CAROLINA BEACH — Times are changing in the Town of Carolina Beach – the lake dredging project contract with Civil Works Construction has been terminated, land was purchased, and a new Mayor Pro Tempore was elected during Tuesday night’s meeting.
While the meeting was mostly ceremonial, according to former Mayor Dan Wilcox, there were three items of old business on the agenda. The board decided to take action on those three items before the administration of the oath of office for Mayor Joe Benson and Council Member JoDan Garza.
Wilcox said the Town Manager, Michael Cramer, had met with then Mayor-Elect Benson and candidate Elect Garza to see if there was any opposition to the old board voting on the matters on the agenda – neither voiced a concern with the decision.
The first item of old business was to terminate the contract with Civil Works Construction, the company that has been dredging the lake. The project has seen several delays since inception, and in August the project was suspended.
“For us to move forward it will take quite a bit more research, testing, engineering, and some permitting associated to that,” Cramer said. “Because of that it most likely will take up to six months or more to get through all of those details before were able to move forward. At this point it would be unfair to the contractor to hold out a contract term for an additional six months.”
The project will resume in the future and a new contract will have to be developed once the town is ready to move forward.
The Town Council also voted to approve a motion that will allow Cramer to execute a property purchase at 801 Dow Road. The land cost the town $400,000 and will be funded, “through the transfer of unappropriated fund balance in the Utility Fund and would be reimbursed to the Utility Fund following LGC Financing,” according to town documents.
The land purchased will be used for the future location of a water treatment plant.
The town also has a new Mayor Pro Tempore after newly-elected Garza made a nomination for Tom Bridges to take the role. The nomination was voted on and approved unanimously; Council Member LeAnn Pierce previously held the position.
Michael Praats can be reached at Michael.p@localvoicemedia.com
