Monday, June 13, 2005

Tax Hikes Eyed By Halifax Council

But Real Estate Tax Hike Challenged

Halifax Council agreed to advertise a proposed $1,462,569 budget that contains a three-cent real estate tax hike – from 19 to 21 cents – and generates an additional $26,283 Thursday night.
But Finance Committee Chairman Allen Stevens is challenging the real estate tax hike.
A hearing is set on the proposed budget for June 23.
The proposed budget also carries a 10-cent hike in the machinery and tools tax – from 20-30 cents that is expected to generate some $4,815, and a natural gas tax increase expected to raise an additional $18,000 for the town’s coffers.
The budget will also reflect the town’s current 100 percent payment for health insurance benefits for its 16 employees, except for those with the family plan. In that plan family members’ coverage is currently paid by the employee, according to Town Manager Carl Espy.
Casting the deciding vote in a 2-2 split on the insurance benefits package, Mayor Leon Plaster said it was with the understanding that the benefits package will change next year, with employees’ contributing to coverage.
Facing a June deadline for budget approval, Plaster said he was “making a decision” but he lamented the town’s budget process this year, which he said did not allow enough time to consider alternatives.
During Thursday night’s meeting, two councilmen, Phil Hollis and Jack Dunavant, were absent.
Council’s action came during a regular session, which followed an hour and forty-five minute work session.
The public hearing for the proposed town budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23, in Town Hall at 70 Main Street.
Budget approval and appropriation is expected at Council’s June 30 meeting.
“No member of the Finance Committee recommended a three-cent real estate tax increase,” said Stevens during Council’s session.
The three-cent tax increase recommendation was carried forward from Council’s work session on the proposed draft budget last night.
During the Thursday night meeting, Halifax attorney W.W. “Ted” Bennett opposed the tax hike, the town’s 100 percent funding of insurance and questioned the need for a town police force.
He said he and his wife “had no opportunity to avoid being bought into the Town of Halifax” during the boundary adjustment, and that their tax bill went up over $1,750 a year, which he described as an “unbelievable tax increase.” Lamenting the expansion of boundaries, Bennett suggested revisiting the action.
He urged Council to look at Rustburg, a county seat, which chose not to be a town, and one that has “no administrative (costs) or police force.”
“I don’t understand the need for a separate police force,” he said, noting the state police and sheriff’s departments have offices in Halifax. “Think of us who pay taxes.”
Addressing employee insurance benefits, Bennett said, “something is askew” in the town. Bennett said that his calculations indicate that the town is paying $300 per employee more than South Boston (per person.) “That is an extra $62,000 at year for 17 employees. There has to be a balance.”
The attorney described the issues as “symptoms of a larger problem.”
“Are we really headed in the right direction?” he added.
Following the meeting, Bennett suggested the town contract with the Sheriff’s Department for police coverage. “They (the town) can probably save one-third or 40 percent,” he added.
Halifax businesswoman Betsye Throckmorton told Council that she had checked into police coverage and discovered there is (an average) one and one-half state troopers on duty on first and second shifts to cover two counties.
She said there are four deputies first and second shift with “maybe two to serve the public” since deputies also serve subpoenas and carry out required court duties.
“This week we had vandalism to our store front. In 24 hours, they had leads,” she said of the Halifax police.
“We’re not trying to put a burden on residents and businesses, but it (the budget) must be kept in perspective,” said Espy following the meeting. “There has been no tax hike in 22 years for real estate.” The manager said capital outlays, including water/sewer infrastructure, are planned for the town.
Budget
The advertised budget also includes a 10-cent increase in the machine and tool tax – from 20 cents to 30 cents per assessed $100 which is projected to add $4,815 in revenue. and the advertised natural gas tax rate increase is expected to add $18,000.
Included in the budget proposal is an unchanged 80-cent per assessed $100 personal property tax rate
The natural gas tax increase reflects the following: the residential rate of $0.0186700 per CCF unit delivered monthly plus 20 percent of the minimum bill not to exceed $3 monthly, and a commercial and industrial rate of $0.l55660 on the first 100 CCF units/ $0.015566 for all CCF units over 100 per each CCF unit delivered monthly, plus 20 percent of minimum bill.
The budget reflects no increase in water/sewer rates for in-town or out-of-town customers.
Insurance Benefits
Several town employees as well as citizens addressed the town’s health insurance issue during the Thursday night meeting.
Police Chief Devin Snead told Council he saw both sides to the issue and proposed “tabling changes to town policy this year and taking one year to study” the issue. He said that would offer time to work together for a compromise.
Councilman Dr. Charles Parker said he “was concerned about the impact on employees” if Council changed the health coverage after employees had been locked into the plan this year.
Agreeing action must be taken to reduce the town’s insurance cost, Parker urged a review of insurance options for next year.
“This is $5,700 out of a $1.4 million budget,” Parker said. “Leave it as is for this year. Revisions (next year) could change the situation. I think the employees understand the problem.”
A motion by Councilman Stevens, with a second by Councilman C.W. Daniel, for the town to pay 90 percent of the premium with a maximum held at the $575 rate died when Parker and Council Buddy Guthrie opposed, with the mayor breaking the tie and joining in opposition.
“I firmly believe we must get a grasp of the insurance problem,” said Plaster. But, he said, because the employees were locked into the insurance program this year, he would oppose the proposal. He also said the town was not following its own policy, which called for $75 a year contribution by employees (for the single and dual plan). “We have to have to get our policies in order,” he said.
A motion by Parker that the town continue its current practice, freeze at $605 to cover the increase for this year and revise town policy to reflect a 90 percent contribution to be worked out each year – as well as seek less expensive policy coverage and work with employees – drew a second from Councilman Buddy Guthrie. The 2 to 2 vote was broken by the Mayor who supported the motion for a 3-2 passage.
In other business, Town Manager Carl Espy told Council that at its June 1 meeting, the State Review Board agreed with the Department of Historic Resources that the Halifax Courthouse and Mountain Road Historic Districts “are recommended eligible” for nomination to the national and state registers. However, Espy cautioned that approval at this level is not a guarantee that the nominations will succeed if documentation made in the final nominations do not fully support the district’s eligibility.
The area includes Main Street and the Courthouse area as well as the expansion of an existing Mountain Road district, which would then include Woodside, a house built by Dabney Minor Cosby.
If approved, the designation would provide for historic tax credits for rehabilitation of properties, according to Espy. “It helps to promote Heritage Tours and raises the eligibility for grants,” said Espy. “And Halifax would then have two historic districts.”

