Council votes to close city Dec. 23 to Jan. 2

Nov. 3—LUMBERTON — The City of Lumberton will be closed from Dec. 23 through Jan. 2 for the Christmas and New Year's holidays, city council members decided Wednesday.

City employees will have paid holidays on Dec. 23, 26 and 27 and Jan. 2 and will have to use vacation days on Dec. 28-30. Dec. 24-25, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 all fall on weekends this holiday season.

The decision came on a 4-3 vote on a substitute motion after a nearly 15-minute discussion. Council members were in agreement on giving city employees paid holidays for Dec. 23, 26 and 27 and Jan. 2; the discussion centered on whether or not to close the city on the other three days in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

City ordinances designate Dec. 24 and 25 as paid holidays for city employees, plus any additional day designated as a Christmas holiday by both the state and county; Council members can designate additional days as city holidays. The state's Christmas holidays are Dec. 23, 26 and 27; those days will also be county holidays, and county employees will use vacation days Dec. 28-30 and a holiday for New Year's on Jan. 2.

The city used to follow the county's lead on what to do regarding Christmas holidays, Councilman John Cantey said, up until approximately five years ago when it changed to the current ordinance.

Councilman Leroy Rising made a motion following the state's direction with holidays on Dec. 23, 26 and 27 and Jan. 2, and leaving the city open on Dec. 28-30 and giving employees the option for vacation days through the regular process. Cantey made a substitute motion adding the vacation days for Dec. 28-30.

"This has been a rough year for city employees and staff, as far as our financial (concerns)," Cantey said. "The morale would probably go a long way if we'd go ahead and follow the county on this particular situation. We need to put a stopgap in employee retention and personnel that are leaving. If we can't do anything for them as far as additional funds to all departments, let's show them that we care and let's give them these days."

Councilman Owen Thomas was against the concept of requiring employees to use vacation days for the three weekdays in question.

"Employees have a certain amount of vacation days, and if you take three vacation days required, they may not be able to take the vacations they have planned at another point in time," Thomas said. "I don't know that I would like to require vacation days. That's where it doesn't make sense to me."

Rising also suggested letting each department head decide how best to proceed in their respective departments regarding work on Dec. 28-30.

During the discussion, the question arose whether closing the city for an entire week was a practical option.

"Either system would work," City Manager Wayne Horne said. "It'd be more difficult if you take a full week off. We have a lot of walk-in customers; a lot of folks come in for utility disconnection and reconnects, those type of things. ... We've shut down before the whole week and we've made it work."

Cantey suggested that there is sufficient time between now and the Christmas and New Year's holidays to notify residents so that anyone who has city business can "go ahead and mail in their payment, or (we) put a drop box out there," and noted the city always has on-call employees.

Cantey's substitute motion was voted on first, as is typical procedure; it passed 4-3. Cantey, Chris Howard, Melissa Robinson and Eric Chavis voted for the motion and Rising, Thomas and John Carroll voted against; Councilwoman Karen Higley was not present. With the substitute motion passed, no vote was held on Rising's original motion.

"I think employees greatly deserve that and it'll be a morale booster coming into the first of the year, and it gives them more time with their families," Howard said after the vote was held.

In other business, the council approved five matters brought to them by Public Works Director Rob Armstrong, the most notable of which concerns plans for the city's floodgate project underneath Interstate 95 near VFW Road in West Lumberton.

After previously approving a $10,000 fee to Benesch for preliminary reviews of the floodgate project, the council approved to pay Benesch an additional $10,000 to review the 60% design plans.

The floodgate will be built adjacent to the railroad tracks, and CSX requires all infrastructure projects within its right of way be reviewed by Benesch, a firm it consults with on engineering matters. The cost will be paid for by N.C. Golden Leaf Foundation Grant funds and state legislature appropriations for the floodgate project.

Council members also approved the following Public Works purchases:

— A 40-horsepower tractor for use at the Wastewater Treatement Plant, to be bought from lowest bidder Bobcat of Fayetteville for $36,523.47; $40,000 was budgeted for the purchase.

— A floating aerator for use at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. This single-source item will be purchased for $34,940, and $40,000 was budgeted for the purchase.

— A hidrostal pump for use at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. This single-source item will be purchased for $33,600, and $40,000 was budgeted for the purchase.

— A pick-up truck to be used by Public Works. After council members previously approved the purchase of Ford F-150, but one was not available from the state contract service; instead, a Toyota Tacoma will be purchased for $34,547.36. The city budgeted $35,000 for this purchase in the previous fiscal year, and it will be paid from the capital reserve fund for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

— Appointed Frank Clawson to the city's Planning Board to represent Precinct 2, replacing Dick Page, who no longer resides in the precinct.

In other business, the council:

— Approved the purchase of $397,605 in vehicles and $160,710 in equipment for the Lumberton Police Department. The total amount of $558,315 will be paid from American Rescue Plan Act funds.

— Approved the acceptance of three new streets within The Oaks subdivision and the submission of a $15,000 bond submitted by the developer, Oakridge Land Development Co., LLC.

— Declared approximately 100 computers previously used by the Management Information Systems Department as surplus; these computers will be offered to city employees for purchase at a cost of $50.

— Adopted a resolution declaring personal property owned by the city as surplus and setting an auction date for Dec. 27.

— Approved for the N.C. Department of Transportation to purchase land around the Second Street bridge over the Lumber River at a cost of $19,500 for the purpose of easements and real property as the DOT prepares to replace the bridge. In a similar manner, the council approved for the DOT to purchase property and easements surrounding Jerry Giles Park as it prepares for construction at the nearby intersection of Fayetteville Road and Roberts Avenue.

Council members also approved the following allocations of Community Revitalization Funds:

— $1,800 for a Christmas toy drive in Precinct 2, $1,500 for a Christmas toy drive in Precinct 5 and $725 for a Christmas toy drive in Precinct 6.

— $1,550 for the McKinney-Vento Fund/National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE Program.

— $850 for the Colors of Life community Thanksgiving meal.

— $800 for the Partnership for Children's annual giving fundraiser.

— $700 for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8969 in support of National Wreaths Across America Day.

— $500 for Oh Give Thanks Community Day in Precinct 2.

— $500 for the Lumberton High School marching band to enable them to participate in community events.

Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at cstiles@robesonian.com.