BY DEBBIE PAGE

The Troutman Town Council received a progress update on the Georgie Street Community Park project on Monday afternoon and discussed agenda items for Thursday night’s meeting.

Parks and Recreation Director Emily Watson gave a presentation about the pocket park, which was once a part of the Georgie Street neighborhood’s HOA and fell into neglect and disrepair. Seventeen years of property taxes are also owed on the property.

The town was approached by some residents of the area to consider taking over the small park, which was full of rusty playground equipment.

The majority of homeowners have signed their portion of ownership over to the town, and Town Manager Ron Wyatt said the town has enough signatures to get a deed for the property.

The town will have to pay back taxes on the property before acquiring the deed, Wyatt said. Any homeowners who have not signed over their interest in the property will be billed for their portion of the taxes and the cost of cleaning and upgrading the park.

Any unpaid bills will result in a lien being placed on those homeowners’ properties.

Watson said the property has been cleared of all old playground equipment, and staff are currently battling fire ant and snake issues as well as getting the grounds groomed and grass re-established.

Watson has a $60,000 budget for the park. A rendering includes picnic tables with sun shades, grills, swings, a slide and climbing structure, bouncers, and balance beam.

There will be no parking spaces, bathrooms, or water fountains at the pocket park, which is geared to nearby neighborhoods whose residents who can walk to the park. Pocket parks like these can take pressure off ESC Park, said Watson.

CITIZEN, ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS DUE MARCH 29

Nominations for Citizen of the Year and Organization of the Year are due to Town Hall by Friday, March 29. Forms are available online at https://www.troutmannc.gov/forms or at Town Hall.

A Citizen of the Year nominee must demonstrate a commitment to preserving, maintaining or improving the quality of life for the Troutman residents. The nominee does not need to live in town but must be a resident or business representative of the Troutman community. Nominees cannot be employed by the Town of Troutman.

A nominee for Organization of the Year is for a civic group or business respected for its commitment, support, services, and activities that promote a positive influence on the community.

BUDGET RETREAT SET

Town Council members set their annual budget planning retreat for Monday, April 8, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The April agenda briefing will follow at 4 p.m.

A second day of budget discussions is set for Monday, May 6, with the times to be announced.

The 2024-2025 Troutman budget must be approved, by state statute, by June 30. The budget will be on display at Town Hall or online for a minimum of 10 days prior to approval, which is expected at the June 13 meeting.

EXCHANGE CLUB AMERICAN FLAG DISPLAY

The council also discussed a request from the Troutman Exchange Club to hold a second annual community flag display event from Armed Services Day through Memorial Day. The town is also considering co-sponsoring the event as it did last year.

For the Walk of Heroes display, the club would place flags along the greenway on June 16 or 17 and take them down after the planned Memorial Day ceremony on May 27. Last year the club displayed 250 flags to honor the service and sacrifice of military members.

Club members also asked permission to sell the flags at the Depot during the display period. Each flag honors a veteran or fallen military member as part of the Memorial Day remembrance activities.

The flag will display the loved one’s name. Customers can pick up their flags after the Memorial Day ceremony.

Council members asked questions about signage and sandwich boards used during sales since any signage placed on the greenway requires a special use sign permit.

The council will consider the request at its Thursday meeting at 7 p.m.

REMOTE PARTICIPATION POLICY CHANGES

The council will also consider approval of an amendment to its remote participation policy for Town Council members on Thursday night. The amendment will remove a rule forbidding participation of council members during public hearings or voting on zoning issues.

Another part of the policy being removed is a provision that states a remote vote of a council member is not allowed if it is the deciding vote and that the motion must be continued to the next meeting when the deciding vote member is present.

Remote participation may be used only in limited circumstances. A council member desiring to participate in a meeting remotely must be physically unable to attend the meeting because of personal illness or disability, employment purposes, family or other emergency, out-of-county travel, participation in other scheduled town-related meetings which make it impossible to attend the council meeting, or when a state of emergency has been declared in either the state, county, or town.

The member can use telephone, internet, or satellite-enabled audio or video conference, or any other technology that enables the remote participant and all persons present at the meeting location to be clearly audible to one another.

The council member cannot participate by email, text messaging, instant messaging, or any similar form of electronic “chat.”

Remote participation is limited to two regular and two other meetings (agenda briefing, special, etc.) of the council in any calendar year. A member may participate remotely in additional meetings if a super-majority vote of the council votes affirmatively to allow it at a regular meeting of the council.

Remote participation is allowed only during open sessions when a quorum of the council is physically present at the meeting and the council member participating remotely is not necessary to establish a quorum.

Remote participation is not allowed during quasi-judicial hearings or closed sessions.

OTHER DISCUSSION

Council member Eddie Tau asked for contributions to the Pet Pantry, located at Town Hall, which is bare on some days.

Nau also asked Police Chief Josh Watson to look into citizen complaints about people parking at and blocking the entrance to the Barium Seasons subdivision during South Iredell High School dismissal times.

Finance Director Justin Mundy also discussed a possible change in the bill printing company for town utility bills, which would also print the Whistle Stop newsletter.

Mundy also asked that late fees be waived during a conversion to a new accounting software that will disrupt the billing process for one to two weeks. Manual entering of payments during this conversion, if even possible, would require significant staff overtime.

THURSDAY’S AGENDA

At its regular Thursday night meeting, the council will consider:

♦ An anexation and rezoning request for 4 acres off Semi Drive from suburban residential to town residential by Salih Boysa to match his adjoining properties.

♦ Approval of a high-density watershed permit for “The Doryian,” a senior apartment project to be located on the southwest corner of Talley and Lytton streets.

♦ Approval of a fee In lieu of sidewalk requested by Urban Design Partners on behalf of Shinn Farms for a portion of sidewalk along Weathers Creek Road.

♦ Approval of a town policy #65 Titled: “Town of Troutman Planning Board New Member Training.”

♦ Approval of the Southern Corrosion water tank maintenance contract.

♦ Approval of an agreement for a temporary position to purge outdated records.

♦ A text amendment to the parking provisions of the Troutman UDO that creates a new section requiring commercial parking lot maintenance.

Recognitions

♦ Recognition of Andrew Ventresca as “Town of Troutman Employee of the Month” for February 2024.

♦ Recognition of South Iredell Marine Corps JROTC for winning First Place overall in the Daniel Boone Invitational Drill Meet and placing First Place overall in the Armed Category and Second Place overall in the Unarmed Category in regional competition.

♦ Recognition of CR Onsrud for Receiving the North Carolina Chamber Award.

♦ Recognition of Josh Watson, Police Chief; and Emily Watson, Parks and Recreation Director.