MAXTON — Maxton officials approved on Tuesday two budget amendments totaling almost $90,000 — first to replace a dump truck and then to update all of the town’s software before its service expires.
The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously during its regular meeting to amend the budget in order to buy a new dump truck using money provided Federal Emergency Management Agency. The truck will be bought from D&D Ford Motors for $79,089.
Water and Wastewater Superintendent Dennis Freeman said it was crucial that the town buy a new dump truck because the existing truck has been out of service for more than a year because of damage caused by Hurricane Florence in September 2018.
The commissioners also voted unanimously to set aside $10,000 to buy five new computers and upgrade from Windows 7. The town has until Jan. 14 to make the upgrade because Microsoft announced that the software will be reaching its “End of Life” on Jan. 14. According to Microsoft, End of Life means that in January, Windows 7 will still function but Microsoft will no longer provide technical support for any issues, software updates, or security updates and fixes, which would create a greater risk for viruses and malware.
Myra Tyndall, the town finance officer, is estimating the updates and computers will be $10,000 or less.
The commissioners also selected engineering firm WithersRevenel to prepare bidding and construction service criteria for the repair of hurricane damage to culverts and roadway surfaces along Kinkaid Street.
“We know their work,” Mayor Emmett Morton said.
For the third time Commissioner Virgil Hutchinson was nominated and elected mayor pro tem by his fellow board members. Hutchinson has severed four years in the role. The positions are elected every two years after a municipal election.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board recessed and set aside time to meet and greet the four newly sworn in board members, including a new mayor. Incumbents Elizabeth Gilmore and Paul McDowell will serve additional four-year terms on the town board, and Toni M. Bethea will be serving her first term. Paul Davis was elected the new mayor, taking the place of Mayor Morton, who presided over the first quarter of the meeting.
”I look forward to working with these councilmen and the manager, and hopefully the citizens,” Davis said.
Davis, 81, served as town manager from 1979 to 1995. He has lived in Maxton for 40 years, having retired from the banking industry, and served on the Maxton Chamber of Commerce .
Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at tsinclair@robesonian.com or 910-416-5865.
