District 1 Sheri ’s O ce

Accidental Shooting

May 4 | Law enforcement officers responded to a report of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to a resident in the 3400 block of Edgefield Road in northwest Greensboro.

Assault

May 5 | A 65-year-old female was arrested in the 7000 block of Summerfield Road for simple assault and trespassing, and a 53-year-old male was arrested for assault on a female.

May 6 | Officers responded at 1:12 a.m. to a reported assault involving the discharge of a firearm and damage to property in the 3300 block of Rebecca Drive in Summerfield (off Strawberry Road).

May 11 | Officers responded to a reported assault involving a physical altercation in the 7700 block of Alcorn Road in Oak Ridge.

Fraud

May 2 | Wells Fargo bank sent law enforcement notification of possible elder financial abuse in the 3700 block of Oak Ridge Road in Summerfield.

May 9 | A resident of the 8300 block of Knight Village Circle in Stokesdale (near U.S. 158) reported an unknown suspect defrauded him of $2,000.

May 11 | A resident of the 8600 block of Belews Creek Road in Stokesdale reported that between April 28 and May 11 an unknown suspect defrauded her of $1,116.

Larceny

Road in Stokesdale (off N.C. 65) for larceny.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY/ TRESPASSING

May 1 | Suspicious activity involving a possible burglary was reported in the 8500 block of Merriman Farm Road in Oak Ridge (near Oak Ridge Road).

May 11 | An employee of Northwest High School reported that an unknown suspect had entered the school building via an unlocked window; no items were reported as damaged or stolen.

May 11 | Suspicious activity involving a possible burglary was reported in the 8400 block of Spicer Lane in Stokesdale (near U.S. 158).

Theft

May 1 | An employee of Wendy’s in Oak Ridge reported an unknown suspect entered the business through an unlocked door and stole $4,268.67.

May 2 | A resident of the 7200 block of Henson Forest Drive in Summerfield (off Oak Ridge Road) reported that between April 28 and May 2 an unknown suspect stole from his vehicle a Beretta firearm, three firearm magazines, some explosives and some camo bags.

shoplifted four Visa gift cards worth over $2,000 altogether.

May 10 | An employee at CVS Pharmacy in Summerfield reported that between April 26 and May 10 an unknown suspect shoplifted $255 worth of facial cleansers and allergy medication.

May 11 | A resident of the 7900 block of Fogleman Way in Oak Ridge (near N.C. 68 N) reported an unknown suspect stole a red/black Honda push lawn mower worth $700 from his property.

May 12 | A resident of the 8000 block of Daltonshire Drive in Oak Ridge (off N.C. 68 N) reported that between April 21 and May 12 an unknown suspect stole three firearms from his property.

May 12 | An employee of Piedmont Carolina Landscaping in Colfax reported an unknown suspect cut the lock to enter the building and stole three gas cans, two orange/white STIHL backpack blowers and a red Honda push mower, worth about $1,800 altogether.

May 12 | A resident of the 7800 block of Athens Road in Stokesdale (off U.S. 158) reported an unknown suspect stole $200 from her residence.

336-298-8387

May 1 | Officers responded to a report of an employee committing larceny in the amount of $679 at Hilco Transport on Pleasant Ridge Road in northwest Greensboro.

May 8 | A resident of the 7700 block of Eversfield Road in Summerfield (off Oak Ridge Road) reported an unknown suspect stole a black trailer and a gray GE washer and dryer from his property, worth $2,200 combined.

May 8 | A 33-year-old female was arrested in the 8400 block of Southard

May 9 | A manager at Dollar General in Colfax reported an unknown suspect

May 14 | An employee of AAA Self Storage on Pleasant Ridge Road in northwest Greensboro reported that between May 11 and May 14 an unknown suspect stole a red/black Hilti drill, a yellow/black Fluke hand pump, a testing kit and a set of hand tools, worth $6,600 altogether. www.bobrents.com

The proposed budget appropriates $2.9 million for construction of a 250,000-gallon elevated water tank and engineering of a 3.5-mile water line from Forsyth County to the tank; Bruce noted the projects will be covered by state and federal grants.

The budget also allocates spending for construction of Heritage Farm Park and the Veterans Honor Green and renovation of the historic Redmon House. (See related article on front cover of this issue.)

Kinneman urged fellow council members to remove from the budget a $100-a-month increase in their stipend for serving on the council. Over 12 months, the increase would amount to $6,000 for five council members.

If approved, the mayor’s monthly stipend will increase from $600 to $700 and council member stipends from $300 to $400.

The proposed increase is part of a three-year effort to make council members’ pay comparable to what council members in other municipalities earn; Schneider said it accounts for a half of 1% of the town’s administrative budget of about $1 million.

