlea in protest of closing their middle school. The board changed their mind on the closure. “I’d like to have a public meeting at Topsail High School for the community to learn about the bond issue before mid-August,” said Williams. He said the east side of Pender
County generates more tax dollars and one half of the bond issue will be spent in the growing eastern portion of the county. Tom Roper, a member of the board of education, said the board will conduct public meetings before the Nov. 4 referendum. He said board members will speak to local organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis to educate the public on the bond isse. Robert M. Jessup, Jr., of Sandford Holshousen LLP, is the bond counsel to the board. He said passage of the resolution is the first of three steps necessary before the $75 million bond issue appears on a ballot. He said the commissioners are permitted to change the dollar amount, but the request cannot exceed $75 million after the resolution is approved. Commissioner David Williams pointed out that under current state regulations,
county issues can only appear in election years when there are county elections. That means the bond issue would need to appear in the November election or the action would be delayed until 2016. “It’s a lose-lose situation,” said Williams. “Costs will be higher if we miss this deadline.” “On a positive light, debt we incurred previously is coming off the books as this bond issue starts to roll out,” said Roper. Commissioner Jimmy Tate said delaying a bond issue could result in higher construction costs. The current strategy proposed by the Pender County Board of Education calls for capital improvements to Penderlea K-8 as well as a $35 million elementary and middle school in Surf City. The bond issue projects include Burgaw Middle, West Pender Middle, Cape Fear Middle and El-
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
School Board members Kenneth Lanier and Tom Roper pitch the school bond proposal to county commissioners in Monday’s meeting. ementary, and Pender High School too. Passage of the resolution allows the county finance
officer to authorize the referendum and apply to the North Carolina Local Government Commission.
Arthur can’t spoil Pender’s July Fourth celebration
Morning after Arthur
Minimal damage reported as category two storm brushes coastline By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Hurricane Arthur strengthened to a category two storm last Thursday and threatened to wash out both the county coastline and holiday plans. But the hurricane passed by without incident the evening of July 3 and officials reported only minor damage from the storm. With the exception of the Surf City Independence Day celebration, the holiday went on as planned. Pender County emergency officials say a home in Atkinson was destroyed by fire from a lightning strike during the storm. A tornado was sighted by a Pender County Sheriff ’s deputy in the western part of the county and no damage from the funnel cloud was reported. Other than these incidents, the storm was just wind and rain.
“We didn’t have any debris on the beach and we actually gained sand,” said Surf City Mayor Zander Guy. “The weekend tur ned out to be beautiful and we had a busy weekend.” Guy said residents and vistors heeded warnings during the storm and stayed in. The town saw little damage, if any. “We only had a little minor damage. Several merchants had signs blown down,” Guy said. Topsail Beach town manager Tim Holloman echoed Mayor Guy’s assessment of the storm. “The water never got up to the toe of the dune and we had very little damage to homes,” Holloman said. Busy July 4 weekend Holiday visitors to Pender beaches didn’t stay away be
Continued on page 11A
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Surfers venture into the surf in the distance as the first rays of sun break through the clouds on July 4 after the passing of Hurricane Arthur the night before.
Pender Memorial Hospital expands services By Tammy Proctor Post & Voice Staff Writer Major changes are taking place at Pender Memorial Hospital. Ruth Glaser, president of the Pender Memorial Hospital, outlined the expanding services of the local hospital. “We’ve assessed the county needs,” said Bernadette Silivanch, chairperson of hospital board. “A lot of services
available from New Hanover Regional Medical Center you can receive at Pender Memorial Hospital.” Glasser said Pender Memorial has undergone physical changes, such as upgrading waiting areas and the hospital chapel. She outlined the increase in the services now offered. “In our emergency center, we’ve added a 16-slice CT scanner. It’s faster and gives en-
hanced images,” said Glaser. She added that due to the affiliation with NHRMC, Delaney Radiology, the same providers used in Wilmington, are used at Pender Memorial. The emergency center performs protocols on patients having heart and stroke symptoms, as well as other services. “We will get you stabi-
Continued on page 2A
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Ruth Glaser
Pender Emergency Management Director Tom Collins briefs staff at the county’s Emergency Operations Center July 3 as Hurricane Arthur approached.
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