Community Survey Will Measure Satisfaction with Services
The Town of Fuquay-Varina is conducting a town-wide, statistically valid community survey to measure satisfaction with major town services and gather input about issues facing the community. The results will enable Town leaders to assess the performance across many town departments and services and help inform budget development, guide management decisions, identify areas for improvement, and ensure the best possible customer experience. This is the first resident satisfaction survey since the early 2000s.
“We encourage everyone who receives an invitation to participate in the survey, which will be rolled out in November,” said Fuquay-Varina Mayor Blake Massengill. “We want to ensure the services we provide meet the expectations of our citizens, so we need to hear your opinions.”
Randomly selected households within Fuquay-Varina’s town limits will receive a letter to participate. In addition, citizens will have the option to participate by mail or online. Survey questions cover various topics, including public safety, parks and recreation, transportation, and economic development. Survey results will be presented to the Town Board in early 2023 and available on the Town’s website.
Our partner in this project is ETC Institute. This national firm has worked closely with local governments for more than 30 years to gather statistically valid and representative input from residents on a wide variety of issues and topics.
Speed, Safety and FVFD History Are Goals of New Fire Station #4
Fuquay-Varina established its first fire station in 1978. Over 40 years later, on September 28, officials from the Town of Fuquay-Varina and partner agencies in Wake County gathered to celebrate the start of construction on Fuquay-Varina Fire Station 4. The 16,000-square-foot station, located at 4821 Wade Nash Road, will house the Fuquay-Varina Fire Department and Wake County Emergency Medical Services.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Fuquay-Varina Mayor Blake Massengill welcomed several community leaders to the podium, including Deputy Chief Jim Jones, Senator Sydney Batch, Representative Erin Paré, and other distinguished guests.
The new facility is designed to meet the current needs of the community, anticipate future growth, prioritize firefighter safety, and honor the history of the FVFD.
In 2021, the FVFD responded to 5,115 emergency calls, making it the fourth busiest department in Wake County. This new station is expected to significantly reduce emergency response times in the Needmore community and all areas North and West of downtown Fuquay-Varina.
Mayor Massengill stressed the importance of partnerships throughout the planning process. “Partnerships and planning are essential to communities, and are the most effective use of tax dollars,” said Massengill. “I’m particularly proud that our town board, fire department, and Wake County have worked diligently to bring a state-of-the-art facility to Fuquay-Varina that will serve the needs of our citizens for years to come.”
As the first station in the county that utilized a policy of collaboration between the county and a municipality for new fire station construction, Fire Station 4 sets a precedent of partnership for future stations. Upon opening, the facility will be staffed with three firefighters and two paramedics. According to Wake County EMS Director Chris Colangelo, co-location is a cost-efficient framework that allows first responders to be in the right place at the right time.
Fire Station 4 will be a model for firefighter health and safety. The separate decontamination building will help to keep harmful cancer-causing products of combustion from entering the main building. Here, equipment and gear will be cleaned, and firefighters will shower and change clothes after returning from a fire.
Additionally, the facility will include a history room that highlights the FVFD’s rich history. The centerpiece will be a fully restored 1945 Mack truck, the first new fire truck bought by the Town of Fuquay Springs.
Wake County recently initiated an extensive recruitment campaign with the goal of increasing racial and gender diversity in the fire services. For the first time ever, selected recruits will receive a full salary and benefits while they train to become a certified firefighter through the 38-week training academy. This model has significantly increased and diversified the applicant pool. The FVFD is excited to welcome nine of the 30 new Wake County recruits to their stations at the conclusion of the academy.
“We have worked long and hard to get to this point,” said FVFD Deputy Chief Jim Jones. “To have the opportunity to hire people who aren’t certified and give them a start in their career, and to show off our decontamination building and history room when the station opens. All of that together…it’s going to be so rewarding.”
Station 4 is expected to be completed in late 2023.
First “Small Business Connect” a Successful Event for Local Entrepreneurs
The Town of Fuquay-Varina hosted its first-ever Small Business Connect event on Thursday, October 27 at the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center, sponsored by the Fuquay-Varina Economic Development Commission and Ting.
Small Business Connect served as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners by addressing how to start a business, operate a business in Fuquay-Varina, apply for small business loans, and more.
