By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
LANDIS — The Board of Aldermen introduced new recreation director Andrew Morgan at its meeting Monday. He’s been with the town since last week.
Morgan, of China Grove, has a degree in parks and recreation. He’s been working at the Pavillion along with the Public Works department spreading mulch and putting up a border. Morgan said he’s currently talking to contractors looking at prices on repairs to the town tennis courts.
“We are getting a lot done in a short amount of time,” he said.
Morgan also came up with an idea that he hopes would draw interest to Lake Corriher. The idea, which is in its early stages, is a fishing challenge where participants will have an opportunity to catch tagged fish for prizes. Morgan hopes the idea will coincide with the South Rowan YMCA Adventure Run in September. Morgan still has to develop this idea more, he told the board.
In other business:
• The board declared March Brain Injury Awareness Month. Brain injury is a public health epidemic resulting in long-term disability for 80,000 North Carolinians.
• The board referred potential amendments to the video arcade/electronic gaming ordinance to the planning board.
In recent weeks there have been a few inquiries from people who want to obtain business permits for business centers that would offer a place for people to check their e-mail or pay their bills and use a number of computer terminals for multiple uses. The business owner would charge the user time on the machine via a card, similar to a phone card.
The issue, Town Manager Reed Linn said, is that there would be no way to monitor if the patron were to play a sweepstakes game.
North Carolina banned video sweepstakes machines in December, but the town’s own ordinance does not address a business center with multiple terminals.
• No one spoke during a public hearing concerning initial zoning on three recently annexed properties.
The board first discussed annexing the properties at its November meeting. All of the initial annexations requests were made via petition by the property owners. All of the properties will be zoned single family residential.
The first property is near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Airport Road. The property owner asked in November that all three parcels be included in the Landis town limits.
The second property is at North Main Street and North Central Avenue, which the town owns. The property was donated a number of years ago.
The third property sits at West Round Street and South Valley Street and is partially in Landis and Kannapolis.
• The board will have its budget retreat Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Town Hall, 312 S. Main St.
VA will dig into backlog of compensation, pension exams