The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-08-15
HEARING HELD BY
LOCAL GOV. COM.
ON DARE PROJECT
Kill Devil Hills Officials Oppose
Issue For Water System
Monday

cal Gov e r n m n COMMISSION,
through it's Secretary, w. E. Eas-
terling, ruled Monday, Aug. IL,
in Raleigh that the proposed bond
issue for public water supply for
the Dare Beaches Sanitary District
is feasible and has the approval of
the Commission. A meeting was
called in Mr.. Easterling's office to
discuss the bond issue after pro-
test of the issue was filed by at
torney Tom Chears, Mayor of Kill
Devil Hills. Mr.. Chears' protests
were discussed fully by the group
attending the meeting: P. ]. M.
Bayne, Chairman of the Board of
the Sanitary District, and the other
two members, William H. Smith,
Jr., and Orville Baum, and their at
torney, Martin Kellogg, il. Pres
ent with Mr.. Chears was R. H.
Cook; Major J. L. Murphy also
took part in the discussion. Techni-
cal information was furnished by
w. S. McKimmon, Chief of the
Sanitary Engineering Section of
the N. C. State Board of Health in
Raleigh, and r. D. Stout, engineers
with the Southern Mapping and
Engineering Company of Green's
boro, as well as Dorothy Duggar,
who is associated with them. Mr..
McKimmon declared that the State
Board of Health considers the sys-
tenn Of getting water from shallow
wells completely unsatisfactory be-
cause of the present extent of pol
luton and the danger of getting
the entire water supply perma-
nently polluted. The present ex-
tent of pollution is known from
) tests made of water supplies of es-
adjustments serving the public,
and of tests run on private and
semi-private wells. These tests
have shown that as many as 500
of the wells tested showed indica-
ton of pollution. He explained that
pollution is the term used when
the examination of water sample
shows that organisms which live
, in the human intestine are found
in quantity in the water sample.
These organisms themselves do not
cause disease, but their presence
proves conclusively that the water
has been contaminated by excreta.
Under these conditions, outbreak
of a water borne disease is a con-
slant hazard.
Mr.. Easteriing said that the of
fetal attitude of the State Board
of Health on the matter was the
basis for his opinion that the bond
issue is a necessity. He said that
the State Board of Health had es-
tablished the Sanitary District in
1919 on petition of residents in or
der to provide machinery for the
people of the area to provide them
selves with safe, adequate water
supply.
Regarding the statement of the
protest that the taxes which would
be levied to finance the water bond
issue would be burdensome, Mr.
Easterling stated that after thor
ough study of the material fur
finished him, his opinion is that the
protest is not justified. On a valu-
alton of 81, 698, $1,000 for the dis
trict in 1858, the bond issue of
S1,1S0,000.00 is sound. The tax
rate can only be estimated, but the
estimate is that it will begin at $50
per 800 valuation, decreasing al
varying rates over the thirty-five
years in which the indebtedness is
being paid off. This is a reasonable
tax rate, comparing favorably with
that of other Sanitary Districts
and municipalities which have un-
dertaken the same activity. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Easterling, the to-
cal debt service charge is alto
gether reasonable.
With regard to the provision of
fire protection, which the protest
declares is duplication of facili-
ties already available, Mr.. Easter
ling pointed out that the Sanitary
District Board is authorized to car
ry out this function by provisions
of the General Assembly. "A
Mr.. Easterling commented on the
protest that information had not
been made available to the public
by saying that this meeting was
an effort to give information.
The informal meeting was char
acterized by full and frank discus
sion. The question of the method
of tax assessment was brought up,
and it was explained by Mr.. KEEL
logg that assessment by property
valuation was the only method
which is acceptable to the agency,
The Housing & Home Finance
Agency, federal agency that has
expressed interest in buying the
bonds. Mr.. Easterling commented
that this is the way such financing
lis done.
MIR. Stout gave each person at
landing the hearing sheaf of