THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100446
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUCK LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Thirsty Currituck communities could benefit from preliminary discussions that the governing boards of Dare and Currituck counties initiated at a special joint meeting Monday night.
Commissioners and finance officials from the two counties met at the Sanderling Inn to discuss expanding the regional relationship between their localities - and between northeastern North Carolina and Hampton Roads.
``It's time we put the divisions between North Carolina and Virginia behind us,'' said Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman R.V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. ``Whether we like it or not, our economic base is Tidewater Virginia. We're going to have to start looking north.''
Commissioners agreed to set up a committee to study the possibility of an agreement between the two counties to provide water to communities on the Currituck beaches and to the southern third of the county. Residents of those areas rely largely on wells for their water supply. A limited amount of water means development, too, must be limited.
Dare County Manager Terry Wheeler said there have been informal discussions between the two counties about Dare County selling water produced at a reverse-osmosis plant to its northern neighbors.
``If we've got the water to sell, we ought to be taking it to Corolla,'' Wheeler said. ``Our water system stands on its own as a money-making thing. We need to look at the possibilities of doing this.''
Wheeler said that as long as Dare County has the capacity to meet its own demand for water, then it should consider selling the commodity to Currituck.
``I don't see anything wrong with giving our neighbors a drink,'' Wheeler said.
Currituck County Manager Bill Richardson said that with the advent of the Lake Gaston pipeline agreement, the northeastern region of North Carolina should consider creating a regional water system.
``It's logical that there should be a push to connect all of the water systems,'' said Richardson. ``The whole direction we should be going in is regionalism - and tying all of the systems together.''
Currituck County Commission Chairman Ernie Bowden said Currituck beach communities depend on shallow-well aquifers that have difficulties meeting water demandduring droughts. He suggested that the two counties work out an agreement for Dare County to sell water in emergency situations.
While water was the major topic at the meeting, discussion also focused on improvements to U.S. Route 168. The two boards met recently with Chesapeake city officials to discuss widening the major link between Virginia and North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Currituck and Dare county officials say they want to continue a dialogue with Virginia to ensure that promised highway improvements become a reality.
``As part of any regional agreement, improvements to U.S. 168 have to be written in stone,'' said Currituck County Commissioner Paul O'Neil.
Because about 5 million tourists annually travel U.S. 168 to and from the Outer Banks, officials said there should be an effort made at the state and federal level to get interstate highway funding for the project.
Elected officials from both counties praised the new regional approach to problem-solving.
``Back in 1956, they talked about building a coastal highway,'' said Bowden. ``But because of the attitudes between the states, it never happened. Things have changed now.''
Other issues the officials explored include:
Education: Currituck Commissioner Owen Etheridge said the two counties should look at the creation of a regional technical school to provide career options for area students.
``Our young people are graduating from high school and leaving. And that's the greatest tragedy of all,'' he said. ``We're going to have to provide technical training for our people in order to give them the skills they need. If we don't do it, someone else will.''
Health care: Commissioners discussed a regional approach to medicine, by linking hospitals in Chowan County, Albemarle Hospital and other medical facilities with Hampton Roads hospitals, and the East Carolina University Medical School.
Business: The two groups also discussed continuing a dialogue with Chesapeake officials.
``Dare County is the fastest-growing county in North Carolina,'' Richardson said. ``Chesapeake is one of the fastest-growing cities in Virginia. Last year, they issued more building permits there than in Virginia Beach. And we're in between the two. It's logical that we should work together.'' by CNB