Beulaville infrastructure project moves ahead

BEULAVILLE — At the Beulaville town board meeting on Monday night, officials shared updates on the town’s infrastructure efforts.

Public Works Director Ricky Raynor informed the board that the infrastructure project is progressing smoothly and remains ahead of schedule. Pressure testing is complete, with sampling and floor preparation expected to wrap up this week.

“The contractors say there are places where they don’t really think they need to do the line stops,” said Raynor. “They can do them with the gate valves, which would save a lot of money.”

Raynor shared that by the end of June, patching of asphalt and concrete, as well as door repairs, will be nearly finished. Contractors have also begun installing taps. Raynor explained that the engineering team is reviewing whether costly line stops can be replaced with gate valves, which may free up funds to install additional lines if approved. Currently, this phase of the project remains ahead of schedule.

“If they add to it, the only area that will be affected is where Trey [Gurley with McDavid Associates] decides to put the lines at. So everything else should be mostly done by the end of this month,” said Raynor. He noted that contractors prefer gate valves over line stops due to quicker installation.

The board also revisited a county-led grant project involving site work on Lama Road. The county is handling the project incrementally, paying for each stage as it progresses, without committing the town to ongoing costs. The motion to accept the proposal from the Timmons’ Group / Duplin County was approved unanimously.

In other business

• Town Manager Lori Williams reported that the wastewater treatment plant operated steadily throughout May, handling an average daily flow of 209,000 gallons. The facility also recorded 12.5 inches of dirt accumulation.

• Police Chief Karl Mobley reported that operations for the month have gone smoothly overall. The department is working to fill one open position to bring the department back to full staffing capacity.

• May’s sales tax revenue was reported at $36,000.

• Bulk trash pickup was delayed due to weather and leaks but will be completed this week. Due to weather disruptions, utility leaks, and the shortened workweek, crews were not able to complete all scheduled pickups.

• The North Carolina Department of Transportation is upgrading wheelchair ramps on Jackson Street as part of a state-funded improvement project.

• A town newsletter is planned for late June, with a content deadline of June 13. The newsletter will highlight important ordinances, including yard maintenance, abandoned vehicles, trash placement, and general code enforcement topics.

• A special meeting was scheduled for Monday, June 23 at 5:30 p.m. to finalize the town’s budget. The board is waiting for final tax figures from the county before moving forward.