By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

The City of Whiteville threw its support behind an expansion of the soccer field and track at Legion Stadium Tuesday.

The City Council approved a request by the Whiteville City Schools to waive $3,080 in tap fees for twin two-inch water lines for the soccer complex irrigation system. The action came at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the council.

Kyle Ramey, principal of Whiteville High School, said the growing popularity of soccer forced the renovation of the soccer field and track.

The local soccer program is operated by the Optimist Club in conjunction with the city’s recreation department.

“Any Saturday,” Ramey said, “you’ll see hundreds of young people playing soccer around town. Plus, people from the community will use the track for walking and running.”

Ramey said the sod is being donated for the project, and will have to be irrigated around the clock for several weeks before it takes root.

“We’re converting what was the football practice field into a state-of-the-art facility,” Ramey explained. “This is for the whole community, not just the schools.”

The board expressed concern over setting a precedent by waiving tap fees.

“This is a good project,” Mayor Dial Gray said, “but you must understand our caution – I don’t know when we’ve waived a tap fee, even for a governmental agency.

“It’s not that I don’t think this is a good idea,” Gray said. “I’m just concerned.”

Councilmen Terry Mann and Tim Blackmon voiced support for the effort.

“This is a community effort, not just a schools effort,” Mann said. “I understand being worried over setting a precedent, but the community is raising the money for this facility. It’s a community project, and we should play a part.”

Mann moved to waive the fees, and Blackmon seconded the motion. It was passed unanimously.

Gray joked with Ramey about the facility’s water usage.

“Now, you do promise to use a lot of water, don’t you?” Gray said.

“We’ll buy water from you night and day,” Ramey said.

In an unrelated matter, the council accepted a report on the proposals for year five of the city’s revitalization plan.

The plan is part of a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant, and was assembled by Lainie Johnston of Holland Consulting Planners of Wilmington.

The plan was first put into use in 2002, and will close out its fourth year next month.

The plan does not commit the city to any of the suggestions, but provides a framework.

In the plan, Johnston recommended Whiteville continue an after-school tutoring program, rehabilitate four substandard structures, and demolish at least 10 structures in the coming year. Between 14 and 16 structures need varying levels of work, Johnston said.

The council accepted the proposals with little comment.