Aug. 26 - Sept. 1, 2016
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996
Clerk promoted to town administrator, finance officer Citizen ousted from meeting after protesting council’s decisionmaking process by JESSICA WATERS STOKESDALE – Stokesdale officials, in a 4-1 vote, promoted Kim Hemric to the position of town administrator on Aug. 11. Hemric, who has served as town clerk since February of this year and who had no government administration experience prior to her employment with the Town, was sworn
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in as the town administrator and finance officer during the town council’s monthly meeting; her appointment followed a contentious exchange between Mayor Randy Braswell and Stokesdale resident Tim Shields. Council member Tim Jones was the sole dissenting vote against Hemric’s appointment. The published agenda for the Aug. 11 meeting included notice of a “Report on progress of town administrator job description;” the agenda item did not indicate there would be discussion of
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Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
Stokesdale Town Clerk Kim Hemric (left) was promoted to the position of town administrator and sworn in as the town’s finance officer by Mayor Randy Braswell on Aug. 11.
Over and around, trail makes its way Talk of lawyers and eminent domain doesn’t seem productive considering that council has twice altered the route in partial consideration of landowners who don’t want the project within their boundaries.” Scott Whitaker, Summerfield town manager
Town manager, council members respond to questions about route selected for southern alignment of A&Y Greenway by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield Town Council member Dianne Laughlin wants it known that she is in favor of extending the A&Y Greenway through the town; however, after presented with three alternatives for the trail route at the Aug. 9 town council meeting, both Laughlin and council member Reece Walker cast the two opposing votes to the “green” route which their fellow
council members ultimately approved 3-2. Laughlin said she opposed the green route out of concerns for the safety of trail users who will need to cross over U.S. 220 at its intersection with Strawberry Road to continue along the trail.
IN THIS ISSUE Your Questions .................... 4 Stokesdale Town Council .. 6 Crime/Incident Report ..... 10 Community Calendar ...... 11 School sports..................... 15 Letters/Opinions ............... 16 Grins & Gripes ................... 16 Classifieds ......................... 18 Index of Advertisers ......... 23 NWO on the Go ................ 24
“There was a lot of information presented that night and I felt I needed more time to absorb all of it,” she said, and then added that she appreciates all the hard work the Trails and Open Space Committee has done over the last few years to bring the trail to this point. Walker said he also strongly supports the trail. “I know that as an elected official I am accountable to the citizens of Summerfield. I feel a need to explain why I voted the way I did at the
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BACK TO SCHOOL Many students have already started the school year, but those attenting public schools on a traditional schedule will start Monday, Aug. 29.