First Posted: 10/25/2012
Cory Riner
Staff writer
ROWLAND — The Board of Commissioners decided on Wednesday to move some of the town’s banking to Lumbee Guaranty Bank in an effort to save money.
Town Clerk Blake Proctor said that moving the town’s checking account to Lumbee Guaranty Bank will save the town $2,000 annually on fees. The town currently uses BB&T for all of its banking.
“If the town’s going to save $2,000, that’s the way you ought to go,” Commissioner Marvin C. Shooter said.
The town had heard proposals from each of the banks. Proctor said if the town had decided to stay with BB&T, it would have had to split the town’s checking into separate accounts to reduce the fees because of the volume of checks the town issues.
Lumbee Guaranty Bank offered to provide the same service the town currently receives from BB&T at no cost, but some of the town’s banking will remain at BB&T, Proctor said.
“… As it stands now we have two funds, a general fund and a utility fund,” Proctor said. “What this would do, is it would require splitting the funds. It would create three separate bank accounts.”
The board also decided on whom to contract with for fire inspection services, but declined to identify that person. The contractor will evenly split the fees for inspections with the town, according to Proctor.
The board also discussed the Family Inn building, which is in need of repairs. The town has received complaints from residents about graffiti on the building, trash on the property and the overall condition of the building, according to Mayor Elizabeth Hunt. The owner has 12 months to complete the repairs, but the board is concerned about the lack of progress.
The discussion was tabled until the next meeting.
The town also held the first of two public hearings on a Community Development Block Grant. Adrian Lowery, who is writing the grant, said the town is still accepting applications from residents who need help on home repairs. The deadline to apply is Wednesday.
In other action, the board:
— Offered its support for a Fort Bragg Regional Alliance Resolution that opposes the North Carolina Coastal Wind Project that would interfere with flight patterns for pilot training at Fort Bragg.
— Heard from DeRay Cole, who updated the board on the status of a cultural arts center in the town. The center is expected to be operating in about four months.
