By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners will listen to several updates Monday night, including efforts to inform the public about a proposed quarter-cent sales tax increase in Rowan County.
Voters will approve or reject that sales tax increase in the Nov. 3 election.
Revenues from the tax increase would go toward $18 million in capital projects ó $6 million for construction of a new jail annex and $12 million for emergency services radio equipment.
The emergency radios must be converted to digital by 2013. The $12 million that would come from the tax increase would cover everything, including new radios for emergency responders, cell towers and 911 equipment.
Commissioners earlier this year voted to place the tax referendum on the November ballot. If approved, for every $4 that Rowan County residents spend, the tax will cost them an extra penny.
The board meets at 7 p.m. at the Rowan County Administration Building, 130 W. Innes St.
Commissioner Tina Hall is scheduled to update the board on changes to policies and operations of the Rowan/Kannapolis ABC system.
County Manager Gary Page will give an update on efforts to dispose of surplus county property.
Page also will report on the appointment of an Efficiency Committee and some of its initial discussions.
In other agenda items Monday, commissioners will:
– Consider awarding a three-year contract, not to exceed $638,035, to SHI for Microsoft Enterprise Agreement software for the Information Systems Department.
SHI and Dell competed for the contract.
– Consider the Airport Advisory Board’s recommendation not to participate in the Small Community Air Service Development Grant Program.
– Consider a resolution and the scheduling of a public hearing related to the county’s use of eminent domain. The proposed resolution says the county will not use its eminent domain authority to support the development of greenways or public trails.
The resolution grew out of discussion about the Carolina Thread Trail. A Planning Board committee drafted the resolution.
– Hold public hearings to consider road name requests for Litaker Farm Road, which is located off the 300 block of Litaker Road; Jenny Lane, located off the 2600 block of Old Union Church Road; and Cobra Lane, located off the 9800 block of Mooresville Road.
– Consider transferring a 2002 Dodge van from the Rowan Transit Service to Emergency Services.
– Set a hearing for Nov. 2 to consider Randy L. Beach’s request for a rezoning and conditional use on 7 acres of property at Peach Orchard Lane and Hader Street.
Beach seeks the rezoning to relocate his scrap metal recycling center, Mr. Metal Core Recycling, from 4160 S. Main St., Salisbury.