Town approves grant, sidewalk repair money

The September Littleton Town Board of Commissioners meeting was highlighted by the approval of the CDBG funding application, approval of a bid to fix the sidewalks on Halifax Street, a reversal of the approval on the town Website, and continuing discussions on nuisance vehicles and overgrown properties.

The board adopted a resolution for the town application for Community Development Block Grant for Economic Development (CDBG-ED) Funding for the Window Fashion Resource Project. There was a hearing held on this application on August 27. 

The project will allow the town to improve the present storm water runoff system in Littleton. The improvements will deal with the runoff problems on Route 158 at the site of the new Window Fashion and other locations

The board approved the money needed for the sidewalk repairs on Halifax Street between Mosby Avenue and Route 158. Commissioner Billy Matthews has been looking into the situation and had three bids to consider. They approved a bid for $10,500 from Annie’s Construction for 700 feet of sidewalk. The two other bids were for $13,000 and $17,500 respectively. 

The next agenda item was for the consideration of a rezoning request for 9 Wagner Street from residential agricultural (R) to residential. The planning board had recommended its approval and the town board voted likewise. 

Mayor Mason Hawfield then read a letter from UNC School of Government, Center for Public Technology regarding the town’s proposed Website. After the letter was read into the record the board voted to withdraw its approval for a town citizen to build and update the official town site, Commissioner Terry Newsom was the only hold out vote. 

After the vote, Sylvia Alston used part of the citizen’s concerns time to make a pitch to reverse the vote and allow her and Diana Parham to go ahead with building the site. 

Alston then directed her attention to her drive to have the town adopt a new nuisance vehicle ordinance. She read into the record a prepared text highlighting her efforts to date. She expressed concerns for vehicles that have only been moved to other areas of town as well as those that have not been removed. 

In her recommendations for an updated ordinance Alston would direct most of the attention to stiff penalties or a nuisance tax if the vehicle is kept on the property.  She suggest $200 a month tax for the property owner plus if different than the vehicle owner an additional $200 penalty for the owner of the vehicle. Based on the vehicles she now considers in violation, according to her the town could collect an additional $2,800 per month. 

After Alston presented her information Littleton Police Chief Mike Suggs reported that he had been to court in Halifax County earlier in the day where two people were found guilty for nuisance vehicles violations. In addition he reported that he had been in touch with Roanoke Rapids police about their ordinance to see what they do about the problem and how it can be used in Littleton. 

Suggs felt that Alston wanted the town to move faster on the issue than is possible.

The next issue for Alston under the citizens concerns was directed at overgrown properties with the town limits. Alston read another prepared text into the record. She told the board that the current ordinance is ineffective and should be changed.  She proposed the new ordinance require property owners to keep property cut at least to a set-back of ten to fifteen feet, if not completely cleared.

Once again Alston would use heavy fines as a penalty for non-compliance. She recommends fines of $100 to $200 per month for property not cut cleared. She went on to tell the commissioners that the need to strengthen the ordinance is to protect the value of property in the town. 

She then challenged the town board. “If any of you all have got any guts, I would ask you to step up to the podium and make a motion on this nuisance vehicle and overgrown thing I have been bringing to you,” Alston challenged. Commissioner Al Cooke took her up on the challenge, but confused the board in what he was requesting. 

In the end the board passed a motion to enforce the present ordinance on overgrown property.

The present ordinance requires property owners to keep property cut at least twice a year. After the motion was passed, effectively saying they would not change the present ordinance, Alston declared, “I’ll be back.”

Commissioner Matthews revealed that the Department of Corrections has sent people to Littleton and could be used to deal with cleaning up and painting the street signs. According to Matthews at least one of the inmates has experience in this area. The board quickly approved a motion for paint and materials for the signs.

Commissioner Newsom used his reporting time to request that town attorney Gilbert Chichester look into modifying the nuisance vehicle and overgrown property ordinances. Newsom reminded the board that the last time they tried to change the overgrown property ordinance they got a two page letter from a local attorney saying that he would sue the town if they made him cut his grass. 

Speaking for Chief Suggs, Newsom asked that Officer Waylon Medlan, who lives in Norlina, be allowed to take his police vehicle home. Cooke immediately spoke up that he was against any more money being spent on the police force.  Commissioner Betty Willis replied, “with the factory (Window Fashion Resources) opening up we need all the police we got.” 

Commissioner Clara Debnam told the board that in her area they have less commotion since additional officers have been on the force. Suggs felt that allowing Medlan to take the vehicle would help over come the lack of other benefits that officers could find if they left the force. The motion was passed on a very narrow vote of 3 for and 2 against. Cooke and Newsom voted against the motion. 

After returning from executive session the board considered hiring Diyrone Solomon as a part time officer to be used as needed. Chichester noted that he knew Solomon and that he had a good reputation. The board voted to hire him, with Cooke the only commissioner voting against it.  

The meeting was then adjourned.