4 Chances to Weigh In on Local Land Use Plan

Residents will be able to share their thoughts on growth and development in Sanford, Broadway, and Lee County at drop-in public input sessions scheduled for September and October.

At these meetings, the public will have the chance to provide initial guidance and feedback on topics that influence land use. A consultant and planning staff will be available to answer questions. Attendees can make comments and submit simple survey questionnaires. There will be no formal presentation.

Land Use Update Underway

Input gathered during the sessions will be used by the Sanford/Lee County Planning Department to update its Land Use Plan, a document that guides development over the next 10 to 20 years. “A modern land use plan is the tool that brings positive, attractive tax base expansion for Sanford and Lee County that makes us the envy of other areas,” explains Chet Mann, mayor for the City of Sanford.

When adopted in 1999, “our current plan was for a much more rural community, with surrounding areas also being predominantly rural,” notes Amy Dalrymple, chair of the Lee County Board of Commissioners. However, with rapid urbanization happening in nearby counties and major plans for more growth on the horizon, Lee County will see tremendous changes in the next twenty years. “In order for that growth to be sensible, sustainable, and affordable, we must have an updated Land Use Plan to reflect our vision,” she says.

An updated plan is especially useful for small municipalities where funding is limited, says Donald Andrews, mayor for the Town of Broadway, as it allows them “to plan for future infrastructure needs and upgrades to meet demand.” The plan also gives the private sector some guidelines for what the community will support, he points out.

To accomplish that goal, the plan must provide a vision for development that “balances the economic, social, and environmental needs of Sanford and Lee County; strengthens the local economy; and preserves a higher quality of life for all its residents,” Mann says.

The updated plan can also help resolve modern concerns like fracking, coal ash, and quarries, Dalrymple says. “These industries have great impacts where they occur because of the environmental and quality-of-life concerns. Having a plan that more specifically addresses conditions for these industries is important moving forward.”

The updated Land Use Plan will include insight from residents, business owners, community leaders, and other stakeholders. The upcoming meetings are “a great opportunity for citizens to have input into what they want their community to look like in the future,” says Andrews.

Share Your Thoughts

Public meetings have been scheduled to take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the following days at the following locations.

• September 27, 2016 – Broadway Community Center (111 N Main St.)
• September 29, 2016 – Dennis Wicker Civic Center (1801 Nash St.)
• October 4, 2016 – Deep River Elementary (4000 Deep River Rd.)
• October 6, 2016 – Greenwood Elementary (1127 Greenwood Rd.)

Bonus: On Monday, September 26, Mayor Mann will host a Facebook Live chat session on his Facebook page to discuss the Land Use Plan update and answer questions anyone might have about both the plan and the process for updating it.

Moving forward, the public will be able to submit written comments and questions throughout the update process using the plan’s website.

More Information

Contact: David Montgomery, Long Range Planner for the Sanford/Lee County Planning Department, at 919-718-4657 ext. 5392 or via email.

Registration for the Summer Citizens' Academy is Open

The City of Sanford is now registering for the summer session of Sanford Citizens' Academy, a 13-week interactive program designed to give you an inside look at your city government.

Any Lee County resident is encouraged to apply. Residents living in the city will be given preference. Please note that space is limited to 10 participants.

When: Mondays from July 25 through October 17*, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Graduation will be on Tuesday, October 18.

Where: Municipal facilities.

Cost: Completely free!

Participants will tour the Water Treatment Plant, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sanford Municipal Golf Course, municipal parks, and more. A new feature this year is an evening dedicated to economic development that includes a visit to the Raleigh Exec Jetport and the future Central Carolina Enterprise Park.

A light dinner will be served at the beginning of each session.

The deadline to apply is July 18. Download the application form here.

For more information, contact Kelly Miller at 919-777-1133.

*Note the Academy will not meet on Monday, September 5.

Arbor Day Scheduled for April 29

The City of Sanford will host its fourth annual Arbor Day celebration at B.T. Bullock Elementary School on Friday, April 29.

As in years past, students will perform songs, essays, and poems around the theme of nature and trees. School leaders and members of the community will plant trees on the school's lawn.

Details: The program will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the school's gym, located at 1410 McNeill Road in Sanford. The public is invited.

Long-term goals for the City's partnership with Bullock include a learning garden, botanical arboretum, and anti-erosion planting.

For more information, contact Liz Whitmore at 919-718-4657 ext 5393.

