Burke County municipalities use July to catch up, plan for new fiscal year

The month of July in Burke County tends to be quiet for most municipalities with the absence of monthly regular meetings. Elected leaders in Morganton, Valdese, Drexel, and Glen Alpine all skip the hottest month. (Rutherford College Town Council is the one exception.)

With fiscal 2024-25 budgets now adopted, municipal employees use July to move the ball forward on projects underway and advance new priorities established in the new budgets.

Here is a roundup of what is happening behind the scenes for all municipalities.

MORGANTON

The City of Morganton’s staff members are getting their ducks in a row for upcoming projects in August, said City Manager Sally Sandy.

“Especially the first part of July, it’s almost a deep breath from what you just finished,” Sandy said. “You have a budget, and you’ve issued contracts for the start of next year that are going on. You are in the midst of all of that.”

The lengthy and involved budget process forced certain administrative tasks to be deferred. July is the month to catch up. Sitting at her desk, Sandy waved a hand over different papers and showcased the “tasks” at hand.

The IMAGINE Morganton 2040 will be revisited in a special joint meeting with the council and the Planning & Zoning Commission on Thursday, July 11, from 5:15-7:15 p.m. at City Hall, 305 E. Union St. in Suite A100.

In August, the council will review incoming capital projects like street repaving. The council will review bids and award contracts for projects that the City has been working on for years as well.

The next regular City Council meeting is set for Monday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 305 E. Union St. in Suite A100.

VALDESE

The Town of Valdese is waiting to hear back and address major town projects, said Mayor Charlie Watts.

The council’s August agenda review will be held on Monday, July 28, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 102 Massel Ave. SW. The regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m.

Among the many projects is hiring a permanent town manager. Interim Town Manager Bryan Steen is working with the town until the manager is hired, leading to his 24-hour written notice.

Watts said that the council is still in the process of interviewing candidates. He said it is possible the final hiring decision could be included at the agenda review meeting.

Aside from the town manager, the council will address the following throughout the month and at the agenda review:

• Progress on the year-round swimming pool at the Valdese Recreation Center

• N.C. Department of Transportation Street Paving Project

The council is also awaiting a decision from the N.C. Department of Environment (DEQ) regarding the $3 million Community Development Block Grant, Watts said.

The grant is for the CDBG Water Project to replace the aging and undersized water lines in Valdese along the following streets: Berry School Avenue, Berrytown Avenue, Berrytown Street, Bost Johnson Avenue, Bost Johnson Avenue Extension, and CV Johnson Drive.

At 400 Main St. W., the Old Rock School renovations are on track with their projected completion timeframe, as of press time. The renovations will be finished by the end of July, and a grand reopening is slotted for early August.

As the renovations progress, the donations currently fall at nearly $100,000 out of their goal of $150,000.

DREXEL

The Town of Drexel is making progress on two significant projects: the Drexel Industrial Site and the RO Huffman Community Center bathroom renovation.

Town Clerk Kristen Powell said that the town is in the early phases of the bidding preparation for the 95-acre Drexel industrial site, known as the Drexel Business Park, where the former Drexel Furniture property used to sit. The senior staff and Alliance Consulting Engineers will work together in July to complete the bidding packages.

The site is being prepared in hopes of attracting an industrial/manufacturing company. Burke Development, Inc. CEO Alan Wood said that the clean-up and grading of the site should be completed by the end of the year.

The architectural planning needed for the bathroom renovation at RO Huffman Community Center will begin this month. The construction bid from Valdese firm David Harmon Architecture for the project was approved on Tuesday, May 14, for the remodeling and upfitting of the center’s bathrooms.

The town’s regular monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 202 Church St.

GLEN ALPINE

The little ole Town of Glen Alpine will not meet, but its leaders are working on hiring for several positions in their police department.

“I'm not sure of the timeline as that is up to the board, but we will be advertising for a new Police Chief since Rodney Cox retired,” Town Administrator/Clerk Crystal Reed said.

With Cox’s retirement, Shane Trull was appointed as interim police chief. Cox’s departure has left the department with two full-time officer positions, one that is filled by Trull. There are seven reserve officers, but has limited availability due to their full-time jobs.

The town is looking to fill two police officers, positions that will receive the $4,200 pay increase enacted on Monday, July 1.

The town will meet again on Monday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 103 Pitts St.

RUTHERFORD COLLEGE

The Town of Rutherford College is the only municipality that met for its regular monthly meeting in July.

The council came together on Monday, July 1, for a brief meeting to discuss the upcoming November election for three council seats and other town matters like a dog park and a Summer Celebration event.

The council will return on Monday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m. to discuss a land use rate schedule text amendment at Town Hall, 908 Malcolm Blvd. (See related story about the meeting on this page.)

Saydie Bean is a general assignment reporter for The Paper. She may be reached at 828-445-8595, ext. 2011, or saydie@thepaper.media.