• Possible Conflict • Auditor Reports Surrounds Auto Center On Slush Funds Charter School Bills Languish C A R O L I N A Smart Growth’s Costs Statewide Edition A Monthly Journal of News, Analysis, and Opinion from September 2005 • Vol. 14, No. 9 the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com JOURNAL www.JohnLocke.org Currituck Ferry Project Plagued From Start By DON CARRINGTON County schools. The likely route would Executive Editor be 10 to 12 miles across the shallow RALEIGH Currituck Sound. The 2002 budget bill oor planning, denial of envi- ordered DOT to do a feasibility study. ronmental permits, and subtle Although proponents of the ferry business and tourism interests said schoolchildren needed it for trans- Phave crippled a N.C. De- portation, documents suggest that the partment of Transporta- service also was intended to transport tion project to establish resort workers and tourists. passenger ferry service Recent developments also dimin- across the Currituck ished the need for school transportation. Sound. Only seven to 10 students are expected to Plans for the project ride the ferry this year. And new schools were initiated soon after coming into service should eliminate the the Currituck County school-crowding issue that was the main Board of Commissioners asked Sen. reason given for requesting the ferry. Marc Basnight in July 2002 to help es- Currituck County officials initially tablish a ferry service to transport about said the service was necessary because 40 schoolchildren from the Outer Banks to the mainland. A state boat repairs illegally dredged channel at Corolla in August 2004. Proposed ferry Students had been attending Dare Continued as “Currituck,” Page 2 would leave from Currituck Heritage Park, shown above. (Photo by Don Carrington) Suspicion Arises After Death of Ferry Division’s Noe By DON CARRINGTON trials, and no wife, Connie, told Carolina Journal that Corolla passenger ferry until division Executive Editor dock is avail- while the handwriting on the note might Director Jerry Gaskill pulled him off the RALEIGH able for it at have been his, the message didn’t make project in June 2004. Noe was moved to any of the questions arising Corolla. sense to her. a small office and was given little or no from the state Ferry Division’s N . C . While the details of Noe’s death work to do. controversial purchase of a Department may never be known, there is a con- Noe told CJ before his death that Mnew boat for ferry service in Currituck of Transpor- sensus that his death is associated with Gaskill’s action was retaliation for Noe’s County cannot be answered because a tation Ferry his job as marine quality assurance attempt to expose corruption. key state employee who was involved Division em- specialist. The project called for a 49-passen- in the transaction — and who was a ployee Dan- Noe did not have an engineering ger pontoon boat, able to operate in 18 witness in a federal investigation — was ny Noe, 59, degree, nor did anyone else in the Ferry inches of water and capable of going 30 found dead. was found Division, but according to friends and mph. Numerous problems with the boat Last August, the 50-foot, 49-pas- dead April Longtime Ferry Division co-workers he was a self-taught engi- have emerged, and the ferry service that Employee Danny Noe senger pontoon boat was delivered to 15, 2005. His neer. He dealt with the specifications was planned primarily for schoolchil- the State Shipyard in Manns Harbor, but hands were tied behind his back and on new boats and was a liaison to the dren may never operate as planned. (See ferry service could not be started because a plastic bag was tied over his head. A Coast Guard. Noe was also the liaison the boat did not perform as expected in note was found at the scene, but Noe’s to the boat builder for the Currituck-to- Continued as “Suspicion,” Page 3 Should a person be able to regis- 80ter and vote on the same day? The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. 200 W. Morgan St., #200 U.S. POSTAGE 70 Contents Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID RALEIGH, NC 60 State Government 3 PERMIT NO. 1766 % 50 t 12 % Washington Watch 6 No 63% Education 8 40 Yes 33% Not Sure 4% Higher Education 12 30 Local Government 16 20 Books & the Arts 20 10 Opinion 24 Parting Shot 28 0 John %William Respondents Pope Civitas in June Institute Civitas Poll, Institute August Poll 2005 CAROLINA C A R O L I N A North Carolina JOURNAL JOURNAL Currituck Ferry Project Plagued From Start Richard Wagner Continued from page 1 Editor Currituck public-school students on the Don Carrington Outer Banks could no longer attend the Executive Editor closer Dare County public schools. The Paul Chesser, Michael Lowrey bus ride for students to the mainland Donna Martinez, Jon Sanders would be too long — for some students Associate Editors the ride