Frequently Asked Questions

The Dowd Center Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Monroe on Main Street. You can’t miss the marquee that was fully restored from its original design as part of the renovations.

120 S Main Street
Monroe, NC 28112

View the Google Map for location details.

Downtown Monroe has nearly 350 on-street, two-hour parking spaces within walking distance of the Dowd Center Theatre. The spaces are governed by two-hour time limits, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Parking laws are strictly enforced.

In addition, downtown Monroe has more than 1,000 parking spaces in public parking lots for visitors planning to spend more time in the area.

Call 704-282-4500 for more information regarding city parking policies.

View the Downtown Monroe Parking Map (PDF) for more details.

For general inquiries and event information, please call 704-282-4577 or email the Dowd Center Theatre.

Wheelchair access is available in the orchestra and mezzanine sections. The theatre does not have an elevator; consequently, there is no wheelchair access to the balcony. You can call the box office for additional assistance or more information.

For ticketing related questions (lost confirmation emails, exchanging between days, adding a ticket, or upgrading), please reach out to our ticketing partner, EventSprout.

The City Attorney is appointed by and reports to the City Council.

The Monroe City Attorney's Office does not represent individuals in private legal matters and cannot provide legal advice to individuals. Attorneys in this office represent the City of Monroe's elected officials and staff, City Departments, and the City's boards and commissions.

Our office cannot refer you to a specific attorney or endorse any attorney in private practice. However, if you are in need of legal representation for a private matter, you may call the North Carolina Lawyer Referral Service at 800-662-7660 to obtain a referral.

The City Of Monroe Natural Gas Department can be contacted at 704-282-4600. If the smell of natural gas is strong, call 911.

Trees enhance the beauty of our neighborhoods, add value to properties, and provide cool shade during the summer months. However, trees growing too close to overhead power lines can threaten your safety and cause power outages, especially during high winds and ice storms.

State law requires excavators to call the North Carolina One Call Center (NC One Call) at 811 before beginning any excavation work. This is a free service. When an excavator locate request is received by NC One Call, utilities have three working days from 11:59 of the next business day to mark their underground facilities.

Please contact Energy Services Engineering Department at 704-282-4600 to find out about having a street light installed.

To request maintenance of street lights and area lights or to report an outage please contact the City of Monroe Customer Service Department at 704-282-4600 or report an outage.

Please contact Energy Services at 704-282-4600 or report an outage.

You may call Customer Service at to apply for an area light 704-282-4600) and an Engineering Technician will contact you and make an appointment to discuss the monthly rate information. The City of Monroe may need to have access to get a line truck on the property. If the customer has a fence, then the gate will need to be a minimum of 12 feet in order for the line truck to enter.

The City of Monroe will need to prepare an actual cost estimate for the new underground line. Please contact the Energy Services Engineering Department to schedule an appointment at 704-282-4600.

The Customer Service Department can assist with establishing new utility accounts. You can contact them at 704-282-4511 or by email. Also, you can stop by the Customer Service Department at 201 E Windsor Street in Monroe.

All Monroe Fire Department firefighters are trained to handle medical emergencies. In many cases, the fire department may be able to respond to a medical emergency and arrive on the scene before the ambulance. The arrival of firefighters in the fire engine allows them to provide emergency medical care much more quickly and helps to ensure that firefighters are ready to answer other emergency situations that may occur. The next emergency call could occur before the firefighters can return to their fire station.

Because the firefighters work a 24-hour shift, they often eat at the fire station. The firefighters prepare and eat their meals as a group, just as many families do. Before the preparation, the menu must be selected and the food purchased at the grocery store. The firefighters pay for their food out of their own pockets.

There are many reasons that more than one fire truck may respond to an emergency call. There are several different types of fire trucks that firefighters use to answer emergency calls. An emergency such as a fire in a business may require as many as seven fire trucks and 25 firefighters to extinguish the fire. The fire trucks are important because they not only provide transportation for the firefighters, but they also carry certain equipment that may only be found on a particular type of fire truck. Not all fire trucks carry the same equipment. The expense of outfitting each fire truck with the equipment to handle every potential emergency is not cost effective. Each fire truck is specially equipped, and the crew assigned to it are trained to use that equipment.

The fire department blocks traffic lanes for the safety of emergency response personnel and the patients that we are assisting during the incident. Blocking extra lanes ensure that firefighters are safe while they are removing equipment such as the “jaws of life” from the fire trucks.

