County to be asked to consider ABC sales
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 3, 2011 1:46 PM
Wayne County Commissioners will be asked at their meeting Tuesday to adopt a resolution opposing privatization of the state's alcohol sales.
Local Alcoholic Beverage Control Board business manager Mike Myrick is expected to argue that privatization would increase the number of stores selling alcohol, which in turn could lead to more consumption and potential problems, cost jobs and a loss in revenues for local governments.
A December 2008 report by the General Assembly's Program Evaluation Division recommends in part that the ABC Commission require local ABC boards to contract with a private seller when an ABC store's performance standards are inefficient.
A private seller could include a grocery store or convenience store.
Also, Gov. Beverly Perdue has said that privatization of the ABC system could possibly help the state balance its budget.
Myrick will make his comments during the commissioners' meeting that starts at 9 a.m. in their meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex. A briefing will start at 8 a.m.
According to the resolution, county residents approved the creation of the local ABC Board and not the sell of alcohol by private off-premise retail stores.
No state funds are spent to either distribute to sell the alcohol and privatization will not result in any downsizing of state government, Myrick said in a handout to commissioners.
Also, the ABC system generates "substantial" revenues for state and local governments, he said.
The county's seven ABC stores generated $6.611 million in revenue for the year ending June 2009 and $6.657 million for the year ending June 2010, according to figures provided by Myrick.
During the past year the Wayne County ABC Board sent $1,412,556 to the state's general fund budget, $66.490 to the state Department of Revenue and $6,649 to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Locally, $145,000 went to the county and $123,352 to the city of Goldsboro. Mount Olive received $18,981. Another $25,225 went to the Wayne County Alcohol Rehabilitation program and $21,171 to law enforcement agencies in the county.
In other business Tuesday, commissioners will consider action on four subdivision plats all of which have been recommended for approval by the Wayne County Planning Board.
The plats are:
* Rodney Dean Barnes, Et Al. final, owner/developer Rodney, Roxanne and Bryan Barnes, two lots on Old Smithfield Road in Fork Township.
* Carol Annette Finch final, owner/developer Carol Finch, two lots on Bogue Road in Nahunta Township.
* Carl Franklin Corbett Jr. and wife, Charlette C. Corbett, and Blake Anthony Howell final, owner/developer Ray and Rose Hicks, two lots on Airport Road in Stoney Creek Township.
* Charles R. Hare and wife, Diane E. Hare, final, owner/developer Charles and Diane hare, one lot on Princeton Road in Fork Township.
Also on the agenda is a request for approval of a mobile home park plat.
The plat is for one lot on Southern Drive at Southern Mobile Village section three at Dudley in the Brogden Township. The owner developer is Gerald Bell doing business as B&D Management.
The board will consider action on a petition to add Brighton Drive and Pickens Drive in the Meares Bluff Subdivision to the state highway maintenance system.
The consent agenda includes approval of renting out farmland that is owned jointly by the county and city of Goldsboro. A work session on farmland rental also is on the agenda.
In the past Commissioner Bud Gray has raised concerns about the rental procedure.
On the agenda are seven parcels of farmland that the city council voted on Dec. 6 to award three-year leases.
The parcels and high bidders were:
* 24.2 acres west of N.C. 111 South, Alfred Park, $101 per acre, $2,444.20 yearly total
* 56.3 acres west of N.C. 111 South, Alfred Park, $101 per acre, $5,683.30 yearly total
* 5.1 acres on Miller's Chapel Road, Wiggins Farms, $82.50 per acre, $420.75 yearly total
* 16.6 acres Wayne Memorial Drive and New Hope Road, Wiggins Farms, $82.50 per acre, $1,369.5 yearly total
* 43.4 acres Arrington Bridge Road, Odom Farming Co., $95 per acre, $4,123 yearly total
* 67.8 acres John Street and Arrington Bridge Road, Odom Farming Co., $95 per acre, $6,441 yearly total
* 25.1 acres corner of Genoa and Pecan roads, Wiggins Farms, $82.50 per acre, $2,070.75 yearly total.
Also on the consent agenda is the selling of property at 300 E. Pollock St. in Mount Olive that is jointly owned by the town and county. The property has been advertised seven times and the last and highest bidder was Hugh F. Oates Sr. of Mount Olive. His bid was $20,106.51.