By Steve Huffman
Salisbury Post
SPENCER ó Spencer resident Bob Oswald asked members of the Board of Aldermen Tuesday why they didn’t respond to citizens when they spoke during a public comment session.
He said seven complaints or suggestions were mentioned to aldermen at their May meeting.
“Not one comment was made,” Oswald said. “I suggest you say, ‘We’ll look into that’ or make a motion. Do something when citizens say they’ve got a problem.”
He also criticized the manner in which the town holds its open comment session at the board’s monthly meetings.
Aldermen are given an opportunity to comment both early in the meeting and at its end. But in the open comment period, board members can’t respond to anything a member of the public says.
Oswald said he didn’t understand the reasoning behind that theory.
At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Jody Everhart addressed Oswald’s concerns, though Oswald had already left the meeting room by then.
“We have a committee process,” Everhart said. “Whether it’s barking dogs or walking in the streets (that citizens are complaining about). Any kind of government is not a fast process.”
In other matters handled at Tuesday’s meeting, board members:
– Approved an extension of a noise ordinance for the night of Oct. 18 so that those participating in North Rowan High School’s 50th anniversary celebration can party until the wee hours.
Robin Butler, a member of North’s reunion committee, asked that the noise ordinance be extended until 1 a.m. on Oct. 19. The reunion is being held at the N.C. Transportation Museum.Butler asked for the time extension “So we can rock and celebrate the opening of the school without being locked up for violating the noise ordinance.”
– Approved a pair of street lights for the 400 block of Iredell Avenue where board members said numerous acts of vandalism have occurred.
– Approved the installation of a single street light for the 500 block of Steeplechase Trail where vandals have recently painted the street.
– Amended the bylaws of the Community Appearance Commission so that the number of members can be increased to nine inside members and two extra-territorial members.
– Approved a $100 donation to the North Rowan High School cheerleaders’ competition team.
Contact Steve Huffman at 704-797-4222 or shuffman@salisburypost.com.