Several of the residents in attendance voiced their discontents over the street signs that were damaged by contractors hired by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to replace the mast arms in downtown Laurinburg. About 10 people attended.
Residents said the city should have been more proactive in holding the DOT contractors accountable for the damage.
City Manager Craig Honeycutt and city council members said that the roads are under DOT jurisdiction and that the city has no actual authority in their maintenance.
Honeycutt said the cityfiled a complaint with DOT about the contractors, but that Laurinburg has no power to push the issue.
Honeycutt said the Laurinburg Maxton Airport is going to be used to attract military business, especially ahead of the base realignment and closure that is expected to bring tens of thousands of people to Fort Bragg and the surrounding communities.
Gryphon Group is expected to create between 50 and 70 jobs and bring visitors into the community. The group estimates it will fill around 12,000 hotel rooms a year.
Honeycutt addressed the concerns some had about recreation, explaining options the city has to add recreation activities to Laurinburg. Inviting nonprofit groups, like the YMCA, was one of the options.
A resident was concerned that vacant buildings were not being used by the city to facilitate recreation activities.
Honeycutt explained that most vacant buildings are privately owned, which limits the city's ability to do anything with them, and the high costs of renovating the buildings to use for recreation activities.
Honeycutt also discussed the joint committee formed to look at retail recruitment. He said that they are using the Buxton study, as well as how the city can best benefit from the stimulus package.
One of the ideas he mentioned was hiring a Washington lobbyist to direct funds to Laurinburg and Scotland County.
Honeycutt also spoke briefly about paving dirt roads. He said that, while it is a priority for council and has been for years, the cost to pave a road costs upwards of half a million dollars and the city does not have the money for that kind of a capital project.
Also discussed at the session was blind spots on public streets. Honeycutt asked that residents help staff identify areas where public concerns are, address the issue by pruning back foliage.
Honeycutt also said that city staff is researching different methods of possibly limiting the number of pets people can have in the city.
The city manager also responded to a complaint from the public input session that city officials are not attending certain events. Honeycutt asked that people contact the city when they have an event they feel needs city representation.
Honeycutt also said that the city is trying to get DOT to widen US 401 from Fayetteville to the South Carolina line. He said that, while it is a priority that is noted, they are years away from anything being accomplished with this.
Mayor Matthew Block, Mayor Pro Tem Rembert DeBerry and Council Member Curtis Leak were in attendance.
J.D. Willis, chairman of the Scotland County Board and Laurinburg/Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce President Teresa Lamson were also in attendance.
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