MAXTON — The Maxton Board of Commissioners moved forward Tuesday with its long-range goal of making entryways into the the community attractive.

The commissioners unanimously approved spending $12,000 to have a home at 108 W. Graham St., known as the Burch Property demolished and the property cleared. According to Town Manager Kate Bordeaux, the property has become an eyesore and in October the board had advised her to pursue legal condemnation and get bids for the cost of demolishing the home.

Bordeaux said the demolition work will be done by Ralph Nance and Son of Chadbourn. Bordeaux told the board the $12,000 will be put as a lien on the property tax bill and “hopefully” when the property is sold the town will recoup the cost of cleaning up the property.

Bordeaux said granite steps and two smokehouses in the backyard will be spared.

In another matter, Ronisha Hammonds, a volunteer recruiter for Robeson County Guardian Ad Litem, told commissioners that there is a need for volunteers to serve as advocates in the court system for children who have been neglected, abused and removed from their homes for their protection. There are currently 300 children from Robeson County in the court system and only 50 volunteers to assist them, Hammonds said.

Hammonds said that the next training session for volunteers begins on March 27. Classes meet once a week for five weeks.

Volunteers are required to work eight hours a month.

“This is a great way to help the kids in the community and we need your help,” Hammonds said.

In other business, the commissioners:

— Recognized Myra Tyndall, the town’s finance director, as Maxton’s Employee of the Month. Tyndall has worked for the town for 11 years.

— Heard concerns from Commissioner Elizabeth Gilmore about a lack of available housing for homeless people living in Maxton. She said something must be done to provide for those who are just “walking the streets.”

“I am going to do whatever I can,” she said. “We need to be advocates for the homeless.There must be something we can do to find housing for those who are homeless.”

Kate Bordeaux
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_kate-bordeauxindex.jpgKate Bordeaux

By Bob Shiles

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Bob Shiles can be reached at 910-416-5165.