COUNTY MULLS FUNDING TO SAVE DRUG TASK FORCE

Local officials agree the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Drug Task Force deserves
to survive when its grant funding expires later this year. But exactly who
should pay for the drug-busting agency -- and how -- has yet to be decided.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Bill Trueblood said he fully supports
continuing the program, and having the county pick up its $200,000 annual
cost.

"I feel it ever-more important that the county pick up the shortfall and
continue the program," Trueblood said.

Last week, Pasquotank Sheriff Randy Cartwright told commissioners the
eight-year-old drug task force will die unless local funding is obtained to
keep it operating. A $200,000 Governor's Crime Commission grant that paid
for the program and its three detectives expires this year, he said. The
grant money, which was received for the first time in 1997, was never
intended as a permanent source of funding for the agency, Cartwright said.

Commissioners Marshall H. Stevenson Jr. and John "Hank" Krebs said they too
want to see the drug task force continue, but they're not ready to say the
county alone should pick up the tab.

Commissioner Jeff Dixon said he's waiting to see how much surplus is in the
county budget before he commits to the county picking up any of the agency's
cost.

"I think we need to fund it if the money is available," he said.

But Dixon said he's also hoping the city will agree to help fund the agency,
particularly since most of the arrests take place in the city limits.

"We should go back as commissioners and approach the city," Dixon said. "The
majority of the (drug) busts, if I'm not mistaken, are happening in the
city."

City Manager Rich Olson said the city has been paying an annual match of
$18,750 for the drug task force and councilors want to allocate the same
amount in next year's city budget for the police department to use fighting
drugs.

While the task force is jointly named, Olson said the three agents funded
currently with the state grant money are employees of the county sheriff's
department. He therefore believes the county should continue to fund the
positions.

Either way, Olson said the city's police department plans to continue
cooperating with the county sheriff's department in drug raids and
investigations.

One potential source of funding for continuing the drug task force is the
county's budget surplus. In recent months, County Manager Randy Keaton has
reported that the county is receiving record levels of tax revenues from
building permits and property transfers.

But how large that surplus will be is still unknown. The commissioners are
in the process of reviewing next year's county budget and aren't expected to
approve it until June.

"I think we need to look at the overall budget," said Commissioner Lloyd E.
Griffin III. "Hopefully, (funding the drug task force is) something we'll
look at."