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FAISON — The Town of Faison Board of Commissioners met on Oct. 1. Leading the meeting’s financial discussions, Tax Collector Anne Letchworth stood in for Town Clerk Sharon Lee to assist with questions about the town’s revenue and expenditures.
One specific issue discussed involved a $133 expense for replacing a damaged water meter.
“A water meter had to be replaced because of some dirt and debris that got in the line and went into a resident’s water heater,” explained Mayor Billy Ward.
Executive Administrator Jimmy Tyndall praised the “grace and understanding” of the residents affected, adding they were very easy to work with, and the town appreciated it.
The board also approved a $215 tax write-off for a long-delinquent property on Cousin Fanny Road.
Letchworth explained that the taxes had gone unpaid since 2012, and despite repeated efforts, the original owner, David Cottle, could not be located. Utilities had never been registered in his name, and Mariana Perez is now listed as the property and trailer owner. With no remaining recourse, the board approved Letchworth’s recommendation to remove the debt from the town’s books.
Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Scott presented several updates from his department, including trail maintenance and facility improvements. To save costs, the town has opted to board up broken windows rather than repair or replace them. At the time of the meeting, all windows and crawl spaces at town facilities were expected to be covered by the weekend. Repairs to walking trails are underway, with new dirt and rock being added and drainage and grading issues being addressed. A budget amendment was approved to move funds to support these repairs.
The town is also preparing for upcoming fall events, with Halloween plans moving forward. The board approved a resolution to close Winniford Street on Friday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. to ensure safety for trick-or-treaters.
A solid waste ordinance was discussed concerning whose responsibility it is to deal with large debris. Tyndall clarified that the town does not accept debris from commercial landscaping companies and only assists residents on a case-by-case basis.
“We draw the line at large stumps and trunks,” he said. The board approved a budget amendment to move money to repair the walking trail at Parks and Recreation.
Commissioner Carolyn Kenyon provided a public safety update based on data from the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office. Around 30 service calls were reported in Faison, including traffic stops, warrant services, scams, one larceny, and numerous animal control incidents. There were also 25 medical calls, though only five or six resulted in hospital transport.
“They are here and doing their job, we just don’t always see them doing it,” Ward said. “It is nice to know what they are doing and getting called here for,” Kenyon added.
Local business owner Melba Brewer of Brewer’s Hardware announced a new community initiative to host food trucks on Mondays, a day when many other businesses are closed.
The meeting adjourned following the reports and approvals.
