April 16, 1998

Reopening of Locust Street up in the air

Katie Ward, Staff Writer

The University has not taken any steps toward the reopening of Locust Street said local attorney Randal Marsh.

The street was closed as the result of a strom that caused a piece of nearby land to wash away resulting in dangerous travel for automobiles and pedestrians. Unfortuanetly, the street will remain closed until responsibility for repairs is accepted.

 Technically, the land is owned by James Marsh and his wife Alma Ruth Hagaman Marsh, parents of Attorney Randal Marsh, but they have willingly allowed the University to use the streets.
 
The Marshes have been residents of Boone for 71 years and have always had a good relationship with the University.  Some of the family’s best friends date back to the days of B.B. Dougherty.

Their Hagaman and Marsh apartments are known as having the lowest rent around, said the Marshes.  “It wasn’t started as a money making business, but a place that reached out to help others in hopes that they would, in turn, go out in the world and reach out to others,” said the Marshes in a letter to University officials.

The Marshes recently received a letter from the North Carolina Department of Transporation saying that they were not responsible for maintaining Locust or Dauph Blan.  The Department of Public Works also said that the streets were not under their maintainence.  The University has also denied any responsibility for repairs and repairs have come to a stand still.

It was indeed the Marshes’ decision to close the streets.

“In order to protect the students and protect us from liability, we found it necessary to close the street,” said the Marshes in their letter.  “Many, many students have expressed their thanks to us for being concerned for their safety.”

According to their letter, the Marshes are not financially able to make necessary repairs or to remove the drain installed by the University.

Members of the Marsh family hope to continue discussion of the problem immediately.  They have taken the first step by sending a letter to University officials and the Board of Trustees.  However, the University has failed to respond to their efforts, Attorney Marsh said.

“We have always had a good relationship with the University, but it seems that they are doing this out of spite,” Mrs. Marsh said.

     University representatives were unavailable for comment. 

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