By Joyce Lavene
Senior Staff Writer
Rich Wise was the only Midland Town Council member to speak with residents at the quarterly Town Hall meeting last Saturday. These meetings are held on Saturday mornings from 9 am to almost noon to ask questions of council members and staff and provide an informal atmosphere for residents to speak. Wise was the instigator of these meetings last year.
One of the hotly debated topics was the use of town money for improvements to the Old Midland area. This is the area where Midland grew up historically with the railroad running through the center of shops and businesses. As the railroad influence declined in this area, people’s interest moved to the highway as they recognized this route to Charlotte.
Now residents of Midland are wondering why their money is being spent on the old part of town when there is so much that needs to be done along the 24/27 and 601 corridor and other areas more vital to town development.
Planning and Zoning is working on plans for sidewalks and new streets in the old area. They also have a vision of shopping and housing here. A new condominium project is going up now close to that area. Wise said an announcement will be forthcoming from Aberdeen, Carolina and Western regarding that area as well. He wouldn’t divulge what those plans were but said they will make a difference.
Residents said they wanted to see improvements of that type in the area where so many cars go past each day, the highway crossroads. They also didn’t like the idea of sewer allocation being used in the old area, as the new plans call for.
Wise said the town’s grant application has been approved for sidewalks and decorative lighting in the crossroads area but the town may not have the money to spend right away. P & Z is trying to get a fix on when the money will be allocated. The town may decide to put the money out before that date and be reimbursed for the work later.
Wise also revealed that the deal is set for the new town hall to be built. According to him, the town is working out the details. A piece of land was donated earlier this year for a town hall but sewer and other problems had to be addressed before they could take advantage of it. Other land owners around the donated tract were also asked to donate land for the project. This would put the town hall close to Hwy. 24/27 in the most heavily traveled part of town.
Wise answered a few questions about the sale of the Old Bethel Elementary School to Woodson University last month. The old school was purchased for $10,000 and will be remodeled over the next few years. Woodson’s plans include a public library in that space and other aspects that residents had wanted the old school to be used for. The college also plans to allow the use of the ball fields for games.
Concord has promised that there will be sewer allotments if the town needs them, according to Wise. Midland has brought back a few sewer allocations from subdivisions and  other housing starts which have stalled. “No question we can get sewer for projects when we need it,” Wise said. “If a big store came in here and said they wanted to build, we could work it out with Concord.”
Wise said the town is looking for land owners who would like to voluntarily annex their land into Midland. The amount their tax would go up would be the equivalent of paying for trash service, which they would receive free if they annex.
The contract with the Midland Fire Dept. has also been worked out. Wise said they have signed with the department for another year but there will no longer be an auto-renewal. The contract will come due on June 30 like all others for the town. “The town would never let the fire department close down,” Wise reassured the residents. “We had some questions we needed answered. We are trying to get things straightened up.”
Would Town of Midland money be better spent on the busy crossroads of Hwys. 24/27 and 601 than in the old section of town? Residents had this and other questions for Midland Town Council member Rich Wise at the quarterly Town Hall meeting last weekend.