Sanford Wins Top Honors for National Night Out

Sanford's National Night Out program has been named second in the nation for our population category and best in the state across categories by the National Association of Town Watch.

This year’s ranking is Sanford’s highest yet and continues Sanford’s streak as the best NNO program in North Carolina. “I am so pleased with this ranking and recognition,” says Mayor Chet Mann. “Our placement acknowledges the job well done by so many of our citizens and staff who work so hard and really enjoy putting on this event.”

Sanford’s program placed third in 2014 and fourth in 2013. The program’s upward trajectory showcases Sanford’s community spirit, says Mann. “Sanford shines during National Night Out because we are a loving, caring community of people who like to live, work, and play together – and who look out for one another,” he notes.

The 2015 campaign included tours of Sanford’s police and fire departments, along with a summer safety day with the Lee County Partnership for Children and a self-defense day with Black Belt Leadership Academy. NNO coordinators also collected nonperishable food items and school supplies for the Christians United Outreach Center.

Planning is already underway for the 2016 campaign. “Our goal is to create more partnerships and explore more opportunities for our first responders, public officials, and community to connect and enjoy each other,” says Kelly Miller, public information officer and National Night Out program manager for the City of Sanford.

The Sanford Police Department hopes that Sanford’s high ranking will lead more neighborhoods to start a Community Watch program. “Officers in the Community Police Unit are available to attend Watch meetings any time, though we need at least two weeks’ notice to prepare our schedule,” says Capt. Tony Hancox, who heads the unit. “We want the community-police partnership to remain strong throughout the year – not just the first Tuesday in August,” he says.

For more information or to get involved in National Night Out, contact Miller at 919-777-1133 or kelly.miller@sanfordnc.net. For more information about Community Watch, contact Hancox at 919-777-1051.

New Route for Sanford Christmas Parade

Sanford City Council approved a resolution at its November 17 meeting that amends the traditional route of the Sanford Christmas Parade for 2015.

The parade will be on Monday, December 7 starting at 7:00 p.m. in downtown Sanford. Subscribers to The Sanford Herald can read an article about parade changes here.

Route for 2015

Due to the City of Sanford’s ongoing Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvement Bonds project – which includes construction at the intersections of Wicker, Steele, and Carthage streets – City staff and the Central Carolina Jaycees have changed the 2015 route as follows:

• The parade will begin at the corner of Wicker and Carthage streets and travel east to Horner Blvd.
• The parade will then turn left onto Horner Blvd and travel north one block to Carthage Street.
• The parade will turn left onto Carthage Street and travel west back to Wicker Street.

Click to view a larger map.

Note: The amended route is only for 2015. 

“This is the right decision for where we stand with construction in downtown Sanford,” says Jennifer St. Clair, executive director of Downtown Sanford, Inc. “I’m certain the Central Carolina Jaycees are putting together another stellar event for our community and I applaud their commitment to the safety of all those involved.”

“The Central Carolina Jaycees are excited about the changes coming to downtown and know that next year’s parade will benefit from this year’s hurdles,” says Jaycees' parade co-coordinator Gina Guerrero. “Though the route will be different, we expect the parade to be as joyous and entertaining as it has been for more than 50 years.”

“The Sanford Christmas Parade is a well-loved and highly attended institution in Sanford and we know Sanford will come out to support it,” notes Jaycees' parade co-coordinator Amy Davis.

Street Closures

Staging for parade entries will be along Wicker Street as usual. The following streets will begin closing at 6:00 p.m. where they intersect with Wicker and Carthage streets: Arbor Lane, Tryon Street, King Street, Park Avenue, Circle Avenue, Diffie Street, Hillcrest Drive, Pershing Street, S. Vance Street, and S. Gulf Street.

Detours and barricades will be set up at 6:00 p.m. along the staging route. Traffic will be limited to parade participants and residents of the area. Those locations are along Wicker Street at Legion Road and the U.S. Hwy 1 off ramps.

Traffic on Horner Blvd will not be interrupted until 6:30 p.m.

Contact

The parade committee is still accepting entries, Davis says. The deadline to enter is November 24. For more information or to enter the parade, visit the Central Carolina Jaycees’ website or call 919-353-2108.

Public Strategy Session / Sesión Pública de Estrategia

--En español abajo.--

Help the Sanford Building Integrated Communities (BIC) committee create an action plan for immigrant integration in Sanford.

Earlier this year, Sanford BIC asked residents to identify the major issues affecting local immigrants in Sanford and Lee County. Now, they are holding a public strategy session on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:00 p.m. for residents to share their suggestions and solutions for improving three of these issues:

• Immigrant and police relationships,
• Public transportation, and
• Communications with Hispanic/Latino community.

