By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

Orange City Council honored the West Orange Stark High School students participating in the Capital Hill Challenge ‘The Stock Market Game’ with their very own day.

May 9, 2017 was proclaimed Kendrick Harris, Paul Ivory, Jay’zn Robinson, and Davien Teate Day by Mayor Jimmy Sims.

“I was invited to the high school about a month ago to meet these gentlemen,” Sims said. “I was blown away with what they are doing. People say ‘just a football player’ but that is not true.”

The United States recognized April as Financial Literacy Month since 2003 and this year for the first time since the start of Congressional Stock Market Challenge, a team of four from the high school is participating in the challenge.

Council member Essie Bellfield said she was proud of the young men.

“Nothing is as important as education,” Bellfield said. “Let is soak into your mind and be somebody.”

The council also held the first reading for an ordinance amending the city’s official zoning map.

The Faith United Methodist Church is requesting property they own on MLK Drive be rezoned from R-3 High Density Residential to C-S Commercial-Special zoning.

A party is interested in purchasing the land contingent on the rezoning.

Director of Planning and Community Development Kelvin Knauf spoke to the council concerning adopting a plan for the construction of sidewalks, including any purchases of easements and placing trash receptacles along part of Sikes Road and part of Martin Luther King Drive.

The total amount for the project is $185,265. Federal and state funds would be $166,255 with the city local match at $19,010.

Other city expenses not covered by the grant for engineering and contingency is $49,165. The total city out of pocket will be $68,175.

Council also approved an agreement with Community Christian School for the use of the Orange Municipal Natatorium. The hours the school will use the pool will not interfere with the normal operating hours for the swimming area scheduled to reopen in June.