By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
Salisbury City Council will consider Tuesday a request from Rowan County for help in providing a $200,000 waterline to a new classroom building at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
The unexpected cost of the larger waterline is putting construction of the $7.8 million classroom building on hold at the college’s North Campus in Salisbury.
Drawings had called for a 6-inch waterline, but state authorities said the line should be doubled in size to provide adequate water pressure and meet the college’s growth needs.
Arnold Chamberlain, chairman of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, has written a letter to Salisbury Mayor Susan Kluttz asking for “financial assistance” in the waterline’s construction from Old Concord Road.
“This is an unforeseen expense to RCCC,” Chamberlain said. “RCCC had hoped for state approval and the letting of bids in December 2008.”
Chamberlain added in his letter that Salisbury’s help would be “a great example of joint cooperation and caring.”
The council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 217 S. Main St.
Kluttz responded to Chamberlain by letter, saying she would be happy to meet with him personally or include it on the next council agenda.
“I agree,” Kluttz wrote back, “that Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is one of our greatest assets in Salisbury and Rowan County and hope that we will be able to work together for a solution that will be beneficial to all of us in a cooperative city-county effort.”
In other agenda items Tuesday, the council will:
– Receive updates on expansion of Salisbury Transit service to Catawba College and the Hefner VA Medical Center. The VA expansion included a pilot program, conducted between March and August, that expanded service to the Greyhound bus station in East Spencer.
– Consider an ordinance that will allow the city to demolish a structure at 601 N. Long St. and remove all the debris. The property is owned by Tim Smith, and the city has tried unsuccessfully since April to have Smith clean it up.
– Receive a report from the Public Art Committee on the Salisbury Cotton Mills Project and the Salisbury Sculpture Show.
– Hear a report from the Parks and Recreation Department about receiving a “Go, Girl, Go” grant.
– Consider awarding a $101,850 contract to Public Works & Equipment Co. for the purchase of a Freightliner M2 Brush Hawg limb truck.
– Consider a zoning change for Oak Haven Mobile Home Park off Airport Road.
– Consider a zoning change for the community college campus.
– Receive Sacred Heart Church’s petition requesting voluntary annexation of the new property for the church and school off Jake Alexander Boulevard.
– Consider a budget amendment for the purchase of $20,800 in telecommunications equipment.
– Proclaim Oct. 11 as Rowan Blues and Jazz Society Day and October as Crime Prevention Month.
Council meetings are streamed live at www.salisburyncgov/council/webcast.html and shown later on Time Warner Cable’s Access 16.