Here are the state legislative priorities for Henderson taken from a document that was generated by the ad hoc committee after the last FAIR meeting on January 12:
Legislative Priorities for the City of Henderson
North Carolina General Assembly Short Session
to convene May 9, 2006
Each item listed below is cited to improve the quality of life for all of our citizens and to encourage
job creation in our City. These needs are listed in priority order that will most impact our citizens.
Infrastructure
1) Sewer Plant – Existing plant is outdated, very expensive to operate due to outdated technology, $22M replacement costs
2) I&I (Infiltration and Inflow) — Deteriorated sewer lines due to age that need replacing
3) KLRWS 20 MGD Expansion — This is a regional facility serving a 4 county area (Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin) with 50,000 customers. Plant needs to be upgraded so this 4 county area can grow and attract industry
Housing
1) Clean Up Henderson! Grant – We are hoping to receive grant monies again this year so work can continue to remove urban blight
2) Home Ownership – As the Director of NC Div of Community Assistance (Gloria Nance-Sims) told Henderson officials, this trend must be reversed (down payment assistance, financial incentives)
3) Emergency Assistance/Homelessness – With Henderson’s high unemployment the needs of the working poor have increased
Transportation
1) DOT Road Maintenance Contract (w/ice and snow removal) – A more equitable agreement needs to be realized for Henderson to maintain state roads. This contract amount has not been increased since 1974
2) DOT Traffic Lights inside the City in need of protected left hand turn at Intersections – Small town traffic problems are alarming at state road intersections without leading green lights. In addition, this is a major safety and traffic control issue
3) Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor Stop – By capturing a stop on SEHSR corridor, revitalization of downtown will be evident
4) Sidewalk Needs – We are working to become a pedestrian friendly town; the repair of sidewalks throughout Henderson is needed
Crime Prevention
1) Street Lights (Neighborhood Safety) – As costs go up in our small town, we cannot afford all the lights we need, especially on new roads. In addition, lighting has a huge impact on the reduction of crime. City currently has 1,975 street lights costing $263,000 annually
Paying for the Library Building (Embassy Project)
1) We would like to see all of the debt paid off on the construction of the new library