ROWLAND — State lawmakers approved changes to Rowland’s charter that give commissioners the authority to fill vacant seats on the town’s Board of Commissioners.

The legislative approval was given June 16, Town Attorney Rob Price told commissioners Tuesday during their regular meeting. But, the approval will have no effect on the reason the town made the request in first place — to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Commissioner Marvin Shooter.

The newly enacted law does not apply to seats made vacant before the law went into effect, Price said.

“The kicker is we asked for this specifically to try to convey to them that we had a vacant seat now we needed to fill,” he added. “So I think that means we are dead in the water again.”

The seat has been vacant since October, after Shooter passed away suddenly of complications caused by COVID-19. Price pushed the board for months to hold a special election or consider a change in the town’s charter, which mandates a special election be held to fill the vacant seat.

Rowland commissioners made their request to state lawmakers during their regular January business meeting. They asked for the deletion of language in the charter mandating the town hold a special election and the addition of language that puts the power to fill a seat in the hands of the commissioners.

Price asked the commissioners that being this “late in the game,” should the town hold a special election? Shooter’s seat is up for reelection in the Nov. 2 municipal election.

“Absolutely not,” Mayor Michelle Shooter said.

The seat will remain vacant until a commissioner is elected in November to fill it.

In addition to the vacancy change in the town’s charter, Price told the commissioners that state legislators also took it upon themselves to delete language in the charter prohibiting the mayor and commissioners from holding office if they are more than 30 days delinquent in taxes, have been convicted of a felony or have failed to attend more than three meetings of the Town Board.

“I think the reason they did that was because there is a legal opinion that we just simply can’t require anything beyond what the stature requires for qualifications to office,” Price said. “If people want to elect people who don’t want to pay their bills, or elect people who are felons, then the people have the right to do that.”

In other business, the commissioners approved the annexation of two parcels of land on South Bond Street, after holding a public hearing on the matter and hearing no objections.

James Pickney requested the annexation. Town Clerk David Townsend said he was unsure of what Pickney plans to do with the property.

Also on Tuesday, Mayor Shooter told town residents present at the meeting that she will reach out to Rowland’s county representative, after hearing complaints about the number of stray dogs in the town and the threat they pose.

Public Works Director Josh Pierce said the Robeson County Animal Shelter is responsible for picking up stray dogs within the town, but being short staffed, it takes weeks for the animals to be removed.

Public Works employees can trap the animals but then they’re required to care for them for weeks until an animal control officer picks them up, Pierce said.

“I don’t mess with no dogs,” he said.

Commissioners also agreed Tuesday to devote workshop meetings to reviewing about 150 pages of updated content in the town’s zoning ordinance.

They also approved amending the current fiscal year budget to buy a new mower for $3,900.