Emergency calls represent only a small amount of the work of Monroe firefighters. The number of fires has decreased within our community due to a variety of factors that include improvements in construction, a greater public awareness of the risk factors, and changes in the fire and building codes. While the number of fires has decreased, the demand for emergency medical care has increased.  The emergency medical calls include illnesses, accidents in the home or workplace, and vehicle crashes. Other calls for emergency response involve hazardous materials incidents, technical rescues, response to fire alarms, and calls for other public service needs. Firefighters spend much of their time maintaining equipment, training for various emergency response situations, and conducting emergency response planning of businesses and industries in the community. Firefighters also conduct fire safety and public education events.

Smoke alarms will begin to chirp as the batteries no longer have adequate power. The batteries provide the primary power source in battery-operated smoke alarms and are the backup power source in electric smoke alarms. It is important that the battery is replaced in all smoke alarms at least one time per year. In homes with more than one smoke alarm, each smoke alarm may be connected to the other so that when one alarm activates, all of the smoke alarms in the home activate and alarm as well. Do not remove the battery to silence the chirping unless you have replacement batteries for all of the smoke alarms. You can also purchase smoke alarms with batteries that last for 10 years. You will need to replace these smoke alarms after 10 years. The City of Monroe Fire Department does offer assistance with smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and batteries. Please fill out to our Smoke Alarm Request form. If your smoke alarm begins to sound a constant alarm, please evacuate your home and call 911 as quickly as possible.

Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement and attic. Larger homes may require additional smoke alarms to provide a minimum level of protection.

Always keep a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan has cooled. 

• Never pour water on a cooking pan grease fire.
• Never discharge a portable fire extinguisher into a grease fire; it will spread the fire.
• When in doubt, just get out!  When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.  After you leave, call 911 from a cell phone or a neighbor’s telephone.

Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry, and metal from the burned area. These can hide underlying burns and retain heat, thereby increasing skin damage.

Treat a burn right away by putting it in cool water for three to five minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Do not apply creams, ointments, sprays, or other home remedies.

Go to your local emergency room, call 911, or see your doctor if the burn is:

• on the face, hands, feet, major joints, or genital area and/or bigger than the injured person's palm
• white, tight, dry (leathery), or painless
• caused by chemicals or electricity
• causing difficulty breathing

See your doctor as soon as possible if the burn:

• does not heal in two to three days
• becomes foul smelling
• develops thick drainage, redness, or swelling
• causes a fever
• results in a large blister, wet weepy wound, and/ or severe pain.

Open burning in the City of Monroe is prohibited by local ordinance. However, application for a burning permit will be considered for the following:

• Campfires, outdoor barbecues, wood bonfires on festive occasions, and open burning for land clearing under certain conditions.
• Burning permits will not be issued for:
• Building or demolition materials
• Wood pallets
• Paints
• Household chemicals
• Tires and other rubber products
• Paper and cardboard
• Wire
• Treated, painted, or finished wood
• Plastics
• Garbage
• Asphalt materials

No permit will be issued for the burning of yard waste, such as leaves, brush, dead wood, tree cuttings, and weeds where public pickup service is available.

For more information, view our Garbage & Recycling page. 

To apply for a burning permit, contact Fire Administration at 704-282-4726.

The Monroe Fire Department conducts a hiring process once a year. Applications are kept on file for 1 year.

Those that complete an employment interest form which can be found at the bottom of our Fire Home page will be notified when the hiring process opens up.

The hiring process for the Monroe Fire Department consist of several steps.

1. Complete an online application through the City of Monroe Human Resources webpage.
2. Select and attend a written exam test date, there you will be given a "Monroe Fire Department Information Packet".
3. Complete the "Monroe Fire Department Information Packet" and return it by the stated deadline.
4. Employment interviews.
5. Pre-employment physical and drug test. This is scheduled by the City of Monroe Human Resource Department.

Union County is served by many fire departments. Along Old Charlotte Highway the city limits of Monroe stops and the county limits begin, so in this 4-mile stretch of road you will see City of Monroe Fire Station 4 at 3907 Old Charlotte Highway and Bakers Volunteer Fire Department at 4425 Old Charlotte Highway.

It’s a high-security box system designed to give firefighters and emergency services immediate access to locked buildings, elevators, and other secured areas.

Installation of a KNOX BOX on your property will not only allow firefighters faster access in case of an emergency but will also prevent expensive forcible entry should emergency services be required while the premises are unoccupied. Costly front doors and entry ways needn’t be harmed if entry keys are available on-site!

