Smithfield
Town Council report from March 3 session |
 |
Council members present: David Barbour, John Dunn, Marlon Lee,
Steve Rabil, Travis Scott, David Stevens, Roger Wood, Mayor Andy Moore
Absent: none
HE'S POLICE OFFICER OF THE
YEAR FOR A SECOND TIME
Master Police Officer Sean Cook (pictured)
accepted the Police Department's "Officer of the
Year" award for 2019 at the outset of Tuesday's
council meeting.
This is the second time he has received the award --- the first in 2014. Nominated by his peers in the department, his selection was confirmed by Team Commanders with final approval coming from the Chief of Police.
Officer Cook has been with Smithfield Police for seven years. He started out with the Patrol Division, later served as a Field Training Officer, and is currently employed as the School Resource Officer at Neuse Charter School.
FREE
WI-FI APPROVED
FOR HEART OF
DOWNTOWNMaster Police Officer Sean Cook (pictured)
accepted the Police Department's "Officer of the
Year" award for 2019 at the outset of Tuesday's
council meeting.This is the second time he has received the award --- the first in 2014. Nominated by his peers in the department, his selection was confirmed by Team Commanders with final approval coming from the Chief of Police.
Officer Cook has been with Smithfield Police for seven years. He started out with the Patrol Division, later served as a Field Training Officer, and is currently employed as the School Resource Officer at Neuse Charter School.
The council approved an arrangement with CB Towers LLC of Benson to set up a "mesh network" providing free online Internet access --- better known as WiFi --- for visitors in Downtown Smithfield. Initially, the service area will extend from the Neuse River to Fifth Street, Johnston Street to Bridge Street. Tim Kerigan, the town's public information officer, said cost of service for the next two years is fixed at $29,597, with $25,000 of that covered by a 2018-19 grant from the N.C. General Assembly to Smithfield for downtown revitalization. The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation is contributing $6,960 to the project, with the balance coming from the town's Economic Development Initiative account, he noted.
STREET RESURFACING CONTRACT AWARDED
The council awarded a $234,119 contract to Garris Grading & Paving of Farmville to resurface several deteriorating streets as follows:
• White Oak Drive from Booker Dairy Road to Camelia Drive.
• Old Goldsboro Road from Ash Street to Pine Street.
• Woodsdale Drive from Booker Dairy Road to Brookwood Drive.
• South Fifth Street from South Bright Leaf Boulevard to Brogden Road.
• Rainbow Lane from South Bright Leaf to Raindrop Circle.
• Sanders Street from Crescent Drive to Chestnut Drive.
• Davis Street from South Bright Leaf to South Seventh Street.
• Hancock Street from 10th Street to 11th Street.
• Sherwood Court from Brookwood Drive to the cul-de-sac.
With $260,000 budgeted for street resurfacing --- more than the contract --- remaining funds will be used to resurface South Second Street between Davis Street and Riverside Drive --- a section that was torn up last year to replace a faulty water main. No schedule was announced Tuesday for any of the projects.
SOUTH SECOND STREET REZONING APPROVED
Following a public hearing that drew no opposition, the council rezoned 1.81 acres of woodland across South Second Street from Civitan Field and the Dog Park from from R-10 Single-Family Residential to R-6 High Density Single, Two, and Multi-Family Residential. Planning Director Stephen Wensman said the tract was subdivided years ago for eight lots smaller than what's allowed with R-10 zoning but never developed. R-6 zoning will allow residential building lots as small as 6,000 square feet rather than 10,000 square feet, he noted. Mr. Wensman called the new zoning a "good transition" between an industrial area along US 301 and a long-standing single-family residential neighborhood to the west.
GRANT ACCEPTED FOR A NEW SPRING BRANCH PARK
The council agreed to accept a $100,000 Environmental Enhancement grant from the state for a proposed Spring Branch Community Restoration Project along the creek between South Fifth and Sixth streets. The town had asked for $200,500 to cover the entire cost of the project and will have to come up with additional funds from other sources, Planning Director Wensman told the council. Plans call for replacing the current walls along Spring Branch with sloped banks along with creation of an "emergent wetland." Construction of a greenway path and expansion of the Fifth Street Community Garden are also envisioned to make the area "a neighborhood focal point," Mr. Wensman said.
LARGE LOAN
APPROVED FOR SANITATION TRUCK
The council approved a $199,345 loan from BB&T to purchase a 2020 Hook Lift International truck for the Sanitation Department. BB&T was the low bidder for the loan with an interest rate of 2.15% over 59 months. Four other financial institutions submitted bids.
WATER-LINE
DESIGN CONTRACT NEGOTIATED
The council approved a contract with The Wooten Company for engineering design services for a 16-inch water line crossing the Neuse River along Durwood Stephenson Highway. The expense of $65,000 was negotiated by the town's staff after council members raised concerns at last month's meeting about approving such a contract without bids on its cost. They were told that a quirk in state law prohibits normal bidding on these types of contracts. The new water line will provide a second water main linking West Smithfield to the town's water plant. "It will stabilize water pressure in West Smithfield," said Utilities Director Ted Credle.
PERMITS ISSUED FOR SEVERAL
SPECIAL EVENTS
The council approved permits for several upcoming events:
• April 5 --- Centenary United Methodist Church will present a Holy Week re-enactment that will require the closing of Market Street between Front and Second streets from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
• April 9-19 --- Powers & Thomas Midway Entertainment will operate a carnival at Carolina Premium Outlets.
• May 2 --- The Johnston County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will hold a "Taking Strides Against Family Violence" 5K run and walk on the Buffalo Creek Greenway from 7 to 11 a.m.
• May 16 --- Sudan Shriners will parade noon till 12:30 p.m. on Market Street from Sixth to Second streets.
ADJUSTMENT,
RECREATION, LIBRARY APPOINTMENTS
The council appointed Keith Dimsdale to the town's Board of Adjustment, reappointed James E. Foy to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, and reappointed Crystal Roberts to the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield.
TOWN WANTS
HELP TO CATCH ILLICIT DUMPERS
During his monthly report, Town Manager Mike Scott made a plea to the public for help in catching perpetrators of illegal dumping of waste materials, particularly construction debris, in front of other people's properties as well as the town's Public Works transfer station. "This is driving our tipping fees up considerably" whenever the town hauls wastes to the county's landfill, Mr. Scott said. "Please alert the Police Department so we can curb this," he urged.
FIRST BUDGET SESSION SCHEDULED
MARCH 17
The council recessed its monthly meeting till 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 to begin discussions about the town's budget for fiscal 2020-21 that must be adopted before the end of June. The town manager has not yet put together his proposal.