County Commissioner's Office

County Talk
By
Lamar Paris - Commissioner

Q. After the photo in the newspaper last week, several people have asked what was wrong with my arm since it was in a sling?
A.  During a basketball practice and again in a subsequent Anti-Drug Coalition charity basketball game with the Harlem Ambassadors, I tore my rotator cuff which required shoulder surgery. I have been required to wear a sling for 8 weeks and will begin rehab after that.  Everything is fine and I expect a full recovery in a few weeks.

There was another player who tore his knee up in practice and also required surgery.  I guess the moral of the story is that if you get asked to participate in a sporting event that you are no longer in shape to play, a simple “no” is the appropriate answer.  However, we had fun while it lasted.

Q.  What is the latest on Wal-Mart?
A.  The construction contract has been awarded to Bowen Construction. They will have their first sight visit (pre construction meeting) with the engineers and some sub contractors on April 22 and construction should begin soon after that. 

Q. Is the local economy looking better in Union County.
A. Yes it is.  While home and land sales are certainly slower than last year, they are still significant.   In January of 08, total real estate sales were $8,368,000. In February, they increased to $ 10,625,000 and in March of this year they increased again to $ 13,345,000 which comprised a total of 76 sales in March.  Hopefully we will see this trend continue as the weather warms, and the lake fills. 

Building permits are still lagging, but we had a total of 69 permits in January, 61 in February and 76 in March. Of the 76 permits in March, 24 were for new homes.  Others were for additions and repairs.  The Building Inspection department has been very busy as they made a total of 517 inspections in January, 465 in February and 484 in March.

Q.  There are several junk cars on the way to my house. Is there anything that can be done about them?
A. This is a question I hear a lot.  Yes, we have a junk car ordinance, but those that were pre-existing prior to the ordinance are grandfathered in.  So while the ordinance has certainly helped prevent the problem from getting much worse, it will just take time on others.  You also must remember, that all junk cars are not junk.  Many people utilize parts from them.  Currently, the high cost of steel makes them fairly valuable to sell as scrap metal.  We have at least three people in the county purchasing them and hauling them off.  Many of these cars have been removed,  but there are still plenty remaining.

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