May 3, 2024 Coats Museum News
Can you believe that it is already May of 2024? It seems that we were just taking down our Christmas decorations. Then our mind reminds us that we were also just taking down Valentine’s, then St. Patrick’s, then Easter- did I miss one? The older one becomes, it seems the faster time flies by us.
We sometimes use different events in our lives to mark our calendars-some pleasant and others less so. For example, in Belle’s Notes she extended with her readers her heartfelt sympathy to the families of McRay Stewart, Jimmy R. Johnson and Jason Elliott Stephenson. These had to be devastating markers on the calendar for many.
Then there were the Notes from Belle to remind her readers that the families of Dorothy Pope Ferrell, Mildred Hudson, Stephen Payne, Janie Denning, James McNeill, Nancy Hughes, Ila Byrd, Agatha McLamb, Rodney Wilson, Jason Williams and Sandy Howard needed our prayers and thoughts because they were ailing.
Did you recognize any of those names of those ailing according to Belle? Did you think they are just old so naturally they might be ailing? Maybe you thought, I don’t know that person or maybe why is that name on the list or I was in school with that person. Wonder if any of her readers checked out the condition of the ailing or did they just wait and see if that name appeared in one of Belle’s later columns where she asked for sympathy for the family of one of them?
All names and dates don’t bring sad memories. For example, my family was elated that the news was shared from the Harnett County Retired School Personnel that they had awarded one of their annual scholarships to our son Bryan Sorrell. They shared at the annual banquet that Bryan was a Dean’s List student at the NCSU who would pursue a career in veterinary medicine.
For our family we know what the future held for Bryan, but for many of those teachers and other school personnel who attended the banquet would have their names on the obituaries’ lists before he graduated with honors, was accepted into one of the top Schools of Veterinary Schools in the nation and would go on to own a very successful hospital in Virginia Beach. That organization helped make Bryan’s college path less expensive and set the example that he should one day give back to the community to help others as he had been helped.
Belle also shared when certain events happened in the community that might make the individual remember a date. For example, she shared that Keith Stone was involved in an accident-that would make a not so pleasant memory date for him (Daily Record June 30, 1994).
I bet the Coats Town Board marked the dates on the calendar when they had board meetings such as in the 1994-95 budget meeting where they approved to keep the same tax rate evaluation based upon $32,237 ,016 with a collection rate of 96.42 yielding $220,688 or 36.43 percent of the general budget. The board did issue a one dollar increase in the garbage fees which was to yield $54,909 or 9 percent of the total budget. The Coats Board did control $ 275,597 or 45. 5 percent of the budget and the remaining balance was controlled by the state or county government. Max Beasley and Darrell Smith likely gave a high five for being able to talk Joe Giles into deducting $500 from his bill for auditing the town books for 1993-94. What was the cost to the town for the audit? The number was $10,750. New computer equipment for the Coats Water Department and was purchased from SCT Computer Co.
Who attended that meeting? Named on the list were Don Ennis, Gale Spears, Max Beasley, Frances Avery, Darrell Smith and Mayor Tim McKinnie. Town Attorney Marshall Woodall, Town Clerk Elaine Keene, Deputy Clerk Jean Coats, and Planning Director Clenton Smith were also present.
Wonder what the value of the property in Coats is in 2024. Did you know that prior to 1868, the collection of taxes was the function of the county courts which determined the local tax rates? Taxes came in two forms-poll taxes and property levies. Maybe next week I can share who owned the most property in the area that would become Grove in 1824 or 200 years ago.
A big thank you goes to Floyd McLamb of New Orleans. He was a graduate of Coats High School in 1953 and this is the second time that he has given a very generous and unsolicited donation to the museum. Floyd’s success story and generosity is one to be admired.
Can you believe that it is already May of 2024? It seems that we were just taking down our Christmas decorations. Then our mind reminds us that we were also just taking down Valentine’s, then St. Patrick’s, then Easter- did I miss one? The older one becomes, it seems the faster time flies by us.
We sometimes use different events in our lives to mark our calendars-some pleasant and others less so. For example, in Belle’s Notes she extended with her readers her heartfelt sympathy to the families of McRay Stewart, Jimmy R. Johnson and Jason Elliott Stephenson. These had to be devastating markers on the calendar for many.
Then there were the Notes from Belle to remind her readers that the families of Dorothy Pope Ferrell, Mildred Hudson, Stephen Payne, Janie Denning, James McNeill, Nancy Hughes, Ila Byrd, Agatha McLamb, Rodney Wilson, Jason Williams and Sandy Howard needed our prayers and thoughts because they were ailing.
Did you recognize any of those names of those ailing according to Belle? Did you think they are just old so naturally they might be ailing? Maybe you thought, I don’t know that person or maybe why is that name on the list or I was in school with that person. Wonder if any of her readers checked out the condition of the ailing or did they just wait and see if that name appeared in one of Belle’s later columns where she asked for sympathy for the family of one of them?
All names and dates don’t bring sad memories. For example, my family was elated that the news was shared from the Harnett County Retired School Personnel that they had awarded one of their annual scholarships to our son Bryan Sorrell. They shared at the annual banquet that Bryan was a Dean’s List student at the NCSU who would pursue a career in veterinary medicine.
For our family we know what the future held for Bryan, but for many of those teachers and other school personnel who attended the banquet would have their names on the obituaries’ lists before he graduated with honors, was accepted into one of the top Schools of Veterinary Schools in the nation and would go on to own a very successful hospital in Virginia Beach. That organization helped make Bryan’s college path less expensive and set the example that he should one day give back to the community to help others as he had been helped.
Belle also shared when certain events happened in the community that might make the individual remember a date. For example, she shared that Keith Stone was involved in an accident-that would make a not so pleasant memory date for him (Daily Record June 30, 1994).
I bet the Coats Town Board marked the dates on the calendar when they had board meetings such as in the 1994-95 budget meeting where they approved to keep the same tax rate evaluation based upon $32,237 ,016 with a collection rate of 96.42 yielding $220,688 or 36.43 percent of the general budget. The board did issue a one dollar increase in the garbage fees which was to yield $54,909 or 9 percent of the total budget. The Coats Board did control $ 275,597 or 45. 5 percent of the budget and the remaining balance was controlled by the state or county government. Max Beasley and Darrell Smith likely gave a high five for being able to talk Joe Giles into deducting $500 from his bill for auditing the town books for 1993-94. What was the cost to the town for the audit? The number was $10,750. New computer equipment for the Coats Water Department and was purchased from SCT Computer Co.
Who attended that meeting? Named on the list were Don Ennis, Gale Spears, Max Beasley, Frances Avery, Darrell Smith and Mayor Tim McKinnie. Town Attorney Marshall Woodall, Town Clerk Elaine Keene, Deputy Clerk Jean Coats, and Planning Director Clenton Smith were also present.
Wonder what the value of the property in Coats is in 2024. Did you know that prior to 1868, the collection of taxes was the function of the county courts which determined the local tax rates? Taxes came in two forms-poll taxes and property levies. Maybe next week I can share who owned the most property in the area that would become Grove in 1824 or 200 years ago.
A big thank you goes to Floyd McLamb of New Orleans. He was a graduate of Coats High School in 1953 and this is the second time that he has given a very generous and unsolicited donation to the museum. Floyd’s success story and generosity is one to be admired.