THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 7, 1995 TAG: 9511070271
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: JACKSON LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
With their ailing chairman absent, the Northampton County commissioners on Monday turned down a request for $100,000 in public funds to help the Lake Gaston Regional Development Association plan a $25 million hotel and golf course.
The vote split the panel, 2-2.
``We expect to bring this before the board again when Chairman James Moncure returns from a hospital,'' said board member James C. Boone. Boone explained that Moncure was stricken with a heart attack last week while attending a convention in Wilmington.
``Mr. Moncure lives up near Lake Gaston and I believe he favors this effort,'' Boone added.
Boone, with Willa Majett, was one of the two board members who voted to approve the $100,000 seed money. Boone is a member of the board of directors of the Lake Gaston association - the organization that the proposed project would benefit.
Voting against the proposal were R.J. White Jr., and William Bridgers.
The association, headed by Jimmy R. Jenkins, former chancellor of Elizabeth City State University, had hoped Northampton County would OK the startup funds to leverage another $150,000 grant requested of the Northeast North Carolina Economic Development Commission.
Jenkins and other association members were told last week by a spokesman for the economic commission that the commission would be more likely to lend money for new projects if the projects also had evidence of support from local governments.
Northampton County Manager Earl Daniels said he expected the Lake Gaston proposal would be brought before the county commissioners for another vote ``perhaps within 30 days.''
``The split vote didn't resolve anything,'' Daniels said. ``As soon as it's appropriate, I'm sure it will be again acted on when the board chairman returns.''
The $25 million recreational complex proposed by the association would be built on land near Henrico on the north shore of Lake Gaston.
Several months ago, the Northeast North Carolina Economic Commission voted to approve a $150,000 startup appropriation for the Lake Gaston association. The action was rescinded when it was learned one of the commission members owned property where the golf course would be built.
Jenkins and other members of the association appeared before a subcommittee of the full commission last week and renewed the request for $150,000 in seed money. The subcommittee is expected to vote on the proposal early in December and send along the results of the vote to the full commission. by CNB