An outgoing member of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners is hoping the city will find a way to “permanently honor” a leading citizen who recently died.

In closing remarks by board members at the end of a meeting Thursday night, David Beal said he believed such a tribute is appropriate for Floyd E. “Flip” Rees, who succumbed to lingering illness on Nov. 9 at age 94.

Rees was known for revitalizing Mount Airy’s downtown area after opening F. Rees Clothing Co. there in 1946 as well as his business expertise in launching numerous other ventures. Yet many examples of the personal impact Rees had on local lives also have emerged since his death.

Beal offered one such story Thursday night during a period traditionally set aside for city commissioners to offer general comments about events in the community or, in this case, its special people.

Pointing out that Rees had died since the last time the board met, Beal recalled how — as a young agent with the State Bureau of Investigation freshly assigned to Surry County — the veteran merchant had made a lasting impression on him.

Beal told the audience that he arrived in Mount Airy in the late 1960s basically with the clothes on his back and earning a small salary. But Rees told Beal to come into his store, pick out whatever suits he needed and pay him whenever he could — without interest.

The veteran South Ward commissioner, who opted not to seek another term this year and will be replaced by Stephen Yokeley in December — said such individuals are rare and that Mount Airy should provide a fitting tribute for Rees’ contributions here.

Beal said he hopes the city will consider “some type of permanent honor” for Rees.

No actual suggestions were voiced Thursday night. But in other cases, notable local residents have been remembered with the naming of facilities such as bridges or highways in their honor.

New TDA Members

In other business Thursday night, the city commissioners approved three new members for the Mount Airy Tourism Development Authority (TDA), and the reappointment of a fourth.

The changes were necessitated due to recent events affecting members, according to a memo from City Manager Don Brookshire. He explained that those serving with the group, which promotes regional tourism using proceeds from an occupancy tax on local lodging establishments, must meet certain requirements.

Two members must be owners or operators of taxable tourism accommodations in the city; two are required to have experience in travel and tourism promotion; and two others must be selected by the chamber of commerce. The group also includes one member from the board of commissioners and the city’s finance director, who serves in an ex-officio capacity and is reappointed every year.

New members were needed since Vicki Snow resigned from her position with her employer, leaving a vacancy in the chamber category. Also, Zack Blackmon Jr. no longer is an owner of Hampton Inn, resulting in a void in the owner/operator category. Also, David Beal will be leaving the board of commissioners on Dec. 3.

Those appointed Thursday night include Trudy Willard, the manager of the new Holiday Inn Express, who was named to fill the unexpired term of Blackmon which ends in January 2011. Meanwhile, Blackmon, as a chamber member, was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Snow which runs to January 2012.

Commissioner Jon Cawley was appointed to replace Beal on the Tourism Development Authority and Finance Director John Overton was reappointed.

Upgraded Traffic Signals

The board also approved plans for updating the traffic signal arrangement at one of the city’s busiest intersections, Main and Pine Street at the Mount Airy Post Office corner.

For more than two years, a project has been under way to provide more decorative traffic signals at the intersection in conjunction with the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Downtown Mount Airy Inc., which promotes aesthetic and other improvements in the central business district, has committed $18,000 for the project in which present signal lights hanging from overhead wires will be removed. The lights will be relocated on standard galvanized-steel mast-arm poles.

The reason for the delay is that problems have occurred in obtaining a property easement from the post office so that a new support pole can be placed at the site.

“Frankly, this effort has been fruitless, with the Postal Service not returning phone calls and placing ridiculous requirements on the effort,” the city manager said in a memo. Brookshire added to those comments Thursday night upon bringing the matter to the board, saying it has been “impossible to deal with the Postal Service on this issue.

“You would think the DOT is trying to acquire the lobby of the post office rather than this small section of land,” the city manager added.

However, a solution has been identified — which the board approved Thursday night — whereby a “bulb-out,” basically a widening of the sidewalk, will be installed at the corner of the post office where a no-parking section now exists.

This will allow the new traffic-signal pole to be positioned within the existing right of way, eliminating the need for post office property, while also keeping the corner free of illegally parked vehicles.

It still will be months before the project can be completed, Brookshire said. “It takes about nine months to get a pole.” But the work will be coordinated so it won’t interfere with any events in the city next fall, he assured the board.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.