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Signs, Signs everywhere Artistic expression can take many forms. A Burgaw woman uses her talent to make signs for customers across the country. Read about the Summery Umbrella on page 1B.
The Pender-Topsail
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Rivals in Rocky Point Every time county rivals Pender and Trask play basketball, it means a packed gym and plenty of good competition. Read about last week’s game in sports on 8A.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Volume 47, No. 16
Money savings means more water line
Training for emergencies
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Savings in financing costs for the Central Pender and Moores Creek Water district projects will allow Pender County to extend the water mains by more than 14 miles. County Commissioners approved funds for engineering work on 9.1 miles of additional water main in the Central Pender Water District and four miles in the Moores Creek Water district to be constructed along with the current Phase 1 construction plan. Pender County Utilities Director Michael Mack says when the USDA loan was closed, the loan interest rate was significantly lower than originally budgeted and allowed the reallocation of the excess capitalized interest dollars to be invested in additional waterline design and construction. “We will get the benefit of using all the grant funding that is available to us, as well as getting additional customers,� Mack said. “Our contractors know the additional work is coming and we will stay in budget. We will be able to maximize every single grant dollar that is coming to these districts.�
Greater Currie Community Action Group meeting Jan. 21
in 2010
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
FireďŹ ghters from Pender County and across the state gathered at Cape Fear Community College’s North Campus in Castle Hayne for the annual Fire College. Sponsored by the Pender County FireďŹ ghters Association, the school provides important training in all aspects of the ďŹ re service. Here new ďŹ reďŹ ghters carry hose in full turnout gear up eight stories of the training tower. The gear and hose weighs about 75 pounds total.
From basic to advanced training
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Firefighters learn skills at Fire College By Lori Kirkpatrick Post & Voice Staff Writer
The Greater Currie Community Action Group (GCCAG) will hold its annual meeting Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. The meeting will take place at Moores Creek Missionary Baptist Church in the old cafeteria. Topics to be addressed will include the future resource center, walking trails and the Currie Fire Substation. They will also discuss fundraising and community involvement activities for 2017. County officials are expected to be present, and the public is invited to attend. GCCAG member Jimmy Murphy said that the group nor mally holds its annual meeting in November, but had to push it up to the beginning of this year due to the inclement weather and flooding in the area. During the meeting,
Continued on page 3A
County to update land use plan Comprehensive Plan first adopted
Currie group plans meeting
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The Media of Record for the People of Pender County
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
The Pender County Firefighters Association partnered with Cape Fear Community College’s Public Safety program to host the Fire College for more than 500 safety personnel across North Carolina. The event was held at CFCC’s North Campus in Castle Hayne from January 11-15. Students are trained by veteran professionals in key areas of investigation, fire safety and emergency response. The event offered 57 courses including Hazmat Air Monitoring and Sampling, Crime Scene Photography, Explosives, Bombs and Terrorism, Traffic Incident Management and more. Students who complete Public Safety College will receive a certificate of training. Pender County Fire Marshal Tommy Batson is one of the professionals who trained the firefighters at the college. Batson says the Fire College is a good opportunity for new firefighters to receive
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to those who have been firemen for 30 years,â€? Batson said. Batson was working with a basic firefighting class. “A lot of these folks are volunteers. It gives them an overview of everything. Some may be looking to go into a career in firefighting, or part-time. They can find out if this is what they are really interested in and what they want to do.â€? The basic class was learning how to roll carry ladders, and how toTurn use Push Mowers •hose, Lawn Tractors • Zero their safety equipment and airpacks – all Trimmers & Chainsaws basic skills, but important foundations to being a firefighter. Other basic classes were going into a dark building filled Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew Pender County Fire Marshal Tommy with synthetic smoke and searching for Batson, a trainer at the Fire College, a mannequin, which represents a fire talks with students before their gru- victim. Batson says it’s important for the firefighters to become accustomed eling climb up the training tower. to wearing their gear and air packs in a dark, smoke-filled place and searching without being able to see. the training they need. “Until they are more advanced, we “We do specialized training to basic firefighting. We have firefighters here Continued on page 3A that have been in it for a few months up
Pender County Commissioners are working on seating a committee to update the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Adopted in 2010, the plan is is the official land use policy statement for the county and provides a guideline to facilitate orderly growth and development. As a roadmap for growth, the plan is used by county leaders, staff, citizens and private land owners and developers as the basis for evaluating short-term actions against long-term goals. The plan should be used as a guide in developing and approving land development proposals and or setting capital improvement plans and priorities. Overall, the plan is the major statement of community values that set the framework for achieving a more sustainable future. Planning Director Kyle Breuer says the plan is due for a review and update. “We are reviewing the existing plan and updating it with new policies and goals. We want to really make sure we are on the right track for meeting the goals and policies of the plan, Breuer said. “We want to guide development where it is appropriate, look at existing utilities and services, working with stakeholders to make sure coordination is taking place. The plan helps guide future county capital investment, such as parks, libraries, and schools. It gives us an understanding of where we are going in the next 20 years or so.� Mowers Breuer says the Comprehensive Plan is not a regulatory document, such as the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), which is a document that lays out standards which development has to meet. The Comprehensive Plan is a guideline. Regulations such as the UDO, should grow out of the guidelines in the Comprehensive Plan.
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Continued on page 3A
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