Inside
Meet your neighbor ...
Donna Camp
A tribute to the life of
• Problem at Archdale Road substation leads to power outages — page 3
Her success as a student began with failure.
Angela Anderson Allred
• Archdale man wanted by Department of Insurance turns self in — page 9 Church news......5 Classifieds........11 Fire report..........8
Page 7
Obituaries............8 Police report......10 Sheriff’s report.....9
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Thursday, May 20, 2010
Archdale-Trinity News w w w. a r c h d a l e t r i n i t y n e w s . n e t
USPS [432-990]
50 Cents
Resolution asks state not to cut school funding C Budget belt
hris Tuft, a third grade teacher at Archdale Elementary School and president of the Randolph County Association of Educators, feels the solution to the state’s economic woes shouldn’t affect the education of its children. BY DEBBIE HIGHTOWER AND ROBYN HANKINS
That’s why he asked the Randolph County Board of Education to endorse Fund Schools First, a joint resolution by the N.C. Association of Educators and the N.C. Parent Teacher Association. The Board unanimously approved the resolution at the April 19 meeting. The resolution urges lawmakers to restore the $225 million in discretionary funds and jobs that were cut from the current state budget. According to the resolution, of those losses, 88.34 percent ($198.76 million), directly hurt classrooms by reducing the number and effectiveness of teachers, instructional support staff and teacher assistants. Tuft told the Board that the 2009-2010 budget cuts have directly affected his classroom — he now shares a teacher assistant with two other teachers. Teacher assistant funds took a hit last year when RCS had to send $2.8 million back to the state to help narrow the budget shortfall. “I used to have her (an assistant) every day for my guided reading groups, but now she is only available three days a
week,” explained Tuft. “The other two days I have to improvise, and my students get less individual attention.” Other cuts have impacted the classroom. Archdale Elementary did not hold math and science week this year because funds for guest speakers and activities were not in the budget, not when teacher positions and salaries are in question, and three classrooms serve as combination grades. He also pointed out Randolph Chris Tuft County teachers didn’t get the $100 per year classroom allowance that they had received in the past. “I didn’t get reimbursed for school supplies that I bought this year,” Tuft said. “But I still needed the supplies, so they had to come out of my own pocket.” Trinity High School Principal Denise Lackey says they have felt the pinch. “We have definitely tried to find ways to cut back,” said Lackey. “There are so many little things that we have cut back on — paper usage, telephone usage, stamps, anything we can. We have thought about what we really need and, if we can, we do with less of it. “High school teachers can use 7,000 to 8,000 sheets of paper per month,” she continued. “The Archdale-Trinity
gets tighter A
fter budget cuts at the state level last year, Randolph County Schools tightened their belts. However, the school system will have to squeeze to a tighter notch because more cuts are looming. BY DEBBIE HIGHTOWER AND ROBYN HANKINS
“Talk right now is a 3 to 5 percent reduction,” said RCS Finance Officer Todd Lowe. “We won’t know until the General Assembly meets. It would depend on tax revenue. We have no idea what that would mean for personnel.” Last year RCS had to send $2.8 million back to the state to help narrow the budget shortfall. Although it hurt, they had to use teacher assistant funds to refund the money. “We were able to re-employ, through Title I and stimulus money, many of the teacher assistants who lost their jobs,” Lowe added. After the Randolph County Board of Education’s
SEE BUDGET CUTS ON PAGE 4
SEE RESOLUTION ON PAGE 4
Archdale adds flexibility to land-use plan A
few years, such as the PART commuter lot. The area between Tarheel Drive and I-85, formerly single family, will be planned for Mixed Use. Other changes reflect existing uses, such BY ELIZABETH SAUNDERS as neighborhoods that already contain sevPlanning Director Jeff Wells presented eral duplexes. Some single-family areas of the draft changes to City Council at their Lake Drive and Archdale Boulevard, and annual retreat. He explained that the north- Oak Knoll (off of Surrett Drive), will now ern part of the city around Interstate 85, include Multifamily uses. N.C. 62 and the new An area of Archdale U.S. 311 bypass will beRoad north of I-85, StratA map of Archdale’s land come a significant gateford Road and Kersey way into Archdale. The use plan is posted at www. Drive, and part of InglePlan adds mixed use in archdaletrinitynews.net. wood and Wedgewood that area — residential Street, also will allow and commercial options Multifamily. An area of — which would welcome communities Archdale Road near Robin’s Nest changed where people could walk to offices, retail to Office to Neighborhood Business. and restaurants. An Open Space area at the end of Macon “Every spot we’ve updated, we’re addDrive has been changed to Single Family. ing an extra layer of options,” Wells pointed City Council approved the revised Plan out at a Planning and Zoning Board meetat their April 27 meeting. However, aping April 6. A large tract of land around the inter- proval of the Plan did not rezone any areas, change of N.C. 62 and I-85, mostly High- but makes it likely that future requests for way Business to Light Industrial, has been those zonings will be granted. Archdale updates its plans and priorities rearranged to allow more Mixed Use development. Areas just to the south of that, every few years. Last year, City Council around Weant Road, have minor rearrange- approved the revised Street Network Plan ments in Traditional Neighborhood and and a new N.C. 62 access corridor plan. Multifamily to Office. In the coming months, the Planning Some of the projected zones reflect Board hopes to update the Pedestrian Netchanges that have happened in the past work Plan.
rchdale’s Future Land Use Plan has been updated to add more options for developers and property owners.
Artwork depicts state scenes The Hopewell Elementary School media center looks much brighter this spring thanks to parent volunteer Caprice Thrift. Thrift worked diligently throughout the school year to paint window views of Randolph County’s Pisgah covered bridge, Chimney Rock, Biltmore House and the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, said media specialist Amy Caputa. The four scenes were designed to depict North Carolina seasons, regions and landmarks. Thrift started the project in September. Thrift is pictured with her children Kynnedy and Ty, who spent many hours after school waiting on their mom Photo submitted while she painted, said Caputa.
Proposed budget: no tax increase, but fees may rise A
rchdale’s proposed budget includes an increase in water and sewer utility fees, but no increase in taxes. The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, at City Hall on Balfour Drive.
BY ELIZABETH SAUNDERS If approved, the minimum rates for water and sewer will depend on the size of the meter. The minimum rate for the smallest meters — such as for a residence — will be $13.25 per month for up to 2,000 gallons of water and $16 for sewer. Every additional 1,000 gallons adds $4 for water and $6 for sewer. The numbers represent a 6 to 7 percent increase. As reported in a previous edition of the NEWS, pro-
posed garbage, recycling and stormwater fees stay the same. City staff had proposed higher fees at the May 3 budget meeting, but Council members asked for lower rates. Archdale’s water and sewer budget increases next year as the city starts to receive water from the Randleman Regional Reservoir. More than half a million dollars of the budget goes toward the purchase of water and payment of debt on the new Randleman Water Treatment Plant. Archdale will have to pay $68,540 for its share of improvements to High Point’s Eastside Wastewater Treatment Plant. High Point is increasing its rate for water, but
City of Archdale
sewer rates are expected to go down in the fall. Archdale has its own share of infrastructure to build and maintain; $339,000 worth in the coming year. City Council, staff and Dan Pritchett of Jamestown Engineering Group Inc. discussed upgrades and potential growth into areas east and south of the city at their annual retreat in February. Council members indicated that getting sewer service out to Interstate 73/74 (U.S. 311 bypass) would be a priority. The bypass is scheduled to open about June as far as the Cedar Square interchange in Glenola. The highway will connect to U.S. 220 in Asheboro in 2012. SEE ARCHDALE ON PAGE 4
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