Winter 2014 Issue 7
Stallings Sentinel Town of Stallings, Gateway to Union County
It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.
Stallings Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade of Trees Friday, December 5, 2014 6:30 p.m. Stallings Park 3501 Stallings Road Come join the fun! Tree lighting, visit from Santa, hot cocoa, sweets, treats, and live music!
*If you would like more information, please visit our website: www.stallingsnc.org or call 704.821.8557
A Note from the Mayor...
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Dear Stallings Citizens, As we close 2014 it has been an eventful year for the Town of Stallings. Highlights include:
The Town has hired a new town manager, Kevin Woods. He is a former US Army Officer and is doing a great job. The Town continues to be debt free and has reserves for future infrastructure projects that are needed in areas of stormwater and roads. Quality of life is very important in Stallings and Phase III of Stallings Park will be complete shortly. The Park has won several awards and attracts folks from around the county. Council just completed its 2015 Planning Session and conservative folks will be glad to hear that the needs of the Town were the focus. Joint projects with NCDOT continue with the Monroe Road widening and improvements to the Potter Road/Pleasant Plains intersection.
An area of focus for Stallings is economic development. We have entered into an alliance with Indian Trail, Matthews and Mint Hill to attract regional development that will benefit all the Towns. I would like to take this time to thank all the Town of Stallings employees for their dedication and service to our residents. Residents can view Town information at www.stallingsnc.org. As we celebrate the Christmas season, I wish you and your family a blessed 2015.
Wyatt Dunn Mayor of Stallings
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Get Involved! Are you ready to get involved in your community? Home is a great place to start! The Town of Stallings has the following openings on its various boards and committees:
Parks and Recreation Committee: Two (2) alternate positions
Stormwater Committee: Two (2) full positions and one (1) alternate position
Planning Board/Board of Adjustment: Two (2) alternate positions
Public Safety Committee: Three (3) full positions
Youth Members: There are two (2) spots available for youth members on the Public Safety Committee and the Stormwater Committee. If you are between the ages of 14-18 years old and are interested in serving on one of these committees, please contact Town Clerk Erinn Nichols at 704-821-0313 or enichols@admin.stallingsnc.org.
To obtain an application to apply for one of these vacancies, please visit the Town’s website at www.stallingsnc.org. Stallings Committee Details: Parks and Recreation Committee (PRC): The PRC plans events within the Town. Some past events the Committee organized are Stallings Fest, Easter Egg Hunt, and movie nights. Programming is also an integral part of the PRC. Stormwater Advisory Committee (SWAC): The mission of the SWAC is to provide the Town Council with a citizen’s viewpoint on the stormwater management policies, policy changes, long term strategies, and the budgetary impacts. Planning Board: The Planning Board provides advice to the Town Council on zoning issues. The role of the Planning Board is to hear and make recommendations on development proposals involving a change in zoning. The Board also makes policy decisions concerning the direction of planning and development in the Town. Board of Adjustments (BOA): The BOA is responsible for hearing variance requests concerning development standards established by the Stallings UDO (Unified Development Ordinance). The BOA also hears appeals to the UDO Administrator’s decisions concerning interpretations to the ordinance. Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC): The PSAC assists the Town Council with public safety issues and makes recommendations. They help to enhance community awareness about safety, volunteering, and programs. This may include putting in stop signs or working with the police and fire departments to update policies. Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC): The mission of the TAC is to provide the Town Council with a citizen’s viewpoint on local and regional transportation issues, strategies, funding, priorities and to determine the necessary data / information needed to assist the decision making process of the Town Council. Finance and Administration Committee (FAC): The FAC provides oversight and makes regular reports and recommendations to Council regarding Town matters related to: administration, finance, policies, and procedures.
