The drought
and other top
stories of ‘07

A severe drought is a scary proposition, because if you don’t have water, you don’t have anything.

That’s one reason why the drought was voted the top local story of 2007.

There’s very little man can do to end droughts, but there are actions he can take to limit their effects. Voluntary water restrictions are a good place to start, followed by an updated assessment of the county’s water supply, almost all of which comes from underground aquifers. Fortunately, the county doesn’t rely on surface water like some areas, but underground aquifers are vulnerable too, especially as growth in the Piedmont puts a strain on all drinking water sources.

The growth of gangs in the county was the number two local story of 2007. Some may say that much of the gang activity is by gang “wannabes,” but when 14-year-old kids are murdered in what is said to be gang activity, it’s time to take notice.

Many counties and municipalities have found that their gang problems are best solved when the entire community, not just law enforcement and the judiciary, gets involved. Incarcerating gang members helps in the short run, but in many cases, they come out of prison even more hardened and dangerous. It takes a multi-faceted approach to decimate gangs, but it can’t piecemeal or random. The longer the gang problem gets only lip service, the worse it will become.

With the end of the Riegel Ridge Green Swamp landfill by legislative decree, the county will continue to ship its garbage to Sampson County, an expensive proposition. This won’t change unless the county makes a move – even if it’s baby steps – toward a more intensive recycling program that would reduce the waste stream.

The Ramel Troy trial was emotional and sad. It’s another indictment of what drugs have done to society.

On the public records and open meetings issues, the number five story of 2007, we hope the county commissioners and county attorney will resolve to make government more open in 2008. Government conducted in secret is a sure way to breed distrust. The county has made some strides to be more open in recent months, but much more needs to be done. Just because the law says that a record can be withheld or that a meeting can be held in closed session doesn’t mean they have to be.

On the county manager issue, we once again implore the commissioners to go after top-notch candidates and not just settle for second best. The key to good leadership of county staff is hiring a competent administrator and allowing him or her to do their job without interference. The county won’t get good people by offering a low-ball salary. Pay them what they’re worth and the cost benefit to taxpayers will be evident.

On story number seven, the hospital trustees made a bold move to hire an aggressive management company in Carolinas HealthCare. There a number of challenges in health care which must be met with strong leadership. The trustees are making strides to get a good management team in place to handle future challenges.

Two business stories were the eighth and ninth top stories of the year, one good and one bad. Lowe’s coming to the county is a plus and will add 100 jobs and sales tax revenues. On the downside, it’s too bad to see Kramer’s closing after 89 years because of changes in the marketplace. Our hope is that downtown will survive, although retail may not be the way it does so. Apartments and office space, as well as a new coffee shop, for example, are ways that downtown will grow stronger.

On story number 10 (a tie), it will be interesting to see what happens with EMS in the county. Volunteers are becoming more scarce and the level of care varies from squad to squad. Is it time to look at a countywide EMS service that is more accountable and offers all citizens a high level of service?

As witnessed by the more than $3 million in endowments announced this fall by the SCC Foundation, county residents continue to view the college as an invaluable resource and support it with their contributions. Much of the money raised by the foundation goes to provide financial aid to students.