THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 20, 1995 TAG: 9504200453
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
The Northeastern North Carolina Economic Development Commission on Wednesday decided not to hire a boss-of-bosses to control conflicts between two autonomous $57,000-a-year directors of the pump-priming group.
In an often-tense session attended by all 15 members of the commission, tempers sputtered and Chairman Andrew Allen, a Plymouth businessman, had his work cut out for him keeping order.
One commission member admitted he wrote to Gov. James B. Hunt Jr., to complain about ``violations of the open meetings law'' by the commission's six-member executive committee.
At issue was a proposal that originated in the executive committee earlier this month to hire the new ``executive director'' to resolve the commission's internal conflicts.
The super-boss would outrank Bunny Sanders, head of the Tourist Division in Elizabeth City, and James Lancaster, who runs the full commission's Hertford headquarters.
``Do you mean to tell me that the executive committee can go into executive session and decide what this commission is going to do?'' asked John Hall, a radio executive and a member of the Halifax County Board of Commissioners.
``Nobody said anything about an executive session. We just held a meeting of the committee. We were fully within the law,'' Allen said.
``But are you saying that the executive committee can take up matters that are the concern of the full committee?'' asked Charles Shaw, a retired Edenton oil company officer.
Allen told Shaw that the executive committee was carrying out orders of the full commission to help formulate policy.
Allen then criticized Hall for ``misleading'' Hunt in a letter that Allen said Hall wrote on the development commission's letterhead. Hall acknowledged that he wrote the governor about what he called a breach ``of the open meetings law'' by executive committee members.
``If you want to express your personal opinion, do it on your own stationery,'' said Chairman Allen.
Finally, when tempers in theElizabeth City State University conference room cooled off, Charles Ward, a Hertford auto-store owner, introduced the executive committee proposal calling for hiring a new boss-of-bosses.
When Allen called for a vote, a roar of ``nays!'' drowned out the few supporting voices.
Stresses between Sanders' tourist division and the full commission have been all too visible in the two years since the General Assembly created the northeastern area's economic development commission - and gave it more than $2 million to bring business to the Albemarle. The group is one of six regional groups in the state.
But the northeast group is the only state economic commission that has a separate tourist division. Hunt appointed Sanders to her $58,000 a year job as head of the tourist group.
Sanders is the daughter of Mayor E.V. Wilkins of Roper in Washington County - where Chairman Allen lives. Wilkins also is chairman of the board of Elizabeth City State University.
The second ranking economic development commission officer is vice-chairman Jimmy R. Jenkins Jr., chancellor of Elizabeth City State.
Also at Wednesday's meeting, one of the main proposals of Sanders' tourist division was sidetracked - at least temporarily.
Ray E. Hollowell Jr., a commission member from Manteo, said negotiations in support of a high-speed water transportattion project for Sanders' Harbor Town development are still in a formative stage.
``One Florida company has proposed an eight-figure plan - perhaps $40- to $50-million - for the high speed boats. But they haven't come forward with any details,'' said Hollowell. ``They assure us it won't involve any federal or state money.
``I don't want to project false hopes, but this company says it will have a proposal on the table in four to six weeks,'' Hollowell said.
A Columbia, Md., waterfront developer who has worked with Sanders on the Harbor Town plan to develop waterfronts of several Albemarle towns and cities won't move ahead without assurance that the fast ferry boats will be available, Hollowell said.
James Rouse, an internationally known creator of harbor tourist attractions, is associated with the Maryland company.
Hollowell recommended that the commission keep the Rouse affiliate on hold until further information comes from the Florida developer who hopes to promote the high-speed ferries.
``We should know something, perhaps in a month,'' said Hollowell.
On one issue, the northeast economic commission moved quickly and unanimously.
G. Watts Carr III, president of the North Carolina Partnership for Economic Development, urged the commission to support the new statewide Economic Development Information System, a computerized network that will showcase business opportunities in North Carolina.
Carr is one of Hunt's top economic planners. The proposed information system would give worldwide Internet and other computer users access to detailed information about opportunities in the Tarheel State.
The northeastern commission readily agreed to support the statewide plan.
Legislative help in Raleigh was promised by Vernon G. James, who represented the 1st N.C. House district for more than a quarter of a century. James said that since his retirement last year he has been hired by the commission ``for 13-hours a week'' to act as a lobbyist. by CNB