By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
South Main Street will have an additional Christmas decoration this holiday season.
A portable toilet.
Salisbury City Council approved Tuesday the placement of a toilet on the sidewalk outside of 108 S. Main St., which used to be home of Ruby’s women’s dress store.
The building will be undergoing renovations, and the toilet is needed for the crew working for Sullivan Builders.
Salisbury Traffic Engineer Wendy Brindle told council there was really no other place for the portable toilet to go.
The portable john will be on the sidewalk through Feb. 15.
In addition, the contractor asked permission to use parking spaces in front of the location for the loading and unloading of materials as needed.
Salisbury Mayor Susan Kluttz said she hated that the portable toilet had to be on the sidewalk during the Christmas shopping season.
With apologies to other downtown merchants, Councilman Mark Lewis made the motion allowing the portable toilet and the use of one parking space in front of the storefront.
In other business Tuesday, council approved a resolution opposing any transfer of ownership and maintenance for state-owned secondary roads to municipalities.
The N.C. Fiscal Research Division published a “justification review” in March 2007 recommending that the funding for secondary roads within cities and counties be reduced or eliminated and redirected to the state’s highest priority roads. The secondary roads would be transferred to the local governments, according to the recommendation.
This year, the Fiscal Research Division presented comparative information to a subcommittee of the 21st Century Transportation Committee reinforcing that proposal. The overall committee is taking a comprehensive look at the state’s transportation infrastructure needs and how they are funded.
The resolution says the city has analyzed the transfer proposal developed by the subcommittee “and found it to provide inadequate revenue to properly maintain the transferred roads.”
City officials say the additional roads would increase property taxes, and they express doubt that the state would provide ó and sustain ó adequate revenues to offset the additional road costs for municipalities.
Salisbury’s resolution “strongly urges” the 21st Century Transportation Committee, the General Assembly and governor to oppose the roads transfer.
Doug Paris, assistant to the city manager, delivered the resolution to Rep. Lorene Coates, D-N.C., who is a member of the 21st Century Transportation Committee.
Earlier this month, a city report said the proposal would lead to the city’s taking over an additional 41 lane miles and requiring a property tax increase of at least 2 cents per $100 valuation each year.
Rowan County would have a new responsibility for 940 miles, according to the city report.
Council also took a moment Tuesday to recognize the Salisbury High School girls tennis team, which recently won the state 2A championship.
Team members included Hannah Lebowitz, Kirstin Meyerhoeffer, Brooke Johnson, Shea Comadoll, Joy Loeblein, Erika Nelson, Sun Dragas, Sarah Truemper, Dzenita Sukurika, Sarah Shirley, Alex Yarborough, Mary Margaret Mills, Sierra Davis, Mally Fisher, Anna Wooten, Melony Ramos, Charlotte Mills and Suzanna Maxwell.
Lebowitz and Meyerhoeffer also won the state 2A doubles championship.
Chris Myers coached the team.
Kluttz read city proclamations for the team and the doubles duo, announcing that Tuesday was “Salisbury High School Lady Hornets Tennis Day” and also “Hannah Lebowitz and Kirstin Meyerhoeffer Day.”