A Dying Town

I guess that title is misleading because after the latest census report, Lumberton may no longer be categorized as a city. There's the old adage that "it takes a village," but that phrase does not seem to apply to Lumberton. We sit around and talk about things that need to be changed, but are not willing to do anything to help bring about any changes. Most of the residents of Lumberton don't even bother to attend board meetings. We can sit back and wait for someone else to do something, but that's not how change occurs. The signs of decline are everywhere; Cooper Industry is no longer here, Farmland Services is gone, and now Custom Pre-Cast can be added to the list of closures. Gas stations are now beginning to close.And on top of that, the Shell Gas Station is the Command Center for Hobson and Gibson. If you stop there to buy gas and a Snickers, you might get charged with stalking. Just take a drive through Lumberton and you will see that empty storefronts and vacant lots mark the graves of other long-gone businesses. There's not much here to bring people into our town, especially when all the news about our city is based on a corrupt group working at city hall and even a more corrupt group being hired to run to police department. Aside from gatherings at local churches, football is one of the last sources of entertainment and community spirit. Parents flock to games to cheer on their children and visit with neighbors. Even our school is a shadow of its former self.
The city is going to pot and the citizens seem to be blind to the level of chaos that is taking place in this town. For instance, why would Bobby Gibson lead his group into a collective lie and terminate two employees (Michael Holder and Perry McLemore) because he feels that they "talk too much." Why are their secrets in the Public Works Department and why do he wants them silenced? If the rumors are true, then it is in his best interest that the rest of the residents of Lumberton don't know about the fact that more and more people are not required to pay their water bills. When there are relatives, elected officials, city employees and friends that have multiple water accounts and are only a water bill on a vacant house, that money adds up and it's costing the residents of the Village of Lumberton. According to the auditor's report, there was a deficiency in WSOM (Water and Sewer Operation and Maintenance) in the amount of $86,770 (page 20, Exhibit G). I know the city clerk would like to make residents think this is the result of the closing of Cooper and other industries, but I don't think that's the case. When certain individuals never pay a late fee, a reconnection fee or even pay their water bills, it results in a loss to the city. So, the talk that Stephanie stole this money is not the truth. In actuality, she gave it away, little by little by not requiring everyone to pay a water bill. I guess when the residents of Lumberton have had enough, they will do something, until then it's another SSDD situation.