By Erin Smith
The Bladenboro Town Board met on Monday night and voted to send the First Baptist Church, located on Martin Luther King Drive, a bill for $3,660 for the paving and sewer connection fees for the addition to the church. Town Commissioners Cris Harrelson, Patsy Callahan and Sarah Jane Benson were not in attendance at the meeting.
Members of the church had addressed the board during the October meeting requesting the charge be waived.
Bladenboro Town Commissioner Billy Ray Benson said a letter was sent to the church notifying them it was not up to them to pave and repair the street following the completion of the sewer work. Town Commissioner Benson explained the church’s responsibility begins at their property line.
“This was a miscommunication with them,” said Town Commissioner Benson.
Town Commissioner Gene Norton said, “I think all of this should not be at the board level. It should have been settled at the office level.”
He also said he would like for Mayor Rufus Duckworth to write a letter of apology for not responding the church’s initial letter to the town regarding the matter.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to approve the purchase of four blue plastic trash cans for the downtown area.
* Following a closed session for personnel matters, the board voted to hire two new employees. The board voted to hire Jonathan Stubbs for the General Maintenance position. His salary will be $21,484. The board also hired David Edwards for the position of Water Lineman contingent on him earning the Grade 1 Wastewater certification by June 30, 2018. Edwards’ salary will be $24,901.
*The board also heard from auditor Bryon Scott, with Thompson, Price, Scott & Adams, regarding the town’s audit report. Scott told the board there are some dead water meters which is translating into potential lost revenues for the town. 
“We did find some accounts where the meters readings are wrong. That is possible lost revenue for the town,” said Scott.
He also told the board he rendered an “unmodified opinion” which is the highest and best opinion a town or government entity can receive.
Scott told the board their tax collection rate is at 93.5 percent which is slightly below the state average of 97 percent.
*Don White, with Boost the Boro, thanked the board for their assistance in making the BeastFest a continued success. He estimated there were between 7,000 to 8,000 visitors to the festival. White shared some of the comments received by Boost the Boro regarding the festival.
*Dr. Robert Heavenridge also addressed the board requesting the town to consider paving Edwards Avenue. He reported the street to be in poor condition and said he owns two houses on the street.
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