A Letter To The Editor

POLLITT’S NOMINEE FOR PLANNING COMMISSION PLAYS IT BOTH WAYS

A month or so ago this blog put the spotlight on Dwayne Lockman, who Rick Pollitt nominated to be a member of the Planning Commission. Before the nomination was cancelled, we looked into his claim that he was a big time developer in the Lumberton (Robeson County) area of North Carolina. What we found was very relevant and revealing – and it was revealed right here on SBYNEWS. We understand that our effort angered some, including a member of the County Council now seeking to be reelected, Sheree Sample-Hughes.

Recently we learned that in his “development” business in North Carolina, Mr. Lockman has tried to present himself as a mega-developer right here on Delmarva with the aid of a high-powered PR firm in the Tar Heel state. Below is part of its press release from early 2008 and a news report later that year from the Lumberton area newspaper, the Robesonian.

It seems that not all the rubes live down there. But for Google and this blog, Lockman, who also claimed that he was involved in the Clinton Administration, might be on Wicomico County’s Planning Commission now.


Developer signs on with Hodges Associates
2.15.08 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Hodges Associates, a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency, has been retained by Rajun Cajun Homes, LLC for the branding and marketing of Linkhaw Farms. Hodges will act as a marketing partner to launch this unique gated community and see it through all stages of development and sales. The agency’s services will include research, brand development, advertising, website design, collateral materials, event planning and more.

Linkhaw Farms – under development in Robeson County, N.C., by Rajun Cajun Homes’ North Carolina division – is a mixed community with residential, commercial and professional properties. Residential properties will include single-family homes, patio homes and town homes, as well as homes for retirement community living. A host of recreational amenities will be anchored by the golf course, built by Mike Gleason (designer of Bayonet at Puppy Creek) and Don Williams. Linkhaw Farms will also include an inn with banquet facilities that can accommodate 500 people.

Founded in 2002 by Dwayne Lockman, Sr., Rajun Cajun Homes specializes in custom, upscale development. In addition to Linkhaw Farms, the company is currently developing multi-million dollar projects in Delaware and Maryland.

County Planning Board : Mobile home park plan dropped
by Bob Shiles
23 months ago 

LUMBERTON — A developer on Monday withdrew his application for a conditional-use permit for a subdivision with a mobile home park overlay shortly before the Robeson County Planning Board was to consider the application.

Johnny Powers, a local land surveyor, and attorney Eric West, told board members and a large crowd of opponents of the trailer park that their client, Lumberton Land Company Inc., was withdrawing its application. If the overlay had been approved, the developer would have had the option of putting in as many as 90 single-wide and double-wide mobile homes on a 47-acre vacant tract on N.C. 41 across from Sibley Road in East Howellsville.

Powers gave no reason for the application’s withdrawal, and told the board that the developer would just seek approval for a subdivision, which would include 47 lots of at least 20,000 square feet. Although Powers said he could not be certain, he said the developer probably intends to develop the site with modular or stick-built homes.

Some of the more than 50 residents present to oppose the establishment of another trailer park in the county quickly took aim at the proposed subdivision. They raised concerns that much of the property being considered for development is in wetlands; traffic would increase; there would be an additional burden on the schools; and there could very well be an upswing in crime.

They also complained that Dwayne Lockman, who signed the application requesting the subdivision and conditional-use permit, has not followed through with his other nearby projects — including East Winds and Fox Meadows. Lockman is the chief executive officer of Rajun Cajun Homes, the Maryland firm developing the proposed Linklaw Farms retirement community in Lumberton.

“My client is not Mr. Lockman,” West shot back at the crowd when complaints were raised about the developer’s failure to finish projects. ‘‘Yes, it is true they know each other, but my client — the owner of the property — is Edward Wilgus.”

Gayla Biggs, a Sibley Road resident, charged that Lockman and his company have not completed homes that they already have started building in the community. She said that until a couple of weeks ago she has been picking up debris in her yard from construction that began two or three years ago.

“They have not completed one single home,” she said. “They don’t live here. They are from Maryland, and they don’t care. They have not sold what they have here so they want to put in trailers to make a quick buck. This company has not seen through with what it has promised.”