Road name will be pulled from a hat
By Steve Herring
Published in News on May 15, 2016 1:45 AM
Instead of pulling a rabbit out of their hat, Wayne County commissioners on Tuesday morning will pull out the name for a new road.
Commissioners have held two public hearings in recent months trying to come up with a name for the service road created by the construction of the western leg of the new U.S. 70 Bypass.
The initial proposal was Emmett Neal Road, but other families living in the area suggested Isaac Smith Road and Smith-Phillips Road.
At the most recent hearing on May 3, another name, Rock Pond Road, was suggested.
But when no decision was made, commissioners decided to put the suggestions, with the exception of Rock Pond Road, into a hat and draw out a name for the road that stretches 1.6 miles from N.C. 581 to Community Drive.
Tuesday's session will get under way at 8 a.m. with an agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
In other business, commissioners will be updated on the county's Internet broadband initiative and survey.
Chip Crumpler, county planning director, will make the presentation.
Expanding broadband Internet in the county is one of the board's goals.
The goal of the initiative is to identify underserved areas and work to attract Internet service providers offering expanded service and higher speed options.
The county is partnering with the Broadband Infrastructure Office of the N.C. Office of Technology and Information Technology in the effort determine the need for expanded broadband coverage. The survey is part of that initiative.
Residents can visit the county website, www.waynegov.com, to take the 11-question survey that will be open until July 1.
Paper versions of the survey are available at the main library on Ash Street and at Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive and library branches in Pikeville and Fremont.
It is also available at the Wayne County Tax Office and the Wayne County Planning Department.
To take the survey by phone or to have it mailed, call 919-731-1650.
The state will use the data and negotiate with Internet service providers to improve service.
The county wants as many county residents as possible to take the survey because the more people who take part, the more need will be shown, thereby creating a better possibility of getting results, county officials said.
Also on Tuesday, the board will be asked to approve the final subdivision plat for North Landing, Section 3.
The 41 lots and one open space are owned and developed by Cambridge Farms. The subdivision is located off Church of God Road one-half mile east of its intersection with Saulston Road.
At noon commissioners will tour and have lunch at the WayneNET facility, 101 W. New Hope Road.
The public comments portion of the meeting will start at 9:15 a.m. Those who want to speak must sign in at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the 9 a.m. session.
Comments are limited to four minutes for agenda items and two minutes for non-agenda items.
Items on the consent agenda are: Contract with Nunn, Brashear & Uzzell to audit the 2015-2016 fiscal year; Emergency Medical Services Week in Wayne County Proclamation; appointment of Philip Shivar to fill an unexpired term on the Southeastern Wayne Sanitary District board; and budget amendments.