Want to get more involved in helping our town government? The town is accepting applications for seats on town advisory boards and committees for 2012. Also below: Davidson’s Town Board will hold its next community chat on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at Davidson United Methodist Church. And the Town Board is continuing its discussion of potential major projects and needs, and could adopt a capital improvement plan after Thanksgiving.
COMMISSIONER CHAT
Davidson Mayor John Woods and commissioners will meet residents in another in their ongoing series of community chats this Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Davidson United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 233 S. Main St.
Davidson’s commissioner chats have no formal agenda, and give citizens a chance to meet commissioners in an informal setting.
GET INVOLVED
Interested in getting involved in shaping Davidson’s future? Here’s your chance: The Town of Davidson is now accepting applications for 2012 appointments to its advisory boards.
Why get involved? Volunteers on town committees are a chance for citizens to help advise town staff and commissioners on issues that will determine the town’s direction. These committees also can help produce future town leaders.
A nominating committee will review all applications and nominate citizens for each available position. Town officials say slots are available on the Planning, Design Review and Livability Boards and the Public Arts Commission.
The Town Board will vote on nominees, and new appointees will be seated on their respective boards in January 2013.
Find more information and an application online at www.townofdavidson.org/advisoryboardapplication. Applications are due Wednesday, Oct. 31.
BOARD DISCUSSES MAJOR PROJECTS
At its meeting last Tuesday, Oct. 23, the Davidson Town Board continued its discussion of a proposed 5-year Capital Improvement Plan for 2013-17, as well as town department needs that aren’t covered in the current budget. At last week’s meeting, the board got more information about sidewalks and greenways, proposed startup grants for nonprofits, and needs for public safety and staffing. The board also looked again at plans to renovate the main fire station and to turn the old pumphouse on South Street into offices for Davidson Parks & Recreation.
In a note last week, the town manager said the board plans to continue the discussion at its Nov. 9 meeting, then to vote on the plan at the monthly work session on Nov. 27.
The capital projects plan would guide budgeting for major expenses in the coming years. If adopted, it would be Davidson’s first capital improvement plan in several years. The town budget has been hamstrung by expenses from the MI-Connection Communications System, but a deal with Mooresville earlier this year limits Davidson’s maximum annual payments to the network to $1 million – about half what the town had expected to pay this year. That has freed up money, some of which could go to unfunded needs and capital projects.
Department heads have asked the board for about $440,000 in this fiscal year for equipment, expanded services and capital projects. The board already has approved some items, including money for Town Hall computers and way-finding and parking signs downtown.
TOWN TO HELP STARTUP NONPROFITS
One item on the “needs list” that has been in debate was whether the town should give $1,000 each to two local nonprofits – DavidsonLearns and the Project for Innovation, Energy and Sustainability – to help with startup costs. In a compromise last week, Town Manager Leamon Brice proposed having the town attorney provide consulting to help the two groups obtain nonprofit status.
Commissioner Connie Wessner said she still would like to see money available in the town budget to help with projects such as these, which fit the town’s goals.
“I think that we need to have some small amount of money – very tiny, maybe 2000 or 5,000 (dollars) of discretionary money,” she said. That would be available if need to help with projects the board deems “so important to our goals that we want to give it a little push.”
DavidsonLearns is a startup “lifelong learning” program that offers courses aimed at adult learners. The group is offering its first classes this fall, in political science, economics, and poetry.
PIES is a business incubator based in South Main Square, Davidson. It’s a partnership between the town and local business people that helps entrepreneurs develop their businesses, by providing technical assistance, funding and marketing.
SUICIDE RALLY NOV. 3
The town-sponsored Suicide Prevention Steering Committee has been meeting weekly since the first week in September to discuss ways of helping those in crisis and ensuring support for mental and emotional health in the community.
The group is organizing a “Gathering on the Green” for Saturday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m., on Davidson’s town green to discuss the issue of suicide. In case of rain, the event will be at Davidson College Presbyterian Church Congregation House on Concord Road.
The program includes remarks by town leaders, music by the W.A. Hough High School Band and Davidson College’s a cappella group The Delilahs, and a candle-lighting. Emily Buckner will do a reading and lead a moment of silence and reflection. Also planned: spoken word art by Boris Rogers, speeches by Emily Grimes and Tracy Mattison Brandon, and information about community resources for suicide prevention and mental health.
For more information, please contact Parks & Recreation director Kathryn Spatz at 704-892-3349 or kspatz@townofdavidson.org.
