I live north of Clayton and just learned that Archer Lodge wants to incorporate and become a town. It sounds wierd, but the so-called leaders of the Town effort said basically that there is nothing really developed in the Archer Lodge community and they wanted to preserve it and save their history. My problem is that I live over two miles from the Archer Lodge intersection and they want to ANNEX my subdivision and charge me a Town property tax while providing absolutely nothing that we don't already have. If they want to form a Town, why not incorporate NO MORE than a mile from the intersection and start off small, rather than trying to become Clayton overnight? They are asking to START their town with more residents than currently reside in Benson, Four Oaks, Kenly, Micro, Pine Level, Princeton, OR Wilson's Mills! Frankly, if I am to be annexed into a town, I would prefer Clayton (with police-fire-sanitation-recreation-etc.) over an Archer Lodge with nothing.
Dang. I don't see how they can do that without incorporating. They will have to provide City Water and Sewer. They don't have that kind of capitol. I think it's a joke.
I am not clear on the details, and I should be since I am also affected. But seems as though Archer Lodge is trying to keep from becoming part of the Town of Clayton. Lesser of two evils in my opinion, I moved to the county for a reason. There is a public meeting coming up, I saw it on the Archer Lodge FD billboard the other day, but can't remember when it is, but it's soon. Nope, SS, it's not a joke.
Riverwood is INSIDE Clayton Town limits so the annexation / incorporation could not include that area. The meeting was Monday night (Veteran's Day holiday), but I missed it. The group appointed their first Mayor and Town Council members already, and said they would get about $175,000 annually from estimated property taxes to be levied which will cover anticipated town costs, including administration. Archer Lodge supposedly will later provide: (1) Fire protection (already have Archer Lodge Volunteer Fire Dept.) (2) Police protection (already have Johnston Co. Sheriff's Department) (3) Zoning (already have zoning in the Clayton ETJ and from Johnston Co.) (4) Water distribution (already have county-wide water system) (5) Solid waste disposal (already handled by contract with private vendor). I hate to pay any more taxes just to "preserve" Archer Lodge by paying them to administer nothing that I don't already have. I think they have to get a petition now with signatures from a (small) percentage of the proposed new Town residents, then it goes to the Legislature.
if you believe they can provide all these services for $175.000 anually i have some property in the everglades to sell you. mr. vinson is on a ego trip and full of bull. your taxes will be much more if you expect these services. "preserve archers lodge"? how much does archers lodge mean to most residents in this part of johnston county. if you live in the proposed area and oppose this action i suggest you contact your state senator and representatives. immediately!
They just can't form together and say "HEY, we are a town!!". They have to have COunty approval, meet zoning conditions, and with the state. It's not that cut and dry. They can not levy anything legally. Until they have a right to do it.
community calendar says the 26th http://www.localendar.com/elsie?JSP...e=11/01/07&calendar_id=289921&rss_link=289921 http://www.archerlodge.org/
I wonder if Flowers Plantation will be effected? My subdivision is real close to Archer Lodge, as we live in the back of Flowers. Around the corner is Archer Ldoge Fire Station which is real close to us.
It's a bad idea I think that money is behind this effort to incorporate Archer Lodge. They are including a bunch of subdivisions to maximize their taxation income. The map in the Clayton paper Wednesday showed them going out almost 3 miles from the Archer Lodge intersection and I think they are biting off way more than the taxpayers can chew! They will go need to go after Riverwood Golf community and the Loop Rd subdivisions as well as the Flowers Plantation and surrounding areas as soon as they get to be a town. They should start small and only incorporate the Archer Lodge area as they only recently got the first traffic signal (at Buffalo & Covered Bridge Rds) and now they want to jump to being the 4th largest municipality in the county. Forming a town "to block Clayton and Wendell" (neither which are planning to annex the area) is just a bad idea. It could be worse than the property transfer tax for those of us that live in the vicinity.
If Archer Lodge becomes a city, two of my best deer hunting spots will be inside the Town! Will I still be allowed to hunt with landowner's permission or will it be illegal inside of the town? I hope they decide not to incorporate. I like Archer's Lodge crossroads just as it is now, with a store and a stop light.
Riverwood AC and the GC are in the Clayton city limits. I doubt Clayton gives that up. Fred will do something about that. since he lives at the GC.
