Letters to Stantonsburg board - Wayne-Wilson News Leader, Fremont, NC

17 April 2008 — Stantonsburg’s April Town Council meeting began as a tense one, as several people expressed opposition to a few recent actions of the board.

Councilman Tommy Darden was the first to speak up, pointing out that a letter he had given to the board declaring at last meeting was notably absent from the meeting minutes.

In that letter, Mr. Darden had stated several reasons why, at a closed session meeting, he had voted against allowing town manager Gary Davis to spray for mosquitoes in town. He said he wished to amend the minutes to reflect the letter and the discussion that followed it.

“I wrote that letter and submitted a copy so it could be included in the minutes,” he said. “And I would like for that to happen.”

He also reiterated his points in the letter.

“You can’t use government money like that,” he said. “We have to abide by the rules, that’s all I wanted to say.”

He said his opposition was to paying a town employee money in addition to his salary for performing the duties.

Mayor Bill Edmundson said he didn’t think that the town was doing anything illegal. Commissioner Dan Whitley said he thought the biggest issue was liability for the town. He said he thought that if Mr. Davis was in an accident with the town truck while spraying, the insurance company could have a loophole to prevent having to pay for the damages because of Mr. Davis’ dual roles.

Mr. Darden said he hadn’t intended to bring the issue to a boil again, and stated that he had nothing against Mr. Davis personally.

“I just don’t want to have to answer for it,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure it’s on the record.”

As the board moved into the public present portion of the meeting, Marguerite Whitley came forward to read a letter she addressed to the board.

She spoke on a matter concerning the purchase of land from her husband, Councilman Whitley, but said he did not know she was speaking,

She stated that she felt the board had treated her husband unfairly during a transaction to purchase land adjacent to the community building to build a well for the town. Mrs. Whitley said a similar transaction for property had taken place between Steve Aycock, who lives outside of the city limits.

She explained that Mr. Aycock had received $12,000 for his land, as well as the right to in-town water rates on four properties that he owned. Mr. Whitley had been offered the appraised value of the land only.

“My husband was not ever offered any perks,” she said. She also indicated that the town did not offer enough money for the land purchase.

Mayor Edmundson told the board and Mrs. Whitley that, from what he’d seen, Mr. Whitley had received four times the amount per square foot that Mr. Aycock had received.

“That’s not the point,” said Mrs. Whitley. “What if someone had come to you and asked for part of your front yard because the town needed it, and didn’t want to pay you what it was worth?”

Mr. Edmundson said the state had, in fact, taken nine feet of his property for a street sign, which he fought.

He added that he doesn’t know of anyone who has done more for the town than Mr. Whitley, nor does he feel that there is anyone that doesn’t appreciate Mr. Whitley’s contributions.

Mr. Davis added that the offer made to Mr. Aycock was just part of the negotiation process, and the deal on water prices saved the town from having to pay a larger sum on the land.

He also pointed out that the decision for Mr. Aycock’s deal was unanimously approved by the town, and the board had expressed dissention with a 3-2 vote for the plan involving Mr. Whitley.

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Issue of 17 April 2008

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