Top 10 List: Better Things Than New City Hall
August 6, 2017
DougMaynard.com

The big talk all around Laurinburg and Scotland County right now is the possible new City Hall that our City Council is trying so hard to have built and that our Mayor, and roughly 98% of the rest of Laurinburg, oppose. I don’t know anyone personally, aside from those on the City Council, who lives in this town and is in favor of building a new City Hall and Police Station. And I talk to a lot of people, through both my volunteer and my real job, each and every day. It’s a bad idea, pure and simple. If Laurinburg was thriving, as we were twenty years ago, with jobs, new industry, etc., things would be different. But all we have now in Laurinburg is high unemployment, no new businesses, buildings sitting empty and falling apart, high taxes, streets that flood regularly, high crime and a major drug problem. It’s not the time to go on an ego trip and splurge on something we don’t need, especially when it’s the citizens of Laurinburg that will have to pay the price. If the City Council wants to spend $10,000,000.00 on something, make it something that will benefit our community, help create jobs, help lower our crime rate and bring new industry to our town. Forget about the ego trip and delusional plans of a new Taj Mahal on West Church Street. Laurinburg doesn’t need it. Our citizens don’t need it or want it. And since we’re the one’s footing the bill, it should be the call of the people of Laurinburg, not five talking heads drunk with power, ignoring what their constituents are saying and telling them to do.

Anyhow, I was thinking that if the City Council really wants to do something to help Laurinburg, there are better ways. And I’ve sat down and off the top of my head, come up with ten of them. Some are serious and some are not, but truthfully, each and every one of these things would be better for Laurinburg and do more for the citizens than this crazy “New City Hall” idea ever will.

Top Ten Things Better For Laurinburg
Than A New City Hall…

10. Community Outreach Programs: Something to reach out to the people of Laurinburg and help with things like broken families, drug addiction, mental health issues, etc. Be it a group of volunteers, led by trained counselors, Laurinburg has so many people with issues, a great deal of which could be helped if they only had someone to talk to and to be there for them, just to listen.

9. Sonic: I love their foot longs, but I hate driving all the way to Rockingham when I have that craving. The empty lot where McDonald Brothers used to be would be perfect for a place like this. So would the corner next to Auto Zone across from the Kangaroo. I want me a foot-long… in Laurinburg.

8. Jobs: Create an incentive program to lure new jobs to Scotland County and Laurinburg. If it takes tax breaks, so be it. Scotland County has the highest unemployment rate in North Carolina and a new City Hall isn’t going to lure employers to our town. Showing them that Scotland County has potential to grow and that they can thrive here is what is needed.

7. Recreation Center: A place for kids to go after school and get off the streets. A place to give adults something to do at night, like line dancing or having classes. A place that can be rented out for dances, wrestling shows, and other events. A place that provides tutoring for young people having trouble in school. So many pros and nary a con in sight. This really needs to happen.

6. 24 Hour Grocery stores: After midnight in Scotland County, we have one option for shopping and that’s the Kangaroo concenience store. What if you work all the time and haven’t had time to grocery shop. What if you have a craving for ice cream or a piece of chicken? This actually falls under the “jobs” deal, but instead of spending ten million dollars to build a new City Hall, why not spend a fraction of that and lure a twenty-four hour grocery store to come to Scotland County?

5. Chinese Restaurant that delivers: This needs to happen. Laurinburg needs this so badly and it would benefit far more people than a pretty new building that we can’t even walk into ever could. I want me some egg rolls.

4. A Giant Ball of Twine: I can’t remember the name of the City (and I’m too lazy to look it up), but there is a town that advertises that they have the world’s largest ball of twine. It’s a tourist attraction and people come to see it. They spend money in the town and help businesses because there is something there that interests them. So where are the tourist attractions here in Laurinburg. We have the Scottish Games and the John Blue Festival, but we could have so much more. Re-open the Indian Museum and promote it strongly to bring people to Laurinburg. Turn the Charles Barrett Building, currently the City Hall that they don’t want, into a historical center that promotes all of Laurinburg and Scotland County. Promote St. Andrews as the attraction it should be. Governor Terry Sanford and Jazz great Dizzy Gillespie are both historical Laurinburg natives. Build on that and create attractions dedicated to their memories. Just create events and things that will bring people here and not waste time on buildings that will only be appreciated by 5 people.

3. Lower Tax Rate: Borrowing money to build buildings that no one wants will not lower our tax rates and most likely, will cause them to increase over time. Scotland County and Laurinburg already have the highest property tax rates in North Carolina and that’s one of the reasons why businesses are leaving, citizens are moving away and why no one wants to come here. If the City Council wants to help this town, find a way to lower the tax rate. Find a way to offer tax incentives to new businesses and people interested in moving and settling down here in Scotland County. It may cost some money, but at least with tax incentives, there would be some return and eventual gain, something that a new multi-million dollar mansion is not going to do.

2. Neighborhood Revitalization: All of the old and abandoned houses need to be removed. The overgrown yards need to be taken care of. The roads full of pot holes and trash that flood with every rain need to be repaired. The empty buildings on Main Street and all over Laurinburg need to be occupied. A team needs to be put in place to take care of things like this, promptly and efficiently. There are parts of Laurinburg that look like pure hell and this reflects badly on the whole town and needs to be fixed. Money for something like this would definitely have a better benefit on our town and also help restore pride and respect, something that our town is in dire need of. That’s also something a new Taj Ma(city)Hal could never do.

1. Statue of Eugene (RIP) for Downtown: Remember Eugene? Everyone knew him and he was a huge part of our downtown area for years. Love him or hate him, you couldn’t help but notice him. A truly distinct and unique character. And if anyone deserved to be remembered and honored as part of Laurinburg, he would be the one. And yes, I know the idea of a statue is crazy, but Eugene was far more representative of the people of Laurinburg than any of the five members of the City Council are. And a statue surely makes more sense than a ten-million dollar mansion. He deserves it more and it would be a far better investment.

Bottom Line: No New City Hall for Laurinburg. If they want to spend money, these are just a few ideas for consideration. Or just better yet – don’t spend any extra money and try to actually concentrate on making Laurinburg a better place instead. Work FOR the people instead of against us. Something to think about, right?

When I had the idea for this, I was planning on doing comedy and trying to be funny. I guess it didn’t work out that way. My bad! Some things I guess can’t be joked about that much. Comments and thoughts welcome.  Have a great one and I’ll catch you later.

Ubuntu!