Council approves bond sale
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on June 26, 2018 5:50 AM
The Goldsboro City Council approved the sale of $4.5 million in street bonds at its meeting Monday night, paving the way for continued street renovation projects throughout the city.
The bonds mark the remaining balance in the $10 million total in bonds approved by voters in 2016 for street renovation and recreation projects. The city sold $2.5 million in street improvement bonds and $3 million in recreation bonds on May 2 at a 2.79 percent interest rate and 20-year term, leaving the remaining $4.5 million to be sold this year. The council unanimously approved the sale Monday, at a rate yet to be disclosed.
The council also held a trio of public hearings Monday, two for proposed used car dealerships on the south side of U.S. 70 West between U.S. 117 and the Little River. Part of the property was previously owned by Deacon Jones Nissan and was operated as a new car dealership, while another area belonged to Performance East before both companies left the site. Bobby Reavis, one of the applicants, spoke to the council, but no one had any questions for him at the time.
The third hearing concerned the rezoning of a property on the east side of Patetown Road between North William Street and Stoney Creek. The Wayne County Development Alliance has applied to have the residential property there rezoned into an industrial area, in order to begin developing the property for business. Raymond Casey, who lives on Patetown Road, said that traffic in the area has already become dangerous without the addition of more industry in the area. Specifically, people coming from Industry Court and Williams Street clog Patetown Road during the morning and afternoon drive to work, making it near impossible to get on the road, Casey said.
"I cannot tell you how many times I've almost been involved in an accident because people get anxious, they sit at that intersection waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting, and they just get frustrated and they'll pull out in front of traffic thinking traffic is going to stop," he said. "This industry is going to add more of it."
Casey asked if anyone could say what is being planned to be placed on the property if the rezoning request is approved. Mayor Chuck Allen said that nobody knew yet what kind of industry could move there.
Tiffany Creech, interim president of the Wayne County Development Alliance, spoke up in favor of the plan. She said that opening up the area, known as the Goldsboro Industrial Campus, would help set Wayne County above other surrounding counties in terms of industry.
"This is a very exciting endeavor, and one that will no doubt position Wayne County ahead of other communities in our ability to attract companies looking for available spots close to our great interstate corridors," she said.
Patetown Road has seen an uptick in industry requests recently. On June 7, the council approved the construction of a concrete plant at the Oldcastle Adams building on the north side of Patetown Road between Industry Court and North Williams Street.