City council restricts parking around Lindley Elementary and several other areas

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro City Council removed some on-street parking from public use around Lindley Elementary School and the courthouse. 

At the Oct. 8 meeting, the council also prepared to make new community development block grant (CDBG) requests from the state for public improvements. 

Council member Phillip Cheek did not attend due to a death in his extended family.

Street parking changes

The council finalized a street parking plan to extend street parking restrictions on Cliff Road around the Lindley Elementary School. The restrictions now begin at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. Police Chief Robbie Brown said his department got reports of traffic problems from the crossing guards.

The council also revised North Street’s parking plan to ban parking on the east side and within 100 feet of the terminus. City Engineer Michael Leonard said the change will help sanitation trucks turn around. 

Then council removed public parking from North Cox Street between the library and the courthouse near the entrance for inmates. Only six spaces will remain for court staff and law enforcement.

Annexations approved

During the meeting, council members approved two annexations: 

■ 13.9 acres on Hub Morris Road, requested by Larry McKenzie and Amber Hill.

■ 2.7 acres at the intersection of South Fayetteville Street and Boyd Avenue, requested by Journey Church of the Piedmont. 

In another annexation matter, a public hearing was scheduled for an upcoming annexation request for the end of Oakland Avenue.

Charters of Freedom event

The council passed a resolution celebrating the upcoming dedication of the Charters of Freedom monument on Worth Street. Council member Cam Mills, who is on the Randolph County America 250 NC Committee, said the ceremony will be held on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11.

More CDBG funds sought

Asheboro will pursue the latest round of CDBG funds from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Assistant City Manager Trevor Nuttall listed which projects they want to apply for:

■ $1 million for public water improvements, specifically the raw water intake replacement at Lake Lucas.

■ $2.5 million for neighborhood facilities, specifically renovations to the library roof and Memorial Park pool.

■ $1.2 million for public sewer improvements on the station at James River.

■ $300,000 for program administration.

Additionally, Nuttall asked that council request an extension on the CASPN Homes rehabilitation project, which received previous CDBG funds. 

Nuttall said when the renovations began on Wainman Homes, they found the work was more extensive. The Asheboro Housing Authority would like the Department of Commerce to grant an additional $294,725 and a time extension from Dec. 28 to June 26, 2027. 

Nuttall said most of the new funds will go to replacing windows. 

The council gave staff approval to make that request.

Repairs to lift station

Water Resources Director Michael Rhoney presented a new professional services agreement amendment for Lift Station No. 3. He said a plan for a new lift station downstream had to be scaled back. The focus will be on repairs to the existing station. The council approved $106,000 for engineer Hiram Marziano to work on a new design.

Staffing changes

Duncan went through changes to city staffing. He said the billing office manager and billing supervisor will now report to Public Works. The vacant position for grant writer will be removed, and the police department will be given another evidence custodian position.

Public comments

During the public comment period, Charles Wood said he was worried about Flock cameras. He specified cameras outside Lowes. Wood questioned the constitutionality of these cameras.

Mayor Joseph Trogdon, Jr. told him the city does not use any cameras by Flock Safety. He said the cameras at Lowes are privately owned. Duncan added that Asheboro law enforcement must go through the court process and first show an investigative reason to pull footage from a surveillance camera.

Critics of the Flock cameras say they’ve been used to create a dragnet of data on people without probable cause of a crime.