The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen will receive a financial update from the N.C. Local Government Commission and consider declaring obsolete vehicles as surplus when it meets Monday.
The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the Grady Howard conference room of the Spring Lake municipal complex.
The Local Government Commission took control of the town’s finances in October 2021 following an investigation into missing money and cars. David Erwin, the town’s finance director and accounting and financial management advisor of the N.C. Dept. of the State Treasurer, will provide the update.
Interim town manager Jason Williams is asking the board to declare vehicles that no longer are needed for the town as surplus. By North Carolina general statute, the town is required to declare the vehicles surplus to sell or dispose of the equipment. The 14 vehicles on that ist include two 2011 Ford Crown Victorias, three 2013 Dodge Charger SEs and a wood trailer.
“These are vehicles that we will need to replace,” Williams said Friday.
Most of those vehicles are used to support the Spring Lake police department. The town used $8.26 in recently received American Rescue Plan funds to purchase needed equipment, including police vehicle upfits.
Also on Monday, the board will be hearing the latest update about a mural being painted as part of the new Spring Lake Art Trail from Alderman Raul Palacios, the board’s liaison to the Spring Lake Appearance and Sustainability Commission.
Artist Max Dowdle, who has an extensive resume of working on large-scale public art installations and murals across the state, was chosen to paint the mural on Main Street.
“The proposed mural will be a vibrant and patriotic depiction of America, its troops and the 82nd Airborne Division,” Dowdle said. “This mural will be an artistic representation of the support and admiration that we, as Americans, have for our country and those who defend it. It will be a powerful symbol of American patriotism and support for the military.”
Dowdle is working on projects for other North Carolina municipalities, including Oxford, Apex, Raleigh and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock.
After weather impacted some of his other projects, Palacios said Dowdle has had to postpone the start of the mural in Spring Lake.
“His new plan is to start on Oct. 9 and finish Oct. 18,” said Palacios.
The plan from the committee is to unveil the mural at the Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 10. The ceremony will be a joint venture between the Appearance Commission and the Military and Veterans Affairs Advisory committee.
The board is also expected to go into executive station for attorney-client privilege and personnel.
