Wendell News Outlet

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

Friday, February 26, 2010

ITEM 1. SPECIAL CALLED PLANNING BOARD MEETING
The Wendell Planning Board met in a Special Called Meeting on Wednesday, February 24th to review the internet café moratorium / zoning issue. This item was discussed at the February 15 Planning Board meeting, but due to unresolved concerns, the Planning Board postponed its recommendation until they had an opportunity for further review. A sub-committee was appointed to perform additional analysis on internet cafés.
After performing further research, the Planning Board reconvened on February 24, 2010 and voted to approve the text amendment submitted by staff with eight changes. This item and the Planning Board’s recommendation will be on the March 8, 2010 Board of Commissioners agenda.

ITEM 2. DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET SUB-COMMITTEE MEETS
The Downtown Main Street Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, February 23rd. The sub-committee reviewed the USDA Rural Development Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) draft plans for the downtown sidewalk project. Also, Allison Platt was as the meeting, and she discussed the Main Street and Small Town Main Street Programs and the application process for the Small Town Main Street Program. The possibility of organizing a downtown organization was discussed.
The sub-committee plans to visit Goldsboro and Fuquay-Varina on Tuesday, March 9th. These communities are involved in the Main Street and Small Town Main Street Programs. The trip will involve meeting with downtown leaders in each community. Another sub-committee meeting will be planned after the trip.
An informational meeting about the Small Town Main Street Program will be held in Selma on Thursday, March 8th at 1:00 p.m. If Wendell decides to apply to the Small Town Main Street Program, the town will need to take a contingent of excited, motivated leaders to this meeting.

ITEM 3. TOWN HALL MEETING WITH SEN. DAN BLUE – THURSDAY, MARCH 4TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE ZEBULON TOWN HALL
Senator Dan Blue is hosting a town hall meeting for Wendell and Zebulon residents from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 4th at the Zebulon Town Hall. Senator Blue encourages members of the local community to attend and engage in a conversation on the goals and priorities of the state government in 2010 and the future of the area.

ITEM 4. MEETINGS THE MANAGER HAS ATTENDED IN THE LAST WEEK

DAY DATE EVENT

Wed. 2/24 Wake County ABC Board Meeting
(presentation of the Wendell Police Department grant application)

ITEM 5. WENDELL POLICE DEPARTMENT GRANT FROM THE WAKE COUNTY ABC BOARD
On Wednesday, February 24th, a contingent from the town attended a meeting of the Wake County ABC Board to present the town’s grant application. If funded, the grant would support a year-round program to raise awareness about impaired driving and a summer camp program involving drug and alcohol awareness and sports activities. Hopefully, we will know if the grant was approved in the near future.

ITEM 6. COMMITTEE NOTES
The following is an update of committee assignments, information and action:

Fiscal / Human Resources
The next committee meeting will be on Thursday, March 18th at 9:00 a.m.

Law Enforcement and Recreation
The committee met on Monday, February 22nd. The committee discussed the East Wake Gang Forum, which will have a special community meeting on May 13th at 6:00 p.m. at Wake Chapel Baptist Church in Zebulon. The 2010 Public Safety Day (Saturday, March 8th downtown) was also discussed. On the recreation side, a possible relationship with the East Wake Soccer Association was further examined.

Public Works, Facilities and Infrastructure
A committee meeting was held on Tuesday, February 23rd. The main item discussed concerned a possible comprehensive stormwater study that may be conducted by McKim and Creed. Other items of discussion included the town’s street improvements, the proposal by NCDOT for railroad crossing improvements at Martin Street and street sign replacement.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 16th at 2:00 p.m. in the courtroom. At this meeting, the committee will continue its review of the possible comprehensive stormwater study. It will also receive a presentation about fiber optic accessibility in town and begin a review of the Raleigh/Wendell water Pro-Forma.


Land Use and Economic Development
The UDO Ad Hoc Sub-Committee met again on Monday, February 22nd. The next meeting will be on Monday, March 1st at 9:15 a.m. at the Community Center.
The Main Street Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, February 23rd. Notes on that meeting are above.

ITEM 7. MEETINGS THE MANAGER PLANS TO ATTEND NEXT WEEK

DAY DATE EVENT

Mon. 3/1 Meeting with USDA Rural Development
about loan application / architectural agreement

Wed. 3/3 Wake County Solid Waste Advisory Board
Meeting

Fri. 3/5 Meeting with John Carmen, new director of
CORPUD

ITEM 8. BUDGET WORK SESSION – TENTATIVELY SET FOR 9:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY, MARCH 25TH
The adopted Budget Development Calendar established Thursday, March 25th as a day for a Budget Work Session with the Board of Commissioners, but it did not have a time. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for 9:00 a.m. that day. Please let the manager know if there are any issues with this schedule.

ITEM 9. OTHER
A.Police Officer Morgan Kidwell was sworn-in on Thursday, February 25th. She started work today.
B.The speed limit signs on Wendell Boulevard (from Academy Street eastward to NC231/Selma Road) were recently changed from 35 mph to 30 mph. On November 23, 2009, the Town Board approved an ordinance concurring with the DOT’s speed limit reduction recommendation of 30 mph.
C.The NCLM is holding regional legislative meetings across the state during April. The closest meetings to Wendell include Smithfield (Tuesday, April 20th) and Rocky Mount (Wednesday, April 21st). Several Wendell officials are planning to attend the ethics training offered by the NCLM prior to the Smithfield regional meeting. For more information, visit http://www.nclm.org/2010legislativemeetings.htm.


ITEM 10. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

3/1 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/1 6:30 p.m. Rec. Advisory Board Meeting Community Ctr.

3/4 6:30 p.m. Town Hall meeting with Zebulon
Sen. Dan Blue Town Hall

3/8 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/8 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement & Recreation Town Hall
Committee

3/8 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

3/9 5:00 p.m. Tree Board Meeting Community Ctr.

3/15 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/15 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

3/18 9:00 a.m. Fiscal / H.R. Committee Town Hall

3/22 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/22 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement & Recreation Town Hall
Committee

3/22 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

3/25 9:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners Work Town Hall
Session on the 2010-11 Budget

3/29 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/2 Town facilities closed for Good
Friday

4/5 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/5 6:30 p.m. Rec. Advisory Board Meeting Community Ctr.

4/6 Town Hall Meeting with Town Hall
Rep. Darren Jackson

4/8 1:00 p.m. Small Town Main Street Program Selma
Information Meeting

4/12 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/12 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

4/13 5:00 p.m. Tree Board Meeting Community Ctr.

4/19 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

4/20 4:00 p.m. NCLM Legislative Regional Mtg. Smithfield
(Tues.)

4/21 4:00 p.m. NCLM Legislative Regional Mtg. Rocky Mount
(Wed.)

4/26 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/26 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

Friday, February 19, 2010

ITEM 1. RURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GRANT DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK PROJECT MEETING HELD
On Thursday, February the 18th, there was a floating public information meeting held at the Chamber of Commerce about the town’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) for sidewalk improvements within the downtown business district. Plans for the project were on display and discussed.
The plans will also be shown at the Main Street Sub-Committee Meeting (see information below in the Committee news section), as well as the March 8th Board of Commissioners meeting.
In the project, improvements and repairs are scheduled to be made along portions of Main, Fourth and Third Streets.  The grant will require the town to pay close attention to public improvements such as additional handicap ramps, crosswalks, electrical improvements, and signage. 

ITEM 2. MEETINGS THE MANAGER HAS ATTENDED IN THE LAST WEEK

DAY DATE EVENT

Mon. 2/15 Wake County Board of Commissioners Mtg.
(public hearing concerning Wake County’s
2010-2015 Consolidated Plan for Housing
and Community Revitalization)

Tues. 2/16 Meeting with Ginny Zehr, United Arts
Council

Wake County Board of Commissioners Meeting – I attended the County Board of Commissioners meeting to speak on behalf of the town. I requested support for a new Eastern Wake Senior Center in Wendell and asked that this project be included in Wake County’s 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Revitalization.

United Arts Council Meeting – Two years ago, the UAC applied for a grant to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to create a cultural art plan for Eastern Wake County. Wendell, Knightdale and Zebulon supported the application, and the application was approved; however, the UAC was not able to secure the corporate grant matches required, and the plan was not developed. This meeting is scheduled to discuss UAC’s plans to re-submit an application to the NEA for a cultural plan grant.

ITEM 3. ARRA PROJECTS

A. # 5100-EA – Crosswalks on Third Street and Main Street – Work is scheduled to resume on this project next week.
B.# 5100-EB – Buffalo and Third Streets – Initial work began this week. Silt fences were put in place, utilities were located, and some survey work was done.

ITEM 4. COMMITTEE NOTES
The following is an update of committee assignments, information and action:

Law Enforcement and Recreation
The next committee meeting will be on Monday, February 22nd at 5:00 p.m.

Public Works, Facilities and Infrastructure
A committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in the Wendell Courtroom.

Land Use and Economic Development
The UDO Ad Hoc Sub-Committee met again on Monday, February 15th and continued to work on Chapter 2 of the UDO. The next meeting will be on Monday, February 22nd at 9:15 a.m. at the Community Center.
A Gateway/Main St./Downtown/Appearance Sub-Committee was created at the February 8th Board of Commissioners meeting with Commissioner Gray as the Chair.
The Main Street Sub-Committee will meet in the conference room of the Wendell Community Center on Tuesday, February 23rd at 6:30 p.m. Allison Platt will be at the meeting.

ITEM 5. MEETINGS THE MANAGER PLANS TO ATTEND NEXT WEEK

DAY DATE EVENT

Wed. 2/24 Wake County ABC Board Meeting
(presentation of the Wendell Police Department grant application)

ITEM 6. NEW CENSUS LINK ON TOWN WEB SITE
A new section of the town web site has been created that is devoted to the Census. The section can be found at http://www.townofwendell.com/Wendell/2010Census/tabid/174/Default.aspx.

Part of the information included involves “Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs)”. These are places where the public will be able to go to get assistance filling-out the Census forms. The following sites have been identified thus far for this service:

1. Wendell Community Center
2. Eastern Wake Senior Center
3. Wendell Branch Library

The hours of operation for the Questionnaire Assistance Centers will vary.

ITEM 7. NC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES REGIONAL MEETINGS
The NC League of Municipalities is holding regional legislative meetings across the state during April. The closest meetings to Wendell include Smithfield (Tuesday, April 20th) and Rocky Mount (Wednesday, April 21st). Several Wendell officials are planning to attend the ethics training offered by the NCLM prior to the Smithfield regional meeting.
All meetings will be held in the late afternoon (4 p.m.). No registration fee will be charged, but registration is required. During these sessions, the NCLM discusses legislative issues for the upcoming session. There are always at least a few legislators who attend the meetings, as well. For more information, visit http://www.nclm.org/2010legislativemeetings.htm.

ITEM 8. OTHER
A.Morgan Kidwell has been hired to fill a Police Officer vacancy in the Wendell Police Department. She will start work next Friday.
B.The grand opening of the East Wake TV studio building (behind Knightdale Town Hall) will be on Wednesday, February 24th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

ITEM 9. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

2/22 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

2/22 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement & Recreation Town Hall
Committee

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

2/23 2:00 p.m. Public Works, Facilities and Town Hall
Infrastructure Committee Mtg.

2/23 6:30 p.m. Main Street Sub-Committee Community Ctr.
of Land Use / Econ. Dev. Comm. Conference Room

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

3/1 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/1 6:30 p.m. Rec. Advisory Board Meeting Community Ctr.

3/8 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/8 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement & Recreation Town Hall
Committee

3/8 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

3/9 5:00 p.m. Tree Board Meeting Community Ctr.

3/15 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/15 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

3/22 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

3/22 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement & Recreation Town Hall
Committee

3/22 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

3/29 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/2 Town facilities closed for Good
Friday

4/5 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/5 6:30 p.m. Rec. Advisory Board Meeting Community Ctr.

4/6 Town Hall Meeting with Town Hall
Rep. Darren Jackson

4/12 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/12 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

4/13 5:00 p.m. Tree Board Meeting Community Ctr.

4/19 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

4/20 4:00 p.m. NCLM Legislative Regional Mtg. Smithfield
(Tues.)

4/21 4:00 p.m. NCLM Legislative Regional Mtg. Rocky Mount
(Wed.)

4/26 9:15 a.m. UDO Ad Hoc Committee Community Ctr.

4/26 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

1. 
   
   Wake County Managers Association meeting – The managers met at the Triangle Transit office and continued discussion concerning the ½-cent local option sales tax referendum (which has been suggested for the Fall 2011 elections) and the draft Wake County Transit Plan. I am working to schedule a presentation on this item for the Town Board (possibly on March 22^nd).
2. 
   
   Meeting with Wendell Elem. Vice-Principal – Town staff and the town’s engineer met with the Vice-Principal to get input on a possible follow-up Safe Routes to School sidewalk grant application to improve pedestrian access around Wendell Elementary.
3. 
   
   EWTV Meeting – This was a regular meeting of the managers of Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon and Rolesville concerning EWTV.
4. 
   
   Meeting with Waste Industries – Service delivery issues were discussed as a part of regular communication.

• 
  
  Law Enforcement and Recreation
• 
  
  The next committee meeting will be on Monday, February 22^nd at 5:00 p.m.

• 
  
  Public Works, Facilities and Infrastructure
• 
  
  A committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in the Wendell Courtroom.

• 
  
  Land Use and Economic Development

• 
  
  The UDO Ad Hoc Sub-Committee met on Monday, February 8^th and worked on the first two chapters of the UDO. The next meeting will be on Monday, February 15^th at 9:15 a.m. at the Community Center.
• 
  
  A Gateway/Downtown/Appearance Sub-Committee was created at the February 8^th Board of Commissioners meeting with Commissioner Gray as the Chair.

• 
  
  United Arts Council Meeting – Two years ago, the UAC applied for a grant to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to create a cultural art plan for Eastern Wake County. Wendell, Knightdale and Zebulon supported the application, and the application was approved; however, the UAC was not able to secure the corporate grant matches required, and the plan was not developed. This meeting is scheduled to discuss UAC’s plans to re-submit an application to the NEA for a cultural plan grant.

• 
  
  Baseball (incl. T-Ball) 367 (to date**) 396
• 
  
  Softball 91 86
• 
  
  Volleyball 73 N/A

1. 
   
   Commissioners Fuller and Adams will be attending the Essentials of Municipal Government class sponsored by the School of Government this week in Greenville. (Commissioner Gray attended the Chapel Hill class in December.)
2. 
   
   The first town business cards with the town’s new logo were received this week. Commissioner Adams designed the lay-out of the cards.

Is Our Drinking Water in Danger?Come find out at WakeUP's Falls Lake public education forum Feb. 27, 9-noon.

Support WakeUP! Join Our E-mail List Follow Us Quick Links WakeUP Wake County REGISTER FOR THE FALLS LAKE FORUM

Drinking water is critical to all of us.  We each play a role in the pollution and the protection of our water supplies.  Come hear from the experts about what is affecting water quality and how we can make a difference at WakeUP's Feb. 27 free public forum, "Is Our Drinking Water in Danger?"  Special emphasis will be on Falls Lake, because a crucial rule-making process is underway for cleaning up this main reservoir for Raleigh and Eastern Wake County municipalities. WakeUP is hosting this timely public forum Feb. 27, with support from many civic organziations and local leaders and buisnesses.  It's that important...so REGISTER NOW and bring a concerned friend with you. "IS OUR DRINKING WATER IN DANGER? FALLS LAKE POLLUTION, OUR WATER SUPPLY AND EFFECTS OF GROWTH" A WakeUP Public Education Forum *(cosponsors below) Feb. 27, from 9:30am-noon McKimmon Center in Raleigh Agenda: History of Action to Protect Falls Lake - NC Rep. Jennifer Weiss State of Falls Lake -- How polluted is it? -  Dr. JoAnn Burkholder, Director of the Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology, NC State University Impact of Development and Stormwater Runoff - Kimberly Brewer, A.I.C.P., Associate Director, Tetra Tech Solutions to Polluted Runoff:  Low Impact Development - Kathy DeBusk, Extension Engineer, NC State University Public Costs of Lake Pollution- Kenneth Waldroup, Assistant Public Utilities Director, City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department Falls Lake Rulemaking Process: What's at Stake - Elizabeth Ouzts, State Director, Environment NC Concluding Remarks: Past & Future Challenges - Sen. Josh Stein & Sen. Floyd McKissick (invited) CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!  This event is free and open to the public.  Participants will be entered in a raffle for a rain barrel courtesy of Rainwater Solutions. * Falls Lake Forum Co-Sponsors include: RBC Blue Water Project Grant, American Rivers, Capital Broadcasting Company, Capital Group Sierra Club, Conservation Council of NC, Dewberry, Environment NC, League of Women Voters of Wake, Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation, NC Conservation Network, Rainwater Solutions, Raleigh Wake Citizens Association, Triangle Tomorrow  ______________________________________________ ALSO, MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MARCH 20: GREAT SCHOOLS IN WAKE NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM ON CRITICAL SCHOOL POLICY ISSUES.  8:30 AM, NCSU MCKIMMON CENTER.

• 
  
  Law Enforcement and Recreation
• 
  
  Met on Tuesday, February 2^nd at 5:00 p.m. in the conference room of town hall. The next meeting will be on February 16^th at 5:00 p.m.

• 
  
  Fiscal and Human Resources

• 
  
  No update

• 
  
  Education and Community Relations
• 
  
  No update

• 
  
  Public Works, Facilities and Infrastructure
• 
  
  A committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in the Wendell Courtroom.

• 
  
  Land Use and Economic Development

• 
  
  The UDO Ad Hoc Sub-committee did not meet on Monday, February 1^st, due to the weather. Its first meeting with be on Monday, February 8^th. The sub-committee will have a regular meeting on Mondays at 9:15 a.m. at the Community Center until the work of the committee has been completed.

1. 
   
   Thanks to the entire staff for their hard work during the inclement weather. A special thanks to the Public Works staff for their hard work clearing the streets and sidewalks of snow and ice.
2. 
   
   Peter Heybroek plans to return to work in the Public Works Department on Monday. Pete has been out of work for a while because of a hip replacement.
3. 
   
   The renovation of the “jail” area (conversion to a more appropriate storage area) was finalized this week.