For more information contact Carolyn Stroud, Public Affairs Director, at
975-9354

CITY LINES

News from the City of Washington

City news now on internet
at http://www.ci.washington.nc.us


NEWS FROM THE CITY OF WASHINGTON: July 16, 1999

In this issue  . . .
City of Washington offers activities at Summer Festival
Pets now prohibited from special events in public areas
Handicapped parking at the festival
Adult kayaking class offered
City reaches fund-raising goal for aquatic center
Brown Library featuring works by Mili Shah in July

For more information contact: Carolyn Stroud, Public Affairs Director, Voice: 252-975-9354
Fax: 252-974-646, E-mail: cityinfo@washingtonnc.com

City of Washington offers bucket truck rides, dunking booth & more at Summer Festival
Visitors to the Washington Summer Festival are invited to enjoy a number of attractions and activities provided by the City of Washington.
Free bucket and snorkel truck rides. Washington Electric Utilities bucket truck rides, a Summer Festival favorite, will return to the east end of Stewart Parkway. New this year will be rides on Washington Fire-Rescue-Emergency Medical Services' snorkel truck. Riders can catch a bird's eye view of Washington from Friday from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. There is no charge for the rides.
City Services Fair. Under the tent next to the bucket trucks on the east end of Stewart Parkway, visitors can enjoy the City Services Fair. Illustrating the theme "City of Washington - Serving You Daily," visitors can view educational booths that demonstrate the diverse array of services that the city provides to Washington and the surrounding area on a daily basis. While under the tent, enjoy a cup of iced water provided by the city's water treatment plant and pick up complementary city maps and storm preparedness guides. The City Services Fair will be on display Friday from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. only.
Fire safety house and antique fire truck. On Saturday, the Beaufort County Fire Safety House will be open for tours and fire safety demonstrations on the east end of Stewart Parkway. Also on Saturday, Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS Services Department's, antique 1912 model fire truck will be on display.
Guest exhibitors. The N.C. Division of Emergency Management will set up a display on emergency preparedness on Friday and Saturday next to the City Tent.
Dunking booth. On the west end of Stewart Parkway, local public safety officers will be getting all wet for a worthy cause at the Washington Police Department dunking booth, located at the intersection of Main and Gladden Streets. Members of the Public Safety Explorers Post will be operating the booth, and money raised will support the post's activities.


Pets now prohibited from special events in public areas
Visitors to the Summer Festival are advised to leave their pets at home. Bringing animals to public areas used for special events, such as Summer Festival, is now against the city code. Washington City Council added this provision to the City's Animal Control Ordinance last fall. "Even animals that normally have gentle dispositions can be unpredictable in crowds or noisy environments," said Carolyn Stroud, Public Affairs Director for the city. "The intent of this ordinance is to protect the public." 
The public is advised also that alcoholic beverages, bicycles and skateboards also are prohibited at Summer Festival.


Handicapped parking at the festival
For the convenience of Summer Festival visitors who are disabled, the City of Washington will be providing extra handicapped parking spaces in the parking lot next to the Chamber of Commerce building during the weekend of July 23-25.
In addition to the two permanent van accessible handicapped parking spaces located in the lot, the city will add two temporary handicapped spaces in this lot. The temporary spaces will not be van accessible.
Visitors who require handicapped parking can enter the parking lot at the intersection of Market and Water streets.


Adult kayaking class offered
Washington Recreation Department is now registering for an adult kayaking class that will be held Tuesdays at 6 p.m. from Aug. 10 through Aug. 31 on Stewart Parkway.
Students will receive basic instruction in safety, methods and hands-on use of the kayak. Students will need to be prepared to enter the Pamlico River for each lesson. Kayaks will be provided for students. Students will need to provide their own waterproof sun block and drinking water. Space will be limited.
Registration began on July 15 and will end on Aug. 4. The fee is $25 per student. Register at the Recreation Office, 310 W. Main St. between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information call 975-9367.