“The first Small Business Connect was a resounding success,” said Tiffany McNeill, Fuquay-Varina’s Economic Development Director and event organizer. “I am grateful for the participants, resource providers, and panelists who shared their knowledge. From providing employment opportunities to offering quality services, Fuquay-Varina is consistently rated as one of the best places to live in North Carolina thanks in part to our businesses.”
The event kicked off with remarks from Mayor Blake Massengill who shared his dedication to supporting Fuquay-Varina businesses, and appreciation for the 50 guests in attendance for considering investing in the community.
Representatives from Carolina Small Business Development Fund, Fidelity Bank, North State Bank, Thread Capital, and Wells Fargo educated participants on financing their businesses, and participants connected with business resource providers at the event.
The event concluded with a presentation from Dawn Booker, global marketing strategist, who shared her expertise on digital marketing and brand strategy.
The Town of Fuquay-Varina looks forward to engaging with new and existing businesses and assisting individuals through every step of starting and growing their businesses. To learn more about business development in Fuquay-Varina, visit BuildFV.org.
‘Tis the Season for Holiday Fun in Fuquay-Varina!
We think you’ll love all there is to see and do in Fuquay-Varina to bring family and friends together this holiday season. Whether you have little ones or teens, or you want to entertain the adults or seniors in your family, everyone will find something sure to ‘make the season bright!’ Find event details at www.Fuquay-Varina.org/HolidayEvents.
Christmas Tree Lighting and Sleigh Rides
The Town Tree Lighting will be Thursday, December 1, in the Fuquay Business District (205 S. Main Street) at 6:00 p.m. In addition to the tree lighting, there will be performances by local choral groups and an Artist Village. Santa Claus will be at the Fuquay Mineral Spring Park. Sleigh rides will be hosted by Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association and are ticketed.
Downtown Tacky Sweater Party
Everyone loves a tacky holiday sweater and the opportunity to support local businesses! Here’s your chance to do both! On Saturday, December 3, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Fuquay Business District, listen to the band Crush while enjoying food and beer trucks and shopping at local businesses. Then, enter the tacky sweater contest and win prizes!
Letters to Santa
Write your letter to Santa and drop it in the North Pole Express mailbox at Fuquay Mineral Spring Park (105 W. Spring Street) to ensure your message gets to Santa by Christmas! Look for the mailbox to be at the gazebo just before Thanksgiving.
Lights Display
The Fuquay Mineral Spring Park will be decorated with majestic lights after December 1. Citizens are invited to venture down to the park at 105 W. Spring Street any evening until 10 p.m. for self-guided tours. Lights will be up through early January.
Looking for Holiday Spirit? The Arts Center Is the Place to Be!
Since opening in March of 2019, the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center has been a hub of creative activity, curating a busy schedule of visual and performing arts classes and events. The theatre presents a wide variety of performing arts including theatre productions, concerts, movies and more; classes at the Center cover both the visual and performing arts with offerings for all ages, and the gallery at the Center features rotating exhibits of some of the best artists in our region. Needless to say, the Arts Center has proven to be a popular spot for meeting the creative and entertainment needs of the community.
While the Arts Center provides classes and theatrical entertainment year-round, it is a terrific place to embrace the warmth and community spirit of the holidays. The facility runs almost non-stop during the holiday season, offering a holiday concert by the Chorale and a community production of The Nutcracker.
The Fuquay-Varina Chorale is a large choral singing group that offers a holiday concert of secular and non-secular music. The concert celebrates many sounds of the season and is a popular offering in the Arts Center’s season. The Chorale’s 2022 holiday concert takes place on December 2 at 7:30 p.m. and December 3 at 3 p.m.
Celebrating its fourth annual production at the Arts Center, the community Nutcracker production offers performances on December 9 at 7 p.m. and performances at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on December 10. A cast of more than 60 young people participate in the holiday classic, giving it their own special twist. Our cast of young dancers use ballet, hip-hop, tap, and other dance forms to infuse the holiday classic with great energy and fun.
When the decorations are down and the caroling has ceased, you can still find plenty to do at the Arts Center. Classes, gallery exhibitions, workshops and dance programs will help you exercise your creative muscles, and the theatre season in the new year features returning performers as well as some wonderful new presentations: magician and mentalist Joshua Lozoff, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, Thursday Night Jazz with Christian Tamburr, and the Tanzania ZuZu Acrobats are just a few of the events making the Arts Center the place to be in 2023!
