Winter 2014 Issue 5
Stallings Sentinel Town of Stallings, Gateway to Union County
Meet Your New Council Members Mayor Wyatt Dunn (Former Council Member) Mayor Dunn has served as a Stallings Council Member since 2005. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Indian Trail. Mayor Dunn and his wife of 32 years, Terri, have three children: Matthew, Tyler, and Allie. Mayor Dunn is a political follower of Ronald Reagan.
Mayor Pro Tempore Walt Kline District 3 Walt Kline is a 10 year Stallings resident along with his wife Karen and two daughters and currently works for Bank of America as a Six Sigma Master Black Belt Instructor. A former U.S. Army Engineer Officer, he also has experience in several manufacturing companies including Ford Motor Company. Council Member Kline enjoys golfing and reading.
The world's largest snowflake found to date was 38 centimeters wide and 20 centimeters thick. This snowflake occurred at Fort Keogh, Montana, on January 28, 1887.
Council Member Rocky Crenshaw District 2 Rocky Crenshaw, a Union County native and 35 year resident of Stallings, lives in Stevens Mill with his wife Robin of 29 years and poodle Beau where he has been the President on the HOA for 14 years. He worked at IBM for 20 years and for the last 15 years has contracted with Bank of America with TTM/PROTEL as a fiber optical/data tech. Council Member Crenshaw enjoys being outside and going to his beach house to play golf.
Council Member Regis Griffin District 1 Regis Griffin and his wife Katherine live in Emerald Lake. A Coast Guard Veteran, Council Member Griffin’s professional career includes 20 years in the technology and project management areas of financial services organizations. He previously held office as a council member for eight years in Edgewood, Pennsylvania and holds a Master’s Degree in Information Science.
Council Member Deborah Romanow District 6 Deborah Romanow has been married for over 34 year and is currently in her 30th year as a teacher. Having served on the Planning Board in Stallings for 12 years, she is looking forward to this new chapter of new responsibilities and serving her community in a more influential manner.
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A Note from the Mayor... Dear Citizens of Stallings, I hope 2014 has started off well for you! The election is over and the new council members are in place as well as myself as your Mayor. The Council is already hard at work with some new ideas with fresh approaches to matters that affect us all. Also, the Town Manager Search Committee, led by former Mayor Lynda Paxton, has been meeting during the Christmas holidays as we have received many applications. We are ahead of the timeline to replace the manager and I thank this committee for it's hard work. As we continue in this new year the most urgent needs of the Town are transportation and stormwater issues. The Council and the town's committee folks are hard at work reviewing previous proposals and pushing forward on projects that will improve our quality of life in Stallings. Any information you need on these projects is on the Town's website at www.stallingsnc.org or you call me at 704-882-3310. I do an update on town activities as needed and if you want to be on my distribution list please email me at wdunn@council.stallingsnc.org or mwdunn@carolina.rr.com. You can also follow me on my Mayor's Facebook page - Mayor Wyatt Dunn. I look forward to serving the Town of Stallings another 4 years but this time as your Mayor. We have a great Town and we need your input to maintain the quality of life you desire. But my focus, as it has been the last 8 years, is to make sure the Town is spending our tax money wisely and to maintain the lowest possible tax rate that will provide the necessary services for the Town of Stallings. I hope you have a prosperous and blessed 2014!
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:
Finance Committee: One (1) alternate position
Parks and Recreation Committee: Two (2) alternate positions
Planning Board: One (1) alternate position
Stormwater Committee: One (1) full position and one (1) alternate position
Youth Members: There are now two (2) spots available for youth members on the Public Safety Committee and the Stormwater Committee. If you are a youth 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.
And the Winner is…
Unite Against Littering
The Town of Stallings honored Parks and Recreation Director Dena Sabinske with the sixth annual Marie K. Garris Employee of the Year Award. This award, named in honor of Stallings’ first Town Clerk, is given to a non-elected, non-police town employee who has shown exemplary dedication and commitment to his/her job. Ms. Sabinske is extremely passionate about her duties and responsibilities. Congratulations, Dena!
Help encourage a healthy environment by keeping our streets clean from litter! Join your neighbors in this initiative. Interested? Contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 704-821-8557 x227 or DSabiske@admin.stallingsnc.org.
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Stallings Parks and Recreation Yoga Classes Saturdays (starting May 3), 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Stallings Municipal Park Lawn (behind large arbors in the back) 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.
R.I.P.P.E.D.- Resistance.Interval.Power.Plyometrics. Endurance.Diet. Saturday, January 18 and Saturday, February 22— 9:00 a.m. Stallings Municipal Park near the Band Stand All levels welcome! Burn 750-1000 calories per 50 minute workout! Awesome music! Bring your water, towels & 5-10 pound hand weights & join the GreenFitGirls for a fun and efficient workout incorporating both strengthening and cardio routines creating your “One Stop Body Shock”! Your first class is complimentary. Come and discover the hottest new workout sweeping the nation! Cost: First Class if FREE! $7 drop-in or $5 (per class/per person) with GFG 10 Class Pass. Sign up with Green Fit Girl Instructor Please note: Class may be postponed due to severe weather or heavy rain.
Parks Hours
The Stallings Parks & Recreation Committee is seeking citizens to join the Park Ambassador Volunteer Program. 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 Municipal Park September-April: 8 a.m. to Dusk *CLOSED on Thursdays from 8-10 a.m. for maintenance. * Blair Mill Park September-April: 8 a.m. to Dusk *CLOSED on Wednesdays from 8-10 a.m. for maintenance. *
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Stallings Parks and Recreation
Stallings Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 19, 2014 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Stallings Elementary School Ball Fields All participants will need a Stallings Egg Hunt Pass. Free for Stallings residents and $1 per non-resident. Proof of residency required. For details on how and when to obtain your pass, please visit www.stallingsnc.org or call Dena Sabinske at 704.821.8557 ext. 227 for more information.
