[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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],{"_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",6053033,"mediaKeyId","3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1","parentId",3377180,"title","Promoters propose May charity festival in Salisbury, offer 10,000 teddy bears for first responders","audioSeconds",187,"startMs",169000,"endMs",356000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1&start=169&end=356","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1/thumbnail_169000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6053033/Salisbury-City/Rowan-County/North-Carolina/Promoters-propose-May-charity-festival-in-Salisbury-offer-10000-teddy-bears-for-first-responders","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053033-06761092e4a896234ba06a47b7105a20/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195997&Signature=bFMQtXO3EKHy7KkG2Jb30tK0tr-Mx-2IpTEAxhw-c0kbzrNw85Z9P9fNalQGsnPVe5Tu~GaQEO1sZbftPa7l6O6QfSM5jEWiDqP91I2dvwONsXm1TXGU~BH9BugW-zr8oID5692~WAyVy53a-Ct0H2JsN7Vqbk0yp1RsskpoSsDvW40Be-MNYMVXuxjK-CSALyIZKqug6kIZbv2B~w3-TiLbu0RFpqIxI07Isy6-tk46Myw7aWoWQxGhWUtpPGfPM3FvcuctxYzbq-FVSKYtNYEPJnGJifHK6SFB7c9n9XyyD25EGkexyvX0cRo6oApIxxs1DqUYC3FxoCJki0aPtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Salisbury ","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Lonnie Brick and Angela Reynolds, representing Become the Change promotions, used public comment time at the March 18 Salisbury City Council meeting to describe a planned charity festival in Salisbury in May.

Brick said the festival is being organized to benefit Lutheran Services Carolinas and that the organizers expect a regional marketing reach: \"Our commercials reach 1,200,000 people currently.\" He said the event will include a food competition, a costume contest, a car show and a battle of the bands, and that the organizers will bring national touring acts and have secured sponsorship (the Hampton Inn is listed as a sponsor). The organizers plan to donate about 10,000 teddy bears to local first responders — police, fire and EMS — with the intent that the police department would distribute bears to domestic-violence shelters or to children encountered on disturbance calls.

Brick asked council members, including the mayor, to participate as judges in competitions and offered to leave flyers with the city clerk for follow-up.

Ending: City staff accepted the flyers for follow-up; no formal city action or funding request was made during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Salisbury City Council Meeting 3/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Become the Change promotions asked Salisbury council to note a planned May festival that will benefit Lutheran Services Carolinas, will include food, costume and music contests, and will distribute roughly 10,000 teddy bears to first responders.","taxTitle","Salisbury City, Rowan County, North Carolina","taxId",57961,"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},6053038,"Firefighters' union urges council to fund 22 additional firefighters and two inspectors after SAFER grant denied",109,806000,915000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1&start=806&end=915","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1/thumbnail_806000.jpg","/articles/6053038/Salisbury-City/Rowan-County/North-Carolina/Firefighters-union-urges-council-to-fund-22-additional-firefighters-and-two-inspectors-after-SAFER-grant-denied","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053038-5aa1ac4ac02c3ed542e63a173f42c1db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195997&Signature=Mbm6LzwYgM2DNMra670fI7s5qcvGix96t07UZDBKRdbw-lANL5ui840ZeHBaVU-qC~ynW2sbbvBK~SAHkasc97wD-TGoQ9BMA3TtEa22H4qlgjlZ2rq-gWuKsulIWVZFlVTM1Zewd6Q7-9aswYWpwvjYzH7vSByztDz~ib-ONqffcJV0SgCKvOBGK~taYEDX-oz~2TJDk-0P2vk8tEwwE-eFz2JlKZ69OEBb0gEFRwb6Xvofjb0iaEv3YuZuRqCLSOaK3WhzcbLdUp08Le9fodv7XJnpNqPDzYN9Kp8F5DmBOBG2jzpu42s3JcDAEy6Km7RqRjHt2XZjBKX9YPj3sA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spencer White, vice president of the Solid Red Professional Firefighters Union, urged Salisbury City Council on March 18 to fund additional firefighters and inspectors after the city did not receive a federal SAFER staffing grant.