The Sky’s The Limit

Officials Cut Ribbon On New Commercial Hangar At William M. Tuck Airport

Around 25 county dignitaries gathered with members of the Tobacco Commission and state aviation officials Friday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the first new building at Tuck Airport since 1968.
The 6,400-square-foot commercial hangar is designed to be rented to corporations needing hangar space for their commercial aircraft, according to Airport Commisison Chairman Ronnie Vaughan.
In thanking the groups responsible for financing the project, Vaughan said he was grateful that the Halifax County Board of Supervisors realize a viable airport is an integral part of economic development.
“This is the first building built at the airport since 1968," he said. “That is 37 years. It’s also one of the only buildings built in Halifax County with government money that came in under budget."
The total project cost for the commercial hangar was $598,748.
The project was funded with a Tobacco Commission grant of $210,748, a grant from the Virginia Department of Aviation of $204,000 and site preparation funding from the Virginia Department of Aviation of $184,000.
“It is a good example of what can happen when you have a good plan and good people working toward that plan," he added.
Clarksville resident and Tobacco Commission member J.T. Taylor said it is rewarding to see what began as a request for tobacco funding come to fruition.
“It’s nice to see people come before the Commission and request funds and then get the chance to see what comes from it," he said.
Industrial Development Authority Executive Director Mike Eades said access to an airport is a “key component" of economic development.
“This is important to us," he told the group. “A company is going to announce (plans to locate in Halifax County) within the next week or so that wouldn’t be here without the airport."
Vaughan told the group that future plans include the relocation of a taxiway and a new terminal building.
“Long-term, we plan to extend our runways by about 1,000 feet to allow larger planes to fly into Halifax County," he said.
“What we’re doing today is the first step toward moving Halifax County into the 21st Century," Vaughan added.

