By Susan Shinn

For The Salisbury Post

KANNAPOLIS — Kannapolis City Council on Monday evening voted unanimously to approve a budget amendment hiring additional city personnel, including two police officers.

Additionally, the city will hire three construction maintenance workers and two water treatment plant officers. A part-time administrative position for the fire department will be converted to full time.

In June, as part of its adoption of the 2015-16 budget, council voted to hire seven members of the Planning Department — a new in-house service the city previously contracted — four custodians, one risk manager and three police officers.   

The positions approved Monday will be covered by revenues of $385,000 in utility franchise taxes, and $85,000 in water and sewer fund revenues, according to City Manager Mike Legg.

During the time for speakers from the floor, Vickie Carpenter thanked council for hiring the additional police officers. She is the mother of a police officer, and has spoken previously in support of additional hires for the police department.

“Thank y’all from the bottom on my heart for these police officers,” she said. “I hope in the future we can get more.”

In other business:

• Council heard a report from Jon Wood and Randi Gates of Stewart, a Charlotte engineering and design firm, which is developing a plan to increase bicycling and pedestrian use in the downtown area. The plan will offer biking and walking paths from Village Park to City Hall, from City Hall to the Research Campus, and from the campus to downtown and the Veterans Park. Stewart is conducting a feasibility study, as well as a plan for bike lane signage and striping. The study should be complete in less than six months.

The study is part of a multi-year grant that the city has received from Cabarrus Health Alliance for active transportation planning. Council voted unanimously to receive the $45,000 grant, with similar amounts being awarded the next two years.

“This is a project to consider for our Capital Improvement Plan,” Legg noted. “It doesn’t have funding now.”

• City Council has been working with Irene Sacks, director of economic and community development, to award matching grants for businesses looking to improve their appearances.

Council voted unanimously to award grants to two local businesses. But that left $14,207 in available funds for matching grants.

After some discussion, council members agreed to expand the matching grants program from Cannon Boulevard to include Main Street.

Although seven businesses on Cannon Boulevard applied for grants, most of those were for paving only, which Sacks and her staff felt did not significantly improve a business’ overall appearance.

Chapel Square Shopping Center will receive a $4,143 grant to repair stucco cracks and repaint the front of its buildings (excluding Food Lion), and sandblast and repair light posts and bases.

A dental office purchased by Andrew Matthews will receive a $1,650 grant to repair front windows, repaint shutters, and patch asphalt on its side parking lot.

Council discussed whether business that rent property should make applications.

“By fixing up the property earlier, he’ll be able to rent it earlier,” Mayor Darrell Hinnant said of Andrews’ efforts.

Council felt that offering matching grants to Main Street businesses would help the downtown. Hinnant said he knew of one Main Street business owner who was waiting for the program to expand in order to apply for a matching grant, and said that several other business owners had expressed interest as well.

• Council voted unanimously for Dan Peters to serve on the RowanWorks board of direction.

In his city manager’s report, Legg noted that the dedication of the new City Hall is set for 4 p.m. Dec. 14, with tours before the City Council meeting at 6 p.m. The Christmas parade is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 12, and a Christmas tree lighting will take place Nov. 28 beginning at 6 p.m.

“We already have a half-dozen events booked in the new facility from late December to mid-January,” Legg said. “There’s already interest in that building.”

Freelance writer Susan Shinn lives in Salisbury.