White told the council that minimum staffing currently leaves 22 firefighters \"breaking their backs\" to meet demands that a staffing standard would place at 29. He said the department has exhausted its overtime budget and that chronic overtime harms employees and public safety.

\"It is more costly to work overtime shifts than it would be to staff the fire department with 22 more firefighters,\" White said. \"Our overtime budget is $400,000. We've blown it, as of January.\" He added, \"The human cost is worse than the monetary cost. Those firefighters miss responsibilities at home, recovery, sleep, and then they have to turn around and come back to shift the next day.\"

White told council the union recommends hiring 22 additional firefighters and two full-time fire inspectors; he said the SAFER grant was not received and \"this council needs to fund the positions itself.\" He framed pay and staffing as equity issues, noting recent raises for city administrators while firefighters' staffing needs remain unmet.

Council did not take a vote on staffing at the March 18 meeting; the union's remarks were submitted as public comment and recorded in the minutes. Staff or council members did not present a staffing proposal or budget amendment during the meeting.

Ending: The union asked the council to include firefighter staffing in budget and policy discussions going forward; no formal action was taken at the meeting.","The vice president of the local professional firefighters union told Salisbury council the department is understaffed and the city should fund new positions after a federal SAFER grant application was not awarded.",{"_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},6053043,"Residents urge traffic studies and infrastructure funding as new developments advance near Eagle Heights and Country Club Hills",452,340000,792000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1&start=340&end=792","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1/thumbnail_340000.jpg","/articles/6053043/Salisbury-City/Rowan-County/North-Carolina/Residents-urge-traffic-studies-and-infrastructure-funding-as-new-developments-advance-near-Eagle-Heights-and-Country-Club-Hills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053043-8b537e3774fbd76d6bd493eab6bcaf8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195997&Signature=aO2FeX2elDvkXsxhJI1USYR0aundNEd7VprGYXHylA8JVkaWb6f-7saTj7uRSXf9kP7SzROUzszP~W~s2xH3M3nPu1xKrq6Ykl~9AbMxYWdjwFkWGllYDgDMtBXqTxU-4EP4z87IVOiVYi6V3wwyv-U0W8~QdaXIThhPNQsdqwMUahPvktEbPtpVkHCa86VDG~gB1dzJKvEo8CdmHAl-48YaSS5HGHzFBFK7YzIf70H5sDB8yHz~UC~Uc9NrEo1~eQXXpykH3PbYL6LokZrbK51MHyzefsNv~1eAcz3CYGnQkha1GJDdAMJ0JLYcWlbXCKWTiKF6hMDz8AswNRz-gQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents from Eagle Heights, Country Club Hills and nearby neighborhoods told the Salisbury City Council on March 18 they are concerned that multiple new housing developments will overload narrow local roads, create safety risks for school traffic and increase stormwater and erosion problems.

Why it matters: Speakers said the city and NCDOT should anticipate cumulative effects from several subdivisions and not treat each trip generation calculation in isolation. Residents requested traffic impact analyses, speed-limit adjustments, school traffic studies, erosion mitigation, and consideration of traffic-calming measures before additional annexations or approvals proceed.

What residents said
Jane Smith Steinberg, a 55‑year Eagle Heights resident, said narrow roads and nearby school locations make new development hazardous: \"When these houses become full and the traffic begins to get worse than it is now, we're gonna have a serious problem out there.\" She said decisions by NCDOT and future connections from new subdivisions could turn quiet streets into unsafe cut-throughs.

Leanne Norris, speaking after a neighborhood site visit to the Chatham Creek development on Sells Road, summarized action items discussed with city staff and volunteers: request a larger buffer from the developer, lower the trip threshold so a traffic impact analysis (TIA) is required for more projects, request an NCDOT study at the Highway 601 and Sells Road intersection, and pursue grants for a cumulative TIA of Sales Road, Old Mocksville Road and Hawkenstown Road.

