BERMUDA RUN – The town council completed its work on the Comprehensive Plan with official approval of the five-year update coming in last Tuesday night’s meeting.

A public hearing, where no one spoke, was held before the unanimous vote by the council of the town’s vision for the future with major goals including character and identity, economic development and land use, and infrastructure and services.

The plan, unveiled in 2012, covers 20 years with implementation strategies prioritized according to public sentiment and cost.

Mayor Ken Rethmeier and council members commended the work done by the Planning Board, led by Christy Schafer, which served as the steering committee in the preparation along with Erin Burris of Benchmark Planning.

Several of the council members noted they could tell Bermuda Run was on the right track with its plan after attending the Piedmont Triad Tomorrow Summit for managers, planners, economic developers and other stakeholders the previous week.

“A lot of the things that we discussed there, kind of a vision for things we should be looking at in the Piedmont Triad area, are a lot of the things being done here,” said councilman Rick Cross. “It was energizing and a reinforcement of the work well done by the team.”

Councilman Mike Ernst added: “It really, in my mind, confirmed what an outstanding job the Planning Board has done. They were right on target with what we need to be doing and to listen to the things going on in these other towns that are going on in our town. It creates a road map for what we need for the future.”

• In other items on the agenda, Bryan Thompson was appointed to the planning board alternate member position previously held by Cross, who was named to the council earlier in the year to fill one of the vacancies.

The council decided to wait until the extensive work on the Comprehensive Plan was finished before finding a replacement.

Cross was one of three candidates vying for three seats on the council in the Nov. 7 municipal election. He was re-elected along with Ernst, who was also appointed to the council early this year to fill another vacancy, and newcomer Chris Fowler. All three will be sworn in at the Dec. 12 meeting.

Longtime council member Ed Coley said he struggled with his decision but ultimately decided not to seek a fourth term on the council. However, as the election drew closer, he admitted to being disappointed that he did not run and almost pursued a write-in campaign at the end.

“Just so you’ll know guys,” Coley said, “if you’re running unopposed virtually, I was within a mouse click of getting elected on a write-in vote. I had already addressed the email to like a hundred people, and you know, I came to my senses, and I didn’t hit the send button.”

Rethmeier said that Coley would be missed along with his “substantial contributions” to the town over the years.

In other items, the council:

• Recognized Brian Williams, town attorney, for winning a seat on the Mocksville Town Council after he finished second in the balloting in the Nov. 7 municipal election.

• Praised the early work of Jason Robertson, who was recently brought on as the town’s new community officer.