Wake Forest Gazette

          For those of you following the Wake Union Place saga, the shopping center at Wake Union Church Road and Capital Boulevard that is in court since the Wake Forest commissioners unanimously voted against a special use permit for the project, be assured the project is not dead, just in court.
          As Town Manager Mark Williams reported Wednesday morning about Tuesday night’s closed session for the commissioners and their attorney, there was a “continued discussion about Wake Union.” Attorney Clyde Holt has filed an appeal with Wake County Superior Court, and Williams said the discussion was about “what was in it and how we wanted to respond.”
          Stay tuned for further developments.
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          If you were a bit confused or had questions after a recent front-page article in The News & Observer about payments to the City of Raleigh for its ownership of Wake Forest’s water and sewer systems and the water and sewer systems in other Wake towns, you are not alone. The Gazette will try to provide more answers and clarity in the June 3 edition after a May 28 meeting between Wake Forest and Raleigh officials. Town Manager Mark Williams said this week Wake Forest has not been as affected by the downturn in building and the economy as other Wake towns which also merged their systems, Rolesville and Knightdale in particular.
          Before the downturn, Mayor Vivian Jones announced at least twice the town was repaying Raleigh at a faster rate than expected. The town’s goal was to repay the estimated $19 million in seven years. And, although residential growth has slowed to a crawl, the town is experiencing a steady rate of commercial building.
          “At this point, we are not foreseeing having to have a surcharge or having to change the rate schedule,” Williams said. Right now, Williams said the town does not know what effect the change in Raleigh’s water rates will have on repayment.
          The merger was effective July 1, 2005. Since then, all the Wake Forest water and sewer revenues have gone to Raleigh. All of the new construction water and sewer fees go toward repayment as well as the difference between Wake Forest’s higher and Raleigh’s lower monthly rates.
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          The Downtown Revitalization Corporation has just printed a guide to downtown Wake Forest dining with an attractive front photograph – coffee drinks topped with whipped cream on a table outside the Wake Forest Coffee Company – and the list with a number map on the back. The guides will be placed at local hotels and motels and in other locations where people ask for information.
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          The Northern Wake Senior Center is not just exercise and interest programs, crafts and card games. Once a month it sponsors a Saturday night ballroom dance that begins at 7 p.m. with a band. Admission is $5, and you do not have to flash you AARP card to be accepted.
          (You would be amazed at all the other activities Resources for Seniors offers at the center. Go to http://www.resourcesforseniors.com/calendars to find what may interest you.)