Firefighters from Davidson and Cornelius burned this house on Field Street in Cornelius for training Saturday. More photos below. (Dion Burleson photo)

Firefighters from Davidson and Cornelius got instructions before the training fire began. (Dion Burleson photo)

Cornelius and Davidson firefighters burned a vacant house on Field Street just east of the Antiquity Cornelius neighborhood for training on Saturday morning. The house was on land owned by The Pines at Davidson.

Read below for info on how to submit your photo of the day. And to see previous photos of the day, CLICK HERE Read the full story

From left: Assistant Town Manager Andrew Grant, Town Manager Anthony Roberts, Mayor Jeff Tarte, and Commissioners Jeff Hare, John Bradford, and Chuck Travis attend Town Hall Day in Raleigh. (John Bradford photo)

On Wednesday Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte, Commissioners John Bradford, Jeff Hare, Chuck Travis, along with Town Manager Anthony Roberts and Assistant Town Manager Andrew Grant, traveled to Raleigh for “Town Hall Day.” They met with state senators, representatives and Speaker of the House Thom Tillis (R-Cornelius), as well as other Mecklenburg County delegates, including leaders from Matthews and Mint Hill. Read the full story

At its regular meeting Monday, the Town Board of Commissioners heard plans for installation of wayfinding signs in town, as well as some additional sidewalks. Lead project manager Jason Abernethy shared sign designs and the planned locations for the new signs, which will all be “Cornelius blue,” he said, like the street signs installed over the last few months.

Also Monday, board members heard a presentation from Jim Garges, director of the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation department, who said things are looking up for the department after two years of significant cuts to staff and funding. The department lists Ramsey Creek Park among their capital improvements projects, and hopes to upfit the park to allow for swimming, but the timeline for the project is uncertain. Read the full story

The Cornelius Town Board Monday night unanimously approved Town Manager Anthony Roberts’ recommended FY2012 budget, including a tax rate of 25 cents per $100 of assessed value – a cut from the current rate. Also Monday, the board approved planning rules changes that address installation of antenna systems; heard about plans for a new small area plan for areas around I-77 Exit 28; and voted to oppose Senate Bill 731, which restricts local authority over building design for single-family homes. Read the full story

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
CorneliusNews.net

Town Manager Anthony Roberts presented the Town Board Monday with a proposed $17.2 million budget for 2011-12. That’s down about $300,000 from last year’s budget, and calls for a slightly lower property tax rate following the county’s recent property revaluation. Read the full story

Cornelius Town Manager Anthony Roberts will present his recommended FY2012 budget Monday, May 23 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Ave.

Roberts

Town Board members discussed the latest draft of the budget during their regular board meeting Monday night, May 16. The draft is little changed from the plan commissioners have been discussing since the board retreat in March, which includes money for way-finding signs and other improvements to the Catawba corridor, adjustments to town employee salaries, construction and operations for the Westmoreland Athletic Complex and Robbins Park, and other items. Read the full story

Cornelius PARC Director Paul Herbert resigned Thursday, April 21 after almost 11 years working for the town.

Park Superintendent Troy Fitzsimmons will be the interim director, effective Monday, April 25, while the town searches for the next director. The town is looking to fill the position as quickly as possible, Town Manager Anthony Roberts said. Read the full story

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
CorneliusNews.net

Cornelius commissioners are considering a shift to a more collaborative model for capital planning following a presentation from Mecklenburg County Capital Planning Manager Bobbie Shields before the regular Town Board meeting Monday night, March 7.

The county received a grant from IBM in October 2010 to research capital planning in the county. Now, based on research, recommendations from IBM executives and input from other community stakeholders, the county is considering a new model for consolidating planning, and hopes to get all towns on board by the end of April.

Also below, other news from Monday’s Town Board meeting.

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