Lumberton Informer

Yesterday was nothing short interesting. After leavin the doctor's office, I decided to stop by city hall to look through some records. Once I arrived, Audrey (the woman that wants the alley closed during football games) and another woman were in the hallway, waiting to see the mayor. Once I got into the clerk's office, I noticed a man working on what seemed to be the budget. I wonder if this was the man Jay McGraw recommended to assist with preparing a new budget. If so, when did the board approve this job that would cost the city an additional $1,200? While one clerk was getting the records, another clerk had me fill out an information request form. While standing there, I noticed a sign prohibiting the use of cell phones and recording devices. Looks like we're slowly becoming a communist city. Someone is constantly making up rules while the board continually break the laws set forth for a code charter municipality. First they locked the records room, preventing access ...

The other week I started a feature called "Small Business Spotlight" to highlight local businesses and services. I was looking through the blog posts and it seems that I may have posted the information on the Lumberton Informer Facebook page but not the blog. So, this week, I will re-post the businesses that were featured in Facebook. Local farmer/contractor Pops Chad Owens has an assortment of watermelons, cantaloupes and tomatoes fresh from his garden. To show his appreciation to those supporting his business, he has a give away every day. To enter, go to his Facebook page, Pops Chad Owens, and click like on the picture and your name will be entered into the drawing for that day. Please support our local businesses and watch our community grow.

I guess we can stop trying to convince everyone that no one is reading the blog. I was prepared to post a review of last night's meeting but I'm waiting for Charlie Bock to send me some paperwork regarding the amended solid waste plan the Lamar County Board of Supervisors submitted to the MDEQ to accommodate the recycling site on Yawn School Road. It seems that the County has been working on this move for quite some time. The looming question I have is "if this is a County project, why do they need the City of Lumberton to sign off on the project"? Wouldn't an agreement of that nature require an Interlocal Agreement or Resolution? Unless, of course, the County want Lumberton to be liable for any environmental hazards that may occur after this facility is opened. Keep in mind, the area is not accessible via the interstate. So the possibly abestos filled material will be transported through our city and there's no type of traffic flow planon file. But I said ...

So now they're saying “Jonathan got it wrong." Here we go again with the shoot the messenger mentality. At this juncture, it really doesn't matter if the proposed dump site is going to be located in the South Lamar Industrial Park or on Yawn School Road. What matters is the citizens of Lumberton were not properly notified of what was going on. This is the information age and they're still posting notifications on the back wall of the library and in a corner in the post office like it was 1954. Today people have tablets, smart phones and computers; they're no longer required to go to the library to get books. As a matter of fact, one can get postage online as well; so a trip to the post office is also a thing of the past. So for those that are trying to downplay what I'm saying because the address on the permit does not match the location mentioned on the site are comparing apples to oranges. The fact remains, the County has plans for a dump site in this area...

I received an e-mail yesterday from Mayor Miriam Holder. She did not feel that I was being fair in my assessment of her as the "Superintending Power" of the City of Lumberton. Well, I guess there are three sides to every story; there's my side, her side, and somewhere in the middle lies the truth. I may have become pejorative towards the Mayor of Lumberton, but I feel that I am within my rights to feel that way. However, I will accept her invitation to sit and conference with her to discuss her view of the issues at hand. I am eager to hear her side of the story.