Pierce
Lumber River Council of Government’s regional planner Darrien Locklear explains the mandate and discussed the town’s next steps in incorporating the policies into their Zoning Ordinances.
Tomeka Sinclair | The Laurinburg Exchange
WAGRAM — During the regular meeting of the Wagram Board of Commissioners held Thursday, Mayor Barbara Pierce told fellow board members and present residents that the Lumbee River Council of Governments has narrowed down the application pool for the town’s vacant clerk position to three candidates.
“Interviews will be conducted on the (Sept.) 16th,” Pierce said.
The Wagram Board of Commissioners voted to terminate the town’s clerk/finance officer, Roosevelt Henegan Jr., during a reconvened meeting held in June. Phyllis Lowery, who retired as the town clerk after serving several years, has been working in the interim role of clerk.
Mayor Pierce told fellow board members to advise her following the meeting if they wished to participate in the interviewing process.
Also, on Thursday, the Wagram Board of Commissioners and present town residents received some first-hand knowledge about the NC General Assembly’s Chapter 160D mandate that aims to streamline zoning regulations for municipalities statewide.
Lumber River Council of Government’s regional planner Darrien Locklear explained the mandate and discussed the town’s next steps in incorporating the policies into their Zoning Ordinances.
“It’s a law that is helping modernize and kind of consolidate previous statutes into one comprehensive framework. The purpose is to make it easier for residents and other local government officials who are handling land use and development in regards to zoning for better clarity for people who are unfamiliar with it … Its purpose is mainly to enhance the clarity of zoning and its process and of course accessibility for those that may information about it,” Locklear said.
Public participation is also a major factor in Chapter 160D, according to Locklear.
“We want the town’s residents, the state wants the town’s residents I should say, wants the town’s residents of North Carolina to all be included in decisions when we talk about zoning and its process,” Locklear said.
The board will hold a public hearing on the matter at their next scheduled meeting in October, before adoption.
In other business, the commissioners heard from Wagram Recreation Center supervisor Amanda Baker, who shared the updated Building Use Policy, the Scotland County Parks and Recreation has adopted. A notable change in the policy is the allowance for teen events in recreational facilities.
Also at the meeting, Mayor Pierce announced that the town has received approval from the NC Department of Transportation to close a portion of Highway 401 and Second Street for a Veterans Day Parade to be held on Nov. 11.