Fairmont commissioners schedule June 29 meeting to further debate 2021-22 budget

Jun. 17—FAIRMONT — Commissioners here are taking a little more time with the town's proposed $3.6 million fiscal year 2021-22 spending plan.

Members of the Board of Commissioners chose Tuesday to delay adoption of the budget. Instead, they scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. June 29 to approve the budget, according to Jenny Larson, town clerk and Finance director.

The budget needs to be approved by July 1, the start of the 2021-22 fiscal year.

During a public hearing on Tuesday, Fairmont Town Manager Henry Raper went over the $3,684,551 spending plan that includes a $2,101,745 General Fund, $1,423,625 Water and Sewer Fund and a $99,315 Powell Bill Fund. The proposed budget keeps the tax rate at 73 cents per $100 worth of property and does not include increases in water, sewer or sanitation fees.

Among items in the budget packet prepared by Raper are proposed changes to information technology that include switching internet services, and updating computer software and phone services. By adopting the Voice over Internet Protocol office phone solution, which ties phone and internet services together, the town will improve call quality and save money.

"We are approximating the savings at $2,000 per month by making this change alone," Raper wrote in the packet.

Commissioners voted to accept a work order for VC3, an information technology vendor, to help make some of those upgrades happen, according to Larson.

Among items included in Capital Outlay projects, paid for out of the General Fund, are buying lawnmowers for the Public Works Department, which will cost $14,000. The cost for replacing turnout gear for the Fairmont Fire Department will cost $18,900.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners approved amendments to sections of the Code of Ordinances for Zoning and Subdivisions to comply with state laws.

They also approved a resolution to accept American Rescue Plan funding. Raper said the town will likely receive Plan money in July, according to Larson.

Board members also adopted finance policies for cellphones that give town employees a stipend for the use of their personal phones for town business in the amount of $45 for a standard phone and $85 for a smartphone. Also included in policies adopted were financial, budgetary, purchasing and contracting policies. The policies were approved on a 5 to 1 vote, with Mayor Pro Tem J.J. McCree casting the lone no vote.

"A study needs to be done," McCree said Wednesday.

A study into phone rates and how many phones were to be included should have been done before the $85 was determined, he said. The $85 figure would mean the town would pay a stipend of $1,020 a year for one phone, the commissioner said.

Commissioner Monte McCallum made the motion to approve the policies, with the option of revisiting the cellphone policy, according to Larson. Commissioner Terry Evans seconded the motion.

The Board of Commissioners also voted to refinance the town's sewer bond in order to get a lower interest rate of 2.9%. The town has a total outstanding balance of $2,134,000 from the previous issuance of General Obligation Waste Water Bonds.

The town authorized the issuance of General Obligation Refunding Bonds not to exceed $2,200,000 in order to pay off the balances under the lower interest rate.

"At an interest rate of 2.9%, the town will save $23,910 annually for a 20-year cumulative savings of $478,200," according to minutes from the town's May 25 budget workshop meeting.

The town is working with the Local Government Commission and BB&T to refinance the bonds, according to Larson.

Also approved Tuesday was the renewal of an interlocal agreement for emergency 911 services from Robeson County for the next three fiscal years. As part of the agreement the town must pay $20 per resident for services, an increase of $5 from the previous agreement, according to Raper.

In other matters, Fairmont Public Works Director Ronnie Seals announced that lightning struck the air conditioning unit at Hector MacLean Public Library. He said it could take about three weeks to repair and encouraged town residents to call ahead before visiting the library, according to Larson.

Commissioners also heard from Shep Oliver, president-elect of the Fairmont Rotary Club and the Rev. Frank Saunders of St. John AME Church, according to Larson.

Oliver said the club is partnering with the Robeson County Sheriff's Office in Project Lifesaver, which seeks to equip people with wrist bands that help track a person's location. The program serves county residents with the goal of quickly locating people who wander away from caregivers, according to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office's website.

Saunders introduced himself to the commissioners as the church's new pastor.

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected]