Editorial: An 'A' for effort

We don't envy the recently overworked and vastly underpaid members of the Statesville City Council.

The council is expected to work late into the night again this evening as it resumes a contentious quasi-judicial hearing to determine whether Maymead Materials Inc. is legally entitled to operate an asphalt plant within the city limits.

If the council decides in Maymead's favor, its members will no doubt incur the wrath of angry neighbors who don't want the plant, its emissions or the big trucks that will accompany it in their back yards. And who can blame them?

If the council rejects Maymead's request for the special-use permit it needs, it runs the risk of exposing the city to a civil lawsuit and thousands of dollars in legal fees.

That's a heavy burden for a group of elected officials that makes an average of $11 an hour.

As the news article on today's front page explains, this council has put in long hours during the past month listening to testimony in the Maymead case, reviewing the city's proposed budget for fiscal year 2008-09 and responding to daily concerns and complaints from their constituents.

We haven't always agreed with the actions this council has taken, but it's tough to find fault with their effort.