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Alderman Harvey announces retirement
By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer
17 April 2008 — After a productive meeting for the Fremont Board of Aldermen on Tuesday night, Alderman Billy Harvey made an announcement. He told the board that, effective May 13, he was resigning from his duty as a part of the board.
“There has been a lot of progress over the years,” he said Tuesday, “and I’m glad to have been part of that. But there comes a time when you say enough is enough, and you need a break. I feel like I need a break.”
Mr. Harvey has served the board for 20 years, and said he feels that the time has come to move on.
He recommended that the board fill his seat with Al Lewis, who ran against him in the November election. Mr. Harvey and Mr. Lewis tied in number of votes, and a tie-breaker gave Mr. Harvey the seat.
Mr. Harvey said he had spoken with Mr. Lewis, and was confident that he was willing and would serve the town well.
A motion was made to allow Mr. Lewis to fill the District 1 seat, and it was unanimously approved.
Mayor Devone Jones thanked Mr. Harvey for his service to the town, and said he understood that he needed a break, but knew the board would miss his input.
Several of the aldermen echoed Mayor Jones’ comments.
“Congratulations on your retirement from the board,” said Leon Mooring. “It’s been a pleasure to serve with you. We haven’t always agreed, but that’s all right.”
Before Mr. Harvey closed the meeting with his resignation, the board took action on a handful of matters they began discussing last month.
The first item on the agenda was an ordinance regulating minimum standards for nonresidential buildings and structures. The town drafted the ordinance last mo nth as a way to further improve the look of town.
During a public forum on the ordinance, only one citizen came forward, and his comments were brief.
“I’ve been reading over it, I think it’s a good idea, and I’d like to see you pass it,” said Sam Pierce of Pender Street.
After the public forum was closed, the board briefly discussed the ordinance. Town Administrator Kerry McDuffie told the board that the primary intention of the new ordinance was to give the town the same authority over the appearance and safety of commercial structures that they are allowed to exercise with residential structures.
“Over the past few years, we’ve been slowly working on trying to improve residential areas,” he said. “We have had several houses torn down and a few fixed up, and hopefully we can start working on some of the commercial as well as continuing the residential.”
Alderman Leroy Ruffin asked who would be stuck with the cost of tearing down a structure if it was deemed to be beyond repair by inspectors.
Mr. McDuffie explained that, like the residential process, the building would be inspected and a recommendation would be made regarding renovations. If the building was deemed beyond repair, it would be the duty of the property owner to tear down the structure.
If the owner failed to do so within a period of two years, the town would assume the structure abandoned and would then have authority to demolish the building. They would then place a lien on the property to recover the cost of demolishing and removing the structure.
If the property value is less than the cost of removing the structure, the town would have the right to place a lien on any other property the owner had within the town’s extra-territorial jurisdiction to recover lost funds.
However, if the property value is less than the cost and the owner has no other land in the ETJ, the town could get stuck with the cost.
“I wouldn’t ask them to run out and condemn everything possible for that reason,” said Mr. McDuffie, “because we’ll end up in a situation we can’t afford. But I think this will show people we’re serious about cleaning up the town if we take it slowly.”
The board unanimously approved the ordinance.
The board also approved the addition of a handicapped parking space at Fremont STARS Elementary School, and moving the handicapped designation of a space at Fremont United Methodist Church.
A resolution was passed to honor Jimmy Balance, who is retiring from service on the planning board after more than 20 years. Isaac Artis was appointed to fill the vacant seat.
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