Childcare and drinks will be provided. The meeting will be held in both English and Spanish; all Lee County residents welcome.

You do not need to register for this meeting. Please call Jessicalee with any questions at (919) 962-2414. (Habla español.)

RSVP for this event here. Download a flyer in English or Spanish here.

********************

¡Ayúdenos a crear un plan de  acción para la integración de los inmigrantes de Sanford!

Este año, “BIC en Sanford” pidió a residentes que identificaran los mayores asuntos afectando a los inmigrantes locales en Sanford y el Condado de Lee. Ahora, ofrecemos una sesión pública de estrategia para que los residentes pueden compartir sus sugerencias y soluciones para mejorar estos 3 asuntos:

• Relaciones entra la policia inmigrantes
• Transporte publico
• Comunicaciones con la comunidad hispana/latina

Esta reunión será en ambos inglés y español; todos los residentes del Condado de Lee bienvenidos. Se proveerán cuidado de niños y bebidas. No se requiere registro para esta reunión. Por favor llame a Jessicalee con cualquieras preguntas: 919-962-2414. (Habla español.)

Sanford Celebrates National Night Out

More than 30 neighborhoods in Sanford came together to celebrate the annual National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday, August 4.

Here are a few photos from the night. Coordinators and municipal staff are still gathering all photos and videos from the night and will publish more soon.

To submit a photo or video from National Night Out in Sanford, email Kelly Miller.

Registration Is Open for the Sanford Citizens' Academy

Update: The summer session is now full. However, you may still contact Kelly Miller to have your name added to a waiting list for this and upcoming sessions.

The City of Sanford is now registering for the second Sanford Citizens' Academy, an 11-week interactive program designed to give you an inside look at your city government.

When: Mondays from July 20 through October 5, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Graduation will be on Tuesday, October 20.

Where: Municipal buildings and grounds.

Cost: Completely free!

We’ll  tour the Water Treatment Plant, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sanford Municipal Golf Course, municipal parks, and more. A light dinner will be served at the beginning of each session.

The deadline to apply is July 15 and space is limited to 10 participants. Download the application form here.

For more information, contact Kelly Miller at 919-777-1133.

*Note the Academy will not meet on Monday, September 7.

Sanford Police Officers To Run With Special Olympics Torch

Members of the Sanford Police Department will participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics tomorrow.

Details: Officers will run with the Special Olympics torch and the United States flag for 23 miles, beginning at the welcome sign at the Lee County-Moore County line. Runners will travel north on Hwy U.S. 1 to the Lee County-Chatham County line. The run will begin at 8:00 a.m.

Important: For the safety of all involved, the public is not allowed to participate in the run. A police unit will ride in front of runners and the department’s mobile unit will follow behind them.

For questions about the run, contact the Sanford Police Department at 919-775-8268. For more information about the Special Olympics in Lee County, contact Bill Shuey at 919-775-2107 or bshuey@leecountync.gov.

Updates

• See photos and a brief description of the start of the race here.
• See photos of the end of the race here.

Streetscape Bond Project To Start Friday

The first stage of the City of Sanford’s $9 million streetscape and pedestrian improvement bond project is scheduled to begin in downtown Sanford and historic Jonesboro on Monday, May 4.

[Note: A previous version of this post stated Friday, May 1 as the start date. However, the start was pushed back by the contractors after this information was released to media and the public.]

During construction, contractor Fred Smith Company will remove the existing sidewalks, install conduits, and move water meters. New concrete sidewalk, brick pavers, and granite curb will then be installed, giving streets the same look and feel as Chatham Street. Once crews are finished with the area, Duke Energy Progress will install new street lights.

Schedule of Work

The following portions of street will be affected beginning Friday:

Downtown Sanford

• south side of Carthage Street between Horner Boulevard and Steele Street,
• north side of Wicker Street between Horner Boulevard and Steele Street, and
• south side of McIver Street between Chatham Street and Big Buffalo Creek.

Historic Jonesboro

• north side of Main Street between Dalrymple Street and Horner Boulevard, and
• south side of Trade Street between Main Street and Fayetteville Street.

Each stage of construction is expected to last five to six weeks. Remaining streets in both downtowns will be addressed during subsequent stages of the streetscape project. Updates on street work will be published here.

Any Closures?

