Residents gather to share their views on trash, traffic
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on August 29, 2007 1:45 PM
Neighbors around Elm Street gathered Tuesday night to tell officials a few things -- not liking garbage on Goldsboro's city streets among them -- as another city-sponsored neighborhood meeting was held.
"Everywhere you go there is trash," said Hilde Holloman of South Claiborne Street. "I had company from Germany last year. They could not believe how dirty Goldsboro is. Goldsboro's a pretty town, but the trash is horrible."
Joan Todaro agreed.
The Mulberry Street resident said drainage problems on town streets and trash problems go hand in hand.
"I think the drainage problem and the litter problem are one in the same," she said, adding pine straw that rolls down the street encourages littering.
She and her husband, who walk frequently, have started toting plastic bags with them to pick up litter.
"We figure we might as well do something worthwhile," Mrs. Todaro said.
Others, like Walnut Street resident Larry Monk, said neighborhood conditions have improved over the years.
So instead of raising concerns, he thanked Goldsboro police Chief Tim Bell.
"I used to walk outside and find crack bags on the street," Monk said. "I want to thank you for putting pretty much a stop to that. We don't even see the people we used to see at night hanging out there."
Monk added he wants to see Goldsboro follow other cities' leads by instituting a law about sagging pants and the boxer shorts revealed underneath.
"There should be a mandate about the pants sagging," he said.
Mary Rhoe liked the sound of that.
She said she's tired of seeing the "dropped drawers" of some youthful Goldsboro citizens.
"I get tired of seeing these children showing their tails," Mrs. Rhoe said.
And there were other concerns.
Fred Lomax, of Claiborne Avenue, said speeders on his street concern him, as does the noise of car stereos.
"These cars that come up my street at 2 and 3 a.m. are so loud that they vibrate me inside of my house," he said. "If they pull up next to you, it's actually painful."
Lomax added late night speeding concerns him -- that he estimated some recent drivers were traveling 60 mph in his neighborhood's 20 mph zone.
Jim Twiggs of South Spence Avenue, who said he moved to Goldsboro in 1986, had similar concerns.
"South Spence now is Wal-Mart expressway," he said. "The south side of Wayne County is coming through here. If everybody was driving 25 mph, that would be no problem."
The beauty of the streets was another issue discussed.
Jeffrey Westbrook of South Hillcrest Drive said he didn't understand why the intersection of Berkeley Boulevard and Spence Avenue always looked pristine compared to other spots.
"I think it's time for the city to address that," Westbrook said.