Cramerton commissioners kick off multi-step strategic planning, prioritize underpass, paving and bridge grants

Mayor Nelson Wills and the Cramerton Board of Commissioners used a Jan. 28 workshop to review last year’s projects and begin a multi-step strategic planning process aimed at aligning projects with the town’s mission and budget.

Town Manager Zach Ollis opened the discussion with an overview of items that are complete, in progress and planned and said the municipal staff will produce an updated report for each commissioner. “Tonight, we’re discussing general matters,” Ollis said, framing the session as an opportunity to review current projects and perform a SWOT analysis.

The board highlighted a string of recent accomplishments: lighting upgrades, a new dog park, storm-drain painting and a concert series. The packet noted that the town lowered taxes and “placed $1.2 million back into the general fund,” providing flexibility for upcoming work, Ollis told the board.

Commissioners emphasized several priorities. Mayor Wills singled out the underpass as a project he wants to see advance and said the town needs a realistic pavement-management plan; he said there are about 18 miles of streets that need evaluation and prioritization. Manager Ollis said staff will continue applying for grants, noting the Timberlake Riverside Pedestrian Bridge is in its third year of grant requests and would connect the western side of Belmont to Cramerton.

Economic development prospects also surfaced: Ollis identified the Lakewood Dye Plant site as a potential industrial or data-center opportunity on Cramerton’s Charlotte side. Commissioner Dixie Abernathy urged the board to categorize each project by a 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-year timeline and to flag grant-dependent projects for special tracking; Ollis said he would incorporate that prioritization method into the town’s scoring system.

The board also reviewed the town’s existing mission statement and agreed it remains a useful guide for decision-making. “It’s a multi-step process, and tonight is step one,” Mayor Wills said, describing the effort as part of refining the budget and setting project goals.

As part of the planning exercise, Ollis led a basic SWOT analysis. Commissioners and staff listed internal strengths (parks, walkability, community support and staff accessibility), weaknesses (reliance on contractors for some services, infrastructure constraints and an undersized post office), opportunities (events at Centennial Park, marketing the town app, and the Lakewood Dye Plant site) and threats (rapid regional growth and pressure on town character).

Community needs identified for near-term work included new and repaired sidewalks at Eagle and Lakewood, downtown parking improvements, playground equipment, increased downtown security and a pavement-management program with a capital-improvement plan and scoring system.

In an open-forum portion of the workshop, Commissioner Scott Kincaid proposed reviving a downtown Merchant’s Association to promote the town app; Mayor Wills suggested creating a welcome packet for new residents; Manager Ollis said Redhawk Development records and Waste Pro service data could help identify newcomers for delivery. Mayor Pro Tempore Richard Atkinson asked about timing for a downtown ribbon cutting; staff discussed scheduling the event before the first concert on March 28 and a possible gazebo dedication to Graham and Gayle Bell.

The board directed staff to update and circulate the ranked project list and to include mission-alignment and grant-dependency notes for future reviews. The workshop continued into closed session later in the meeting for legal and personnel matters.