A request to begin a process which would culminate in the closing of Coggins Road in New London was presented to county commissioners by Jimmy Faust of Culp Lumber Company and attorney Will Taylor.

Faust explained the current entrance to Culp Lumber, on old U.S. Highway 52 near the intersection with N.C. Highway 8, accommodates more than 500 tractor-trailer loads of logs, by-products and finished lumber weekly, with about 75 percent of incoming loads arriving from south of the lumber yard.

“When the bypass of U.S. 52 was built around New London, our owner, Hank Culp, decided that we should not route our trucks through town and by the school (now Tarheel Challenge Academy),” said Faust. “So he requested trucks coming from the south go past New London on U.S. 52, and turn back down Old 52 to reach us. That added about a mile and a half to the routes of trucks coming from the south.”

But not all trucking companies were willing to go the extra mile and a half, said Faust.

“We can’t force trucks from outside companies to go that extra distance,” he said. “So by closing Coggins Road, which runs between our property and U.S. 52, we can put in a direct entrance that will bring trucks straight into our facility from 52.”

Swain noted adoption of a resolution at the meeting would not immediately close the road, but would serve to begin the closure process, which was explained in detail by Lucas.

“The resolution would be the first step in a process which would require that we advertise our intentions to request the road closure,” said Lucas. “That would be followed by a public hearing. The commissioners would then make a recommendation to the Department of Transportation Board based on the hearing. After that, the DOT would issue a notice of abandonment of road maintenance, after which the commissioners can issue an order that the road be closed.”

“We (Culp Lumber) would bear the cost of the closing,” added Faust, after which commissioners unanimously approved the closure process be initiated.
In other action:

• East Albemarle Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Krista McGuire introduced students Landon Eudy, Theodore Morton, Brianna Rincon and Camden Plyler, who read their award-winning essays on the greatest challenges facing Albemarle and Stanly County.

• Representatives of West Stanly FBLA and Stanly Community College and Pfeiffer University Phi Beta Lambda chapters recognized Nancy Bowers of Albemarle Nutrition as their “Businessperson of the Year,” in addition to requesting commissioners proclaim the week of Feb. 4 as “Future Business Leaders Week” in Stanly County.

• Commissioners authorized Tax Administrator Clinton Swaringen to advertise liens for $1,930,361 in unpaid property and motor vehicle taxes.