A second public hearing was held this week on an infrastructure project to provide water and sewer service to areas in East Rockingham.

“We all know there are water and sewer problems and public health issues in East Rockingham,” Mayor Gene McLaurin said Tuesday. “(We are attempting to make) significant improvements to allow us to provide service to these areas.”

A proposal for a more than $700,000 CDBG grant will now be submitted. The city is already seeking $800,000 in recovery (stimulus) funds according to City Manager Monty Crump.

“We’re looking to fund Jefferson Park through the two grants,” Crump told the council.

Between the two grants, over $1.5 million could go toward providing water to the Jefferson Park area in East Rockingham.

The total scope of the project to provide water and sewer to the whole of East Rockingham is predicted to cost about $6 million.

The city is also poised to receive about $700,000 from the Golden Leaf Foundation for a water main that is integral to the project.

In other business:

n The council also voted unanimously to take control of the Rockingham Depot at the request of the Richmond County Historical Society.

“This is not done lightly by the historic society,” McLaurin commented. “They have tried very hard to make ... this project a reality. I think the historic society feels it would be very difficult for a volunteer organization to keep the building up.”

Crump said the city should be able to generate enough revenue for general maintenance and to pay utility bills through fees and rent on the building.

“I don’t think it would fund a major renovation, but with regular, yearly maintenance, hopefully it wouldn’t come to that,” he said.

“I would just offer that this is a tremendous asset to our community,” Mayor Pro-Tem Bennett Deane said. “They have really improved the appearance of that intersection, which is a major thoroughfare in our city.”

The depot is located at the intersection of South Hancock Street and Business 74.

In action Tuesday night, the city finalized its budget for the upcoming year with a unanimous vote.

A public hearing was held for citizen input on the budget, but no member of the public responded to the call.

“This is clearly a different year ... This is a hold-the-line type of budget,” Mayor McLaurin said as he introduced the topic for action by the council.

Crump pointed out the budget calls for no increase in property taxes, no reduced pay or lay-offs for city employees and provides the same services to the citizens of Rockingham as they’re accustomed to.

Crump did mention that a number of police positions previously funded by grants still have an uncertain future.

“I think we have a plan in place ... I feel confident we’ll be able to get that funding and keep those positions,” Crump said.

He also acknowledged an increase in residential and industrial water treatment rates, but pointed out Rockingham still has some of the lowest water and sewer rates in the state of North Carolina.

A motion was made to adopt the budget by Councilman John Hutchinson, and seconded by Councilman Gene Willard.

The council also adopted several budget amendments to balance out the budget from the previous year.