Cleveland’s annual spring festival will feature a new ride this year.
Town Commissioners approved adding the Gyro Xtreme to this year’s festivities, a ride designed similarly to the equipment astronauts and fighter pilots use to train.
The ride is owned by Flexflying, Inc. out of Mooresville, the same company that owns the Flexfly. The Flexfly is the festival’s most popular amusement, according to Commissioner Mary Frank Fleming-Adkins.
The town typically rents amusements from Flexflying, Inc. and TC’s Amusement Rides out of Rock Hill, S.C.
Renting the Flexfly costs $1,860, but Flexflying, Inc. offered to bring the Gyro Extreme for an additional $800. So, commissioners decided to book the ride instead of one of the rides they typically rent from TC’s Amusement Rides.
Fleming-Adkins said the town plans to have five to six rides total and attendees can purchase tickets for individual rides or purchase $10 wristbands for unlimited rides.
The festival is scheduled for May 17.
Commissioners also called for a public hearing at their April 14 meeting regarding rezoning a 2.2-acre, triangular parcel of land bordered by Old U.S. Highway 70, current U.S. Highway 70 and Third Creek.
The property is zoned for agriculture, but its owner, William Russell, wants it rezoned for general business.
Lindsey Hobbs, who advises Cleveland’s planning and town boards, said it might be “too much a stretch at this time,” pointing out that the property is too far away from the businesses in the area and may end up vacant.
Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Phifer, however said, “It’s not usable for agriculture either.”
A good piece of the land is in a flood plain and only about one acre of it is actually usable.
Commissioner Gerald Osborne was concerned about the environmental impact of rezoning the property.
Ultimately, commissioners decided a public hearing was the best way to decide how to handle the request.

In other news, Cleveland town commissioners:
• Approved deer urban archery season. The season, in its third year in Cleveland, allows hunters to hunt deer using a bow and arrow. Hunters must have written permission from the property owner and can’t hunt on town property.
• Unanimously approved permanently hiring Kelly Rodgers as assistant town clerk. Rogers has temporarily been serving in the role since January and Clerk Cathy Payne said she’s “doing an excellent job.”
• Unanimously approved increasing the town’s zoning and planning board’s secretary’s pay from $35 a meeting to $50 a meeting. Phifer said Roy Huss’ responsibilities require him to work beyond normal meeting hours and that his work should be rewarded.
• Commissioner Osborne presented water and waste treatment trend charts for the second month.
The board is “accumulating data to create a baseline” for utilities use, cost and maintenance, according to Osborne.