"I don't think we're getting the services we should for our tax dollars," Wood said. "I'm going to proceed with the petition. I wouldn't attempt it if I didn't think it would benefit the people of Ronda. I will take whatever steps are necessary to move forward with the dissolution."
"Wood just doesn't like paying his taxes," Mayor of Ronda, Victor Varela said. "We have a lot of exciting things planned for the town. Wood quit attending the commissioner meetings several months ago and doesn't come to the closed business sessions, he just comes to sit in the audience and heckle us.
He has a lot of residents worried and his chances are slim to none that he could get this done," he said. "He's planning on presenting this to the county board of commissioners and it has to be presented to the General Assembly. There would have to be three-quarters of the general assembly to vote to dissolve the town and I don't think that's going to happen."
The town of Ronda has a debt service on the water system, obligations with grants with the AARA to extend the water line to the Pleasant Hill community, as well as Powell funds in reserve for the road improvement. These funds are in reserve until the sewer system is completed. The town expects to repave the roads after the completion of the sewer lines in order to preserve the road repairs.
"We also have a regional obligation with the Yadkin Valley Sewer Authority," Varela said. "We have garbage pick-up and were rolling out a recycling program. We also maintain the town parks and the cemetery and the town hall. We use the town hall not only for our meetings, but also for civic events and recreation. Wood is misstating the facts, and is just a lot of sour grapes."
The contention between the commissioners and Wood continues with Wood stating that he was told in order to not be a commissioner he would have to submit a letter of resignation. The school of government and the town's attorney has advised the commissioner's that Wood would be required to sign a letter of resignation to not be a commissioner. Wood can not be impeached and only removed through a serious violation of trust according to Varela.
Ronda is a town of approximately 600 residents, with 200 residences. The town is located in the Wilkes County District and is policed by the Wilkes County Sheriff's Department.
According to Varela, Ronda pays the Wilkes County sheriff's department $17 an hour for approximately 30 hours a week for coverage in town. The coverage includes some day time traffic coverage, with the concentration of coverage being the evening and night hours, when most crimes are committed.
Varela continued to say that with a town of 600 residents, the town could not afford a full time police department.
"We would need two to three officers, vehicles, equipment, firearms, salaries and benefit packages for the officers, as well as insurance, training and maintenance of the department. The county sheriff's provide us with adequate coverage."
Another of Wood's complaints is the lack of a town of Ronda fire department.
"We have an excellent volunteer fire department in Ronda, but not a town fire department," Wood said. "There are other issues with the commissioners and promises made and not kept also. Three years ago, the commissioners voted to build restrooms at the park. They agreed unanimously and nothing has been done. Two years ago, in 2007, they voted to build them again and still nothing. They did put port-a-potties there for a while, but not what they agreed to. We pay all these taxes and then the money doesn't give us the services we need."
The issue of restrooms is just one of the services that Wood feels the town of Ronda is lacking in funding.
"When I came into office in 2007, the restrooms at the park was just one of the issues I started looking into," Varela said. "The board had voted to build the restrooms but had given no budget for it. The restrooms aren't a quick project. We found out that we were looking at a price tag of anywhere from $25 - $35 thousand dollars. There are issues such as maintaining a restroom facility where the pipes won't freeze and making it as vandal proof as possible. In a town with an annual budget that averages $200,000 a year, that expense is considerable. Our projected budget for this year is only $180,00. I have talked to councilmen in other towns and have learned that you can get modular units where you have to have a poured concrete pad to place them on. This situation could be a solution that costs a lot less money and I have just began to look into those as well as looking for the funding to purchase them. Our economy has also played a role in the amount of available funds for the year."
The maintenance and repaving of roads throughout Ronda is also a matter of contention with Wood.
"We were supposed to have our roads repaved and that hasn't happened either," Wood said. "I believe the county could provide better services. We have a lot of great people here in Ronda and we deserve more than we're getting. We were promised that our ditches would be cleaned out and that hasn't happened either. Anyone who wants to sign this petition or talk to me about it can call me at 336-244-3587."
Varela continued by saying, "I'm 100 percent positive that if his nephew would have gotten a seat on the commissioner's board, he wouldn't be doing this. It's causing a lot of discontent and makes the job of governing more difficult. There are a lot of good things happening with Ronda."
"Let's keep Ronda the sprawling metropolis we've grown to know and love! Ok, maybe not sprawling. Or metropolis," said Mike Walker, Host/Producer "Saving The 70s". "Ronda was a great place to grow up. Lots of kids, including my cousins. Friendly people, everyone knew everyone. A church that was the center of lots of community activities (Ronda First Baptist). A public library that was small, but very nice. They even had 8 millimeter movies I could check out, and watch on my projector."
"We had Boy Scout Meetings at the Community Center, and the Scout Hut; my "Uncle James" was scoutmaster," Walker said. "Ronda was a great town for kids to walk, and ride bikes in. My grandfather was the Postmaster, and I could sit on the bench on the front porch of the old Post Office to read the paper. Or go inside, and watch all that goes on in a small-town Post Office behind the scenes.
There is still a factory, (Precision Fibers), textile, off 268 across from the old Chair Factory," he said. "There are a couple of stores. And the cafe which was built by my late uncle James Parks. Heck, it's a small town. It ain't Charlotte.
I could get a "pack of nabs" and bottle of Coke at Pardue Grocery and waste some time talking with Nannie and Colin. I could go into Ronda Hardware, the most wonderful old-fashioned hardware store you ever saw. My cousin and I would explore Roundabout Farm on weekends (we were welcome there...my dad worked there growing up, and my parents knew the Chathams well). We could walk up and down the railroad tracks looking for adventure. Even cross the bridge, and explore under it. It was as close to "Mayberry" as real life gets! I'll always love Ronda. My relatives who lived there have all passed on, but it'll always be a part of me."
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