In a 3-2 vote, the Holly Springs Town Council approved awarding $13,400 in grants to community agencies at its June 1 meeting. Councilmen Chet VanFossen and Parrish Womble voted against the motion after funding for the town Rotary Club was not supported by other council members.

Both VanFossen and Womble are Rotary Club members. Other council members said the Rotary Club was not awarded a grant because it asked for funds for a project that did not directly benefit Holly Springs. The Rotary Club application asked for grant money for One Million Meals, a project that packages meals to be sent overseas.

“I thinks it’s an extraordinarily noble project, but it’s a project that helps people overseas,” said Councilwoman Linda Hunt Williams.

Womble said that the Rotary Club benefited Holly Springs by providing locals with scholarships and giving computers to needy children. Councilman Tim Sack said that the Rotary Club’s grant application asked for funds for the meals specifically. Councilman James Cobb said that he looked for grant money to stay in the Holly Springs community. VanFossen said the Rotary Club could use the funds for other projects.

“It’s punitive when you look at what the organization does as a whole,” VanFossen said. Council members suggested the Rotary Club resubmit its application. Town staff said grants could be awarded early next fiscal year.

Agencies receiving a $2,000 grant are the Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Pantry, Holly Springs Community Band, Holly Springs High School Band Boosters and Holly Springs High School PTSA. Agencies receiving a $1,500 grant are the Golden Hawks Club and the Holly Springs Arts Council. Agencies receiving a $500 grant are the Corporation for Education Partnerships, doing business as Southern Wake Academy; Holly Springs High School Cheerleading; Holly Springs High School Fine Arts Booster and Holly Springs Women’s Club. The Holly Springs Dance Co. is receiving a $400 grant.

As part of the public comment period earlier in the meeting, resident Van Crandall said he was concerned about using tax dollars to support the Holly Springs Arts Council. He said that Cobb, Mayor Dick Sears, VanFossen and Williams held a campaign event at the art council’s site before the last town council election. “Taken together, they create an appearance of potential impropriety on behalf of town government,” Crandall said.

In other meeting business, the council approved a transportation improvement plan amendment for New Hill Place, a future development off the G.B. Alford Hwy. The amendment affects how New Hill Place is to be connected with the bypass. Previously, an interchange bridge was included in the project; the state Department of Transportation recently determined that a super street layout would work instead, staff said. The development’s master plan was approved in May, 2008.

Sears complemented people who worked on the project, including the state, “for being reasonable in its decision” to allow a super street layout instead of a bridge over the bypass.

“This was a meeting with DOT that was very significant,” Sears said. “There’s a very big difference in what we had and what we saw tonight, and this makes this project viable. And, before that, it was sketchy at best, so I compliment all parties concerned.”

Also at the meeting, the council named appointments to fill four vacant positions on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. The council reappointed Kevin Adams, Kenneth Henke and Wanda Holloway. The council also appointed Kari A. McCloud, who will be new to the committee.

As part of its consent agenda, the council approved appropriating $105,000 for sludge removal and utilities for pump stations and paying $44,000 for the final Raleigh water capacity charges.

The council voted to approve amendments to the Holly Springs Parks and Recreation Policy Manual, which has not been updated since 2008. A staff document said most changes were minor in nature, and were designed to improve services and work flow. Numerous increases in Parks & Recreation fees and rates were included in the amendment.

The council also voted in favor of commercial sponsorships and community postings on HSTV-11, the town’s television station.

“We believe these changes will make the town’s government access channel more popular and interactive with the public while providing improved service,” a town document said.

The vote also changed the name of the department that manages external communications and includes the town clerk from “Governing Body” to the “Department of Public Affairs and Communications.” The council approved a waiver to allow for a minor (four-lot) subdivision for 1719 Avent Ferry Rd.