[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6608740,"mediaKeyId","2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a","parentId",2936630,"title","Indian Trail council approves modest hourly rate increase for town attorney","audioSeconds",390,"startMs",3600000,"endMs",3990000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a&start=3600&end=3990","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6608740/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Indian-Trail-council-approves-modest-hourly-rate-increase-for-town-attorney","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608740-47066bc3fa220082de1a2ecc5cae17a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194300&Signature=jT87su-4m5ut4e6dbgrnwCZS7JIwCP9MTVkxnuoixN4tjsI47JTXQAG8ISaBiXfRjuco--fFCk9gRQIt~wiYlX5c-AU6uK5WR8I51PriLs51-EsWM3D3bIxjKzzr7g5FQRDGCPFzUlyeaB1YSSdlc1~RP7HM1drZGW6iR5YCfwbebUNNQVjGfF1xq7E0C5e1NiPYEe1ztiPGleAyLdMcNQbRnUkuKp9k6~iSiC1sZwJmBc5Pmj7lTq3Rli~sJPjJXEpROy~JO3jyrr7A~YsMWGDnC-OeN4B4ZWOFk7QeDp5K9EIjRK3gpptby3RTbpr2LkmfSR69~dLUzK9Dsiv~PA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Indian Trail","date","2025-04-09T18:08:02.177Z","article","The Indian Trail Town Council approved an increase to the town attorney’s hourly rate on April 8, raising the baseline fee to $275 per hour effective July 1.

Town Manager and other council members praised Melanie Cox for responsiveness, municipal experience and work on prior contract negotiations. Interim commentary noted existing litigation and meeting rates remained unchanged and that some neighboring municipalities pay higher or comparable fees. Cox did not offer additional comment at the meeting.

Council member Crystal moved to approve the requested increase, and the council voted in favor. The council also noted that litigation rates previously approved remain in place.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 8, 2025, Town Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved an increase in the town attorney hourly rate to $275 effective July 1 after staff and council members described the attorney’s accessibility and prior work on the town's legal matters.","taxTitle","Indian Trail, Union County, North Carolina","taxId",53176,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608744,"Monroe pursuing US 74 overpass at Rocky River; Indian Trail staff briefed on potential regional project",395,3117000,3512000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a&start=3117&end=3512","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a/thumbnail_3117000.jpg","/articles/6608744/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Monroe-pursuing-US-74-overpass-at-Rocky-River-Indian-Trail-staff-briefed-on-potential-regional-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608744-bb8741570b33455a43dc6e7b254c2c4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194300&Signature=eOiv1hzFB0j8FTEO5L7hACWoLBBHGSz8YdBKkQaoi-38muBmY4Tm8Lxrvc0T90uZUNi4amQHaHxpbV7XtoErp44m39LXd8Zo1v9XIeoKhThl8E7DuDhwB7Y9b4Mt8Zhcyez3ZHTltqEbvn02ZR4xZ8Q2b4pcmsiyyBcOzuJxE4zpkY6ym6AVZdckIOJ3GuJxmnBAZQCgHiU2qT6-4LfwRl8XRGeTaZwqfm5-oXLUS-7op4IAYBwOJhOqZYwrYwbc90oysMYPdaxc6-2WrLbxiEq9cmysAvKXtaWVXKvY~Qoto7gD9Guf1xlug8qhDyXES0ttUshOs-Nv22sClyPmtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Engineering staff updated the Indian Trail Town Council on April 8 about a City of Monroe transportation proposal to add a grade separation (overpass) at Rocky River Road over U.S. 74.

Town planner Mike Huntzinger said the Rocky River/US‑74 overpass concept was identified in Monroe’s recent transportation planning work and has preliminary engineering funds; it is intended to improve connectivity between Indian Trail and Monroe and to coordinate with planned six‑lane widening of US‑74 in the corridor.

Huntzinger said the project is currently in right‑of‑way phase for nearby Monroe-funded US‑74 improvements, with a construction target that state documents list as 2030 for portions of the corridor. He described the Rocky River location as equidistant between Indian Trail and downtown Monroe and said the project is being positioned as a multi‑municipal benefit to increase chances of funding. He noted an earlier, separate grade separation project on Wesley Chapel Road over CSX tracks that is in right‑of‑way and targeted for 2028 construction.

