THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 1996 TAG: 9601170386
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
In an effort to take a bite out of drug trafficking, the Dare County Board of Commissioners unanimously agreed to appropriate $25,000 in local funds Tuesday to assist state and local officials in narcotics investigations.
The money will come from the county's contingency fund, and will be administered by County Manager Terry Wheeler and Dare County Sheriff Bert Austin.
Last month, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies raided residences throughout Dare County, culminating a five-month undercover investigation known as ``Operation Season's Greetings.'' At least 31 people were arrested during the predawn raid from Kill Devil Hills through Hatteras Island. Trials for most of those defendants are scheduled for next month.
``I think this sends a message to drug dealers in Dare County that we will not tolerate drug sales,'' Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. said after his board approved the additional money.
Owens also said the new account will help put to rest speculations surrounding the December raid.
``There has been a lot of rumor and innuendo,'' Owens said. ``But this will show people we're serious about fighting drugs in Dare County.''
The initial ``Operation Season's Greetings'' raid was criticized by county Commissioner Shirley Hassell. She filed suit challenging the legality of a $10,000 appropriation for that raid, which was made without formal commission approval. Hassell, however, gave qualified support to Tuesday's funding request.
``I don't have any qualms about this,'' Hassell said of the $25,000 figure. ``I think it's necessary. I do have questions about setting this money aside when we are going to begin budget discussions in a month.''
But Commissioner Doug Langford said the use of contingency funds is appropriate for such expenditures.
``The whole purpose of a contingency fund is to give us the flexibility to use it in areas that we need to fund that aren't accounted for in the budget,'' Langford said.
In other action Tuesday, the Dare County Board of Commissioners took the following actions:
Approved Basnight Construction's low bid of $349,905 to build the first phase of a water line extension project in Duck.
Approved a conditional use permit for a new bakery, ``You Take the Cake,'' to be located at Scarborough Faire shopping center in Duck.
Saw two additional feuds erupt between Hassell and Wheeler. The first clash involved the use of funds budgeted by the county public information office to produce a Federal Emergency Management Agency brochure. That money, Hassell said, was originally budgeted for a county newsletter. Wheeler, however, said the expenditure was proper under state law.
Hassell also questioned the use of a county employee as a liaison between the commissioners and the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series. Wheeler, however, said the employee was a ``floater'' who assisted in a number of county departments as needed.
Hassell, as well as Republican County Commission candidate Cheryl Byrd, questioned Owens' call last week for an increase in supplements for Dare County teachers. Hassell argued that raises for all county employees should be considered. Langford pointed out that since 1992, county workers have received two raises. by CNB