Old out, new in, short agenda and then a party

The Wake Forest Town worked through a short and non-controversial agenda Tuesday night, Dec. 19, (see below) before turning to the highlight of the evening, the changing of the guard before a large audience.

Two commissioners, Jim Dyer and Chad Sary, were first praised by their peers on the board and then separately received a commendation for their service, a plaque and their photograph which had hung outside the second-floor meeting chamber.

Next the two newly-elected people who would replace them, Ben Clapsaddle and Faith Cross, and re-elected Commissioner Adam Wright were each sworn in and took their seats on the dais. Wright was sworn in by local attorney and North Carolina House member Terence Everitt while Wright’s wife, Kara held the bible. Cross wrote, “The mayor swore me in, my husband held the Bible, and my three children stood with me.” Clapsaddle’s wife held the bible. The editor gave the three only four hours to respond with the names of those who participated.

After that, Commissioner Keith Shackleford was unanimously elected mayor pro tem for the next four years, the meeting was closed and everyone moved to the reception area next door for a party with family, friends and town staff.  

During the regular meeting, included in the consent agenda was the approval of the town’s Affordable Land Disposition Program Policy, which sets out the framework for how the town decides what land to use for affordable housing. It was approved.

There was also no discussion about the second vote to set stormwater utility fees depending the square footage of impervious surface there is on each tax parcel, residential or non-residential. Two votes were required because it involved fees.

Also there was no discussion about the town manager being authorized to enter a contract with the firm Benesch for a study to determine how to levy a transportation fee. Assistant Town Manager Candace Davis said the study would include information about how other comparable towns handle the fees and what they charge their residents.

Wake Forest already has a small transportation fee of one and a half cents $0.015, but the mayor and commissioners say it is not enough if the town wants to undertake some road projects. Part of the resolution reads: “. . . the Town’s infrastructure will soon become inadequate to handle the projected growth at existing levels of service. In order to serve the existing and projected population growth, public facilities must be expanded;” and “. . . the Town desires to better address the challenge of increased traffic and ensure residents and visitors have a safe, efficient, flexible, innovative and inclusive multi-mpdal transportation system by implementing the adopted 2021Comprehensive Transportation Plan.”

Wake Forest Power uses generators — some owned by the town, some by large businesses — to deflect and lower the cost of power peaks by Duke Power. Eight of those generators owned by Wake Forest Power are old, serving for 25 years and more. A spokesman for Wake Forest Power said the town saves $100,000 a month by using the generators, plus the town has another saving when it sends power back into the Duke grid.

The town will purchase the following generators from PowerSecure. The generators are at the Public Works Operations Center on Friendship Chapel Road, $403,771; 2101 S. Main St., eatery 1 and 2, $734,758; 2018 S. Main, Pat Murnane’s, $497,215; 2104 S. Main St., Arby’s, $485,456; 2114 S. Main St., Walmart, 1,064,489; 11016 Capital Boulevard, Golden Corral, $584,073; 301 S. Brooks St., Town Hall, $677,454; 12430 Capital Boulevard, Wendy’s, $497,698.

The total cost of $4,944,914 will be divided between the General Fund, $1,081,224, and the Electric Fund, $4,944,914.

“We reached out to Garner,” Town Manager Kip Padgett said, after that town was hit by tornadoes last month, and some town crews went to Garner to help restore power and clean up the downed trees and wrecked homes. As a result, both Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones and Garner Mayor Buddy Gupton are now authorized to sign a mutual aid agreement between the two towns.