June 21, 2006

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            “I think we should charge more for out-of-town residents,” Mayor Vivian Jones said, and the board members followed her lead, doubling the in-town rate for those who live out of town.

            The changes will affect youth baseball, softball, basketball and swim lessons and become effective Sept. 1.

            For example, the individual fee for youth baseball is now $40 for in-town residents and will be $80 for those who live outside town.

            “Are we being eaten up by out-of-towners?” Commissioner Frank Drake asked, and Parks and Recreation Director Susan Simpson said the ratio used to be about even but now more (60 to 65 percent) live in town.

            Williams said that in the past the town needed out-of-town players to make up enough teams for a league or enough players for a team, while many of the adult volunteers lived outside town.

            But, he said, in the future, as the demand on the town’s recreation facilities increase, the town may have to find a way to limit the number of out-of-town residents.

            Commissioner Margaret Stinnett asked how many children cannot play because they cannot afford it. “Is there ever a kid turned away because they don’t have the money?”

            “No,” Simpson said.

            By a divided vote, the board agreed to install a three-way stop sign at North Wingate Street and West Juniper Avenue. Commissioner Stephen Barrington said he did not want to approve the request because it was signed only by West Juniper residents – members of four household. He said he was not opposed, just that he wanted to hear from more residents of the area. He and Commissioner David Camacho voted against the sign.

            The board appointed five people to the Downtown Revitalization Corporation board of directors: Cristiana Walkley of Appletree, Jonnie Anderson of Jovi’s, Jeff Adolphsen from the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office and a town resident, Ryan Hutchinson, a vice president at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Tom Iversen of Wake Forest Florist, the current chairman.

            Planning items were also approved: the change to allow schools in the highway business and Renaissance Plan districts and the site plan for the annex at the Wake Forest College Birthplace Museum.

            Jones said it had been brought to her attention that the letter from signed by Don Bates, chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission, that sparked a public hearing about the museum site plan, had been approved at a meeting where there was not a quorum. “I think the [town planning] staff could have handled that without any problem” rather than a public hearing, Jones said.