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October 1, 2008
Avon residents discuss community safety issues
By SUSAN WEST  Avon residents discussed community safety issues Saturday morning, Sept. 27, at the Avon Volunteer Fire Department. Nearly 100 residents of the Hatteras Island community attended the meeting, organized by Jenn Auguston, Robin Ames, and Kenny Brite after two major structure fires occurred just several days apart in the village. “The second fire happened before the investigation of the first had been completed, so there has been a lot of concern in the village,” explained Brite. He said organizers hoped the meeting would be the first step in a grassroots effort to more effectively address community issues. Dare County Fire Marshall Doug Remaley, Emergency Medical Services director Steve Taylor, Dare County deputy Jack Scarborough, Board of Commissioners chairman Warren Judge, and vice-chairman Allen Burrus addressed the audience. Remaley reported on the structure fires in Avon. He said a criminal investigation into a house fire on North End Road is ongoing. The origin of a fire on Williams Road was determined to be accidental. Scarborough urged residents to take precautions to prevent larceny. He said simple measures, such as locking houses and vehicles and securing valuables, would go a long way in reducing larceny. He reviewed crime statistics and reported that the juvenile crime rate in Avon is not worse than in other places. Several residents expressed concern that a large group of young teenagers congregates on the roadside at night, blocking safe passage for vehicles and intimidating other young people. “Our kids here are good kids, but the problem is they have lots of time on their hands with nothing to do,” said Gracie Gray. Avon resident Bryan Gray recommended that the village look into forming a civic association. “I think we are seeing the disintegration of the culture we hold dear. We’re being reactive but we need to be proactive too,” he said. Warren Judge said Dare County could grant some taxing authority to a civic association. Stewart Couch, owner of Hatteras Realty, said that authority would enable the village to invest in facilities, such as a community center, more playgrounds or walkways, to improve the community. Allen Burrus said the county was ready to assist the village in developing solutions, but also urged parents to take personal responsibility. “Help is here if you want it, but take authority yourself. Be the parent, not the friend,” he said. Jan Laskow, Avon assistant fire chief, told the audience that the fire department could be the stage for strengthening community bonds. “We always need more volunteers, and the fire department is a great way to associate with other good folks. Sometimes a role model can be as close as the person sitting next to you, and can be a parent as much as a superstar,” Laskow said. A variety of county programs, such as New Horizons and Friends of Youth, sent representatives to the meeting. Many non-profits, including Yellowhouse Ministries and Locomotion, were also represented. After the meeting, Brite said the next step would likely be forming a small committee to explore suggestions made at the meeting. |
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