Following your purchase of a KNOX BOX from the factory, you will mount it securely on the exterior of your building; attractive recessed-mount models are available. All necessary access keys will be locked inside by a representative of the fire department; only the fire department’s master key can open the box. The KNOX BOX gives the fire department a simple alternative to expensive, time-consuming forcible entry.

Security has always been a KNOX strong point. Designed for maximum protection, each virtually indestructible box features a special high-security Medeco lock and key. This Medeco restricted locking system guards against unauthorized key duplication. Keys aren’t even available to locksmiths or lock distributors -- only The KNOX Company can supply these keys! The KNOX BOX system offers maximum security at every step. The department has an exclusive key code. All KNOX BOX stations in that city are keyed alike, and only the fire department has master keys.

Strict security control is maintained by allowing only fire departments to authorize the purchase of each KNOX BOX. An authorized fire department official, whose signature is on file at the factory, must approve the order. After verifying the signature, the Knox box is shipped directly to you. Each KNOX BOX is shipped without keys, locked in an open position, and ready for mounting.

Each KNOX BOX is shipped with complete mounting instructions; however, your fire department will assist you in choosing a proper location for mounting. After installation is completed, the fire department will conduct an inspection of the installation and lock building keys inside the box. As soon as building keys are locked inside the box, it is ready to provide immediate access to emergency personnel 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Adopt-a-Street is a community-wide program that encourages citizens to help reduce litter. Participants agree to pick up litter from their adopted street at least four times per year. The City of Monroe will provide bags and vests. The City will also provide signs on your street in recognition of your litter-reduction efforts.

• Participants must register with project coordinator for the Adopt-a-Street program by calling 704-282-4565.
• The project coordinator will designate the street(s) available for adoption.
• Any local community organization, business, or individual less than 16 years old requires adult supervision.
• The agreement form must be approved, signed and dated.
• Large groups should be divided into teams of eight or fewer members.
• All participants should review safety rules and guidelines.
• The project coordinator will provide information on garbage disposal.
• Participants are encouraged to recycle.
• A street sign noting the program and the participant's name will be posted in the area.

The project will be monitored by the project coordinator. After each cleanup, adopting groups must file a report detailing the number of people involved, number of bags of litter and recyclables, and hours involved.

Your bill is determined by your actual usage and will vary due to circumstances such as changes in the weather, etc.

Your bill is due upon receipt but is not considered late unless you do not pay by the "Due Date" printed on your bill. If your payment is not received in our office on or before this date, a late charge will be added to your account.

The rate for natural gas is based on the current market, or what the City pays for the gas from our suppliers, and is subject to monthly changes due to changes in the market price.

Turn off everything in your house that would use water. Make sure you don't have any toilets filling up. Go out to your water meter box and lift the lid, if the water meter is still registering usage, you know you are losing water somewhere.

The City will adjust sewer charges on a customer's account when they fill a swimming pool/hot tub only if the consumption is 10,000 gallons or more and if it is verified that the swimming pool drains and filter backwash does not discharge to the sewer system. A maximum of one adjustment per year is allowed. It is the customer's responsibility to read the water meter before starting to fill the pool, read it again when finished filling, and call these readings in to the Customer Service Division. The amount of the calculated usage will be adjusted on the sewer charges.

The sanitary sewer, or wastewater system, is the collection of pipes, pumps, and manholes that collect and transport sewer from homes, businesses and industries to the City's wastewater treatment plant. This system is separate from the storm water system that transports rainfall runoff from streets and parking lots.

The City's sewer system (mainlines and manholes) are typically located in the public right-of-way, streets, or in public utility easements. The "service connection" for each customer is the pipe that extends from the City main or manhole to the property line of the customer. This "service connection" pipe is installed and maintained by the City at the customer's expense. The customers "building connection" pipe is usually installed by the homebuilder and extends from the "service connection" at the property line to the building or home being served. The following diagram illustrates these items.

The most common causes of sewer blockages are structural damages to pipes, grease accumulation, or roots that have penetrated into the sewer lines. Heavy rainfall can also be a cause of sewer blockages.

The City is responsible for maintaining the sewer system mainlines and manholes located in the public right-of-way, streets, or in public utility easements. If a sewer blockage occurs in these lines, the City will respond to correct. Property owners and customers are responsible for maintaining an "open flow path" from the building sewer connection, through the sewer service connection, to the sewer mainline or manhole. Further information can be found in the City's Sewer Use Ordinance.

The air show goes on—rain or shine.

Gates open at 9 am and close after the show.

Flying begins around 12:30 each day.  Flying schedules are dependent upon the weather and the planes and are always subject to change.

