the
October 2012 Volume 4, Issue 2
factor
Sharing Indian Trail’s Vision Since 1907
Parks Bond Referendum Q & A
In This Issue
B
elow are some of the most commonly asked questions about the Parks Bond Referendum that will be on the general election ballot November 6.
Q: What community parks will be developed if the bond referendum is passed? A: Two parks will be created if the bond passes: The first large community park, located near Indian
Traffic Congestion . . . . . . . . Page 3
Trail Road and US-74, will span 51 acres. The second large community park is located near Sardis Elementary School and Unionville-Indian Trail Road and is approximately 140 acres.
Q: What amenities will the two parks have? A: 51 acre park (located near Indian Trail Road and US-74) will include:
- large playgound - disc golf - sand volleyball - athletic fields - tennis courts - picnic pavilions - dog park - walking trails - Carolina Courts 140 acre park (located near Sardis Elementary School and Unionville- Indian Trail Road) will include: - softball/baseball complex - multiple playgrounds - 2 dog parks - multiple picninc pavilions - 5 miles of running, walking and biking trails - potential water feature - multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse & football - fishing pond - nature area
3 Additional Deputies Added. . Page 3 Piedmont Cultural Arts Festival . . Page 2 Tips For Solid Waste Pick-up . . . Page 3 Carolina Courts Partnership . . . Page 2 Key Contact Information . . . . Page 4
Q: How will the bond be paid for?
A: The Parks Bond is for $8.5 million. The Town Council voted to pay for the
Citizen e-notification . . . . Page 4
construction of these parks with a capital reserve fund. The Council voted that there will not be an additional tax increase to pay for the parks’ construction.
Q: When will construction begin if the park bond passes? A: The construction process would begin as soon as possible with ground breaking in the Summer
of 2013. The Council will decide which park amenities to construct first. The entire park plans may not be com pleted with $8.5 million; however, grants and other outside funds can be used to bring parks to their full build out.
Q: What is a capital reserve fund? A: A type of municipal account that is reserved for long-term capital investment projects or any other large and anticipated expense(s) that will be incurred in the future. This type of reserve fund is set aside to ensure that the municipality has adequate funding to at least partially finance the project and can only be used for the purpose for which it was established.
Q: What will the question about the Parks Bond Referendum look like on the ballot?
51 Acre Park
A: The question regarding the bond
referendum will read exactly like this: “SHALL the order authorizing $8,500,000 of bonds secured by the pledge of the full faith and credit of the Town of Indian Trail, North Carolina to pay the costs of providing for the acquisition, construction, renovation, improvement and equipping of parks and recreation facilities for a park located at 304 Matthews-Indian Trail Road and another community park to be designated by the Town, including the acquisition of land, rights-of-way and easements related thereto, if necessary, be approved?”
Q: Where can I get more
information about the Community Parks Bond Referendum? A: If you have additional questions regarding the Parks Bond Referendum or would like to arrange a community meeting for a group of residents please contact Rebecca Carter, Public Information Officer at rcarter@admin.indiantrail.org or 704-821-5401. You can also view the proposed park concept plans at www.indiantrail.org.
Live, Work, Play, Learn
140 Acre Park
Indian Trail, NC
Volume 4, Issue 2
the
factor
Page 2
A message from your Town Manager
Community Spotlight
I
n the past year the Town has created a pathway to define the future of Indian Trail. The Town has taken active steps to build new streets, alleviate traffic congestion, and to build pedestrian pathways; evidence of these undertakings can be seen in the progress made on the Old Monroe Road widening project, the design of the Chestnut Parkway (to connect US-74 and Old Monroe Road and alleviate traffic congestion on Indian Trail Road), the start of construction on Wesley Chapel Road, and the design and construction of five miles of new sidewalk.
IT Council Recognizes Porter Ridge Softball Team
Pictured at left: Indian Trail Por te r Ridge varsity softball team and Indian Trail town council members.
I
ndian Trail Town Council recognized the Indian Trail Porter Ridge Pirates varsity softball team for their 4A State Championship title win earlier this year. Through hard work and determination the Lady Pirates completed the 2011-2012 season with an impressive record of 31-1. The team was also ranked number two in the final Powerade Fab 50 national rankings.
