The East Spencer Board of Aldermen has approved the designation of Aug. 28 as “Carl Torbush Day,” which will include an 11 a.m. ceremony on Heilig Street that will officially rename the street Torbush Drive. Torbush grew up on Heilig Street.

Afterwards, the town will continue festivities at Royal Giants Park, where people can enjoy free food and drinks while they meet and talk with Torbush. The coach also will receive the key to the city.

“It’s going to be a big event,’’ said Alderman John G. Noble, who is serving as chairman for the day. The public is invited to both the renaming of the street and the activities at the park.

Ever since being named head football coach, Torbush has often spoken fondly of his childhood days in East Spencer.

“Iappreciate him and the way he feels about the town,” Noble said. “We want to show that we appreciate him. He always says something good about East Spencer.”

New street signs are on order, though there have been some glitches. Street Department Supervisor Brent Polk reported that new signs first coming to East Spencer misspelled Torbush’s name. Then, during Monday night’s discussion of Torbush Day, Polk realized that he had reordered signs that said Torbush Street, not Torbush Drive.

Aldermen also asked him to be sure that signs designated the east and west sides of the street.

Aldermen met for the first time Monday since June’s budget sessions. Major Rajive Patel, stripped by aldermen of most of his administrative powers in May, continues to be a no-show at the board meetings.

Patel has filed for re-election as mayor and has told the Post that a power struggle and jealousies exist on the current board. Aldermen attending Monday night’s meeting included Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth Fox and aldermen Noble, Jerry Miller, Thomas Mitchell and Chris Sharpe.

Fox presided over the meeting and asked consultant Rick Slade to update the board on economic development progress in East Spencer. Slade reported that plans have been finalized with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for construction of a Rowan Entrepreneurial Center on Andrews Street, signaling that East Spencer has given up its attempt to purchase the Dunbar Center from the Rowan-Salisbury schools.

Slade reported that funding for the $500,000 project, overseen by the town’s community development corporation, The Empowerment Network, should be approved by Sept. 30. The center will house a small-business incubator, providing office space, technical support, financial help and management support to businesses trying to get off the ground.

In other developments, Slade reported that Aldi broke ground on its new grocery warehouse Monday and is expected to have it operational by Jan. 1, 2001. Bovis Construction is contractor for the $25 million project.

Slade said East Spencer officials met with Bovis and secured a minimum 10 percent ($2.5 million) agreement for minority contractors. All contractors on the project must be “diversity certified,” Slade added.

Any local contractors wishing to bid on aspects of the project should contact Fox through The Empowerment Network at 636-7111.

On Aug. 7-10, Slade and Fox will travel to California to visit a therapeutic and rehabilitation program offered by Criminon, a non-profit program that deals with education, parenting skills, job skills and job placement.

Slade said a Criminon program has been proposed for the Dunbar Center and would include 280 patients, while creating 40 to 50 jobs.

Slade also reported that East Spencer will try to form a land bank company, Southern City Development, which would serve as a vehicle for the town to assemble property for new development.

Slade’s consulting firm, based in Winston-Salem, has completed a privatization study for the town, putting together a list of contractors that Slade said will provide cost savings and more efficiency without the loss of any town personnel. He asked for the opportunity to review the report with aldermen at a later date.