Finance Officer Beth Wentland told the board during its regular meeting Monday that the town has more than half a million dollars in profit in its general fund and a profit of more than $90,000 in its water and sewer fund.
The extra money in the budget gives the town some flexibility. The town had planned to have one of its water tanks sandblasted and repainted this year but didn’t budget any money for the job. The town was going to pay for the work out of its fund balance.
Because of excess of revenues and a bid that came in surprisingly low, Town Manager Bill Zell said he felt confident that the town would now be able to use budgeted funds to pay for the job. The fund balance would take a slight hit at most, he said.
“I’m going to remember you said that,” Commissioner Arthur Parker said.
The low bid for repainting the No. 2 tank came from Municipal Tank Coating and Sandblasting, Inc. at $76,480. The money to pay for the work will come from the water and sewer fund.
Aberdeen should end the year in the black, but it probably won’t end the year with the outstanding numbers it has now, the board was told. In the general fund, 80 percent of the revenue expected for the year has come in, while only 64 percent of the expenditures have been incurred.
For the water and sewer fund, the numbers are closer, but still slightly off. About 80 percent of the revenue have come in, but 74 percent of the expenditures have been incurred.
Despite those numbers, Wentland told the board that things are going well.
“The revenues are, from an overall standpoint, sufficiently covering our expenses more so than they did the previous year,” she said.
Skaters For Moore
In other business, representatives from Skaters For Moore spoke to the board about their desire to put together a skateboard park in the area.
Skaters For Moore has collected more than 1,000 signatures and is trying raise to awareness that there is a need for a skating park, said William Dean, owner of Flowland in Southern Pines. Skaters For Moore has already been to talk to the Southern Pines Town Council.
Jake Wolfe, owner of Roly Poly, told the board that Skaters For Moore is seeking a partnership with a municipality. The group hopes that a town could donate some space and make Skaters For Moore responsible for the upkeep. He stressed that it would not want to generate any profits.
“We’re looking for a good place to skate,” he said. “We’ll give it our best shot.”
Dean told the board that the space would need to be about the size of two tennis courts, which could accommodate any growth in the coming years.
Mayor Pro Tem Robbie Farrell asked if there were any grants that could be sought.
Dean said there are need-based grants available. Skaters For Moore is also looking for private donations, he said.
Hidden Valley Roads
The developer of the Hidden Valley subdivision, Mike Laws, has written a letter to the town asking that it take possession of the roads in subdivision.
There have been numerous drainage problems in Hidden Valley.
Many residents would welcome the town taking over the streets.
“That’s good news,” Farrell said.
