By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER — While still celebrating their recent $500,000 grant award, East Spencer aldermen voted Monday to apply for a second one.
“We are so pleased and thankful that we have been able to reach this milestone,” said Mayor Barbara Mallett. “This public hearing is for additional funds that we can apply for in this grant cycle.”
The new NC Catalyst Community Development Block Grant would pay for urgent home repairs, street improvements, sidewalk improvements and drainage improvements.
Catalyst grants are used to upgrade various transportation, housing, economic development and public neighborhood projects. The funds are dedicated for projects serving persons of low and moderate incomes.
Last week, East Spencer was awarded its first NC Catalyst grant, which will allow the town to repair and rehabilitate about 15 houses.
At Monday’s meeting of the Town Board of Aldermen, Jim Billups, North Carolina engineering manager with Anderson and Associates presented the proposed budget for the second grant. He said the design firm worked with town officials to identify and prioritize the town’s needs.
Of the $500,000 that East Spencer is requesting, about $212,000 would pay for sidewalk improvements on Long Street, Andrews Street, Shaver Street and Grant Street.
Alderman Tammy Corpening asked why the proposal designates some projects as “walks” and others as “trails.”
Billups said full sidewalks would be put in where they need to match up with other sections of sidewalk and curved gutter nearby.
“A trail is asphalt, and you can cover a little more distance with a little less money,” Billups said. “But there’s nothing cast in stone. This would be to apply to get funding, and then we would refine the program, working with you.”
Another $72,000 would go toward drainage improvements at Shaver Street, Pine Tree Drive, Boundary Street, Geroid Street and Division Street.
The development of a short street off Heiligtown Road would cost $95,000. That leaves a $57,000 (15 percent) administration fee and $64,000 in contingency funds.
Also at Monday’s meeting, aldermen unanimously approved East Spencer’s random drug test procedure and the acknowledgement and consent form regarding its substance abuse policy. The board voted at its last meeting to update the policy and formally include it in the town’s ordinances.
Aldermen also met in closed session Monday for personnel matters.
During the open meeting, they did not discuss a 36-hour shutdown of the town’s fire department last week. The fire chief has said he took the department out of service because of personnel issues, which made him question whether he had enough staff to provide coverage.
Town Administrator Macon Sammons briefly addressed the issue.
“I’m glad to report that everything went as it should, and we were fully covered during the entire period,” Sammons said. “I think our chief did everything he should to keep us covered and well taken care of.”
Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.
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