Road problems can be a bumpy surprise Regarding the July 27 article about problems with subdivision roads:
We are having the same issue with the roads in our neighborhood ó Miller Chase (Salisbury). We have letters and e-mails (over the past year!!) to document our attempt to have our builder correct the problems the N.C. DOT listed when we attempted to have our roads taken over by the state. N.C. DOT and Duke Energy are arguing about the street lights. DOT says they were not installed in the correct place, and Duke Energy says that they are where they always install them, and they are not moving them. We are one step away from hiring an attorney.
I read a comment on your Web site from a reader who thinks the homeowners should be more aware of the situation, but what that reader does not realize (and I learned the hard way) is that when you are buying a home in a new development, you have no control over what the contractor does to the roads. And until the neighborhood is completed (which could be a period of over a year depending on when you purchased your home), you are not aware of the problems with the state. By the time you know the state will not approve your roads, your home is purchased, and the deed filed. I will never buy a home in a new development again!
Thanks for the newspaper article. Maybe it will help change this situation for the average citizen trying to purchase a home for their family!
ó Vivian DeVore
Salisbury
The media’s darling
It should be apparent the pretension by NBC, CBS and ABC of unbiased reporting is ludicrous, as the media entourage followed Senator Obama from one staged photo-op to another, confirming he is their darling. As for Senator Obama conducting himself as if he were the president on this tour, I find that very presumptive and arrogant.
After meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Obama did not seem to recognize the success of the surge. He did not give credit to Gen. David Petraeus or the coalition forces. He did not recognize the perseverance of the Bush administration in its commitment to establish freedom for the people of Iraq. Obama is not the commander in chief and should not state to Iraq’s leadership his timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Is America so mesmerized by the polished, persuasive and politically-correct presentation by Senator Obama that we cannot see through the veneer of this untried and very inexperienced presumptive Democratic candidate?
I implore the voters of our great nation to look beneath the surface of both candidates and vote for statesmanship, not showmanship.
ó Dayne Griffin
Advance
Where are services?
On Jan. 4, 2004, three former town council members voted to take Patterson Street and N.C. 152 past Five Forks into the China Grove town limits. Harry Rodgers voted with Steve Stroud and Roy Patterson to carry out Eric Davis’ land grab. Harold Simpson and I voted against the annexation. Mayor Don Bringle was for the land grab.
When election time came, the people of China Grove voted out all three who voted for annexation.
According to state law, the town has to provide sewer and water as well as other utilities within two years, or the taxes cannot be assessed. To this day, people do not have their water, sewer or other utilities.
At the time of annexation, Mr. Davis said we would not need any more police, fire equipment or new expenditures to annex these people. I have papers that he and the Centralina Council of Governments made up which stated the cost to citizens of China Grove at $24,000.
Mr. Davis immediately added three police officers and two full-time firefighters. He misinformed the citizens. He also said the sewer to Carson High would only cost us $422,000, and we have already paid $22,000 for surveying and engineering. Now, the new cost to China Grove citizens is $1,253,000. In my opinion, he misinformed the citizens again.
I tried for four years to get the town run like a business, but everything I brought up was voted down. I am against forced annexation.
I was elected as a write-in candidate in 2003. Two of the people that I helped get elected did not do what they told the citizens they would do. Now, the mayor is not doing what he said he would do. This is happening all over the state. They want the tax dollars but don’t want to give the infrastructure to annexed citizens.
ó Troy R. Elliott
China Grove