LUMBERTON — Construction bids for the new Robeson County Social Services building will be received today.

At the recommendation of County Manager Ken Windley, the county Board of Commissioners on Monday recessed its regular monthly meeting until 6:30 p.m. next Monday so that bids can be considered at that time.

County officials hope that construction on the proposed $19 million facility will begin early next year. The 92,000-square-foot building is slated to be built on N.C. 711, just west of the county Health Department. It is being designed by Little Architects of Durham and Native Design services of Pembroke. Metcon Inc., of Pembroke, is serving as project manager.

Also Monday, the commissioners unanimously turned down a rezoning request for two parcels of land along Buie Philadelphus Road in Red Springs. Rezoning of the properties from Residential Agricultural to Highway Commercial would have allowed for construction of a convenience store and shopping center.

The proposed rezoning, requested by Philadelphus Farms LLC, was opposed by members of the Philadelphus Presbyterian Church.

Church member David Parnell told the commissioners that church members want the area to remain residential. The church owns land adjacent to the properties where the proposed convenience store and shopping center would be located.

“There’s the possibility of a convenience store promoting alcohol and gambling, while we are right across the street denouncing these things,” Parnell said.

Commissioner Raymond Cummings made the motion to deny the request.

“You have more work to do,” Cummings told Philadelphus Farms attorney Gates Harris. “You need to go back into the community and talk to these people, especially those in the church. We want people to feel comfortable with what is planned. Harmony in the community is what we strive for.”

In other business, the commissioners:

— Approved a resolution honoring the W.R. Surles Memorial Library in Proctorville. The library, which has less than 500 square feet and is often called the smallest library in the world, was added Sept. 16 to the National Register of Historic Places.

The resolution was presented to members of the R.C. Lawrence Book Club, whose members maintain the library that opened in September 1951. The library is named in honor of the late W.R. Surles, who founded Proctorville and donated $2,000 toward the library’s construction.

— Approved a contract with Time Warner that provides computer upgrades and more high speed Internet connectivity to the Tax Department, Computer Operations, GIS and county administration building.

Money is already allocated in the budget for the upgrade that will cost the county an additional $6,600 per year.

“We are getting an opportunity at a very good price,” Windley told the board.

— Agreed to ask the state Highway Patrol to investigate complaints about speeding on Hood Road, which is in a residential neighborhood. The request for a Highway Patrol investigation and stricter enforcement of speeding regulations was made by Commissioner Tommy Wellington.

— Set Nov. 23 as the public hearing date for a proposed installment financing agreement for several county and school projects, including construction of the new Department of Social Services building and Emergency Operations Center.