Mariel Williams
editor@mitchellnews.com
The Spruce Pine Town Council discussed concerns about the quality of tap water in the downtown area at its regular meeting last week.
The council met Monday, June 24. Council Member Wayne Peight brought up the issue as part of the “mayor/council requests/comments” section of the meeting agenda.
“After the break downtown, some of the residents down there are still seeing really brown water,” Peight said. “What appears to be happening is there’s a potential that there’s another leak. I talked to members of the Lower Street (Locust Street) community said that that happened previously when we found a leak on Upper Street.”
Peight suggested that there might be a leak that is pulling air and mud into the water lines.
“They’re getting air at times, [although] they have flushed their systems,” Peight said.
Town Manager Darlene Butler said that she would look into the problem. At the end of the week, Butler said that town employees were able to temporarily clear the water by flushing the system, but that was not a permanent fix.
“Our public works department has bled hydrants with temporary clearing of the water,” Butler said.
In order to find a permanent solution the town is seeking outside help to track down the source of the discoloration.
“We suspect there may be an unidentified leak that is stirring up the water,” Butler said. “We have contacted NC Rural Water, who has sophisticated leak location equipment, for assistance.”
Butler said the town will keep monitoring the situation in the meantime in order to make sure the discoloration does not lead to any health or safety problems.
“Discolored water is the problem. Since the discoloration has not resolved, we will be testing samples periodically at our water plant out of an abundance of caution,” she said. “Should any test have unsatisfactory results, a boil advisory would be issued.”
1st reading of noise code
The council also discussed three proposed updates to the city code, all related to nuisance ordinances.
Butler gave the first reading of a revised version of the town noise ordinance.
“It’s unlawful to create, cause or allow the continuance of any unreasonably loud, disturbing or frightening noise, particularly during the nighttime,” Butler read. “It goes on to define nighttime as the time between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.”
The proposed code revisions address concerns about vehicle horns, loud vehicles, dogs, loudspeakers and other potential sources of loud noise. Butler described the ordinance as citizen “complaint-driven,” but stated that on occasion the Spruce Pine Police Department may initiate action against a loud noise without a citizen complaint.
Council Member Rocky Buchanan asked if the ordinance would specify the decibel levels that are permitted; Butler said that the ordinance is not that specific.
Because this was the first reading of the proposed change the council did not vote on the proposal.
1st reading of nuisance ordinance
The council also held the first reading of revisions to the town’s general nuisance ordinance.
“Again, this is a section of our current town code that has not been updated in many years,” Butler said.
If passed, this revised ordinance would address concerns about things citizens might consider a public nuisance, such as weeds allowed to grow 10 inches or more, accumulation of animal or vegetable material that smells or is attracting pests, trash accumulation, hazardous waste, combustible materials, stagnant water breeding mosquitoes, and other issues.
“It says, ‘Normally the town will allow 15 days from receiving the notice for abatement audit;’ it goes through the appeal process … and the town manager has 10 days to review the nuisance determination [and appeal],” Butler said of the proposed revision.
1st reading of junk car ordinance
The council heard the first reading of a proposed revision to Spruce Pine’s ordinance on abandoned, nuisance or junk vehicles.
The proposed ordinance defines abandoned or nuisance vehicles and what would make a vehicle exempt from the ordinance, with certain time limits.
Firm hired for stormwater assessment
The council also voted unanimously to hire Cary engineering firm WithersRavenel to assess problems with stormwater drainage and come up with an improvement plan.