News Releases

For additional information, please contact Communications Specialist Gerald Ostlund at 910-692-7021.

CHRISTMAS TREE BURN DEMONSTRATION
In an effort to raise awareness about the potential dangers of neglecting Christmas tree maintenance, The Town of Southern Pines Fire & Rescue Department is collaborating with the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal, North Carolina Safe Kids and Lowe’s Home Improvement of Southern Pines to host a Christmas tree burning demonstration. The event will take place at Station 82, located at 7850 NC 22 Hwy Southern Pines, NC 28387, on December 8th, commencing at 10 am. Read full news release.

TOWN COUNCIL TO APPOINT RESIDENT TO VACANT SEAT
The Town of Southern Pines is accepting applications for appointment to the Town Council. The selected resident will serve the remaining two years of Taylor Clement's term until the election of 2025. "Serving on the Town Council has been an enormous privilege," noted Mayor-elect Taylor Clement. "If you share my love for Southern Pines, serving on the Council is the ultimate way to give back to the community.” Applications are being accepted through Friday, December 15 by the Town Clerk. Town Council will review the applications and decide on a process and timeline to proceed. Read full news release.

NEW ADDITION OF "CANINE CUBBY" TO MARTIN DOG PARK
The winter 2023 class of the Moore County Leadership Institute (MCLI) has collaborated with the Town of Southern Pines to bring a heartwarming addition to the local community: a "Canine Cubby" donation shed at Martin Dog Park. The "Canine Cubby" is designed to function like a food pantry. The community-supported cubby helps pet owners in need by providing access to new or gently used pet supplies, toys, and food for their furry companions. Read full news release.

RESERVOIR PARK INCLUDED IN 2023 AMBIENT LAKES MONITORING PROGRAM
Reservoir Park is part of this year's Ambient Lakes Monitoring Program (ALMP) led by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. ALMP inspections are routine and completed on a 5-year rotating schedule across the state. Reservoir Park is one of about 160 lakes included in the ALMP rotation. Park visitors may see staff from the department's Water Resources division this summer. Read full news release

TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES MASTER PLAN FOR WHITEHALL AT RESERVOIR PARK
On Tuesday, May 9th, the Southern Pines Town Council gave their unanimous approval to the master plan for "Whitehall at Reservoir Park." During a public hearing, Assistant Town Manager Jessica Roth and Parks & Recreation Director Cindi King emphasized the plan's focus on providing passive recreation opportunities while also protecting the longleaf pine forest and red-cockaded woodpecker habitats. Read full news release

TOWN COUNCIL SCHEDULES PUBLIC HEARING ON WHITEHALL MASTER PLAN
The Southern Pines Town Council will host a public hearing on the Whitehall master plan on Tuesday, May 9th at 6pm in the E.S. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave. Town staff will present the recommended master plan for enhancing Whitehall to provide public passive recreation. Read full news release

SOUTHERN PINES EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS FOR YMCA FACILITY
The Town of Southern Pines is suspending any further formal action to convey approximately 8.4 acres of property to the YMCA of the Sandhills and will instead evaluate other suitable locations. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES TOWN COUNCIL CONDEMN HATRED AND DISCRIMINATION
At their February 14, 2023 meeting, the Town Council unanimously adopted a resolution that condemns all forms of discrimination and bias. The Town affirms that all individuals should be treated with respect and we recognize the value and contributions of all. Read full resolution.

