March 7, 1960 - 11:00 AM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes

March 7, 19601 4Fit widthMeeting of Board of Commissioners for the County of Johnstonmarch 7, 1960The Board of County Commissioners of Johnston County met in regular sessionon March 7, 1960, in the Commissioners Room, at 1100 A M, with the followingmembers present;H M Johnson, Chairman, J D Bailey, R G Gurley, Floyd C Price, Sr, andFrank B HoldingAbsent NoneThe following business was transacted;1 Upon the recommendation of Rhetta Martin, Tax Attorney, Commissioner J DBailey moved that a quit -claim deed be made to Lynnida G Barnes upon the paymen tof y15000, representing taxes in full through 1959, conveying lots 5 and 6 inBlock 10 of the plan of West Clayton, in Clayton Township, foreclosed in the nameof J R Moore, F R # 1, page 513Commissioner Floyd C Price, Sr seconded the motion, which was carried2 Delegations composed of citizens from Bentonville Township and members of theSanders -Holt Chapter Daughters of the Confederacy appeared in behalf of the planssubmitted by the Department of Archives and History for the Bentonville Battle-ground project Mr Charlie Rose, of Bentonville Township, presented a petitionsigned by approximately 103 citizens of Bentonville Township, which read as followsVde, the undersigned citizens of Bentonville Township, do respectfully request theBoard of Commissioners of Johnston County to endorse the plans for a new road asproposed by the Department of Archives and History of the State of North Carolinaon the state property at the Harper House in Bentonville Township We feel thatthe change in the road is good for the Harper house project and also in the interestof public safetyMiss Julia Rose voiced the opinion that she deemed it unwise not to followthe plans of the Department of Archives and History and that safety alone wouldjustify the change in the roadTa,s B G Mattox endorsed the change in the road, and stated that plans shouldbe made for the 1965 Centennial CelebrationMr Sam Tarlton stated that the Archives Department was making a request for50,000 for the building of the museum in the next biennum, and that it would beadvantageous to them in getting the money if their plarswere successfully laid whenthe Advisory Budget Committee visited the siteMr Jake Lunn, who was present at the hearing, voiced his opposition to theabandonment of the present road, stating that it would out off part of his property ,and that he would not be getting a just dealCommissioner R G Gurley moved that the following resolution be adoptedRESOLUTIONWHEREAS, the State Department of Archives and History has requestedthe StateHighway Commission to relocate a section of the road by the Harper House, Benton-ville Battleground State Historic Site;AND WHEREAS, said Department of Archives and History has pointed out that saidrelocation is necessary for the fullest development of said Site and that saidrelocation is vital for the safety of all persons who may visit said Historic Sitein the future, including delegations of school children and also large crowds ofpeople at special commemorations which will be held in the future;AND WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Johnston County has advised thatthe present location of said road cannot be changed by the State of worth Carolinawithout the consent of this Board;Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners of JohnstonCounty, in the interest of public safety and for the fullest development oftheBentonville Battleground property as a Historic Site, does hereby consent to therelocation of the above road in the following particulars1 Construction of a new road through State owned property as per attachedmap2 Withdrawal of small portion of existing road from secondary road systemas per attached mapIn consenting to the relocation as hereinabove described, the Board of Commiss-ioners of Johnston County specifically requsts the State Department of Archives andHistory and the State Highway Commission, in the re locion of said road, to bemindful of the property rights of Mr and Mrs J J Dunn and to provide access byroad to their propertyIM9March 7, 1960 ContCommissioner Floyd C Price, Sr seconded the motion, which was carried3 R W Dawson, District Engineer, made a verbal report on the status of thesecondary road program, and advised with the Board on certain policies of theHighway Commission4 Commissioner J D Bailey moved that the county purchase from Dr Watson sWharton two air conditioning units, which he had installed in his offices in theThornton Building, at a price of 28000, payable in July 1960Commissioner Frank B Holding seconded the motion, which was carried5 Wilson Jiggs Broadwell, Civil Defense Director, made a verbal report of theactivities of the Civil Defense Program6 Lulu Jolliff, Superintendent of the Welfare Department reported that by thereallocation of space in the Thornton Building to the Welfare Department, that theCounty would receive