Piedmont Cultural Arts Festival Crossing Paths Park, Indian Trail, NC
Saturday, October 20, 2012
T
he Piedmont Cultural Arts Festival is an annual event held at Crossing Paths Park in Indian Trail. In its second year, the event promises to deliver art, music, food and drinks representative of the mix of cultures and traditions found in the Piedmont Region! Artist and craft vendor booths featuring handmade, handcrafted art will line the street Saturday, October 20 from 11a.m-5p.m. The Matt Stratford Band will be playing music from various genres in the amphitheater 11a.m.-2:30p.m. and 3p.m.-5p.m. There will also be bounce houses and children’s amusements and lots of great food! If you are interested in being a food vendor or artist or craft vendor applications are available in the administrative building (130 Blythe Drive, Indian Trail) and on the town website, www.indiantrail.org. (Please look under the ‘News and Events’ tab.) If you are interested in sponsoring the event or volunteering for the event please contact Rebecca Carter at 704-821-5401 or rcarter@admin.indiantrail.org for more information.
The Town also recognizes the essential need for additional quality of life amenities for residents. The incorporation of amenities like these in communities have proven to increase property values for residents and businesses, provide cost effective entertainment for all age groups, and save residents from spending substantial amounts of money in gas to travel to another expensive entertainment option. The Town Council has put into place both a design and finance plan for the development of 200 acres of passive and active park amenities for all age groups. The Town Council’s financial plan allows the Town to construct park facilities without any additional tax increase for residents or property owners. The Town Council has also approved the creation of the Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center (CAC) opening in October 2012. The CAC, located on Indian Trail Road, will host art classes with all types of mediums for all age groups, speaker series, and will provide a location for area artists to display their creations. In addition to the CAC, the Town Council has also approved an agreement with Carolina Courts that will allow Indian Trail residents to have free recreational access to a 48,000 sq ft recreational facility for 1,300 hours per year for such uses as basketball, tennis, indoor walking, community events, etc. I was recently walking in my Indian Trail neighborhood, and someone asked me, ‘Why is the Town accomplishing these projects now’? The answer is simple, we have a strong combination of community volunteers, elected leaders, and staff members, who have the optimistic persistence and long-term perspective to push our community forward. These may be the most essential ingredients for any change effort. I marvel at the people involved in our community improvement initiatives and their ability to recognize that the changes we make now may not show results for several years. However, they are necessary steps in achieving the long term goals and development residents have indicated they want to see in our community. As Town Manager I am excited about the opportunity to provide a better quality of life for Indian Trail residents and as a community member I am proud of the commitment from fellow residents, elected officials, and town staff to make Indian Trail one of the best places to live, work, play and learn. If you want to be part of our community success, please join a committee, call an elected official, and ask how you can be a part of IT. Joe Fivas, Town Manager
Community Meetings Held In October
S
everal community meetings have been scheduled during the month of October. Town representatives will be available to answer questions on several topics including new solid waste improvements, the parks bond referendum, and the Cultural Arts Center.
Meeting Schedule: Thursday, October 11 - Hemby Bridge Fire Department - 6-8pm Monday, October 15 - Indian Trail Civic Building - 7pm Tuesday, October 16 - Extreme Ice Center - 7pm Wednesday, October 24 - Sardis Elementary School - 7pm
Carolina Courts Is At Home In Indian Trail Indian Trail Town Council Approves Carolina Courts Partnership Agreement
A
t their August 14 meeting, Indian Trail Town Council approved a Public-Private Partnership Agreement with Carolina Courts for their purchase of a three acre parcel of land inside Indian Trail’s 51 acre park property located near Indian Trail Road and US-74. The new 48,000 square foot Carolina Courts facility will be used year-round for sports and recreational events. Included in the approved Public-Private Partnership Agreement is a 15 year facility user agreement. The user agreement provides for 1300 hours per year of open court time for Indian Trail residents, use of the Carolina Courts facility for town events, and a camp for disabled or at risk youth. In addition Indian Trail will be able to display information in the Carolina Courts lobby and include town branding on the interior or exterior of the building itself. Carolina Courts President and Cofounder Ron Esser offered his thanks to the Indian Trail Town Council and the Indian Trail Community saying, “I think this is a win-win situation. We’re extremely excited to have the opportunity to continue to be a part of the Indian Trail community.” Carolina Courts, a recreational sports complex that annually attracts over 150,000 people to their facility for sporting events, regional and national basketball and volleyball tournaments, coaching clinics, youth camps, and many other events, is regarded as an important economic development powerhouse within the Charlotte metropolitan region. With this partnership, both parties hope to attract hotels and more quality restaurants and recreational venues for both Indian Trail, and surrounding areas.
