The Laurinburg City Council recognized four officers for their roles in apprehending two armed robbers at its monthly meeting on Tuesday.

The officers are Lt. Darwin Williams, Officer Robert Carlisle, Lt. Chris Young and Detective Brian Gibson.

The two robbers were arrested after robbing Big Lots, Dollar Tree and Pizza Hut in Laurinburg.

Officers Williams and Carlisle participated in the high-speed chase up Aberdeen Road where the robbers were throwing money out the window.

Young and Gibson are working with other law enforcement agencies to bring charges on what appears to have been a year-long crime spree.

The robbers, Michael Anthony Leslie, 38, and Jeremy Donaldson Ross, 29, have allegedly confessed to over 20 robberies and may be linked to a number of others, according to officials.

The city also authorized the mayor to sign a letter of agreement between the city and Robert S. Segal, CPA PA to find possible unreported revenue. The discussion went on for a while because Council members Herbert M. Rainer, Jr. and Thomas W. Parker, III questioned how much Segal would receive for his services and because of questions over whether or not the city employees had the skills and expertise to complete the same task.

The council approved the letter with Parker as the sole dissenting vote.

The city donated two retired police cars to the Scotland County School System. The cars, Ford Crown Victorias that were declared surplus, will be used as security vehicles at Scotland County High School and at the school system's garage.

The council also decided to take no action yet on the July 4, 2009 fireworks display. Rainer was unhappy with a potential raise in cost by $2,000 and Parker raised concerns about what amounts to an unnecessary expenditure when the country is in a down economy.

The council approved a time for a follow-up meeting for the November citizen input session. The follow-up will be Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. and will address specific questions and concerns raised in the November meeting.

The city reappointed three people to the Laurinburg Board of Adjustments and left a fourth seat vacant. The appointees are David Ellison, Jr, Joyce Jewell and Iris Hamilton. They will serve a three-year term set to expire December 31, 2011.

The council took no action on a proposed deal that would put a new training center for fire fighters in the city. Council member Curtis Leak raised concerns about the location and the size of the structure. City Manager Craig Honeycutt plans to work with the Scotland County Firefighters Association to find a more suitable location.

The council also heard a request from residents of East Laurinburg that the city annex the town of under 300. The council took no action.