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Stallings Police Department Stallings residents are encouraged to visit the website listed below to register with the Union County CODE RED System. This system can notify affected areas of emergency conditions or situations. Visit https://cne.coderedweb.com and register to receive important notifications from Union County Emergency Communications. It is especially important to register if you do not have a home phone. Please link your home address to your Cell Phone so that you will receive notifications that apply to the community where you live. The Stallings Police Department is working with Union County Loaves and Fishes by holding a Food /Toy Drive over this holiday season. Stallings residents can bring non-perishable food items and/or unwrapped toys to the Stallings Police Department anytime during business hours. The donations will be delivered to Loaves and Fishes on December 15th to help those in need over this holiday season. With the holidays approaching, the Stallings Police Department would like to offer residents the following tips:
While holiday shopping, please remember to keep purchased items out of sight when left in vehicles. Use the trunk or cargo area cover whenever possible. When using debit /credit cards, either in stores or online, always be on guard for identity theft. Check online statements often to watch for unauthorized transactions and notify your bank / card company immediately should you notice a problem. When planning your holiday travel, make arrangements for a friend to check your resident or even housesit. Also, do not forget the “resident check” service offered by the Police Department. The request form is available online through the Town’s website. Navigate to the Police Department page and look for the Extra Patrol Online Submission tab in the right-hand column. When attending holiday parties, do not let drinking and driving turn your holiday into a tragedy. Make a plan, have a designated driver, or call a cab. With the winter comes the possibility of winter storms. Take the time now to review any preparations you have made for power outages due to snow/ice. Now is the time to check emergency generators, candles, flashlights, firewood supplies, kerosene heaters or any other items to ensure their safe and efficient operation. Any of our special needs residents that may be of specific concern during severe winter weather, can be registered with Union County Emergency Management by visiting their website http://www.co.union.nc.us/ Divisions/EmergencyManagement.aspx.
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Wastewater Worries What is Illicit Discharge? An illicit discharge is defined as “any discharge into a municipal storm sewer system that is not composed entirely of storm water.” Some of the pollutants that fall into this broad category are:
Car wash wastewater
Paints
Gas and motor oil
Pesticides
Kitchen grease/oil
Solvents
Household cleaners
Vehicle spills
Sometimes these pollutants are carried through the storm drainage system by rain, wind, or improper disposal into waterways. This can result in serious health and water quality problems. In addition, wildlife and the overall appearance of the waterways are adversely affected by illicit discharges.
Five Easy Ways that YOU can keep Illicit Discharges out of waterways: 1.
Used oil, antifreeze and batteries can be recycled at an auto parts store. Clean up any spills immediately. Kitty litter or sawdust will absorb the spill. Be sure to sweep these up as well.
2. Wash your car on the grass so that the water, detergent, and dirt will be filtered by the soil. You can also take your car to a commercial car wash, where the dirty water is sent to a wastewater treatment plant. 3. Empty bottles of household cleansers, pesticides and weed killer should be disposed of according to label directions. 4. Cooking grease or oil should be put into a disposable container, sealed and then placed in the trash. 5. Household products, including paints, paint thinner and solvents can be taken to the County landfill. Paint brushes used with water-based paint can be rinsed in the sink. If you have a small amount of leftover paint in a can, stuff it loosely with newspaper, let the paint dry out completely, and put it in the trash
Bridge Repairs on Stevens Mill Road NCDOT estimates the bridge repairs on Stevens Mill Road near Blair Mill Park to be complete the end of February 2015. If you have any questions, please contact the Town Hall at 704-821-8557.
