In other action
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Salisbury City Council:
• Voted to rezone three acres in the 200 block of North Long Street and amend a conditional district overlay to allow development of the new 31,500-square-foot homeless shelter.
On a unanimous recommendation from the Salisbury Planning Board, City Council voted to change the zoning in the area from neighborhood mixed use and urban residential to corridor mixed use and residential mixed use.
The combination of zonings and the conditional district overlay will allow Rowan Helping Ministries to operate a homeless shelter, as well as renovating existing single-family homes and turning them into transitional housing.
• Heard budget requests from Rufty-Holmes Senior Center ($58,000, maintain current level), Rowan Arts Council ($40,500, maintain current level) and the N.C. Transportation Museum ($10,000 for marketing).
• Heard a request from David Post that Salisbury residents pray for the families of former Salisbury Post publisher Jim Hurley, who died Monday, and former Salisbury Mayor Paul Bernhardt, who owns Bernhardt Hardware and has been hospitalized.
• Approved a week-long carnival at the J.C. Price Legion Post, 1433 Old Wilkesboro Road for its annual Memorial Week Celebration with following conditions: no alcohol allowed in the carnival, police can close the event if problems arise and 11 police officers must be on duty at all times.
• Saved nearly $900,000 by refunding a portion of outstanding bonds sold years ago and reissuing them to take advantage of lower interest rates.
The $894,413 in savings will come over the course of six years for two series of general obligation bonds — parks and recreation facilities bonds series 1997 and water bonds series 1998 — and over 16 years for the combined enterprise system refunding bond series 2007.
• Appointed the city’s new 11-member Housing Advocacy Commission. Members are Nathan Chambers, Greta Connor, Joann Diggs, Eddie Hampton, Anne Lyles, William Peoples, Barbara Perry, Rodney Queen, Calvin Turner, Catherine Warren and Geof Wilson.
Maggie Blackwell will serve as the City Council’s liaison.
Council member Brian Miller said the commission is a diverse group that “covers virtually every slice of our city’s different perspectives,” and members will work to improve housing as opposed to advocating for individual agendas.
Sixteen people applied.
• Appointed Troy Russell to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and James Carli and Acey Worthy to the Historic Preservation Commission.
Vacancies remain on the Parks and Rec Board, Greenway Committee and Zoning Board of Adjustment. The city also needs people who live in the extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ, to serve on the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment, which will take on more responsibility in partnership with the new Housing Advocacy Commission.
To apply, go to www.salisburync.gov under the Boards and Commissions tab or call 704-638-5224.
• Approved a new, easier-to-read format for City Council objectives and goals.
• Congratulated city employees for receiving the Most Employee Spirit Award from the Rowan County United Way.
• Recognized Recreation Coordinator Jeff Holshouser and Maintenance Manager Stephen Brown for completing the National Recreation and Park Association’s Revenue Development and Management School.
• Congratulated Linda Jones, Tom Wolpert and Karen Alexander for working to bring an instrument from the Violins of Hope exhibition to Salisbury for a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Catawba College’s Omwake-Dearborn Chapel.
In other city news:
• The Parks and Recreation Department will host the Sixth Annual Mother and Son Dance at the Civic Center, 315 South Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., from 6 to 9 p.m. April 28. Tickets are available by calling the Civic Center at 704-638-5275.
• The Hurley Park Spring Celebration will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. April 15 at Hurley Park, Lake Drive and Annandale Avenue. The Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. in the Hurley Park Annex.
• Parks and Recreation will host the Touch a Truck event in the 100 block of South Church Street from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 21.
• Emerald Street will be a one-way street from noon May 25 until 4 p.m. May 26 from noon Oct. 5 until 4 p.m. Oct. 6 for a charity yard sale.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.