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The Bladenboro Town Board met on Monday night and held a public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant NC Catalyst Grant close out. No one spoke at the hearing.

Later in the meeting the board approved a related matter by approving for LKC Engineering to move forward with closing the CDBG NC Catalyst grant.

In the open forum session, Bobby Ludlum asked the board if the veterans can move the military monument from the current site at the National Guard Armory and have it repaired and cleaned and move it to the corner where the former Jones store once stood.

“I understand it would be attraction,” said Ludlum.

The local veterans are not the only group who have an eye on that lot, however.

“Boost the ‘Boro wants to do some landscaping there,” said Mayor Rufus Duckworth.

Councilman Sarah Jane Benson said, “It would be a good idea for both parties to reach an agreement.”

Town Clerk Melanie Hester recommended the board request Boost the ‘Boro submit a plan for what the group wants to do with that corner. Both Hester and Duckworth remarked that the plans must not encroach on the NC Department of Transportation right of way that runs near the lot.

In other business:

**Randie Harrelson, Jan Hester Maynor, Margie Bridger were re-appointed to the Housing Authority board and given their oaths of office.

**The board approved advertising the 2015 tax liens on March 29, 2016.

**No bids were received for the operation of the concession stand at Wateree Park. Town Administrator John O’Daniel told the board that since there were no bids received the board can move forward and use the agreement they had with Dixie Youth last year.

Councilman Billy Ray Benson made a motion to leave the bid process open and accept bids until the next meeting. The board approved the motion.

** Town Administrator John O’Daniel told the board that he had compiled data regarding a review of the police department pay scale. He submitted to the board an information package containing such information as training costs, comp time, information about why officers left the department, uniform costs, etc.

Councilman Billy Ray Benson made a motion to wait to examine the situation further in the upcoming budget cycle. The board approved waiting on the matter.

A closed session item for personnel was removed from the agenda.

** In the Town Administrator’s report, O’Daniel told the board about two state surplus trucks. He told the board Andy Coleman had looked at one truck.

“Essentially, we have a couple of trucks at end of their useful life,” said O’Daniel.

He told the board that the two trucks will replace the two the town currently owns. O’Daniel said of the two trucks being replaced, that one of trucks will end up selling or liquidating and the second truck will stay at town hall to use as a zoning vehicle.

Councilman Billy Ray Benson wanted to know why the town staff would want to keep a vehicle they had just identified as needing to be replaced.

After further discussion, the item was approved.

** In the Administrator’s report O’Daniel said that the PARTF grant applications are due date on May 2. He recommended to the board putting off applying for the grant until after budget process.

O’Daniel also told the board about a water violation the town received because they had failed to submit a report. He added the water is safe to drink and town staff hope to avoid any issues in the future.

** Jan Lennon spoke briefly on the NC Connect bond issue.

“I could argue for that bond issue and I can argue against it,” she said.

Lennon told the board that 50 percent of the $2 billion bond would be given to university system. Lennon said that several million dollars will go to state parks which will benefit Bladen County.

She said there will be about $300,000 available to local government in the form of grants which will be administered through the Division of Environmental Quality.

Lennon said the money used to pay this bond issue off will come from taxes folks are currently paying.

Lennon also added told the board that at the upcoming MCAB meeting there will be an exciting opportunity. She said Bladen County is creating a strategic plan. She said that in the last strategic plan, a lot of the goals have already been accomplished.