BY DEBBIE PAGE

Troutman Council members unanimously approved the annexation and rezoning to highway business of 10.5 acres at 726 South Main Street near the Barkdale Road intersection for an unnamed retail use.

The parcel, which was previously Iredell County residential agricultural zoning, was designated for medium-density residential development on the town’s recently approved Future Land Use Map.

In March, the Planning and Zoning Board unanimously rejected recommending the rezoning request because the board did not want to contradict the Future Land Use Map, created with extensive community input.

Planning board members also cited the desire for an attractive gateway to town, the lack of information about the planned project, and the ability to build anything allowed in the highway business use if the current project fell through as reasons for their denial.

In her presentation to the council, Town Planner Lynne Hair recommended the zoning change, noting that the area has other highway business and industrial zoning. She said the area would be a transition to the industrial and higher density in the nearby areas. She also noted citizens have asked for more retail choices.

CITIZEN AND ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR CHOSEN

Citing their difficult decision this year with so many outstanding nominations made by Troutman citizens, council members chose Mary Starks as Citizen of the Year and the Troutman Food Lion as the Organization of the Year.

Starks moved back to Troutman in 2006 after a career with the New York City Housing Authority during which she was promoted to director of community services.

On her return, she immediately jumped back into Troutman’s community activities, rejoining Zion Wesley AME Zion Church, where she has served as chair and secretary of the trustees as well as director of Christian Education at the district level. She was also nominated as the Lay Council Woman of the Year.

Additionally, Starks is active in the local NAACP and the Troutman Friends of the Library. Until recent years, she competed on a traveling competitive bowling team.

A 1961 graduate of Livingstone College, Stark also served as Alumni president and was inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame.

Starks is a regular attendee of town meetings and shares the information with fellow seniors who otherwise might be uninformed on town decisions. She also serves her peers by driving them to appointments and running their errands.

In her nomination of Starks, Felina Harris wrote, “Ms. Starks’ history of dedication to communities, her professionalism, active involvement in the town, love and concern for the good of Troutman residents, and her earnest efforts all make her a great candidate for Troutman Citizen of the Year.”

Shane Harris nominated store manager Eric Ball and the Food Lion staff for Organization of the Year honors “because of their commitment to bettering the town and the people who live in it with their time and donations.”

Some of their contributions include participation in the Backpack Program at Troutman elementary and middle schools, providing discounted pregame meals for SIHS football, providing water and granola bars for 350 kids at a career booth, and donating breakfast items on the first day of school to several school faculties.

They also donated hot dogs, buns, chips, and fixings for the Troutman Night Out, volunteered time and food to Statesville Christian School, Fifth Street Ministries, and First Church of the Nazarene. They also hosted an EC class at SCS to help students with life skills and budgets.

They also donated food, drinks, and snacks to the Friendz of Kids golf tournament, Purple Heart Homes, the town’s Trails and Treats event, Independence Day and Christmas parades, and Troutman Fire and Rescue.

In addition, the store donated $250 in gift cards to a family devastated by a house fire. The stor also adopts a family each holiday season.

“These are just some of the ways Food Lion gives back to the community and how they want to help and see the the town of Troutman succeed and grow,” concluded Harris.

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

Jay Murdock, Brent Bustle, and Bobby Deal, part-time Parks and Recreation Department employees, were named Employees of the Month.

“They have never shied away from tackling a challenge our team was facing, helping find solutions, going above and beyond, and thinking outside the box to get the desired end result,” Director Emily Watson said.

This past winter, the trio designed and built four dugouts for the ESC Park baseball fields, made possible through a donation by the Chris Carney family.

Watson said the dugouts cost a quarter of the quotes the town received from contractors, with Town Manager Ron Wyatt estimating a savings of more than $100,000 because of their efforts.

Bustle and Murdock received certificates of appreciation from Mayor Teross Young. Deal missed the ceremony due to illness.

ABC STORE QUARTERLY REPORT

The Troutman ABC Store had a 7.4 percent increase in sales ($698,523) over the third quarter of 2022, according to store manager Evelyn Walls. Net profit for the quarter was $45,185, up 6 percent. Daily sales have averaged $10,285 so far this fiscal year.

In the quarterly profit distributions, the town will receive $9,894, with the Parks and Recreation Department, Friends of the Library, and ESC Park each getting $2,473.50 and the four Troutman area I-SS schools receiving $618.37 each.

The Troutman Police Department will get $2,567, and $3,594 in alcohol education money will go to the Drug-Alcohol Coalition of Iredell.

The 2023-2024 budget projected sales of $2.8 million, but if the current pace continues, Board Chair Layton Getsinger predicts the store will hit $3.1 million in sales.

Since opening, the store had sales of $11,713,906, with $308,789 distributed to the Town of Troutman and its four designated entities, $69,178 to DACI for alcohol education, and $49,413 to the TPD.

The second store planned on Charlotte Highway south of Lowes is at a standstill, pending Mooresville’s delayed boundary release of the property near Flower House Loop. The town and Mooresville are in talks to resolve the issue.

OTHER ACTIONS

The council unanimously approved:

♦ The following budget amendments:

• Purchase of Parks & Recreation equipment ($60,000).
• Property renovations to the Planning House and Parks & Rec House ($150,000).
• Purchase of new electronic town sign ($20,000).
• Safety Security Grant received (adding $5,000 to budget).
• Contracted services for House Demo, Debtbook, Landmark Services ($52,000).
• Purchase of property at 149 Wagner Street ($205,000).
• Massey Street storm drainage repair contracted services ($99,961 Utility Fund).
• Purchase of additional sewer capacity ($233,200 Utility Fund).
• Purchase of Street Department equipment ($27,781 Powell Bill Funds).
• An amendment to the Town of Troutman Personnel Policy (Policy #54) regarding accrual and use of comp time
• The Town of Troutman Water Shortage Response Plan.

♦ UDO Text Amendments regarding mobile food trucks as an accessory use with additional standards, including allowing restaurant related food trucks on site to the rear of he property and differentiating between individual food tucks (limited to 90 nonconsecutive days on one property with a $45 permit and renewable on another property) and special event food trucks (town property, ESC Park, or fairgrounds events) or food trucks at residential/private events (limited to 8 hours off-street parking with no permit required).

♦ A UDO Text Amendment to allow off-site monument signs for multi-tenant retail centers.

♦ The Town of Troutman Bike and Pedestrian Plan.

♦ An annexation hearing date for May 11 for .57 acres on Orchard Lane.

♦ A proclamation of April 2023 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.