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FAISON — Bishop T.D. Powell asked the Faison board on March 4 for help finding a permanent home for the community church he pastors at the Faison Park and Recreation Center.
“We want to be a more vital part of the community,” Powell said. “We do have a good financial base and have funds for renovation of a space. We are not just here to be here every other weekend for services; we want to be a benefit to the community. It’s important for us to move forward and have a building so we can do more food drives and things for the community.”
Commissioner Carolyn Kenyon said she attended the weekend the church distributed school supplies.
“It turned out very well; a lot of children got bags with all kinds of things to help them. [Powell’s church] is a benefit to the community,” Kenyon said.
“We know ya’ll need a building, but we are thankful that you rent our Rec Center and take care of it on the first and third Sundays,” Mayor Billy Ward said.
Ward noted that the end of the fiscal year is near and it is time to plan for the next budget. Outgoing Town Clerk Sharon Lee scheduled two budget workshops for March 11 and 16 to help establish the new budget before she retires at the end of March. The new town clerk, Kelly Parks, was present but still learning. Several motions were passed to enable Parks to act on the town’s behalf in financial matters going forward, such as opening and renewing certificates of deposit at United Bank, purchasing bonds, and holding credit cards at Sam’s Club and PNC.
The board said Parks’ education does not yet meet the qualifications needed to serve with a finance officer bond in the same way Lee did. They will decide later whether to hire a finance officer or assign a board member to that role. The board also approved transferring 26.5 hours of sick leave Parks accrued at Wayne County Schools.
Faison Parks and Recreation shared that basketball season has concluded, and volleyball and soccer will start mid-March through April. The afterschool program is going strong. The approved buses have been purchased, and town employees are enrolled in courses for CDL endorsements. They will continue using town vehicles to transport children until their endorsements are completed.
One full-time employee at the Recreation Center, Jean Wright, has resigned to pursue her own business. The board approved hiring Michael Albertson at $12 an hour to work part-time in her place.
Complaints about roosters have increased, prompting the town to send out notices giving the owners time to resolve the issue.
The request for bids to mow Faison Cemetery returned with 12 bids ranging from $13,000–$50,000 for the year. Executive Administrator Jimmy Tyndall presented the options with a spreadsheet to show what each offered, including the needed additions of spraying pesticides for ants and Bahia grass. The board approved a contract for $13,750 to First Choice Lawn Care of Benson, who came highly recommended and will perform all the needed services.
The board approved a budget amendment to cover the new sidewalks at the Faison Cemetery and appropriating $50,000 from savings to pull and rehabilitate the pump at Well #4 on Church Street. The pump was last serviced in 2009.
The board also approved updating the five-year Hazard Mitigation Emergency Plan and a $16,000–$25,000 2026 auditing contract with Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Company of Wilmington. Additionally, the board approved a policy defining what can and cannot be done in town vehicles.
Tyndall shared an ongoing problem with water cutoffs at residential locations. Tyndall explained that each time a town employee is called out, the town loses water and incurs labor costs. The ordinance requires property owners to have their own cutoffs outside the town meter, but many do not.
“A person in violation of the ordinance shouldn’t get special treatment — but they do all the time,” Tyndall said. “We help our people. Part of helping our people is educating them on how to help themselves.”
The board agreed the town should focus on helping residents, not doing work for them, but tabled a decision until further research is completed.
The board adjourned with light refreshments celebrating Lee’s retirement.
