Lowell Council approves Lynn Street pump-station grant ordinance, appoints delegates and tables two items

At its meeting the Lowell City Council approved multiple routine administrative actions, adopted a budget calendar, confirmed appointments to regional bodies and took the following notable votes.

Council unanimously approved a grant-project ordinance to allow the city to draw down roughly $800,000 in previously awarded funds for the Lynn Street pump station project; staff said the grant was awarded in 2023–24 but a formal ordinance to authorize expenditure had not been adopted until this meeting. The council voted to adopt the ordinance after staff explained the project is in preliminary stages and invoices cannot be processed until the ordinance is on record.

The council also appointed delegates and alternates to regional bodies: Shane Robinson as a delegate to the Council of Governments (COG) and Travis Smith and others to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and related committees. Members voted to adopt the 2026 meeting schedule and city holidays and approved the fiscal-year 2026–27 budget calendar (meeting dates listed in the packet).

On surplus-equipment issues, council considered donating a surplus Dodge from the police department to the Lowell Fire Department. Several members suggested the fire department could purchase the vehicle at fair market value instead of receiving it for free; a substitute motion to table the donation until staff returns with price and comparable-sale information passed. Council also considered applying for and partially funding an NC LM Safety grant (up to $5,000) to purchase confined-space harness equipment priced in staff materials at $9,192.99; members requested additional vendor bids and tabled the award until more bids are collected.

The meeting ended with a unanimous motion to enter a closed session pursuant to the North Carolina General Statute citation given on the record.