Mold repairs continue
Robbinsville – “Good financial position” and “No compliance violations” are just some of the phrases used when the 2019-20 Town of Robbinsville was presented at the Oct. 7 Board of Aldermen meeting.
Nancy Lux with Ray, Bumgarner, Kingshill & Associates in Waynesville, which conducted the audit, highlighted portions of the 54-page report, which cut off at the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
Of note:
* Assets exceeded liabilities by $14,043,104.
* The unassigned fund balance for the general fund at the end of the fiscal year was $1,002,920, or 209.18 percent of total general fund expenditures.
* The town’s total debt dropped $35,090, thanks in part to payments made toward the principal of loans.
“We really didn’t see a lot of significant changes from the prior year; nothing too remarkable or crazy,” Lux said. “(Finance director) Sonya (Webster) does an excellent job.”
Four recommendations were made in the report to improve internal controls:
* No personal use of town property.
* No blank purchase orders.
* The creation of a policy for use of comp and vacation time.
* Keep track of water/sewer maintenance inventory.
Other news and notes from the meeting included:
* Mold repairs at Robbinsville Town Hall continue. Repairs to the roof are well underway, which should eliminate water entering the back side of the building in the future.
Kelly Andrews Building and Handyman Service was awarded the next phase of the project, which will include the removal and replacement of stucco, painting the wall next to a bathroom in Town Hall and a new bathroom vanity ($2,300), plus another $1,000 to install two new metal basement doors.
* Alderman Brian Johnson presented two different quotes for draining repairs on Ford Street – one totaling $13,985.75 and the other, $14,359 – but aldermen Debbie Beasley expressed her feelings on both the lack of progress made thus far on the longstanding issue, which started in 2012. The issue was tabled.
“I wonder how much money we’ve already put in to this. There’s no telling,” Beasley said. “That’s a lot of money. We don’t have the money to give our (town) employees the (3 percent) pay raise that we voted to do.
“How can we take money from them and pay to fix something that we don’t have the money to really do right now? I can’t vote to do this right now. I won’t.”
* Tim Creasman was awarded a contract to install a new drain on Morphew Street, which will cost $5,600.
* The new software being used by the town to accept online payments – Southern Software Integrated – was upgraded to include more features at a cost of $100 per month.
* The town agreed to set aside $1,300 to paint 26 power poles with the U.S. flag, in conjunction with a project already underway by REVVED UP.
* A resolution was approved to lease the former Town Hall for 10 years to Big Green Chair LLC., operated by Amber and David Benton. The town will receive $400 a month as part of the lease. The Bentons plan to open a coffee shop in the building.
* The town was able to secure seven bids on its latest attempt to sell a 1996 Ford Truck, which was awarded to Michael Kennedy for $805.