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Summerfi eld Town Council meeting
SUMMERFIELD town council WHAT they voted on, Nov. 9 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS and HOW they voted:
as reported by CHRIS BURRITT
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Mayor BJ Barnes called the monthly meeting in the newly renovated Summerfield Community Center to order, with Mayor Pro Tem Tim Sessoms and council members Lynne W. DeVaney, Teresa W. Perryman, John O’Day and Reece Walker present.
Sessoms offered the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Christmas tree lighting. Town Manager Scott Whitaker provided details about the annual Christmas tree lighting at Summerfield Athletic Park. The event, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, is free to attend, but the town is encouraging people to bring donations of non-perishable food items to supply the backpack programs at local schools.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Summerfield Fire District. The district reported it responded to 112 calls for service in October; they included 38 fire-related calls, 61 EMS-related calls and 13 other calls. Firefighters also installed 12 child safety seats. Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s District 1 office responded to 88 calls for service in Summerfield last month; they included three residential burglaries, one auto theft and four incidents involving discharged firearms.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Dwayne Crawford reiterated his
Mayor Pro Tem Tim Sessoms and council members Lynne W. DeVaney, Teresa W. Perryman, John O’Day and Reece Walker voted on the following items during the Nov. 9 council meeting. Mayor BJ Barnes was present, but in Summerfield the mayor votes only to break a tie. 5 0: Rezone the nearly half-acre tract at 7405 Summerfield Road, at the request of Sport Auto owner Steve Barney 3 2: Proceed (Sessoms and Perryman opposed) with the design of a new town hall 4 1: Adopt (Perryman opposed) an ordinance renewing the town’s solid waste and recycling franchise contract with Republic Services of North Carolina 5 0: Approve the town’s contract for receipt of a matching $500,000 state grant for the development of Bandera Farms Park
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previous request that Summerfield Fire District provide a breakdown of the number of fires it responded to (versus just “fire-related incidents”) when giving its monthly activity report to the council. As an opponent of a proposed municipal water system for fire suppression, Crawford has been trying to make the case that the fire district doesn’t need additional water resources for fighting fires in Summerfield. Citing incident reports from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Crawford said Summerfield Fire District responded to 109 calls about structure fires from 2015 through 2019. Of that total, 20 occurred within Summerfield’s town limits and only one required the shuttling of water to extinguish the blaze, he said. Later in the meeting, Barnes said firefighters across Guilford County ran out of water fighting the blaze that destroyed Eastern Guilford High School 15 years ago. Walker, a Summerfield fireman, said he recalled at least two fires from 2015 through 2019 that required the shuttling of water. Walker urged residents to reach out to Fire Chief Chris Johnson with questions about the district. Later, during council comments, 8 NOV. 18 - DEC. 1, 2021 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DeVaney thanked the fire department for coming to her house about a year
ago after she reported a possible fire. Jane Doggett thanked the town for purchasing cushioned chairs as part of its renovation of the community center (the new cushioned chairs replaced folding metal ones). Greg Fox, who lost his bid for a council seat in the Nov. 2 election, congratulated Sessoms for being elected as mayor and Janelle Robinson and John Doggett for their election to the council. He said he appreciated that his opponents treated him with respect and that he tried to treat them respectfully as well. Sessoms told Fox he appreciated his attitude. Beth Kaplan thanked the council, the Trails and Open Space Committee and students of Northwest and Northern Guilford high schools for completing the mural art inside of the pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 220.
Sessoms concurred, describing the tunnel art as “magnificent (and) awesome.” O’Day added that it was “very well done.”
PUBLIC HEARING
5 0 to rezone the nearly halfacre tract at 7405 Summerfield Road at the request of Sport Auto owner Steve Barney; Barney plans to sell the property and relocate his business next
door, to the former Summerfield fire department building.
No one spoke during the public hearing before the council’s vote.
The Planning Board recommended approval of the rezoning request. Rezoning from CZ-GB (conditional zoning–general business) to CZ-BN (conditional zoning – business) limits development of the property to offices/ business services, according to Barney’s conditional zoning application.
TOWN HALL UPDATE
3 2 (Sessoms and Perryman opposed) to proceed with the design of a new town hall, even though estimated costs exceed the project’s original $3.5 million budget by $272,934. (See related article on p. 2.)
MANAGER’S REPORT
Garbage services contract
4 1 (Perryman opposed) to adopt an ordinance renewing the town’s solid waste and recycling franchise contract with Republic Services of North Carolina. The new, two-year contract will go into effect Jan. 1, 2022, and will increase the current charge for waste and recycling pickup by 4.5%, or $2.34 per quarter, for a total of $51.84 per quarter, per household, according to Whitaker.
Adoption of the ordinance required a second reading after the council initially approved the contract during its Oct. 12 meeting. Bandera Farms grant award
5 0 to approve the town’s contract with the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for receipt of a matching $500,000 grant for the development of Bandera Farms Park. The state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund awarded the grant to Summerfield in September for development of a horseback riding and hiking preserve on the 115-acre tract on Bunch Road at Interstate 73. (See related article on p. 34.) Strategic planning retreat. The council set Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, as the date for its annual strategic planning retreat, which will be held in the community center. ETJ update. During its meeting this Thursday, Nov. 18, Guilford County Board of Commissioners plans to consider Summerfield’s request for creating an extraterritorial jurisdiction on the town’s eastern and southern boundaries. (See related article on front cover.) Whitaker told the council he plans to represent the town during the public hearing.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
DeVaney said the Founders’ Day Committee is seeking sponsors for the annual Founders’ Day festival, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, 2022. Sessoms congratulated newcomers Doggett and Robinson for their election to the council and thanked voters for electing him as mayor. Barnes congratulated Sessoms, Doggett and Robinson for their election wins and also congratulated Fox for seeking election. He urged Fox to consider serving on one of the town’s committees.
To council member Perryman, who lost her bid for reelection, Barnes said: “Teresa, even though you were not victorious, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ve always thought you were doing what’s right for Summer eld.”
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Summerfi eld Merchants Association (SMA) is dedicated to supporting our local businesses and community. We meet the fi rst Tuesday of each month, at various member host locations. For more info about SMA, email
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O’Day said he was pleased by the results of the election. He then an- EuroHaus owner Shane Beal (fourth from le ), his family and team members nounced a volunteer organization rescuing thoroughbred horses is seek- Thanks to EuroHaus ing volunteers; the nonprofit is leasing property on N.C. 150 owned by for hosting our Nov. 2 meeting developer David Couch.
With no further council comThe Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 ments, the meeting was adjourned at 8:53 p.m. NOV. 18 - DEC. 1, 2021 9
