03/29/2024
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By Blake Proctor

Mayor Darryl Dowless called the January 7th meeting of the Dublin Board of Commissioners to order at 6pm to a virtually empty meeting hall, as Commissioners David Hursey and David Kirby, both ill, attended telephonically; also absent were Town Attorney Whitley Ward and Fire Chief Pete Batten.

Mayor Dowless provided the invocation, and the minutes for December 3rd’s meeting were quickly dispensed with.

Bryan Scott with Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co. of Elizabethtown, the Town’s auditors, was present to provide an audit review prior to forwarding the annual audit to the NC Local Government Commission (LGC).

Revenues in the General Fund were up some $80,000 but Expenditures were up more, creating a $49,000 decrease in the General Fund Balance.

At 89.79% Undesignated Fund Balance versus a minimum Fund Balance of 8.0% mandated by the LGC for all municipalities in the state, that Commission should be well pleased with the Town’s finances.

In the Utility Fund, Operating Revenues were down $7,000, but a $214,000 construction grant, helped create a $365,000 increase in Fund Balance; a majority of this will go toward the utility construction projects.

Taxes collected this year on $18,530,000 value, excluding motor vehicles, was 96.0%, which compares very favorably to the prior years 90.5% collections on $17,500,000 valuations.

Under Old Business, Public Works Director Jonathan Ward informed the Board that the ongoing storm drainage troubles in the 6800-block of Albert Street (NC Hwy 87) had been addressed by his department, and the problem may now be solved. The next major rain will determine that.

Mr. Ward also informed the Commission that the County’s 911 system, through Emergency Services, had installed the street name signs that NCDOT had removed when the Town had put them up some months ago.

In New Business, the Commission voted unanimously to ratify an interlocal agreement with Bladen County to participate in a stormwater drainage study. Also unanimously, the Board approved amendment #2 to CDBG-I 17-1-299, the current water main replacement project.

There were no Department Reports from Board members; so, looking at his watch – it was 6:18pm – the Mayor smiled widely and called for a motion to adjourn. The meeting was over a mere eighteen minutes after being called into session.

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