BY DEBBIE PAGE
The Troutman Town Council recognized Human Resource Director Lou Borek as the Employee of the Month for February as he winds down his service as the town’s director of human resources.
Town Manager Ron Wyatt said Borek juggles a multitude of issues on a daily basis, including a recent morning when he had to deal with the town’s insurance source for municipal employees suddenly ceased to offer the service, while planning the monthly employee luncheon and handling a personnel issue.
Wyatt credited Borek, who has been with the town since August of 2022, with building on the initial revamping of the town’s human resources processes by Parks and Recreation Director Emily Watson.
With over 50 employees now working for the town, the department has many more expectations and regulations to follow, which Borek has ably addressed over the past two and a half years.
Borek is helping his replacement, chosen from 70 applicants, transition into the role and gather bids to address the town’s health insurance coverage changes before he leaves the position in April.
Mayor Teross Young commented to Borek that it had been a “pleasure to see you develop that department.”
Council member Paul Henkel said that the town had been in “desperate need” of organization in the human resources department.
“Thank you for taking on that role and turning that important department into something for the 21st century,” he said. “Personnel issues are so important in this day and time, and it’s important to handle them correctly.”
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business:
♦ On the consent agenda, the council approved a 16 percent increase in Wyatt’s base salary of $188,140, as set forth in his August 2021 contract. The raise amounts to just over $30,000.
♦ The council postponed setting a date to consider annexation of approximately 151 acres on Clontz Hill Road because of delays with a traffic impact study that may postpone the project’s presentation to the Planning and Zoning Board later this month.
♦ Council members approved an annexation request for nearly 50 acres on Autumn Leaf Road by Sterling Properties. No rezoning is required because the developer plans to build single-family homes on minimum half-acre lots as allowed under the current zoning.
♦ Council also unanimously passed a noncontiguous annexation request for .39 acres located at 142 Scotch Irish Lane to allow access to town water service. Several nearby residents questioned the annexation of one lot in their 150 home subdivision, fearing they could be forced to annex into the town as well.
Wyatt explained that the subdivision is on the town water system because Troutman once allowed nonresidents to become customers, and these previous customers are grandfathered.
The council changed town policy about two and a half years ago to only allow town residents to tap into the town’s water system, so the previously undeveloped lot in the subdivision must be annexed to tap in.
The annexation is non-contiguous and does not affect any surrounding areas, explained Wyatt, who noted that the state legislature outlawed forced annexation several decades ago. Only property owners who request to be annexed can be annexed, if the council chooses to approve the request.
♦ The council also appointed Jaclyn Crouch to the Planning and Zoning Board as an Inside Alternate Member, the seat formerly held Tonya Bartlett, until the term expires in September of 2026. Bartlett is now a voting member on the board.
The mayor and the council also thanked the Troutman Rotary Club for its $20,000 investment for electronic scoreboards at ESC Park baseball fields.