By Jessie Burchette
Salisbury Post
State Sen. Andrew Brock will sponsor a bill calling for a vote on Enochville incorporation.
A group of Enochville residents have worked for five years or more to have a vote on incorporation.
One of Rowan County’s oldest towns, Enochville was chartered in 1876 but became unincorporated again in 1974. Brock, a Republican representing Rowan and Davie counties, sent the bill to drafting ahead of the 4 p.m. Wednesday deadline for introducing bills in the short session of the General Assembly.
But Brock conceded that the bill isn’t likely to go anywhere.
He noted that Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand has advised all members that no controversial bills will be heard during the current short session.
The Enochville incorporation effort has drawn opposition from Kannapolis.
Previous efforts focused on working through the Joint Committee on Incorporation have failed.
In 2005, the committee found the incorporation petition deficient, in part because the city of Kannapolis did not provide a resolution of support.
An Enochville incorporation committee collected more than 500 supporters’ signatures. However, opponents collected more than 300 signatures.
Brock said he decided to introduce the bill after talking with Yolonda Shimpock who heads up the incorporation committee.
“We’ve been trying to get it (the bill) introduced for three years. We’re extremely happy, we’ve worked very hard,” said Shimpock.
She said she is hopeful that if the bill isn’t approved in this session, it will be reintroduced in the next session. “It’s obvious that the citizens want incorporation. This first started in 2003. Thank goodness they have stuck with us.”
Contact Jessie Burchette at 704-797-4254 or jburchette@ salisburypost.com.