Also at Tuesday’s Salisbury City Council meeting:
• Council approved a change to the Land Development Ordinance changing the definition of a home day-care from less than six children to more than two but less than nine children and the definition of a day-care center from six or more children to three or more preschool-aged or nine or more school-aged children.
Local day-care owners requested the change. The changes match state definitions.
• During public comment, Clyde, an artist who uses only one name, asked the city to resume giving away free mulch.
Although the city for many years turned yard debris into mulch and gave it away, state regulations will no longer allow the practice, city staff said. The state has deemed the city’s mulching location inadequate, City Manager David Treme said.
The city can’t afford to move the operation or purchase the required equipment, he said. The city argued with the state to no avail, Treme said.
A commercial entity comes to the site, takes away the material and mulches it.
• The city’s Community Development Block Grant budget will decrease about 10 percent in the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Council approved the first reading of the 2011-2012 budgets for the federal program.
As a result of the decrease, payments to local nonprofit groups will fall by about 8 percent from the current year. Agencies receiving less money:
Rowan Helping Ministries, Family Crisis Council, Rowan Community Care Clinic, City of Salisbury Youth Employment Program and Rowan County Master Gardner Association’s community garden.
The CDBG budget does include $1,400 for a new recipient, the Family Self-Sufficiency Program operated by the Salisbury Housing Authority.
CDBG funds also pay to buy and rehabilitate housing in Salisbury and go toward debt service on a Section 108 loan, which funded the Park Avenue Community Center. The debt totals $50,449.20.
The city’s pending CDBG funding is estimated at $301,966.
The city also will receive less money from the federal HOME program. This $97,170 budget marks a 15 percent decrease.
• The city entered into a Joint Cooperation Agreement for the HOME Investment Partnership Program.
• The first annual Spring Craft Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 26 at the Civic Center, 315 Martin Luther King Ave. The event is free and open to the public.
Salisbury Parks and Recreation will host a West End Community Fun Day from 1 to 4 p.m. March 26 at the Miller Recreation Center, 1402 West Bank St.
The Community Appearance Commission and the Public Service Department will sponsor Spring Spruce-up Week April 11-15.
The city will celebrate Arbor Day with a tree planting at 10 a.m. March 29 at Foil Tatum Park.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.