Oriental Town Board Whines About Wal-Mart

At a spirited special meeting last night of the Oriental Town Board, a standing-room only crowd voiced overwhelming opposition to the planned Wal-Mart Express to be built just outside Town.

After a dozen citizens spoke, all but one opposing Wal-Mart, the Town Board considered an eight-page resolution drafted over the previous 36 hours by Commissioner Venturi. Commissioner Summers, in the only sensible move of the evening, moved to "table" the resolution until the Board's next meeting. His resolution didn't pass. The Board then recessed for fifteen minutes to read the resolution they had just refused to table.

After the recess, Commissioner Bissette moved to amend the resolution by deleting approximately two pages of the resolution. The amended resolution, essentially a lengthy whine asking Wal-Mart to play nice, was adopted.

If you think my characterization a bit harsh, you can read the resolution here:  http://www.townoforiental.com/vertical/sites/%7B8227B748-6F08-4124-B0ED-02789B9A2F82%7D/uploads/Too_-_Wal-Mart_Resolution.pdf

I agree with the commissioners who pointed out the Town has, at best, only limited powers in this case. Why is that? It is the result of decades of dithering and refusal to look aggressively to the future.

Examples:
Six years ago, the Long Range Planning Committee refused to even mention the possibility of expanding the Town by annexation. Such a move would be very much more difficult now;

In the 1990's, the Town sold its sewage treatment plant, rather than seeking state and federal funds to repair and modernize it. Result: the Town lost control over its future;

Six years ago, the Town made a poorly-conceived effort to remove a restriction on Extra Territorial Jurisdiction in Pamlico County. We wasted the support of our representatives in the state house and senate by a very clumsy approach;

And on and on.

We have an important municipal election coming up. Let's put some people in office who want to DO things.