Robbinsville – The county seat is one step closer to adopting an ordinance that would charge those caught sleeping on public sidewalks, streets and benches.
But no matter which side of the proposal you are on, fret not: You will have a chance to make your voice heard.
As part of the board meeting on Monday, April 5, the Town of Robbinsville will hold a public hearing about the ordinance, which has been discussed for months and went through several revisions concerning the language included in the document. The board of aldermen sought to draft the proposal in the wake of residents who expressed both concern and fear about individuals who have been observed sleeping within the town limits on benches, including locations on Rodney Orr Bypass and in downtown.
“Let’s see what the public has to say,” Alderwoman Debbie Beasley said during the town’s March 8 meeting. “They’re the ones that reached out to us and their voice is important.”
Davis and Mayor Shaun Adams both pointed out how cautious the municipality has been about even writing an ordinance, citing a pair of cases in both Asheville and Boise, Idaho – which each drew attention after challenges were filed in the wake of arrests related to sleeping in public.
“There’s no clear answer,” Davis said. “The reason these court orders have occurred is because you have to have somewhere for them to go.”
Expounding on the double-edged sword, Davis said the nearest homeless shelter is the Hurlburt-Johnson Friendship House in Murphy, which serves as a halfway home.
Included in the regulation of the ordinance are definitions on what exactly is deemed a “public place;” the removal of anyone being a “public nuisance;” and what it means to be questioned for “loitering.”
If adopted, the town’s ordinance will follow these guidelines:
* No person over age 18 will be allowed to sleep in any public place within Robbinsville’s city limits from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. However, a second regulation notes that anyone can sleep in their vehicle without violating the ordinance, as long as the vehicle is properly parked;
* If anyone is caught sleeping in public, a Graham County sheriff’s deputy can ask for compliance with the ordinance, or arrest the violator for refusing or neglecting to obey and charge them with a misdemeanor.
Other news and notes
* Also at the meeting, the board tabled the idea of appointing an alderman to fill the vacant seat left by Brian “Taco” Johnson, who resigned in January. However, the town is working to craft an application for those interested in the role;
* All that stands between the town and a cool $2.2 million in Appalachian Regional Commission funding is the finalization of a local property-owner’s tax appraisal.
As of the March 8 meeting, the aldermen said the assessment simply had not arrived yet, but Joel Storrow with McGill Associates was optimistic about securing the grant.
“We can’t go to the next step until we get this finalized and returned back to Washington,” Storrow said. “But that’s really good news. We’ve already cleared some really big hoops to get here.”
Storrow added that the Appalachian Regional Commission does not typically award 100 percent of a grant request, the commission expressed interest in making an exception due to the funds being asked for during the pandemic.
Additionally, Storrow helped the town apply for – and receive – $75,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, which will allow the town to do a thorough examination of the stormwater system in place underneath Rodney Orr Bypass. If addressed, the town will finally be able to solve the mystery of what has kept Ford Street waterlogged for so long.