By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER ó Members of the East Spencer Board of Alderpersons got good news Monday concerning a program intended to help fight gangs.
Beverly Kerr, director of the SUCCESS Program, told alderpersons the town has been awarded $539,834 through the N.C. Governor’s Crime Commission for the East Spencer Gang Prevention Project.
The grant is for two years and will provide funding for two full-time police officers and two part-time firefighters. The grant will also fund and expand the SUCCESS Program for another two years. The program ó in its second year of existence ó works with youth from at-risk families. The program works with 30 young people and their families over the course of a year.
Kerr said the program’s funding has been expanded tremendously through the grant she announced Monday, from slightly better than $200,000 during its first two years of existence.
“We’ve proven ourselves to be able to manage the resources,” Kerr said.
She said the program is operated out of the Northside Community Center at 729 N. Long St. Students come to the center after school Mondays through Fridays, and every other Saturday. They participate in projects, programs and assorted recreational activities.
“The more children we can keep off the streets, the more we feel we’re making an improvement in the community,” Kerr said.
She said the grant the program received from the Governor’s Crime Commission requires no matching funds, meaning East Spencer won’t have to pay a portion of the operating budget.
Mayor Erma Jefferies congratulated Kerr and Town Planner Donnie Jones for their work in securing the grant.
“To you and Mr. Jones, job well done,” Jefferies said.
After the meeting, she said the grant and program mean a tremendous amount to East Spencer.
“That’s a godsend,” Jefferies said. “It means the program can continue.”
In other matters handled Monday, board members:
– Heard from Fire Chief Darin Dearth concerning a surplus ladder truck that will likely be auctioned. Dearth said the 1981 model truck will probably fetch anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000.
He said the truck is in relatively poor shape and estimates are it will cost between $85,000 and $100,000 to bring it back to working order.
Asked if it was possible for the town to receive grants for the work, Dearth said the odds were slim. He said most grants for such projects pertain to trucks that are about 15 years old. “This one is 28,” Dearth reminded board members.
Alderperson John Rustin asked how long the town had owned the truck and was told only about two years, though the purchase was made when a previous entourage headed the fire department. Rustin shook his head in disgust.
“We buy a second-hand truck, we’ve got to know what we’re doing,” he said.
Firefighters have spoken to alderpersons at recent meetings about the need for a new primary engine for the department.
Board members have agreed the truck is needed, though no one has come up with an easy solution for financing the new ride.
– Approved a resolution to apply for a grant to help fund a new fire truck. The grant application is made through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is for $450,000 with the town expected to pay a matching amount of $22,500.
Board members said if the grant is approved, the matching amount will come from the 2009-2010 fiscal year budget.- Heard from Planning Director Kenneth Geathers that most of the town will likely be without water throughout the day Wednesday as work is done to repair the town’s leaking water pipes.
Geathers said the water outage may continue Thursday, or water pressure will be low, at the very least.
– Heard from representative of Salisbury-Rowan Utilities about the Fats, Oils & Grease program by which efforts are being made to keep fat deposits from entering the town’s water lines.
– Signed an audit agreement with the Lexington CPA firm of Allred & Carrick. The contract totals $17,500 and gives Allred & Carrick the OK to audit the town’s books.
– Agreed to accept a house at 114 Jackson St. that family members have donated to the town. Geathers said the house could be renovated.
“It’s a substantial structure,” he said.