Cleaning streets, closing streets, street signs, beginning preparations for the West Jefferson Centennial Celebration and providing additional communication equipment for its police officers topped the town’s Board of Aldermen agenda meeting last week.
“These streets can get awful bad (during the winter months),” said Alderman Calvin Green after the town’s maintenance director Eric Miller finished his monthly report.
The town has typically stopped street sweeping during the winter months because of the potential damage leftover salt from road treatments could have on the sweeper and cold weather.
However, with the unusually warm fall, Green suggested that if the weather permitted, the maintenance department could run the sweeper when needed.
Miller agreed that there would be occasions during the winter when the sweeper could be used.
It was generally agreed by the aldermen that when weather permitted, the town’s maintenance department would make an effort to operate the sweeper.
Crescent Lane partial closing
The aldermen also decided to partially close a portion of Crescent Lane, which is located adjacent to the CVS Pharmacy.
Commercial developers have purchased property off of Crescent Lane and are in process of putting together a site plan for the area’s development over the next several months.
A representative with Winston-Salem-based Quality Oil attended the meeting last week and said at least one “national” chain restaurant has indicated its interest in building there. The representative also said Quality has plans for building a specialized convenience store on the site.
The representative said that a final tract of land, needed before site plans can be developed, would be closing in weeks.
“Sounds like it would be good for the town,” said Alderman Stephen Shoemaker.
New signs for West Evergreen Street
Charles Joyce, a resident of Taylor Glen community also spoke to the aldermen during the public hearing portion of the meeting requesting a West Evergreen Street sign in the neighborhood.
Joyce told the aldermen he had moved to the Taylor Glen community in West Jefferson five years ago just before it was annexed by the town.
Joyce said that if he paid town taxes and used town water and sewer services, it seemed natural the West Evergreen street sign should be provided by the town.
He also said that without the signs, it could create issues if there was an emergency in the area.
“This has been ongoing for five years…I’m very worried that 9-1-1 might get confused. Why can’t we get a street sign?” asked Joyce.
Green said to Joyce that the town would erect signs for the roads.
However, Alderman Tom Hartman raised the question of other residents living on streets not maintained by the town asking for signage.
Town Attorney David Paletta answered. “No. It is a private street. It the property owner’s responsibility to pay for the sign.”
As the discussion ended, it was decided the town would erect two West Evergreen street signs.
Centennial Celebration corporation
The aldermen also passed a resolution to establish a non-profit corporation that would be used to help in the administration of the town’s centennial celebration in 2015.
Additional radios for police department
The issue of providing additional radios to the West Jefferson Police Department officers was brought up during police chief Jeff Rose’s monthly report to the aldermen.
“I’d like to see you go ahead and get what you need now,” said Alderman Lester Mullis about additional radios needed by the town’s police department.
The department has purchased eight new radios, but Rose said the department has yet to receive them, adding they should arrive within two weeks.
Mullis said that after one of the town’s officers was involved in a recent deadly shooting of a Laurel Spring man, it was important that officers could communicate to one another.
The aldermen asked Rose how the officer was “holding up.”
Rose thanked everyone for the support and that his officer was “doing as well as expected.”
As the meeting wrapped up, each of the aldermen, including Dr. Brett Summey and Mayor Dale Baldwin thanked all the town employees for their service and wished them a happy holiday season.
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