Bailey board OKs sewer work, amends agreement

BAILEY — Town commissioners discussed a trio of pertinent issues during their meeting last week, deliberating for more than two hours before moving into closed session.

Joe McKemey of McDavid Associates Inc. delivered remarks on a change order for the 2019 sewer project, while the town’s 2022-23 fiscal year audit was reviewed by Lee Grissom of S. Preston Douglas and Associates LLP.

Mayor Owen Strickland II also made a presentation to the Board of Commissioners, seeking approval for an amended interlocal agreement tendered by Nash County.

CHANGES AND NUMBERS

Regarding the change order, McKemey said an alarm dialer would be added to the town’s pump station, preventing the need for daily inspection.

The unit will dial out any time the pump overheats or experiences seal failure.

“There’s no alarm-dialer there now. There’s no telephone. There’s no telephone case,” McKemey said of the facility, before noting any charges associated with its installation will be covered by an allowance.

Additionally, power from the Main Street transformers to the pump station will run underground, expanding the work order’s total cost to $11,280 — including manhole repair equaling $6,280.

The work, approved via capital project ordinance, is slated for completion by Jan. 14, 2025.

Grissom detailed the town’s audit, citing three internal control findings — segregation of duties, tardiness of submission and a budget overage.

“Ideally, you’d want probably five to seven people in your business office where you can separate all the major functions without any overlap, so … that’s been a finding every fiscal year,” Grissom said of the town’s staffing plight. “And unless you hire more people, it’s likely that you’ll have that finding going forward.”

Further, he noted, was the audit’s 10-month delay in submission and a transfer budget overage.

There were no departmental overages, however.

Grissom also encouraged increasing the town’s finance officer’s bond to $100,000, while hailing Town Administrator Joel Killion’s execution of the audit process.

AN AGREEMENT IN QUESTION

On Sept. 9, Strickland received an interlocal agreement from Nash County Deputy Manager Jonathan Boone, providing Bailey an instrument to facilitate $750,000 of a $17,022,000 fund earmarked for water and sewer rehabilitation.

The agreement, according to Strickland, needed revision, which he pursued through Town Attorney Mark Edwards.

Edwards modified sections in four paragraphs, making the language Bailey-specific — a finished product that was unanimously approved for submission to the county.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

• John Greer of EnviroLink appeared before the board to discuss operating procedures for the town’s spray heads and pumps, pending lab results that should be available in short order.

• The board approved a $3,100 expenditure to repair a sewer line suffering root intrusion at 6975 Peele Road.

• John Thompson of Top Notch Lawn Care reported on leaf and limb collection, road repairs on Lee Street, maintenance of the town’s spray field and continued work at the cemetery.

• Strickland outlined participation in a program that will allow him to develop a funding request through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities initiative, which aims to reduce hazard risk through proactive community resilience.

• Public comment was helmed by Mario Patino, who expressed frustration over the timing of a zoning decision.

• Killion advised the board on the town’s internet security, outlining a three-year safety program offered by Computer Central; the project’s cost of $1,189 was approved.

• Cemetery and Landscaping Commissioner Richard Wilson introduced an offer to remove a maple tree between his home and the Leaning Tree Restaurant; the board agreed to vet the offer before approving.

• The town’s Planning Board/Board of Adjustments will meet at Town Hall on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.

• The next Chamber of Commerce meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 17.

• “Halloween on Main St.” will be held from 4:30-8 p.m. on Oct. 26.

• Town Hall will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day.

• The next Board of Commissioners meeting will be held at Town Hall on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.

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