Parking and sidewalks will be closed along affected areas. Crews will install temporary paths to storefronts so that all businesses will be accessible during the construction. Streets may close when the contractor is working in intersections.

After all sidewalk work in both Sanford and Jonesboro is complete, crews will switch businesses from the overhead utilities to the new underground ones. They will also add street furniture and landscaping.

More Information

Voters approved the streetscape project in Sanford’s 2013 municipal bond referendum. They also approved $2 million in Sidewalk Improvement bonds, $4 million in Greenway and Trails bonds, and $2 million in Parks and Recreational bonds.

The City issued sidewalk bonds with streetscape bonds earlier this year. The other bonds will be issued in subsequent phases of the revitalization.

Questions about the streetscape project should be directed to David Montgomery at 919-777-1400 or david.montgomery@sanfordnc.net.

Hawkins Avenue Roundabout Project Starts April 27

NCDOT will be constructing two roundabouts on US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business)
at the US-1 interchange (EXIT 71) in the city of Sanford, Lee County.

Beginning on or about April 27th, US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) will be closed to
through traffic under the US-1 overpass bridge. 

-- View a rendering of the project here. --

This section of US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) will be closed for 60 days to construct
the two roundabouts.

During the 60-day road closure, the US-1 northbound off ramp to US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) will be closed. Charleston Drive (SR-1445) will also remain closed for 60-day duration.

Construction during the final seven days of the 60-day road closure will require the US-1 southbound off ramp and the US-1 northbound on ramp to be closed at the US-1 and US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) interchange (EXIT 71).

The US-1 southbound ramp from US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) will remain open during all phases of construction. Beechtree Drive (SR-1444) and Amos Bridges Road (SR-1420) will also remain open during construction.

Traveling south on US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) exit onto the US-1 southbound on ramp prior to the US-1 overpass bridge, continue on US-1 south to EXIT 69B Burns Drive (SR-1406), take right onto Burns Drive (SR-1406) back to US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business). The detour route will be signed.

Traveling north on US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business), exit onto the US-1 northbound on ramp prior to the US-1 overpass bridge, continue on US-1 north to EXIT 74 Colon Road (SR-1415), take left onto Colon Road (SR-1415), exit onto the US-1 southbound on ramp, continue on US-1 south back to US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) (EXIT 71). The detour route will be signed.

During the final seven days of the 60-day road closure on US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) under the US-1 overpass bridge, the US-1 northbound on ramp from US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) will be closed.

Traveling north on US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business), turn left onto Burns Drive (SR-1406), exit onto the US-1 northbound on ramp, continue on US-1 north to EXIT 74 Colon Road
(SR-1415), take left onto Colon Road (SR-1415), turn left onto Deep River Road (SR-1466) back to US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business).

The detour route will be signed. US-1 traffic wanting to access the US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business) interchange (EXIT 71) will take EXIT 74 Colon Road (SR-1415) to Deep River Road (SR-1466) and EXIT 69B Burns Drive (SR-1406).

Follow message boards and signs for specific detour routes during the final seven days of road closure on US-15/501/Hawkins Avenue (US-1 Business).

The NCDOT contact person for this project is the Resident Engineer, Gary Phillips. His telephone number is 919-776-9623.

It's Time To Race To Read

The Sanford/Lee County Youth Council invites runners and walkers to join the Race to Read, an annual 5K fun run/walk on Saturday, May 9.

This is the race's third year. As with last year, proceeds from the race will be used to purchase and donate reading materials to Lee County elementary schools.

When & Where

On race day, runners and walkers will assemble by the shelter at Kiwanis Family Park (1800 Wicker Street) in Sanford. Registration will begin at 8am and the race will begin at 9am.

Who Can Participate?

The run/walk is open to the whole family. Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female participant, as well as the top three male and female participants in each age category.

View the age categories here.

Get Registered

Registration costs $25 in advance if you register before April 22. After April 22, registration is $30. You  will also be guaranteed a shirt if you register by April 22. T-shirts may not be available for those who register on the day of the race.

You can pre-register here or mail in your registration (download a form here).

Questions?

Get more information about the Youth Council on our website or visit a Youth Council meeting. They are held on the second Monday of each month at 4pm in the West End Conference Room at the Sanford Municipal Center.

For questions or more information about the race, contact Karen Kennedy at 919-777-1113 or karen.kennedy@sanfordnc.net or Lesa Price at 919-718-4605 x 5505.