City of Monroe passed a resolution in October to initiate a Comprehensive Transportation Plan amendment; Monroe’s public comment period runs through May 24 and the city will hold a public meeting May 14 at Monroe City Hall, Huntzinger said. The council took the item as informational and encouraged residents to attend Monroe’s meeting or contact town staff for more details.","Town staff briefed council on City of Monroe’s effort to add a Rocky River Road/US 74 grade‑separation to the regional transportation plan; project is in preliminary engineering with public comment and a May 14 Monroe meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608747,"Indian Trail council will hold May 13 hearing after outside report finds councilmember likely affiliated with controversial Facebook page",1696,4019000,5715000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a&start=4019&end=5715","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a/thumbnail_4019000.jpg","/articles/6608747/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Indian-Trail-council-will-hold-May-13-hearing-after-outside-report-finds-councilmember-likely-affiliated-with-controversial-Facebook-page","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608747-5bc086b6a31caa9a18a293a560c4d7fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194300&Signature=e~brg4oVaEHiEtOKsikLyNmyFlpPIcnDpH6165xnyTDfjHnsnAvzM5SIcXi0ycJLR4yj6CAl2xSPD2K7XfZlGjnssiCD4iYd3qaVt0UqiY9qi0552hHwBdrUEAV1y3NL1-~1HxImL3NQu34Nf4Xv1WvF-~4GHElefCRzoFTfVsKUq46Torhj3FRBGCI21N7djgC1oY852NtxMpsqR1OLDH-HjgMpumZ7FjdBKAFh8z3avFtfOFvzxUnlbc7W6Z~Ul2fUGrdno1MQvWWOLD6Kw~-C1sz99rozLeZySX6dhqVQQJg2pe2r3iqfEe6fmyOmluPTcokdZLtqAKpZPbrdOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","An independent outside review delivered to the Indian Trail Town Council concluded that circumstantial evidence indicates Councilmember Todd Barber maintains an affiliation with a Facebook page named the Indian Trail Weasel Report and that the page’s history and content are likely to mislead the public and undermine confidence in local government.

Council member Clarence read portions of the April report by attorney Daniel E. Peterson on April 8. Peterson stated he reviewed the Facebook page’s history, advertising records and prior iterations and concluded the page retains a digital trail linking it to Barber’s earlier political page. The report said cosmetic name changes do not erase that link and that posts predating a name change appear to the public as if authored by the weasel page rather than by Barber’s political page.

\"A reasonable member of the public would conclude that Councilman Barber is affiliated with, or responsible for the posts made on the weasel,\" the report says in its findings, which cite the town’s social-media policy and code of ethics, including a requirement that board members \"shall strive to be truthful and provide information in a factual and objective manner as to not mislead the public.\" The report also noted Barber’s public appearances with the page mascot and stated that Barber’s claimed distance from the page does not remove the misleading impression created by the digital record.

The council discussed enforcement options and whether to censure Barber. Barber said he received the report last week and asked for time to prepare a response and to secure legal counsel; he requested up to four months to prepare. Other council members said the public and staff have waited long enough and argued for a shorter preparation window.

After discussion, the council voted to schedule a hearing on May 13 to consider whether to censure Barber; the hearing will be an agenda item at a council meeting. Councilmembers said they will exchange evidence and allow Barber an opportunity to respond at that hearing. No removal action was taken at the April 8 meeting. Barber may present rebuttal material at the scheduled hearing.

The investigation drew public comment during the meeting’s public comment period, where several residents urged removal or censure and said the page’s posts had harmed town employees and public trust. The council asked staff to follow its rules for scheduling the hearing and to provide public access as required by council procedure.","An outside attorney’s investigation concluded Councilmember Todd Barber’s social-media ties to the ‘Indian Trail Weasel Report’ likely violate the town’s social-media policy and code of ethics; the council scheduled a hearing on possible censure for May 13.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608749,"Local crisis ministry warns Indian Trail council of imminent loss of $40,000 in federal housing funds",176,1240000,1416000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a&start=1240&end=1416","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a/thumbnail_1240000.jpg","/articles/6608749/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Local-crisis-ministry-warns-Indian-Trail-council-of-imminent-loss-of-40000-in-federal-housing-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608749-abbad9e1fc3ba0589935a928cc5f5d21/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194300&Signature=UrEmXZKrO~j-~BffG1a7n8rA1V-3yaCWk0SVOqxOuY-EW3MbQ9FesoVSmlOdy7ero7m5L800U~SXQikl0efSiUsn2ySZfl6wIOKYbJQ~4ue1W6BJ0NxCGdE04bFuQzOYnrKITsQMkT5cW5zJW~WQ6nYkT6wZFnx4iJNpG8J25r9OYiQRS2br0BG1vSFAPNZeYPXqnZ5a3MG-wR-rbhATHWL2hk61EGrZeiHVuBQ3O-9wsS-JIiwrbpHd8zQOpigbQYFbFBA9rY1s5JDnzNa91kN4qiRhESvqykaGZv0b5uBKwts8cMe9Ppcno-cqTtpggzB2fF0FngS2k0lRHRWoNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather Gardner, executive director of Crisis Assistance Ministry (doing business as Union County Crisis / Scribe Assistance), told the Indian Trail Town Council on April 8 that her organization is facing an immediate reduction in restricted federal housing funding that had supported eviction prevention.

