By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
CHINA GROVE ó Town officials hope to use federal stimulus money to carry out a long-needed sewer or waterline project.
Aldermen authorized Town Manager Bill Pless to file an application for funding a waterline project along Bostian and Chapel streets.
Pless told aldermen Tuesday night the Bostian-Chapel project is the closest thing the town has to “shovel ready,” a major requirement for the federal dollars.
Earlier, officials had indicated they might look at getting stimulus dollars for revamping and expanding the building housing the fire and police departments.
In other matters:
– Officials welcomed news that Rowan Transit, a public bus transportation system, will start April 6.
It will link Salisbury and Kannapolis with three stops in southern Rowan County at Landis Town Hall, Food Lion on South Main Street and the China Grove Police Department.
Riders can make the trip to Salisbury or Kannapolis for $1, get a free transfer and ride on those systems, then return home for $1.
Phil Conrad, of the Cabarrus-Rowan Metropolitan Planing Organization, made a presentation on the bus service.
Alderman Allen Welter said he has several renters who are disabled or elderly and do not own cars. Welter said it will be a great service for them and many others.
He cited three of those renters who have to make trips to the Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury and often pay $30 for a taxi ride. Starting in April, they can make the trip for $2.
Welter asked Conrad for posters with large print to put up around town showing the schedule of stops.
“We’re excited,” Mayor Don Bringle said. “We were very excited when gas was $4 a gallon.”
– Bringle and others hailed the work of Dave Ketner, the town’s public works director, in clearing streets of snow.
Bringle said one man with one truck and one blade cleaned every town street and helped on some state roads.
Ketner joked it was a chance to use “new equipment.” Bought five years ago, the town finally had enough snow to use the blade.
Officials also thanked Allen Goodman of Goodman Supply for cleaning sidewalks. He started at his business on North Main Street and kept going.
– The board approved a conditional-use permit for a drive-through service window at a pharmacy to be in the Northend Plaza under construction on U.S. 29.
– Agreed to renew the contract with Waste Management for garbage pickup service.
Bringle said aside from a few glitches, the company is doing a good job.
At the urging of Alderman Ron Overcash, the town will ask for figures on providing recycling for future consideration.
Overcash, an ardent supporter of recycling, urged the town to provide some type of program, possibly a recycling site in town.
– In a report to the board, Pless noted that he is continuing to work on options short- and long-term for the town’s water and sewer system.
Officials agreed last month to hold talks with Salisbury-Rowan Utilities on a possible merger or takeover of the China Grove system. Pless noted he hasn’t yet had contact with Salisbury on the topic.
– Bringle cited a letter from the N.C. Department of Transportation again rejecting the town’s request for a traffic light at N.C. 152 and Kress Ventures Drive, the entrance to Carson High School.
– Bringle also noted that since the town stopped handling Duke Energy collections, there are two sites in town that now accept the payments ó JCB Entertainment on South Main Street and 4-Star Video in the Food Lion Shopping Center on U.S. 29.
The town quit taking payments when Duke reduced the pay rate.
Contact Jessie Burchette at 704-797-4254.