Sec. Kluttz To Tour Downtown Sanford

Sec. Susan Kluttz of the NC Department of Cultural Resources will be in Sanford on Tuesday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m. to show support for the possible return of historic preservation tax credits, which were not renewed by the General Assembly in January.

During the visit, Sec. Kluttz will tour local historic buildings that have benefited from historic preservation tax credits, including the Buggy Factory and Lee Furniture Building. Her goal is to show the opportunities for future investment if the tax credits are restored.

Historic preservation tax credits are being used currently to renovate the Buggy Factory, a project that was approved before the program ended.

Once complete, the renovated building will house the Sanford Area Growth Alliance and the Sanford/Lee County Planning and Development Department, creating a one-stop-shop for development and revitalization in Lee County.

The public is welcome to attend the tour. Following, there will be a gallery display of historic preservation tax credit projects and a short reception on the top floor of the Lee Furniture Building.

For more information, contact Kelly Miller, public information officer for the City of Sanford, at 919-777-1133 or kelly.miller@sanfordnc.net.

WHO: NC Sec. of Cultural Resources Susan Kluttz, Mayor Chet Mann, NC Board of Realtors, and government and community leaders

WHAT: Tour of historic downtown Sanford

WHEN: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Historic Buggy Factory, 115 Chatham Street, Sanford

2015 Sanford Block Party

Help clean up and beautify the section of North Steele Street from First Baptist Church to the Lee County Arts and Community Center.

This year's Sanford Block Party will be coordinated by the City's Housing Task Force with the help of lead sponsor First Presbyterian Church.

View this map to get better acquainted with the area.

• • • WHO CAN HELP • • •

Anyone is welcome to come volunteer, whether as an individual or with a group. Click here to RSVP or share the event with your friends on Facebook.

• • • HOW TO HELP • • •

Homes along this stretch need basic repairs and landscaping, such as painting, mowing, raking, and landscaping.

We ask that volunteers bring their own tools if they can, including rakes, shovels, painting tools, lawn mowers, weed eaters, gloves, etc.

• • • DONATIONS NEEDED • • •

This project requires repair and landscaping tools and materials, as well as food, beverages, and entertainment for those who volunteer.

Each year, the community and local businesses step up to help out.

Contact Karen Kennedy at 919-777-1113 or karen.kennedy@sanfordnc.net if you would like to make a donation.

• • • MORE INFORMATION • • •

For general questions or more information, contact Karen Kennedy at 919-777-1113 or karen.kennedy@sanfordnc.net.

City of Sanford Launches Its First Citizens' Academy

Residents of Sanford and Lee County are invited to participate in the City of Sanford’s first Citizens’ Academy.

The program will consist of eight interactive sessions that give participants an inside look at the City’s many facilities and processes, including tours of the Water Treatment Plant, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Municipal Golf Course, and both the Sanford Police Department and Sanford Fire Department.

Academy Mission

Participation in the Sanford Citizens’ Academy is free. The program’s goal is to educate residents about how their city government functions. At the end of the program, participants should have a greater understanding of how and why municipal decisions are made. Upon completion, residents should be more engaged in and knowledgeable about the City’s decision making process.

“The key to having a good city is having many ambassadors for your city who understand the process and have seen what it’s like to be on the staff side of the equation and understand what it takes to make a city run,” says Mayor Chet Mann, who spearheaded the program in conjunction with Councilwoman Rebecca Wyhof. “Those ambassadors can then help others understand why we do the things we do,” he says.

How To Participate

The Citizens’ Academy will be limited to 10 participants. Sessions will run on Tuesdays from September 9, 2014 through October 27, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. One night session will be required at the end of the program.

For more information about the Sanford Citizens’ Academy or to apply, visit our website or contact Kelly Quiñones Miller at 919-777-1133.

Sanford Helps Arden Companies Win Manufacturing Innovation Grant

Arden Companies is set to receive a boost of more than $600,000 to help bring manufacturing back to the United States – and it has its Sanford location to thank.

In combination with NC State University’s College of Textiles, Arden Companies is one of seven grantees of the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund. The Fund will award a total of $4 million to the seven winners to “create new processes, ideas, and jobs that will foster America’s growing manufacturing footprint.”

The College of Textiles and Arden will use the grant to develop an innovative digital printing system that will bring Arden’s soft goods production back to the United States while remaining globally competitive. Locally, that translates to more job opportunities for Sanford’s manufacturing base.

A crucial factor for the grant application’s success was Arden’s location. Only cities with mayors who are members of the US Conference of Mayors were eligible for the grant – and Sanford Mayor T. Chet Mann is one of those mayors.

