The Wadesboro Town Council heard from HOLLA! representatives who plan to expand their youth literacy program into Wadesboro during its meeting on Monday.

Leon Gatewood and Alex Gaddy apprised the council of their plans to put literacy houses in Wadesboro to help reach area children. Gatewood is the CEO and founder of HOLLA! (Helping Our Loved ones Learn and Achieve), which he founded to help improve student achievement, and Gaddy is the activity director.

Both men said that HOLLA! will expand its reach into Wadesboro. Gaddy identified the Salisbury Street and Ingram Street neighborhoods as their target area.

Gatewood said that the new literacy house will be located on Ingram Street. “One of the things we’re concerned about, the reason we’re doing this, as you may have read, is because we’re concerned about some of the other things that are coming up in our communities unchallenged, like liquor houses and ‘boom boom rooms’ and things like that,” he said. “So we want to give the kids the option of reading, of being exposed to something positive in our community instead of just the crazy stuff.”

He asked the council for their support as HOLLA! expands into Wadesboro, addressing the concerns public services director Hugh James had about traffic by saying that most of those who visit the room will be on foot. He also said he anticipates the literacy houses will have a “family setting” of about seven to 10 kids at a time.

Citizen: Town has “selective law enforcement” policy

Wadesboro citizen Bobby Harrill also addressed the board, listing a number of concerns with the town and police department.

Harrill said he complained six weeks ago that the town waters a plot near the lumber company in the middle of the day when it is most hot out, wasting water. “That’s a waste of my tax money,” he said. “Heat of the day, 90-degree-plus, and the city’s watering that plot of land. Why can’t they water it early morning 3-6 or late at night 9-11? Something like that.”

James said his department can change its watering schedule, though Harrill said he saw water running across Highway 74 as little as two weeks ago. Mayor Bill Thacker said the board would talk to James about the watering schedule.

Harrill also alleged that the police department has a “selective law enforcement” policy. “I was brought up to respect the law, obey the law, and do what I was told. Well, Aug. 5 I tried to report an infraction, what I think is an infraction of the law, up here at the government center. There were three cars parked going up the hill at the government center, one being in the handicap. OK, I came up here to the police station to try and report it. The sergeant on duty at the time, and I direct this to the chief here, told me that they do selective — selective, now — law enforcement.”

He said that he has complained about similar issues many times. “The time will come when someone is killed because of the law not being enforced, and when it happens I hope it weighs on your conscience the rest of your life,” he said. “I tried to report infractions I don’t know how many times: speeding on Morven Road, OK; illegal parking, parking against the flow of traffic. I’ve seen it at the town hall, I’ve seen it at the government center, I’ve seen it in the courthouse, all over town, right down here at the end of Morgan, relentlessly, five, six days a week, two or three vehicles parked against the flow of traffic.”

Harrill said the problems are the town’s responsibility. “I got my license, I was taught to park with the flow of traffic, not against it,” he said. “I rest my case, and when I walk out this door, I will not grace this building or the police department any more. And I hope you have a clear conscience after someone’s killed because someone didn’t enforce the law like they’re supposed to.”

Although Harrill left the town hall during the mayor’s response, Mayor Bill Thacker said the board will look into his complaints.

Finance report

Town Manager Alex Sewell said that the town’s general fund expenses currently expenses by approximately $180,000, but it is early in the year.

It’s too early to be worried yet, he added, saying that it is still early in the year and that several things could influence the town’s finances, including the anticipated receipt of the bulk of property taxes in January, sales taxes, and the four quarterly distributions of tax income. “There are no significant signs that anything worrisome is occurring,” he summarized.

The water and sewer funds are both a bit ahead of anticipated pace and revenues currently exceed expenses, Sewell said, adding that the warm summer weather is likely a factor as citizens tend to use more water when the temperature climbs.

Sewell also said that the the town has received informal approval for a no-interest loan to purchase trash pickup equipment and is awaiting formal confirmation. When it’s received, the town can begin purchasing equipment for its new automated trash pickup system.

In his police report, Chief Thedis Spencer said that his department received a grant from the Department of Justice that will cover 50 percent of the cost of new bullet-proof vests for his officers. Councilman Bobby Usrey suggested that the chief look into whether the League of Municipalities will pay for some of the other half of the bill to offset the town’s financial commitment.

Spencer said that when the new vests arrive, the old ones will be destroyed rather than taken to the landfill in order to make sure they are kept off of the streets.

In other business, the council:

  • Voted to allow Oliver’s Hometown Restaurant and Bar to extend its normal outdoor dining parameters into the street during People Fest from 5-11 p.m. so that customers can use tables on the street. The dining area will extend from Greene Street to Washington Street. The council voted 4-1, with Usrey against it.
  • Approved its consent agenda, which included designating two spaces adjacent to the new East Wade Street electric vehicle charging station to be used only by electric vehicles.
  • Heard an update on the East Wade Bridge from Sewell, who said that if the state approves the paperwork, construction can begin around mid-October and the bridge may be completed in December.
  • Decided against James’ request to trim the Uptown trees before People Fest. The mayor said the town will allow the trees to grow unpruned, despite citizen complaints and James’ and some councilmen’s concerns that the trees are unsightly and that employees may not be able to decorate them with Christmas lights.

The council will hold its next regular monthly meeting on Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. at the Wadesboro Town Hall.

By Imari Scarbrough

iscarbrough@civitasmedia.com

Staff Writer Imari Scarbrough may be reached at 704-694-2161, ext. 2302 or on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.