Newspapers / Morrisville and Preston Progress … / Aug. 29, 1996, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Morrisville and Preston Progress (Morrisville, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The Morrisville & Preston Published Monthly ress llugustgg, 1996 Is new job targeted for town’s ex-mayor? By Ron Page Calling it a political job that is not needed, some 40 citizens Mon day night attacked action by the Morrisville Board of Com missioners to create the position of administrative services coordinator. "We’re against this and don’t want it shoved down our throats," said Randy Watkins of Airport Boulevard. When R.B. Buchanan of 109 Marcom Drive charged, "Ihis is a political job being made fOT one particular person," ^plause again l»oke out. One member of the audience shouted: "Defeat it It’s not wanted." That’s how some Morrisville citizens size it up But approval of the new position, which several of the objectors said is being cheated for former mayor Ernest Lumley, eventually came despite the protest. Only Com- missiono' Mark Silver-Smith voted against the position. Mayor Margaret E. Broadwell, who does not have a vole, expressed her dis approval as well, going as far as to charge Town Manager David Hodgkins had been pressured into backing the suggested move. A 10-point list of responsibilities was offered to describe the duties of the new position, generally out lining that the administrator would perform a variety of duties and tasks that may involve several de partments, coordinate various sup port functions as assigned by the town manager, and perfonn related work as required. Residents showed up for the meeting as word got around town (hat the new position was to be pro posed. Even before the item arose on the agenda, several residents made tiieir feelings known during the time devoted to public com ments. 'Die tone of the meeting was hostile, with charges brought not only by members of the audience but among commissioners th^- selves. Watkins asked who came up with the idea. "We’ve heard around town that one man had been hand- A LITTLE TOO CLOSE-The realigned portion of Morrisville- Carpenter Road will cross over the comer of Sandy Czeck's yard, through the area where a camper is now parked. Mrs. Czeck says she will put up a picket fence to keep her grandchildren from harm. Dings of the road: views vary aiong the way By Rm Page A plan by state officials to com plete the Icmg-awaited realignment of Monlsville-Carpenter Road and Aviation Parkway at N.C. 54 brings mixed emotions from residents and business owners affected by the project One resident is concerned with safety, one business owner says it will mean closing down, another expects it to increase sales, while anotho' simply shrugs and says a traffic light and a few signs would have sufficed. The $1.3 million project will eliminate one of two railroad cross ings and permanently close two streets while creating a new ^ruced-up intersection with traffic signals and left turn lanes. Charlotte-based Rea Construction Co. has a $818,410 contract fix' the realignment work and has installed construction warning signs and ero- sitm control measures and cleared land. BellSouth has put in its un derground lines. Storm drains, waterlines and manholes are being installed on weekends when motorists will be rerouted from the work zones. The roads will again be closed for a weekend in November so work men can work around the clock to raise the elevation of Aviation Parkway and N.C. 54 by almost four feet m match the hei^t of the railroad crossing. At the end, Ashe Street and Old Morrisville- Carpento' Road will be pomanent- ly closed to traffic. But the project has brought varied feelings from those in and about the ptuh of the work. At Kne Cone Stables on N.C. 55, just opposite the Morrisville- Carpenter intersecticm which is to be closed, owner Hunter Young crafts a variety of wood stools, tables, wall hangings, swings and artifacts in his shop, and also dis plays a large array of yard orna ments. He has lived in the house next door for about six years. Young admits the intersection has been a problem during that time, but feels apprcpriate signs and a signal light would have answered the problem just as well. "They could have put up a sign with a circle and a red slash noting no left turns, added a traffic light, and that would be it," said the 73- year-old retired mortgage banker who hails originally from Okla- Clam dip and Newt cost $25 per minute By Ron Page Preston resident Terry Pegram had only a wedc to {Hepare his celebrity bouse guest, but when the name Newt Gingrich was mentioned, he had no problem convincing friends and associates to donme $500 each to diat with the U.S. Speaker of the House and snack on shrimp and chm dip at Pegram’s hcane on Trail Bend Court. Gingrich’s appearance helped Pegram raise more than $10,000 for the Jimmy V Foundation less than 48 hours before Sunday’s Jimmy V Golf Classic at Prestonwood Country Club. Pegram, who owns a graphics firm and is a member of the tournament’s board of directors, expects k> net about $10,300 alter expenses. Ibe Georgia Republican’s visit to the Triangle originally was designed as a private Raleigh fund raise for Congressman Fred Heineman. When bis rq)re$entatives learned that be would have some extra time, they ccmtacted teumament executive director Frank McCann about the possibility of helping raise funds to benefit cance research. "We beard from his people a week ahead of time but wound up having mly four or five days to put Sm clam, page 2 picked fCH* this job. Is there anyone here tonight who thinks we neM to spend $40,000-plus for someone in a position like this when we have a town manager who gets $65,000?" Applause broke out from the audience. Buchanan, meanwhile, told com missioners the people want to know about such decisions before they are made, decisions be described as underhanded. "The people are tired of it. We