A farmer told the Bladenboro Town Board Monday that he has re-formed the Bryant Swamp Drainage Corporation.

If the town does not meet his demands, Dawson Singletary said he will cease maintenance on the canal.

Singletary addressed the Bladenboro Town Council Monday at their regular monthly meeting.

The canal and its maintenance have been a source of disagreement between the council and Singletary for years. Singletary farms some of the land that borders the canal.

Over the past year, Singletary has complained to the town council, as well as state and federal agencies, over what he said were mistakes made when the canal was cleaned last year.

Singletary told commissioners that he was researching how to remove an easement to the drainage corporation when he discovered the corporation's charter had dissolved or was not on file with the Secretary of State's office.

Singletary said he reformed the corporation with members of his family serving as the board of directors, and said he is now responsible for maintenance of the canal.

Singletary told the commissioners if they were not willing to pay what he considered a fair amount for maintenance of the canal, "I'll just let our furry little friends take it over."

Singletary was referring to beavers whose dams slow the flow of water in the canal by building dams along the watercourse, and into the Bryant Swamp. Singletary refused to allow a contracted beaver trapper to enter his property along an easement to the canal last year. In the past he has also forbidden town employees from entering his land to work on the canal.

Singletary also said Monday he felt the commissioners should return a state grant that was used for the Bryant Swamp clearing project.

He said the work was done improperly, the contractor hired by the town used incorrect equipment for the job, and wetlands were filled in.

Singletary told the board he was not "after anyone's land," but just wanted to remove the easement across his property.

"I just want out of the easement," he said after the meeting.

The Bryant Swamp canal is the primary source for drainage for the town. Cleaning the canal was the last stage of a major renovation project of the town's drainage system last year. The drainage improvement program eliminated some laterals, ditches and drains, and made improvements on a number of others.

The canal also is used by the town's wastewater treatment plant. State water quality tests have shown water below the plant is generally lower in nitrates and pollutants than the water upstream.

Singletary said the swamp "is in a mess," and will only get worse if the town does not follow his recommendation. He blamed the town and other property owners for disregarding the effect of the canal on landowners downstream.

"I just want to see equal treatment and consideration," he said.

Singletary also said the town's leaf and limb dump is polluting the canal, and should be moved.

"You can't bury all that stuff like you're supposed to," he said. "I think you should just truck it all away somewhere else."

Singletary said material from the dump was turning up in the canal, contributing to the silting problem.

The farmer also told the board that an irrigation system on a sprayer field near his property was causing the ground to be saturated, resulting in excessive runoff through his fields during heavy rains.

Singletary blamed most of the problems on the canal, and said he could do a better job of opening the channel and maintaining the watercourse.

"We're looking for some help here," he said, referring to property owners along the canal. "If you don't want to help-fine. I'll just let it silt up. It's all the same to me."

The council took no action on Singletary's request. The board also met twice in executive session with attorneys Leslie and Will Johnson at Monday's meeting. The executive sessions were regarding legal consultation, according to the agenda for the meeting.



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