Fellow Rolesville Residents,
The Rolesville Town Board has been busy this month which will be the norm for this summer. On Tuesday the 2020-21 budget was adopted. The $10.5 Million-dollar budget includes important community projects such as final engineering for the Main Street and Burlington Mills extension grant projects (slated to start late 2021), engineering of Phase 1 of The Farm Park Master Plan, expansion of the Police Department, and continued street and sidewalk improvements. In addition, the budget maintains support for Town employees and prepares the Town for further growth in services in the future. Most importantly, the budget allows flexibility for modifications as we monitor the effects of the economic slowdown on Town revenues.
The slowdown is one of the lingering effects of COVID-19 as we continue to adjust to how we all go about our daily lives. Town Hall and Police Department lobbies are now open with limited in-person services. Essential functions continue to be the priority while we continue to monitor our ability to provide recreation and event services. Until Governor Cooper deems that it is safe for all services to be continued, the Town will adhere to all best practices.
The 3 W’s are strongly recommended, and I encourage Rolesville citizens to continue to make these our daily routines. “Washing”, “Waiting” (social distancing) and “Wearing” face masks have proven to be beneficial to slow the spread of COVID-19. Raleigh and Knightdale announced those communities would require the use of face masks. At this time, Rolesville is not requiring residents to wear face coverings. However, in accordance with guidance from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC, and other public health experts, Town officials strongly encourage residents and visitors to wear face coverings when out in public.
The most recent zip code analysis of COVID-19 cases shows that Rolesville has five (5) positive cases which is significantly less than most of Wake County and North Carolina. Again, I want to express my thanks to all Rolesville citizens in our attempts to maintain our health. Diligence in adhering to the 3 W’s will make our community safer.
One of our community values is a safe and inclusive place to live for everyone. Our Police Department has emphasized the importance of law enforcement while focusing on the adherence to best practices and policies that promote the equitable treatment for all members of our community. In January 2020, the Police Department successfully completed the North Carolina League of Municipalities Law Enforcement Risk Review process. This process is a comprehensive review of the 40 high-risk categories in law enforcement. The review determined that the Rolesville Police Department policies adhere to requirements for all high-risk areas, to include non-bias-based policing, mandatory reporting on use of force, and effective de-escalation techniques.
In addition, the Police Department has incorporated policies that represent best practices by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. These practices are highlighted in a recent Public Service Announcement video that was released by the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police. I encourage you to review NCACP video to learn more about police reform and training in North Carolina and Rolesville.
Summer of 2020 in Rolesville, and nationally, will be significantly different. The Town Board made the difficult choice to cancel the 4th of July fireworks due to continued concerns of mass gatherings. But as I have always said, we will come out stronger in the end and there will be future 4th of July celebrations in Rolesville. This summer, stay safe and enjoy our parks and businesses. Take care of your neighbors and stay community connected.
Sincerely,
Ronnie I. Currin