Spencer Will Work on Bus Traffic Problems
Mayor concerned about badmouthing of schools

By DEIRDRE PARKER SMITH
SALISBURY POST

SPENCER - The schools' transportation director has promised to work with Spencer officials to resolves residents' complaints about bus traffic.

Spencer Mayor Buddy Gettys also said he's tired of people ''badmouthing'' North Rowan schools. The school board decided this week to reassign some students from North Rowan to the new Henderson Elementary School but let some Morgan Elementary students stay at their schools after Morgan parents protested.

Gettys said he meant ''nothing against Morgan,'' but he's concerned about North's image. ''It's a perception that hurts the community,'' he said. ''I want something to happen so that perception can be changed. I don't know what to do, but we have to work together on this. I'm mad that people think our schools are inferior.''

The mayor, who made his comments at the end of Tuesday's meeting, said he's upset that some people think a school with a high proportion of minority students is ''an inferior school.''

Earlier in the meeting, Harry Corriher, director of transportation for the Rowan-Salisbury School System, answered questions about bus traffic in the Forestdale Avenue area.

Residents have been complaining to the board about increased traffic and buses damaging lawns. Mayor Buddy Gettys said the town built Charles Street and North Rowan Avenue Extension to withstand bus traffic, but the buses are using other streets.

Corriher responded that North Rowan Avenue Extension is not wide enough for a bus and car to pass, so about 20 buses a day use Forestdale Drive and Oakwood Avenue.

The extension has no curbing, but Forestdale does, Corriher said, and it's wider. He's worried a car and bus cannot pass on the extension.

On Charles Street, Corriher said buses get about two feet off the road to help with heavy car traffic. Other routes suffer from obstructed vision.

Plus, taken together, the three North Rowan schools have the highest percentage of bus ridership. So Corriher assigns bigger buses, which need more room to maneuver, to serve those schools. The new Henderson School will complicate matters, he said.

The schools' first concern is safety. Aldermen agreed with that.

Corriher promised Gettys his staff will look for alternatives and work with the board to handle complaints.

Before hearing from Corriher, the board passed two zoning amendments.

New rules governing political signs will reduce the maximum size to five square feet (from 16) and require a minimum setback of 10 feet from the edge of the pavement. The current setback is one foot.

The ordinance also allows candidates to put up signs five weeks before the election and lets the board designate a place for signs near the polling place on election day.

The board also passed a zoning ordinance that reduces minimum setbacks on fences around a home. Because houses were built so close together in Spencer, it was virtually impossible to build a fence at the sides of a home. The setback has been reduced to two feet from all lot lines except the front, which must have a setback of five feet. A front yard fence must be picket-style, but side and back fences are not restricted in style, just a height of six feet.

In other business, Gettys announced a Thursday luncheon with an eight-person committee to put together an application for the All-American City award. The program emphasizes volunteerism and Gettys believes the town has good examples, from the N.C. Transportation Museum to the Spencer Care project for youth and the elderly.