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Stallings Town Council Member Notes Council Member Debbie Romanow: "Where has the year gone? I love going to each meeting because the Council works so well together to better our town. In my neck of the woods, we have experienced an explosion of building of the Potters Point development and Mario's Pizza on MatthewsWeddington Road. Thank you to all who have contacted me to help handle any issues that have arisen. Feel free to call me with ANY questions or comments - 704-941-1818. Have a blessed Christmas season and I look forward to hearing from you!" Council Member Regis Griffin: 2014 has been a very busy year for the Town of Stallings. One of the first challenges that Council undertook was the search for a new Town Manager. I was honored to have been selected to be part of the search committee. We went through a very structured and lengthy process. And, I believe that we are all very pleased with the candidate that Council hired, Mr. Kevin Woods, as the manager. The primary focus that I have had this year has been the work of the respective committees for which I am the Council Liaison. The Finance and Administration Committee has taken on the huge task of reviewing all of the existing Town policies and related procedures. The point of this effort is to make recommendations to Council on ways to improve our processes and procedures to ensure that strong financial controls are in place, identify efficiencies that we can take advantage of and generally to see that all of the policies are brought up to date. The committee members have worked diligently and have done a great job. So, to each of them I want to say “thank you.� The Public Safety Committee has undergone a number of restructuring and leadership changes this year. But, things have settled down and the committee is now focusing on their goals. One of the first opportunities that this committee is working on is to revisit a draft of the Emergency Preparedness Plan. We will need to work closely with a number of external emergency response agencies as well as with our own local public safety teams and experts. This will be a lot of work and will be a lengthy effort. But, the committee is dedicated and I am confident that we will deliver a great final product. One other thing that has been on my plate is that we are working on an IT Systems Assessment to make sure that the Town's IT and networking infrastructure is implemented in a way that meets or exceeds known best practices so that we are confident that our systems operate as efficiently and cost effectively as possible and to ensure that our data is as safe and secure as it can be in today's world. We have a great team of elected and staff members serving the Town and I think that is evidenced by all that we have been able to accomplish in 2014. I am very pleased and proud that I have had the opportunity to be part of all of the good things that are happening in Stallings! I hope everyone has wonderful holidays and please remember that we are all here to help so feel free to reach out.
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Stallings Town Council Member Notes
Mayor Pro Tempore Kline: The year has been packed with a lot of actions. First was the search committee for the Town Manager which resulted in finding our New Town Manager Kevin Woods. Kevin has hit the ground running having several challenges which he has taken in-stride while learning his new position. We made it through the budget cycle placing a priority on Street resurfacing. The Transportation Committee working with Staff established a prioritization list for this Budget year. We have begun the resurfacing with various streets in the Shannamara Sub-division. Staff will be working to get projects ready for execution in the Spring/Summer next year. The objective in the end is to have a comprehensive Street resurfacing plan prioritized and cost forecasted going into the next Budget cycle. Council Member Shawna Steele: During November, the town manager, police department, park and recreation director, and Councilwoman Steele met with a group of Porter Ridge High School students who participate in the Occupational Course of Study (OCS). These students earned community service hours which is a required component of the curriculum pathway to a NC High School diploma. These students learned about town government, administration, law enforcement, parks and recreation, storm water, transportation, and code enforcement.
Upcoming Council and Committee Meetings
Monday, December 8: Town Council @ 7:00 pm Tuesday, December 16: Planning Board @ 7:00 pm Thursday, December 18: Parks and Recreation @ 7:00 pm Friday, December 19: Finance @ 7:30 am
Stallings says “Good-Bye” to Council Member Fred Weber Council Member Fred Weber has resigned his position as the Council Member for District 5. Fred and his wife Adrienne are moving to New York to be close to their children and grandchildren. The Webers will be missed!
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Stallings Parks and Recreation 2014 Christmas Home Decorating Contest Town officials will recognize the top five decorated homes within the town in the 1st Annual Stallings Christmas Home Decorating Contest. The judges will award in the following categories: Best of the Best; Nostalgic; Griswold’s; and Best Entry Way. The judging period is from Dec 1st—Dec 5th. Winners will be announced at the Town Council Meeting on Dec 8th.
Parks Hours The Stallings Parks & Recreation Committee is seeking citizens to join the Park Ambassador Volunteer Programs. This is for Town citizens interested in supporting the two beautiful parks and park events for the Town of Stallings. If you are interested, please contact Dena Sabinske at 704821– 8557 x227 or DSabinske@admin.stallingsnc.org.
