By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
GRANITE QUARRY ó Kim Cress, maintenance supervisor for the town of Granite Quarry, reported earlier this week about a demand for old Christmas trees.
He said the town picked up the trees from residents following the holidays, then recycled them. Most were distributed to pond owners who wanted them as breeding sites for crappies.
“This is the first time we’ve recycled 100 percent of our Christmas trees,” Cress said. “I think it’s great we can provide that service.”
Cress also reported at Monday’s monthly meeting of the Board of Aldermen that in this the fourth year of the town operating a leaf bagger, business was brisk. He said the town now picks up at least four times the volume of leaves that maintenance workers picked up just a few years ago.
He estimated the volume of pick up at between 600 and 900 cubic yards.
Cress addressed the issue of the fountain in Granite Lake Park operating continuously, even in the coldest weather. He said several residents asked why the fountain was spewing when the temperature dropped below freezing.
Cress said the only thing that kept the fountain and lake from freezing was the fact that it wasn’t turned off.
“We’d have a big ice rink out there” if the fountain had been cut off, Cress said.
Mayor Mary Ponds praised Cress and his staff.
“The town is clean,” she said. “We get compliments all the time.”
In other matters handled Monday, board members:
– Heard from police Chief Clyde Adams, who mentioned the discovery and destruction of a meth lab in town the week of Jan. 18.
Adams said the SBI and Rowan County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the drug bust, but said the police department’s greatest assistance came from members of Granite Quarry’s fire department.
– Heard from Deputy Fire Chief Bill Fraley, who reported the department responded to 434 calls in 2008, an increase of about 50 calls from the year before.
Fraley said most of the calls were of the medical variety and said the town frequently provides mutual aid to neighboring municipalities.
“We give mutual aid and we receive mutual aid,” Fraley said.
– Heard from board member Bill Feather, who said he was part of a recent meeting involving municipal leaders and county commissioners.
Feather said it was decided at the meeting to keep the county’s scheduled revaluation of real estate at 2011.
Traditionally, revaluations are done every four years, but it had been discussed bumping revaluations back because of the downturn in the economy and the housing market.
“We could have some houses adjusted down,” Feather said of property values.
He said if that happens, there will likely be a downturn in real estate taxes, which could affect many aspects of the county’s economy.
– Were told that April 5 is the date of the town’s annual Easter egg hunt. The event is always held on Palm Sunday.