Hope Mills board approves audit contract, accepts $7,000 parks grant and expands MIA committee membership to three

At its June 1 meeting the Town of Hope Mills Board of Commissioners approved several procedural and budgetary items.

The board voted to approve an audit contract with Sharp Patel, CPA for fiscal year work covering FY25–26 and authorized the mayor and staff to sign the contract. Staff said the work and cost were already budgeted and no additional general-fund appropriation was required.

The board also unanimously approved Budget Amendment No. 30 to accept $7,000 from North Carolina Amateur Sports for athletic-field and spectator-area improvements at Municipal Park. Parks staff said the town applied for $9,000 and received $7,000 and that the funds must be obligated and spent this fiscal year; staff recommended placing the funds in the athletics line item to contract for the work and complete improvements by the end of the summer.

Finally, the board amended its committee rules to increase the permitted number of Municipal Influence Area (MIA) residents serving on any single town committee from one to three to expand volunteer participation. The change was proposed to address committee vacancies and difficulty recruiting members who reside just outside town limits but within the town’s influence area.

The meeting also included a motion to enter a closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143‑318.11(a)(3),(a)(5) and (a)(6); upon return the board moved to seal the closed-session minutes. No public action was reported from the closed session. The meeting adjourned after the closed session.