Saturday Dec. 5, 1983 --

• The Salisbury City Council is poised to renew its franchise agreement with Storer Cable Communications this week. The 10-year agreement has been the subject of negotiations for more than a year. Storer is proposing increasing the channel selection from the current 12 channels to 30 channels. A 30-channel package would cost $11.25 a month; the 12-channel minimum package would cost $7.75 per month.

• The Wicomico County Board of Education voted 4-0 not to renew a four-year contract for Superintendent Harold A. Fulton. The school system’s chief administrator since 1975, Fulton succeeded Royd A. Mahaffey, who died in office. While announcing Fulton’s ouster, Board President Ronald J. Zimmerman also made public the resignation of board member Don E. Ewalt. A search committee will be formed immediately to find possible successors. Fulton’s annual salary is $45,000.

• Salisbury’s City Council will begin amending housing codes to establish acceptable standards for maintenance and upkeep of all residential properties. Council President Norman H. Conway said firmer rules would provide the Inspections Bureau with stronger grounds on which to take action.

• Dresser-Wayne officials announced that a new model of a gas pump they assemble in Salisbury will be equipped to read Electronic Funds Transfer and Point Of Sale cards that are growing in popularity among businesses and consumers. Speaking at the company’s 41st annual Engineering Conference, held this year in Salisbury, Dresser Industries President J. David Wheeler predicted that customers will one day be able to use their bank cards to purchase fuels directly at the pump, thereby creating a business where no store-help is needed.

• The expanded Boulevard Theater in Downtown Salisbury has reopened with a new name: The Movies 3. Taking part in a reopening event held this week were R/C Theatres officials Irvin Chen, Scott Cohen, Wayne Anderson, David Phillips and Aaron Seideler. The local theater will be managed by Charles Lane of Salisbury. 

• Federal mediators have been called in as a last-ditch effort to prevent a strike by Campbell Soup workers at plants in Salisbury and Dover. According to Local 56 President Leo Cinaglia, Salisbury’s 553 union members will strike if the company fails to quickly resolve contract issues pertaining to vacation benefits and job classifications. Salisbury workers voted overwhelmingly last week to reject a company offer that would have given them a 40-cents-per-hour pay hike. 

• W. Howard Hayman, President of First National Bank, announced the promotion of Sharon Morris to the position of Assistant Branch Manager for the bank’s main branch on the Downtown Plaza. An employee for eight years, Morris’ responsibilities will include managerial duties and customer relations. 

• The Daily Times marked its 60th anniversary as a daily newspaper on Thursday. Founded as The Evening Times on Dec. 3, 1923, the newspaper was started by business partners headed by Fred P. Adkins. On the verge of closing because of losses, the Truitt Family of Salisbury took control and Charles J. Truitt, now 83, became the newspaper’s editor at the age of 24. The Daily Times had 15 employees when it started in an office on West Main Street; it has 100 employees today.