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The Boost the Boro held their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening at the Bladenboro Farmer’s Market.

Don White gave an update on the grant the group has applied for to help the Bladenbor Farmer’s Market.

“The grant did get signed last Friday and sent to the Tobacco Trust Fund. It may take until September before they approve it,” White reported.

He reminded those in attendance to thank Rebecca Hester, the Boost the Boro member responsible for helping apply for the grant.

White said, “Well keep our fingers crossed and continue to look for more grants.”

Joyce Walters, chair of the farmer’s market committee, announced the Bladenboro Farmer’s Market will re-open on April 2nd, after some discussion. The committee will meet and decide on the times of operation for the market.

Next on the agenda was the Boost the Boro Spring Fest. Those in attendance decided to have the Spring Fest on April 30th to help promote the Master Gardeners event as well as the market. The Master Gardner’s will start at 8 am on the 30th selling their plants.

Around 10 am the Boost the Boro members will have crafts, and food. The group is also working on having a local band come out for entertainment. Dan Allen said Four County Electric would donate $500 to pay for the entertainment.

Next on the agenda, Commissioner Charles Ray Peterson educated those in attendance the 1/4 sales tax currently on the ballots this primary.

Peterson explained the proposed sales tax would generate about $460,000 for Bladen County. The sales tax would not apply to such purchases as groceries, utilities, gas, prescription drugs, certain agricultural supplies or motor vehicles.

According to information supplied, tourists and visitors would pay the sales tax along thereby lessening the tax burden on the county’s property owners, businesses, and elderly homeowners on fixed incomes.

A sales tax is considered a fair tax because it is generated on items folks choose to purchase according to Charlotte Smith also in attendance.

Then the group heard from community members supporting Bladen County Relay for Life. Otis Evans said he was hosting a Fun Run and a Golf Tournament.

The 5K will be held March 26th in Bladenboro and the Golf Tournament will be held April 8th. All proceeds, excluding expenses will benefit Relay for Life. For more information, click here.

Claudette Guy announced Potty Patrol will start making their rounds on April 1st placing potty’s on lawns to raise money for the Bladen County Relay For Life.

Bobby Ludlum and Peterson announced the monuments now housed at the armory in Bladenboro will be moved to the stop light in the middle of town. The cost for the move is a little over $900, but the money has already been raised according to the two men.

Last on the agenda was the paining of the wall at the same stop light. The group voted for Ben Gordon, a local Bladenboro artist will scrap and paint the wall.

The wall will depict different historical symbolic items from Bladenboro like, the Spaulding Monroe School, the old Bridger Motor Company building, a cotton mill, the Beast of Bladenboro, the Bladenboro seal, the old Wonet Theater and other symbolic places in Bladenboro.

The Boost of Boro will meet again in April and until then, the members will be working hard to put their plans in action.