Live, Work, Play, Learn
Indian Trail, NC
Indian Trail’s Halloween
Candy Crawl
Friday, October 26 6p.m. Crossing Paths Park
Trunk or Treat with local businesses! To have your business participate in handing out candy please visit www.indiantrail.org.
the
Volume 4, Issue 2
factor
Page 3
Tips For Successful Solid Waste Pick-up
A
N
The Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center will offer art classes and workshops with a variety of mediums, music classes, writing classes, poetry readings, and art shows for children and adults throughout the year.
ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center is planned for October 20 in conjunction with the Piedmont Cultural Arts Festival held the same day at Crossing Paths Park.
Proper cart placement ensures prompt service
ew solid waste services were introduced to Indian Trail residents this month! These new services include: bi-weekly single stream recycling with closable 96- gallon carts, bi-weekly free curb-side yard waste and leaf pick-up, free curbside bulk waste pick-up (3 times / year), and free curb-side electronic waste pickup (3 times /year).
Your garbage is now picked up faster and more efficiently using fully automated trucks. This improvement saves money and helps the environment by reducing the amount of trucks driving around the town every day. Take a look at the tips below to ensure that your solid waste is collected on time, every time. Leave 2 feet minimum between your two carts and between the carts and other obstructions like mailboxes, parked cars, utility poles, etc.
7am
7am
9pm
Never block streets, sidewalks, mailboxes or driveways.
Place carts out by 7am the day of collection and retrieve carts by 9pm the day of collection.
9pm
Town Council Breaks Ground On New Sidewalks
T
he Town Council held groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Poplin Road sidewalk and the Chestnut Lane sidewalk in September. Indian Trail Town Council approved construction contracts for the projects earlier this year. The Poplin Road sidewalk will connect the Fieldstone Farm neighborhood, Annandale neighborhood, and parts of the Bonterra neighborhood with Poplin Elementary; the Chestnut Lane sidewalk will connect Ainsdale Drive to the existing sidewalk at Austin Village Shopping Center. The construction of the Chestnut Lane sidewalk will provide connectivity to approximately 1500 homes and numerous businesses. This project and future sidewalk construction projects on Chestnut Lane, Unionville-Indian Trail Road, Sardis Road, and Rogers Road are part of the new Pathways 2 Progress (P2P) Initiative, introduced by Indian Trail Town Manager Joe Fivas at a previous council meeting.
The center located in the old town hall building on Navajo Trail (near the Indian Trail civic building and across the street from Crossing Paths Park) will serve as a facility for local artists to showcase their creations and develop their talents. IT Town Council approved the development of the Cultural Arts Center as part of the 2012-2013 budget. For more information please visit www.indiantrail.org or contact Rebecca Carter at rcarter@admin.indiantrail.org or 704-821-5401.
Town Council Takes Decisive Action on Traffic Congestion and Pedestrian Safety
T
he Indian Trail Town Council has recently taken decisive action to address current traffic congestion and pedestrian safety. These projects will assist current area residents and businesses with traffic congestion and pedestrian safety, and to encourage future job providers to locate in Indian Trail. • Chestnut Parkway: The Town Council has approved the beginning phase of building the Chestnut Parkway. This new Parkway will connect US-74 and Old Monroe Road and will significantly assist the traffic congestion on Indian Trail Road and will also assist Old Monroe Road traffic congestion. This Parkway is designed to be a four lane divided Parkway with planted medians and will serve as the official gateway into Indian Trail.
• Sardis Church Road Area: The Town is working to get NCDOT to make some improvements in the US-74 and Sardis Church Road area, and is also working on future designs for the intersection of Sardis Church and Unionville-Indian Trail Road.
• Old Monroe Road: The Town Council has also approved that Town staff begin working with NCDOT on a new design for Old Monroe Road to widen from two lane road to a four lane road. • Sun Valley Area: In September, the Town partnered with NCDOT to widen the intersection of Wesley Chapel-Stouts Road and Old Monroe Road. The improvements also allow for pedestrian crossing on all four corners, and significantly improves the safety for motorists and pedestrians.
• Sardis Church Road: The Town is getting close on beginning construction on a sidewalk from Sardis Elementary School to the Brittany Downs on Sardis Church Road. This project will assist children and adults • Rogers Road: The Town is getting close walking to school. on beginning construction on a sidewalk • Unionville-Indian Trail Road: The Town from the Villas of Sun Valley neighbor- is getting close on beginning construction hood to Wesley Chapel-Stouts Road. This on a sidewalk from Walmart on US-74 to project will assist children and adults walk- Sardis Church Road. This project will asing to the four schools in this area, and to sist children and adults walking to Sardis allow for people to walk to the Sun Valley Elementary school, and to allow for people entertainment area. to walk to the Walmart business area. • Poplin Road: The Town recently completed a sidewalk construction project to connect Annandale neighborhood, Fieldstone Farm neighborhood, and Bonterra neighborhood to Poplin Elementary school.