Yes, weather permitting.

Tickets at the gate cost $20 for adults, $5 for veterans, $15 for age 12 to 18, and under 12 are free.

It's free.

Parking is available in nearby fields and business lots.

Follow the signs and directions of the volunteers.

Buses will transport spectators from designated bus stops to the entry gates.

There is limited handicap parking near the airport. Once full, the lot will become a handicap drop-off and pick-up point.

Lawn chairs.

No. Coolers are not permitted.

No beverages can be brought through the gates.

Yes. Make sure you receive a hand stamp when you exit.

No. For the safety of all our spectators, these items will not be allowed on the show grounds.

No. General admission tickets allow you to sit in the available open space.

There's no shade. Spectators are encouraged to plan accordingly.

Service dogs are permitted at the show. Otherwise, no pets are allowed.

Yes, cameras are allowed and encouraged. Drones are not allowed. 

There is no smoking allowed inside the gates.

No weapons are allowed inside the gates.

View Monroe Hotels.

Contact our show organizers.

The City of Monroe collects leaves that are piled behind the curbs of homes within the City limits from November to February. The City is divided into five sections for leaf collection. You can find your section here. 

Crews will collect loose leaves with leaf trucks. Residents are asked to pile their loose leaves behind the curb within two weeks of crews coming to your neighborhood. The pickup timeframe is subject to change due to weather or large volume. 

To find your section - please refer to the Loose Leaf Collection Section Map (PDF).

You should not bag your loose leaves for loose leaf collection. Your leaves should be piled behind the curb, and not in the street. 

You always have the option of bagging leaves year-round and it will be collected on your normal trash collection date. 

Loose leaf collection will not happen during heavy rain or other types of severe or inclement weather. This is for the safety of the drivers and the equipment. 

The City of Monroe Water Resources Department is required to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule. Such revisions require utilities to maintain an inventory of water service lines within their service area, create a lead sampling plan for all schools in the utility’s service area, and provide public education regarding the presence and hazards associated with lead in drinking water.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the danger lead poses in drinking water. In 1991, the USEPA issued the Lead & Copper Rule mandating that water systems adjust their water chemistry to control corrosion, which would limit lead leaching into the water. 

As of December 2021, revisions and additional requirements were included in the Lead and Copper Rule that utilities were required to comply with by October 16, 2024. See additional information on the Lead and Copper Rule and the most recent revisions. 

A water service line is a pipe that connects the City’s water main to a property, providing drinking water to the internal plumbing. The section of water service line from the water main to the meter is maintained by the City of Monroe. The section of pipe from the meter to the residence is maintained by the property owner.

Public and private service lines are often connected by a short section of piping, less than two (2) feet in length, which is formed to connect two rigid sections of piping. This section of piping is known as a connector, gooseneck, or pigtail. These sections are not considered part of a water service line.

The City of Monroe has not identified any lead water service lines at this time. The City of Monroe Water Resources Department has primarily used Copper for service lines for many decades.

The City of Monroe hired Garver Engineering to assist with our lead service line inventory. Staff utilized predictive modeling, records, water system data and GIS mapping to assist with the process. It was determined there are over 6,000 service lines that must be checked by City of Monroe staff. Water service line replacements are prioritized according to the building age. The City of Monroe is not responsible for replacing the private service line. 

Staff will inspect the service line material on the public and private side of the meter box. Staff will use a shovel or vacuum excavation equipment to expose the service lines. All soil and materials will be placed back in the excavated area.

Affected customers will be contacted directly by letters and/or a personal visit from staff, visiting your address to inspect the water service line at or near the water meter box. 

The City of Monroe Water Resources will communicate with your property owner if lead service lines were identified or require replacement. Contact your Property Manager if you have any questions about possible lead exposure from the plumbing within your apartment. 

Property owners are responsible for replacing their internal plumbing fixtures. 

Educational materials will be mailed to all customers participating in field inspections or that have service lines requiring replacement. Additional information on the Lead and Copper Rule can be found on our website and by visiting the following webpages:

Lead Service Line Information

LSLR Collaborative: Lead in Water and Full Lead Service Line Replacement Fact Sheet

Health Information on Lead in Drinking Water

EPA: Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water

CDC: Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning

EPA: Revised Lead and Copper Rule

At 8 a.m. on registration day, an online link will be live for you to submit your request. The link will be available on our website, social media, and at the front desk.

Please read all instructions and class information. As always, classes are first come, first served. Any incomplete requests will not be processed, which will result in losing a spot in the class.

