THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 14, 1995 TAG: 9502140293
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
The Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners on Monday became the first municipal panel to approve an agreement outlining the use of a government access channel on local cable television.
Along with the unanimous approval, the commission endorsed the concept of allowing the Manteo High School Media Club 30 minutes of air time on the channel as a learning tool for students interested in electronic media.
However, the board cautioned that language restricting the municipality's liability be included in any proposal.
For more than 18 months, town officials in Kill Devil Hills, Manteo and Nags Head have debated the government access issue. No programming has appeared on the channel.
Commissioner Lurana Cowan, the Kill Devil Hills representative on a committee formed to work out the agreement, said it was time to reach a consensus. Manteo and Nags Head have yet to vote on the agreement.
``We've been dragging our feet long enough,'' she said. ``The Board of Education will oversee anything that the kids do. I think we need to get this taken care of.''
Commissioners E.M. ``Coy'' Harbeson and Bill Morris said they would agree to support the high school effort, only if the proper disclaimers were in place.
Morris, however, was confident that the Dare County board of Education would handle the matter properly. Morris is a Dare County deputy, and a resource officer for the school system.
``The folks on the board are good people,'' he said. ``They are not going to allow anything that's offensive to the community. This will be a good resource for the kids.''
In other action, the commission approved an ordinance to allow skateboards, in-line skates, rollerblades, and bicycles on certain city streets.
The popular recreational gear will be allowed on all streets within the town limits except for U.S. 12, U.S. 158, the north side of Eighth Street, Ocean Acres Drive, Martin Street, Ocean Bay Boulevard, Prospect Avenue and First, Third and Fifth Streets.
Mayor Terry Gray cast the lone vote in opposition.
``I just have concerns about the liability of the town,'' he said.
However, Mayor Pro Tem Duncan Wright said that while it was the town's responsibility to keep the streets in good condition, parents must supervise children using skateboards, rollerblades and the like on city streets.
The commission also unanimously approved a request by Eagle Scout candidate Kevin Snyder to work on the Atlantic Street Beach Access as part of his requirements to receive scouting's highest rank. Kevin is a member of Troop 117. by CNB