Boiling Spring Lakes resident is accusing neighbor of animal abuse

Well, well. According to the State Port Pilot the city of Boiling Spring Lakes is going after some folks for not paying fines. Interesting enough is, three of the individuals the city is suing are from claims from the city their properties violate code violations having to do with trash and basically being an eye sore. At the exact same time the city has not so much as written a citation to the neighbor of the lady in this story for his trash dump property or his violation of city codes having to do with his dog. One more fine example of the city picking and choosing who is represented and who is not. What is really odd is, some of the violations that city manager David Lewis has said do not exist are the very same ones they are using to sue others? I guess what Lewis is trying to say is, on this street it is a violation but that code does not exist on this other street. Cronyism and favortisum is at an all time high in Boiling Spring Lakes!

Lets sue the town....lets sue the nosey neighbor....lets sue the troublemaker..... What I'm waiting on is for Mr. Price to sue WWAY for Defamation of Character based on their poor investigative reporting. Before I put someone's name in a story such as this I would at least check the basic facts. Mr. Price does not live there anymore. Oh, and another thought. Has anyone checked the whereabouts of Michael Vick lately? The complainants on here make this sound like something he was involved with. They speak of mistreatment for years which is simply not the case. I know Mr. Price and the current tenant. Sure, the dog is kept on a chain in the yard, but they ARE cared for and loved. They may not have the proper tags displayed, but this isn't neglect for the dog, just the ordinance.....and that wasn't the original point of this article. Write them a citation for that if they want, but this is not animal abuse.

Today, the office of BSL city manager David Lewis received an email from PETA. A copy of that email went to the city clerk, the mayor, full council, the local Sheriff, Brunswick County D.A. and WWAY. That email supported the allegations made my this lady along with the allegations made by the local Humane society. PETA has over 2 million members. It remains to be seen if city manager with support of city council remains steadfast in ignoring the laws of the city and this state. This lady that has been vilified by a do nothing city has the full support of two huge organizations of professionals. Accordingly, BSL has been requested by our group to call in an independent investigation by the SBI as to any illegal acts by city officials. Let us see where that goes. Of course we have low expectations as we are asking the corrupt to police themselves up!

City manager David Lewis is a runaway train. He does exactly what he wants and never what he does not want. He has the full support of former mayor and now commissioner Joan Kinney. With that he has her puppet, Hank Troscianiec. Add to that the bought and paid for chief of police, and they continue to do as they please. This lady and her story is only the tip of a huge iceberg! Open your eyes BSL citizens, before it is too late!

To WWAY and Tim Pulliam, Mr Lewis has a knack for using smoke and mirrors and in his "off camera statement" to you he skirted past a fact he just did not want to talk about. If you look at the pictures you aired of the dog you would notice the dog does not have a collar on. Mr. Lewis has been advised by the Humane Society the problem with the heavy chain that is being used and the documentation from a veterinarian to back that up. But also the picture demonstrates a clear violation of a city ordinance. Here it is, taken directly from the BSL web site; "Sec. 3-54. Wearing of collars, tags. Every dog and cat shall be required at all times to wear a collar to which has been affixed a rabies vaccination tag. Every dog shall have a city tax tag attached to the collar." He continues to turn his back on the enforcement of that city ordinance. In addition, when it comes to enforcement another section of the same chapter follows in part; "Sec. 3-4. Abatement of nuisances; citations. (a) The local animal control supervisor and police chief or his agent are hereby empowered to issue citations to any person if there is probable cause to believe that such person has violated any of the provisions of this chapter. Citations so issued may be served in person on the violator by the police chief or his representative or they may be mailed to the person by certified mail if such person cannot be readily found....." The above 3-4 is obviously in the same chapter as 3-54 and it is just as obvious the police chief has done nothing and certainly has not designated anyone else. Also, the picture itself showing the dog with no collar is "probable cause" that a violation has occurred as to 3-54. The plain truth is neither city manager Lewis or police chief Ballree have any intention to enforce a code adopted by the city that pays them. Further, as the Mayor and city council are to a man and woman aware of all of the above, they have no intention in causing their own code to be enforced. You think a speeding infraction would be enforced over next to the golf course? We think so too. BSL is a place of selective enforcement. If you are not one of the select, too bad! Regardless, no citizen is above or below the law. If these people are not willing to enforce city codes, they should resign their position.

reply to catch 22 We have been trying to get the dog ordinances & nuisance ordinances enforced about these two properties starting in 2005 when Joan Kinney was the mayor! She refused a meeting with us & animal control/code enforcement, city manager. Her reason then quote, "Boiling Spring Lakes City Hall does not have an office space were we can all meet." BSL has knowingly & purposefully ignored these valid complaints since 2005. Their actions have been null & embelished with ludicrous excuses.

I can see it coming now. Judge Locklear just ruled against the city on another matter where the city ignored the rules. Well folks, here the city goes again. Certainly since at least one law the city wrote and will not enforce is a known, this lady will seek relief in the courts. Facts as they are, the courts will award her relief. And friends, there will go another pile of our money out the window due to a town manager to lazy to have his employees do their jobs. The same town manager that is supported by a slate of do nothing care nothing council members and mayor. It is going to be something to see everyone of them have to testify in court why they would write codes and not enforce them. Worse, keep paying a city manager that would rather lie about the existence of the codes rather than do his job. I guess all these sorry "leaders" are too blinded by the glitter of their brand new office building to see what is coming.

I live in BSL. Maybe you do too, hard to tell. Your very lengthy story about the girl and the store sure sounds silly . In comparison it really has nothing to do with this "dog/trash" issue. There are some "people" here in our town that you cannot and probably should not "approach" even in a real nice way.Personal safety should be paramount in some cases and I have met a few of these. They think they are out in the back country and can act the way they please. This would be fine if they move to the back country, but BSL is just growing and growing so many of us actually have neighbors. It is true, BSL has many petty laws and fanny-kissing in our government is right out here for all to see and it is embarrassing. We just try to get along, attend and speak out at our meetings, obey the laws, try to step up , do the right thing before we get slapped down again and again by our City Slickers. Before you ask...We are working everyday to get away from lil old BSL.

As an animal lover, I have no tolerance when it comes to animal abuse of and kind. If I see physical abuse happening, I'll intervene on the animals behalf even if that means using force to stop it. If I think an animal is being neglected, I have no problem with calling the proper authorities to investigate. That being said. It sounds like this woman didn't get her desired results and now wants to slander the whole town. I'd sue her for harassment and slander if I were this guy. Good fences make good neighbors.

As a native Tar Heel way down here in Texas, I read the news article about the debacle of the chained Pit Bull. It makes no difference if a resident is trying to sell her home or not - animal cruelty is animal cruelty. An owner who keeps a heavy chain on his dog is subjecting this dog to having the collar grow into its neck and becoming embedded. Yes, it certainly does seem that Boiling Springs officials either do not care about laws or are too stupid to take action in this matter. The law applies to all regardless of political connections. Somebody needs to rectify this matter immediately.

Thank you Mayor, Council, and City Manager. Your lack of action and ignoring your own city codes have now been documented via the TV news to peoples in several counties and two states. What rubes they must think we are for putting you in office and tolerating your lack of concern for the law and the citizens of this city. That is so embarrassing but I guess not for you as you seem to have no shame at all!