03/27/2024
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etown-meeting-scottThe Elizabethtown Town Council met in their noon work session on Monday and Bryon Scott of Thompson, Price, Scott Adams and Co., presented the town’s audit report to the board.

Scott told the board that expenditures had increased over last year and the fund balance for  the beginning of the year was $1.8 million and fund balance at the close fo the year was $1.9 million.  Scott also discussed the water and sewer fund. He said the fund balance for the water and sewer fund was 15.6 million at the beginning of the year and $15.8 million at the end of the year.

“The fund balance is very important for that and the fund balance is very important to maintain,” said Scott.

Scott said the Ad Valorem valuation for the town is about $286 million up slightly from $275 million last year. The town’s tax collection rate 97.43 percent which is on target with the state.

Scott told the board that he has rendered and “unmodified opinion” which is the highest opinion an auditor can render on an audit. He said that nothing unusual or out of ordinary was found during the audit. Scott told the board there were no issues nor any findings in previous audits.

Scott also thanked Fire Chief Nick West for the assistance he received from the fire department cutting up a tree that had fallen across his driveway following Hurricane Matthew.

etown-meetinjg-pinsMayor Sylvia Campbell presented town of Elizabethtown pins to firefighters Allston Freeman, Samuel Hodge, Wesley Mehan, and Chris Dorn. Firefighter Seth Hair was unable to attend the meeting.

Next, the board discussed a public hearing that will be conducted for a special use permit for a solar farm on M & M Street.  Town Attorney Goldston Womble addressed the board and explained the process for the hearing which is quasi-judicial in nature.

“We’ve had a public hearing in regard to this information and it was tables at the last meeting to take in additional information,” said Womble.etown-meeting-womble

Wobble told the board they must make their findings on the matter the information presented at both of the public hearings. Anyone who is affected by this decision has the right to hear all of the information presented to board enemy and to know all of the facts.

He explained to the board that they are not supposed to talk with anyone outside of the hearing about how the case is handled or how you are going to vote. Wobble said the hearing is supposed to be handled as if you are in a courtroom.

Womble told the board that any decision reached must be based solely on evidence presented during the public hearing. He added it cannot be based on opinion.

Womble told the board that once the the board hears the evidence presented and considers the evidence presented at the last hearing, the board will then reach a decision.  He said the board will either deny the application or allow the application and they must state the reason for the decision.

He admonished the board can’t consider things outside of the hearing can only base your decision on what has been presented in the hearing.

Womble told the board that once their decision is reached, he will then prepare an order for the two staff based on that decision for the board to sign.

Town Manager Eddie Madden said the attorney for the applicant has made a request that anything being presented tonight be submitted this afternoon so the memos that had been received by town staff have been submitted to the attorney.

Tonight the board will consider approving an amended inmate labor agreement. The board learned that the town of White Lake wants to join the agreement and will share in the costs.

The board is also scheduled to approve the firefighters certification and to consider board appointments the Elizabethtown Housing Authority and the Firefighters Relief Fund.

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