Star commissioners ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune January 23, 2012

Hugh Martin

STAR — The Star town commissioners have given the go ahead for STARworks Center for Creative Enterprise to seek two grants.

One grant would fund a streetscape study while another could fund a festival with the emphasis on glass and pottery.

At the Jan. 9 meeting, Marla Coulthard, associate director at Central Park NC, the regional entity through which STARworks operates, informed the board of the available grants during her quarterly report on STARworks. The Town of Star is currently administering a Community Development Block Grant for $600,000 on behalf of Central Park NC. The grant was sought for roof repairs on the north end of the facility, a former hosiery mill at the edge of town. Central Park Director Nancy Gottovi had said in an earlier meeting that the area to be repaired was needed to house new businesses.

Coulthard reported that all funds for the grant had been released in November. She stated that STARworks had taken an administrative fee of $5,257 and that Lee Hudson of Montgomery Contractors of Star had submitted the winning bid for the repairs. The repairs will be a 60-day project and work should begin within two weeks.

In other matters, commissioners Clemens, Jennifer Fountain, Eddie Bernard, Richard Hinson and Steve Lassiter:

* Heard a report by Don Bennett, who operates the Montgomery County Airport southwest of Star. He told the board the trees located around the Star Heritage Center, which, along with the weekly Farmers Market, is located next door to the municipal building, were presenting a problem because they were located within the flight path of the airport.

In inclement weather, Bennett said, pilots had to divert from Montgomery Airport to neighboring counties because equipment for an instrument approach had not yet been put into use. For the new instrument approach equipment to function, trees at the Heritage Center and other private properties would all have to be topped or removed. The board discussed the pros and cons of topping trees versus removing the trees.

Bennett said that he would have the trees surveyed to determine the exact number that would be affected. He will return in February to finalize the work.

The building that houses the Heritage Center is a farmhouse that was constructed in 1890 and is currently being renovated with funds provided by grants. Commissioner Alice Clemens said the roof is scheduled to be replaced within the next week and asked that any work on the trees be done carefully to protect the renovations.

In other business,

* Requested that the town office staff adjust their lunch schedules so that someone will be available during lunch hour to receive water payments.