Blue Bag Media
Citizens react to Council’s planned sidewalk project

GREENVILLE – Nearly two dozen residents – many of them clearly expressing frustration and anger – attended the Greenville City Council meeting July 1. They are residents of the Gardenwood-Rhoades Avenue area. They had attended the meeting due to Greenville’s Law Committee submitting (and Council accepting) a recommendation requiring a planned sidewalk construction project be partially funded by a grant and other revenues, but would also include an assessment on affected property owners. Estimated cost for the sidewalk would be $3,500 to $4,000 and the assessment would be over a five-year period.

Harold Stockslager presented a petition from homeowners with 44 signatures. Forty three opposed the action while only one affirmed it. He and others complained Council said it would hold a public hearing prior to moving ahead with the plan. He added they had received no notice of such a hearing being held.

Greenville Councilman Tracy Tryon told the audience the hearing hadn’t been held because they hadn’t seen the design yet. It isn’t completed. This probably won’t happen until fall with construction scheduled to begin in April 2015.

Greenville Mayor Mike Bowers said there had been one meeting held earlier but no one showed up. “We didn’t know,” came the quick response. “Then that’s on me,” Bowers said. Notice had been placed, but evidently in areas to which most residents had no access. “Decisions aren’t going to be made in a vacuum,” he added. “They will be made with community input...

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