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stop talking
and begin
tearing down
During a broad-ranging discussion at Tuesday’s meeting, Whiteville City Council members again mentioned the problem of unsightly, unsafe buildings in some neighborhoods.
Once again, council’s approach reminds us of what Councilman Harold Troy’s father used to say: “When all is said and done, there’s a whole lot more said than done.”
Granted, the City of Whiteville has experienced considerable personnel turnover recently. Still, that’s a flimsy excuse for City Council’s continued paralysis when it comes to dilapidated buildings that are havens for criminals and rats and are seriously harming the safety and appearance of several areas.
In May 2005, council approved a fiscal 2006 budget that included $25,000 for tearing down unsafe houses. The thought then was that the money would cover at least five demolitions and the city could recover its costs later with liens.
Nearly 16 months have passed and the city has yet to spend the first dime tearing down unsafe buildings. That is appalling.
Whiteville would do well to look to its neighbors in Chadbourn and Lake Waccamaw.
The lake town has hired a full-time code enforcement officer, a man who will also likely be performing building inspections in the not-too-distant future.
In Chadbourn, officials have contracted with an outside company that specializes in dealing with code scofflaws. Several unsafe buildings have hit the ground in Chadbourn recently.
Some city officials want special state legislation to speed up the demolition process. The General Assembly has convened and recessed three times since the city budget was passed. Whiteville is obviously not serious about “special legislation.”
Hand-wringing and continued talk won’t bring down problematic buildings. It is well past time for Whiteville City Council to either instruct staff to make demolition a priority or to hire someone who will get the job done.
City residents deserve nothing less.