DATE: Saturday, March 1, 1997               TAG: 9703010291

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:   52 lines

OFFICIAL DENIES SHE'LL CHANGE HER VOTE ON DARE REFERENDUM

A Dare County commissioner quickly quashed rumors Friday that she planned to change her vote on a planned May 20 school bond referendum.

Shirley Hassell, a Manns Harbor Democrat, said she planned to stand by Tuesday's vote in favor of the people's right to vote on the controversial $59.5-million school construction package.

Hassell joined Commissioners Geneva Perry, Doug Langford and Chairman Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. to form the 4-3 majority setting up the referendum.

At a meeting next Wednesday, commissioners are to formally approve wording on the ballot before sending it on to the North Carolina Local Government Commission.

A vote against any of the three resolutions on Wednesday's agenda would in effect kill the May 20 election.

Hassell, however, said that while she favored a countywide referendum, she does not support the bond package, and will work for its defeat in May.

``I'm not going to change my vote,'' Hassell said in a phone interview from her Manns Harbor home. ``But frankly, I'm opposed to the bond issue. I don't think it was presented as it should have been, and I don't think all of the people's questions were answered properly.''

Hassell said her support for the May 20 vote was consistent with stands she has taken throughout her more than two years on the seven-member county governing board.

``From the sale of water to Currituck County to the county government complex to this school bond, I've always worked against the unnecessary spending of taxpayers' money,'' Hassell said. ``But I've also always worked for greater participation by the public in the decisions we make. I did not vote to support the bond referendum. I simply voted for the ability of the people to make the choice.''

The series of resolutions to be passed cover three areas:

First, authorization of the publication of a notice, stating the county's intent to apply to the Local Government Commission for the referendum.

Authorization for County Finance Director David Clawson to submit the county's application to the LGC.

And, authorization of the wording of the bond referendum, as it will appear on the bond ballot. Under Owens' motion last week, each project will be listed separately, along with its projected cost. However, Dare County voters will cast one vote, either for or against the entire package. County finance officials estimate that the school construction package will increase county property taxes by as much as 19 cents, to 59 cents per $100 in value.

The proposed referendum includes construction of a beach high school, a K-2 school in Manteo, an auditorium at Cape Hatteras, renovations and additional classrooms at schools countywide, as well as deferred maintenance on all county schools.

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