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WALLACE — It was a light agenda but a packed house in the Wallace Woman’s Club Thursday evening when the Wallace Town Council held their regular monthly meeting.
The meeting opened with a special moment as several members of the Wallace Police Department watched the swearing-in of their newest officer, Alex Sholar. A Duplin County native, Sholar previously served as a cadet with the department while completing 800 hours of Basic Law Enforcement Training at James Sprunt Community College. Mayor Jason Wells administered the oath, and Sholar’s brother, Trooper Caleb Sholar of the N.C. Highway Patrol, pinned the badge on his uniform.
In an effort to address blighted properties, the council unanimously passed a resolution accepting a $556,400 Community Development Block Grant. The federal funds will be used to demolish the former Dobbins School on Old Teachey Road and two dilapidated homes located within the boundaries of Farrior Park at Boney Mill Pond. The grant, awarded with assistance from the Cape Fear Council of Governments, will also cover site cleanup. The Council of Governments will receive $95,000 from the grant to help manage the project and oversee expenditures.
The council also heard a rezoning request from developer Avery-Davis of Knightdale. The company is seeking to rezone approximately 45 acres in the Tin City area from its current residential and highway business designations to Planned Development Residential (PDR). Avery-Davis has already been active in developing much of the Tin City area and plans to build another housing subdivision on the property, located near Wendy’s on Tobacco Drive, the Wallace ABC Store, and First Bank on Strawberry Lane.
Before the rezoning can be approved, a public hearing must be held. The council scheduled the hearing for its next meeting on May 14.
In other business, the council passed a resolution authorizing an application for a $750,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant. If awarded this fall, the grant would help fund new soccer fields and tennis courts at Farrior Park. The town would need to provide a $375,000 match, which officials plan to cover through donations and fundraisers. Town Manager Rob Taylor noted that all work would need to be completed within three years of receiving the grant.
Finally, the council went into closed session to discuss a property sale. Upon returning to open session, Taylor announced that the council had accepted the high bid of $251,000 for the Rose House at 725 E. Southerland St. The home, which became town property during the acquisition of land for Farrior Park in 2014, was declared surplus and offered at auction.