Stallings Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 4, 2015 10:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. Stallings Elementary School
Stallings Municipal Park September-April: 8 a.m. to Dusk May-August: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. *CLOSED on Thursdays from 7-10 a.m. for maintenance. * Interactive Fountain Closed for season Re-Opening May 2015 Blair Mill Park September-April: 8 a.m. to Dusk May-August: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. *CLOSED on Wednesdays from 7-10 a.m. for maintenance. *
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Stallings Parks and Recreation Earth & Arbor Day Saturday, April 25th, 2014 10:00 a.m. —1:00 p.m. Stallings Municipal Park Look for new and exciting classes in the new outdoor classroom at Stallings Park coming in May 2015.
Celebrate Earth & Arbor Day with our community partner Indian Trail and learn fun and different ways to become better citizens of the Earth.
Sponsored by The Town of Stallings & The Town of Indian Trail
Yoga Classes Saturdays (starting May 2015) Stallings Municipal Park Lawn Facilitated by Vital Yoga Center of Stallings Lead by Vital Yoga Center of Stallings, come and start your day off right with some yoga. The cost is $6 per person. No pre-registration required.
Thank you for a great Stallings Fest 2014!
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Here is a list of some upcoming Stallings HOA meetings:
Kerry Greens meets the second Monday of each month at the Stallings Civic Center. They will not meet in December.
Chestnut Oaks meets the fourth Thursday of each month at the clubhouse 5041 Craftsman Ridge Dr., except for November and December.
The Parkside Association Board meets on the third Wednesday of each month — usually at the home of a board member. If anyone would like to come to the meeting, they should send a message through the Parkside HOA at Stallings Homeowner’s Association Facebook page for specific details and to confirm the time and location.
*If you would like your HOA meeting information added in upcoming newsletters, please email that information to : emcclain@admin.stallingsnc.org
Warm Up with this Winter Recipe…MONKEYBREAD INGREDIENTS: 3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated 1/2 cup margarine biscuit dough 1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9 or 10 inch tube/Bundt pan. 2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 pieces in the sugar/ cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using nuts and raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along. 3. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over biscuits. 4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto plate. Do not cut. The bread will pull apart.
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Trash Updates: The leaf disposal pickup is increased from 11/1/14 to 1/31/15. Residents are allowed a total of 40 bags of leaves and other yard debris (shrub trimmings, grass clippings, etc.).
Christmas Tree Collection Do you know you can get paid to recycle? Yes, that’s right...PAID! Because you are a Stallings resident, you are eligible to become a member of Recyclebank, an online loyalty program which rewards you for recycling. How does it work? Go online to www.recyclebank.com or call 1-888-727-2978 to begin your registration process. Recyclebank will then issue you a PIN which will allow you to finish your registration process. Once you are registered, you can begin earning points and redeeming your points for coupons and merchandise.
Christmas trees will be collected only on the weeks of January 5 and January 12 on your regular yard waste collection date for your zone. Please visit www.stallingstrash.com for your pickup schedule and other helpful information about their services.
How do I earn points? RECYCLE! The Town’s combined recycling pounds are recorded and points are distributed equally among the users. For every pound of recycling collected, 2.5 points are credited. Once your points are credited to your account, you can begin redeeming your points. Currently, Recyclebank has more than 400 local and national reward partners. Stallings residents favorite coupon to-date is a $10 Harris Residents are reminded to have their Teeter coupon (when you spend $50). Tell your Stallings friends and neighbors! The more we all recycle, the more points we earn. Together we can make a difference for the planet and earn rewards at the same time! So what are you waiting for?! Register today to start earning points for cash discounts or merchandise!
items curbside no later than 7 a.m. to be collected and place the carts with the opening toward the street and 2-3 feet away from any other structures (i.e. mailboxes, trees, other carts, etc.).