FRONT PAGE

SPRING HOPE - Eight days after a vote taken in closed session, the town of Spring Hope has announced that Town Manager Andrew DeIonno is being suspended with pay until the end of his contract in April; DeIonno's last day on the job will be this Friday, Jan. 16.
A press release issued Jan. 13 from the law offices of Fields & Cooper, PLLC, the town's legal firm, stated that the board of commissioners voted 3-2 to take action to remove DeIonno from his position during the closed session held during their Jan. 5 meeting.

NASHVILLE - Determined to smooth the way for the receipt of contractor bids this month for construction of the Regency Estate sewer extension project, town council members are pursuing ownership of a lot on Regency Drive via eminent domain. The undeveloped lot, owned by a now defunct corporation, is needed for placement of a small pump station in order to connect 19 homes on Regency Drive with the town's sewer system.
The owner of record for the vacant property, located at 228 Regency Drive, is Clark Langley, which shut down in 2012, according to Randy Lansing, town manager.

Phase two of courthouse complex renovations, particularly on the 1986 addition between the two courthouses, began the week of Dec. 15. Starting with the roof, exterior repairs extended to masonry and windows, where poor construction quality and water intrusion caused vertical cracks up several outside building corners. All brick masonry on affected building sides had to be removed, while decayed windows are also being repaired. Work is underway now on buildings closest to Drake street.

SPRING HOPE - The issues of unapproved shipping containers, blighted properties and zoning violation fines go hand-in-hand for the town of Spring Hope, with residents so afflicted appearing at the Jan. 5 board of commissioners meeting to ask for help- or forgiveness- for their fines. Their answer about fines was the same: to waive them not possible - because of state statute - but it is possible for the town not to pursue the debt, with one option an enforceable lien on the property.

MOMEYER - After holding their last public meeting at an undisclosed location Jan. 8, apparently to avoid being videotaped for the town's You Tube channel, members of the Momeyer Outreach Committee are being called out for that action as illegal.
Will Funderburg, Mayor, brought up the topic at the Jan. 12 town council meeting, stating that "there seems to be confusion" about the committee's status as a public body, which means that their meetings have to be public.

The Nashville Graphic learned of the unexpected passing of a long-time Nashville family physician, Dr. Broderwick Bello, however there were no details nor an obituary available at press time.
Out of respect for Dr. Bello's family during this unsettled time due to his sudden death, The Graphic will pause to await accurate details of his passing and his obituary.

SPRING HOPE- A potential extension of the "grace period" for Spring Hope water users was the topic of some pointed conversation at the Jan. 6 town meeting, but the billing policy ended up being left "as is" by unanimous vote.
Requested as an agenda item by new commissioner Antonio "Danny" Toney, the discussion centered on the town's current water billing system. Its bills are mailed out the first of the month, reflecting service given the prior month, with payment due on the 20th.

NASHVILLE- The annual Martin Luther King Day Service in Nashville, planned by the Nashville Willing Workers and the Nash County Democratic Precinct Cluster, is planned at noon on Martin Luther King Day, Monday Jan. 19.
The free event will be held at the O.D. Moore building at 808 S. Alston Street and includes lunch. Guest speaker will be Pastor James Gailliard of Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount. Galliard is also a former Representative from the North Carolina House 25th district, serving from 2019 to 2023.