An ebullient, excited crowd filled all 84 seats in the second-floor meeting room in Wake Forest Town Hall Tuesday night with others standing along the walls, in the doorway and in the first-floor meeting room where they watched on a TV.
Everyone was ready to celebrate and they did, standing for ovations as retiring Commissioners Margaret Stinnett and Jim Thompson were recognized for their service, then cheering and clapping as Mayor Vivian Jones was sworn in for her fifth term and Bridget Wall-Lennon and Liz Simpers were sworn in for their first terms. There had been a reception for the incoming and outgoing commissioners at 6 p.m. but that continued after the short business board meeting and the swearing-in ceremonies.
State Representative Joe Johns swore in Jones; North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Cheri Beasley swore in Wall-Lennon on her recently deceased father’s Bible that was held by her daughter, Lauren; and Jones swore in Simpers.
During that board meeting the board approved three contracts and voted not to approve a townhouse project.
The townhouse project on a short deadend section of Forestville Road would have added 95 homes and was recommended by the planning board on a five to three vote. Commissioner Brian Pate said, “I’ve been out there. I do not feel good about 95 new homes there.” He lives nearby and sees the congestion on Rogers Road in the morning. A Wake Forest police officer has to be stationed at the short street that connects to the Forestville deadend and Heritage Trade Drive. The vote was three to two to deny the rezoning and master plan.
The largest contract was $6,789,876 with the Fred Smith Company to build the Stadium Drive complete street. The work will include a roundabout at the intersection of North Wingate Street, a sidewalk and a multi-use trail, bike lanes, bus bump-outs, pave wider shoulders on the existing traffic lanes and add turn lanes at intersections.
A smaller contract — $108,053.45 – with Wright Contracting LLC is for the Smith Creek stream bank repairs.
The board also agreed to a $199,363 contract with Stantec Consulting Services to update four existing transportation planning documents and combine them into a comprehensive transportation plan.
