[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5966733,"mediaKeyId","5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef","parentId",5899282,"title","Oak Ridge council approves $109,900 design work for Town Court Loop water main","audioSeconds",422,"startMs",716000,"endMs",1138000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef&start=716&end=1138","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef/thumbnail_716000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5966733/North-Carolina/Oak-Ridge-council-approves-109900-design-work-for-Town-Court-Loop-water-main","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5966733-b36574dd4946ba0760cc002e5cc93fe0/orig.mp4?Expires=1774907278&Signature=icjEdQo~3Q9qaQUWHwLpMG7b0hjMAN0ciwhyV6j9d3IwvRUdpKRUTyAg0x-keUDbpgyzowF66b3v-W2g2MsRNYuUYIS04QTsDBbhhQMtAon0iUL-wtT-t1kWfQ4QLhnDRMzehCGxN2i4bGhun6xKAo7pHykBEJ8~4tiophaeIg8aBLz0tT-L3aNf9SGW~O4ily9JaE9tMB7oMnatJc4CVfVXeAQLfR8rBjI09jBCTRxpQwRgm1NVt1TH2B-qMFQj9qLUWDpYrmdcCm2iBR9knrbG5lJhvTq2vX5xPbG7kCwM-MZqqpCXEeZ36sRbf2~KJXWhYL9QfemqLHrNo4xaHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Oak Ridge, North Carolina","date","2025-10-03T12:53:24Z","article","The Town of Oak Ridge Town Council voted to approve an addendum to the town’s engineering services agreement with the Wooten Company to survey and design the Town Court Loop water main, a project presented to council as a step toward connecting Oak Ridge Commons and other nearby parcels to the municipal water system.

The measure, to pay $109,900 for surveying and design, passed by voice vote. The town manager told council that Wooten has estimated up to six months for design and permit approval in a worst-case scenario.

Council supporters and the Water Advisory Committee said adding the owner-operated JPC utility system and Oak Ridge Commons to the town system would accelerate the utility’s pathway to being cash-positive. “The connection of the Commons basically accelerates our timeline about five years,” the town manager said during the presentation. Committee liaison Spencer Sullivan, who attended the Sept. 10 Water Advisory Committee meeting, told the council the committee recommended approval and said the connection was a “huge step forward” for the municipal water system.

Council discussion and staff materials gave these cost and schedule details: Wooten’s design estimate is $109,900; construction to extend service to the JPC utility system was described in staff materials as about $420,000; construction to build the entire Town Court Loop was estimated at about $1,750,000. Staff told council the town currently has $196,000 remaining in a final state grant allocation and $1,000,000 in a general fund account restricted for water purposes.

Town staff said the JPC utility owner has committed to connect to the town water system subject to regulatory approvals. The staff presentation also noted commitments from the elementary school, one or two businesses, and that the State Employees Credit Union is expected to connect. Council members described those commitments as significant to the water system’s projected customer build-out.

The Water Advisory Committee also announced two public open houses tied to the water project: Thursday, Nov. 13 (4:30–6:30 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 10 (10 a.m., time noted in committee report). Council members and staff said the town’s new water tower is scheduled for installation at the end of the month and that marketing materials for the system will be distributed to residents.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Approve addendum with Wooten Company to survey and design Town Court Loop; design fee $109,900. Outcome: Approved (voice vote: “ayes have it”).

Authorities referenced: Staff and the Water Advisory Committee materials provided construction estimates and grant balance figures. No ordinance or statute was cited as a legal requirement for the vote.

The council did not set construction work tonight; staff said a separate ordinance or change order would be brought back to council if construction to Oak Ridge Commons is added to the Park Construction contract. Wooten’s design and permitting timeline and the stated funding balances were provided to help council weigh next steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Of Oak Ridge Town Council Meeting 10-2-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Town of Oak Ridge approved an addendum to its engineering services agreement with the Wooten Company to survey and design the Town Court Loop water main; councilors and the Water Advisory Committee said the connection to Oak Ridge Commons would accelerate the system’s financial stability by roughly five years.","taxTitle","Town of Oak Ridge, Guilford County, North Carolina","taxId",57591,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5966728,"Oak Ridge council approves temporary security at meetings, requests federal assessment",807,1150000,1957000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef&start=1150&end=1957","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef/thumbnail_1150000.jpg","/articles/5966728/North-Carolina/Oak-Ridge-council-approves-temporary-security-at-meetings-requests-federal-assessment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5966728-30d52d8e60bc4d189e849585de34b19e/orig.mp4?Expires=1774907278&Signature=oo1oQyPjSE4thY2YSqZtFZpJJ6pGrlpavFD0AbMRScRqFuCyEk46cZ5ps0hRhqKwcSfv8K12TySdrGxm~hfGGRN3qubQ-JMMpz9dyOAL-bpV3L2l-LjepHkAcHeu0MKtf4Ri7me~o4O3lZ4OUaN12qKd6UVISCW0iwIoQ-EXQQaKCDt92IIaCXdbvgNwda9exAO5fgIfliPXcrVASDwdnQcsYl~9bunEGs8jCu8THQiwqNpmsmVIwHFuSCRJM9JJEqDwSf5an9CjabLmFjQ-QKI~-1WbOV6Tl6~m9jfJiqWAgscnq22hpCTnajG9TWdyJEaSbwYBf8rqtRPu~i~HMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Oak Ridge Town Council voted to authorize a temporary security presence at council meetings beginning Nov. 6 and directed the town manager to request a no-cost physical security assessment through a federal protective services program (referred to in the meeting as CISSA) coordinated with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. The council asked staff to return within 60 days with assessment findings and a tiered security policy that defines baseline security measures and law-enforcement objectives.

