City Council to consider selection of new city manager; hear crime, staffing update from Salisbury Police

Published 12:05 am Tuesday, April 19, 2022

SALISBURY — City Council members on Tuesday will consider the selection of a new city manager and hear an update on crime and staffing at the Salisbury Police Department.

The public is welcome to attend the meeting in-person at City Council Chambers or virtually beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live at salisburync.gov/webcast and on the city’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. Anyone who wishes to speak virtually during the public comment period must sign up by 5 p.m. on Tuesday by contacting City Clerk Kelly Baker at kbake@salisburync.gov. Those who wish to speak during public comment in-person can sign up in Council Chambers.

Former City Manager Lane Bailey retired from the city in December, with Brian Hiatt hired in November to serve in the interim. Hiatt spent a nearly 20-year stint as city manager of Concord before retiring in 2018. Chicago-based consulting firm Baker Tilly was hired in October to assist the city in recruiting candidates for the next manager.

Council members met in two closed sessions on March 24 and March 28 that spanned more than nine hours to interview candidates for the city manager position. No action was taken following those meetings.

In March, council members approved an extension to the existing employee agreement with Hiatt. The agreement stated that Hiatt can continue serving in an advisory capacity until April 30 if a new manager is hired before then. However, on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is a contract extension with Hiatt until June 30. He is currently piecing together the 2022-23 fiscal year budget using council feedback from the two-day planning retreat in January. The budget goes into effect July 1, so a recommended budget must be presented to council members no later than June 1.

Later in the meeting, council members will hear a report from the Salisbury Police Department regarding crime data and staffing during the first quarter of 2022, which includes the months of January, February and March.

The council will enter into a closed session after the regular meeting to discuss the acquisition of property as allowed by North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(5).

Also at the meeting:

• Council will hold a public hearing for the voluntary annexation of Oxford Station, located on Old Mocksville Road, for the construction of a subdivision with 246 single-family homes. The current tax value is $639,440, with a future expected annual tax revenue of $354,240. The parcel, 321-079, measures 79.5 acres and annexation would become effective following approval.

• Council will consider approving a right-of-way use permit for the use of two parking spaces adjacent to 127 South Main St. on Mondays and Tuesdays and adjacent to 133 South Main St. on Wednesdays and Thursdays for ongoing construction. The city has received a request from Alfred C. Wilson & Co. to use those spaces to park the work trucks of subcontractors during the work day from Wednesday until July 19.

• Council will set public hearings for several voluntary annexation requests, including parcel 450-001, which measures 134.4 acres on Harrison Road; 064-212 at 275 Cross Drive; and Innovations Logistics Center, which includes parcels 408-030, 410-001, 410-019, 410-029, 410-112 and 410-124, located off Peeler Road.

• Council will receive an update on the Fisher Street Bridge project.

• Council members will consider appointments to various boards and commissions.

• Mayor Karen Alexander will proclaim the month of April Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Safe Digging Month and Financial Literacy Month. The week of April 24-30 will be proclaimed National Crime Victims’ Rights week.

About Natalie Anderson

Natalie Anderson covers the city of Salisbury, politics and more for the Salisbury Post. She joined the staff in January 2020 after graduating from Louisiana State University, where she was editor of The Reveille newspaper. Email her at natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com or call her at 704-797-4246.

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