Lewisburg council approves budget amendment, meeting-date change, interim manager contract; retracts probe vote

The Lewisburg City Council on Oct. 14 handled several formal actions on routine and administrative items:

- Approval of minutes (Sept. 9, 2025): Motion made and seconded; roll call approved. Councilwoman Thomas seconded the motion; roll-call responses in the transcript recorded the council voting in favor.

- Approval of September 2025 bills and the August 2025 financial statement: Councilwoman Michael moved and Councilwoman Thomas seconded; roll-call vote approved the bills and financial statement.

- First reading: Ordinance 25-15, amending the fiscal year 2025-26 budget: Councilwoman Michael moved first reading and Councilman Robertson seconded. The motion passed on roll call.

- Ordinance 25-16: Owner-request rezoning for property at 540 Vista Street (Map 0640 Group B Parcel 001) from C2 (Intermediate Business) to I2 (Industrial Park). The Planning Commission had given a favorable recommendation (6–0). Councilman Burns moved the council motion; a second was recorded. The transcript does not include an explicit roll-call vote on second reading or final adoption at this meeting; the agenda item was considered on first reading and procedurally advanced.

- Resolution 25-27 (speed-limit change on Mooresville Highway/State Route 373): The council amended and approved the resolution; see separate article for full coverage. The amendment removed "until the intersection" language and directed staff to install a reduced-speed-ahead sign at Ridge Top Apartments and place the 30 mph sign at Tally Cemetery.

- Change of meeting date: The council approved changing the regular November meeting from Nov. 11, 2025 to Nov. 10, 2025 because Veterans Day falls on Nov. 11. Councilwoman Thomas moved the change and a second was recorded; roll call vote recorded ayes.

- Extend contract for interim city manager: The council considered and approved extending the contract for Barbara Woods and authorized the mayor to sign. The council amended the hours provision to allow up to 40 hours per week (removing the strict 20-hour cap) with the expectation that the city would keep hours as limited as feasible; the amendment passed on roll call.

- Retract and void previous decision to hire an outside law firm for an investigation: A motion was made to retract and void the earlier motion to engage an outside firm to conduct an unbiased investigation regarding alleged policy violations; Councilwoman Thomas seconded. The motion passed on roll call with all members voting yes.

Several other agenda items were discussed without formal votes at this meeting, including job-description revisions for the city manager position and department reports from planning, police, fire, airport and shelter staff.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript): - Minutes approval (Sept. 9, 2025): approved (roll call: yes) - Bills & financial statement: approved (roll call: yes) - Ordinance 25-15 (first reading, FY25–26 budget amendment): approved (roll call: yes) - Ordinance 25-16 (rezoning, 540 Vista St.): motion made and seconded; outcome not specified in transcript for final adoption at this meeting (Planning Commission recommended 6–0) - Resolution 25-27 (speed limit): amended and approved (roll call: unanimous yes) - Meeting date change (Nov. 11 → Nov. 10, 2025): approved (roll call: unanimous yes) - Interim city manager contract extension (Barbara Woods): approved with hours amended to allow up to 40 hours per week (roll call: unanimous yes) - Retract outside investigation (void previous motion): approved (roll call: unanimous yes)

The transcript records roll-call votes for many items; where the transcript did not include an explicit roll call for an item (notably the rezoning item), the council’s procedural steps and the Planning Commission recommendation are included but the final council tally was not specified in the meeting record.

Council members present recorded their affirmations aloud during roll calls for the listed items: Councilman Robertson, Councilman Thomas, Councilman Crutcher, Councilman Michael and Councilman Burns.