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Thursday, June 20, 2019
Vol. 49, No.35
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Board approves budget By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Pender County Commissioners approved the 2019-20 fiscal year budget at Monday’s meeting. The budget includes a four-cent reduction in the property tax rate, which is two cents above the revenue-neutral rate, and will generate an additional $1.5 million in additional revenue. The budget includes funding for three additional School Resource Officers to work in the county’s high schools. The additional SROs will ensure all county schools have resource officers. It also includes an increase in teacher supplements, as well as a 1.5 percent pay increase for county employees. The board approved a measure to spend $45,000 to lease tasers and body cameras for the county sheriff ’s office. Sheriff Alan Cutler said most of the tasers used by deputies need to be replaced. Discussion regarding the budget centered on a request from the Atkinson and Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Departments for $125,000 each from the general fund to hire full-time firefighters for daytime duty. Fire departments are funded through fire taxes in their local fire districts.
Volunteer departments have found staffing daytime hours increasingly difficult as most volunteers work outside of Pender County. Currently Pender EMS and Fire provides daytime firefighters for other volunteer departments in the county, which are paid with the local department’s funds. Pender EMS and Fire provides training and certification for the firefighters. The controversy rose when Atkinson and ShilohColumbia did not want to use firefighters from Pender EMS and Fire, but wanted to handle it themselves. Commissioner David Williams said the two volunteer fire departments needed to allow financial oversight from the board if they were going to accept general fund money. “I voted for the budget, but I’m not happy with the fire department situation,� Williams said. “If a fire department is going to accept general fund money, there needs to be some kind of financial oversight by the Board of Commissioners. This is not money from their district, but everyone is paying for this,� Williams said.
Continued on page 2A
More parking
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By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
Parking expansion and landscaping work continues along Roland Avenue in Surf City. The section of Roland Ave. from N. New River Dr. to the Intracoastal Waterway has been widened and on-street parking has been added. A cul-de-sac is under construction at the end of the street where the swing bridge once stood. Surf City Mayor Doug Medlin says the landscaping work is underway by the N.C. D.O.T. “The DOT said the work on stripes for the parking spaces along there should be done in time for the Independence Day celebration in Soundside Park,� said Medlin. “Those new spaces will help with parking at the event.� With parking in Surf City a long-time problem, Medlin says a number of new parking locations in the immediate vicinity of Roland Ave. will help ease parking
Roland Ave. improvement progress in Surf City pressure. “About 132 parking spaces are being added in that area. There will be new parking on the mainland side for people who want to walk on the bridge,� said Medlin. “There will be parking where Crabby Mike’s restaurant used to stand after Balfour-Beaty finishes using it for a staging area. When we get through dealing with FEMA and the insurance companies, we will tear down the old Ward Realty building and the old Surf City Town Hall and those areas will be used for parking. It’s going to make a big difference in the town’s parking situation. I believe it will nearly triple our parking availability.� Surf City off to great summer Medlin says beginning with the Memorial Day holiday, Surf City has seen a big influx of vacationers and local businesses are doing well.
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Blueberries and Barbecue
Staff photos by Andy Pettigrew
Pender High School students prepare barbecue sandwiches at the Athletic Boosters booth Saturday at the N.C. Blueberry Festival in Burgaw. The barbecue sale each year is a major fundraiser for the boosters. Pender Athletic Director Matt Davis (right) carries a pan of barbecue off the grill. See more pics on our Facebook page.
Possibly best attendance ever
Great weather boosts Blueberry Festival By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
large attendance, no problems work of the law enforcement were noted. personnel working the festival “To the best of my knowl- – not only the Burgaw Police Beautiful weather in Bur- edge, with that large crowd, and Pender County Sheriff ’s Push Mowers • Lawn Tractorssaid • Zero Turn Mowers gaw the weekend of the N.C. Department, but personnel we had no incidents,â€? Blueberry Festival helped Cowan.Trimmers & Chainsaws brought in from neighboringboost attendance to possibly Blueberry sales, which are towns and counties to help with record levels. always a big attraction, were the festival. Those attending the event very good, along with vendor “Law enforcement was very joined thousands of others at sale. complimentary of the crowd,â€? the 16th edition of the annual “The blueberries sold out, Cowan said. “It was just a festival. and were sold both Friday and great day and I thank everyone “It was the greatest festival Saturday. Our barbecue sales who had a part in it.â€? we’ve ever had,â€? said Burgaw were good and many vendors Funds raised from the N.C. Mayor and longtime promoter sold out early Saturday after- Blueberry Festival are used for of the festival Pete Cowan. noon,â€? Cowan said. “I have scholarships for college-bound “The crowd was so large I don’t nothing but praise for all of high school seniors from Pendeven have an estimate.â€? our volunteers and workers.â€? er and neighboring blueberryCowan says despite the very Cowan pointed out the hard growing counties.
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