This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of September 23 through 27, 2019.
News Around Town: Yesterday afternoon, motorcyclists from all over NC rode in a fundraiser to benefit North Carolina State Trooper Christopher Wooten. Officer Wooten was paralyzed from the neck down when his motorcycle was struck by another vehicle while he was on duty. The benefit run, a 50 mile escorted ride, started at zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC, and finished at Independence Harley Davidson in Matthews. Those who witnessed the procession stated it was miles long.
News About Town: At last night’s Board meeting, the council discussed locks on the bathroom doors at area parks. At the end of FY19, funds for programmable locks accidentally rolled back into the general fund. The budget amendment at the board meeting would recover those funds for use by Park and Rec. The locks have already been purchased and for installation in three park restroom doors. The locks cost $3,964 and can be controlled remotely by both police and park employees, minimizing the need for police to perform the task. If the locks function well, the town plans to replace the remainder of the park facility bathroom locks.
News About Town: Thanks to Volkswagen's shady practices, Matthews may cash in on some benefits from a grant in the settlement the company made with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). On Monday night, the Board approved Public Works the Fire Department to send in a proposal application for the replacement of older, diesel-powered vehicles and equipment. The two departments will apply for a grant that will cover 25% of the total cost to purchase four pieces of equipment that need replacing: an excavator, front end loader, dump truck, and rescue truck. Because the grant is a reimbursement, the upfront cost for the town is expected to be $1,070,000, with a reimbursement of around $267,500. After the grant, the calculated financial impact for the town would be approximately $802,500.
News About Town: Town staff has been working on a Reduced Continuous Flow Intersection design to replace the Partial Continuous Flow Intersection at John St. and Highway 51. The design was presented during Monday night’s meeting. The Board decided the designs need further consideration before an approval is made.
News About Town: Charlotte-based D3 Construction will soon begin renovation improvements to the Matthews Police Station. As the lowest bidder, D3’s quote came in at $75,566.00. The upgrades, included as a line item in the Capital Improvements 2019/20 budget, were approved by the Town Council at the September 23 meeting. The project will focus on an enhanced level of security to our employees and visitors by closing off the bathrooms, including a hallway between building sections, a secured entry point to administrative offices, closing off of the Records Section with a security glass partition, and the addition of an interview room for walk-in complaints.