“The City of Sanford believes in the resurgence of manufacturing in our area and nationwide,” Mann says. “We are in full support of this initiative and look forward to seeing its results in our community.”

Walmart’s goal for the grant is to “bring more jobs and more production back into American communities,” says Michelle Gloeckler, the company’s executive president of consumables and U.S. manufacturing.

Other awardees include Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis for implementation of metal 3-D printing, Oregon State University to develop alternative mold fabricating approaches, and Texas Tech University to support research on cotton production and biotechnology.

For more information on the grant, visit Walmart's U.S. Manufacturing website.

Sanford Wins Support For Community Integration Initiative

The City of Sanford is one of only two North Carolina cities to win a Building Integrated Communities (BIC) in-kind grant from UNC Chapel Hill to lead a city-wide effort to create comprehensive integration plans for foreign-born residents.

The grant will provide the department in-kind support over the next two years with needs assessment, planning and facilitating community workshops, surveying successful efforts in other communities and more.
The support will be provided by the staff of the Latino Migration Project at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“We are tremendously excited about this opportunity,” says Marshall Downey, director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Sanford and Lee County. “We hope to partner with various local agencies and identify strategies to assist our local Hispanic population in ways to better plug in to local government, businesses, and our community as a whole.”

“The Hispanic population has become a significant part of our community over the past 15 years,” notes Rev. Bob Bridwell, deacon at St. Stephen Catholic Church and volunteer coordinator for the program. “This grant gives us a unique opportunity to help these families and individuals contribute and prosper,” he says.

“Being one of only two finalists out of ten NC municipalities for this project speaks to the hard work and dedication of our staff and citizens to help integrate, support, and promote our Latino population,” says Mayor Chet Mann. “As a City on the upswing, strengthening connections for any group benefits us all as a community,” he points out.

To apply the grant, the planning department will hold a series of public meetings over the next two years. The community as a whole will be able to participate and help guide the process.

BIC is a statewide initiative that helps North Carolina’s local governments successfully engage with immigrants and refugee populations in order to improve public safety, promote economic development, enhance communication, and improve relationships.

Ten municipalities in North Carolina expressed interest in the BIC grant. Sanford and Winston-Salem were the only two selected.

Learn more about the BIC grant program on UNC's website.

Service Line Warranties of America Has City's Stamp of Approval

Many residents have received letters from Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA), but aren't sure whether the company and its services are legitimate.

The good news: SLWA is a trustworthy company that has been vetted by the National League of Cities (NLC). The company provides water/sewer line warranty services to residents across the nation. It has been in business for more than 10 years and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Because SLWA has the NLC's support, the City of Sanford authorized it to educate Sanford residents about their water/sewer line obligations and to offer warranty services.

Important: The City's stamp of approval does not mean that residents must opt into the program. Each resident should weigh the risks and benefits and make the decision that is right for them. SLWA will manage all claims and provide all services. The City of Sanford will in no way supervise or benefit from the program.

Learn more about SLWA on their website or call 866-922-9006. For more details about the warranty program, visit our website.

US Open Wayfinding Site in Sanford

For the next few weeks, Sanford is home to one of only six painted wayfinding sites for the U.S. Open, which is happening in Pinehurst this month.

Funded by the N.C. Department of Transportation, our site is located at the Spring Lane exit on U.S. Hwy 1 S. It was painted this week and will be touched up until after the women's open in mid-June. After, the site will be mowed to remove the paint.

Other painted sites in North Carolina are located at:

• 1-40 at Exit 291 on Cary Towne Blvd;
• US 1 at Walnut Street in Raleigh;
• I-73/74 at NC 211 in Candor;
• 1-74/74 Rest Area in Randolph County; and
• 1-73/74 and Hwy 64 in Asheboro

Only the Candor site features a putting green and white arrow. The rest have white arrows only.

See photos of the DOT creating the site on our Facebook page.

National Night Out Coordinators' Meeting

Community members planning to host National Night Out events in Sanford came together on May 5 for planning, prizes, and brainstorming.

Coordinators also won lots of prizes, including hats, a tote, helmets, and two $25 gift cards to Walmart. Our winners were very excited!

National Night Out is a city-wide celebration held on the first Tuesday in August each year. The goal is for people to meet their neighbors and fight back against crime.

If you couldn't make it, but would like to sign up to host a National Night Out event (on August 5 this year), contact Kelly at 919-777-1133 or kelly.miller@sanfordnc.net.