[{"_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",6499902,"mediaKeyId","5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532","parentId",5490013,"title","Intern presents updated town safety policy; board questions discipline language and committee structure","audioSeconds",924,"startMs",898000,"endMs",1822000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532&start=898&end=1822","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532/thumbnail_898000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6499902/Wendell/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Intern-presents-updated-town-safety-policy-board-questions-discipline-language-and-committee-structure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499902-5acc9f4ae08a098776687add2627da0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161066&Signature=P1McSgo-j89k-qu6dr~tg4VOSrntyFyLMKNMqYdT-ULNWeYvi3MJOdVw7Zu2yhpbv7d5cd71rTSFy0OwkoNWwbAeCExFV7tAZL7~S8KpbPvbyFw~RGCIuW1lSJLqVwZdZy~3tATPyKyRXxrcWkH5TeI1-BIfvOHxOCrO6bGEcDA5JQ-7UWyj8deD0NHub18zl1juLHdD6P5O7K1GGxVDnj-8ObP2b21BiCLUyEbS7tcaCwAqeR21twSOWLyKZ2sT3r7VIy8p03FDAZHh3RV2dNooBFt0wAHbsmIermDJ3LuFY5bRN7bVMV7aM75DHH25VbJgTgH9-LrTavgdYoombg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wendell, NC","date","2025-07-28T22:32:10Z","article","Matthew Pennington, a master’s of public administration student interning with the town, presented a completed draft of an updated Wendell municipal safety policy and asked the board to review the document prior to approval by the town manager.

Pennington said the town’s last up-to-date safety policy on file was approved on April 20, 2018, and that the update resulted from comparative analysis of peer municipalities and federal/state guidance. The draft separates regular safety training from new-employee measures, adds department-specific references for police, public works and parks and recreation, and adds subjects such as personal protective equipment, hazard communication, fire prevention, confined spaces and an emergency action plan. Pennington said the policy establishes a safety committee to advise on policy and implementation and that the town manager is responsible for final approval and implementation.

Commissioners pressed on the policy’s progressive-discipline language and the governance structure of the safety committee. One commissioner described the discipline section as “pretty rigid” and asked how it aligns with the town’s personnel policy; Pennington said much of that section was carried forward from the 2018 policy. A staff member told the board that, before signing a final policy, they will proof the new policy against the town’s personnel policy and have the town attorney review any discipline provisions to ensure consistent treatment and legal defensibility.

Pennington said staff also consulted the North Carolina Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration materials during drafting and recommended maintaining contact with the North Carolina League of Municipalities (the town’s insurance provider) on implementation. The board thanked the intern for the work and directed staff to coordinate final alignment with personnel policies and legal review before the town manager signs a final policy.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wendell Board Meeting - July 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A summer intern presented an updated municipal safety policy that separates regular safety training and new-employee orientation, references OSHA and North Carolina Department of Labor guidance, and establishes a safety committee; commissioners asked for alignment with personnel policy and town attorney review on disciplinary language.","taxTitle","Wendell, Wake County, North Carolina","taxId",46442,"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},6499907,"Wendell Police present drone program to board citing search, crash reconstruction and overwatch uses",280,583000,863000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532&start=583&end=863","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532/thumbnail_583000.jpg","/articles/6499907/Wendell/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wendell-Police-present-drone-program-to-board-citing-search-crash-reconstruction-and-overwatch-uses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499907-8f20fd5373b09dd98bf9cb001e5a1f9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161066&Signature=Ou5saCQF6FyIIAKccNP969S6L7qLPyE0oJpTI-5SB4vcEqwaoivh1h8xN0jDc3Gt0n0II1KY-OPnT-~mSwiEevmWGXMQgOSJNXxTcj8wO-rZGgzGQnLXmD24DJ0xObyZnNAkcuusekewKsQHdGgy3bz-gpbRLwjRyKtKvRMeXlrrD1cEmem4p-vFbo9Bm3~fCfuNTNgjSObEdKW7ERd9vH0c2s8M-mx9KGIoxfZB4f1g8zezXZRoNAFGCEeRFe1U4AMD0KrH1~nuhl2nm9U6QHltj3Bp6BV1HZbD-8j~LScqWAZQMbNf7eMT3WOe~jvSe4W7is3BZDZkTcH8k~0IAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wendell Police Department demonstrated a new drone program to the board and summarized the agency’s proposed policy, training and equipment standards.

Sergeant Williams, representing the department, said the program includes a written policy that aligns with federal and state law and CALEA accreditation guidance and sets qualifications, training and documentation requirements for drone pilots. “There are four main reasons we would use a drone. First and foremost, locating missing and endangered individuals,” Williams said, and added that drones can reduce risk to officers when searching for suspects, improve traffic-crash and crime-scene reconstructions via aerial photography and 3D renderings, and provide overwatch during special operations and large events.

