Pedestrian Signals & Crosswalks Make Jonesboro More Walkable

Crossing the street at the Woodland Avenue and Main Street intersection in the Jonesboro area of Sanford has gotten much easier.

As the last component of the Autumn Oaks grant project, the City of Sanford has added pedestrian crossing signals and crosswalks at each corner of the intersection – and they look great.

Background: In 2010, the City received a Community Development Block Grant totaling $250,000 to fund water and sewer improvements for Autumn Oaks, a 60-unit affordable multi-family development. However, project expenditures were less than originally planned, so the City amended the project to include construction that would make the area more pedestrian friendly.

If you drive along Woodland Avenue today, you’ll see improved sidewalks -- including a section that connects Autumn Oaks to Main Street -- to compliment the new signals and crosswalks at the Main Street intersection.

With the last two additions now in place, the grant project is considered complete.

Help Paint Sanford Red (Or Blue Or Green)

Great news -- Sanford has been chosen to compete in "Main Street Matters," an international contest to win free paint and paint services for three blocks.

Sanford was chosen along with 99 other cities for the contest, which is co-hosted by Benjamin Moore and Brad Pitt's Make It Right foundation. If we win, the paint and services will be used in downtown Sanford.

Even better: Not only will downtown Sanford benefit from winning, but so will area businesses. Benjamin Moore will source its paint from the local Benjamin Moore store and it will hire local contractors and businesses to provide the paint services.

Read more about the competition and its impact in Sunday's Sanford Herald.

How To Vote

To vote, go to the Main Street Matters website and click on NC, then Sanford, and then the paint bucket that appears.

People can vote once per day from each of their “machines” (computer, iPad, iPhone, Android, etc).

Spread the word: Encourage your social networks to get in on the voting. You can share this photo with your Facebook, Twitter, and other networks.

To win, Sanford must receive enough votes to place it in the top 20. Voting has already begun and runs through June 20.

Want More Information?

David Montgomery, director of Downtown Sanford, is spearheading the campaign to make Sanford a winner. He can be contacted at 919-777-1400 or david.montgomery@sanfordnc.net.

Residents To Vote On City's Development Future

After weeks of discussion, the Sanford City Council has decided to let voters choose whether to take on several community projects totaling $14.5 million.

This November, citizens will vote on a bond referendum that includes:

• Expansion of the Endor Iron Furnace Greenway ($4 million)
• Improvements to the streetscape in downtown Sanford and Jonesboro ($6.5 million)
• Sidewalk improvements ($2 million)
• Recreational projects ($2 million)

For detailed explanation of each item, you can watch City Council's discussions of the referendum items over the past several weeks or this Sanford Herald article.

Financial Impact

If the bond referendum passes, the city property tax rate may be impacted by 5.25 cents per $100 valuation, the Sanford Herald reported.

The $14.5 million total is down from $21.5 million before a new public safety building was removed from the  package. Council decided at its May 15, 2013 retreat to proceed with the new building on its own.

Next Steps

The City also resolved to advertise the bond referendum in the coming months. Stay tuned for more information and explanation of each item and its importance in Sanford's future.

National Public Works Week Is Here

It's National Public Works Week across the United States.

This week, and every week, the City of Sanford would like to express its gratitude to its public works professionals for helping to maintain the health, safety, and well-being of our citizens.

Facilities and services wouldn't be possible without the dedicated efforts of public works officials, engineers, managers, and employees from state and local government, as well as the private sector.

These are the folks who are responsible for and must plan, design, build, operate, and maintain transportation, water supply, sewage, and refuse disposal systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential to serving our citizens.

And though their work often goes unnoticed, public works professionals are usually first responders to emergencies. For example, if a storm knocks down trees and power lines, your public works department moves them so that rescue workers can get past.

So when you encounter public works professionals this week, feel free to thank them for all of their hard work!

Sanford Looking To Strengthen Chinese Ties

Sanford may soon join the ranks of Pinehurst and Durham by establishing a Sister City relationship with a city in China – if the Carolina China Council gets its wish.

The Council, chaired by Senator Harris Blake and represented locally by Dr. Bud Marchant of Central Carolina Community College, promotes cultural opportunities and the exchange of college and K-12 students between the United States and China.