• Chestnut Lane: The Town is working on a project to improve the Chestnut Lane area. These improvements will provide safety improvements for this area.
3 Additional Deputies Join UCSO IT Division
T
his fiscal year, three additional deputies could join the Union County Sheriff ’s Office, Indian Trail Division bringing the total number of deputies serving Indian Trail to 21.
Pictured above from left to right: IT Engineering and Public Works Director Scott Kaufhold, Mayor Pro Tem David Cohn, Councilman Christopher King, and IT Town Manager Joe Fivas.
Live, Work, Play, Learn
At their meeting on July 10 Indian Trail Town Council approved an agreement to add one additional contracted deputy. The current year budget also anticipates adding two additional Deputy Sheriff ’s during this fiscal year. The town has received early indicators that we will receive two new Deputy Sheriff ’s through a NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program Grant. The Grant would pay for a portion of the Deputy Sheriff ’s costs over the next three years.
Indian Trail, NC
Volume 4, Issue 2
We want to hear from you!
the
factor
Page 4
Contact Your Council!
Key Contacts IT Administrative Services: 704-821-5401 - Town Clerk: townclerk@admin.indiantrail.org - Tax Department: taxcollector@admin.indiantrail.org - IT Planning Department: srd@planning.indiantrail.org - IT Engineering: sjk@engineering.indiantrail.org - Public Works: jrt@engineering.indiantrail.org - Stormwater Department: ajm@engineering.indiantrail.org - Human Resources Department: mlowery@admin.indiantrail.org - Town Manager: townmanager@admin.indiantrail.org - Economic Development: kbarnhardt@admin.indiantrail.org - Events Coordinator: rcarter@admin.indiantrail.org - Public Information: rcarter@admin.indiantrail.org - Park Information: rcarter@admin.indiantrail.org - Cultural Arts Center - sdidier@admin.indiantrail.org Union County Sewer and Water Services: 704-296-4210 Union County Public Schools: 704-296-9898 Union County Sheriff ’s Office (IT Division): 704-684-6390 Fire Departments: - Hemby Bridge Fire Department: 704-882-2100 - Baker’s Fire Department: 704-289-2741 - Stallings Fire Department: 704-821-7100
Pictured above from left to right: Mayor Michael Alvarez, Councilmember David Waddell, Mayor Pro Tem David Cohn, Councilmember Christopher King, Councilmember Robert Allen, Councilmember Darlene Luther. Michael Alvarez, Mayor mayor@council.indiantrail.org
David Cohn, Mayor Pro Tempore dcohn@council.indiantrail.org
Christopher King, Council Member cking@council.indiantrail.org
Robert Allen, Council Member rallen@council.indiantrail.org
David Waddell, Council Member dwaddell@council.indiantrail.org
Darlene Luther, Council Member dluther@council.indiantrail.org
Any mail to the Mayor or Town Council Members should be addressed as follows: Town of Indian Trail Attention: (Mayor/Council Member) P.O. Box 2430 Indian Trail, NC 28079
Monthly Board & Committee Meeting Schedule All meetings are held in the Civic Building unless otherwise noted.
Stormwater - 2nd Thursday, 6p.m. (Indian Trail Administrative Building) Public Safety - 3rd Thursday, 6p.m.
What’s happening in IT ?
A
Sign-up for Citizen e-Notifications!
re you interested in what’s going on in Indian Trail? As a resident you have a right to know what is happening in your community! Keep up with new businesses, upcoming events, council and committee meetings, publications and other town happenings by signing up to receive Citizen e-Notifications!
The e-Notification is a FREE subscription based email - your information remains confidential, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Sign-up NOW!! Here’s how: - Go to www.indiantrail.org - Click on the “Citizen e-Notification” tab on the left side of the homepage - Click on “Click here to subscribe” - Enter your information
Click here to sign up!
PO Box 2430 Indian Trail, NC 28079 www.indiantrail.org
Town Council - 2nd & 4th Tuesday, 6:30p.m. Planning Board - 3rd Tuesday, 6:30p.m. Board of Adjustment - 4th Thursday, 7p.m. ABC Control Board - 3rd Thursday, 6:30p.m. (309 Post Office Drive) Parks, Tree & Greenway - 1st Wednesday, 6p.m. Transportation - 1st Tuesday, 6p.m.