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Pikeville still wants WAGES
By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer
6 March 2008 — Despite rumors that had been floating around the community, the Pikeville Town Board asserted at their March meeting that they have all intentions of renewing a lease for the WAGES program.
Edna Lancaster approached the board about the rumor during Monday night’s town board meeting. She said she had heard that the lease on the building WAGES Head Start uses was going to be up soon, and that the board intended not to renew the lease.
“We want to know if there’s anything we can do to persuade you to keep us here,” she said.
Mayor Herb Sieger assured Mrs. Lancaster that the board had never discussed not renewing the lease for the center. He added that the only similar discussion that had happened was proposal of a new, larger facility for WAGES, and that the organization had been involved in those discussions.
“We have not done anything to assume that the WAGES lease will not be renewed,” he said.
Commissioner Dennis Lewis reiterated Mayor Siger’s statements, and added that legally, the town could not break out of a contract with WAGES. The lease could only be terminated by the center.
“That’s good news to me,” said Mrs. Lancaster.
Mr. Lewis added that he had been informed that the WAGES employees were concerned about an inquiring phone call they had received from a board member. The member, who was not named, had asked for information regarding the race and addresses of children at the center.
“I do believe inappropriate questions were asked, and I apologize on behalf of the board,” Mr. Lewis said.
In other new business, the board heard a request to use town ball fields for a traveling baseball team.
Jeremy Crane had submitted a request to the board, but appeared in person to reiterate his request and answer any questions.
He explained to the board that most local fields were reserved for use of recreational baseball teams, such as those with Babe Ruth or Dixie Youth leagues. In contrast, his team is a travel team. They participate in tournaments in Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Kinston, and Goldsboro, but need a field to use for practices.
He asked permission to use the field for practices, and also mentioned the possibility of hosing a tournament at the field later in the season.
Mr. Crane said that the only other facility that would allow the boys to use their fields was ECAP in Goldsboro, but that the site fees were very high.
“We’re trying to, honestly get away from having to pay such a large fee,” he said. “We have a lot of families who have been turned away from other travel teams because of money issues.”
He added that most of his players are from the area and attend Northwest Elementary. One player attends Eastern Wayne, and three are from the Rosewood area.
He said that in return for use of the fields, the team would clean up after themselves and the boys would volunteer for anything the town needed them for.
The board unanimously approved allowing the team to use the field. Town Clerk Kathie Fields said she would work with Mr. Crane to coordinate times with other teams requesting the field. However, since Mr. Crane was the first to ask about the fields this year, his team gets priority scheduling.
The board also heard a citizen complaint about the post office.
David Graybeal echoed complaints heard earlier this year about the requirement of post office boxes in town, and the lack of a cross reference for street addresses.
He added that, due to his street name, he has had several UPS packages sent to the wrong address entirely.
“The postal service has a database that they use for street addresses, but PO box owners’ street addresses are not included,” he said. “My situation is, I live on Vail Street. Because it is so similar to Vail Road, a lot of systems automatically change the address.”
He stated that he felt it was a matter of safety that the post office cross reference street addresses with post office boxes, and added that he knows it is technologically possible for them to do so.
Mr. Lewis told Mr. Graybeal that the town had heard many complaints on the issue, and he had requested that someone from the district office of the postal service attend their April meeting.
Wrapping up an issue that had been on the agenda for several months, the board made a final decision on the Jericho Farms sign near the intersection of Washington and Main Street.
“We’ve tabled it twice, so tonight we’re gonna vote,” said Mayor Sieger. “Do you want it up or down?”
Commissioner Al Greene moved that the town allow a variance for the sign to stay up, on the grounds that the original ordinance stipulated the land in question to be a park, and that it had never served as a park. Commissioner Edith McClenny seconded, and all commissioners present except Mr. Lewis voted for the variance.
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