Matthews Messenger | October 2020

OCTOBER — 2020

Volume 2 — Issue 10

Pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of N. Trade Street and Matthews Station Street are now completed.

In this issue...

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Join in on the Halloween Heist this month!

See page 3.

Keep These Messages On Your Mind Engage and Connect: Follow the Town of Matthews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, NextDoor and sign up to receive notifications.

Visit www.matthewsnc.gov for more info.

Crews Rec Center offers school day program for remote learning. See page 4.

MATTHEWSNC.GOV

@TOWNOFMATTHEWS

Read up on the Town’s yard waste guidelines on page 5.

@MATTHEWSNC

TOWN OF MATTHEWS

@TOWNOFMATTHEWS

www.matthewsnc.gov

Matthews Messenger | OCTOBER 2020

MANAGER’S MESSAGE Fall is officially here. While we welcome the cooler temperatures, it also means more yard work and raking leaves. Read more about the Town’s yard waste guidelines on page 5.

Fall also brings some exciting events to the Town of Matthews.

The annual Not-So-Spooky Halloween event will not be held this year, but we will be offering a fun alternative. Read more about the Halloween Heist on page 3.

Town staff continues working to closely monitor and respond to the latest on COVID-19. One way we have responded is by providing childcare options to help families who are in need of care for their remote learning students. We launched a remote learning program at

the Crews Recreation Center last month. See page 4 for more details.

I’m pleased to report that the pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of N. Trade Street and Matthews Station Street are now complete. The project raised the intersection, extended the curb, improved the lighting, and created hivisibility crosswalks – all in an effort to make this highly traversed crosswalk safer for pedestrians and drivers.

Check out the calendar on page 6 of Matthews’ events and Board of Commissioners meetings so you can stay involved and engaged in all that Matthews has to offer. We hope you have a great month of October.

Hazen Blodgett HAZEN BLODGETT MATTHEWS TOWN MANAGER HBLODGETT@MATTHEWSNC.GOV

BECKY HAWKE ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER BHAWKE@MATTHEWSNC.GOV

MATTHEWS OBSERVES CONSTITUTION WEEK September 17, 2020 marked the 233rd anniversary of the framing of the Constitution. Mayor Higdon presented a proclamation honoring Constitution Week at a Town Board meeting last month.

Representatives from the Mecklenburg Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) attended the meeting and reported to the Board about how they marked the occasion in Matthews. The group placed 100 hand painted Constitution Week Rocks in Squirrel Lake Park and placed 100 flags

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and a Constitution Week sign at Matthews Fire Station 1 to honor our first responders.

Matthews Messenger | OCTOBER 2020

Matthews Police Raise Funds for Breast Cancer Research Matthews Police Chief, Clark Pennington, and Public Information Officer, Tim Aycock, are honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month in a special way this October. Pennington and Aycock are taking part in the Real Men Wear Pink of Greater Charlotte campaign. This effort is bringing together a group of community leaders to raise awareness and money to support the American Cancer Society’s mission and save more lives than ever before from breast cancer. https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=97835

Halloween Heist October 16th - October 30th Join us for the Halloween Heist! This event will take place over three weeks, beginning October 16 through October 30. Twelve small jack-o-lanterns will be hidden around Matthews. Clues will be posted on the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resource Dept Facebook page each week. Prizes will be awarded to the lucky winners who find the jack-o-lanterns.

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Matthews Messenger | OCTOBER 2020

Crews Recreation Center Offers School Day Program for Remote Learning When CMS announced that students would not be returning to the classroom for the start of the 2020-2021 school year, many families were left with limited options for childcare.

learning and facilitators to assist, the program consists of enrichment, social recreation and gym activities.

Scholarships were made available for students in need of assistance.

The Matthews Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resource Department wanted to find a way to provide this much needed childcare for families.

Department Director Corey King led the efforts along with his staff.

“Many families are facing financial hardship amid the pandemic,” said King. “We want to make sure all children have access to this program and step up to help them by offering scholarships.”

“We knew there was a need for parents to have a safe and fun place for their children to do their school work while being supervised,” said King. “The team quickly put together a program that met those needs. Although this is something that has never been done before here in Matthews, I knew we could make it happen.”

In September, the Town announced the launch of a remote learning program for students ages 5-12 at the Crews Recreation Center. In addition to providing dedicated time for remote

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Safety precautions are in place including daily health screenings, frequent cleaning throughout the day, and face coverings required within the facility.

Matthews Messenger | OCTOBER 2020

Town of Matthews Yard Waste Guidelines Fall is here! A reminder that yard waste pickup continues with your weekly trash pickup from Republic Services. The Town of Matthews defines yard waste as brush, tree and shrub trimmings, leaves and grass trimmings, and other materials accumulated as the result of the care of lawns, shrubbery, vines and trees. Please review the key guidelines for yard waste pickup below.

Four tips to keep in mind:

1. Schedule - Yard waste is picked up once a week on your scheduled trash pickup day. Yard waste must be placed at the curb.

2. Limitations - Leaves and grass clippings must be bagged in clear bags, or other bags left open so the driver can see the contents. Each residence is limited to a maximum of 20 bags per week, and each bag must weigh less than 50 pounds.

3. Branches - All branches and limbs must be cut and stacked in small piles.

Branches must be cut in lengths of four feet or less and can be no larger than five inches in diameter.

4. Containment - Do not leave bagged yard waste, tree limbs, or branches blocking the sidewalk or in the street.

For more information, view Matthews’ Trash Street Pickup Listing: https://www.matthewsnc.gov/files/documents/TrashStreetPickupListing1342115157012820AM.pdf

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Matthews Messenger | OCTOBER 2020

October 2020 Events Calendar Any questions?

Contact us!

Board of Commissioners special Meeting at 6:00 pm

veterans advisory committee meeting

economic development advisory committee meeting

Board of Commissioners Meeting at 7:00 pm

Veterans advisory committee meeting

parks, rec, and cultural resources committee meeting

Transportation advisory committee meeting

halloween heist begins around matthews Oct. 16th - 30th page 3

Appearance/tree committee meeting

Board of Commissioners Meeting at 7:00 pm

planning board meeting Cultural diversity committee meeting

For additional details, please visit: www.matthewsnc.gov/calendar.aspx Have any questions about the community? Contact us!

TOWN HALL

232 Matthews Station St. | Matthews, NC 28105 PHONE

(704) 847- 4411 E-MAIL

matthews@matthewsnc.gov WEB

www.matthewsnc.gov

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