Williams described capabilities including FLIR thermal sensors, LIDAR distance measurements and digital telephoto zoom on the cameras, and said the department will maintain training, maintenance and documentation standards for any deployments. He said one operational example is faster and safer location of missing people in extreme heat or cold, and another is using aerial images to reconstruct serious crashes.

Board members observed a demonstration and asked no substantive questions during the session. Staff said the policy that accompanies the program addresses authorization, documentation and pilot qualifications; further operational details and any public privacy protections are contained in the written policy provided in the packet.","The Wendell Police Department presented a new UAS/drone program and accompanying policy outlining authorized uses — locating missing or endangered people, searching for suspects, crash and crime-scene reconstruction, and overwatch during special operations — and described sensor and training standards.",{"_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},6499912,"Wendell to buy 32.246 acres adjoining Wendell Park from Wake County for future athletic fields and recreation center",415,3762000,4177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532&start=3762&end=4177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532/thumbnail_3762000.jpg","/articles/6499912/Wendell/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wendell-to-buy-32246-acres-adjoining-Wendell-Park-from-Wake-County-for-future-athletic-fields-and-recreation-center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499912-f433bf79fd7a8b653b6d6d103a67daae/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161066&Signature=Za1YuNb8XFg1BxJU6n0b92qAaOoaQzlmOVxaJ4~GSbcu0k8ydnmRUjfSI2ngJDAZvqr2mSK4-NDOZSWvzah6fkw2DOc-4qeEWs2KnFKazjQtRaqUHBZOy~INbbmWKhq5qppoEdeI-O3R8Kwcu0sxudTjttd5fx2n5jmwQNkzm1g0jR-eoCnirnxKBe0r6bgX0~l7pcjwyxpPACv-mEW0Jtt8qOufUGrj0wfPos5oz5SfgZZlMfuLaimpU~xoKibYVO5iC51kBXnz56Af7uNc9eqYdgLvvmgnmYyGtdwaxTR52ooazxHZpVFO~bCP41GgU59rTD8TYsiUqcgFEbwaGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wendell Board of Commissioners authorized the town manager to sign a disposition contract with Wake County to acquire approximately 32.246 acres adjoining Wendell Park for parks and recreation use.

Town staff said Wake County purchased about 121 acres using open-space bond funds; the town intends to buy roughly 32.246 acres of that parcel for active recreation and a future athletic-field complex and recreation center. Because active recreation is not an allowable use under the county’s open-space bond, the town will reimburse the county for the portion of the purchase price attributable to the nonqualified acres. Staff provided an estimated total cost of $448,430.61 for the 32.246-acre portion, with the final figure to be adjusted by final acreage determination.

Why it matters: The acquisition clears a path for future athletic fields, a recreation center and the planned Buffalo Creek Greenway connection. Staff noted the remaining roughly 88.875 acres of the county parcel will remain in the Wake County open-space program. The disposition agreement requires annexation of the whole parcel into Wendell and includes a first right of refusal for the county if the town later seeks to use the property for something other than public recreation.

The board voted to authorize the town manager to sign the agreement and to use the reserve fund identified previously to cover the purchase. Staff said the conveyance will include due-diligence and closing steps typical for property acquisitions and that the town will cover conveyance expenses.

Staff and commissioners described the site as appropriate for recreation development because much of the usable acreage sits outside frequent floodplain areas; flood-prone land farther from the old farm site will remain in open space. The board carried the motion after brief discussion.","The board authorized the town manager to sign a disposition contract to purchase approximately 32.246 acres adjoining Wendell Park from Wake County at a cost estimated in meeting materials at $448,430.61 to allow development of active recreation facilities.",{"_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},6499917,"Wendell waives annexation and rezoning fees to connect a well-served property to municipal water after petroleum leak remediation",305,3551000,3856000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532&start=3551&end=3856","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532/thumbnail_3551000.jpg","/articles/6499917/Wendell/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wendell-waives-annexation-and-rezoning-fees-to-connect-a-well-served-property-to-municipal-water-after-petroleum-leak-remediation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499917-aecf8ea2b9b5e89859cc014cec3b57d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161066&Signature=mxNGFMJ0BiIG6XRAVqLj2Oc8-~aMqRDWGTlQCAXXb0T1FPrZUdIoo7sFcuFVwYtq6vVGmPsKR-FF5YddM~iej92kRsZcIzfJ~6BjF01UuLSaMR1AaMfwkIFaJvAabjz8hWotmmTQiu6S-YSQVWTMO-iblJUVsG4tnLs6ax~ZBGEVKVJnLXY9Em3sYollImJx5pLgaooCuumFmXlfYKSDQYx6laQC2mHBKHcNlkTLjvfBsxkkJlc4RZZVt~aoliUkUhlj-LMa-je7uYxX9EnpfcgRDK0qwke~6S39GUK4YbG3XuqRiA4Fyk~OSA5lAAnQVOQ6e-rj-2yGXOa4-4jQeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wendell Board of Commissioners approved a staff recommendation to waive the annexation and rezoning fees for 529 Eagle Rock Road so the property can be annexed and connected to municipal water as part of state-led contamination mitigation.

