By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

After a brief delay, Rowan County Commissioners on Monday are scheduled to consider finalizing the name of a road that will be the site of the area’s newest Interstate 85 exit.

The specific proposal would name the road Old Beatty Ford Road. It would be located to the north of the current Old Beatty Ford Road, which will be split in two once an existing bridge over I-85 is demolished. A new name hasn’t been finalized for the two sections of road, and commissioners aren’t scheduled to pick one on Monday.

Commissioners delayed consideration of the road naming to obtain more information from Rowan Communications, which oversees the local 911 system, and Rowan County Emergency Services. Both have provided letters of support for naming the new road Old Beatty Ford Road.

The new road would start at the current intersection of Old Beatty Ford Road, shoot straight across I-85 and connect to Lentz Road. The new road will be the site of an I-85 exit.

If commissioners follow through with the renaming on Monday, they will need to pick new names for other roads in the area. County staff propose having a public hearing at a later date to decide other new road names.

One proposal mentioned by county staff would change the western portion of Old Beatty Ford Road to Bostian Road. The portion east of I-85 would receive a new name under the proposal.

In other business on Monday’s agenda:

• Rowan County Commissioners will discuss a request from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office to add a new detective position.

The position would cost a total of $119,925. Primary duties of the position would be to enforce federal and state narcotics laws. A specific focus would be on complex criminal drug conspiracies involving heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.

The new detective position would also focus on violent criminals, gangs and convicted felons in possession of firearms.

• As part of its consent agenda, commissioners are scheduled to approve a contract with Windstream Communications for backup internet services.

County staff recommend picking Windstream over Fibrant and Spirit Communications. If approved, Winstream would balance internet traffic and provide redundancy.

The proposed Windstream contract is $69,840 over three years. By comparison, Fibrant submitted a bid of $87,480 over three years.

• Commissioners will consider whether to accept $100,000 offer for a vacant county office building located at 1236 West Innes Street.

• Commissioners will consider a request to rezone a 7-acre parcel of land on Peach Orchard Lane from an industrial classification to one known as commercial, business and industrial.

Located near a recently finished Peeler Road bridge that crosses U.S. 29, the tract of land had a conditional use designation that would have allowed for a scrap metal recycling center. No development occurred, and the conditional use designation has expired.

If rezoned, the tract of land could house a wide range of commercial, business and light industrial uses.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.