SOUTHERN PINES RECEIVES GRANT TO HIRE SIX ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on February 15 that the Southern Pines Fire Department (SPFD) has been awarded a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) Grant. The grant totals $1,101,559.20 and will be distributed to the Town over three years in order to help pay for the expenses to hire six additional firefighters. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES FIREFIGHTERS RECOGNIZED FOR LIFE-SAVING ACTIONS
Multiple personnel from the Southern Pines Fire & Rescue Department were recognized for actions they took on July 4, 2022 that saved the life of a female resident whose house caught fire in the middle of the night. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES AWARDED $75,000 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GRANT TO STUDY AND DOCUMENT HISTORIC WEST SOUTHERN PINES ASSETS
The National Park Service has awarded the Town of Southern Pines a $75,000 Underrepresented Community Grant. Southern Pines was the only municipality in North Carolina to receive this grant and will use it to help survey and document important historic assets in the West Southern Pines community. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES FIRE DEPARTMENT EARNS IMPROVED ISO RATING
After completing a rigorous inspection by the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Southern Pines Fire Department's ISO classification has improved to a Class 2 within the town limits. The ISO is an independent score that helps to determine how the fire department is doing against ISO standards and its ability to protect the community. The ISO rating is one factor that determines property insurance costs and this improved rating could help Southern Pines residents and businesses see lower premiums. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES TO HOST COMMUNITY IDEAS EXCHANGE WORKSHOP
The Town of Southern Pines is hosting a Community Ideas Exchange Workshop on Tuesday, September 20th at the E.S. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. The workshop is one of the first community-wide engagement events for the update to the Town’s Comprehensive Long Range Plan (CLRP).  The interactive event will include various stations where community members can engage in planning activities and discussions which are designed to gather public feedback and ideas about the future of Southern Pines. Read full news release.

SOUTHERN PINES RECOGNIZED FOR 31 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Town of Southern Pines for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year which ended on June 30, 2021. The GFOA Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. 
Read full news release. 

SOUTHERN PINES SEEKS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FOR CLRP ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Town of Southern Pines has recently launched the process to update its Comprehensive Long-Range Plan (CLRP). The current plan was originally adopted in 2010, with an update in 2016, and guides policy decisions and future land uses. It also establishes both a long-term vision for the community and helps inform decisions on individual development proposals. Read full news release.  

SOUTHERN PINES CURBSIDE GLASS RECYCLING ENDS JUNE 30TH
As of July 1, 2022, the Town of Southern Pines will no longer collect glass in the curbside recycling bins. This change is due to the increasing costs and challenges of processing glass. With this change, the final recycling collection that may contain glass will be the last week of June. If glass is observed in the curbside bin after July 1, the hauler will not empty the bin and will instead tag the bin for the customer to either remove the glass or dispose of all the items in bags for collection in the garbage bin. Read full news release.   

SOUTHERN PINES NAMES MIKE CAMERON SECOND ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
The Town of Southern Pines adopted its FY 22-23 budget during the Town Council meeting on June 14. As part of his recommended budget, Town Manager Reagan Parsons shared with Council his intent to add a second Assistant Town Manager (ATM) to the management team by promoting current Fire Chief Mike Cameron. Cameron’s transition will take effect on July 1 with the beginning of the new fiscal year. Read full news release.    

SOUTHERN PINES ADOPTS 2022-2023 BUDGET AND HOLDS PROPERTY TAX RATE
Following a series of public hearings and a budget retreat with senior staff, the Southern Pines Town Council voted June 14 to approve the FY 2022-2023 budget. The general fund budget is balanced at $24,764,819, which represents an increase of approximately $1.5 million from the amended FY 21-22 budget. Along with the budget, Council also voted to hold the property tax rate at $0.40 for the sixth consecutive year. Read full news release.     

SOUTHERN PINES APPOINTS BETH ROBERTSON AS NEW TOWN CLERK
The Southern Pines Town Council appointed a new Town Clerk, Beth Robertson, during its meeting on February 2, 2022. Robertson has worked for the Town since January 2015 and was appointed Deputy Town Clerk last spring. She has been serving as the Interim Town Clerk since the position was vacated last fall. Read full news release.   

SOUTHERN PINES HONORS TOWN STAFF WITH SERVICE AWARDS
Town of Southern Pines employees recently gathered to recognize staff members who achieved a service award during 2021. The Town’s annual service awards program honors those individuals who achieved a five-year increment of service over the past year to the Southern Pines community. Read full news release.