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Long dry
spell continues
Stricter
water conservation measures could come soon
By Milburn Gibbs
Even with
some rainfall over the past week, Siler City’s Charles L. Turner
Reservoir is down 84 inches — or seven feet, according to town
manager Joel Brower.
If the water
level drops another two feet, the town will enact mandatory water
rationing.
"The ground
is so dry," Brower said Monday morning. "Streams are down. It will
take a continued rain to help us much. The tributaries are up just
slightly."
Brower also
noted that the Randleman Dam and the Turner Dam are the only two
dams built recently.
Last month,
Siler City implemented voluntary water restrictions.
When the
water level in the reservoir is down as much as five feet, a water
usage restriction automatically goes into effect.
Since
September 9, the town has asked all users of the town’s water system
to voluntarily reduce the amount of water they consume.
The request
applies to household as well as industrial users, and is being
requested due to loss of water storage capacity as a result of
prolonged drought conditions and pessimistic long range weather
forecasts.
The town is
requesting that each household, business, and industry reduce water
consumption by as much as possible, but at least 20 percent, by
taking conservation measures including:
l. Eliminate
all watering of lawns, gardens, shubbery, flowers or other
vegetation.
2. Eliminate
washing of automobiles and other similar outdoor equipment.
3. Eliminate
washing of all outside areas such as sidewalks, patios or driveways,
or to use water for other similar purposes.
4. Eliminate
water use for any decorative fountain pool or pond.
5. Restrict the hours of
operation of water-cooled air conditioners or other equipment that
does not recycle cooling water. If possible, this type of equipment
should not be operated unless health or safety is adversely
affected.
more- See
Thursday,
Oct. 1,
2009
edition
County
discusses landfill with state
By Randall Rigsbee
Chatham
County commissioners met with a state official last week as they
continue to explore the possibility of creating a local landfill to
meet the county’s solid waste disposal needs.
While the
county board hasn’t made a formal decision to build a landfill,
commissioners continue to express interest in it. Discussing the
matter in August, commissioner Carl Thompson said moving forward
with a landfill is a "no-brainer."
"I think our interest is
still to move forward, at some point at least," board chairman
George Lucier said after commissioners met last week with Ed Mussler,
permitting branch supervisor with the state’s Division of Waste
Management.
more- See
Thursday,
Oct. 1,
2009
edition
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Lee Moody photo
A
pumpkin for a canvas
Grace Walters let her
creative juices flow at the annual Pumpkin Festival at Hart's
Pumpkin Farm near Goldston, adding a touch of color to a small
pumpkin. Pumpkin painting was just one of the many activities
available to folks who attended the event.
Business leader urges action for helping town
By Randall
Rigsbee
Stressing the need for
strong leadership in both the public and private sector to reverse
what he says is the deterioration of Siler City, prominent local
businessman Richard Fox has written a letter to elected officials
and business leaders urging corrective action.
In a telephone interview
Monday, Fox, a Chatham County native, said he is deeply concerned
about Siler City’s future.
Fox’s business investments
in Siler City include launching Best Foods grocery store in 1978,
Best Foods Cafeteria in 1989 and Hayley Bales steakhouse in 1992.
Fox also owned the local
Remax franchise from the nineties through 2005.
With his son-in-law Bill
Fields, Fox has also built approximately 100 spec houses in the
area.
"I’m not trying to cause
problems," said Fox, referring to the letter he composed and sent to
approximately 30 business leaders and Siler City’s elected
officials.
Rather, Fox said he is
trying to stir interest in making Siler City "a great place to do
business and live."
Fox said one outcome he’d
like to see from his letter, which he titled "The Future of Siler
City," is perhaps the formation of a group of business leaders
willing to brainstorm and work to make the town’s future promising.
"Having lived in Chatham County all my life,
I feel a need to express my concerns about the future of Siler
City," Fox writes. "Also having seen how much we have gone
backwards, I feel something must be done to improve our town."
more- See Thursday,
Oct. 1, 2009
edition
New plan for old hospital progressing
By Randall Rigsbee
The former Chatham Hospital,
located at 300 N. Ivey Street, is one step closer to becoming a
senior citizen retirement and assisted living facility. It will be
converted into Chatham Retirement and Assisted Living LLC, owned by
David A. Thomas, Jr.
The Town of Siler City’s
Planning Board conducted a Special Meeting on Monday, September 28
in the City Hall Courtroom on the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for
Thomas’ proposed project.
Siler City Director of
Planning Jack Meadows listed some items that will be added to the
CUP, including the addition of awnings and canopies to the building.
Meadows said the town’s Land Use Plan
allowed the building to be public and institutional usage. All
building codes must be met. A sidewalk bordering W. Third Street on
the property will be required. No more than six units per acre are
allowed.
more- See Thursday,
Oct.
1,
2009
edition
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