After years of talking about recreation, the Laurinburg City Council has finally taken its first steps into the recreation business by unanimously approving $10,000 in funds for a feasibility study.

Councilman Herbert Rainer was not present for the Tuesday vote.

Laurinburg Mayor Matthew Block, a major advocate of the city taking a serious look at providing recreation to its residents, said council designating the funds at its regular meeting is the first step towards Laurinburg becoming proactive in getting recreational opportunities for its residents.

"Council agreed to release the money that was set aside to look into recreation," Block said. "The $10,000 is to be used to hire an architect out of Rocky Mount. They are going to do a feasibility study on a recreation center in Laurinburg."

Scotland County is expected to pay for half the study by reimbursing $5,000 of the sum in the next budget year.

He said the process will include several public input sessions to see what city dwellers want in a recreation/community building. Then the firm would do a site analysis of four to five possible locations before drawing up building specifications.

The mayor noted that, at one point, the city did have its own recreational activities.

"Years ago, the decision was made to turn recreation to the county," he said. "Most cities our size in North Carolina have their own recreation department, but we feel, based on our own feeling and those expressed by the citizens, that this is something people would like to see happen sooner than the projected date of 2016 or 2017 in the county's recreation plan. This is the city wanting to partner with the county to consider moving up the building of the center and perhaps consider it being more centrally located in the city than out at the county recreation center."

The mayor has been asking council to appropriate money for recreation for over two years. He seemed pleased with the vote on Tuesday.

"I'm very excited, not only that a center like this would be a great addition to our community but also excited from an economic development standpoint, similar to how Scotia Village has built a $3 million recreation facility at Scotia, projects like this are, in my view, important to attract new residents and to retain current residents," Block said. "I look at this as equal parts a quality of life issue and economic development issue."

The issue was not part of his original platform, but the idea is along the same lines as he advocated issues that would improve the quality of life for city residents.

"The platform of economic development has changed from industrial development to a quality of life issue," he said.

He pointed to Moore and New Hanover counties as two success stories. Offering a higher quality of life with more city services and more stores has attracted a number of people to these areas, according to Block, and a similar approach in Laurinburg can do the same.

"I think there is a big market out there for us."

Councilman Ken Spencer was also pleased with the outcome.

"I think its important for us to move forward in developing a community center," Spencer said.

The freshman councilman said the city needs a long-term plan with partnerships between the city, the county and area businesses and nonprofits.

This study is just the beginning, he said.

"Its going to require financing, so this is just the tip of the spear."

He said a more immediate solution should be found, however, until a recreation center can be built.

"It's great we are working on a complex, long-term project, but we need a short term solution."

Last summer, there were no opportunities for students when school was out of session, according to Spencer.

"We can't have a summer like last summer. We need to provide support for the children that needs it the most."

At this point, Spender said it does not look like any other institution is looking to fill the recreation gap.

"It is time for the city to take charge."

He showed some concern about cooperation with the school system, pointing out that the school board failed to discuss the recreation requests of the city at its planning meeting. Spencer said there is urgency in the recreation need.

"Time is ticking away," he said.

City Manager Ed Burchins told Spencer that he was also eyeing a possible alternative to using school gyms – the Clint Willis National Guard Armory on S. Main Street also has adequate facilities.

Since the holdup with opening up the gyms is how to pay for people to supervise the children and for cleanup, Mayor Pro Tem Tommy Parker said one idea may be to use the summer work program, paid for by stimulus funds, to watch the children.

The councilman said it was a win-win as it was using stimulus money to create jobs while providing a valuable service to city residents.

Councilman Curtis Leak said the city should try to engage the Laurinburg Housing Authority as they used to have recreation options and may have access to state and federal funding for recreation.

"They had state funding," Leak said. "There is grant money out there."

Public hearings

The city approved a pair of zoning requests and a conditional use permit after three public hearings.

The conditional use permit was to allow Michael's Amusement, Inc. to operate a carnival in the old Winn Dixie parking lot from April 1 to 11.

The carnival already operates there in April, but has been unprofitable during the past two years because of rain during the weekend, according to Robert E. Lee, a representative of the carnival.

Lee jokes that the carnival should have contracted with towns during the drought because it seemed as though it rained almost every weekend for the carnival, regardless of its location.

The carnival is hoping to be open for 11 days, which would cover two weekends, to be more profitable but a city ordinance requires a conditional use permit for an event to operate for more than seven days.

Lee told city council the carnival would run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, but did not give hours for weekend operation. He said the carnival typically does not stay open after 11 p.m. as it typically leads to problems and that the carnival would start sometime after church let out on Sunday.

The rides are inspected every time they are set up by the state Department of Labor, according to Lee. This requirement makes North Carolina one of the safest states for carnival rides.

He also said the carnival wishes to avoid any accident as, even with a $3 million liability insurance policy, claims from accidents that are the operator's fault typically lead to bankruptcy.

Scotland County residents should be excited about the carnival this year, Lee said, as a one-of-a-kind ride will be in town in April. A set of spinning swings that is 110 feet high will dangle riders 90 feet from the ground. This is the tallest in the state, he said, and he knows of no ride like it in the world.

The city also approved a zoning request for a 1.38-acre tract of land on U.S. 401 South from general business to industrial.

Tony R. and Sarah Catherine Poole say they want to use the site as a classic car classic car restoration and repair business. The Poole family also owns Poole's Body Shop and Wrecker Service.

When Leak alluded to parked cars as a possible eyesore, Tony Poole told council that all the work would be done behind the business, with the front having daytime public parking for customers.

Wayne Freeman, the current owner of the property, said he has placed some restrictions on the land to help keep it scenic as he owns the adjoining lots and wants to keep the area marketable to other buyers.

Freeman also spoke on a 9-acre tract that council changed from general business to residential 15, which is the prevalent zoning of the surrounding property. The tract was initially rezoned by Freeman when he was trying to sell the property and was originally residential 15.

Census talk

City Council also discussed the importance of getting everyone to fill out the U.S. Census.

Parker told council that the city will get about $1 million over a 10 year period for every 33 people that fill out and return the 10-question form.

Leak suggested that city staff work harder to get people in subsidized housing to fill out the form. The senior councilman said his district, District 1, has a poor track record of completing and returning the form. Undercounting can only hurt north Laurinburg he said.

He also said getting the more than 500 students at St. Andrews Presbyterian College to complete the form will help bolster the city's numbers.

In other business, city council:

• Set public hearings for a contentious subdivision plan that calls for rezoning a property near College Park to put in 87 homes.

• Authorized the mayor to execute an agreement between the city and the state Department of Transportation to replace Bridge 81, which is on Commonwealth Avenue and crosses over Leith Creek. The city will pay $67,000, or about 20 percent of the cost, for the project while the state will pay an estimated $268,000. Replacing the bridge is expected to save $236,000 as it requires less maintenance and does not require a biannual inspection.

• Approved a $384,514.80 contract with Utilities Plus, Inc., for sewer improvements on Creedle and Morris streets. The company was the low bidder.

• Authorized the mayor to sign an easement with DOT so the state agency can make improvements to the bridge on U.S. 74 Business over Shoe Heel Creek. DOT will pay the city $1,050m which will pay for a survey of the land and attorney fees.

• Appointed Sandy Skamperle to complete the unexpired term of Debbie Grant on the Laurinburg Beautification Committee. The term expired May 31. Grant listed professional and personal obligations as the reason for her departure.

City council recessed its meeting until March 18 at 5 p.m. when city officials will be given a tour of the new Richmond Community College facility in Laurinburg.