Legislature must change annexation
The N.C. Statute, Article 4A of Chapter 160A, on forced annexation is a bad statute.
The statute was drafted and implemented in an era where socialism was coming to the forefront of society. To many in government and in our university systems, socialism was seen as the next generation of mankind caring for mankind.
With this thought in mind, the drafters of the current statute granted municipalities powers that our forefathers never imagined would be granted to a manmade entity. At no time did our forefathers believe that the people would allow a government entity to have dominion over them or their property.
Granting municipal councils the right to forcibly annex individuals and their property into the municipality without their approval makes this a bad statute.
Any decision to forcibly affect anyone’s life is a bad decision no matter what the reason. The decision to forcibly annex an area into a municipality is a bad decision. The decision places the will of a small group over the will of a larger group without allowing them a say in the process. It is not only a bad decision but it is a very bad decision.
We must implore our elected representatives to change the statutes in such a manner that the municipalities and other governmental entities become mankind’s servant rather than mankind being subservient to them.
ó Ray Shamlin
Rocky Mount
On Wil-Cox Bridge
I’d like to insert 300 words of sanity into the outrage over the Wil-Cox Bridge. I seem to be the main target of the opposition, although I was never involved with saving this bridge until last month. I’m one of many people in the area who’d like to see this graceful bridge preserved.
The N.C. Department of Transportation has to at least pay lip service to addressing historic issues if they want federal funding for the I-85 project. NCDOT could just do what is required of it and get on with the highway project. Finding a local alternative to preserve the bridge would get the agency off the hook, but it hasn’t made that attractive.
As part of NCDOT’s consultation process, and I use the term loosely, I asked for a stipulation which would give NCDOT the clearance it needs to go ahead with the I-85 project and deal with the Wil-Cox Bridge later. So far, NCDOT has rejected my proposal. I certainly don’t want the highway project delayed, but I’m not so sure about NCDOT’s priorities.
In other states, these rare and significant open-spandrel arch bridges are routinely kept maintained and rehabilitated. Most are still in use. In metropolitan areas, they’ve often been widened to carry four lanes of traffic. They’re vital and active bridges, sometimes outlasting more modern structures.
In contrast, one of North Carolina’s six open-spandrel bridges is scheduled to be replaced; four are closed to traffic or abandoned; and the future of the Wil-Cox, the longest and oldest-standing, looks bleak. NCDOT found all eligible for the National Register. None have been repaired or rehabilitated.
It’s too bad there was such strong opposition to a meeting to discuss these issues. ‘Round here, it’s ’bout impossible to exchange information and ideas anymore.
ó Ann Brownlee
Salisbury
Thanks for series
Thank you for the series you are running this week on animal euthanasia. Because of this I decided to subscribe again to your newspaper after several years during which I let it lapse.
ó Joanne Bryla
China Grove
Editor’s note: Bryla is a veterinarian.