STOKESDALE town council
Sept. 9 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by PATTI STOKES Mayor John Flynt called the monthly meeting to order. Following an opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, a revised agenda was adopted and Flynt then introduced Jim Albright, director of Guilford County Emergency Services.
Fire service district. Albright spoke first about a proposed change in the way the county taxes citizens for fire protection in the Stokesdale fire district. The requested change comes from the county, not the fire department, he explained, and he said Stokesdale’s fire district is one of only two in the county that does not have a service district overlay for fire protection. Stokesdale Fire District (SFD) charges the third lowest fire tax of any district in the county, Albright noted. “The pressure we’re seeing (to raise the fire tax) is from declining volunteerism, which leads to a need for more paid staff,” Albright said, adding there is no indication from SFD that it has plans to immediately raise the fire tax.
5 0 to schedule a public hear-
ing for Oct. 14, after which the council will vote on whether to authorize the county to have fire taxation authority
over its town limits.
Update on pandemic. Albright was then asked to speak about the impact of COVID on the county’s emergency management system. (See related article on front cover.)
5 0; after requesting one correction in the May 13 minutes, those minutes as well as minutes from the Aug. 24 regular meeting and closed session meeting were approved.
Republic Waste. At the invitation of councilman Jim Rigsbee, Jorge Fernandez, general manager, and Joe Salamone, area director, operations, with Republic Services, spoke about the company’s services and steps they are taking to improve them. (See related article in News Briefs.) Fire Department. Fire Chief Todd Gauldin said the department responded to 87 calls for service last month; of those, 39 were fire-related and 48 were rescue-related. As a safety tip, Gauldin advised residents to store fuels away from their home. Gauldin also said anyone needing a smoke detector or help with installing one, at no charge, can come by the fire station.
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Interim town clerk Dale Martin said six new water meters were installed last month; 38 meters are on hold; the town processed 37 8-1-1 calls, and population-related info was sent to the state demographer’s office. The Guilford County Emergency Operations Plan is ready for review.
Events Committee. Councilman Derek Foy announced the Christmas parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, in downtown Stokesdale. Also, a 9/11 ceremony was planned at the fire station on Sept. 11. Regarding the 9/11 ceremony, Gauldin added that afterward, an Eagle Scout project honoring those who have contributed to the fire department since it was created in 1954 would be unveiled (see p. 35).
FINANCE
Finance Officer Kim Thacker reported on the general fund and water enterprise financial transactions and balances as of Aug. 31. She also said the town recently received $362,737 from an American Rescue Act grant, and will receive the other half of the grant in 2022. Thacker said online finance classes she attended in early September, which were offered by the UNC School of Government, were very beneficial. “It’s nice to know there are resources available when I have questions to make sure we are following statutes and policies and procedures,” she said.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Mike Crawford, a Stokesdale resident for 12 years and a candidate for mayor in the Nov. 2 election, said Full-service medicine, surgery and dentistry he has been married for more than Surgical and therapeutic laser 48 years, is the proud father of two children, and has worked varied jobs Wendy Camp, DVM including that of a catalogue manager, 1692-J NC Hwy 68 N, Oak Ridge • (336) 643-8984 stockbroker and business owner. www.nw-animal-hospital.com “I know what it means to make a payroll, whether I get paid or not,” SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021 The Northwest Observer •he Totally said. local since 1996 20% OFF DENTAL CLEANING in September 2021
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Administrative/ Committee reports
Crawford said the town’s webpage and social media presence can be improved, as well as the town park, and as mayor he would do more to protect existing businesses as well as to attract new businesses to Stokesdale. “I believe in government, small and limited,” he said. “… I am honest, ethical, and have no ax to grind.” Vicki White-Lawrence, vice president of Friends of Stokesdale, invited everyone to a candidate open house hosted by the nonprofit on Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. All six council candidates are invited, she said, and a table will be set up for each so that citizens may speak with them individually. White-Lawrence thanked the Northwest Observer for a recent article that helped draw several new people to the group’s monthly meeting the previous evening. She encouraged everyone to learn more about Friends of Stokesdale on its Facebook page.
REZONING
Town Planner Oliver Bass presented a request to rezone 1.15 acres on Lyman Street from RS-40 to CZ-LI (Conditional Zoning – Lighting Industrial). He noted the surrounding properties are mostly industrial or undeveloped. The applicant wishes to open an auto repair/services business, CP Truck and Automotive Solutions, on the property. No one spoke for or against the request.
5 0 to approve the rezoning request.
Board of Adjustment (BOA). After a brief recess, the council reconvened as the Board of Adjustment and heard a request from Danielle and Michelle Kelly, who sought a variance to install an 8-foot-high fence (rather than a 4-foot-high fence, as allowed by the town’s ordinance), about 77 feet from their front property line at 8306 Misty Meadow Drive. After several neighbors spoke in opposition to the variance, the Kellys withdrew part of their request and asked if they could install an 8-foot
