SUMMERFIELD town council

June 13 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

as reported by CHRIS BURRITT

SUMMERFIELD – Mayor Tim

Sessoms called the monthly meeting in Summerfield Community Center to order, with council members Jeff Davis, Janelle Robinson, Reece Walker and John Doggett present. Mayor Pro Tem Lynne Williams DeVaney participated in the meeting remotely.

Albert Benshoff, a lawyer in the Brough Law Firm, attended the meeting in place of Bob Hornik, the

WHAT they voted on, and HOW they voted:

firm’s lawyer assigned to Summerfield, who was absent from the meeting.

Sessoms offered the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Consent Agenda

 5  0 to approve the consent agenda after the council agreed with Councilman Reece Walker’s request to remove a closed session from the

Mayor Pro Tem Lynne Williams DeVaney and council members Jeff Davis, Janelle Robinson, Reece Walker and John Doggett voted on the following items during the June 13 meeting. Mayor Tim Sessoms was present, but in Summerfield the mayor votes only to break a tie.

 5  0: Approve the consent agenda after removing a closed session from the meeting agenda

 5  0: Approve the rezoning of the historic Martin house property at 4118 Oak Ridge Road (N.C.150) from single-family residential (RS-30) to the conditional zoning neighborhood business district (CZ-NB)

 5  0: Deny a staff request to rename Ayers Lane, a gravel road owned by the town leading from Medearis Street to the recently opened dog park

 5  0: Approve the town’s $4.73 million budget that leaves the property tax rate unchanged at 2.75 cents per $100 of property valuation meeting agenda. One of the closedsession topics dealt with the town’s opposition to de-annexation efforts by landowner David Couch. Later in the meeting, Sessoms said the two sides had made no progress in negotiations. (See related article on FC.)

After that, the consent agenda included the approval of open session and closed session minutes for the May 9 and May 30 meetings.

Announcements

Fishing Derby. The town will hold its annual Fishing Derby at the Summerfield Community Park lake from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. this coming Saturday, June 17. All of the spots for participants have been taken, Town Manager Scott Whitaker said. Music in the Park. A performance by the Special Occasion Band will kick off the town’s summer concert series from 6:30 - 9 p.m. this Saturday at Summerfield Community Park’s amphitheater.

Town Hall closing. Town offices will be closed Tuesday, July 4, for the Independence Day holiday.

Board vacancy. The town is seeking applications from residents who would like to serve as an alternate member on the Board of Adjustment.

Founders’ Day kudos. Whitaker expressed the town’s appreciation to volunteers, town staff, the council and other organizations and individuals who contributed to the success of last month’s Founders’ Day celebration.

Public Safety

Summerfield Fire District. The department responded to 110 calls in May; they included 11 fire-related calls, 61 EMS-related calls and 38 other calls. The staff installed nine child safety seats.

Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s District 1 office responded to 345 calls for service in Summerfield last month, resulting in 24 formal case reports.

Deputies responded to two separate incidents – one on Rebecca Drive and the other on Spotswood Circle –involving the firing of guns. These were isolated incidents among people who knew each other, not a threat to the general public, according to the written report.

An incident on Barman Court initially reported as a kidnapping proved to be unfounded when the missing child was found riding her bicycle on a trail behind her home.

The sheriff’s office took reports of two motor vehicle break-ins in the

Henson Forest subdivision and on Whispering Pines Drive. Both vehicles were unlocked.

Public Hearings

Martin House rezoning

 5  0 to approve the rezoning of the historic Martin house property at 4118 Oak Ridge Road (N.C. 150) from single-family residential (RS-30) to the conditional zoning neighborhood business district (CZ-NB).

Rezoning applicant Lauren Cox spoke during the public hearing and shared her plans to buy the property, restore the house and operate a business there. (See related article on p. 3.)

Street renaming

 5  0 to deny town staff’s request to rename Ayers Lane, a gravel road owned by the town leading from Medearis Street to the recently opened dog park.

Town staff recommended renaming the road “Medearis Trail,” to signify its proximity to the future Medearis Street trailhead. However, Dee Hall, the town’s finance officer, said she had talked to Julie Davidson, the daughter of Jimmy and Sue Beeson who live on property on Medearis Street at Ayers Lane.

Davidson requested the road’s name remain unchanged, since it recognizes the contributions of the Ayers family to Summerfield and, she said, her mother belongs to the Ayers family.

No one spoke during the public hearing.

Next fiscal year’s budget

 5  0 to approve Summerfield’s $4.73 million budget that leaves the property tax rate unchanged at 2.75 cents per $100 of property valuation. Anticipated revenues, $2.13 million in grants and $1 million from the town’s fund balance are projected to cover total expenses.

Funded by grants and federal pandemic relief, the development of Bandera Farms Park is estimated to cost $1.5 million, which is nearly half of planned capital expenditures totaling $3.04 million.

Later in the meeting, Whitaker said the town is seeking requests for qualifications from companies that want to prepare final engineering and construction documents for the 120-acre park on Bunch Road at Interstate 73. Completion of the horsebackriding and walking park is slated for September 2025, according to the request for qualifications posted on the town’s website.

During the public hearing for the budget, Don Wendelken urged the council to consider specifying how much the town should keep in its fund balance.

Later, Hall explained that years ago the council adopted a policy to maintain a fund balance that amounts to at least 30% of general fund expenditures. That exceeds the 8% minimum recommended by the state’s Local Government Commission, she said.

As of June 30, 2022, the town’s fund balance totaled $6.43 million, or 329% of expenditures. Summerfield has consistently maintained the highest fund balance percent among North Carolina municipalities with populations of 10,000 to 49,999 people, according to Hall.

DeVaney questioned whether the town wants to retain ownership and continue incurring repair, insurance and expenses for a used green Ford truck after buying a new Dodge Ram truck earlier this year.

Whitaker said the used truck proved useful hauling signs, traffic cones and other bulky items during Founders’ Day last month, while staff

STOKESDALE town council used the new truck to carry boxes.

Martin house and Gordon Hardware building. Both properties are under contract to prospective buyers. (See related article on p. 3.)

June 8 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

as reported by PATTI STOKES

Jeff Goard, the town’s parks and recreation director, “likes having a beater truck,” Hall said. “He wants to keep the green one.”

DeVaney also questioned Summerfield’s appropriation to the county’s Animal Control Services, which Whitaker estimated will cost the town about $34,000 next fiscal year. He said the town would spend more if it were to set up its own animal control department.

MANAGER’S REPORT

Historic properties. Whitaker provided an update about efforts by Preservation North Carolina to sell the historic

Greenway surveying. A crew is conducting a new survey of the modified route of the Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway’s southern section, which is in the vicinity of the mobile home park on Summerfield Road, Whitaker said.

Council Comments

No July meeting. The council plans no regular meeting in July, Sessoms said. If necessary, it can schedule a special called meeting before the regular monthly meeting Aug. 8.

Alcohol sales. Sessoms urged residents who drink alcohol to patronize Summerfield’s ABC store. The town shares in ABC profits.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:52 p.m.

Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy called the regularly scheduled monthly council meeting to order at 7 p.m. with council members Tim Jones, Jim Rigsbee and Jimmy Landreth present; Mayor Mike Crawford was absent.

Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Pastor Ed McKinney of Stokesdale United Methodist Church led the opening prayer. The meeting agenda was adopted with no changes.

Foy then referenced a recent local television news report that included a mistake about the U.S. 158 widening project, which covers a 20-mile stretch from Winston-Salem to U.S. 220 in Guilford County. Deputy Clerk Robbie Wagoner followed up with NCDOT and confirmed Section C, the northern