Cherryville Council Tackles Cemetery Grievances, Broadcast Changes, and Safety Concerns
By: Lauren Ramsey – Wise News Network
Cherryville, NC (WNN)— The Cherryville City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, March 10th, 2025, addressing a range of issues including concerns over cemetery maintenance, employee recognition, the future of live video recordings of council meetings, and traffic safety improvements.
Upset Over Early Grave Flower Removal
The discussion about the city cemetery turned into a moment about how people remember their loved ones. Lynn Ward spoke about how much families care for the places where their family members are buried. She told the council about several problems.
Ward expressed her frustration that the city removed flowers from graves earlier than expected. The city had announced that the cemetery clean-off day would be on April 4th, but they performed the cleanup on March 7th— an entire month early. This made Ward feel as though the city did not care about the families who placed flowers on the graves. She was particularly upset because some of the flowers had been recently added.
Cemetery Conditions and Communication Concerns
Ward criticized the city’s handling of the situation, stating that while mistakes happen, they should be acknowledged rather than concealed. She pointed out the city’s policy, which requires new flowers to be removed within a week and other flowers within six weeks. However, according to Ward, the city does not know when the flowers were originally placed.
Besides the flower issue, Ward was also worried about how the cemetery was being kept up. She mentioned problems like fire ants, graves that had sunk, and headstones that were crooked. All of these things showed that the issue was about more than just flowers; it was about respecting the people who had passed away.
Ward felt employees of the City of Cherryville were rude when speaking with her about the issue. She also pointed out that the city did not tell anyone that the cleanup date had changed. While the city issued an apology to citizens on Monday, Ward stated that if the apology had been issued on Friday, when the removal of flowers occurred, the situation could have been avoided.
Mayor Beam admitted the city made a mistake. They plan to meet with a cemetery committee to make sure this does not happen again. City Manager Brian Dalton admitted that the City’s Policy is very bad and needs to be fixed, which is where the cemetery committee will come into play.
Employee Recognition Celebrates Dedicated Service
The council honored Water Treatment Plant Director Brian Williams for his ten years of dedicated service to the city. Mayor Beam and City Manager Brian Dalton presented Williams with a certificate of appreciation, recognizing his commitment to providing clean water to the community. Williams expressed his gratitude and pledged his continued commitment to serving the citizens of Cherryville.
Video Broadcasts: The Council Decision
A portion of the council meeting focused on the future of live video broadcasts of council sessions. Alfaro Media Design provided the live streaming service, which was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure public access to meetings when in-person attendance was limited. These live streams were broadcast on the City of Cherryville’s YouTube channel.
Council members expressed deep appreciation for Jhoan Alfaro’s professionalism and dedication. Council member Gary Freeman stated that while the city appreciated the service, it was time to discontinue the service. Alfaro acknowledged the council’s decision, stating that providing the service had been “a privilege.”
The discussion centered on balancing the benefits of increased accessibility with the financial and logistical realities of maintaining the service. Council members noted WNN livestreams the meetings at no cost to the city. The council also desires to encourage citizens to attend meetings in person. Mayor Beam expressed concern over the decline in citizen attendance since the pandemic.
Council members praised Alfaro’s technical skills and his ability to resolve technical difficulties. They also highlighted his contributions to other community events, such as American Legion baseball tournaments and the creation of city signage.
Ultimately, the council voted to discontinue the video recordings, with assurances that the decision was not a reflection of dissatisfaction with Jhoan Alfaro’s work but a return to pre-pandemic procedures.
Park and Road Safety Improvements
Council member Gary Freeman asked about the delivery of mulch for Ben Black Park, which City Manager Brian Dalton confirmed would occur within the week, addressing immediate park maintenance needs.
Additionally, the council discussed the progress of renovations at Ben Black Park, noting that two more pickleball courts had been installed, along with upgrades to the basketball court. The council expressed hope that these improvements would encourage greater use of the park, especially with the approaching warmer weather.
The council also addressed ongoing traffic safety concerns near the new Dollar Tree store on Highway 150. City Manager Brian Dalton and Police Chief Brandon Hunsucker discussed the possibility of a roundabout to mitigate traffic hazards, citing multiple accidents, including three wrecks, two being fatalities.
They emphasized the need for handling traffic, particularly given the high speeds of vehicles traveling on Highway 150. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) has indicated it will likely approve a speed limit reduction in the area, and the council is pursuing further discussions regarding the roundabout proposal.
Development and Museum Updates
Mayor Beam reported that True Homes had received some of the necessary permits to start their development on Highway 150. They are now required to submit a final plan to Zoning Director Richard Elam and receive staff approval before obtaining permits from the county to begin construction.
Mayor Beam noted ongoing improvements at the Cherryville Museum. But he mentioned that an anonymous individual contacted the county to try to stop the progress. The individual stated that the proper permits had not yet been completed. The city stated that they will continue to support the Museum Board in getting the issue resolved.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn, marking the end of a session marked by both community concerns and forward-looking discussions on city development.
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