The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-12-05

gan the big task of Strengthening
out the county's tangled affairs.
The new members set about get
ting all information possible about
the various departments and en-
ployed Auditor r. o. Howard at a
cost of 5000 to assist C. S. Meek
ms, the county accountant, in pre-
pairing report from the date of
the late audit up to Dec. l on the
condition of the county budget.
This will be ready at the January
meeting.
D. V. Meekins of Manteo was
unanimously named Chairman of
the Board for a period two years,
and the Board began work at
eight o'clock. The other Board
members are David Stick of Kill
Devil Hills, Horace Hooper of
Stumpy Point; Woodrow Edwards
of Waves, and George Fuller of
Buxton.
Despite the enthusiasm and in
terest shown by these new mem
bers, it soon became evident that
several days would be necessary
for the board to become adequate
ly briefed on the numerous mat
tiers requiring consideration this
month, and when the meeting ad-
journed at 3:45 pm. it was with
stipulation to return Monday of
next week for further study of af-
fairs.
1t was during this meeting that
the new Board was told that the
county had just about thrown
away the $1,2S5 spent during the
summer to build canal for N. F..
Jennette of Buxton from Pamlico
Sound to a point on the Buxton
road in front of his home. Mr..
Jennette reported to the old Board
that over his protest that the job
was not finished according to
agreement, and less than half the
required digging had been done.
the contractor had been paid in
full by the Dare County Board
only a week or two before the
new Board got in office.
Complaints as to valuations in
taxes were referred to the Tax
Supervisor for further report.
Under the law no changes can
now be made for 1868 valuations.
The appraisal made by the out
going Board of Commissioners
with the help Of an imported
group of appraisers at cost of
$22, 900 and much further addition
al cost and hardship to the citi-
zens, must stand as they are for
the next four years.
Notice after notice was given
that unless appeals were noted
prior to July II last, the taxpayers
would lose the right of appeal.
The valuations have been fixed,
the budget made, the tax rate lev
led, and much of the money has
been spent even before collected.
Prior to the deadline allowed by
law, a group of taxpayers had
formed an association to fight for
a fair tax deal. A number of peo-
pie joined and several hundred
dollars was raised to carry the
appeals to Raleigh. Only about 20
people in all made this appeal, and
authorized attorneys to work in
their behalf through the Taxpay-
ers Association. These cases will
be heard in Raleigh before the
State Board of Equalization next
week, Dec. 10th. Others who ne
elected to take advantage of the
Associations services or who fail
ed to note an appeal from the
County Board in July are out of
luck. The new county Board is not
allowed to change the figures, UNI
less errors were made by the Off
Gals and law requires the APP
praisal job which cost so much, to
remain in force through 1861.
Auditor Howard was called in,
and asked for his opinion about
how to get the county general
fund out of the hole. His advice
was to curtail spending, live with
in the budget; to establish a sys-
tenn whereby collections of taxes
would be deposited to the several
funds for which collected; and in
short and in effect to stop robbing
Peter to Paul, by the employment
of a competent system to safe
guard the county finances.
Outside of two minor bills, the
county spent no money on Monday
other than to authorize compila-
ton of all laws affecting Dare
County for the use of the Board
members, and to employ the audi
tor to prepare the necessary infor-
motion on the budget. A number
of bills, running into several thou
sand dollars, much Of it owing "a
Hospitals, was deferred to the next
g.. (xf.rrnJrrV ~. xs-...