By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
City Manager David Treme will present a 2008-2009 budget proposal to the Salisbury City Council Tuesday.
As with most local governments, Salisbury goes into the budget process under the burden of rising fuel, construction and personnel costs, while also receiving requests from community agencies for more funds.
A Salisbury-Rowan Utilities budget also will be presented.
A year ago, the City Council passed a “tax-neutral budget” and set the city property tax rate at 59 cents per $100 valuation, down from 62.5 cents per $100.
A countywide property revaluation made the decrease possible, but residents were paying roughly the same because many experienced an increase in their property values.
The water-sewer rate increased 2.92 percent in last year’s budget.
Council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 217 S. Main St.
Council meetings are streamed live at www.salisburync.gov/council/webcast.html.
In another matter, the council will consider awarding a $962,786 contract to Nextel for the city’s 800 MHZ rebanding project, which will replace 241 radios for the city and 300 for the county. Additionally, all the radios will be upgraded to digital at a cost of $655 per radio.
In all, there are 2,400 radios on the system.
Sprint/Nextel has agreed to reimburse the city about $420,000 for the project, which will begin in June and continue for about a year.
The reimbursement is for additional temporary staff and the subcontracting of some work related to the project.
The city also has negotiated a frequency relocation agreement with Sprint, which will be reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission if approved by council.
In other agenda items Tuesday, council will:
– Receive an update from staff on plans for landscaping at the East Innes Street interchange of Interstate 85.
– Hold a public hearing to change the zoning of all or a portion of 36 parcels (roughly 16.3 acres) from a light-industrial district to a downtown mixed-use district. The area, which extends from Liberty Street to the east-west railroad tracks, is between North Main and North Lee streets and North Lee Street and the north-south railroad tracks.
– Hold a public hearing on text amendment corrections and clarifications to the Land Development Ordinance.
– Consider a high-impact, predevelopment grading permit for Corbin Hills Golf Club at 431 Wildwood Drive. The golf course has plans for adding a pond.
– Consider a request from H.M. Kern, a contractor working on renovations at the Rowan County Detention Center and Justice Center. The work will require the use of sidewalk and a travel lane in the 200 block of North Church Street and the 100 block of West Liberty Street.
– Consider an ordinance regarding “No Right Turn on Red” conditions at Grove and Innes streets and Mocksville and Mahaley avenues.
– Consider a lease-purchase agreement for $225,000 to finance the replacement of tennis courts at City Park.
– Receive a petition for voluntary annexation from Salisbury Holding Group for Holiday Retirement Residence LLC.
– Consider a temporary carnival permit for J.C. Price American Legion Post 1433 on Old Wilkesboro Road for its annual Memorial Day celebration.
– Consider a budget amendment to reflect the donations of $1,090 received for the Gang Summit II.
– Recognize Col. Paul Barbee, commander of the N.C. National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility and 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, for his recent promotion.
– Proclaim May 4-10 as Municipal Clerks Week; May 11-17 as National Nursing Home Week and National Police Week; May 15 as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day; May 17 as Let’s Get Connected Day; and May as National Historic Preservation Month.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263 or mwineka@salisburypost.com.