Statesville City Manager November 2025 Update to City Council

At the November 3, 2025, City Council meeting, City Manager Ron Smith shared updates on major infrastructure projects, ongoing community improvements, and staff highlights across the City of Statesville.

🎥 Watch the full City Council Meeting or review a summary of updates from Ron below:

Wastewater Treatment Plant Capacity Updates

Ron Smith began with an overview of the Third Creek and Fourth Creek Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP), including capacity analyses and current development activity.

• Third Creek WWTP: Current average daily flow is 0.87 MGD, or 14.5% of plant capacity. The facility has 1.571 MGD in working regulatory flow and 1.968 MGD in future flows, representing 59% of regulatory capacity when built out.
• Fourth Creek WWTP: The plant’s average daily flow is 3.38 MGD (56.3% of capacity), with 3.79 MGD in working regulatory flow and 1.277 MGD in future flows. At full regulatory buildout, the plant would reach 84.5% of capacity.
• A comparison with NC DEQ records shows Statesville’s total system flow at 5.36 MGD, closely matching the state’s 5.42 MGD figure, confirming consistency between City and state data.

Major Capital & Infrastructure Projects

Statesville Regional Airport Terminal

The Airport Terminal Building remains on track for a soft completion in December 2025, with metal panels for the lobby and exterior columns delayed until early February 2026. City officials recently met with representatives from NCDOT and Aviation to review grant statuses and future plans.

Police Department Expansion & Parking Garage

• Crane operations for the new parking deck are scheduled to finish by the end of November, followed by storm drain installation on Tradd Street. The road is expected to reopen by mid-December.
• Substantial completion for the parking garage is projected for March 31, 2026, while the Police Department expansion is estimated for August 28, 2026.
• Upcoming work includes preparation of slabs and the start of interior renovations the week of November 17.

Fire Station 5

Engineering has completed both site and home renovation plans, marking an important step toward the development of the new station.

Municipal Operations Center

Planning diagrams shared during the presentation outline the site’s future layout, including designated areas for storage buildings, employee parking, and roadway improvements.

Parks & Recreation Updates

• Kimbrough Park – Playground installation is complete, and a new shelter kit is expected to arrive this month.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Park – Four new pickleball courts are nearing completion. Crews have poured concrete and are installing fencing this week. Surfacing and nets will follow in November, with a final walkthrough scheduled for November 17.
• Newtonville Park & Civic Center – Site planning is underway for Newtonville upgrades, while audio-visual replacements at the Civic Center include new mounted projectors and screens in each great hall room.

Public Works & Utilities

• Sidewalk Projects – The Alexander and Stockton Streets sidewalk project walkthrough is scheduled for this week, with construction expected to begin within two weeks. Fence and wall work at the Flats has been delayed due to soft soil conditions.
• Waterline Spline Project – Construction has progressed to Stockton Street and Brevard Street, with the interstate crossing now complete. Crews have also connected to the Water Treatment Plant extension and Carolina Avenue.
• Pipe installation has passed Iredell Memorial Hospital and continues south along Brookdale Drive.
• To date, the City has received $2.96 million in reimbursements—14.8% of the total $20 million grant-funded project.
• South Yadkin Pump Station – New pumps are installed, with startup testing scheduled for early November. Once validation is complete, the station will reach substantial completion and serve as a fully functional secondary water supply.
• Outage Management System (OMS) – The new system will provide real-time outage maps and text notifications. The launch is planned for December 2025, and residents are encouraged to update contact information by calling 704-878-3564 or visiting the City website.

Community Development

Ron Smith shared insights into infill housing growth since 2020:

• Approximately 425 new single-family homes and 4 multi-family buildings have been built within the City, representing a combined permit value of $85.5 million and generating an estimated $442,807 in additional annual tax revenue.
• Based on comparisons between permit values, tax assessments, and sale prices, infill development may have increased the local tax base by as much as $120 million over the past five years.

City Operations & Staff Highlights

Key Dates

• Retirement Party: November 17, 2025 Twisted Oak (3:30–5:30 PM)
• Staff Thanksgiving Luncheon: November 19, 2025 Civic Center (11:30 AM–1:00 PM)
• New Member Orientation: November 20, 2025 City Hall
• Thanksgiving Holiday: November 27–28, 2025

Open Positions

Current openings include Group Fitness Instructor, Assistant Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (Special Olympics), Skilled Laborer – Water Maintenance, Landscaping/Groundskeeper, MEO I – Sanitation, Police Officer, and part-time Recreation Attendant.

Employee Promotions & Transfers

• Fire Department: Amanda Trotter promoted to Senior Firefighter.
• Police Department: Jeffrey Porter promoted to Master Police Corporal; Devin Schenz to Master Police Sergeant.
• Statesville Public Power: Coty Rosenbaum promoted to Electric Line Designer I.
• Airport: Frederick Jetter advanced to full-time Airport Line Service Technician.
• Public Utilities: Thomas Foss promoted to MEO II; Marcus Ortega to Water Treatment Plant Operator C.

Career Development

• Public Utilities: Taylor Dixon-Bolton and Lewis Holler earned Level I Collections Certification; Eric Moten earned Level IV Collections Certification.
• Public Power: Corey Bustle and Ryan Chapman earned Lineworker Level IV Certifications.

New Hires

The City welcomes:

• City Administration: Sherisha Hills, Assistant City Manager
• Finance: Michael Garrison, Budget Management Analyst
• Fire Department: Selma Estero, Firefighter
• Public Works: Richard Michael Pope, MEO II; Lori Battle, Waste Collector
• Public Utilities: Michelle Davis, Administrative Associate; Mario Sclarandis, Deputy Director (FY26 Budget)
• Police Department: Yandery Mariela Manzanares Estrada, Police Records Specialist
• Planning Department: Erika Martin, Planning & Development Director

View the full presentation here

Read all City Manager updates to City Council here