Spring Lake manager quits

CUMBERLAND COUNTY -- Spring Lake City Manager Larry Faison has resigned.

According to a published report in the Fayetteville Observer, Faison was asked for his resignation after a closed meeting of the Board of Aldermen Monday night.

Alderman James O'Garra said the decision was based on Faison's handling of police department issues.

In May, Spring Lake's Police Department was stripped of arrest authority, two officers were arrested by the SBI for corruption, and the Police Chief AC Brown resigned.

Since then, Cumberland County Sheriff's deputies have enforced the law.

On Monday night, interim Spring Lake Chief Gregg Jarvies presented a plan to shut down the department, lay off 11 officers, and then start rebuilding from the ground up.

He said the DA and chief district judge are adamant that's what they want.

But in an effort to save the town's police department, residents talked about challenging the district attorney and district court judge's authority at Monday's meeting.

"I really don't want to lose what we got, and I personally -this is my personal belief- that if we let go or our police department, Spring Lake will never get it back," Town Alderman James Ogarra said.

Town leaders balked at paying the sheriff's department to patrol the town. They told the town attorney to find some way to challenge the DA and judge's decision.

"We believe and are hearing comments to the effect that the DA and judge have gone entirely too far," county leader Billy King said.

Officer Danny Sutton is among 11 officers who could lose their jobs.

"I've got family like anybody else, I've got one on the way in a few weeks," he said. "I need insurance I need a paycheck."

Spring Lake hopes to have a decision before next Monday, when leaders will meet one last time to consider and approve a town budget.

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