The city’s wish list has some things old, some things new:
- A new convention center.
- Renovations to the Civic Center to include a gymnasium and swimming pool.
- Extension of the greenway to Meadowbrook.
- More incentive grants for historic preservation, Innes Street improvements and downtown renovations.
- A pedestrian plan for Salisbury.
- Refurbishing the city’s welcome signs.
- A new pocket park at Elm Street and Lincolnton Road.
- An update of Hurley Park brochures.
- More neighborhood tree planting projects.
- Continuation of the Community Multiculturalism Training Program.
Members of nine Salisbury boards, commissions and committees met Thursday with members of Salisbury City Council and staff to highlight their recent accomplishments but, more importantly, lay out their goals for the 2001-2002 fiscal year that begins July 1.
The meeting has become an annual event, a goal-setting program that precedes council’s annual retreat.
Council will retreat to Mid Pines Resort in Southern Pines Feb. 8-10 to talk about its own goals for 2001-2002, with Thursday’s information as good background.
But City Manager David Treme inserted a disclaimer Thursday. Council has told him to submit a budget that doesn’t raise taxes. Treme said he would like to say that the city is loaded and that money was no object.
“It (money) is actually no object because we don’t have any,” Treme said.
The chairmen of the Planning Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Greenway Committee, Historic Preservation Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Community Appearance Commission, Hurley Park Committee, Tree Board and Human Relations Council made reports Thursday.
Some goals, such as the Parks and Recreation Board’s recommendation for a new convention center and a renovated Civic Center, have appeared before Council before but the high price tags have always been an obstacle, relegating the projects to long-term status.
The parks board estimates Civic Center renovations to provide for a pool and gym at $2 million. Albert Stout Jr., chairman of the parks board, did not put a price on a new civic center or convention center that could accommodate larger groups of people.
The Community Appearance Commission, chaired by Bill Safrit, listed several projects that would require funding. Safrit said the commission seeks an increase in the Municipal Service District Incentive Grants from $22,000 to $35,000 and in the Innes Street Incentive Grants from $25,000 to $35,000.
Safrit said the increases would allow the commission to leverage even more improvements in those two important areas. This past year, the city allocation of $22,000 in six different grants has been part of $116,000 in total improvements downtown, Safrit said.
The $25,000 in Innes Street incentives has contributed to $180,000 in total Innes Street improvements.
The Appearance Commission also has proposed $6,000 for refurbishing 12 city welcome signs, $5,000 for 11 additional trash receptacles downtown, $5,000 for its annual awards program, $3,000 to develop a pocket park at Elm Street and Lincolnton Road and $1,800 for continued promotion of “Adopt A Salisbury Street Program,” fall and spring “Spruce-Up Days” and “Landscape of the Month” awards.
The Appearance Commission previously helped the Public Services Department with improvements to the pocket park between Park Roads East and West.
Greenway Committee Chairman John Wear Jr. said his group seeks funding for the design of future greenway phases, the installation of benches and other amenities on the existing greenway and signs or markers pointing the way to the greenway.
The committee hopes to complete phase 2 of the greenway from Windsor Drive to Meadowbrook during 2001-2002.
The Historic Preservation Commission, chaired by Karen Alexander, requested funds of $36,000 for its Historic Preservation Grant Program, $2,000 for members to attend training workshops and seminars and $1,000 to mail out grant notices and a newsletter to property owners in local historic districts.
Council allocated $30,000 toward the Historic Preservation Grant Program in the current fiscal year. Alexander reported that seven grants, totaling $16,927, have been part of $44,221 in total investment in historic properties through the program.
Most of the improvements involved painting and roofing. Grants are awarded through a competitive points system in which maintenance and stabilization projects are given higher priority. The income of property owners, total project cost and historic significance of the project also are considered.
Hurley Park Chairperson Lib Taylor noted that the park’s brochures are six years old, meaning the map and gardens must be revised. More brochures are needed by agencies such as the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, the Rowan tourism bureau and Parks Department.
The Hurley Park Committee estimated the cost of reprinting and updating the brochures at $1,700. It also seeks $1,600 for the park’s spring celebration and summer lecture and $3,000 for designing and installing landscaping around the park’s smaller gazebo.
Tree Board Chairman Perry Hood said his board seeks $10,000 for tree replacement and installations that are part of the Downtown Master Plan. The board also requests $5,000 for another neighborhood tree planting project.
The Human Relations Council, chaired by Henry Diggs, submits a total request of $18,700, including $10,000 for continuing its community multiculturalism training program.
Other Human Relations Council goals include $1,500 for a newsletter, $1,200 for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast, $1,500 for Human Relations Council training for members, $2,500 for Hispanic awareness-involvement and $2,000 for the council’s Covenant Community connection.
Goals for the Planning Board include the preparation of a pedestrian plan, which would incorporate sidewalks, greenways, street lighting and other elements to emphasize the need for improved connections between strategic locations, while seeking more grants for sidewalks and other street improvements.
The board also wants to hire a consultant to help in developing a new zoning ordinance.
Chairman Mark Lewis said the Planning Board will consider “small area plans” in the vicinities of Salisbury High School and the Interstate 85-Julian Road interchange.
Lewis said an important ongoing goal will be finding ways to encourage construction of more affordable housing in Salisbury.
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