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CALVIN R. PECK, JR.
(Articles are in reverse chronological order)
Tab 9
Star-News (Wilmington, NC)
May 29, 2004
Carolina Beach saved from tax hike
Author: Sherry Jones
A tax increase won't be necessary to sustain this coastal town, according to the latest revenue
projections for 2004-05.
And most of the Town Council's top priorities will be funded.
Town Manager Calvin Peck had originally called for a 1.5-cent tax rate hike but informed the
Town Council earlier this week that he'd received good news from the New Hanover County Tax
Department.
The town's property tax base has risen to $771 million - up $22 million from a previous estimate.
In addition, sales tax collections are expected to rise.
As a result, Mr. Peck's budget proposal recommends keeping the tax rate at 38 cents per $100
valuation.
The proposed budget for the 2004-05 fiscal year is just over $6 million. The biggest increase -
$400,000 - will come with implementation of a new salary plan, which was chief among the
council's priorities. The plan is designed to make sure employees are earning market value and
are paid fairly based on their job description.
The town manager also has recommended a 2.3 percent cost-of-living raise for all town
employees as well as merit pay increases.
Other items in Mr. Peck's proposed budget include replacement of water pipes in the north end
of town, purchase of beach sweeper equipment, establishment of a skate park, the Carolina Sands
drainage project and road paving in the Wilmington Beach area.
The Town Council talked about the beach sweeper idea in detail during a March budget retreat.
Mr. Peck said he borrowed the concept from Myrtle Beach, which uses the equipment to patrol
5 miles of beach. There, the machine goes from 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. and covers the area from the
sand fence to the water. At the same time, a separate employee uses a machine to empty
trashcans along the beach.
Mr. Peck said he views the equipment as a more efficient way for Carolina Beach to keep its
beach clean. For instance, right now, the town has three guys in the back of a pickup truck lifting
55-gallon drums all day long, he said.
Carolina Beach is 2.5 miles long, not including the north end. Mr. Peck called the results in
Myrtle Beach amazing.
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