Three commissioners take oath of office

By Maurice Emery
Editor Emeritus

Three town commissioners were sworn in Monday night.

Terry Newsom, a 10-year veteran on the town board and Clara Debnam, who has served slightly more than a single term, were sworn in first by Town Clerk Sheila R. Taylor.

Taylor then swore in Patrick MacRae, who will be serving his first term as town commissioner. The commissioners then nominated and approved Commissioner Betty Willis for the post of Mayor Pro-tem.

The board then turned its attention to Christmas bonuses for town employees. Mayor Mason Hawfield proposed that they keep the bonuses the same as last year. Last year they paid full time employees $50 each and part time employees $25 each.

Commissioner Newsom felt that the heads of the department should get an extra bonus. Hawfield reminded the board that it wasn’t in the budget for an increase. The motion passed with Newsom casting the lone no vote.  

Next on the agenda were resolutions for grants that the town would use for the towns water systems rehabilitation, replacement and upgrade. If approved the grants would provide $810,474 for the improvements.  Willis had already informed the board that the town water system had several leaks this past month.

The town has to put up $14,184 with the application as required. If everything is approved the town will actually have two grants, one for $269,496 and another one for $526,794.  

According to Dennis Patton, director, from Planning and Development Services, Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, if the system is given the attention it needs, the town could save $50,000 a year in repair cost. 

The $50,000 estimate of savings does not include the cost of the water that is lost through leaks each month. It is estimated that the town would save 9.6 million over one year. Another benefit could be an improvement in the water quality.  

When the Observer asked Patton how much of the system would be repaired he said at this time there is no way of knowing.The town has 14 miles of water lines. He said that water system repair and replacement is not as difficult as sewer lines.

The grant request states the money will be used to abandon, antiquated, unsafe 1-1/2 inch and 2 inch diameter water lines that are deteriorated, that are proximate to sewer lines, and that constant leak, or break, and lose water. The lines to be abandoned cause a minimum monthly loss of 800,000 gallons of water. In November that figure was 1,011,000 gallons.

The rehabilitation of the lines will facilitate a freer flow and circulation of water and help decrease a dangerously high and unhealthy trihalomethane level. According to Willis although the level of trihalomethane may be high it is not even close to the level it would have to be to harm humans. 

Patton recommended that the town postpone the final approval until Dec. 10 to allow him time to gather more information on the grant and present it to the board.  The town agreed and will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10.

Jim Hogan was the only person who spoke during the citizens concern portion of the meeting. He brought up the fact that they are still receiving letters from the town regarding the level of trihalomethane in the water. 

Commissioners Willis and Billy Matthews explained that by state law they have to send the letters out until the system shows 12 continuous months of acceptable levels of the containment. The levels of trihalomethane have been within acceptable areas for the past several quarters. 

In the latest report for November there were no drinking water violations. Willis mentioned that when her neighbor complained about the taste of the water, she advised her to run the water for a couple of minutes to get the bad taste from sitting in the lines out of the water. 

Matthews reported that he wrote a letter to the warden at the Tillery Correctional Center thanking him for the work the prisoners did in painting the road signs around town. He also reported that Littleton Hardware donated half the paint needed for the signs.

The new town ordinance for abandoned, nuisance and junked motor vehicles was unanimously approved by the board. Chief Mike Suggs advised the town that he could not start enforcement until the necessary warning stickers have been printed.

The stickers will be placed on vehicles prior to towing as required by the new ordinance. The ordinance specifies several methods that must be used to attempt to contact the owner of an abandoned, nuisance and junked vehicle prior to towing.   

In the police report for the month Newsom reported that there were two felony break ins and both of them have been solved. There was also one gasoline drive off last month. Officers made seven trips to Halifax last month and spent12 1/2 hours in court.

Willis then asked the board to express there thanks for Jean Suggs, Heidi Hogan, and Susan Hodge, publisher of the Littleton Observer, for the best parade yet. Willis gave extra praise to Heidi for all of her hard work in the parade. Willis downplayed her efforts in making this years parade possible.

“It was nice to have a good parade, it was a good start to the season,” the mayor stated. Willis said they are starting now for next year’s parade and they will be asking the town merchants for donations to help repair the merchants float for future parades. Karen MacRae has volunteered to help in next year’s parade.

The meeting ended with Mayor Hawfield wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.