Youth Tennis Camp Starting Spring 2014, youth tennis camps will be offered. More information will be coming soon on the Parks and Recreation page of the Town’s website about this opportunity.
Earth & Arbor Day Saturday, April 26th, 2014 10:00 a.m. —12:00 p.m. Stallings Municipal Park Sponsored by The Town of Stallings & The Town of Indian Trail Celebrate Earth & Arbor Day with our community partner Indian Trail and learn fun and different ways how to become better citizens of the Earth.
Other Upcoming 2014 Park and Recreation Events
May 14: Healthy Kids Night with movie and games May 31: Summer Beach Party/Movie Night
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Stallings Police Department Several officers from the Stallings Police Department have been recognized for their service and dedication. We are very proud to have these men and women serving the Stallings Community! Officer Rick East and Corporal Jeff Weatherman
The Stallings Police Department’s Officer Rick East received the “Up and Coming” Officer of the Year Award from the Union County Governor’s Highway Safety Coalition. Corporal Jeff Weatherman was nominated for the Officer of the Year with the coalition as well. We are very proud of both of these officers for the effort they make in keeping the roads safe. The 2013 Lucy U. Drake Officer of the Year Award was also presented to Officer Rick East. Officer East was directly responsible for two life saving events this year as well as his outstanding performance in the area of traffic enforcement. Additionally, he took part in the Law Enforcement bicycle ride to Washington D.C. and plans to repeat that event in 2014.
Sgt. Pat Stevens The 2013 Carolyn M. Funderburk Community Officer of the Year Award was presented to Sgt. Pat Stevens. Sgt. Stevens has been very involved in the Stallings communities and businesses. Sgt. Stevens can often be seen stopping and talking to residents in neighborhoods and always makes sure he has “special officer” stickers for kids.
Lieutenant Tim Harrington and Sgt. John Flynn Lieutenant Tim Harrington was promoted to Captain of Department Operations. He is responsible for the day to day operations of the department. Sgt. John Flynn was promoted to Lieutenant of Support Services. Among several other duties, Lt. Flynn will be serving as the Community Officer Coordinator to ensure the Stallings Police Department continues its direct involvement with the citizens of Stallings.
Sgt. Doug Hearne, Officer Debra Coulston, and Officer Cody Havens Sgt. Doug Hearne and Officer Debra Coulston received their Advanced Law Enforcement Certificates and Officer Cody Havens received his Intermediate Law Enforcement Certificate. These career accomplishments are reflective of the officers’ dedication and training in Law Enforcement.
Protecting Water Quality -
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It’s Everyone’s Responsibility
As water flows over land, it collects soil, pet wastes, fertilizers, oils and other pollutants. Even if your house is not near a stream or river, the runoff will flow down the street into a ditch or storm drain that eventually empties into a stream or lake, taking soil and pollutants along with it. By making wise decisions in your yard about lawn care and chemical disposal, you can protect our water quality. Better water quality means protected sources of drinking water and a safe environment for you and your family. Responsible Lawn Care Pesticides and fertilizers can improve the appearance of the landscape; however, improper use of these chemicals can impair water quality. Follow these tips to protect water quality: Use fertilizer and pesticides sparingly. Keep fertilizer off of paved surfaces. Sweep it back onto the lawn. Don’t fertilize before a rainstorm. Don’t bag grass. Leave it on the lawn to reduce the need to fertilize. Mow at the proper height. Fescue thrives at 3 inches. Mowing any closer will create favorable conditions for weeds. Proper Disposal of Trash and Chemicals Don’t litter. Litter is one of the most unsightly forms of pollution in our local waterways and can easily be prevented. Carry a bag for waste along in the car to eliminate the temptation to throw it out the window. Use and ashtray for ashes and cigarette butts, and properly dispose in the trashcan periodically. Be sure to take chemicals such as paint, furniture stripper, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, oil, car batteries and antifreeze to the local Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site for disposal. Automotive Care and Maintenance Fluid spills and improper disposal of materials result in pollutants entering streams and lakes. Here are some ideas to protect our waterways during vehicle maintenance. Drip pans and draining boards should be used to capture solvents and oils for proper disposal. Use as little water as possible to clean spills, leaks and drips by using rags and dry absorbent material such as kitty litter. Promptly take all fluids and batteries to the proper facility for disposal. Do not pour waste onto the ground or into storm drains. Automotive Cleaning When cars are washed in driveways and parking lots, the dirty wash water finds it’s way into the drainage system and ultimately into streams and lakes. Wash water contains pollutants such as: oils and grease, phosphates (from the soap), and heavy metals, all of which have negative effects on water quality. Wash your car in the grass. The water will be treated by the soil, and the grass will benefit from the water. An alternative is to wash your car at a commercial car wash. There, the dirty wash water enters the sanitary sewer system where it is treated before being released back into the stream. Pick Up After Your Pets Animal waste contributes harmful bacteria to local waters. These bacteria can pose health risks to humans and other animals, and result in the spread of disease. When going for dog walks, take a few small bags and one large zip-lock bag. When doggie makes a deposit, turn a baggie inside out over your hand and use like a glove to pick up the waste. Transfer it to the larger bag and drop it in the trash when you get home. Another option is to bring a “poop-scoop” and plastic bags along and deposit waste in public garbage cans along the way.