County Hosts Workshop on Pay Tonight
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r+JHHT1PXFST.FNPSJBM5PVSOBNFOUUPPQFOUPEBZBU8FTU$PMVN CVTr&BTUFS4PѫCBMM5PVSOBNFOUPQFOTUPEBZBU&BTU$PMVNCVT r8)4HJSMTTPDDFSTRVBEDSVJTFTQBTU8FTU#SVOTXJDLr8PMGQBDL ESPQT1JUU$PVOUZPQFOFSr'BZFUUFWJMMF$ISJTUJBOFEHFT7JLJOHT Sports 4FFQBHF# ThePublished News since 1890 every Monday and Tursday forReporter the County of Columbus and her people. Monday, April 9, 2012 Sherif unit County hosts on the move Volume 121, Number Whiteville, North Carolina By NICOLE CARTRETTE workshop on Staff Writer 75 Cents Columbus County Commis- pay tonight sioners approved the move of the sheriff’s narcotics unit By NICOLE CARTRETTE Inside Today from a rented space at Memory Staff Writer Plaza to a less expensive space 4-A in town recently. On average, most county employees in Co- r.BOKBJMFEGPS Rent was costing the county lumbus County are underpaid, according to a BTTBVMUJOHNPUIFS XJGF $1,400 per month but will drop draft pay study conducted by an independent to $600 per month at the new consultant. location. Moving those employees up on the pay scale The new lease agreement could be costly. That study draft suggests it had called for the county to could cost the county more than $2 million maintain and repair heating this year, or more than 14 percent of current and cooling systems but that payroll expenses to achieve that. term was excluded from the Consultants recommend a less costly ap- lease, according to county at- proach, phasing in such increases over a four- torney Mike Stephens. year period at approximately $500,000 per year The department was moved or about 3.5 percent of payroll expenses, with to an offsite location two years increases going to “only the most underpaid ago after much discussion over employees.” Today’s other rental possibilities and “This phase-in option means that hiring the cost of renovating the old rates are still 11 percent below recommended American Profle jail for offices. figures and compression is still worse than features “Historic Less than a week later the recommended,” the report reads. old county jail located at the The county has a significant problem with Trails: Pathways to sheriff’s office was deemed compression, according to the draft report. America’s Past” unsafe for offices and a few That means there is significant grouping of employees were moved from employee salaries in the beginning or lower DIDYOB? locations near the old jail. pay portions of the salary range for that job. County Maintenance Direc- “Compression contributes to two problems. Did you observe ... tor Tony Soles said three sepa- First it means that new employees are receiv- rate mold tests in various areas ing salary amounts very close to that received Former Whiteville of the old jail were all positive by longer term employees,” the report reads. resident Duncan Briley for airborne mold. The report suggests this can lead to “moti- catching a 2.5-pound “It is not very healthy,” vation and morale” issues. Soles said at the time. “Compression also makes it more difficult bass in Lake Wacca- Staff photo by Fuller Royal Demolition and Asbestos With an estimated 1,000 participants Sunday, Columbus County to use the range to hire more experienced maw just minutes be- church members use colored chalk to write the contents of The New new employees above entry because the new See Sheriff, page 9-A fore posing with fance Testament on the sidewalks of downtown Whiteville. Thursday’s Liv- employees would come in making more than ing Page will feature a photo spread of the event. Other images can Michele Turner for their See Workshop, page 9-A engagement photos Sat- be seen on Whitevlle.com. urday? ... He said it was Council not the largest bass he had happy with ever caught in the Lake. ‘It was written’ during N.C. Fast coming Briley returned it to the drainage costs to Columbus DSS lake to catch another By JEFFERSON WEAVER Walk With Jesus n day. ... Folks still out Staff Writer As they planned a massive event made out of tissue paper. Volunteers Board approves computer support for technology upgrade. late Sunday afernoon that had never been attempted be- raised the cross during the final mo- looking at the chalk ver- Chadbourn’s town council fore, organizers of Walk With Jesus ments of the service. reluctantly approved a budget were anxious right up to the very day, With only a few minor mix-ups, By NICOLE CARTRETTE sion of the New Testa- amendment for stormwater whether it would be received as well the event ran very smoothly. After Staff Writer ment on downtown improvements Tuesday. as they had hoped for months. the service church leaders picked up Whiteville’s streets? ... The board voted 4-1, with All that anxiety disappeared packages containing their assigned County officials took steps last week to Fax Rector casting the sole within the hour Sunday morning