Northwest Observer I Feb. 14 - Feb. 20, 2019

Page 1

Feb. 14 - 20, 2019

bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996

www.nwobserver.com

Judge grants stay in Rotruck’s latest lawsuit by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – A decision in Todd Rotruck’s most recent lawsuit relating to his removal from the Summerfield Town Council last spring is on hold, pending his appeal to a local judge’s order last October being heard by the N.C. Court of Appeals. The latest lawsuit, in which current council member Dianne Laughlin is named as the defendant, is one of several that Rotruck’s attorney and business partner Marsh Prause has filed on his behalf since the Guilford County

Board of Elections (BOE) voted unanimously last April that Rotruck had not established permanent residency in Summerfield; based on the board’s decision, Guilford County’s attorney and Summerfield’s town attorney agreed Rotruck was not eligible to hold office in Summerfield and his council seat was immediately vacated. In response, Rotruck filed a lawsuit April 25 against the Town of Summerfield for removing him from the town council. The following day, Rotruck filed

...continued on p. 9

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

A flashing speed limit warning sign near the entrance to Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center on N.C. 68 was one of two such signs placed in the area to help enforce last December’s reduction of the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph on a nearly mile-long stretch through Oak Ridge. For details, see story on p. 18

Council meeting takes downward turn… again The refusal of the mayor and council member Pegram to sign a nondisclosure agreement draws criticism from the town attorney, bickering and no resolution by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield Mayor Gail Dunham and coun-

IN THIS ISSUE News in brief....................................... 2 Oak Ridge Council Meeting ............ 6

cil member Teresa Pegram have refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) stating they won’t disclose proprietary information about town business to the public.

tively uneventful monthly meeting turned into a verbal brawl pitting Dunham and Pegram against Town Attorney Bill Hill, who was backed up by O’Day.

Rezoning request approved ............. 7

Other council members have signed the agreement. At the council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday councilman John O’Day asked Dunham and Pegram why they’re refusing.

It took a Summerfield resident rising from the audience of about 10 people to rein in the fighting.

Business Notes ................................. 12

Council members, the mayor and town attorney dredged up hard feelings stemming from a

Classifieds .........................................19

Suddenly what had been a rela-

...continued on p. 17

February: When the ‘love bug’ bites ...8 Calendar Events ................................10 Crime/Incident Report .....................11 Student profiles .................................14 Grins & Gripes ...................................16 Index of Advertisers ........................ 23 NWO on the Go! .............................. 24


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.