Wendell News Outlet

Informational News of interest for the citizens in and around Wendell, North Carolina. Postings on this site are the property of Glenn Harris and cannot be copied without express written permission. Archives are listed at the bottom of the home page.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Friday Update

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

Distributed on Saturday, January 16, 2010

ITEM 1. MEETINGS THE MANAGER HAS ATTENDED IN THE LAST WEEK

DAY DATE EVENT

Wed. 01/13 Wake County Managers Association mtg.

Sat. 01/16 Wendell Chamber of Commerce Retreat

Wake County Managers Association Meeting – The main point of discussion at this meeting was the referendum authorized by House Bill #148 / Senate Bill #151 - Congestion Relief/Intermodal Transport Fund. In this bill, the Legislature agreed to let Wake, Orange, Durham, Guilford and Forsyth counties boost the sales tax by 1/2 percentage point, if voters approve.

If county commissioners in Wake, Durham and Orange agree and if voters give their approval in a referendum, the three counties would collect an estimated $73 million a year from a half-cent sales tax that would be dedicated to local transit.

Other new transit revenue streams would come from increased vehicle registration fees and a special property tax hike only in Research Triangle Park.

If approved by voters, the additional revenue would help expand bus service and could, within a decade or so, help create a commuter rail system like Charlotte.

At one point, a referendum on this matter was being discussed for 2010; however, it currently appears the referendum would likely be delayed to the 2011 election.

Officials from CAMPO and Triangle Transit were at the meeting. This subject will also be discussed at the next managers meeting.

Chamber Board Retreat – The Chamber of Commerce Board Retreat is an annual event. I have attended this event each of the last three years to communicate with the Chamber Board about town plans/issues and to assist them any way possible with their planning process. The event was successful. Many items were discussed. A new Resource / Visitors Guide is in the works. The 2^nd Annual Art Show will be held next weekend.

ITEM 2. UPDATE ON ARRA PROJECTS / RBEG PROJECT

ARRA Project # EL 5100 EA (installation of crosswalks and curb cuts at the intersection of Third Street and Main Street) – The contracts have been signed. A pre-construction meeting will be held in the near future.
ARRA Project # EL 5100 EB (installation of sidewalks at Third Street and Buffalo Street) – The contracts have been signed. A pre-construction meeting was held on Friday, January 15^th. The topics of discussion included oversight/inspection of the work and the voluminous paperwork/documentation required of ARRA projects. As the project develops, Public Works Director Alton Bryant will review the work on a daily basis. Also, monthly project meetings will be held.
USDA RBEG Project (downtown sidewalk improvements) – Chris Windley and Teresa Piner met with Allison Platt (associated with the town’s economic development consultants – Holland Consulting Planners) on Wednesday, January 13^th concerning some design elements for the project. This project is expected to go out to bid in March.

ITEM 3. COMMITTEE NOTES

The following is a synopsis of current committee assignments, information and action:

Fiscal and Human Resources

The committee met on Tuesday, January 5^th. (Notes from this meeting were previously provided.)

Education and Community Relations

The proposal for the merger of the economic development web site and the town web site was referred to this committee at the Dec. 14^th Town Board meeting.
The committee met at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 15^th. There was a good discussion about the web site merger proposal. A committee recommendation on this matter is scheduled for the January 25^th Town Board meeting. The committee also brainstormed about ways to support the Census effort (after a status report from Planner David Bergmark). The trademark registration process for the seal, new logo and new town slogan was reviewed by the committee.

Public Works, Facilities and Infrastructure

The Lake Drive stormwater issue / desire for evaluate funding opportunities for a town-wide comprehensive stormwater evaluation was referred to this committee at the Dec. 14^th Town Board meeting.

The committee met at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14^th with town staff and engineers from McKim & Creed to discuss three “levels of service” option descriptions along with some other general study information. Storm drainage “hot spots” (based on the committee’s and staff’s knowledge of historical problems in town) were reviewed. McKim & Creed will use the information gathered at the meeting to further refine the three “levels of service” options for a comprehensive stormwater study and cost estimates for the options. These study options will be presented at a future Town Board meeting.

Law Enforcement and Recreation – n/a

Land Use and Economic Development

The future of the town’s UDO was referred to this committee at the Dec. 14^th Town Board meeting.

