As council continues to study a proposal to repair tennis courts, the city manager and parks and recreation director are also working with the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District on a solution.
In his department update which was included in tonight’s city council agenda packet, Parks and Recreation Director John Simeon noted discussions with the school system are centered around location and funding.
He and City Manager Joseph Scherer both attended this evening’s school board meeting.
Simeon said this evening the talks with the school system will continue and that the city continues to gather data on a proposal from Enfield-based Outer Banks Tennis Contractors.
That proposal, which was presented at council’s last meeting, is to repair four hard tennis courts at T.J. Davis for a total of $144,708, with an additional $75,000 cost for LED lighting.
The second proposal was for repairing six hard courts at Emry Park for a total of $225,833, with an additional $110,000 for LED lighting.
Meanwhile, Simeon noted in his report he presented the Roanoke Valley Girls Softball League drawings of a field requested at the same time the initial discussions of the tennis court problems in the city began.
The request was for an additional field at Chockoyotte Park. “The board understood that the proposed 180-foot regulation softball field would not fit,” Simeon said in the report. “After discussions the board requested a 120-foot field instead.”
Simeon and league representatives plan to meet after Thanksgiving to further discuss the matter.
Christmas parade
Simeon also noted plans for the December 2 Christmas Parade received a boost from Halifax Linen Service as the company has agreed to sponsor the event.
“Our Christmas parade is only as strong as our community supports it,” Simeon said this evening, “and to have Halifax Linen Service step up and sponsor our Christmas parade speaks volumes of how the company supports our community.”
While Simeon declined to discuss the specific amount of the sponsorship, he said, “The sponsorship supports us in bringing the Shrine clubs and bands and helps offset other costs to bring Roanoke Rapids the best Christmas parade possible.”
The parade begins at 2 p.m. on Roanoke Avenue.
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Hires and promotions
In other matters this evening fire Chief Stacy Coggins recognized Jeffrey Brown who was recently hired as as a firefighter and the promotion of Clay Barmer to engineer.
Brown’s wife Kedrain pinned his firefighter’s badge on his uniform while Barmer’s father Jimmy pinned the engineer badge on his son’s uniform.
Roanoke Rapids police Chief Chuck Hasty announced the promotion of Lieutenant Charles Vaught to captain of the patrol division.
Vaught takes over following Captain Andy Bryant’s retirement.
