As I write this letter, this is a beautiful, sunny morning in Rolesville. I think this is the best place to live. I hope everyone is well and staying healthy. There are a couple common questions that I have been asked when out and about town. First, what will Rolesville being doing about Halloween and what are we doing during the COVID-19 pandemic? The second question is about what is happening with the Rolesville Fire Department?
Rolesville is not planning any town sponsored activities for Halloween. My recommendation for any private or Church sponsored events; please ensure you can follow all the social distancing requirements for the safety of the attendees and especially our children. Two days ago, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services stated “celebrations should look very different this year in order to limit the spread of COVID-19”. Later this month, our town website will post some links to recommendations around COVID-19 as it relates to Halloween. I am confident that Rolesville families will do what is needed to keep their children safe.
Rolesville’s main zip code (27571) has 82 cases year to date, with most importantly, no deaths. Let’s all work together and keep it that way. A wholehearted thank you to the 8500 citizens and the couple thousand others that live in the Rolesville Community.
North Carolina continues to COVID-19 transition. This week Governor Cooper announced moving into Phase 3 which primarily allows the opening of bars with limitations and large event venues to hold in-person events with limitations. In addition, Wake County School District is finalizing their school schedule. With all of these actions, we now know our new “norm” for this Fall and Winter, unless there are needed modifications.
During the past six months, one service has continued without hesitation or modification. Our public safety services have been there for us and will continue to be an important essential service provided to our citizens and community. Historically, the Town of Rolesville has provided law enforcement services to the community while the Rolesville Rural Fire Department has provided fire services since 1958.
The Fire Department is a non-profit agency governed by the Rolesville Fire Department Board and is funded through Wake County and the Town of Rolesville. It provides fire services not only to the Town, but also the surrounding Wake County area. Rolesville’s population has significantly increased since the opening of the current fire station in 1980. Currently the Fire Department now serves more Rolesville homes than the county. As a result, the Fire Department grew in staffing and equipment. What once used to be an all-volunteer department is now a department that has both volunteers and paid employees. The Fire Department is transitioning from a rural Fire Department to a more urban focused Fire Department for each new home that is being built.
This summer, the Fire Department Board requested the Town convert full-time paid Fire Department employees to Town employees. The stated purpose of the request is for the full-time paid employees to have access to the State of North Carolina local government retirement pension plan. The retirement plan is not available to non-Town employees and the Fire Department Board believes this would be a valuable benefit to retain existing and future Fire department paid employees.
The Town Board agreed to jointly fund a study that would review this request and how best it could be implemented. Recently, North Carolina Fire Chief Consulting was engaged to complete a study and determine feasibility and implementation recommendations. In the next two months, initial findings will be made and presented. At that time both the Town Board and the Fire Department Board will determine interest in continuing to develop a plan that would work for both agencies.
This is an important time for our community to be future forward for our community. Planned Investment and Mindful Growth are Key Focus Areas in the Rolesville Strategic Plan. This study is being conducted with these areas in mind. Assuring continued quality Fire Services for Rolesville and the surrounding areas will be a most important goal over the next few months. At some point in the future, the Town of Rolesville will need to have its own Fire Department. The study will determine if that is needed now or still several years in the future. I encourage you to stay informed on this topic as it progresses.
Ronnie Currin
Mayor of Rolesville