Pike Road mayoral candidate Mark Spurlin called a recent decision by the Pike Road Town Council to pass an ordinance pausing gas station construction for one year “posturing during election year.”
Members of the Pike Road Town Council passed an ordinance on Wednesday that pauses all new gas station construction for one year. The pause is supported by Pike Road Mayor Gordon Stone, who is running for re-election. Pike Road’s municipal election is August 26.
Spurlin, a political newcomer and local entrepreneur, told 1819 News, “Pike Road’s challenges are bigger than gas stations, and our citizens have been complaining about irresponsible growth for years.”
“The fact that city leaders are just now developing a long term plan for sustainable growth is completely unacceptable,” he continued. “This is posturing during election year to distract from years of complacency.”
Stone shot down the accusation of "posturing."
Stone told 1819 News, “The Town of Pike Road has been actively engaged in a comprehensive planning process since its earliest days. During the more than 25 years of the Town's existence, neither I nor any other elected officials have made decisions based on factors other than character, sustained value, sound fact-based analysis and the law.”
“A person who suggests any other motivation is either completely disconnected from how the process works or extremely misinformed. Putting a pause on making this decision so that highly skilled professionals can have time to add this to the work already being undertaken in the comprehensive planning process is the smart thing to do,” Stone said. “It is incredibly disingenuous for those who decline to participate in the planning process to play Monday morning quarterback.”
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