City reaches fund-raising goal for aquatic center; City Council 
approves 1999-2000 budget that includes aquatic center funding
The success of a campaign to raise at least $250,000 in private donations and City Council's adoption of the 1999-2000 city budget mean that the City of Washington will be constructing an aquatics center.
Fund-raising topped the $250,000 target recently when conditions were met to earn a $25,000 challenge from four former Beaufort County residents, who have asked to remain anonymous. Under terms of that challenge, at least 10 local families or individuals had to agree to give at least $5,000 each to the campaign. Earlier this month city staff received confirmation that the remaining donations needed to earn the $25,000 challenge grant were forthcoming. 
"These commitments came at a good time, as City Council was considering next year's budget, so that staff was able to inform Council that it appeared we would meet the fund-raising goal," said Public Affairs Director Carolyn Stroud.
When Washington City Council adopted the 1999-2000 city budget on June 14, they approved construction of the aquatic center since the budget includes allocations for construction of the $1 million facility at the sports complex and an operating budget, including money to hire an aquatic center manager.
With the promised $25,000, and additional donations received later in June, commitments to the fund now stand at approximately $260,000. "We have been in contact with the former residents who issued the $25,000 challenge and have received their congratulations and assurance that the money is on the way," said Carolyn Stroud, Public Affairs Director. 
"Mayor Rumley has been in contact with Mr. McConnell to inform him that the City was committed to building the aquatic center and to accept his $250,000 offer," she said.
"We are very grateful to Mr. McConnell and the donors who offered the $25,000 with the intent of spurring a high level of individual giving and help the City match Mr. McConnell's $250,000 offer. We also are grateful to those who accepted that challenge as well as the more than 400 individuals, families, businesses, industries and organizations that have contributed money out of their own pockets toward this project," Stroud said. 
"Just because we reached the $250,000 goal doesn't mean we won't accept additional contributions. This is a truly a community project, a community facility that will have a high level of visibility locally as well as regionally. We are happy to accept additional contributions from donors who would like to be a part of this project. Special recognition opportunities are available for donors of $1,000 or more," she said
Additional contributions will reduce the use of City funds to build the project. In addition to the $260,000, so far, in private contributions, the City has a $250,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant, and Mr. McConnell's $250,000 gift to apply to the project. The balance of construction costs will be from City funds.
"Memberships also continue to be important to this project," Stroud said. "Our goal is for this aquatic center to be self-supporting through memberships and other earned revenues." So far we have pre-sold 203 first-year memberships. Memberships will be marketed prior to and following the aquatic center opening. Five hundred forty annual family memberships would generate enough revenue for the facility to be self-sustaining.
The campaign also has received significant contributions in memory of the Rev. Irwin Hulbert, who died in the summer of 1992, and F. Ray Moore Sr., who died December 1998. Many in Beaufort County cite Rev. Hulbert's vision for furthering local public swimming opportunities as a driving force behind support for a municipal swimming pool. Moore was the father of the late Susiegray Moore McConnell, the wife of John McConnell and the namesake for the sports complex possible through a gift from McConnell.
The aquatic center will be constructed near the center of the northern boundary of the sport complex site. It will contain a 25-yard enclosed swimming pool and support facilities, such as locker rooms. The City is on the verge of hiring a design/build team to finalize the pool and building design and to construct the $1 million facility. Projected opening is Winter 2000.
Personalized tiles have been sold for $50 each or bundled with contributions of $300 or more. Local artist Donna Brander has been contracted to coordinate tile production. A production schedule that will give donors an opportunity to place handprints on tiles will be announced this summer.
"We are very grateful to the many citizens who served the fund-raising committee or provided support to the committee's efforts this past year," Stroud said. Mayor Pro Tem Judy Jennette was chairperson of the fund drive and Stroud was the campaign administrator. Others involved in the fund-drive include Ralph Hodges, Carol Nash, Nan McClendon, Ann DeVilliers, Betty Gray, Margaret Hackney, Cindy Davis, Rev. David Moore, Brownie Futrell, Muriel Brothers, Betty Randolph, Stewart Rumley, Bo Lewis, and Tom King. 


Brown Library featuring works by Mili Shah in July
Paintings by Mili Shah are on exhibit at Brown Library during the month of July in the Adult Fiction Room.
Miss Shah resides in India. She is the niece of Dolly NaNaVatia, who is the manager of the Days Inn in Washington. Currently a graduate student studying life sciences at the Gujarat University, Miss Shah paints as one of her hobbies. She won first prize in painting in a competition held by The Sports Club of Gujarat in 1996. She has exhibited her work at two one-artist shows at Contemporary Art Gallery in Ahmedabad. In 1997, one of her paintings was selected by Lalit Kala Academy of Gujarat State for an exhibit celebrating 50 years of independence of India. 
Also at Brown Library in July is an exhibit on the Apollo 11 mission, the first manned lunar landing that took place 30 years ago this month. The exhibit, which was prepared by Washington resident Joseph Walsh from his personal collection, includes a model of the lunar landing module. The exhibit is on display in the lobby showcase.
Mr. Walsh and his wife moved to Washington in 1990. He had worked for Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, which built the Lunar Module that landed men on the moon and also saved the crew after the explosion of Apollo 13. He worked on the Apollo program from 1961 until 1969. In the study phase he did the preliminary mission profile and development schedule. Later he was responsible for the acquisition and activation of facilities in four states. From 1966 to 1969, Mr. Walsh was at Kennedy Space Center helping to make a smooth running operation. Next he worked on the space shuttle for six years.
Each month Brown Library features the works of area artists. Brown Library is a department of the City of Washington. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.  For more information call the library at 946-4300.







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City Lines, a news service produced by the City of Washington Public
Affairs Department, is published in the Washington Daily News on the last
Wednesday of the month. Call 975-9354 or e-mail   cityinfo@washingtonnc.com with
suggestions.