Board remains split on support
By Steve Herring
Published in News on April 20, 2016 1:46 PM
Even with the elimination of offending wording that hinted at the use of eminent domain, Wayne County commissioners Tuesday still split on a resolution supporting CSX's planned massive intermodal terminal in Johnston County.
Commissioners Joe Gurley and Wayne Aycock, who voted against the resolution, questioned why Wayne County was inserting itself into Johnston County issues.
But other commissioners argued that Wayne County would benefit from the project as well.
The $272 million and nearly 500-acre Carolina Connector terminal would transfer shipping containers between trucks and trains, including those serving the state's ports in Morehead City and Wilmington.
The resolution originally had been included in the consent agenda for the board's April 5 session.
Consent agenda items are normally voted on with little-to-no discussion, but the resolution was moved to new business at the request of Commissioner Ray Mayo.
Mayo bristled at two paragraphs in the resolution saying it voiced support for the use of eminent domain.
But with the paragraphs removed, Mayo Tuesday morning made the motion to adopt the resolution. It was approved by a 5-2 vote.
"We discussed this at the last meeting," County Manager George Wood said. "I think there was some concern about two paragraphs that eluded to assembling and acquiring the necessary property. The concern expressed was that the board of commissioners did not want to be perceived as encouraging or endorsing eminent domain by CSX for this project.
"Those references have been deleted. Both of those paragraphs were removed. I believe the resolution now simply endorses this project as beneficial to Johnston County and to eastern North Carolina."
The Southeast Regional Economic Development Partnership, of which Wayne County is a member, endorses the project, Wood said.
Wood recommended the board adopt the revised resolution showing support of "this critical economic development project."
But Gurley said the county should not be taking up the controversial issue.
Gurley said he had read the project "propaganda" distributed to commissioner as well as several newspaper articles.
"I have talked to Johnston County residents, and they oppose it," he said. "I have talked to family I have in Johnston County, and they oppose it. I have talked to Wayne County residents who own land and property in Johnston County. They oppose it. I have yet to find someone who is in favor of it."
Gurley said he appreciated the effort to take the two paragraphs out of the resolution.
"But the fact is if CSX decides one area best suits them, they are going to take it," he said. "It doesn't matter whether we support a resolution or not."
Gurley read from a newspaper article in which Micro Mayor Jay Warren, a train engineer for CSX, said his initial optimism for the project had turned into opposition.
The Micro Town Board has adopted a resolution opposing the terminal.
Gurley said the story quotes Warren who said when he pulls a train into a CSX terminal near Portsmouth, Va., he thinks about how it would look in Johnston County.
It is surrounded by low-income housing, container storage yards, truck trailer chassis storage and service yards because no one want to live near the terminal, and crime around the yard is also a problem Gurley said quoting the article.
Mayo agreed with Gurley, but added that the intermodal terminal would positively impact Wayne County.
"What we are looking at in this resolution, and I am completely satisfied with it now is that we are giving general support for this intermodal terminal not withstanding the fact of all the internal issues that go along with it," Mayo said. "This not a contract between Wayne County and Johnston County.
"So my point is we have an ulterior motive to support this, in general, because we are going to be affected by this intermodal terminal."
Going into a community commissioners can hear a thousand different versions about an issue, Mayo said. But the bottom line is that whatever CSX wants to do, it has a right to do, he said.
Commissioner John Bell said he was supporting the resolution and Wayne County because of the potential for jobs.
Aycock said he, too, had been asked why commissioners were taking up the issue.
"There are some upset people in Johnston County," he said. "The question was asked of me, 'Don't you have enough business to take care of in Wayne County without tending to Johnston County's business?' I couldn't answer the gentleman.
"Then I had a citizen of Wayne County approach me and said, 'If you want to start tending to the state's business, why don't you run for an office in Raleigh? Why don't you run for a House seat or a Senate seat?' He said, 'We elected you to conduct the business of Wayne County.' I have heard that from several."
Commissioner Ed Cromartie said that he had grown up in Cumberland County near the Bladen County line. About 25 or 30 years ago DuPont had come into the area with a prospect for a big plant in the area where he had grown up, he said.
"That changed that area that we lived in," he said. "Our church became part of that property. But here is the tradeoff, I had a lot of cousins and friends who got jobs with DuPont that paid them very good salaries, and it changed the economic status of that area.
"So while I stand in defense of everything that a person holds private, which is property, I know that change has to be made for there to be progress."
Cromartie said he trusted that Wood and board Chairman Joe Daughtery, who put the resolution on the agenda, had done their research and had talked to others who feel like if something is going to be done in eastern North Carolina that "we have to start someplace."
This resolution is just to support the effort, Cromartie said.
Wayne County is looking for jobs and is not trying to meddle in the business of Johnston County, he said.