THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 29, 1994 TAG: 9406290384
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940629 LENGTH: NAGS HEAD
Cahoon cast the lone dissenting vote as the Nags Head Board of Commissioners approved the $7 million budget. The proposal was approved 4-1.
{REST} With passage, Nags Head property owners will pay an additional 1.9 cents in property taxes over the 1993-94 rate. Residents now will pay 34.8 cents per each $100 in appraised property value.
The increase will mean an additional $176,000 in ad valorem tax revenues for the town.
``If we're serious about holding the line on government, we're going to have to streamline government,'' Cahoon said. ``Streamlining and government don't go together. Government feeds on itself. We're going to have to do it or ignore the voters.''
As part of the budget debate, board members discussed a request by the town's fire department for a deputy chief. The request was not included in the final budget approved Monday night. Cahoon, as well as Commissioner E. Wayne Gray, said hiring an additional administrator in the department would be a waste of money.
``We need an additional firefighter rather than a deputy chief,'' Gray said. ``We don't need an additional person in the office. It's a waste of money.''
Cahoon agreed, saying, ``The people expect us to administer government as a business. I think improvements in how we administrate personnel will solve the problem.''
She added, ``I'm not sure we don't need a deputy chief. But having them both on an 8-to-5 shift is a waste of money.''
Nags Head Town Manager J. Webb Fuller said the current fire department structure allows for the deputy chief to perform his duties on a rotating basis.
``I didn't see anything in the memorandum from the chief that the deputy chief couldn't do on regular shift work. The desire was to have the deputy chief on an 8-to-5 shift, but I didn't recommend it because I didn't see a reason for it,'' Fuller said.
Cahoon said, ``I don't think we can implement everything people ask for. We need a second in command, but sometimes titles get in the way of people doing a proper job.''
The department did receive an increase in funding for volunteers from $11,000 to $30,000.
Following the budget vote, Commissioner Robert Muller moved for a reconsideration of the budget in the wake of the mayor's dissenting vote.
``I think we should get more information,'' he said. ``I want to know what changes we need to make to make the budget acceptable to the mayor.''
The motion died after it was not seconded.
Following the budget vote, the commission went into executive session for its annual review of the town manager's performance. The commission set a number of goals for the coming year.
In other action, the panel observed a moment of silence in memory of Kill Devil Hills Mayor Pro Tem Lacy McNeill. McNeill died suddenly Thursday afternoon. by CNB