COLUMBUS – The Town of Columbus has found itself in another dilemma with emergency calls and GIS.

An emergency call was recently made from Catherine Drive and emergency workers went to the wrong section because Catherine Drive is split into two sections by a cemetery.

Columbus Town Council met Dec. 15 and discussed what course of action the town needs to take to correct the situation.

Columbus Town Manager Tim Barth says one section can be accessed from Gary Street or Patrick Street and the other section must be accessed through Phillip Street. Catherine Drive is located in the Holly Hill subdivision off Peniel Road.

Barth said during the emergency call, emergency staff went to the wrong side of Catherine then had to go around to the other side. The county has suggested the town rename one of the sections of Catherine Drive a different name completely, according to Barth.

Holly Hill resident Rodney McKaig said he’s probably given directions to delivery companies 100 times. McKaig said there are seven or eight houses located on the main section of Catherine Drive and then another three on the other side.

Councilman Josh Denton said the town should get consensus from the three on the other side if they want to change the name of the street and what they would like the street named.

Columbus Mayor Eric McIntyre agreed.

Barth said one solution would be to name one side North Catherine and the other side South Catherine, but the problem with that is that everybody would have to change their address.

Council came to a consensus for the town to contact the three homes on the one side of Catherine to see what they want to do.

This is not the first time the town has run into problems with street names and emergency services finding them.

Hampton Street has had problems for years because U.S. 74 was constructed through the middle, with the two sections accessible from different roads. One section is named Hampton Street and the other section is named Hampton Court.

Hampton Street resident Ernie Kan said there are still problems with her street. She said according to the post office, her street is still Hampton Court and the name was never officially changed.

Councilwoman Margaret Metcalf said the town doesn’t know if that will solve the problem with Hampton Street.

“You don’t know if this one (Catherine Drive) will either,” Kan said.

Columbus Police Chief Chris Beddingfield said the town communicates with county dispatch to clarify exactly where to go on emergency calls as much as possible.

The police department said there are other issues in the county, such as there being two Walker Streets in Columbus and in the county and two Peake Streets, one in Columbus and one in Tryon.

Barth said he will get back to council in January on what Catherine Drive residents would like to do.