Robersonville council selects engineer for meter project, approves budget calendar and grant-administration contract

The Robersonville Town Council at a regular meeting on Jan. 14, 2025, selected Wooten Associates as the engineer for the town’s meter-replacement project, approved the FY 2025–26 budget calendar (including a planned consolidation of the water and sewer funds), authorized a council member to serve as a bank signatory and approved a contract for grant administration of a Building Reuse Grant for the HealthFirst Wellness Center.

Town Manager Chris Roberson told the council the town received three RFQ proposals for the meter-replacement project — Wooten Associates, Municipal Engineering and Green Engineering — and that staff ranked Wooten Associates highest. On a motion by Councilman David Jenkins, seconded by Councilwoman Chiquita Ward, the council authorized staff to begin negotiations with Wooten Associates and to move to the next-ranked firm if negotiations do not produce a satisfactory price.

Roberson also told the council the town would like to coordinate new electric-meter installations with the water-meter project. He presented a proposed FY 2025–26 budget calendar and said the town plans to combine the water and sewer funds for the coming budget year; the council approved the calendar on a motion by Councilwoman Debra Armstrong, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Wilkins.

Mayor Tina Brown nominated Councilwoman Debra Armstrong to be an elected official signatory on the town’s main checking account to improve segregation of duties recommended by the Local Government Commission; the council approved the appointment. The council also voted to accept Mid-East Commission as the administrator for an approved NC Commerce Building Reuse Grant to support the HealthFirst Wellness Center and approved the grant-administration contract.

The council approved Budget Amendments 13–16 (to cover contracts with Mason Bryant Enterprises LLC) and authorized payment of several vendor invoices after confirming statutory pre-audit requirements under G.S. 159-28. Payments approved included ENECO East, LLC ($361.13); Robersonville Ice & Coal Inc. ($150); Sanford Electrical Contractors ($5,735.63 and $4,836.83); and Mason Bryant Enterprises LLC ($800 and $500). Several of those approvals were recorded by roll call vote (5–0 where noted).

On a staffing- and operations-related discussion, Councilman Glen Cowan said renting a diesel pump was running about $5,000 a month and suggested placing a down payment; Interim Public Works Director Sean Doughty said he would confirm actual costs and report back to the council.

In his manager’s report, Roberson said the NC Commerce Building Reuse Grant was approved, that a zoning permit has been filed for a new restaurant at the former Family Favorites building, and that the town plans to coordinate a meeting with the towns of Parmele and Everetts in early February to discuss upcoming changes. The town clerk will coordinate the intermunicipal meeting date.

During informal public comments, Dr. Vera Alexander, a resident of US Highway 64, “thanked God for each department in their respectful order and Mayor and the council.” Cherie Taylor, representing the Robersonville Improvement Committee (RIC), said RIC “has been meeting for 20 years and RIC has become a non-profit since 2014,” asked for council support and said RIC meets the first Tuesday at Town Hall at 5:30 p.m.

The council entered closed session under NCGS 143-318.11(6) to discuss personnel and, upon returning to open session, voted unanimously to “rectify that the Finance Officer should accommodate annual leave as per personnel, at a rate base on her total years of professional experience.” With no further business, the council recessed until Feb. 6, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.

The council took no formal action on the diesel-pump rental during the meeting; staff will report costs back to the council.