was 1 1/2 hours, they said. Since there are no public schools Chad Adams, Shannon Blosser, on the Outer Banks section of Currituck Andrew Cline, Roy Cordato, County, Currituck had a longstanding Bob Fliss, Paige Holland Hamp, arrangement with Dare County to accept David Hartgen, Sam Hieb, Currituck students. Currituck paid Dare Summer Hood, Lindalyn Kakadelis, County a per-student tuition expense George Leef, Maximilian Longley, based on actual costs. The school boards Paul Messino, Marc Rotterman, decided to end the arrangement. Karen Palasek, R.E. Smith Jr., Dare County Schools Superinten- Jack Sommer, Jim Stegall, dent Sue Burgess said that because of George Stephens, Michael Walden, crowding in elementary schools, the Karen Welsh, Hal Young Contributing Editors Dare School Board decided in 2002 to phase out Currituck enrollment of The ill-fated pontoon ferry sits unused in the State Shipyard in Manns Harbor as of- elementary schoolchildren from the ficials address problems facing the project (Photo by Don Carrington) Travis Fisher, Dare system. “The rising tuition was becoming it only if it makes sense. “We will have A letter from Currituck County Jenna Ashley Robinson, to wait and see and make adjustments as Chamber of Commerce President Willo Chris Goff an issue,” Currituck County School necessary, we will have to do what is in Winterling to Ferry Division Business Editorial Interns Superintendent Mike Warren said. He acknowledged the low number of stu- the best interests of the kids,” she said. Officer Charlie Utz in February 2003 dents involved, but he said 40 students Basnight failed to respond to ques- emphasized the movement of workers. Published by were to have been transported when the tions that CJ sent twice to his office via “Although this project is being consid- The John Locke Foundation project was conceived. “We believe the email and once by telephone. ered as a means to transport school chil- 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 ferry will provide a quick, easy access A January 2003 memo from Ferry dren, it presents a greater opportunity Raleigh, N.C. 27601 and the number of riders will grow as Division Director Jerry Gaskill to DOT to provide year-round support to our (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 people with schoolchildren move into Secretary Lyndo businesses on the www.JohnLocke.org the Corolla area,” he said. Tippett, in which Outer Banks and But crowding in Dare County Gaskill gave an further enhance Jon Ham overview of the “The rising tuition was our growing tour- Vice President & Publisher schools has eased since Currituck of- ficials first requested the ferry service. project, included a ism industry,” business objective. becoming an issue.” Winterling wrote. John Hood The county has since opened a new high school and a new elementary school. In the memo, Gas- — Mike Warren “Considering the Chairman & President remoteness of the Burgess acknowledged that her system kill estimated costs Currituck County and cited dredging Currituck Outer should have room for Currituck students School Superintendent Bruce Babcock, Herb Berkowitz, in 2005, but the decision would be up requirements. At Banks, Corolla Jim Fulghum, William Graham, to both school boards to negotiate, she the conclusion of businesses face Robert Luddy, Assad Meymandi, said. his memo, Gaskill the challenge of Carl Mumpower, Maria Ochoa, Currituck County still has no plans discussed the involvement of two indi- finding employees willing to drive the J. Arthur Pope, Tula Robbins, to build any schools on the Outer Banks viduals in the planning process. extra distance to work.” David Stover, Robert Stowe, even though a considerable amount of “As you are aware we have been Currituck County and the Wildlife Andy Wells property-tax revenue is generated from having ongoing discussions with Mr. Resources Commission have strong Board of Directors that area. Currituck County Tax Asses- Earl Slick’s representative Allen Ives,” incentives to improve tourist access to sor Tracy Sample said 66 percent of the Gaskill wrote. “These discussions have their investments at Currituck Heritage county’s property taxes come from the centered on Mr. Slick’s support of this Park, an area that includes the Corolla Carolina Journal is a monthly journal project and the prospect of Mr. Slick’s lighthouse, a restored hunting lodge of news, analysis, and commentary on state Outer Banks. The homes there are val- ued from $400,000 to $3 million, which participation someway in this project named the Whalehead Club, and a and local government and public policy issues new Outer Banks Center for Wildlife in North Carolina. might limit the number of families with financially. At this juncture, although school-age children that can afford to live Mr. Slick continues to fully support this Education operated by the N.C.