\"We are faced with losing $40,000 — that's federal funding and that is restricted housing funding that we received in June. That is not coming our way more than likely,\" Gardner said, and asked the council and community partners to help maintain services that last year served roughly 80 households in Union County.

Gardner described the clients her nonprofit serves — working families, seniors, mothers with newborns and people at immediate risk of eviction — and said staff provide case management, referrals to food partners, and limited financial help. She described the current eviction environment in North Carolina as a major driver of demand and said the organization has three case managers handling hundreds of crisis calls monthly.

She noted the group's recent move into a new office at 216 North Haines Street in Monroe and said the ministry is rebuilding, rebranding, and seeking donors and business partners. Gardner said the ministry accepts online donations at crisisassistanceministry.org and maintains a Facebook presence.

Council members thanked Gardner and encouraged churches, civic groups and residents to support the organization. No formal action or appropriation was taken during the meeting; Gardner asked the council to be a champion and to connect the nonprofit with potential funders and volunteers.","Heather Gardner of Crisis Assistance Ministry (doing business as Scribe Assistance/Union County Crisis) told the council federal restricted housing funding of about $40,000 is likely to end, and the nonprofit asked for local champions, donations and partnerships to prevent new evictions.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608750,"Council on Aging tells Indian Trail council ARPA funds bolstered services but waiting list remains",833,259000,1092000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a&start=259&end=1092","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2936630-b2157fd895b34be27aa5ec760ff0668a/thumbnail_259000.jpg","/articles/6608750/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Council-on-Aging-tells-Indian-Trail-council-ARPA-funds-bolstered-services-but-waiting-list-remains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608750-5d9ddbf79cf5345be62bb0ecaea4129c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194300&Signature=W0IYZRLJYSzJd3rMJmu0UUamAXewrRLW-GUuyx1t3WRnjlz5Qq259RJtYaP77go8c05Hinbn0Mwl7n1JdvySCcYmcTckuNyzBYIOfOGdeL4LzepqhcQIciynrkDqAcILEONALvH4TAKim7uzR6OVa~1DWaNg0EPEn1GQ4tRd4lzM3ReZMojWDHOyT9USNL~uIWmRDhTP5vsa1V6O8s-w0Umx6hb~CZ~BlYimMGAVrXMeLPqfm9dWqWcX9lJq2SWAkmYVwSQTZ6otRKloDsYj92qXVXNJDdIYMuQKGG8M5adg30rt0nzORbA4sCozqzUq7XxIWujo3tcRj0mVt4KJpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Andrew Friend, executive director of the Council on Aging in Union County, told the Indian Trail Town Council on April 8 that the nonprofit has expanded programs using local American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) interest earned by the town but still faces capacity limits.

\"We have a team of 20 in-home caregivers ... as well as 4 nurses that are caring for over 250 people on a weekly basis, all at no cost to them,\" Friend said, describing in-home care, next-door clubhouse services, medical-equipment lending, and fall-prevention work his organization provides.

The presentation, which the council received as an informational item, emphasized demographic trends in Union County drawn from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data. Friend said the county’s population ages 60 and older is projected to grow substantially over the next 20 years, and that the council’s funding from federal and state sources has been largely flat while demand rises.

Friend gave program metrics: incontinence supplies distributed rose from about 5,300 packages two years ago to a projected 12,000 this year; durable medical equipment distributions rose from 830 two years ago to 1,400 last year and are expected to reach 1,600 this year; and the next-door clubhouse provides about 10,000 hours of care annually. He said the in-home services program is the organization’s largest and that Council on Aging projects delivering about 23,000 hours of care this fiscal year but still maintains a waiting list of about 90 people countywide — roughly 30 to 35 of whom live in Indian Trail.

Friend thanked the town for using ARPA interest to buy grab bars and other home-safety equipment and said volunteers have installed devices and delivered medical-alert buttons; he reported 25 life-saving uses of those buttons since the program began. He asked the council to consider continued partnership and additional support to help reduce the waiting list.

Council members and residents responded with questions about donations and volunteer opportunities. Friend outlined multiple ways to support the nonprofit, including an annual fundraising breakfast and his organization’s website for donations.

As an informational presentation, the council did not take formal action on the Council on Aging request during the April 8 meeting.","Council on Aging executive director Andrew Friend briefed the Indian Trail Town Council on growth in senior services funded in part by Indian Trail ARPA interest; the nonprofit said demand outpaces available funding and 30–35 Indian Trail residents remain on a waiting list for in-home care.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Indian Trail council approves modest hourly rate increase for town attorney

Monroe pursuing US 74 overpass at Rocky River; Indian Trail staff briefed on potential regional project

Indian Trail council will hold May 13 hearing after outside report finds councilmember likely affiliated with controversial Facebook page

Local crisis ministry warns Indian Trail council of imminent loss of $40,000 in federal housing funds

Council on Aging tells Indian Trail council ARPA funds bolstered services but waiting list remains