as its share of participation approximately 428 amountingto approximately 957687, an increase of approximately 13000, placing the percentage of the building used by the Welfare Department at 639997 Commissioner Frank B Holding moved that W R Britt, local Attorney, beappointed Assistant County Attorney to serve during the absence,due to illness, ofJ L George, County AttorneyCommissioner R G Gurley seconded the motion Voting by voice, the following count was recordedVoting Aye Commissioners Frank B Holding, J D Bailey and R G GurleyVoting Nay Commissioner Floyd C Price, Sr8 Commissioner J D Bailey moved that W G Massey, Clerk, be authorized topurchase from Alex McMahon, Secretary- Treasurer and General Counsel, North CarolinaAssociation of County Commissioners, thirty 1959 County Year Books at 25? fordistribution to the officials of the countyCommissioner R G Gurley seconded the motion, which was carried9 The following report of the Grand Jury was submitted;North Carolina In the Superior CourtJohnston County February Term 1960REPORT OF GRAND JURYWe the members of the Grand Jury have carefully considered and passed upon allof the bills of indictment brought before us to the best of our knowledge and abilitzy with exception of two indictments, namely # 9727 and 9729 State vs Luther Worley,assault with a deadly weapon The witnesses were reported to be sickOn Wednesday, February 17th members of the Grand Jury were divided into groups,and were assigned to the prison camp and Court House and jail, the others visitedthe other jails in the CountyThe group thatinspected the Court House found jail in good conditionWe found the court room dusty and dirty Apparently the chairs in and aroundthe Judges bench and inside the bar has not been dusted and cleaned for sometimeAfter interviewing several of the heads of the offices we recommended thatsomeone be held strictly responsible for this conditionIMrs Southerland informed us that to the best of her knowledge that all reportsof guardians of minor children and incompetentswere up to date and also that thereports of the Justices of the Peace of the Countyviere up to dateClayton jail was found to be in good conditionAenly jail was found to be in very good conditionSelma jail badly in need of a good scrubbing and cleaning up Bottles andpaper scattered on the floorPine Level and Princeton were found to be in good conditionPrison Camp was found to be in good conditionBenson jail sanitary conditions fair Need a fire extinguisherWe wish to express our appreciation to our Solicitor, Honorable Archie MTaylor, Sheriff B A Henry and his deputies, Mrs Nora P Southerland, Clerk ofthe Superior Court, and her deputies, and all others who worked with us for theircooperation and assistance in our investigations and in the performance of ourother duties M R AllenForeman Grand Jury386March 7, 1960 Cont10 Booklet entitled County Commissioners and the Public Schools of North Carolina;by William Wagoner, Superintendent of the Elizabeth City Schools, and edited by theInstitute of Government, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was presented by ChairmanH M Johnson and ordered filed with AV G Massey, Clerk11 Chairman H M Johnson presented the 1959 -60 Johnston County Secondary roadplan of the North Carolina State Highway Commission approved by the Commission onFebruary 3, 1960, which was ordered filed with W G Massey, Clerk12 The committee authorized by the Board of Commissioners to negotiate with E JWellons for the leasing of four offices in the Thornton Building and the purchaseof vacant lot adjoining the Gaskin Building submitted lease and purchase contractto be executed between Johnston County and E J Wellons and wife, dated March 7,1960, whereby the County agreed to lease on or about September 1, 1960 to E 3Wellons for ten years, or during his life, which event occurs first, the suite ofoffices located in the southwest corner of the Thornton Building for 6500 permonth and to make certain repairs and to furnish certain services; and furtherthat E J Wellons and wife agree to convey to the County on or about September 1,1960 the vacant lot measuring 38 x 105 feet at a price of 600000At the suggestion of Commissioner Floyd C Price, Sr, action was deferredon the execution of the lease and contract for further consideration and study, inorder to assure the Commissioners that they were acting within their legal boundsand for the best interest of the County13 Commissioner Floyd C Price, Sr, raised the question with L P Creech, Veter-ans Service Officer, if he had failed to assist parents in filling out Class Qforms dependent benefits for parents with sons in service, and had referred suchcases to Raleigh, Goldsboro and DunnCommissioner Price stated that this service should be rendered by the VeteransService Officer even if it required giving him additional clerical helpMr Creech replied that he had given such advice due to the volume of work inhis office, and emphasied that it was