While some people hold yard sales infrequently as part of a big spring cleaning, for one Wadesboro couple, they’re a favorite pastime limited due to a rarely-enforced town ordinance.
Terry Lane Helms and his wife, Betty, lived in Union County for 64 years before moving to Wadesboro for a change of pace. When he moved, he found that the town only allows residents to hold up to two two-day sales per year, according to the town’s zoning ordinances. Those who wish to hold yard sales are required to purchase a $3 permit per yard sale from the town hall.
The couple said they were glad to move to Wadesboro, but would like to have the freedom to hold more yard sales.
“It was a privilege for us to come to Wadesboro,” Terry said. “I was looking for a more quiet setting than Union County because Union County was so much hustle and bustle, too much rigmarole. I’m not trying to change the town, just trying to be an advocate for my city to help them, help the people understand we need to work together as a team.”
He said that very few people actually purchase the permits they are supposed to before holding yard sales, and that some people hold over the limit of four (two two-day) yard sales per year.
“In my opinion, I’m not fond of paying this fee, but if it has to be paid to make the system work, or for the statute of the city, then I guess I’m going along with it,” Helms said.
If he pays for his permits, he wants everyone else to, as well.
“Just for an example, if I drive my vehicle and it has an expired tag, and I drive and it has no insurance, how long do you think I’ll get by with that before state, city and highway patrolmen would cite me for it?” he queried. “I wouldn’t get along very far with expired, tags, expired driver’s license and tag, and no insurance on my car.
That’s the way I feel about this privilege to use the permit system,” he continued. “If we’ve got people out here abusing it and don’t buy a permit, it’s like they’re able to function and do their thing right now, but yet Terry buys his permit, his privilege is current and up to date, but the other people are driving on an expired privilege.”
Some may think that their property taxes should allow them to do what they want on their property without paying additional fees. Helms said he understands that line of thinking, but believes if there’s an ordinance, it should be enforced and obeyed.
According to the records clerk at the Wadesboro Police Department, police have issued no citations since at least 2014, as far back in the logs as she looked. Most of the ordinance violation tickets issued have been for parking, animal or noise violations. She was unaware of officers shutting down any yard sales.
Since July 1, 2016, the town has only sold 12 yard sale permits, according to town manager Alex Sewell — and of those 12, Helms purchased three this year alone, holding his latest yard sale last weekend. Money from the sales goes into the town’s general fund.
“I like it because it’s an enjoyment,” Helms said. “It relaxes me. I meet people. It’s a communication thing, it’s communication with your neighborhood, with your town that you live in, meeting people. I’ve met people in this town from my yard sales that have everything from civic organizations to churches, church members that have invited me and my wife to come to their church. It’s a communication thing: people enjoy communicating with each other. Life is communicating. It’s a wonderful thing, you know? It’s enjoyable.
“Chances are, if I didn’t have a yard sale, some of these people in this town I’d never meet in my life,” Helms continued. “But they come by and ask what church I go to, the Lions Club and everything else. The people that come by are very friendly, and ask questions how they can help you as a resident. It’s very exciting.”
Proposed solution
Helms has been to speak before the Wadesboro town council three times. Sewell confirmed that the town has added “Yard sales” to the council’s agenda for its July meeting.
He wants to see two things: the abolition of the limit of yard sales per year so that he can hold unlimited yard sales, and for the $3 permit fee to be either done away with or enforced by police officers. While he understands that officers are busy, he wants to make sure that town ordinances are carried out and that if one person is paying for permits, everyone is.
Helms has asked around, and said that neighbors told him that years ago, officers would check for yard sale tickets, but that no one was aware of it happening in recent years.
“People in this town are getting a free ride, and I’m following the ordinance doing what I’m supposed to do,” he said.
He would even be happy to see a $50 or $75 annual permit fee for unlimited yard sales if the town wants to charge a fee to make money.
“I believe ticket sales help the city and gives them extra funds,” he said. “I don’t want to take advantage of the city saying I don’t want to pay for tickets.”
Helms plans to go to the next town council meeting and speak again about the issue. He hopes it will vote to lift the number of yard sales households can hold in a year, and to drop or enforce the permit requirement.
The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. July 3.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
