Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hoke County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
7 issues with high priority
Sheriff's Department Budget Amendments
The sheriff moved $25,000 in forfeiture funds into equipment, won permission to buy more vehicles with leftover capital outlay funds, and the jail added $110,000 for transportation-team vehicles. Taxpayer money is funding it, but the sheriff argued it keeps officers and residents safe.
Jail and sheriff's office overtime shortfall
The sheriff told commissioners overtime is driven by growth and vacancies — two deputies left for higher-paying Raeford PD jobs — and moved $40,000 to cover November overtime, warning response times suffer when deputies are tied up on calls.
Event center nuisance complaints on Posey Farms Road
Kevin White returned three months after first complaining about noise and disruption from a neighboring event center, saying he's had no county response and now must take his kids to hotels on weekends; he was told the matter is now between attorneys.
Group Home Special Use Permits on Hector McNeill Road
Eight requests to run group homes on Highway Commercial-zoned parcels along Hector McNeill Road and Laurinburg Road were pushed to the November 16 meeting, so neighbors will have to wait for the hearing and vote.
Water Restrictions
The county leases the former prison's water system from the state but wants to own it before investing millions; commissioners also want state rules cleared so private partners can help build wells.
Tractor-trailer parking in residential neighborhoods
A Ravenwood resident asked for an ordinance banning semi-truck parking in neighborhoods, citing road damage, dumped motor oil near a future subdivision and watershed, and safety risks. Commissioners confirmed the 193-page zoning ordinance says nothing about it and directed the county attorney to help draft one.
Sheets gas station rezoning on Fayetteville Road
Commissioners approved rezoning half an acre at 8861 Fayetteville Road to Highway Commercial, likely bringing a Sheets convenience store and gas station near Cape Fear Valley Hospital. Neighbors from Woodbury subdivision worry about traffic on an already congested and accident-prone stretch of 401, 24-hour noise, and strain on the county's water supply — the county already buys water from PWC and has paused some building.