LAURINBURG — On any given morning, you can find Leon Butler toiling near his East Covington Street home.

Other than Butler, the wide residential street is usually clear of people and debris.

Butler, a retired textile worker, likes it that way.

The 76-year-old knows how he wants his neighborhood to appear and doesn’t mind putting in the sweat equity to keep it meticulous.

“There isn’t a street in Laurinburg that looks as good as this one,” said Butler, while leaning on a well-worn wooden rake and shovel.

When not cutting grass or edging curbs and sidewalks, Butler cleans up behind the less conscientious.

“I leave out my door every morning and pick up every bit of trash I see,” said Butler, whose routine includes working his way up Biggs Street then to McRae Street and down Caledonia until he is home again.

“In a week and half, I’ve picked up four trash bags of garbage,” he said.

As Butler talks, he fills in holes at the edge of someone’s else yard with fresh dirt that he bought himself.

Asked why he does it, Butler is hard pressed to understand why more people don’t.

Butler whose career included work with the railroad and “just about anything else you can think of,” said people used to take pride in keeping their homes and neighborhoods looking pristine.

“I have never in my entire life seen the city of Laurinburg with as much trash and garbage as there is today,” he said. “Too many houses are dilapidated and trash cans sit out for weeks.”

Butler blames the city and its officials for failing to enforce ordinances that would keep Laurinburg clean.

“You mean to tell me that they can’t see all the mess?” he said. “Stevie Wonder could see it. Ray Charles too. We would be better off with blind people cleaning up Laurinburg than what we got. I don’t know what the problem is with the city. I’ve talked to them many times, but they act like hoarders.”

According to Butler, Laurinburg’s efforts to attract new residents and businesses are stifled by its litter problem.

“People are not coming to the city,” he said. “Laurinburg is just a place to stop and go to the bathroom. Until we clean up our act, it will always be that way.”

City Manager Charles Nichols has heard Butler’s assessment before and disagrees with it.

He said that the city has continuously worked to enhance Laurinburg through its Planning and Development, Code Enforcement, Zoning and Community Development and Public Works departments.

“City codes are enforced to the fullest extent,” Nichols said.

City officials promote keeping Laurinburg litter-free through the North Carolina Department of Transportation Swat a Litterbug Program and council members take part in the fall and spring Laurinburg-Scotland County Chamber of Commerce Litter Sweep.

The city also has Beautification and Tree committees to assist with the municipality’s appearance.

Still the city administrator said he admires Butler’s tenacity and dedication.

“You got to give it to the guy,” Nichols said. “He is out there helping eight or nine of his neighbors with yards that they may not be able to maintain on their own. It is hard to argue with that.”

Scott Witten|Laurinburg Exchange Leon Butler gets up every morning to keep Covington Street neighborhood looking pristine.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_yard-5-1.jpgScott Witten|Laurinburg Exchange Leon Butler gets up every morning to keep Covington Street neighborhood looking pristine.
Laurinburg resident strives to keep neighborhood, city clean

Scott Witten

Editor

Reach Scott Witten at 910-506-3023