“I think it’s appropriate to value the work done by council members,” Schneider said. “Not because I’m sitting in this seat, but because someone else will be soon sitting in this seat or in any of our seats. We want to reward reasonably those who serve our town.”

Later during public comments, Jacob Binder, a sophomore at Northwest Guilford High School, said, “I don’t think we can reasonably be getting to the point where $6,000 is just a drop in the bucket of our budget.”

Water rate increase

5  0 to increase the monthly base rate for the town’s new water system to $24, plus $7.50 for 1,000 gallons.

Due to rising costs for chemicals and other supplies, the Water Advisory Committee recommended the rate increase from the previous monthly rate of $21, plus $6.50 for 1,000 gallons of water.

“No one likes to raise prices, but it is something our Water Advisory Committee felt was necessary to do,” Sullivan said. The town is preparing to add the Honeycutt Reserve subdivision as the water system’s first customer.

Public Comments

 Mike Stone criticized the draft budget, including the proposed higher stipend for council members.

“This budget is a spending spree of large and pet projects,” he said.

Last year’s property reappraisal in Guilford County resulted in higher property values countywide, leading to “a 20% tax increase” on Oak Ridge residents, Stone added.

 Later during public comments, Finance Committee member Jim Harton said the committee went to “great effort to … accommodate all of the things that this town has been working on for several years.”

 Matt Schneider thanked the council, town staff and committee volunteers for “the careful preparation of this budget, but even more important than that, for embracing a vision for the future of this town that’s worthy of its citizens and worthy of the proud history of Oak Ridge.”

 Ben Walraven urged the council to focus on preparing for the likelihood that some employees of Boom Supersonic and other new tenants at Piedmont Triad International Airport are going to want to live in Oak Ridge.

Financial Update

The town closed its $3 million loan from Truist Financial for development of Heritage Farm Park last month, according to finance officer Sam Anders. He said he deposited the loan funds into a separate account to keep expenses for the new park separate from other town spending.

Community Update

Water Advisory Committee. Chair

Jim Harton reported the committee reviewed a draft 25-year timeline of the town’s efforts to establish a municipal water system.

Historic Preservation. Barb Engel said the commission approved a certification of appropriateness for the water tower to be built behind Town Hall on Linville Road.

Planning and Zoning Board. Chair Jason Streck reported the board approved the site plan for the water tower.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Co-chair Anne Steele said committee member Stephanie Ferrell set up a booth at Canine Capers last month and spoke with many folks interested in local trails and in potentially volunteering.

Special Events Committee. Chair Patti Dmuchowski reported the committee is working on plans for several upcoming events – the July 4 kids’ parade, the 100th anniversary of the Benbow House, the 25th anniversary of Oak Ridge and Light Up the Night.

Dmuchowski thanked those who have donated to the Veterans Honor Green.

Tree Board. Board member Gigi Williams Danner reported the board will set up a booth at Heritage Day in September to share information about its activities, such as the town’s inventory of Treasure Trees.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Co-chair John Browning reported the committee extended use of the Town Park parking lot for pickleball courts from dawn until 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The area will also be available for pickleball games on some weekends when there is enough parking.

Finance Committee. Chair John Jenkins reported the committee “went through the operational budget line item by line item. We asked a lot of questions, we got a lot of responses and I believe it is a responsible budget.”

Triad Municipal ABC Board. Jimm Barbery, Oak Ridge’s ABC Board representative, said the town’s share of profits totaled $42,003 in the first quarter, boosting the town’s distribution to $240,593 so far this fiscal year. Oak Ridge Elementary. Principal Penny Loschin reported the school has raised $38,768 so far this year from parents and the community as part of its annual fundraising that “goes directly back to our students.”

Council Comments

 Sullivan said the proposed budget reflects years of planning for “managed growth that’s designed to maintain the character of our town and to preserve a quality of life.”

 Pittman said she was one of four speakers at the 2023 annual gathering of Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail earlier this month and Oak Ridge’s trail efforts were highlighted as a model for other towns.

 Kinneman concurred with concerns about growth pressures from economic development around the airport, such as the unexpected announcement in January 2022 that Boom Supersonic would build a $500 million factory to produce passenger planes flying faster than the speed of sound.

“We need to plan much more aggressively,” he said. “We need to think much more outside the box and plan as best we can for things like that and be willing and be flexible when things do come out of nowhere.”

 McClellan said he was pleased by the opening of Oak Ridge Bagels and Deli and Starbucks on N.C. 68. National chains such as Starbucks “aren’t just putting their stores here haphazardly; they’re doing their homework,” he said.

McClellan also thanked John Jenkins for his many years of service as he prepares to step down as chair of the Finance Committee.

 Schneider said council members plan to set up hours to meet with residents in Town Hall to foster stronger community engagement in town projects; details are being finalized, she said.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:02 p.m.