Chief Barry Graham to Retire After More Than 30 Years of Service

Huntersville Police Department Chief Barry Graham will retire Sept. 1, 2025, after more than 30 years of service. When Chief Graham retires, Assistant Chief Brian Vaughan will be promoted and begin serving as Chief of the Huntersville Police Department. Graham said there is no doubt in his mind that Assistant Chief Vaughan is more than prepared to have “Assistant” dropped from his title.

“He is absolutely prepared to do that, today if need be,” Graham said. “We’ve had a great relationship throughout the years, and I’ve intentionally exposed him to absolutely everything I have to do as Chief. That way when I walk out on a Friday, and he walks in on a Monday, the transition will be seamless. When you’re able to prepare someone so well to take over for you after your last day, it’s one of the things that really makes you feel like you did something right in your career.”

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NCDOT to Temporarily Close Gilead Road Bridge Over I-77

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will temporarily close the Gilead Road Bridge over I-77 to work on the diverging diamond interchange. Contractors report work will begin on Friday, May 2, 2025 at 9 p.m. through Monday, May 5, 2025 at 6 a.m. Drivers will not be able to access the Gilead Road Bridge during this time. Please follow detour signs and drive slowly while crews are at work.

New Street Names in Downtown Huntersville

With the completion of Main Street improvements in downtown Huntersville, Main Street now ties into two new roundabouts on N.C. 115; one at Fourth Street and one at Mount Holly-Huntersville Road. The creation of the new North and South roundabouts improves traffic flows and created a street naming need. Sections of Main Street are no longer touching Main Street. In an effort to reduce confusion, improve wayfinding, and address emergency response, Huntersville has renamed these sections. The Town has chosen the new names based on the Mecklenburg County guidelines that limit redundancies throughout the entire County.

The former section of N. Main Street will be Thread Lane, and the former section of S. Main Street will be Combs Lane. 

Mecklenburg County is notifying affected residents that the new names go into effect on May 1, 2025.  

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Let's Talk Budget!

The Town of Huntersville is offering multiple chances to provide feedback on the proposed budget for next fiscal year. Following the presentation of the manager's recommended budget during the May 6 Town Board meeting, the Town will hold two public input sessions ahead of the budget public hearing on May 20.

Join us May 12 at Primal Brewery at 6 p.m. for our "Brew on the Budget" event, or on May 19 at Town Hall at 6 p.m. for our "Budget Bites" event. During Brew on the Budget, we invite residents to grab a drink and join us for a brief presentation and in-depth discussion about the proposed budget. At Budget Bites, we will serve food and invite residents to enjoy the same presentation and conversational opportunities we offer at Brew on the Budget. Registration for these events is requested, but not required. Register here.

Town of Huntersville Wins Excellence in Communications Award

The Town of Huntersville was among 27 North Carolina jurisdictions to earn recognition in the North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C) 2025 Excellence in Communications Awards. The Town of Huntersville won first place in the website category for its recently redesigned website.

The awards were announced on April 10, 2025, during NC3C’s annual conference. 179 award program entries from 47 different local government organizations were judged by professional communications peers from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.

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Town of Huntersville Communications Manager Named NC3C Communicator of the Year

The North Carolina City and County Communicators (NC3C) announced its top individual honors for 2025 during the organization's annual conference in Asheville on April 10. Ethan Smith, Communications Manager for the Town of Huntersville, was named the NC3C Communicator of the Year, and Catherine Lazorko, longtime municipal communications leader and NC3C founding member, was awarded the Chris Coulson Lifetime Achievement Award.

These awards are named in honor of Chris Coulson, a founding member of NC3C who played a pivotal role in establishing the organization in 2007 before passing away later that year following a battle with cancer. The Communicator of the Year Award honors an individual who has made a significant impact in their role during the past year, demonstrating outstanding leadership, creativity, and strategic communication.

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Decisions from the Dais

The Town Board of Commissioners voted in April to approve lowering the speed limit in some areas of Northcross Drive and Stumptown Road to make the speed limit consistent for the entire length of the road. Previously, along Northcross Drive/Stumptown Road there were three different speed limits, 35 mph, 40 mph, or 45 mph.  A portion of Stumptown Road is maintained by the Town and a portion by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).  The speed limit on all of Northcross Drive/Stumptown Road will now be 35 mph, with the exceptions of two school zones around Grand Oaks Elementary and Saint Mark Catholic School will be 25 mph during designated hours.