Apex sees budget increase, unveils new electric charging stations

Adam Mancini
Sports Editor

The charging station in downtown Apex

The town of Apex continues to grow at an impressive rate. Town Manager Bruce Radford has proposed a $38.9 million budget for the fiscal year, beginning on July 1, which would mark a $2.9 million increase over last year’s budget. Better yet, tax payers would not see an increase, as Apex would instead rely on the expectation of continued economic growth to pay for new town employees and features.

With the additional funds, spending would be focused on redesigning the town website, adding a weather station, a new sidewalk in Whitehall Manor, and new roofs on facilities in town parks. Additionally, the town would purchase around 24 new vehicles for the fire, police, street and environmental services, which would include 12 police cars, two motorcycles, and a fire rescue truck. The other major purchase would be the addition of six acres of land located behind Fire Station 3, which would cost about $683,500 and be used for future expansion or a training center.

Eight jobs would also be created: a fire training coordinator, two police lieutenants, a construction inspector, an environmental specialist, a code enforcement officer, a victims’ advocate and a street maintenance worker, adding $537,283 to the town’s annual operating budget.

But the changes don’t stop there. Apex also recently unveiled the state’s first free-charging electric car plug-in station on public property.  The town’s new Eaton DC Quick Charger can power the Tesla, the Nissan LEAF and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV to about 80 percent capacity in 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the battery size. The units are located in the public parking lot on Saunders Street, across from the police station behind Salem Street Promenade. Officials say they hope having the electric charging stations downtown will help spur further economic development in Apex.