WF commissioners approve two studies

During a short meeting Tuesday evening, May 16, the Wake Forest commissioners approved two studies. The first is a study about the stretch of South Main Street between the NC 98 Bypass and Capital Boulevard (U.S. 1). The second combines three small studies about downtown into one.
The South Main Street study will look at everything from access to the street to accidents, traffic signals, and awkward intersections such as the one at Forestville Road. There will be two public workshops as well as other contact with residents and business owners during the nine- to ten-month the study will take. The town board approved a contract with Stantec for $175,000.
Assistant Planning Director Jennifer Currin laid out the three studies – the Downtown Small Area Plan, the Parking Study and the Municipal Service District evaluation – which have been combined into one study. The winning bid for the contract of $405,800 was by Houseal Lavigne. There have been changes and future changes such as a depot for commuter rail along with the large commercial and residential building on the SunTrust site with the next-door parking garage.
There were three residents who spoke about the proposed town budget for fiscal 2023-2024. Dora Pearce said she hopes the town continues to prioritize affordable housing; Ann Garrett spoke about the increased traffic on Jenkins Road which includes many vehicles from far beyond the town limits.
“I don’t see any electric vehicles in the town budget,” said Grif Bond. He also called the fees for solid waste collection — $21 each month in the new budget – a regressive tax which adversely impacts low-income folks. And he called out the pay grades of some town employees who make less than a living wage based on the local economy. He called for the town to raise their wages to at least a living wage.
There were two proclamations. The first honored the women who have served in the country’s military, but it also harked back to all the women who have served unrecognized beside their husbands and fathers. Who can forget Molly Pitcher? The second honored the foster and familial families in Wake Forest and beyond who help nurture and raise children. They deserve our support and praise.
After the agenda and the comments by the commissioners and mayor, the board went into two closed sessions. The first was about negotiating for the purchase of property or the terms of an employment contract. The second was “to prevent the disclosure of information that is privileged or confidential or is not of public record.” The board members took no actions when they returned except to adjourn the meeting.
Just a note: The camera crew has begun showing the name of the town board who is speaking. It is a great help to the video audience who cannot see the speakers.
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