Princeton considers another location for new town hall
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on April 5, 2005 1:46 PM
PRINCETON -- The proposed location for a new Princeton town hall took an abrupt left turn Monday night.
Mayor Don Rains announced that the town had rescinded an offer to buy land across South Pine Street from the current building. He said the offer was withdrawn because of problems, but he did not elaborate on the problems.
The board had met in closed session for about 15 minutes at the end of the monthly meeting in the Community Building to discuss a land purchase.
Rains said the board had made an offer for about two acres of land, next to the Princeton Fire Department and Rescue Squad building on West Dr. Donnie Jones Boulevard, or U.S. 70 Business.
The mayor did not say what the amount was, but he did say it was "a fair price." The land is owned by James Dolan Baker, a developer who lives near Princeton.
Princeton received $700,000 on Thursday from the federal government to help build a new town hall.
The check included a $300,000 grant and a $400,000 loan.
The existing town hall, built in the 1930s, was damaged in 1999 by three hurricanes and in 2004 by several tropical storms. The roof leaks and the building floods.
The board later accepted the recommendation of its contracted engineer, C.T. Clayton Sr. of New Bern, to replace a motor in a lift station on Edwards Street and to build a lift station to serve Smith and Mercer streets for about $120,000 to $150,000. The money would come from a $225,000 grant.
The board also adopted a capital project ordinance for the sewer system overhaul to keep track of the funds being spent.
In other business Monday, the town board:
*Appointed Commissioner David Starling to investigate a codification of the town's ordinances. Richard Frommeyer of American Legal Publishing Co. of Cincinnati offered a proposal for $7,950 to do the work in a year. He said his company has 130 clients in North Carolina.
*Recommended filing another application for a Johnston County grant for the Ray Floors Memorial Park.
*Proclaimed May 1-7 as Municipal Clerk's Week.