The motion to start the security firm at the council meeting on Nov. 6, for a temporary period not to exceed the end of the fiscal year, was seconded and approved by voice vote. A friendly amendment — accepted by the seconder — added the request for the no-cost security assessment and a 60-day return timeline.

Council members debated the legal and procedural limits of private security. The town attorney told council that a private security guard is a private citizen and generally does not have the power of arrest, though a private citizen may detain someone under certain breach-of-the-peace provisions. The attorney cited a statutory reference discussed in the meeting concerning municipal posting authority for concealed weapons and the criminal-procedure statute covering citizen detentions.

Council members who supported the motion said a short-term security presence is a modest cost that could deter disruptions and make residents and staff feel safer during public meetings. Council member Stone said the proposal “is rightly intended to provide safety and security for the citizens” and described it as “a minimal cost with maximum impact.” Council member Greason said he “fully supports the security guard being here at the town council meetings” and recommended also studying staff training.

Several council members asked staff to develop written operating policies and procedures for private security — what the guard may do, how to summon law enforcement, and how to vet training and qualifications — before the town engages a firm. The council also discussed whether concealed carry is allowed on municipal property; the town attorney said the town may adopt an ordinance to post municipal properties to prohibit concealed weapons, and that parks may be handled differently under the statute referenced.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Start a security firm at the council meeting beginning Nov. 6 for a temporary period not to exceed the fiscal year; direct town manager to request a no-cost physical security assessment and return within 60 days with a tiered security policy. Outcome: Approved (voice vote).

The council’s action directed staff to pursue the assessment and to return with recommended baseline measures and a tiered policy; no specific private security contract was approved tonight and council members said the sheriff’s office had warned the town the department is unlikely to provide a deputy consistently for meetings.","Council voted to start a temporary security presence at meetings beginning Nov. 6 and directed staff to request a no-cost physical security assessment from a federal protective program in coordination with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, returning within 60 days with a tiered security policy.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5966723,"Oak Ridge council approves committee appointments, accepts finance report; committees report project updates",2044,674000,2718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef&start=674&end=2718","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5899282-f359fa6c4551dcf0c17c3b5cb3f438ef/thumbnail_674000.jpg","/articles/5966723/North-Carolina/Oak-Ridge-council-approves-committee-appointments-accepts-finance-report-committees-report-project-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5966723-2ffbe7ed4cf29456302c0a27836ccc43/orig.mp4?Expires=1774907278&Signature=BgkQZN89p9ME8FjCxkoBWzuvL~k1YeAn-rgi29s7EDAHlNKS1n3R2gccKCX2C5OShkqOFwpogQ6NIJIGScouD2kQSBArFzBfVHjzHPKSPPsP4edPLpQMFVrz4VNb~8SaR~zD~EzHKVjMZR0pseRrVtdesoGzDkZXLrxCRbYBCMnNwKLL4cFCPqRC2w60EMKHkpiuFxMCPB1rurzdvn8gBH1C-BIuipeqlh8tQb9Xmtz~HnbOmiSLZB6pNVQHhMqsjWevD3s4wuaHzijokWvAs3pGClF~nQqjz43H3VDqm2s~wSHTpHf0FaHgzz6gN6CAv37mjijUvQ1pe7M-d3GFfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Oak Ridge Town Council approved three committee appointments, accepted the finance officer’s monthly report and heard updates from several town committees.

Council approved the reappointment of Jim Barbary to the Bridal Municipal ABC board, the appointment of Frank Campione to the Mountains to Sea Trail Committee, and the appointment of Stuart Meese as an alternate to the Water Advisory Committee. The motion to approve the appointments was seconded and passed by voice vote.

Earlier in the meeting council amended an item concerning roster data from the Oak Ridge Youth Association (ORYA). Council members asked staff to obtain both a total headcount and a headcount broken out by Oak Ridge residents and non-residents to inform future decisions about fields and program demand; the amendment was accepted and approved by voice vote.

Finance officer report: The finance officer reported updated figures, noting a late wire transfer from the county that staff will verify. The town reported approximately $3,100,000 in assets and a fund balance figure reported in the packet as roughly $3,037,000. The finance officer said property tax collections produced a large inflow in the most recent month because of discounting and timing, and forecasted a lighter October and heavier December–January collections cycles. Council moved to accept the finance officer’s report; the motion passed by voice vote.

Committee reports included the Water Advisory Committee’s recommendation to proceed with the Town Court Loop engineering (covered in a separate council action). The Historic Preservation Committee reported on grant reviews and a forthcoming Oak Ridge history book available for preorder for $25 at town hall. The Mountains to Sea Trail Committee reported trail work and an Eagle Scout project to install interpretive signs and a near-term workday schedule.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Approve reappointment of Jim Barbary (Bridal Municipal ABC board), appointment of Frank Campione (Mountains to Sea Trail Committee), and appointment of Stuart Meese (alternate, Water Advisory Committee). Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Motion: Amend ORYA roster reporting request to require total headcount and headcount by Oak Ridge residents and non-residents. Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Motion: Accept finance officer report as presented. Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Motion: Enter closed session to discuss a legal matter. Outcome: Approved; council reconvened and reported a briefing with no action taken.

Council did not take additional formal action on Heritage Farm Phase 2 or planning appeals during this meeting; several committee items were reported for follow-up at future meetings.","Council approved three committee appointments, amended a roster-reporting request for the Oak Ridge Youth Association, accepted the finance officer’s report and heard committee updates including water, historic preservation and trails.","actionData","errors"]

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Oak Ridge council approves $109,900 design work for Town Court Loop water main

Oak Ridge council approves temporary security at meetings, requests federal assessment

Oak Ridge council approves committee appointments, accepts finance report; committees report project updates