Carolyn Kenyon returns to Faison Town Board as commissioner

FAISON — Former Mayor Carolyn Kenyon was sworn in at the Faison Town Board meeting on Aug. 6. She will fill the vacancy left by Commissioner Carlton Lee Kennedy and serve the remaining two years of his term. Kenyon expressed her happiness at returning to public service in Kennedy’s place.

“The queen has returned to the castle,” joked Executive Administrator Jimmy Tyndall.

With Kenyon stepping into the Commissioner role, Mayor Billy Ward made adjustments to the duties of several commissioners. Commissioner Sandy McCarthy will now oversee the Personnel Committee and serve as a liaison to Fire and Rescue. Kenyon will be responsible for the Adjustment Board, Work Achievement and will also act as a liaison to law enforcement.

Additionally, the board voted unanimously to approve Alane Brewer Floyd’s appointment to the Planning Board. The next meeting of the Planning Board is scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Recreation Center.

In other business:

Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Scott gave updates concerning projects and the summer basketball season. He invited everyone to come watch the games happening every Sunday night. After-school programs already have 30 kids registered, and there is room for as many as 24 more. When after-school programs begin, the Recreation Center will close between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m.

Tyndall gave an update concerning the sale and acquisition of a new backhoe. While all of the necessary funding had been approved through prior meetings involving budgeted funds and the sale of the existing backhoe, Tyndall explained that the purchase offer for the old backhoe came back at $3,000, significantly lower than the expected $8,000. The reduced offer was likely because of the extra wear on the equipment from its continued use. To resolve this issue, the board voted to amend the budget, allowing for a $5,000 increase to cover the cost of the new backhoe.

The cemetery committee discussed the removal of dead and dying trees in the town’s graveyard. The board approved hiring White’s Tree Service to remove approximately 16 trees for $3,100. The board also approved to increase the rate of pay for two Parks and Recreation employees who will be serving as after-school teachers.

The board briefly discussed upcoming events, including a Fire and Rescue fundraiser in September and a World War II Ghost Walk in October. The board approved town assistance for the ghost walk, and McCarthy promoted ticket sales for the fundraiser.

“The 7th annual Sportsman’s Giveaway is coming Sept. 20 at Tara Creek,” McCarthy said. “The drawing starts at 4:30 p.m. People have the opportunity to win all kinds of prizes, including money and guns; the grand prize is $5,000. Tickets are $20 for one or $100 for six. People can buy tickets from Faison Fire and Rescue or by contacting me.”

Tyndall discussed updates concerning business developments. The Everwoods subdivision, he said, has all the infrastructure in place for water taps, but there is no timeline for when that will be done. He also mentioned being in the early stages of talking to a company about bringing a truck stop to the area in 2028. The board also discussed grocery store updates and other properties sitting in disrepair in the town.

Tyndall has already spoken with the property owners, informing them of the required work that needs to be done, and he is committed to following up on these issues.

“They are going to get a very long letter with a lot of pictures and a lot of ‘or else’s,” Tyndall said. Businesses left in disrepair, especially on main streets through the town, make the town look bad as a whole.

“There will be more than one place addressed here because that’s the problem. How are we supposed to entice people into this area if the owners of the buildings aren’t keeping them up?” Tyndall reasoned. The board thanked Tyndall for his diligence in looking after the town, and the meeting adjourned.