By Mark Wineka
mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — With a month already under his belt, Phil Conrad sat through his first full Board of Aldermen’s meeting Monday night as Granite Quarry’s new town manager.

The biggest thing on Monday’s agenda was the Granite Quarry board’s approval of a $516,334 waterline extension project to serve any potential commercial/industrial development off the new Chamandy Drive, near the Gildan plant.

The new waterline also will serve a proposed residential development off Faith Road.

The Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen approved both a budget amendment and capital project ordinance in connection to the new waterline. Salisbury-Rowan Utilities will give a $50,000 grant toward the project, and the town will rely on a $250,000 loan from F&M Bank toward some of the costs.

Other monies will come from the town’s general fund.

Conrad said a pre-construction meeting for the project was held last week, and construction on the waterline could begin next week.

“We feel very good about its current status,” Conrad said.

The Granite Quarry board tabbed Conrad, former executive director of the Cabarrus-Rowan Metropolitan Planning Organization, as its new town manager in December following a closed session.

Conrad, who had been with the MPO since September 2003, succeeds Justin Price, who parted ways with the town last summer after less than a year on the job.

Conrad’s salary is $67,000 a year.

Conrad says he has worked in some capacity for local governments for the past 20 years. For the MPO he was a senior planner working for Mobility Solutions Unlimited.

He has a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College in political science and government and a master’s degree in city/urban, community and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Conrad is a native of Thomasville. He and his wife, a first-grade teacher in Rowan-Salisbury Schools, have two children. Conrad has lived in Rowan County for more than 13 years.

He has been certified through the American Institute of Certified Planners since 2003.

Conrad told the board Monday night he realized it was difficult to break in a new town manager, and he thanked the board members and the staff for their patience.

He also told aldermen he wanted to have an “open-door policy” with them and get as much information as possible to the board members about town business.

Also in December, the new Granite Quarry board chose Alderman Mike Brinkley as the new mayor pro tem. Other board members include Mayor Bill Feather and aldermen Jim Costantino, Jim LaFevers and Arin Wilhelm.

LaFevers previously had served as mayor pro tem.

The board also has kept on Chip Short as the town attorney, Barbie Blackwell as town clerk, Sarah Cross as deputy town clerk, and Jim Philyaw as finance officer.

In other business Monday, the board directed Conrad to ask RowanWorks, the economic development arm of Rowan County, about some final road improvements for Chamandy Drive and street lighting on it.

The Rowan County Board of Commissioners approved a change of work order earlier Monday in the amount of $49,731 for Country Boy Landscaping to add road striping, ABC shoulders, additional guardrail and other minor improvements.

Feather said what was approved Monday was a change from the original design the town OK’d earlier.

Feather also had a question about a street lighting plan outlined for Chamandy Drive by Duke Energy. The cost estimate of $32,929, including a one-time payment and monthly energy costs for three years, was lower than what was previously mentioned.

Feather wants to make sure the final lighting plan, calling for 14 street lights, is what the town wants and is adequate for that street.

In other business, aldermen:

• Approved Bob Jarvis’ request to hold a concealed/carry gun permit class from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Town Hall Jan. 16.

• Extended a lease agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Hilton Lingle to use some of their property for the town’s limb and brush storage through March 31, until the town finds a permanent site. The town pays the Lingles $50 a month.

• Learned Josh Fox and Jonathan McCaskill have been promoted to captains in the Granite Quarry Fire Department. Their promotions come on the heels of the retirement last month of Deputy Chief Bill Fraley, who was recognized by the town for his 34 years of service to the department.

• Announced that consultants Arnett Muldrow Associates will hold an implementation workshop for a new Downtown Master Plan from 1-4 p.m. Jan. 19 at Town Hall. The draft plan Arnett Muldrow has submitted for Granite Quarry is 54 pages.

• Scheduled its annual board retreat for Feb. 19-20.

The Granite Quarry Town Hall will be closed Jan 18 in observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.