The board agreed that Town Manager Lynn Burcham could apply for a supplemental grant of $500,000 from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center. The Clean Water Partners Infrastructure Program Grant is intended to help rural communities in violation of public health and environmental rules and regulations, according to the grant application.
Data produced by the Rural Center’s Water 2030 study predicted a $7 billion need in water and wastewater infrastructure improvements and expansions over the next five years, due to infrastructure age, tighter rules and regulations, and growth in North Carolina, the grant application stated.
The grant is the result of a $50 million appropriation to the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center in the fiscal year 2007-2009 state budget to help further assist rural communities.
Town Manager Burcham said that the need for the work, described as the Prison Camp Road Sewer Extensions Project, stems from several requests from people in the area for public sewer.
She said the total cost of the project is $961,000, and if the $500,000 grant is received the remaining money needed to finance the project will come from local funds, and possibly potential new customers.
“Our engineer advised if (the grant is) received (the project) could be completed by March 2010,” she said.
In a separate matter, Burcham said that the board will hold its regular town meeting on Jan. 22, in which commissioners will discuss how to handle the vacancy of Commissioner Stan Newman, who resigned Jan. 8 to fill a position with the county.
Newman, whose term was to end in December, resigned from his town seat because he is now working as a local ordinance officer with the county.
“I have determined that my new responsibilities as a local ordinance officer are not consistent with being a town commissioner,” he said in the letter he presented at Dobson Town Hall last week. “Because part of my job duties will be enforcing zoning ordinances in the town, I am afraid that too often there would be a perception that I had a conflict of interest between my job and my role as an elected official. If I am to be judged fairly, I cannot do both.”
In February 2008, the Dobson Town Board agreed on a policy in which it would wait 60 days to fill board vacancies, and during that time compile a list of names for consideration to fill such positions. However, the position is not limited to only the individuals suggested. The re-filing period for the seat begins July 3 at noon and ends July 17 at noon. The re-filing cost is $5.
The town of Dobson meets every fourth Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. in the town hall meeting room.
Meetings are open to the public.
Contact Erin C. Perkins at eperkins@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.
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