By Joy Warren
The Elizabethtown Town Council met Monday evening via Zoom. Ms. Jennifer Woodard McNeill, Commercial & Residential Energy Specialist with Piedmont Natural Gas, made a brief presentation as it relates to the cost savings for customers converting from electrical service to Piedmont Natural Gas as well as the planned route of the natural gas line. She is currently seeking both residential and commercial customers interested in converting to natural gas. If this portion of the plan receives enough commitment, the Industrial Park would be included in Phase II.
The Police Department has three (3) vehicles that are no longer useful to the department. Council declared the 2012 Dodge Charger and two (2) 2014 Dodge Chargers as surplus property and authorized the sale by Govdeals.com.
Director of Communications and Marketing Director Terri Dennison will begin planning for the Town’s 250th Anniversary to be celebrated in 2023. In addition to Mayor Sylvia Campbell, Town Manager Dane Rideout and Mrs. Dennison, six committee members will be needed – two Town Council members and four from the community. Council tabled this item in order to give Council time to come up with names to add to committee.
Staff provided a proposal from Image Design, Inc. in the amount of $10,180.96 to repair and re-cover the awnings at the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market. Mr. Pat Devane has obtained this proposal so that the work can begin soon to get the awnings repaired and recovered before the planned events in the fall.
Mr. David Settlemeyer has submitted the attached request for the Town Council to consider a Demolition Incentive Grant for demolition work he has begun at 1506 East Broad Street. In the past, for incentive grant reimbursements, the Town has paid 50% of the total cost of the demolition work up to $3,000. Therefore, staff recommends that Council consider approving Mr. Settlemeyer’s request for a Demolition Incentive Grant. With the Demolition Grant reimbursement program having been successful in the past in getting blighted properties within the town cleaned up, Council approved the request.
DeVane gave brief project updates. Work on the Cemetery Project continues with 25% of wall anchors completed and the drainage on Queen Street completed. Greene’s Lake Park is ready for Ribbon Cutting in October. The restrooms have not been opened. Mayor Campbell suggested that the restrooms be open at least on the weekends until the official opening. The Street Paving Project will hopefully begin late September early October for resurfacing and patching a large portion of the Town’s streets once the LGC has approved the project loan.
In other administrative matters, Council approved monthly Tax Releases and the Financial Report.
Dane Rideout, Town Manager, requested Council’s recommendations for Halloween which falls on Sunday, October 31st. Last year, the community was asked to follow CDC guidelines and not have children going door-to-door due to Covid pandemic. Council made the recommendation to hold door-to-door trick-or-treating on Saturday, October 30th. A resolution will be presented for approval at October’s meeting.
Since COVID numbers are not decreasing at this time, Town Staff recommends postponing the Pork and Beats Festival. Council agreed with the recommendation.
A Special Called Meeting for the Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, October 5th at 5:30 p.m. at the Airport Terminal Building. The purpose of the meeting will be to work on updating the Town’s Land Use Plan. The public may join the meeting via Zoom.
The Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce meeting is scheduled for September 14th at Noon at the Workforce Development Center, Bladen Community College. Lunch will be provided for a fee of $10.00. Registration is available through the Chamber’s website.
The meeting adjourned to a closed session for Attorney-Client Privilege; Economic Development; and Professional Engineering Contract.
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