Trying Work Things Out

South Boston Council will hold the first reading of its $8,278,779 budget tonight, with the final reading expected June 27 followed by adoption.
Also on the agenda, a request from Brooks Funeral Home to address Council concerning the use of Constitution Square.
“We’re still unsure whether we will attend the Council meeting tonight or not,” Betty Jones, a Brooks Funeral Home spokesman, said yesterday. “Basically, we are working with representatives of Destination Downtown and business leaders to resolve issues on the use of Constitution Square.”
There was no visitation Friday night during the Alive After Five concert, Jones said yesterday.
In other business, Council is expected to address a request from Distinct Impressions, 309 Main Street, to install a sign on the front façade and an awning on the rear of the building.
Councilmen also are expected to make a library board appointment. Shirley McCaleb has been contacted and indicated she would be willing to fill the current vacancy on the Halifax/South Boston Regional Library Board.
Budget
The FY 2005-2006 budget carries no real estate tax increase but reflects a 5 percent increase in both in-town and out-of-town water/sewer rates, increases consumer utility taxes and increases the vehicle decal fee from $20 to $25.
The overall general fund budget summary reflects a 3.11 percent decrease, dropping from $8,545,233 last year to $8,278,799 in FY 2005-2006.
Budget items include:
•Electric Utility Tax increase from $2 to $3 maximum monthly (Commercial $200 to $300 maximum monthly).
•Telephone Utility Tax increase from $2 to $3 maximum monthly (Commercial $20 to $30 maximum monthly).
•One percent increase in the occupancy tax, moving from its current 4 1/2 percent to 5 1/2 percent.

 

Obituaries

Martha Garrett Jones

Martha Garrett Jones, 85, of York, Pa., formerly of Halifax County, died at York Hospital.
Mrs. Jones was born on August 11, 1919, to the late Jacob Thomas Garrett and Martha Dennis Garrett and was married to the late Charles Jones Sr. She was a retired employee of American Chain and Cable Company, and was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in York.
Survivors include four daughters, Bessie Glover and Phyllis Boyer, both of York, Jennifer Daugherty of Sherwood, Ore. And Alexantha Jones of Albuquerque, N.M.; three sons, Charles Jones Jr. of West Chester, Pa., Jason Jones and Schuyler Jones, both of York; seven grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Jones was also preceded in death by two sons, Alfonso Jones and Wentworth Jones; and a granddaughter, Susan Jones.
Graveside services for Mrs. Jones will be held tomorrow, June 14, at 4 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Halifax County with the Rev. James E. Traynham officiating.
The family will receive friends at the cemetery tomorrow.

Lt. Col. Frank Edwin Sullivan

Lt. Col. Frank Edwin Sullivan, 86, U.S.M.C. Ret., died Thursday, May 19, at his home.
The son of Roy T. and Margaret Riddle Sullivan, he was born in Arlington, on December 16, 1917, and grew up in South Boston. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College, Class of 1940.
He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific during World War II and was a veteran of the battles of Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima, for which he was twice decorated with the Purple Heart. He was a life long member of the Masons.
Mr. Sullivan was predeceased by his parents, his three sisters, Winifred, Caroline and Ruth, and his first wife, Amzie Matthews Sullivan.
He is survived by his second, wife, Montene Sullivan; his two children, Amzie and R. Timothy Sullivan; two grandchildren, Kelly and Jordan; two great-grandchildren, Rosalie and Arissa.
A memorial service and interment will be held at Oak Ridge Cemetery, South Boston, on Saturday, July 16, at 2 p.m.

Dr. Robert Malcolm Bardin

Dr. Robert Malcolm Bardin, 104, died on June 9, in Franklin, Tenn. He was born on March 12, 1901, in Wilson, N.C., and was the son of Jefferson D. Bardin, and Lou Burtcy Bristol.
Dr. Bardin joined the staff at the South Boston Clinic in South Boston in 1971. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
His survivors include two daughters, Susan Bardin LaBrec of Franklin, Elizabeth Bardin Campbell of Punta Gorda, Fla.; one son, Robert M. Bardin Jr. of South Boston; 10 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. Dr. Bardin was preceded in death by his wife, Anne F. Bardin; his son, Fredric Hume Bardin; his brother, Benjamin Hume Bardin; and his sister, Marie Bardin Thrower.
Visitation will be held today, June 13, at 10 a.m. at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 US 264 Alt. West, Wilson. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. and burial will follow at the Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson.
A memorial will also be held at that time for his son, Fredric, who died on April 19, 2004, in Morganton. His remains were cremated and will be buried in Maplewood Cemetery with his family.

