Town sets sights on late taxpayers
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on March 18, 2007 2:07 AM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Several Seven Springs residents might see their names in the newspaper if they don't pay their property taxes.
The Seven Springs town board voted Wednesday night to give the delinquent taxpayers one more chance before submitting their names to the News-Argus for publication.
Mayor Steve Potter said there are several property owners who have not paid their taxes. One hasn't paid taxes in three years.
He said town clerk Karen Byrd has already communicated with the property owners and will submit a letter to them before publishing their names in the newspaper and taking legal action.
"We're submitting their information to the town attorney," he said.
In other business, the board gave its blessing to an effort by Atlas Price and several other town residents who are gathering funds to buy two "Welcome to Seven Springs" signs to install on N.C. 55.
Price told the board several people he runs into at meetings in New Bern and Raleigh ask where Seven Springs is. "They say they've gone through here often and didn't know we were here," Price said.
He said before the signs are built he will submit a design first for the board's approval. He said the sign could read "Welcome to Seven Springs, Oldest Town in Wayne County." He said the group would be glad to make any changes in the design deemed appropriate by the board.
The town board not only approved the effort, but several members said they have donated money to the cause.
The board also voted to find out how much it would cost to pave Easy Street in the village and Church Street up the hill to the Seven Springs Library branch. The town has $40,000 it has to spend before October or lose the allocation to another town.