Jonathan Barbee, a Country Club Hills resident, urged the council to use tax revenues from annexed properties to prioritize capital investment where growth is occurring and called for more routine police speed enforcement in neighborhoods rather than relying solely on physical devices: \"Most want simple traffic control measures — primarily a human police officer to do routine speed checks and issue violations for speeding through the neighborhood, which requires no study at all.\"

Numbers cited and clarifications
- Norris said a single development's published threshold of 953 daily trips \"does not seem overwhelming,\" but she estimated cumulative trips in the area could reach an estimated 4,000 daily trips as multiple projects build out.
- Staff and residents said they had consulted NCDOT contacts (Brian Thomas for intersection studies and Maria Louder at North Hills Christian School for school traffic studies).

City response and council discussion
Council members discussed traffic concerns in the comment period. One council member urged proactive work with neighborhoods and a traffic impact study before traffic issues escalate; another member suggested the council should work with DOT and neighborhood groups on mitigation options such as speed bumps or other traffic-calming measures. No formal council action on a TIA was taken at the meeting; residents asked staff and council to prioritize the issues in upcoming budget and capital-improvement planning discussions.

Ending: Residents left the meeting urging follow-up and staff said they would continue to research grants and coordinate with NCDOT and school officials.","Multiple residents told Salisbury council that planned and recently approved housing developments will increase traffic on narrow neighborhood streets and asked the city to pursue traffic impact analyses, speed adjustments and other safety measures.",{"_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},6053048,"Salisbury council approves rezoning, traffic control, urban archery ordinance and water treatment contract",1020,1380000,2400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1&start=1380&end=2400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3377180-e9c82db536e9a3e8369936ec7952b8d1/thumbnail_1380000.jpg","/articles/6053048/Salisbury-City/Rowan-County/North-Carolina/Salisbury-council-approves-rezoning-traffic-control-urban-archery-ordinance-and-water-treatment-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053048-f1481cc3eafacad8fb812878c003adf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195997&Signature=eR3RsoXoG3R8OyNFvTNtTSDluIuy5CgSClCiIocuVwGx1ZWNnIJh7wq8aw1G7w1yEFz6ewf654AuDzLrGsXM2~DzmBMBE1UXq0KFQwBoSFgYJSlB~ZS3xv4ykz0YknLFKnchWMDKtZ-YUx~IbpIW~iWhxi0dddBycCAFqLVst7s2WTXxJ6s~Rxm6xBpBeeZYJF9QCBVQJ3AcPhUFfkJkFctxRnLOA0VYsmwJiEmG9i4JMzgs6ycbW8rIDbSukFH92crG-QHpR7M0zWPteRwzfvG6mLqXuH5lCh8up2I2Uppd~jZbi6w5v-pOcdvTJaulpwcybNQotxw6oRH1LjXMIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Salisbury City Council on March 18 approved multiple land-use and public-safety measures, a water-treatment equipment contract and a series of appointments to local boards and commissions.

Council adopted ordinances rezoning two parcels — about 15.26 acres on Majolica Road from general residential to heavy industrial and roughly 6.40 acres at 0 Kelly Drive from rural residential to highway business — and approved an ordinance establishing an \"always stop\" condition at Confederate Avenue and West Henderson Street. The council also amended city code to permit regulated urban archery, adopted a resolution supporting renaming a section of I-85 the Elizabeth Dole Highway, approved a contract to replace an on-site sodium hypochlorite (bleach) generation system, and approved the partial closure of an unimproved alley off the 1000 block of Holmes Avenue. Council filled vacancies across multiple advisory boards and commissions.

The actions were taken by voice votes after public hearings or staff presentations; where public comment was offered (the rezoning on Majolica Road drew a question about air quality), staff and a project architect responded that the expansion is a 17,000-square-foot covered processing addition, that no additional trees would be removed for the expansion and that a 30-foot vegetative buffer would be maintained.

