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Duplin County’s municipalities have faced their fair share of ups and downs in 2023, with many towns seeing unprecedented growth, while others have welcomed new leadership. The Duplin Journal asked the town’s 10 mayors what they see as the most significant thing happening in their town in the coming year. Below are their responses.
The items facing the town of Beulaville in 2024 are: managing growth, infrastructure needs, and overall balance. We’ve had a great deal of success following Covid, qualifying for a number of grants. In 2024, we will see massive parks and recreation improvements, and a number of water and sewer projects. It’s important to remain focused and balanced in value to community and not outpace our needs with our wants. Our priority next year will be to continue to make the town and community of Beulaville solvent, relevant and a value to the county and eastern N.C.
—Hutch Jones, Beulaville
We’ve got a CDBG grant and we’re going to be doing some houses, about five or six houses in town. We’ll be building new ones for the ones that are in the worst shape. Since we got the grant to update several houses, that’s what we’re going to be focusing on. We’ve also got a dam situation with the beavers in town. We’re working on that, too. We’ve got to drain it but we have to wait until a certain time of year so we can be better able to control it. We’re working with BRIC as well. That’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Community. We’re still waiting on some information from the state before we get started with that. As a whole, all these things are ways we’re trying to do to build up the community and make our town a better place.
—JoAnn Wilson, Calypso
The most significant thing that will happen in Faison in 2024 is the unveiling of the Dr. William Thornton 6-foot-tall black granite memorial and courtyard where the “old Faison gym” sits now. Dr. Thornton was born and raised in Faison, and became the first NASA Astronaut from North Carolina. Dr. Thornton is also buried in the Faison Cemetery.
—Billy Ward, Faison
The town of Greenevers’ top priorities for 2024 are to fortify our water infrastructure, address stormwater issues, and improve the financial operation of the town. These long-term ongoing objectives will be achieved by completing several of the following tasks. The town currently will be moving forward with contractors with the bid and design of several water infrastructure projects (water line extensions, improvements to the elevated water tower and pump houses, installation of well generators, and meter project). Additionally, the town is presently working with an engineering firm to complete an Asset Inventory and Assessment study on the water and sewer systems to better assess the current condition of the infrastructure of both systems. All these projects will help to ensure the continuality of the water system.
To address the stormwater issue on several town-owned roads, the town is currently considering completing a project to clean out and install necessary ditches in these needed areas. This project is expected to be bid out and completed in 2024.
The town has currently partnered with N.C. League of Municipalities and Black Mountain Software to obtain updated financial and utility billing software. This new upgrade will help the town to implement the best accounting practices, provide monthly oversight, improve year-end preparedness, and other needed accounting assistance.
—Diane Brown, Greenevers
I see getting our departments back fully staffed and utilizing the grants we have received to improve our water and sewer infrastructure and the Kenan Park playground as top priorities in addition to the normal day-to-day operations of our town.
—Stephen Williamson, Kenansville
The most significant thing happening for Magnolia in 2024 is the completion of the recreation master plan. The plan will lay the vision and groundwork for developing four acres of the town’s property. It will service the diverse population we have in Magnolia and improve quality of life.
The first phase is the renovation of the gym, for which we already have $548,000 to complete. The gym will eventually become a multipurpose facility where classes, meetings, etc., can be held, in addition to recreation activities.
The second phase will, hopefully, be a PARTF grant matching the current grant we have, and then applying for other grants.
The intention is to create activities for residents, both current and future, to include youth, seniors, and all ages in between.
—Dawn Ward, Magnolia
A lot of things are happening in Rose Hill. One of the biggest things is our infrastructure. We have gotten grants and applied for grants to pave our streets and we’re working on that right now. The fire department being built is also one of the biggest things going on. There have been delays, so they’ve been working on that for about a year and a half now. It’s finally coming together, and I think they’ll probably be having a dedication after the first of the year. That’s a wonderful thing for the town, to have a new fire department. I drive past it every day.
—Davy Buckner, Rose Hill
I don’t think there’s any huge projects on the horizon, outside of there’s a subdivision that River Landing developers want to build on 117, going toward Bill Carone. I think it’s about a quarter mile or so before that, as you’re going into Wallace. That’s the biggest thing on the horizon that we have going on in town. I heard that they’re expecting to build between 200 and 300 homes in that area. That’s going to be a pretty big deal, because it’s definitely going to double the homes in the area, but it’s going to magnify the people and the residents here exponentially. We want to make sure that we’re doing things the right way, that they’re building things the right way, and all that kind of stuff.
In my opinion, I think it’s a good thing for Teachey. We want to grow. Obviously, growth and change are inevitable. I think once you stop growth and change, things deteriorate. Like the Word says, without a vision, the people perish. I see Teachey more now as residential. I guess you can call it a residential suburb of Wallace, on a very small scale, compared to cities. I see Teachey as being that, because Wallace is growing so much commercially.
—Bobby Jones, Teachey
The most significant events in 2024 all center around growth. We have a request for the largest annexation to our town in Pender County with a project that will bring approximately 600-plus homes over the next several years. We also will see similar projects off of Highway 41 and Highway 11 in town, and will lay the infrastructure for development. The addition of new businesses in the Tin City area will be scheduled to open in 2024 as well. All of this will catapult growth in our area over the next three to five years.
—Jason Wells, Wallace
The town of Warsaw is looking for financial aid to help increase the town waste treatment facility. We are also heading into the town budget workshops for 2024-2025 fiscal year. We would like to see a increase in activities at the town’s Recreation Department. I feel there is so much more for our young people than just basketball and football that should be caring out at the Recreation Center. I would love to see a strong support for our Boys and Girls Scouts in our community. We are seeking a full scale dining restaurant with full service. We are enjoying the facts that new homes are being built in the town of Warsaw. As the Mayor I am praying for a great positive increase in Warsaw in 2024.
—A.J. Connors, Warsaw
