by Blake Proctor
With a full house present, Mayor Sam Allen called the June 8th meeting of the Tar Heel Town Council to order at 6 pm. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Mayor Allen provided the invocation.
The Mayor introduced town resident Howard Sessoms, who was in attendance to make complaints about and suggest remedies for speeding around town.
He distributed prepared notes to the Mayor, Councilmembers, and this reporter.
He told the Board that, even with the speed bumps on town roads, traffic has not been slowing down on the back roads in town.
*He asserted that the problem is that with no speed limit signs on those interior streets. He recommended that the town adopt an ordinance reducing the residential areas of Tar Heel to 25 MPH and post the appropriate signs. He also urged the council to ask the Sheriff’s Department to help with enforcement.
As for NC 87 Highway, he presented the same information that NC Department of Transportation officials have previously prepared for the town, including a speed survey made in November, 2020. That survey had indicated that the 85th percentile of speeds through town on NC87 ranged from 56mph and 74mph,
Mr. Sessoms echoed back to the Board its own question of why the Dublin portion of NC87 seven miles away had 35mph through their town but Tar Heel could not get theirs under 45mph.
In closing, Mr. Sessoms urged the Mayor to intercede with both the Sheriff’s Department and the NC Highway Patrol to increase their patrolling and enforcement along NC87 through town.
Mayor Allen thanked Mr. Sessoms’ for his presentation. The Consent Agenda was then approved without comment.
Old Businesses consisted of a final discussion of the First Annual Tar Teel Craft Fair. To reiterate, the Fair will be held on Saturday, June 26th between 9 am and 2 pm; a silent auction will be held in the Council Chamber for the entire Fair.
Councilmember Mike Underwood informed the Board that, as of the 8th, there were “almost 50” vendors who have signed up for space. Since the vendors will be donating some of their wares to the silent auction in lieu of paying vendor fees, there will be a wider selection of items on which to bid.
New Business consisted of a review of the proposed Fiscal Year 2021-2022 General Fund and Powell Bill budgets, as well as setting a date for a public hearing on the budget.
In the General Fund, ad valorem taxes of 3.6¢ per $100 valuation is expected to generate $26,905; franchise fees are scheduled at $1,500; vendor fees will bring in $13,000; and all other revenues are $3,600. Total General Fund operating revenue is $45.005.
The major General Fund expenditures consist of $10,000 for salaries, $12,935 in maintenance activities, $7,500 for streetlights, $5,000 for professional fees, and $3,500 for liability insurance; the remaining $6,070 is distributed to minor line items.
The Powell Bill has an ending Fund Balance of $6,190 this Fiscal Year; with anticipated state revenues of $5,610 each year, the monies available for streets-related expenses for FY 2021-2022 is $11,800. That entire amount is budgeted for qualifying streets projects.
A called meeting was established for 6 pm, Tuesday, June 22nd to hold the budget public hearing and to adopt the budget following that hearing.
There being no further business matters to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 6:54 pm.
*Correction was made to this article. When this article was first published it stated the speed limit recommendation was 35 MPH, however Mr. Sessoms recommended the speed limit to be changed to 25 MPH.
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