Votes at a glance
- Partial alley closure (1000 block of Holmes Avenue): council adopted a resolution declaring the unimproved portion to be closed and then adopted an order to close the right-of-way; motion passed by voice vote. (Agenda item 8)
- Rezoning — Majolica Road (approx. 15.26 acres): ordinance adopted to rezone a portion of tax parcel 330-037 from GR-3/GR-6 to Heavy Industrial (HI) after a public hearing; planning board had recommended approval. (Agenda item 9)
- Rezoning — 0 Kelly Drive (approx. 6.401 acres): ordinance adopted to rezone tax map 401-026 from Rural Residential (RR) to Highway Business (HB); applicant (Rufty Homes) intends to sell to an adjacent HB-zoned property owner. (Agenda item 10)
- Traffic control ordinance: council adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 13 of the city code to establish always-stop control at Confederate Avenue and West Henderson Street after staff said the location met MUTCD warrants for crashes and sight-distance. (Agenda item 11)
- Urban archery: council adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 15 to allow regulated urban archery in Salisbury under conditions described in the ordinance (4‑week season, property >10 acres or written permission, prohibited within 500 feet of schools/churches/occupied buildings/parks/roads). (Agenda item 12)
- Elizabeth Dole Highway resolution: council adopted a resolution supporting renaming a section of I‑85 (Exit 76 to Bringle Ferry Road) in honor of Elizabeth Dole; Rowan County agreed to share sign cost and Representative Warren’s office sought Salisbury’s support. (Agenda item 13)
- Contract authorization: council authorized the city manager to execute a contract with De Nora Water Technologies LLC for $647,668 to replace the on-site sodium hypochlorite generation system at the water plant; staff said the system is proven technology and included in the current budget/CIP. (Agenda item 14)
- Boards and commissions: council made multiple appointments and reappointments across advisory bodies including Historic Preservation, Housing Advocacy, Human Relations, Planning Board, Public Art, Transportation Advisory Board, Tree Board and others. (Agenda item 15)

Why it matters: The rezonings and the water-treatment contract reflect ongoing infrastructure and industrial development activity in and near Salisbury; the traffic-control ordinance and alley closure address neighborhood access and safety; the urban archery ordinance aligns the city with several nearby municipalities that permit regulated archery on eligible properties. The contract approval is a capital investment included in the current fiscal-year budget.

Details and background: Planning staff said both rezonings were \"general use\" petitions without conditions and found consistent with the Forward 2040 comprehensive plan and the future land-use map designations (production/processing for the Majolica-area parcel; employment center for the Kelly Drive parcel). For the Majolica rezoning the applicant (Old Carolina Brick / Carolina Brick) plans a 17,000-square-foot covered processing expansion; staff noted the site is not in wetlands or the 100-year floodplain and the parcel will be recombined following rezoning so split zoning is avoided. For the water plant equipment, staff described the existing on-site sodium hypochlorite (roughly 0.8% solution) generation process, two 15,000-gallon tanks and the need to replace aged equipment; the chosen vendor was the low bidder and is the same manufacturer as the outgoing system.

Quotes from the meeting
\"This is my partner, Angela Reynolds. We own a group called Become the Change promotions, and we are doing a festival here in Salisbury in May.\" — Lonnie Brick, public speaker (public comment)
\"There are 8 crashes recorded within a 36-month period that are susceptible to correction with an always stop control.\" — Victoria Trexler, Traffic Engineer (staff presentation)
\"We are here to ask the council to authorize... to execute a contract with De Nora Water Technologies LLC in the amount of $647,668.\" — SRU representative (contract presentation)

Ending: The council took the votes during its regular meeting on March 18; most measures passed by voice vote after public hearings or presentations. Several citizen speakers asked the council to pursue additional neighborhood traffic studies and infrastructure attention; council members discussed those neighborhood concerns in the meeting’s comment period.","At its March 18 meeting, the Salisbury City Council adopted several ordinances and resolutions, approved a $647,668 water-treatment equipment contract, and completed numerous board and commission appointments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Promoters propose May charity festival in Salisbury, offer 10,000 teddy bears for first responders

Firefighters' union urges council to fund 22 additional firefighters and two inspectors after SAFER grant denied

Residents urge traffic studies and infrastructure funding as new developments advance near Eagle Heights and Country Club Hills

Salisbury council approves rezoning, traffic control, urban archery ordinance and water treatment contract