The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-05-03

VOL oG Msnise N. c, Friday. May No. ~
SMALL TOWN UTILITIES DON'T HELP ANYBODY.
The proposal to put the town of Manteo in the electric
light business with the avowa that it merely
the Of granting S st to Haa ens
should be given time to determine it were the
best thing for the town Second if would be profitable Tor
At first the plan coaked in the sanctty OF an effort
to look after he best interests OF the community ana 70
protect children and grandchildren OF the town IN the
possession of something priceless highly valuable
time went on to appear more s LIKE them p nau
toll order reduce taxes for the benefit of the large
property owners of the town. -
Some pledged that all the facts would be
laid before the people, that they might determine
would be worthwhile for the town to into hook to set up
The people so far, have not been given any facts
which sound argument for possible profits might be made
complete survey promised but the only survey made
has been hastily prepared brief of few pages which
says the town could get the existing property at given
price, could have distribution SYSTEM and OTHERWISE
it could build one for some $4,000
So it appears the town would have to spend $50O00
provided could get along without generating equipment
But the Virginia Electric & Power Company has said
they would not wholesale to town system in
Manteo An effort made to get adverse opinion on
this policy from the Attorney General of North Carolina
But this opinion not what the power advocates
wanted stripped of legal verbiage and oopholes
the power company within its legal rights to refuse to sell
Clearly this leaves the town of necessity having to
generate its own current.
Machinery for present needs would cost upwards of
$15OOOO whereby the total investment needed would be
It is easy to figure that interest on 100000 is $4,000
year and annual retirement of bonds calls for another
We have been told that great profits have been made
from the sale of water What with the having
given the town the waterworks why shouldn't they make
profits?
made any profits They say they had to spend $4,000
pairing the waterworks not long ago. We might ask why did
it get down bad that system needed 5000 In
repairs?
sale of water which in the bank large amount OF which
hon to-
If is all going to be spent for repairs, how can they
figure profit has been made? Water is VITAL is
sty is public policy everywhere to sell water at COST be-
people are forced to use it.
But let go little deeper, and see how well the town
has done in management We told about the total OF
$4,000 that come sales But actually now
who knows where it did come from?
to the town $4,000 lit will be about 900 by July
H. during the period in which the town has been operating
it's water works This money from ABC sales in Dare
County and years approximately equal
to the annual share received by the county from Abe
Where would the town have BEEN and how would it
have stood financially had it not gotten this $4,000 in
1t wouldn't have it's $4,000 in the bank wouldn't
have had the $4,000 that spent the waterworks
Clearly then would have been $1,000 in the hole as OF
Before the citizens of Manteo think about going in
soak for 100000 electric light system they better begin
thinking about taking interest in town affairs
to rouse leadership interested in management
Usually town taxes never equal the rates charged by
given from Dare County and the profits from the water
works. the town of Manteo rate higher than Dare
County's which is bad enough
For the first time in history there total of
261 voters the town election books and 49, half
of these went during the registration period which closed
last Friday While of these people registered for the
purpose of voting to put the town in the business
a lot of them didn't.
Many things indicate that the people awake. and
determined to block this unwse and scheme
of bonding the town and putting the people in the
business.
The people have been told of numerous examples" of
towns which making money out of electricity.
But all of these towns many times larger than
Manteo and with heavy and profitable loads Elizabeth City,
Edenton Hartford all many times larger down Belhaven
which is five times as large Manteo
These towns yardsck by which to estimate how
much Manteo might make out of anything. AS anyone
knows they ouank Manteo in number of residences stores
and industries.
More in keeping with the size of Manteo like
Winton Whitakers, Halifax and Rich Square, all of which
have recently granted franchises to Vepco for 80 years.