The Wadesboro Town Council approved two rezoning requests on Monday.

Car washes were added to the neighborhood business table of uses. According to utilities director Hugh James, before 2006, car washes were permitted while after 2006 they were prohibited.

“[Former Town Manager John Witherspoon and I] felt like it was an oversight,” he said.

Also, the land where Knight’s Garage was once located was rezoned from R20 to General Business in order for the garage to be reopened.

Several citizens spoke out about issues important to them in the time reserved for citizens’ comments and after being asked for a spot on the agenda.

Jerry Ridenhour condemned the council for “recent actions.”

“This panel here forced Mr. Witherspoon to retire,” he said. He called Witherspoon one of the town’s “best assets” and said that the former town manager had improved the town’s fiscal health in his tenure.

David Harrington asked the town to make repairs to ditches left by a project made “years ago” on Ingram Street. He said rain brings trash into the ditches and he wants the town to clean it up. He claimed that the town had hired a contractor to do the project.

Alex Gaddy asked to partner with the town in restoring Old Westview Cemetery. Gaddy is on the cemetery’s board of directors and spoke on their behalf. He said the cemetery is home to the bodies of World War I veterans and former slaves.

The cemetery is located off Madison Avenue across from Smith’s Funeral Home. He asked for the town’s assistance in placing a historic marker on the site as well as consideration of beautification projects in the area. He also asked for public trashcans on Salisbury Street.

He said he understood the town was under financial stress with the poor economy and would wait until better times to ask for financial assistance. He also praised James for his assistance with keeping the area clean.

Brenda Moore asked for the town to do something to help keep her neighborhood on and surrounding Arbor Street safer, especially at night.

“I’m just scared to come out of my house,” she said. “I’m pleading.”

She complained of residents in the area drinking, fighting, breaking into homes and other activities.

Chief Janie Schutz said the department had increased patrols in the neighborhood along with other parts of the town that were “trouble areas.”

“I think it’s a step,” she said. “Don’t ever hesitate to call.”

Schutz said there were fewer calls to the department from that area in the last two weeks and she was working to arrange a community policing effort in the neighborhood.