the policy of the said Veterans Office to notneglect the veterans for a service that did not fall within the scope of his duties;It was brought out that this service had been rendered by the Red Cross, which atthe present time, is inactive and also that the service had been rendered by theWelfare Department before the Red Cross had assumed this workCommissioner Bailey voiced the opinion that Mr Creech assume this serviceif it required a short period of waiting on the part of the veteran CommissionerGurley stated that he felt that the work could be done by the Veterans Office andthe Welfare Department without employing additional clerical help, and that he didnot think the calls for this service would be too greatSubsequent to the discussion, L P Creech and Lulu Jolliff, Superintendentof the Welfare Department, were instructed to render this service to the peopleof Johnston County, which they consented to do14 W G Massey, Clerk, presented maps of the Johnston County 1959 AnnualAverage 24 hour Traffic of non -hard surfaced roads, which was reviewed by theBoard and ordered filed with the Clerk15 Lulu A Jolliff, Superintendent of the Welfare Department, submitted a reportof A P T D, ADC, OAA, etc cases processed by the Johnston County Welfare Board_during the month of February16 Notices of appeal by Helen King Adams, R #2, Four Oaks, Needham Green Adams,R #2 Four Oaks and Lillie Ray Davis, R #2, Smithfield, to the North Carolina StateBoard of Allottments and Appeal were presented and ordered filed with the Clerk17 Notice of intent of the Progressive Stores, Inc, trading under the nameProgressive Super Market No 16, 826 S 3rd Street, Smithfield, North Carolina,toapply to-the North Carolina A B C Board for a permit to sell beer on its pre-mises was approved and ordered filed with the Clerk18 Lulu A Jolliff, Superintendent Welfare Department, filed the following coifof letter from the North Carolina State Board of Public Welfare relative to thereallocation of office space to the Welfare Department in the Thornton BuildingException was made to Item 8 and Lulu Jolliff was directed to correct said itemwith the State Welfare DepartmentNorth CarolinaState Board of Public WelfareRaleighExecutive OfficeFebruary 9, 1960Mrs Lulu A Jolliff, SuperintendentJohnston County Department of Public WelfareSmithfield, N CDear Mrs Jolliff;March 7, 1960 ContI thought you might like confirmation of our understanding of decisions reach-ed at the conference last Friday The agreement as we understand it was as follows1 The ,department of public welfare will be allotted ten offices on thesecond floor of the building, these offices to be over the offices occupied on thefirst floor and include the offices at the front and of the building2 Doors will be erected to cut off the foyer and other doors and insidestructural changes will be made as necessary in order to get from one office toanotheri3 The upstairs offices will be painted and the floors covered with somekind of resilient tile4 The interoffice communication system will be revised to make it as effic-ient as possible in terms of using both the first and second floors5 The installation of a dumb - waiter to malm it possible to send recordsfrom one floor to the other6 Four parking spaces in the new parking lot specifically assigned and mark-ed for public welfare7• The four front downstairs offices to be assigned to public welfare as soonas they are vacated by Mr Wellons These additional four offices on the firstfloor will be in lieu of four offices to be released upstairs s8 The furnace to be replaced before next winter9 The possibility of an additional clerk to be added within the currentfiscal yeariIt was pointed out that with additional space being made available, thecontribution from the State Office would be larger than what had been discussedoriginally in terms of the use of the total first floorWe recognize that this is not as convenient an arrangement as you hadoriginally worked out However, with more space at your disposal and with recog-nition of the fact that we must maintain good relationships with otheragenciesand groups, we hope that things will work out pretty well for you Certainlyyou are far better off than you were in the Court HouseEvery good wish as you make such splendid effort to improve the servicesof the departmentSincerely, ?Ellen WinstonCommissionerENiaCC- Mrs Austin, FR19 The following reports were filed with the Board;L P Creech Veterans Service Officer kLucy 0 Toole Negro Home Demonstration AgentEvelyn Bishop County LibrarianM W Knott Electrical InspectorD R Clifton JailerRubert C Barbour Dog WardenLulu Jolliff Superintendent Welfare DepartmentH F Palmer Negro County AgentC W Tarlton County AgentSarah Ann Butts Home Demonstration Agent Verbalon a motion made and seconded, it was moved that the Board recess untilMarch 14, 1960, at 11;00 A M, for the Board to sit as a Board of Equalizationand Review in accordance with Section 105 -327 of the General Statutes