want our town back," he said. "You should all be up there looking out for our interests, not the developers." Commissioner Mark Silver-Smith explained be had not been told about the proposal by other com missioners. Mayor Broadwell, meanwhile, himed to Hodgkins and pointedly asked: "Is it true you told me in my office earliCT this week you felt pressured to put this on the agenda?" Hodgkins began to say be didn’t feel pressured, when Silvo'- Smitb cut in, saying, "Be careful, David. I’ll back the mayor up." "Is it not true you told me Com- Sm residents, page 2 Scott says Shiloh’s sewer setup stinks Ex-member airs views before boasting town board members boma. He feels traffic has gotten wc^se as the area has grown, but the traffic light and another at Aviation Parkway could just as well have solved the problem. "We used to get a lot of business from passing traffic, but ever since the accident at the crossing which resulted in police directing traffic during weekday rush hours, busi ness died. People won’t stop with police in the area," he said. The proposed elevated roadbed would also present a safety problem for those with properties along that stretch, be feels. "But the road will be. There’s no reason to be negative," he added. Over at a soon-to-be-closed stretch of Morrisville-Carpenter Road near the crossing, Ben Terrell SmSHOP, page 2 By Ron Page Hailing their move as the forerun- n»- of future developm^t and a blessing m an area that has never bad sewer services, Morrisville ccanmissioners have af^roved two sanitary sewer projects for part of the Shiloh community at a cost of $410,000. But one influential resident of an area in Shiloh that isn't included in the plan says she’s not all that enthralled. Dolores Scott, a former com missioner who lives on Church Street near Kitts Creek Road, said the plan falls short and leaves her concerned about when she and other residents will have sewer ac cess. "It’s piecemealing," she said. What the {uoject will do, she feels, is entice developers and encourage proper^ owners to sell, all this oc curring while those who do not have access pay the taxes for the work. "It’s not fair," Scott told cMn- missioners Moixlay night, empha sizing that she and other residents were not infcamed of the projects. "It’s important for everyone to be informed," she said. Scott’s conments came five days after the two projects were ap proved at a special meeting on Aug. 21. One plan was approved unanimously, the other by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Mark Silver-Smith dissenting. Silver smith expressed a concern about the source of financing for the projects. The Shiloh community, where homeowners and businesses rely on septic tanks, and where residents bad been {mxnised sewer services when they agreed to be annexed by Morrisville in 1989, spans the northern portion of town from its westerly line at RTF to the town limits of Durham east of N.C. 54. The area has never bad sewer lines excqX for a private pipeline that runs to the Belk Hudson Leggett distribution center on the east side of Church Street. Design and permit process will start immedi ately for the two new and indepen dent projects. Unanimous a^woval was given the first jsoject, which is the Saw mill Branch hit»ceptx sewer line. It is to be extended from its current locatitMi at the Belk Service Center north to McCrimmon Parkway, a distance of approximately 1,800 linear feet In offering the project for approval. Commissioner Phyllis Newnam said the line would serve properties along Church Street south of McCrimmon Parirway and north of the Belk facility. "It will also serve properties between Church Street and the railroad, south of McCrimmon Parkway," she explained. Newnam estimated the cost at $75,000 and said the funds will come from the Water and Sewer Capital Reserve. Design of the plan and attendant initial costs were placed at about $5,500. "This area of the town has waited long enough," she said. "Though this may seem like a giant step, this is just the start of good things to cmne to this area. These citizens have been very patient and this pro ject makes me proud to be a mem ber of this Board." The second and larger project ex tends the Cedar Folk Outfall sewer line from its location north of Metro Center located at Perimeter Park Drive east of N.C. 54, to an area north of the Deli Box on N.C. 54. This will be a combinatitm of gravity and force main, with work to include installing a pump station in the vicinity of where Barbee Road crosses Church Street. This project will include about 9,500 linear feet, 7,800 feet of 8-incb and 12-incb mains, and about 2,000 feet of 4-incb mains, a pumping station, and boring under the railway. Areas to be served include properties along Church Street in the vicinity of Shiloh Baptist Church, properties along Barbee Road and jwoperties between N.C. 54 and Watkins Road, south of the Deli Box and north of the Metro Center. Cost is estimated at $335,000. The ixojects will save some 30 residences in Shiloh, more than half the devel(^)ed lan^ and about a third of the total Shiloh area, much of which is un developed. "Witti the Newnam project," Commissioner Sauls claimed, "this will serve most of the Shiloh residences on Church Street from the church back to the center of town." In bis motion to approve, Sauls said be and Newnam worked long Sm SCOTT, paga 7 BULK RATE POSTAGE PAID MORRISVILLE, N.C. PERMIT #23 THEY LIKED MIKE-Duke basketball coach Mike Kryzewski, who prefers tennis, didn’t play in Sunday’s Jimmy V Golf Classic at Prestonwood Country Club, but he did sign autographs as wife Mickey substituted for him on the course. For more photos by Kirk Kirkland, see page 9 of this month’s Progress. Delivered expressly to the residents of Morrisville and Preston
Morrisville and Preston Progress (Morrisville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 29, 1996, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75