ITEM 4. TOTAL CONNECTION MAY START KIDS NEWS SHOW ON EWTV

Regina Harmon’s Total Connection newspaper may be sponsoring a new show called Total Connection News Magazine on East Wake TV. The TV show would be based on articles from the newspaper, which focus on news from the area’s schools and recreation programs. Middle school students from eastern Wake middle schools would read the news.

EWTV would produce the show using underwriting funds from The Total Connection newspaper. The amount of the underwriting funds would need to cover the cost of filming and editing the show. Total Connection would also need to pay for the cost of a “set” for the show. The show would be filmed twice a month to coincide with the newspaper. The Total Connection advertisers would get a PBS-style underwriting credit at the beginning of the show.

ITEM 5. NEW PHONE NUMBERS

The following are new direct phone numbers that have already been set-up with Time Warner Cable for the town:

Administration / Finance Departments 365-4450

Planning Department 365-4448

Town Manager 365-3451

Planning Director 365-0384

Police Chief 365-0984

Additional direct numbers should be assigned in a few weeks. Once all the direct lines are assigned and working, a phone list will be created and shared the Town Board and staff.

One benefit of these direct numbers is that during office hours, employees can be reached without having to go through the dispatcher. Also, during non-office hours, calls to the direct lines go directly to the extension / voicemail (without going to 911).

The 365-4444 telephone number still works – it goes to the dispatcher, and he/she can forward calls to employees, as well. During non-office hours (dispatchers generally work until 8:00 p.m. during the week), calls to the 365-4444 number are still rolled-over to 911.

The Public Works number (365-3616) and the Recreation Department number (366-2266) remain the same.

ITEM 6. OTHER

Town facilities will be closed on Monday, January 18, 2010 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Kudos to the Police Department for its performance with the missing child incident this week. Luckily, the young man was found.
Congratulations to Bobby Beliveau and Lloyd Smith, who have been hired as Public Works Specialists for the town. Bobby has been working on a temporary, part-time basis with the town since this summer, and Lloyd is a new hire. Interviews for the positions took place this week. There was a large and competitive pool of candidates. They will begin work on Tuesday.
Congratulations to the 2009 Town of Wendell Employee of the Year, Kelley Connolly! A press release about Kelley and her award is attached.
Wendell Elementary will be hosting a parent information/input session at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2010 in the Media Center. The meeting will be with Danny Barnes, Chief Area Superintendant, of Wake County Public Schools. The topic will consist of what qualities we as a parent/teacher body and community are looking for in our next principal. Rep. Darren Jackson has tentatively scheduled a Town Hall Meeting for Tuesday, April 6^th in the Wendell Courtroom.
As a follow-up to discussion at the January 7^th Economic Development Work Session on the NC Main Street Program, Mayor Harold Broadwell has registered for the Main Street Conference (January 27 -29). Also, the town staff will be represented at the conference by Planner David Bergmark.
The Grand Opening of the East Wake TV Studio Building is scheduled for Wednesday, February 24^th at 5:30 p.m. (behind Knightdale Town Hall). There will be light refreshments and "green screen" and teleprompter demonstrations.
The new EWTV show schedule is attached.

ITEM 7. UPCOMING MEETINGS THE MANAGER PLANS TO ATTEND NEXT WEEK

No noteworthy meetings are scheduled for the upcoming week, besides the Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Monday and the Board of Commissioners Retreat on Wednesday.

ITEM 8. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

1/18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Town offices closed

1/18 (Mon.) 8:00 a.m. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast @ Wendell Baptist Church

1/19 (Tues.) 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

1/20 (Wed.) 9:00 a.m.Board of Commissioners Retreat @ Community Center

1/22 (Fri.) 6:00 p.m. Reception 2^nd Annual Wendell Fine Arts Exhibit

(sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Woman’s Club) @ Woman’s Club

1/25 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

1/27 – 1/29 NC Main Street Conference @ New Bern

2/01 6:30 p.m. Rec. Advisory Board Meeting @ Community Center

2/08 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

2/09 5:00 p.m. Tree Board Meeting @ Town Hall

2/15 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

2/22 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

2/24 5:30 p.m. Grand Opening of East Wake TV Studio behind Knightdale Town Hall

3/05 6:30 p.m. Recreation Advisory Board Meeting @ Community Center

3/12 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

3/13 5:00 p.m. Tree Board Meeting @ Community Center

3/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

3/26 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

4/06 Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Darren Jackson @ Town Hall

posted by Administrator # 8:56 AM

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