Over the past year, tensions have begun to build between members of the Morven Town Council and Mayor Houston Pratt.
On Monday, Morven Town Councilman Theodore Carr brought a letter to The Anson Record, detailing various issues he’s had over the past few months with the mayor. In the letter, Carr talks about the council’s April meeting, which was not held due to the lack of a quorum.
“We only had two council members present,” Carr said, “but we needed three plus the mayor. Mr. Pratt stated that was not true, and that his presence as mayor would suffice. I did not agree, citing the language of the general statute.”
The meeting was not held, Carr said, but he claims Mayor Pratt “took great offense” over it.
Before the issue with lack of a quorum, Barbara Melton, who lives on West Short Street, had come to the Town Council last year with a problem of water drainage and erosion on her property.
“The vote was taken three or four months ago,” Carr said, “and the council agreed to deliver one or two loads of gravel to the lady’s home but that never happened. I raised the issue at the May council meeting and inquired why the gravels had not been delivered. Mr. Pratt stated that he made the determination that the town was clearly not at fault.”
In the meantime, Councilwoman Marjorie Cole said that Melton had proceeded with legal action against the town because the gravel was never delivered, and Melton claims Mayor Pratt never spoke with her about the issue.
Carr brought the issue before the council again at the June meeting on Monday night. “My question is, why didn’t the town tell her?”
“I had told her in that meeting that part of Short Street was not in town limits,” Pratt said Monday night. “The town decided we would get some crush and run [gravel] and put it on West Short Street. The word was that we would need 14 tons, and someone’s got to do it that knows what they’re doing. But we ended up not doing it because the town has nothing to do with West Short Street. And I told her we do not have anything to do with that part of Short Street.”
Melton maintains that Pratt has never contacted her in regards to the issue. She stopped by The Anson Record office on Tuesday morning and said she has spoken with an attorney but has not filed a lawsuit yet. “Mr. Pratt has never seen me outside of the meetings,” she said. “I’ve been living here 18-20 years and have never had problems like this in my life.”
She said the drainage and erosion problems on her property started when the town sent dump trucks down her street, which is unpaved, and the process “tore up the road.”
At Monday night’s meeting, Cole repeatedly brought up the issue with Melton’s property, although Councilman Carr said he “accepted the mayor’s position that the town is not responsible.” However, he did request that the mayor follow up with the town’s attorney and report back to the council at a special meeting on June 8.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, Cole pushed for the council to approve holding the annual October Festival, and pressed the other council members to vote for approval, despite Pratt’s suggestion that the town wait until the budget meeting to determine if the funds are available.
Councilman James Cohen motioned that the council approve the festival, contingent upon the funds being available. The motion passed unanimously, with Councilman Ronald Gathings abstaining.
Cole also criticized Town Clerk Shemetra Melton, saying that the town’s audit report hasn’t been done since 2012. “The auditor told me we could lose Powell Bill funding, so why have they not received the paperwork?” she asked.
Melton responded that she is waiting for a management discussion and analysis (MD&A) report, and that the town has already received this fiscal year’s Powell Bill funding.
She said she will get the needed information submitted as soon as possible, and that she is working with the state’s treasury department.
Cole also complained that the town’s maintenance and police departments are not doing their jobs. “There are weeds all over town,” she said. “The maintenance people don’t do anything.”
Cole also said the town’s police officers clock in at Morven Town Hall, and then spend the rest of their time in Wadesboro.
“I can vouch for our police officers,” Pratt said.
At the end of the meeting, Gathings rendered his resignation from the council, effective June 30.
The Morven Town Council will next meet on Monday at 1 p.m. to discuss the next fiscal year’s budget.
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