City Council picks company to fill Spence Avenue sinkhole
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on July 7, 2010 1:46 PM
Mayor Al King characterized Monday's 10-minute City Council meeting as the shortest since he joined the board, but in that time, action was taken on two issues that have recently drawn the ire of some local residents.
First, as a part of its consent agenda, the council took action on a gaping hole located along Spence Avenue near its intersection with Elm Street, awarding the $168,000 contract for repairs to Goldsboro firm Hine Sitework, Inc.
Excessive rainfall caused the 84-inch corrugated metal pipe beneath the road to fail in March, undermining the pavement and creating conditions that left many members of the city staff concerned for the safety of those who travel via the popular thoroughfare.
The job, which has taken months to get started, was contracted out to save money and is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving.
But those who live along Spence were not the only residents to receive good news Monday.
The council also voted down a request by Dale Benton that would have allowed him to expand his business on property located on the east side of Cuyler Best road between West New Hope Road and Oxford Boulevard.
During a public hearing held on the matter June 21, several neighboring property owners said rezoning the property from residential to business would set a bad precedent.
King agreed, calling neighborhoods "sacred," before vowing never to allow businesses to infiltrate areas composed primarily of residential tracts.
The vote to deny Benton's request was unanimous and Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Allen said beyond the ruling, he is not happy with the fact that Benton is operating a business -- expanded or not -- in a residential area in the first place.
Council members also approved the purchase of 36 in-car digital video cameras for the Goldsboro Police Department. Funding for the technology came via grant and also will result in the purchase of 34 cameras for the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.