By Mark Wineka
mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Fulton Heights Neighborhood Association wants to place a sculpture in the Mitchell Avenue median near South Fulton Street.

Dottie Hoy, president of the association’s board, reports Fulton Heights residents are raising money for the sculpture, which will serve as a welcome to the neighborhood and also reflect some of its character and history.

Salisbury City Council will consider a request Tuesday from the Fulton Heights Neighborhood Association for a right-of-way encroachment that would allow the sculpture to be placed in the median.

Council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 217 S. Main St. Council meetings are streamed live at www.salisburync.gov/webcast.

Jeannette Brossart of Mother Nature Mosaics is the artist being commissioned for the sculpture. The two-sided mosaic of glass and tile will be 3 feet in diameter and 9 inches deep, resting on top of a 4-foot-high cement base and post, bolted to a cement pad.

The design will incorporate items such as a trolley and rose gardens, which have connections to the neighborhood’s history.

In another matter, council will hear an update on the continuing construction project at 113 E. Fisher St., the former home of Benchwarmers. In September, council granted Central Piedmont Builders the temporary use during construction of three parking spaces and the sidewalk in front of the building.

Staff now reports Central Piedmont Builders is asking to close the 100 block of East Fisher Street for two to eight hours on the day steel construction beams are delivered to the site.

That delivery will occur sometime between Oct. 12 and 23. For the delivery to happen, council will have to approve a right-of-way use permit to close the street.

Council also  will consider billing Broadplex LLC for underground utilities it placed in the city’s right of way.

The city’s Engineering Division reports that Broadplex installed approximately 18,000 lineal feet of underground fiber from Airport Road to the intersection of South Church and West Bank streets and 2,800 additional feet of underground fiber cable from the intersection of South Church and West Horah streets to the intersection of South Long and East Fisher streets.

The city staff is recommending Broadplex be billed at the city’s adopted fee of $1 per lineal foot, or roughly $20,800.

In other agenda items Tuesday, council:

• Will recognize the Rowan County Veterans Honor Guard for winning the national championship in advancing and retrieving colors during a competition held at the American Legion Convention in Baltimore, Md.

• Will consider awarding a contract to Charles R. Underwood Inc. to purchase a Floway-3 stage bowl assembly for Salisbury-Rowan Utilities. The contract price is $165,789.

• Will be introduced to the city’s new communications director, Linda McElroy.

• Will hear resolutions on behalf of Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10; Mental Illness Awareness Week, Oct. 4-10; and Make a Difference Day, Oct. 24.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.