For Sanford, the Council has chosen Yixing, a city with 1.24 million people. Despite its size, Yixing has quite a lot in common with our city. For example, Yixing is the capital of pottery in China and is known as being well centered for commerce, tourism, and more.

The Sanford City Council recently agreed to support the Council’s request to link Sanford and Yixing, providing Dr. Marchant with a letter of agreement to proceed with the process of establishing a formal relationship.

Working in Sanford's favor is CCCC's Confucius Classroom, a program that allows college and high school students, business people, and the general public to learn more about China. Participants get a better understanding of the country by exploring its history, traditions, and language.

If the Chinese government approves Yixing as a Sister City, Sanford could see exchange students and more from the city as early as 2014.

New Flags For Sanford

If you drove along certain segments of Main Street and Horner Boulevard on Saturday (which was Armed Forces Day), you were treated to the City's newest program -- flag displays.

To show its patriotism and honor our military forces, the City of Sanford will display flags along major traffic intersections on designated days. The flags will be raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset, according to the U.S. Flag Code.

When & Where

Flags will be flown on the following days:

• Martin Luther King Day
• Presidents Day
• Armed Forces Day
• Flag Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Patriot Day
• Columbus Day
• Election Day
• Veterans Day

You'll see the new flags at these intersections:

• Broadway Road and Nash Street (3 flags)
• Broadway Road and Rosser Road (3)
• Main Street and Horner Blvd (4)
• Main Street and Dalrymple Street (4)
• Main Street and Lee Avenue (4)
• Main Street and Woodland Avenue (4)
• Every stop light from Horner Blvd and Bragg Street to Horner Blvd and Hall Avenue (4 each).

[Tell your friends and family about the City's new flag program by sharing this graphic.]

Questions?

Want to know more about the flag program or have questions about when they'll be displayed? Call the Public Works Service Center at 919-775-8247.

Yearly Litter Sweep

If you were in downtown Sanford yesterday, you might have seen a group of young people in orange vests hard at work.

That was the the Sanford/Lee County Youth Council performing their annual clean-up. Participating in the event were Caitlin Claffey, Max Hogan, Kaity Marsh, Allie Eyers, Hunter Godwin, Tashari Wells-Tucker, Patrick Duffy and Allegra Hogan.

As a thank you, Yarborough’s Homemade Ice Cream & Grill treated the group to sweet treats.

Interested in joining the Youth Council? Contact Lesa Price (email or 919-718-4670) or Karen Kennedy (email or 919-777-1113) for more information.

More Trees in Sanford

In an effort to become a Tree City USA, the City of Sanford has planted three more trees this week.

The trees of choice are the Green Vase variety of Zelkova, a popular option for parking lots, sidewalks, and other urban areas.

Two of the newly planted trees will replace two trees that were damaged in the high winds that wreaked havoc in Sanford a few weeks ago.

These trees are located at the top of the Sanford Police Department's parking lot and were originally planted in honor of Roscoe C. Petty, who passed away from cancer on January 28, 2006 after serving on the Sanford Police Department for 35 years.

A third tree was planted at the bottom of the Sanford Police Department's lot. It will fill in an empty area and create a more lush, shady area for parking.

The State of Recycling In Sanford

Great news — recycling in the City of Sanford is at an all-time high.

In December of 2012, the City replaced Waste Management’s small green bins with large, 96-gallon roll out carts for recyclables.

By The Numbers

In the first quarter of 2013, residents recycled 355.62 tons, a 100-percent increase over the same time period in 2012. In turn, residents sent 204.22 fewer tons to landfills.

So what does that mean? “The program’s working,” says Larry Craig, Solid Waste Superintendent. What’s more, residents are recycling at a higher rate than projected – and that could lead to cost savings down the road.

The success of the recycling program “is a tribute to our citizens,” points out Mayor Cornelia Olive. “They have just responded so well to this initiative.”

Next Up

You can expect more changes to the City’s Solid Waste Services, Craig notes. The City will phase out the old garbage carts and replace them with new ones starting in June, he says.

Another Successful Race to Read 5K and Fun Run

Despite chilly temps and a steady drizzle of rain, 60 runners, walkers, and supporters came out to Spring Lane Cinemas this Saturday for the Race to Read 5K and Fun Run.

The Race to Read is an annual event hosted by the Sanford/Lee County Youth Council and sponsored this year by the Delta Rho Chapter of Delta Kappa and Jelly Beans Frozen Yogurt. The Youth Council’s goal is to raise $2,500 to purchase books for local elementary schools.

