Residents: Neighbors are nuisances
By Chip Womick
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune
FRANKLINVILLE - Call the High Sheriff.
That was the idea that seemed to receive the most support when discussion
turned Tuesday night to three residences - and residents - that fellow townspeople
deem to be nuisances.
Among the complaints over recent months were that juveniles who lived
in two of the houses had committed a variety of offenses, from putting sugar
into gas tanks to shooting out streetlights to painting graffiti.
One resident said she thinks her next-door neighbor is running a crack
house.
"I want something to be done with that house," she said. "It
is a living nightmare. It is a living nightmare to be living beside that
house."
Town Clerk Nancy Granger commented that the town needs a police department.
Mayor Mac Whatley replied that it would cost $250,000 to start one, figuring
the cost of hiring and outfitting four officers to run around-the-clock
shifts seven days a week.
Someone suggested researching ordinances that could be used to help clean
up undesirable situations.
Granger reminded commissioners that Franklinville does have a nuisance
ordinance. That ordinance addresses "the uncontrolled growth of noxious
weeds or grass" greater than 24 inches; accumulation of rubbish, trash
or junk causing or threatening to cause a fire hazard; the accumulation
of stagnant water or inhabitation by rats, mice, snakes or vermin of any
kind; or any condition detrimental to the public health which violates the
rules and regulation of the county health department.
About 10 years ago, Whatley said, townspeople complained about a dilapidated
house in town where a number of people were living without electric power
or running water. The town took legal action and advised the residents that
the property would have to be brought up to the current building code standards.
The residents said they could not comply and eventually moved. They quit
paying taxes and the town wound up with the property. The final tab was
about $5,000 in legal fees and another $7,000 or so to demolish the structure.
Now the town owns a piece of property that probably would not bring $5,000
if offered for sale, Whatley said.
The mayor wondered aloud if the town could afford to spend another $12,000
(and likely more, considering inflation in the past 10 years) by taking
a similar path to try to rid the town of a residence perceived as a problem.
Commissioner Perry Conner noted that spending $12,000, or more, would
be cheaper than funding a police department.
"You hate to see good people in the town aggravated to death,"
said Commissioner Randy Pugh.
"It is a very big problem," said Whatley.
In other business, commissioners:
* Voted to purchase a wireless microphone system and tape recorder to
record town meetings.
* Heard a report from representatives of the Randolph County Economic
Development Corp. EDC President Bonnie Renfro told board members that her
organization had reported to the state commerce department $71.2 million
in investments by 16 companies in the county in 2004. The end result will
be 582 new jobs, she said.
But that is only part of the investment story for 2004, she explained,
noting that only new investments of more than $1 million, or creation of
25 or more new jobs, or the addition of at least 20,000 square feet are
reported.
Most industrial growth is smaller, incremental growth that adds up over
time, she said.
She also noted that the EDC tries to make purchases locally when possible.
She pointed out that the cover of the EDC's manufacturing directory was
printed by Carolina Printing Service in Franklinville, as was the cover
of a new presentation folder.
"They do an outstanding job," she said.
Copyright 2002, Stephens Media Group
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