Town staff said the request was submitted by ESP Associates on behalf of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The DEQ is funding municipal water connections to reduce human-health risk for properties downgradient of a petroleum leak tied to a former Texaco station at 505 Eagle Rock Road; that leak was first reported to DEQ in February 2003 and remains under soil and groundwater monitoring.

Why it matters: 525 and 505 Eagle Rock Road are already inside town limits; 529 is in unincorporated Wake County and must be annexed and rezoned to allow a municipal water connection. Staff told the board the state can pay for the water service connection; property owners are expected to pay for sewer connections when required. Staff described the annexation application fee as $350 and the rezoning fee as $600.

Planning staff said the request fits the town’s strategic plan goals for infrastructure and public health and noted prior fee waivers for house-expo related projects as precedent. Commissioner comments emphasized the public-health imperative. “This is life and death,” one commissioner said during deliberations, supporting the waiver.

The board’s motion to approve the fee waiver was made by Commissioner Eamon and carried in open session. Staff will process the annexation and rezoning applications under the fee waiver and coordinate the municipal connection work with DEQ and the property owners.","The board approved a fee waiver for annexation and rezoning of 529 Eagle Rock Road to allow the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and its contractor to connect the property to municipal water following contamination investigations tied to a former leaking underground storage tank.",{"_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},6499922,"Wendell designates American Legion Cedric Harris Post 148 as local historic landmark",1503,1843000,3346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532&start=1843&end=3346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5490013-538e15784a7f4138948808d70b65e532/thumbnail_1843000.jpg","/articles/6499922/Wendell/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wendell-designates-American-Legion-Cedric-Harris-Post-148-as-local-historic-landmark","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499922-595c03180d532f8b07a00fabccba5d43/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161066&Signature=i6QWNzU4qanjwzR36tz3pQTeErQWHfubCZWem5vnBONbem5WW39ahDcGC-TY-1PThMRx1n-ShG7ekrdPLBtdE3LUyo1b1wF5QfUR8G-AuCs8bbSp-dlYgBQOicPuLNv8qPxsiVO6vR-fuAaYZdtI1dwSYSmYWF5xFauGAxJ2kDzDT~XP0ImX7uXJMUgeCD9DBKGAsRRxW7n7dta5ubErytO6Pdl3cRMZ~61xUq4hByUbqthwVnJpbrlrtcenoJR9OjrVqmDLuZkn~2A5BwWNKgiEzFGKc-9jgZO0B~Ug-xlILbwP3ShanNoVArXY48dl6T2hiD8PMxdgtFB5SH1Q3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wendell Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance designating the American Legion Cedric Harris Post 148 at 5100 Wendell Boulevard as a Wendell Historic Landmark.

The designation recognizes an 896-square-foot log civic building constructed around 1940 and long used by local veterans, supporters told the board during a public hearing. Jeremy Bradham, preservation program manager for Capital Area Preservation (CAPS), said the post is “one of only three known examples of log civic buildings in North Carolina.”

Why it matters: Board members and public speakers said the designation preserves a rare example of twentieth-century log construction in Wake County and protects a longtime site of veteran services and community events. Jim Kelleher, commander of Post 148, described the post’s community activities and veteran support, noting the organization’s sponsorship of youth programs and Memorial Day events.

In his presentation, Bradham described the post’s history: the chapter was first chartered in 1923 and the existing log meeting hall was completed around 1940 using donated materials. The parcel was conveyed to the American Legion in the 1940s and retains original features including saddle-notched logs, exposed chinking and a field-stone foundation. Bradham said the Wake County Historic Preservation Commission unanimously recommended designation to the town board after its June review.

Members of the American Legion and district leaders spoke in support during the public hearing. “Post 148 is your American Legion post,” Jim Kelleher told the board, and other speakers described the post’s role in funerals, flag retirement ceremonies and youth programs.

The board’s motion to adopt the ordinance was made by Commissioner Eamon and carried with the vote called in open session. The ordinance will place the property under Wendell’s local historic landmark protections; the text of the ordinance and the Wake County recommendation are part of the town’s public packet.

The designation does not, by itself, obligate the town to fund repairs or upgrades; speakers noted the post’s limited resources and volunteers who maintain the building. The board and staff encouraged the post to work with town staff and preservation partners on next steps for stewardship and public outreach.","After a public hearing, the Wendell Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted an ordinance designating the American Legion Cedric Harris Post 148, a 1940 log building at 5100 Wendell Boulevard, as a Wendell Historic Landmark.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Intern presents updated town safety policy; board questions discipline language and committee structure

Wendell Police present drone program to board citing search, crash reconstruction and overwatch uses

Wendell to buy 32.246 acres adjoining Wendell Park from Wake County for future athletic fields and recreation center

Wendell waives annexation and rezoning fees to connect a well-served property to municipal water after petroleum leak remediation

Wendell designates American Legion Cedric Harris Post 148 as local historic landmark