By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — The board of alderman hope they’ll find success with a grant application, if awarded, that would provide assistance to low-income homeowners to make needed improvements to their homes. The $75,000 Housing Preservation Grant would provide rehab for six to nine houses.

The board plans to discuss the U.S. Department of Agriculture grant at its Monday meeting. The board would first need to approve the proposed statement of activities for the project. The statement of activities essentially provides an outline for what the grant will cover.

The board is considering submitting an application for the grant and expects a public hearing for community input to take place at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 during a board work session.

There will be certain criteria homeowners must meet, including those with a gross annual adjusted income below 50 percent of the median income of $41,495 for Rowan County. Priority will be given to households below 30 percent of median income for the county. Units with the most severe needs will be given priority, according to the statement of activities.

Qualifying applicants can be accepted from anywhere within the town. Applicants to be identified are expected to have some of the most serious housing needs in the town. The balance left from the 2011 Community Development Block Grant Housing Project will provide an estimated $75,000 in grant funding. The funds were given to the town in 2012.

The CDBG funding was for repairs to 15 low-income and very low-income homes and rehab of five dwellings. The town completed repairs to all but a few homes and rehab on all but one.

The board is also expected to:

• Approve a budget amendment for two additional police officer positions.

The police department lost some part-time officers and a few officers who were part-time have begun working full-time hours, explained Town Administrator David Jaynes, so because of the amount of hours they’ve been working the town will move money from its part-time line item in the budget to the full-time line.

He said there is the possibility in the future to hire more officers, but not for this budget cycle.

• Approve a transfer of ownership of the Nash Street sign to the family of Cyrus Nash.

In September the town renamed Nash Street to Essie K. Foxx Lane and so Sam Nash, the grandson of Cyrus Nash, has asked the town for the sign that bore the Nash name. Cyrus A. Nash was a longtime East Spencer merchant and community leader.

• Approve a proclamation for the state of emergency operations plan.

The board will be meet at 6:30 p.m., Monday at town hall, 105 S. Long St.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.