Kathlyne Averett Russell

Mrs. Kathlyne Averett Russell of Scottsburg died Friday, June 10 at Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond.
She was born in South Boston on April 21, 1920, the daughter of the late William Jones Averett and the late Greta Belle Clark Averett and was marriet to the late Carl Hunter Russell Jr.
Mrs. Russell was a member of the Scottsburg Baptist Church and was a member of the Eastern Star Woodall Chapter.
Funeral services for Mrs. Russell will be held today at 2 p.m., with services at Powell Funeral Home Chapel.
The Rev. Terry Scearce will officiate.
Burial will follow at the Oakland Cemetery in Scottsburg.
The family will receive friends today from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home.
Mrs. Russell is survived by two daughters, Susan R. Edwards of Richmond and Martha Russell Moretz of Boone, N.C., one son, Carl Hunter Russell III of Severn, Md., and three grandchildren.
For memorials, please consider the Scottsburg Baptist Church or the Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department

 

Post 8 Drops Home Opener

Brent Long Nailed A Pair Of Homers But It Wasn’t Enough As Post 8 Fell to Roxboro, N.C. 5-4

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

First-year South Boston American Legion Post 8 baseball coach Jason Jones saw some good things from his team in yesterday’s home opener.
However, he needed to see just a little more.
Post 8 led 4-1 after five innings only to have Roxboro, N.C. Post 138 rally with a three-spot in the sixth inning and a run in the seventh inning to score a come-from-behind 5-4 win.
“For the first game, I’m satisfied,” said Jones.
“All in all, with the exception of the “L”, it was a good game. I give it Roxboro. They took advantage of their opportunities to get back into the game. We had a couple of opportunities later in the game, but couldn’t execute.”
Post 8 rang up 12 hits in the game with former Halifax County High School standout, Brent Long, who played for Mt. Olive University this spring, leading the offense with a 3-4 effort at the plate that included two homers and four RBIs.
Justin Armistead chipped in two hits as did former Comets player Ryan Roller and Travis Powell. Former Comets player Robert Carter, David Lacks and Caleb Long each had one hit.
Chris Fisher, a starting pitcher for the Comets jayvee baseball team this past spring, gave Post 8 a strong effort to near the midway point of the game.
He entered the top of the sixth inning with his team having given him a three-run cushion with a 4-1 lead but ran into trouble. By the time Jones could get another pitcher to the hill and Post 8 could get out of the inning, Roxboro had scored three runs and tied the game.
The fact that Fisher encountered trouble in the sixth inning didn’t diminish Jones’ appreciation for Fisher’s performance.
“He gave us what we wanted through five innings and a chance to win,” said Jones.
“He got into a little trouble and we brought someone else (Armistead) and they (Roxboro) just kept hitting the ball. He deserved to win the ballgame.”
Post 8 got on the scoreboard first, picking up a run in the bottom of the first inning on a double to left field by Armistead and a run-scoring single by Long to right field.
Long put Post 8 up 3-0 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning, a blast that scored Armistead who had picked up his second hit in as many trips to the plate.
Roxboro picked up a run in the top of the fifth inning to make it a 3-1 score. Post 8 regained its three-run lead in the bottom of the frame when Long opened the inning for Post 8 by driving his second homer of the day over the left field fence.
With the help of five hits and a walk from its first six batters in the inning, Roxboro Post 138 scored three times in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4.
A leadoff walk in the top of the seventh inning was the trigger Roxboro Post 138 needed to plate the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning when it took the lead for the only time in the game.
South Boston mustered up a rally with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning when B. Long was struck by a pitch and Caleb Long served up a hit that gave Post 8 runners at first base and second base.
The rally ended there as Roller was retired for the final out of the game.
Post 8 has only one game this week, that being its district opener Wednesday night against Big Island Post 217.
The game is set for a 7 p.m. start and will be played at Jefferson Forest Middle School.

 

Aussies Reign At VIR Raceway

Peter Jackson Led An Australian Sweep Of The Top Eight Positions In Saturday’s Australia-U.S. Healey Challenge Race At VIRginia International Raceway

