Troy Board approves mutual aid agreement ♥

As published in the Courier-Tribune on February 9, 2012

By Hugh Martin

TROY — A formal mutual aid agreement between the Troy Fire Department and departments in neighboring communities was approved by the Troy Board of Commissioners during the regular meeting Monday.

The agreement will allow firefighters to respond to requests for assistance from other departments and allow the Troy department to request assistance. This type of agreement has been in place in the past, but the board gave the mutual aid formal approval.

On another matter, a payment to the town from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was finally received in January, six years after it was promised to the town. The board agreed that the $63,000 reimbursement would go to purchase a new jet machine, which is used to open clogged sewer and drain lines. The current machine has been in use for 15 years and is in poor condition, said Town Manager Greg Zephir.

In other business, Commissioners Angela Elkins, Bruce Hamilton, James Hurley, Wallace Jones and Mayor Roy Maness:

* Scheduled a public hearing for the town to submit a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which would allow for scattered site housing repairs. Previous grants had been restricted to home repairs in a designated area, but this grant will allow repairs where they are most needed on individual residences. The hearing will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20, prior to the regular mid-month board meeting.

* Heard an update by Zephir on the possibility of working with the School of Government to market the historic Troy Hotel, which is owned by the town.

* Learned of the application activity for securing a place in the N.C. STEP program. The town was close to being accepted in the 2011 cycle, but was not selected, and has reapplied for the 2012 cycle.

* Learned the town will not apply for a grant for the proposed stage area at the baseball complex on Smitherman Street as planned. Town staff felt that the grant proposal was not up to par. Staff will continue to work to strengthen the application for future submission.

* Complimented the public works department employees for the work being performed at the Peabody Complex on South Main Street. The work will include updated bleachers for the ballfield and a refurbished playground area.

“Once completed this park will truly be a park that everyone will be proud of,” Zephir said.

Troy Housing Authority was thanked for partnering with the town on the project.