(March 22, 2018) The Snow Hill Town Council discussed the following items at its public meeting at the old train station on Belt Street last Tuesday:

Ethics updated

The council voted unanimously to approve an amendment to chapter 16 of the town code, on public ethics.

Trish Goodsell, assistant to the town manager, said the new code would incorporate into its ethics rules changes required by legislation of House Bill 879, which was enacted during the 2017 legislative session.

She said the changes included preventing former elected officials from lobbying “in a matter that is subject of legislative action” for one calendar year after the official has left office. It also restricts public access to home addresses on certain financial disclosures and “alters the contents of financial statements to include only indebtedness to entities doing business with the town unit or department.”

A first reading for the ordinance was held last month.

The vote was 2-0 with one member, Jenny Hall, not present.

Slow down

West Martin Street resident Andrew Richards said speeding motorists were wreaking havoc in his neighborhood.

“I’ve lost one animal to it [and] there are several children on the street. There is a huge lack of speed limit signs in the town,” he said. “With the children and the pets that are out on the streets, someone is going to get seriously hurt.”

He asked for more signs displaying the residential speed limit in town, 25 miles per hour.

“I’ll take care of it,” Public Works Director Randy Barfield said. “How many would you like to have and how many streets?”

Mayor Charlie Dorman said Police Chief Tom Davis would also increase patrols.

AGH stops by

Atlantic General Hospital President and CEO Michael Franklin provided an annual presentation to the council.

Among the items Franklin discussed was mental health, which he said was underserved in the state. Locally, he said there were only three providers in Worcester County.

That will soon change though. Code Enforcement Officer Jon Hill said Community Behavioral Health would soon take over the old Oscar Purnell House.

Based in Salisbury, the practice includes psychologists and child psychologists, as well as neurologists and addictions counselors.

Museum update

Julia A. Purnell Museum Executive Director Dr. Cindy Byrd said a spring reception at the museum would be part of the First Friday festivities in April.

She said the museum, currently celebrating its 75th anniversary, would be opening and serving refreshments and showing off “all the new things that we’ve been working on since our last reception.”

Book update

Byrd said work on a new cultural history book commissioned by the town is progressing well.

“We’ve started, jumping in with both feet,” she said. “We are busy … but we’re working really hard and taking this project by the horns. We’ve contacted several women in the community who are helping up and we’re happy with the way it’s going.”

Former Salisbury University professor Dr. Clara Small was previously hired to work on the project, but that agreement was not fulfilled.

Dorman said the town attorney contacted her attorney “and told him we would like to see what she has done, or we’d like to have our money returned.”

“The two attorneys are now talking,” Dorman said. “We sent her a letter and she wouldn’t talk to our attorney without an attorney … so we are trying to get it back.”

Upcoming events

Dorman said upcoming events include the Fifth Friday Festival and corn hole tournament on March 30. Town offices will be closed that day in observance of Good Friday.

He said budget work sessions were scheduled on March 27 and 28.

Bonnie, a former UPS truck driver, is retiring, Dorman said.

“They’re just having a get together to say thank you on March 22 at the Blue Dog at 4:30. It’s open to the public, so everybody just say goodbye to Bonnie,” Dorman said.

Additionally, a teacher of the year ceremony will be held on April 6 at the Blue Dog Café on 300 North Washington Street.