Dart to Mother Nature for not being considerate of North Carolina’s needs. Sure, we needed rain — a hefty helping of it. Dumping nearly 8 inches in two weeks, however, isn’t the best way to alleviate the drought that’s plagued our area for much of the year. As of Friday evening, Rowan is expected to see 5 inches of rain by Monday morning. Add it to the total from the previous week — close to 3 inches in some spots — and it’s too much to handle. Weather forecasts project flooding in some areas. Flooding and accompanying consequences can have significant, negative affects on businesses. A few inches of standing water sitting in a building for a day or two could require an entire renovation. To boot, two of Rowan County’s most well-attended events — Autumn Jubilee and the fair —were canceled as a result of projected severe weather. Many didn’t make it to the fair because of previous rainy weather. Now, Rowan County residents won’t even have a chance to explore Dan Nicholas Park during Autumn Jubilee. Next time rain is in the forecast, how about smaller doses?

 

Laurels to county government for investigating the future of parks and recreation in Rowan. County government last week began the process of creating a parks and recreation master plan. We’re fortunate to have well-maintained facilities in Rowan County. Dan Nicholas Park is among the best attractions in the Piedmont — not to mention Rowan County. Government’s most essential job is adequately serving citizens. Easily accesible parks and trails are an easy way to improve the quality of life and, potentially, encourage healthy lifestyles. Sure, any future facilities will require money. That’s an issue — one commissioners must solve. Investigating what Rowan residents want, however, comes at a relatively low cost for the potential results.

 

Dart to East Spencer’s town government for overcharging one of its residents and failing to fully refund him for an erroneous garbage bill of more than $2,000. For years, former East Spencer resident William Thompson was charged for three trash cans instead of one. He only owned one, by the way. Thompson repeatedly asked why his bill was high. Instead of questioning the fact that a single residence was being billed for three trash cans, the town gave him confusing answers. When he finally found out the reason for his monstrous bill, the town only gave him half of money owed. Pay up East Spencer government. Take care of the people that pay for town hall’s doors to stay open.