Davidson and Cornelius town halls will display the artwork of eight Davidson Day school students, created to promote immigration awareness, starting this month. Also in this column, students plan a fun festival and prepare for the annual cake race in town this weekend, and several area scholars are recognized for their hard work. Read the full story

More than 30 of the department's 55 volunteers and part-timers posed for a picture. More photos below. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Chief says firefighter ranks up, but challenges remain

Davidson Fire Department now has 55 volunteers, part-time firefighters and recruits – the most in recent memory, Fire Chief Jeff Almond said Monday at the town’s annual firefighter appreciation dinner at the fire station on Jackson Street behind Town Hall.

But the changing nature of fire service in a small town means the department still struggles to keep trucks manned as they head to a growing number of fire calls. Read the full story

Work has begun on the patio in front of Davidson public library branch on the Village Green. (Brenda Barger/DavidsonNews.net)

The future of the Davidson library branch on the Village Green may be a bit hazy, but work began this week on a new patio out front to be paved with bricks donated by library supporters.

The bricks, engraved with donors’ names, were incentives in a campaign that raised $211,000 last fall and winter to help fund library operations through June 30 of this year.  Officials said the new patio will have 945 small bricks (4×8 inches ) and 91  larger (8×8 inch) bricks.  Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Town officials in Cornelius and Davidson say they haven’t complied with The Charlotte Observer‘s January public records requests for email addresses of citizens who subscribe to the towns’ communications lists.

Mayors in both towns said this week while they support Freedom of Information laws, they don’t believe local governments should be required to disclose citizens’ email addresses. Read the full story

Davidson’s Town Board has trimmed funding for a variety of items from the preliminary 2011-12 capital improvements budget. Meanwhile, there’s a Town Board retreat Friday in Winston-Salem to talk about the board’s mission, planning and goals. Also below, a note about the “State of the Town” report out this month, including 2010 year-end statistics for police and fire calls. Read the full story

The Davidson Town Board will meet for its monthly work session Tuesday, when the agenda also will include items missed two weeks ago when the board’s regular monthly meeting was postponed because of snow.

The board is expected to vote on a resolution in support of the Trust for Public Land, which is working on with a potential deal to preserve as open space 242 acres in the failed Abersham development northeast of town.  The board also will vote on new rules aimed at reducing the impact of new construction on existing neighborhoods and on a resolution allowing the town staff to advertise bids for town purchases via the internet instead of in local newspapers. Presentations Tuesday include an auditor’s report on the 2009-10 budget.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 216 S. Main St.

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By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Updated Saturday, Jan. 22, 4:10 p.m.
Town officials in Davidson are trying to figure out how to respond to a public records request from The Charlotte Observer for email addresses and telephone numbers of citizens who subscribe to the town’s email and telephone alert services.

The request is similar to those the paper has submitted to the City of Charlotte, Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and other area towns. Because the records requests have come from the paper’s “strategic products and audience development director,” some citizens and public officials are concerned that paper might use the addresses to deliver advertisements or marketing messages.  The newspaper’s editor told DavidsonNews.net Friday the paper wants the information only for “journalistic purposes.”

UPDATE: The editor said Saturday that given the outcry over the request, the paper could decide not to send emails. See “Comments” below.

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Storm drains are part of the storm water runoff system.

Last summer’s Town Board vote to raise storm water fees is beginning to hit home with residents.  Some have called Town Hall in recent days to ask why their bills are so much higher. The calls have prompted town officials to issue a statement reminding residents about the higher fees.

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