While everyone was encouraged to come out and walk, there were several athletes whose missions were to rocket past the finish line before the others. First place overall winners were Dalton Cox and Eva Rogers, followed by Dylan Cox and Nicole Vought in second place, and Brian Povish and Esther Shrader in third place.

First place winners by age category were Sam Barrow and Courtney Thompson (10 and under); Cole Garris, Faith Coggins, and Madelyn Rose (11-14); Sloan Bycura (15-19); Parker Phillips and Stephanie Welton (20-29); Josh Thomas and Christy McNeill (30-39); Patrick Mace and Susan Young (40-49); Nelson McDonald and Gael Hogan (50-59); and Martha Underwood (Over 59).

The Youth Council was surprised but pleased with the Race’s turnout, says council advisor Karen Kennedy. “Participation nearly doubled this year even though the weather was working against us – that’s a testament to this community and the Council’s hard work,” she says.

Full Race Results by Age Category

10 and Under
Male

• 1st: Sam Barrow

Female

• 1st: Courtney Thompson
• 2nd: Savannah Rosser
• 3rd: Annabelle Langford

11-14
Male

• 1st: Cole Garris
• 2nd: Israel Reynolds
• 3rd: Caleb Barrow

Female

• 1st: Faith Coggins and Madelyn Rose
• 2nd: Taylor Rosser

15-19
Male

• 1st: Sloan Bycura
• 2nd: John Nguyen
• 3rd: Ethan Eichenberger

20-29
Male

• 1st: Parker Phillips
• 2nd: Walter Burris

Female

• 1st: Stephanie Welton
• 2nd: Ashley Cagle
• 3rd: Allison Haire-Burris

30-39
Male

• 1st: Josh Thomas
• 2nd: Tommy Winkens

Female

• 1st: Christy McNeill
• 2nd: Lauren Winkens
• 3rd: Rona Anderson

40-49
Male

• 1st: Patrick Mace
• 2nd: Kevin Godwin
• 3rd: Mark Hackett

Female

• 1st: Susan Young
• 2nd: Rebecca Mohr
• 3rd: Wendy Cotten

50-59
Male

• 1st: Nelson McDonald
• 2nd: Mike Hogan

Female

• 1st: Gael Hogan
• 2nd: Karen McNeely
• 3rd: Jackie Marshburn

Over 59
Female

• 1st: Martha Underwood

Comments or Questions

For more information about the Race to Read 5K and Fun Run or the Sanford/Lee County Youth Council, contact Kennedy at 919-777-1113 or karen.kennedy@sanfordnc.net or Lesa Price at 919-718-4670 or lprice@leecountync.gov.

City Pledges To Kiss The Pig

The City of Sanford's Relay for Life team is working hard to reach its goal for this year's event. This year, ten City workers are putting their money where their mouths are with a Kiss the Pig contest.

As usual, Lee County's Relay for Life will be held at the Lions Club Fairgrounds on the second Friday in May (that's this Friday) starting at 6pm.

The following good sports have agreed to potentially kiss a pig to help make the night a success:

• Charles Taylor (City Councilman)
• Hal Hegwer, (City Manager)
• David Von Canon (Golf)
• Tim Shaw (General Services)
• Vic Czar (Public Works) 
• Bob Bridwell (Community Development)
• Christy Pickens (HR)
• Melissa Cardinali (Finance)
• Jamie Thomas (PD) 
• Dan Parker (Fire)

How Will It Work?

You can vote for one (or several) of the people listed above by dropping off a donation at the Police Department, the Public Works Service Center (601 N. Fifth Street), or the Municipal Golf Course (600 Golf Course Lane). Just drop your donation in the jar labelled with the person who you'd like to see kiss a pig.

The jars will also be out at the City's Relay tent on Friday night. Feel free to stop by and donate any amount. At this point, the top three contenders are: Charles Taylor, David Von Canon, and Tim Shaw -- but that could change by Friday!

The person who's jar holds the most money by the night of Relay will have to kiss a pig right there at the fairgrounds.

More information?

If you have questions about the City's Relay team or would like more information about this fundraiser, you can contact team co-chairs Magda Holloway at magda.holloway@sanfordnc.net or Amanda Scott at amanda.scott@sanfordnc.net.