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

The Aussies have taken it to the Americans.
Australian Peter Jackson led an Australian sweep of the top eight finishing positions Saturday in the Australian-U.S. Healey Challenge at VIRginia International Race.
Jackson drove his 1964 Austin-Healey 3000 across the finish line .701 second ahead of runnerup Paul Freestone of Victoria, Aust. who was driving a 1958 Austin-Healey BN4.
Tim Pyne of Queensland, Aust. finished third in a 1965 BJ8 with Jeff Johnk of Lakeville, Aust in a 1959 A-H 100-6 and John Moore of Victoria, Aust. driving a 1960 A-H 3000 MK I rounding out the top five finishers.
Jackson’s win was his second in the three rounds of the Healey Challenge that have been contested thus far, giving the Australian contingent a sweep of the first three rounds.
“This guy here (Freestone) and I have had some really close races over the years,” Jackson said.
“That’s probably one of the closest. We finished one-two at Road America (in the first round), I finished first, he was second. At Summit Point, (in the second round) he finished first and I finished third. Today, it was my turn again.”
Freestone led the first half of the race before Jackson, who sped to the front from his fourth-place starting slot, made a move and sped into the lead just past the halfway mark. He attempted to make a bid over the course of the final two laps but came up a few car lengths shy at the end.
“We’re pretty happy,” said Freestone.
“If not for traffic, we could have gotten back up front, but everybody did a good job. We were happy with our car. It’s a rally car, not really a road course car. We have rallies in Australia, and the cars carry a bit more weight than some of the other cars.
“We’ve had two seconds, a win, and two poles, and that’s probably as good as it gets,” he added.
Both Jackson and Freestone praised the way the event was carried out at VIR.
“I’ve had a fantastic time here,” said Jackson.
“The organization here at VIR is very helpful, and the corner workers do a fantastic job. It was fun.”
Freestone concurred.
“It’s been fantastic here,” said Freestone.
“We’ve met a lot of new friends and the track’s organization is second to none.”
Thirty-seven drivers started Saturday’s race and 33 finished. Jackson averaged 83.03 mph in the eight-lap, 26.16-mile race that took 21 minutes and 40 seconds to complete.
This year’s Australian-U.S. Healey Challenge is the first Healey Challenge event held in 15 years. The last Healey Challenge event was held in 1990 when British Austin-Healey enthusiasts came to America to race against American drivers.
Saturday’s event at VIR, which was held in conjunction with the track’s Sixth Annual Gold Cup Historic Races, was the third round in this year’s five-race Healey Challenge series.
The final two rounds will be held at the Watkins Glen road course and at the Mid-Ohio road course.

 

Mike Priest Nets All-State Baseball Honor

Campbell University Baseball Standout Mike Priest Named To All-State Baseball Team

By Stan Cole
Campbell University SID

BUIES CREEK, N.C.– Mike Priest and Tim Holt of Campbell University were among 12 student-athletes named to the 2005 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) University Division All-State Baseball Team released Friday.
The team consists of players from NCAA Division I university and colleges through out the state. North Carolina sports information professionals submitted nominees. NCCSIA members voted for the all-state teams.
Priest added all-state recognition to an already long list of honors for the 2005 campaign.
The junior first baseman from Vernon Hill and Halifax County High School was a first-team All-Atlantic Sun Conference selection.
He also was named to the ESPN The Magazine AcademicAll-American second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
The right-handed batting Priest slugged 14 home runs ,set a school-record with 22 doubles, and tied Holt for team batting honors with a .365 average.
He drove in 46 runs while starting all 54 games at first. He led the Atlantic Sun in slugging (.687). In addition to finishing eighth in the A-Sun batting race (.365),Priest was second among league leaders in total bases (145),third in doubles (23rd nationally),fourth in home runs, seventh in on-base percentage (.443) and 10th in hits (77).
During his second year with the Camels, Priest (who transferred from theUniversity of Virginia prior to the 2004 season) collected 23 multi-hit games and 12 multiple-RBI outings.
In addition to his baseball accomplishments, Priest has compiled a 3.904 grade-point average as a biology major.
Holt gained all-state recognition in his first year with the Fighting Camels after batting .365 with six home runs and 49 RBI while starting 53 of Campbell’s 54 games at third base.
The junior from Everett,Wash.,ranked seventh among Atlantic Sun Conference batting leaders, fifth in hits and ninth in RBI. With just 11 strikeouts in 230 at-bats, Holt rates as the fifth-toughest batter to strike out in the latest national Division I statistics release with just one whiff per 20.9 at-bats.
A transfer from North Carolina State, Holt’s first Campbell hit was a two-run homer against the Wolfpack in a 9-1 season-opening win. The 2001 Lake Stevens High School graduate cracked a solo shot the next day at N.C.State. Holt’s 84 hits in 2005 rank second on Campbell’s single-season list. He had a team-high 24 multi-hit games, including 10 three-hit contests, and 14 multi-RBI contests.
Priest is spending the summer playing with the Gastonia (N.C.) Grizzlies of the Coastal Plain League,while Holt is with theRochester (Minn.) Honkers of the Northwoods League.