ST. PAULS — The St. Pauls Board of Commissioners discussed hiring someone to manage the town’s website during its regular meeting on Thursday, but made no decision.
“This is something I feel like we need to go ahead and move on,” said Debra McNeill, town clerk.
She said that with the holidays approaching, the town needs a way to communicate with the public.
Mayor Pro Tem Elbert Gibson agreed.
“Really that’s our only source of information anymore,” Gibson said, citing the absence of a newspaper in town and limited advertising opportunities.
The website was set up at a cost of $7,000, and the previous manager was paid $500 a month. The salary for a new manager was not discussed Thursday.
The mayor and commissioners took time during Thursday’s meeting to pay tribute to Angus Maynor for his 44 years of service to the town. Maynor, the town’s custodian who is retiring, was presented a plaque in honor of his efforts over decades to keep the town clean.
“I’d like to recognize a special individual who devoted 40 years, yes, I would say of his time, of his expertise of keeping our buildings and grounds clean,” Mayor Gerard Weindel said.
Maynor began his service to the town while a high school student by cleaning buildings with his uncle, the late Rev. Ernest Maynor.
“I enjoyed working the 44 years,” he said.
In other business, Town Administrator Rodney Johnson said the town is set to receive about 20% of the $330,000 Golden LEAF grant awarded in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.
Commissioner Debbie Inman spoke Thursday on behalf of the Property Committee about installing a heating system at the Public Works building, where space heaters are in use now. Inman said that she is in the process of pricing heating units.
“The other issue was the quote for the windows at the Hooks building,” Inman said.
She will reach out to more bidders for the replacement of existing windows in the building, the commissioner said. She was not satisfied with the proposed window shape, and she wanted to keep the windows as close to the original design as possible.
“The Hooks building is in the process of being roofed,” Weindel said.
In other business, the commissioners adopted an annexation ordinance for Fairfield Apartments, located on Veterans Road. The annexation was voluntary, the town administrator said.
The town held a public hearing this past week, and there was no opposition, Weindel said.
The commissioners also decided to surplus a 1998 Chevrolet dump truck and a 1990 air compressor.
It was announced during Thursday’s meeting that the town’s Christmas tree lighting is scheduled for Nov. 29 at 5:30 p.m. and the swearing in for new commissioners will be on Monday, Dec. 2.