as Scriptures, chalk and an event map, speed up the process of implementing new Craig Peacock playing nay vote, to approve paying a an estimated more than 1,000 people while their participants made their computer programs, software and hardware Christian music on his $5,470 bill for clearing, ditching appeared out of the sunrise to attend way to their assigned sections of at the Department of Social Services. guitar as Walk with and chipping to McPherson an Easter service and hand write, sidewalk. The Board of Commissioners approved a transfer of $38,000 from “jobs transportation” Jesus participants wrote Construction. The council using chalk on sidewalk, the entire Then the writing began. Hun- originally instructed Public New Testament. dreds of people up and down Madi- to “contracted services” for computer support. their verses on the Works Director Mike Foss to Early estimates are that at least son Street knelt down with medita- The measure will help the department sidewalk? ... Matt Smith handle the cleaning in October, 80-90 percent of the 27 books were tive concentration transcribing the meet mandatory state requirements for a new and Cory Bohnsack but capped expenses at $1,500. completed. Photographs of each words of the Bible. streamlined application process at social ser- The board requested that sidewalk square are being taken The magic of the moment was vices across the state called N.C. Fast. leaving the Register of the canal and canal bank from and will be posted online in the next that, while handwriting the entire Last year, 151 computers were purchased Deeds ofce Tursday Old 74-76 to Pinecrest Drive be few weeks. contents of The New Testament for the department but earlier this year they with marriage license cleared to improve drainage Reporters from three of the area would take a single person perhaps remained in boxes unused. At the time, County Commissioner Edwin in hand? ... and avoid unsanitary condi- television networks covered the 1,000 hours, it took 1,000 people less tions. Property owners along event, as well as several newspapers, than an hour. Russ, who serves on the DSS board, said the stretch had complained of including the News & Observer of Ra- By 8 a.m., Madison Street, the arrangements were worked out between a variety of problems, from leigh and The Fayetteville Observer. depot and a few side streets were the county and DSS officials to upgrade the County Deaths flooding to snakes in the Octo- The sunrise service, only 30 min- covered in orange, blue, green, red agency’s computers, with DSS to handle in- ber meeting. utes long, was packed with songs, and yellow chalk, covered with some stallation. Whiteville The town originally planned scripture readings, prayer, and a 800,000 characters, covered in the life While more than $60,000 was spent on the computers, another $5,100 was recently ex- Sherry L. Winn-Cincotti to clean the area using town beautiful cross adorned with hun- dreds of flowers that area children See Walk, page 9-A pended on a new server, there were no plans Frances Lewis Powell See Drainage, page 9-A See N.C. Fast, page 9-A Albert Ray Tompson Hallsboro Robert Lee Wright Chadbourn Caperton’s long search ends on a happy note Grace M. Vereen Register By RAY WYCHE It’s showroom perfect; if there were Staff Writer ever any rust, dings or dents on this ve- hicle’s shiny body they have been taken Index Tom Caperton was sure of the kind of care of by expert hands of a skilled car he wanted. He had thought about it restorer. &EJUPSJBMT" for more than 50 years and had looked at Caperton’s dream car had to be 0CJUVBSJFT" more than 400 old cars before he finally equipped with all the modern vehicular 4QPSUT# closed the deal. refinements such as air conditioning, $SJNF" The car he coveted had to be special. power windows and brakes, automatic -JGFTUZMFT" It had to be a genuine antique vehicle transmission — all the comfort items he but it had to have all the modern ameni- was accustomed to. ties found on current models. The immaculately restored old Chevy Through long years, the patient would be a good trophy, a rarity worthy Caperton kept up his search and finally of becoming a static display in some hit the jackpot at an old car show in dealer’s showroom, but Caperton want- Myrtle Beach, S.C. ed a car not just to look at; he wanted After more than 50 years of fantasiz- safe, dependable and comfortable –es- ing, looking and hoping, Caperton is pecially comfortable—transportation. now the proud owner of a 1934 Chevrolet “I’ve wanted a street rod since I Tom Caperton stands beside the car that he says he had longed for two-door sedan, painted an eye-catching was 9 years old,” he says of his lengthy for more than 50 years – an old car but one with all the amenities two-toned orange (the top) and a silver such as power steering, air conditioning and all the other luxuries bottom portion.