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Wilson This Week -- March 11, 2022
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Election Day is May 17
After delays caused by the Census and court challenges, the 2022 elections finally have both dates and candidates. The statewide primary has been set for Tuesday, May 17, and the general elections will be Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Voters are picking candidates for Congress, the N.C. General Assembly, Wilson County Board of Commissioners, Wilson County sheriff and half the membership of the Wilson County Board of Education. Most of those races won't be decided until November.
The May 17 election, though, will determine the membership of the Wilson City Council. Voters who live in Districts 3, 5, 6 and 7 will choose their council members for the next four years. These races were all delayed from November 2021 due to the need to redistrict.
The other three districts (1, 2 and 4) and the mayor will be up for election in 2023. Everyone elected next year would serve until 2027.
This is an excellent time to check your election districts, especially since City Council district lines were changed in November 2021. Find your Election Day polling place by clicking the link below.
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Vote For RIDE
Wilson’s RIDE has been named a finalist in IDC Government Insights’ fifth annual Smart Cities North America Awards (SCNAA) in the transportation category. The awards recognize the progress North American municipalities have made in executing Smart Cities projects, as well as provide a forum for sharing best practices to help accelerate Smart City development in the region. The winner in each category will be determined through a public vote. One vote is allowed per person. Voting will be open through 5:00pm ET on Sunday, March 13.
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Awards program online
The annual Humanitarian Awards program were recently held in a semi-virtual fashion: a limited audience, but the Human Relations Commissioners were able to honor the nominees and present awards to the winners in-person. These include inspirational volunteers and many groups making a real difference in Wilson.
You can see the ceremony regularly on Wilson's Channel 8 on Greenlight and other cable systems, but it is also available online.
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Historic Preservation Revolving Loan Available
Do you live in one of these four historic districts? There is a new revolving loan available to homeowners (owner occupied or rental) in four of Wilson's historic districts - Broad-Kenan, Old Wilson, East Wilson and West Nash. The maximum loan amount is $15,000 per property. Interested property owners shall submit an application for approval.
Wilson Downtown Development Corporation and the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum non-profit organizations were awarded the 2021 Award of Merit from the North Carolina Main Street Center for the BEST DOWNTOWN EVENT OR EVENT SERIES statewide for Electric Light Fantasy-A Holiday Laser & Music Extravaganza. Thanks to all of the sponsors and event partners: Wilson Times Co., Gig360 Young Professionals, Emerald Owl Productions, Inc. and City of Wilson police department, streets department, and environmental services for making this happen! And thanks to everyone who supported the show. Locals and visitors from all over North Carolina came to Wilson last December for this one-of-a-kind show.
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Reid Street Community Center Update
The City Council held a special meeting on March 2 to review the City’s American Recovery Plan funding plan and the proposed improvements to the Reid Street Community Center. Nearly 100 people attended the meeting, with an opportunity for attendees to provide comments on the project to City Council members. Several community members spoke, describing the history and legacy of Reid Street Community Center and its importance to the community. Many attendees asked that the pool remain open.
Mayor Carlton Stevens and City Manager Grant Goings spoke during the meeting, reviewing all of the approved ARP projects, with a specific emphasis on the improvements planned at the Reid Street Community Center. Attendees were shown a map highlighting improvements planned for the center, including repairs to the current basketball courts and the addition of two new ones, rehabilitating the turf on the youth field, paving a street to allow for easier field access, a walking trail and a new multipurpose grass field, suitable for football, soccer and other play.
During the March 3 scheduled City Council meeting, all Council Members agreed to pause plans for the splash pad construction. The Reid Street pool will remain open for the summer swim season in 2022. All other improvements except the splash pad will continue. The Council will consider the pool and splash pad’s future as part of a larger conversation about Wilson’s aquatics program. That conversation is expected to happen in the fall of 2022, once the new Foundation YMCA is open.
The improvements to the center should start within the next year and all improvements must be complete by 2026 according to ARP rules set by the federal government. A rendering is being developed and will be shared soon.
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It’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week, a great time to make sure your family has a plan for severe weather emergencies. In our area, this includes flash flooding, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and winter storms. Ready.gov has resources to prepare for all types of severe weather. Click on the “Devise a Plan” button below for more information about setting up event plans.
Just in time for Severe Weather Preparedness Week, a powerful low-pressure system and cold front is moving through North Carolina over the next few days. It will bring a risk for severe storms Saturday morning, especially in the eastern Sandhills and southern Coastal Plain. Heavy downpours, frequent lightning, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes are possible. Much colder air will pour in behind the front on Saturday afternoon, with a bit of non-accumulating snow possible in the NE Piedmont and northern Coastal Plain. Near record cold temperatures are expected Saturday night with lows in the upper-teens to lower-20s and wind chills even lower than that.
One way you can prepare for severe weather is making sure every member of your family has an emergency alert notification in place. Click on the Emergency Alert button below to learn more about setting up alerts.
Wilson Fire/Rescue Services Station Four Changes
Wilson Fire/Rescue Services is closing Station 4, located off Ward Boulevard near Rotary Park, to the public and relocating firefighters to an adjacent property due to structural issues recently discovered in the building.
However, there will be no interruption to fire protection services and no reason for anyone to worry.
Citizens will continue to be served by the same firefighters with the same response times through this change,” said WF/RS Chief Albert Alston. “The fire service operates 24/7 and our staff deserves a safe, comfortable environment to be able to be to operate at their best at all times. This change will guarantee our first responders have the work environment needed to serve Wilson’s citizens.”
The building is being fully investigated by a structural engineer and geological expert to determine the full extent of the problem and the future of the station. For now, the engine and haz-mat response equipment will remain safely at the station, but the conditions required the firefighters to move into different living quarters.
The City’s Fire Marshalls office was previously located at Station Four and has been relocated to the Gig East Exchange at 127 Goldsboro Street Suite 205. The phone number remains 252-399-2880.
The results of the investigation are expected in the next several weeks. Once the full findings are explained, the future of the station will be determined. The Wilson County Board of Elections has been notified that the station cannot be used as a polling place in the May 17 election.
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Events returning this Spring
The calendar is starting to fill up as Spring approaches, including Easter egg hunts, Gig in the Park, Movies at the Park, and much more. Be sure to stay up to date with events at ExploreWilson.com
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