LAURINBURG — The Laurinburg City Council this week approved its $32 million budget for 2017-2018 fiscal year without a property tax increase.
The budget was approved unanimously Tuesday night. There was no public comment during the hearing on the budget.
The city’s ad valorem tax rate will remain at 0.40 cents per $100 valuation. The newly adopted budget also includes a 3 percent cost of living adjustment and $100 Christmas bonus for city employees.
The budget also includes several new positions — a public information officer and Main Street program coordinator, an IT and fiber director and two additional police officers for the new fiscal year.
Council approved a Capital Improvement Plan that maps out capital projects and their cost for the next four years. The plan sets aside about $11 million over that time period.
Also on Tuesday, the city amended the zoning ordinance to prohibit substance abuse facilities in the downtown central district. Mac McInnis, Laurinburg zoning officer, said substance abuse facilities will be permitted in general business zones, but must be state approved and cannot be located within a half mile from each other.
“This was a proactive measure because it occurred in another city,” said council member Mary Jo Adams said.
In other business, council approved a proposal to resume taking waste to the Scotland County landfill. The city had been using the landfill in Robeson County since July 2016 for a discounted tipping fee.
City officials said the county was able to renegotiate its contract with a hauler at the transfer station and has offered Laurinburg a much more competitive rate. The county new rate is $41.50 per ton compared to the previous rate of $55.75 a ton. The city was paying Robeson County $36.50 per ton, but city leaders said with the added cost of fuel, maintenance and capital, was costing a total of $43.50 per ton.
The new agreement will begin on July 31.
Mayor Matthew Block announced on Tuesday that he was resigning as the city representative on the Scotland County Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.
“It’s hard for me to make mid-day meetings like that,” Block said.
Council appointed councilman Drew Williamson, a previous recreation board member, to serve on the advisory panel.
“I basically withdraw in favor of Dr. Block because I thought it would be a good forum for him to discuss a recreation complex idea,” Williamson said.
Block had tried without success to get the committee behind a proposal to build a recreation center in Laurinburg.
Council also:
— Approved the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport Commission’s sale of a 1.72 acre tract of land at the airport to William J. Martin for $26,500
— Accepted two state grants, one for wastewater assessment in the amount of $133,700 with a 5 percent match by the city. The second grant is for water assessment in the amount of $80,925 with a 5 percent match from the city.
— Aproved closing portions of Cronly Street from 5 to 9 p.m. for the crime-fighting event, National Night Out on Aug. 1.
— Approved a motion to continue with Phase III of the new City Hall project.
— Appointed Adams to the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport Commission. It is a three-year term.
— Approved a request for a sewer refund due to bill over payment dating back to 2003.
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