Inside: Medicaid expansion faces delays • Page 2A
Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 • Vol. 14 • No. 50
Waxhaw gets new 'analytical-driven' commissioner
ABOUT US P.O. BOX 1104 Matthews, NC 28106 (704) 849-2261
Hall will 'vote based on data and what best serves the town'
justin@cmgweekly.com unioncountyweekly.com
by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
“Journey to Jerusalem “ walk through sponsored by Waxhaw UMC and The Story. Walk through a live nativity scene with our family.
Dec. 12, 5pm-8:30pm
Waxhaw commissioners appointed Jason Hall to fill a seat on the board left vacant since March. Hall took the oath of office Dec. 2 after commissioners unanimously approved the appointment. “My promise to you and Waxhaw residents is to be an analytical-driven commissioner who will bring thoughtful ideas and vote based on data and what best serves the town,”
Hall told commissioners during his final interview Nov. 30. “Some of them may be popular with you and some may not.” Hall, who has lived in Waxhaw for six years, works as an analyst. His Waxhaw firm focuses on management consulting, marketing and public relations. He replaces Kat Lee, who resigned from the board in March with two years remaining in her four-year term. “COVID-19 played a little bit into this in that it delayed us a little bit in our ability to convene and meet,” Mayor Ron Pappas said of the delay in filling the seat. “In recent months, we have received several candidate applications to be considered.” see COMMISSIONER, Page 5A
Everyone welcome! Waxhawumc.com
Jason Hall (seen here in a screen capture of a Town of Waxhaw broadcast) answers questions from the Waxhaw Board of Commissioners about his interest in filling a vacancy on the board during Oct. 16 meeting.
Monroe wants firm to expand
The next time you see the Parkwood Marching Band at a Christmas parade, they'll be playing under a new identity. CMG file photo
WHAT'S INSIDE:
Jobs at drain plant would range $18 to $22 per hour
Hit to bars Cooper tightens restrictions, 3B
by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
Top market Real estate looks good for 2021, 1-3B
Top grads Wingate celebrates scholastic all-stars, 5A PLUS: Scores from the latest round of dining inspections, 4B Solve our crossword, 4B
NEWS & NOTES Williams takes oath The Union County Board of Commissioners welcomed newcomer David Williams to the dais Dec. 7, but he attended the meeting virtually due to being in COVID-19 quarantine. Richard Helms is the new chairman of the board.
Queens light trees Antoinette King, reigning Ms. Elite Southeast America’s United States 2021, helped light the Village of Lake Park's Christmas tree, while Miss Weddington Aly McNair did the honors at Weddington.
Happy trails, Kathy The Community Shelter of Union County hosts a drive-by retirement celebration for CEO Kathy Bragg from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Dec. 13 (enter from Miller Street). There will be a card drop for those wanting to write notes.
Some students may return to classrooms Union County Public Schools is gathering input from principals about the feasibility of allowing more special education middle and high school students to return to classrooms in the spring semester. They are specifically looking at students with IEP and 504 plans.
The cost of change School district to pay bill for new Parkwood branding
by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
Union County Public Schools has budgeted $160,272 to change the mascot on Parkwood High School sports uniforms and facilities from Rebels to Wolf Pack. The school board approved the mascot change last month, but the question remained: Who would pay for it? UCPS staff suggested the money come from unused bond funding previously allocated for Parkwood. The recommendation appeared on the school board's Dec. 1 consent agenda, which
consists of routine items usually approved unanimously; however, member Gary Sides pulled the item out for an individual vote. “I can not support the expenditure of $160,000 for that effort,” Sides said. The majority of the board felt differently than Sides. The board voted in July to eliminate Rebels due to its connection to slavery and allowed Parkwood to choose a new mascot. Board members encouraged Parkwood to maintain the less controversial sword logo as a see BUS, Page 5A
UCPS giving bonuses to bus drivers Union County Public Schools is giving one-time bonuses to hourly transportation staff this month as many have received reductions in pay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the district's 275 bus drivers and 66 transportation safety assistants are working 28 to 32 hours a week due to the reduction of hours on Fridays, according to a memo by Chief Finance Officer Shanna McLamb. “The remote learning days have resulted in a reduction in route times resulting in 15,000 less hours paid as of October payroll compared to the same time frame last year,” McLamb wrote. “The result is an average loss of 10-15 hours per month.” Bus drivers would get a onetime bonus, ranging from $125 to $500, depending on the length of employment and hours worked
per day. Safety monitors would get between $100 and $350 based on those same factors. This would total $225,000 and come out of local school funds, according to board vice-chair Kathy Heintel. “Out of 5,000 employees in Union County Public Schools, the largest employer in Union County, our bus drivers and safety monitors are the only employees that were not getting paid on Fridays because we are using Friday as remote learning days,” school board chari Melissa Merrell said. “For middle school and high schools, they are only going two days a week, but it was shocking to me and the rest of the board to learn that our bus drivers were the only ones not getting paid because of that remote learning day.” see BUS, Page 5A
HomeStyles Gallery & Specialty Shops Thank you for your patronage the last 21 years!
Remote learning day Union County Public Schools has made Dec. 21 a remote learning day for elementary and middle schools after receiving feedback from parents and teachers. High schools will be using the day as a make-up day for exams.
Over 50 unique boutiques from high fashion to holiday and home decorating!
American Wick Drain is considering a $3.5 million expansion at its site within the Monroe Corporate Center. The company secured up to $54,250 in economic development incentives over five years from the Monroe City Council on Dec. 1 and will be requesting a grant of up to $66,500 from Union County commissioners on Dec. 21. American Wick Drain, which has been in Union County since 1982, is also considering moving forward with the expansion at another corporate location in Nevada, according to Ron Mahle, of Monroe-Union County Economic Development. The company employs 53 people. “They manufacture foundation drain systems that are used in the construction of buildings, highways and athletic fields,” Mahle said. “The company is considering Monroe for an investment in manufacturing equipment that would increase its capacity to meet their ever-growing demand for its products.” The expansion would create five new jobs. “The positions we're talking about, I would call them skilled labor, because they are operating some fairly high-tech manufacturing equipment,” President Scott Morris told the Monroe City Council on Dec. 1. “These jobs would come in at entry-level somewhere around $18 an hour and we look to move them up quickly to somewhere in the $20 to $22 an hour range.” The grant is based on American Wick Drain investing between $2 million and $3.5 million. The company will pay around $107,852 in property taxes over the grant period. Mahle said a cost-benefit analysis of the project revealed a 2.44 to 1.0 ratio for the grant term and 4.36 to 1.0 ratio over the life of the project. Councilman Lynn Keziah thanked the company for expanding and continuing to operate in Monroe. He said companies like American Wick Drain are what makes Monroe what it is.
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