Participant must be an active MAFC member. Please complete one form for each participant.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

Beginning the Monday after registration day, our staff will send an email to those who have successfully registered for a class. The email will include the class, start date, start time, and payment instructions.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

Members who have successfully registered for a class will receive an email with their class information. The email will include instructions on when to come to the facility to make payment for that class

 All payments must be made by the deadline stated in your confirmation email or the space will be forfeited.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

As classes fill, we will update the registration form to note which classes are full.

Beginning the Monday after registration day, you will receive an email indicating if you have secured a spot or if you have been added to a waiting list for a class.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

You are more than welcome to ask for assistance from our front desk staff. We will assist you in submitting the form. However, we cannot take your registration over the phone.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

The MAFC Swim Lesson Guide (PDF) is available to determine which class you should register for. If we add new/specialized classes, those descriptions are available at the bottom of the class schedule.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

Because of the popularity of our swim lessons, there is a chance the classes you selected as your first, second, or third choices are full. In that case, we will notify you via email that you have been added to the waiting list.

Members do not need to pay for the class if you are on the waiting list.

For questions, please email Aquatics Division Supervisor Sophia Williams or call (704) 282-4689.

One of the biggest problems facing the City’s sewer system is inflow and infiltration of rainwater. This can cause high flows and overloading of the piping system and wastewater treatment plant. Smoke testing is used to find potential defects that contribute to this problem.

Smoke testing can also help locate the following:

• The entry location of groundwater or stormwater runoff
• Positive proof that the building or residence is connected to the sewer
• Location of broken sewers due to the settling of the ground
• Missing sewer clean-out caps
• Location of certain illegal connections to a wastewater collection system, such as downspouts, basements, yard drains, industrial drains, and storm sewers

During smoke testing, roadway signs will be posted around the respective neighborhood areas being smoke tested. Uniformed Water Resources field crews are present and available to answer any questions. Field crews will blow air and non-toxic, artificially created smoke into the sanitary sewer system through access points, typically located in manholes. This smoke will travel through the pipes and escape through defects, such as holes and cracks, and will be visible above ground. This smoke will quickly reveal the source of the problem. For instance, if smoke permeates up through a yard, it indicates a break(s) in the sewer line.

Our field crews will locate issues and take photos, if possible. That information is given to our Water Resources Engineering staff, who determine if the defect is in the City system or a private sewer line.

If the defect is on the private sewer line or an unauthorized connection is found, a letter is sent to the resident to let them know what has been found.

Any repair costs to private sewer lines are the responsibility of the owner. Defects on the City piping system are repaired by City field crews

Smoke testing is the most efficient and cost-effective way to identify where rainwater is entering the public sewer system and where the sewer system needs repairs or improvements. Smoke testing will also identify any plumbing leaks that customers have on their private lines.

Elimination or reduction of this excess water will help reduce sewer overflows and the cost of sewer treatment. Overall, smoke testing helps utilities locate these issues and provide quality service to customers.

No, you do not need to be home during this process. Field crews will be monitoring the testing.

Normally, smoke will not enter your home or building during smoke testing.

If your house or business plumbing is compliant with the Building Code and has the proper p-traps on various drain lines, then smoke will not be able to enter the building.

Be sure to periodically run water through each drain in your home to keep the p-traps working to block sewer gases and smoke from smoke testing from entering your home.

If smoke enters your home during testing, note the location of the smoke and open windows to allow smoke to dissipate.

Smoke inside your home may indicate bad plumbing connections or a cracked seal around toilets. Smoke alarms may sound. 

The smoke will dissipate quickly. You may want to get these issues on your private plumbing repaired, as it may allow potentially dangerous sewer gas to enter.

The product used for smoke testing is not harmful to humans or furnishings in the low concentration used.

The “smoke” is not true smoke, but rather a mist containing a large percentage of atmospheric moisture that is highly visible at low concentrations. Exposure to this smoke product may cause minor respiratory irritation, such as coughing, in some people.

The smoke testing will not stain or harm clothing, drapes, or furniture, and will disappear rapidly without leaving an odor.

The smoke used for smoke testing is not harmful to pets. If you have proper plumbing connections and all of the drain p-traps in your home have water in them, then there should not be any problems.

If you have any doubt as to the source of the smoke in your home or yard, call 911 immediately.

The Water Resources Department will also notify 911 and fire services in advance of areas that are being smoke tested.

No. The smoke is made up of a vaporous substance and will not block or damage sewer piping.

Contact Water Resources at 704-282-4601 with questions.