The Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners held their first meeting of the new year on January 6, with the ethics policy and golf carts on town streets being the primary items of discussion.

Near the beginning of the meeting, board member Polly Goolsby requested that the Town of Walnut Cove Ethics Policy, a topic that upset her at the November 5 meeting, be moved from the consent agenda. The consent agenda generally contains non-controversial items that are bundled together for one vote, and Goolsby said she wanted to vote on this issue separately. Mayor John Hodgkin agreed to move the ethics policy to the business portion of the agenda, where it was briefly discussed.

Town Manager Homer Dearmin began by assuring the board that all of the changes from the December meeting had been incorporated into the new policy. Dearmin said in a phone interview that the policy basically clarifies the town’s chain of command, stating that people of the town should go to the town manager if they have complaints. If they have a complaint about the town manager or a board member, the issue will be taken to the town attorney who can hire an independent investigator to look at the matter. Dearmin said one issue raised at a previous meeting was the fear that a person who came to a commissioner with a complaint would be retaliated against, but he said that the policy included a section assuring that there would be no retaliation against whistleblowers.

Board member Lora Carter raised a question about the policy’s wording on the town attorney having control over independent investigations of town matters, which led to a minor wording change in the policy. Mayor Hodgkin then asked for a motion to approve the ethics policy as amended. Goolsby voted no to the policy, with the other board members voting in favor of the policy. Carter voiced her hesitation.

“[My vote] was affirmative, though I really think that the general statutes kind of set out what we’re supposed to do. I don’t really see the need for it…” Carter said.

The lengthiest item of discussion was the issue of golf carts on town streets. According to Hodgkin, a citizen raised this issue at an earlier meeting. The board went on to discuss if golf carts should be allowed on Walnut Cove’s streets. Dearmin had an example of the town of Benson’s golf cart plan on hand.

Board member Dr. Deborah Cowan said she knew people would like the gas aspect of using golf carts and that the carts might be easier for some older citizens to drive, but she asked if a golf cart plan would include personal mobility devices such as motorized wheelchairs.

“I always worry that someone’s going to get run over,” said Cowan.

The board agreed that personal mobility devices are a big issue for the town to consider. Hodgkin said he thought that having golf carts would not resolve that issue. Since personal mobility devices can be operated by hand, some people could drive those yet be incapable of operating golf carts.

“As I looked at communities that have a golf cart rule, they’re usually resort communities, beach communities, golf communities, and it makes a lot of sense there. I don’t see a lot of use or a lot of opportunity for use of golf carts in the Walnut Cove community,” said Hodgkin.

“I think there is that issue of safety for the person in the golf cart, the wheelchair, the hovercraft, whatever, but I also think there is an equal safety [issue] for the person driving the car,” said board member Kim Lewis. She also brought up the point that often those as young as 12 years old can legally drive golf carts, which concerns her.

Hodgkin said, “What we really need is more sidewalks and designated lanes for [personal mobility device drivers]…”

Cowan: “I have to agree. The golf cart thing sounds very appealing because of the gas saving, but as you say, we are not a resort area. We are pretty much a moving community, going back and forth...”

Hodgkin spoke for the board in saying that having a golf cart plan would not solve the town’s real mobility issues. The board agreed to table the issue, with personal mobility device drivers being the primary future focus.

“They need to be able to get to the stores if possible, and to do it safely,” said Hodgkin.

During the meeting, the board also unanimously authorized a resolution for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund Greenway Construction Grant. Dearmin explained that this resolution served as their endorsement for the grant application. If awarded, the roughly $165,000 grant would help the town of Walnut Cove in the first phase of its greenway construction project.

The board also unanimously approved allowing a public hearing date on Stokesburg United Methodist Church’s request to have the right of way at the end of Church Street in order to put a pathway around the cemetery.

Homer provided information on several town projects in his report, such as basketball goals being put up in London, the Fowler well grant being rejected by the Rural Center, Officer Scott Smith joining the Walnut Cove police department, and the progressing of the public library.

The next regular meeting will be on February 3 at 7 p.m. at the Walnut Cove Senior Center.