Daniel Prince
Town amends budget to add in money for insurance for council members
In other news from Tuesday’s Carlisle Town Council meeting, the council officially voted to accept the proposed offer of insurance for elected officials and that the town cover the cost of it. Mayor Mary Ferguson-Glenn said that she had been informed a month or so back that town council members were essentially considered full-time employees and thus must be offered health insurance. At a special meeting last month and at last month’s regular meeting, the council discussed it, and all but one council member declined it. Council member Maxine Spencer said she had an extenuating circumstance that caused her to need to accept it. Later in the meeting, the council unanimously approved an amendment to the budget to add in the cost of insurance, increasing the general fund budget from $139,725 to $149,270, an increase of $9545. The added cost will presumably be covered by the town’s fund balance, though WBCU News has reached out to town officials to find out for sure.
In other matters, the council unanimously voted again to establish a local emergency committee. The committee would be headed by a council member, and the other members of the committee would be recruited by that person. The issue of the committee was first discussed by the council at its January meeting, at which time they unanimously voted to establish the committee. Nothing had been done about it since then. This month’s vote confirmed council’s commitment to the idea of a committee to help formulate an emergency plan for the town in case of bad weather. Mayor Glenn said they would appoint a chairperson for the committee from Town Council at next month’s meeting.
Administrator Shannon McBride said the tax auction for 2021 property taxes will be held this coming Monday, October 3, at 9 a.m. Mayor Glenn reminded council about a vaccination clinic coming to the town on Thursday, October 6, from 10-2. They will have regular shots as well as the new booster. Mayor Glenn and council also talked about hosting a Carlisle community trunk or treat, which Glenn said would hinge on whether enough volunteers would step up to participate and make the event successful. She also talked about the need for volunteers to pack food boxes, as the town has some food it needs to give away, but they need volunteers to pack and prepare the boxes for distribution. If you are interested in volunteering for the trunk or treat or to help pack food boxes, contact the Carlisle Town Hall at 427-1505. Council member Ann Stevens-Brown told council that the NAACP is at the Carlisle Fire Department Mondays and Tuesdays from 11-3 working to help low-income individuals apply for and receive grant funding for housing needs. She also said the Institute for Leadership had a computer they would like to donate to a student in the town, and she asked the council for help in identifying someone to give one.