LUMBERTON — Wednesday’s policy meeting started with councilmen congratulating their returning peers following Tuesday’s election, during which all four City Council incumbents kept their seats, but talk of spending city money turned contentious.

Precinct 3 representative Jackie Taylor, who was re-elected to a second term, questioned city costs on several agenda items, including a dilapidated building demolition and a grant application.

Costs of demolishing a vacant home at 410 Bullard St. will be primarily on the property owner, but the city will also incur some minor costs, according to City Attorney Thomas Powers.

Taylor questioned a section that said the building inspector will sell any salvageable parts of the building, and the money would go toward the cost of demolition. The ordinance for demolition was unanimously approved.

Taylor objected to the potential cost of the city partnering with ComForcare Senior Services to apply for a Rural Health Care Initiative Grant, which is intended to “spur economic activity and job creation by assisting in the construction and renovation of rural health facilities,” according to a grant application.

The grant would help pay for a 2,500-square-foot facility on Dunn Road to house ComForcare Senior Services, an elder law service center and an adult day care. It requires that a job is created for every $12,000 awarded, and would require the city to match 3 percent of the award amount through in-kind services.

When Taylor questioned expenditures on in-kind services, Precinct 5 Councilman John Cantey, who was re-elected to a second term, said the cost was worth the jobs it created, and then said, “You are cocky today, sir.”

Taylor responded sharply, “I just got through with an election where all I heard about was (the city) giving money away, giving money away.”

The council voted 6 to 1 to partner with ComForcare and apply for the grant, with Taylor voting against it.

Later, when Precinct 4 Councilman Harry Ivey requested $1,200 of discretionary money for J.C. Hargrave Elementary School’s positive behavioral support program, Precinct 8 Councilman Erich Hackney, who was re-elected to a third term, said, “I’d like to make a motion to approve — if we can send Jackie and John to that program.”

The item was unanimously approved.

In other budget matters, the council accepted modifications to the current fiscal year budget, after the state reduced the amount of money municipalities receive from gas, beer and wine taxes.

Lumberton’s share was reduced by $145,015 — $80,345 from gas taxes for the Powell Fund, which pays for local road improvements, and $64,670 from beer and wine taxes, which can be used for a variety of purposes.

After the agenda was approved, the council went into closed session to discuss “personnel matters,” Mayor Raymond Pennington said.

Also on Wednesday, the council:

— Approved Public Works Director Rob Armstrong’s request to hire the state Department of Transportation to conduct required, biennial bridge inspections on three bridges under city jurisdiction — on North Walnut Street, Highland Avenue and Morgan Street. The inspections cost $10,000; the Federal Highway Administration will pay $8,000, and the city will pay $2,000.

— Granted Police Chief Mike McNeill permission to accept a $27,000 grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission to pay for the Police Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods coordinator’s salary and benefits.

— Granted McNeill permission to accept a $6,082.35 grant from the Bulletproof Vest Partnership to buy 30 vests for officers. The grant requires a $6,082.35 match, which will come from drug forfeiture funds.

— Granted McNeill permission to accept a $11,995.17 COPS equipment grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission, which will pay for equipment for the three officers that were hired in July with another COPS grant.

— Approved City Manager Wayne Horne’s request to refund $27,895.06 in taxes that were erroneously imposed from 2005 to 2009.

— Approved the major subdivision plat in Wyndam Estates townhouses, which reduces the number of planned homes from 16 to 12.

— Approved Precinct 6 Councilman Robert Jones’ request to spend $1,000 of discretionary money on handicap ramps at 1110 Willow St. and 232 Page St.

All action at the policy meeting will require final council approval at the City Council’s next meeting, which will be on Nov. 16. The council normally meets the second Monday of each month but the meeting is being delayed a week because of a National League of Cities meeting in San Antonio.