Ellerbe council moves forward with budget

ELLERBE — The Ellerbe Town Council adopted its 2025-2026 budget ordinance and rate schedule during Monday’s meeting, along with a proclamation recognizing United States Army Day. The meeting also included updates on town projects and community concerns.

Attorney Timothy Snead introduced a resolution that would bring the issue of wine sales within the town limits to voters in the upcoming election.

“I’ve prepared a resolution to that effect that the Madam Mayor will sign, attested by the clerk. Once that’s certified, our next step will be sending it to the board of elections to be added to the ballot for the November election. As from what I understand, the deadline for the board of elections is sometime next month in July, so we’re actually on schedule — we may be a little ahead of schedule,” said Snead.

The council also approved an auditing contract with Anderson Smith & Wide PLLC.

“They’ve been doing such a great job over the course of time,” said Town Commissioner Jeremy McKenzie.

The council also adopted a proclamation recognizing United States Army Day, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Army’s founding. Melissa Wall, regent of the General Henry William Harrington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, presented and read the proclamation during the meeting.

“It’s an honor to stand before you today as we recognize a truly historic occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States Army,” said Wall.

Wall proceeded to read the proclamation of United States Army Day, which reads:

“Whereas, on June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established the United States Army, marking the birth of America’s military and the beginning of its fight for freedom and independence; and

“Whereas, for nearly 250 years, the Army has stood as a guardian of liberty, providing security to our nation, maintaining readiness and lethality, and promoting peace worldwide; and

“Whereas, the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of Army soldiers, veterans, and their families have ensured the safety and prosperity of our nation and the freedoms we cherish; and

“Whereas, the United States Army remains steadfast in its mission to serve and defend, building strong ties with local communities and fostering partnerships that strengthen the fabric of our great nation; and

“Whereas, the town of Ellerbe, North Carolina, recognizes the Army’s pivotal role in shaping our nation’s history, security, and freedom;

“Now, therefore, the town of Ellerbe, North Carolina does hereby proclaim June 14, 2025, as United States Army Day and encourages all residents to join in.”

During commissioner reports, Mayor Brenda Capel responded to complaints from residents shared on social media, particularly those related to street conditions and water outages.

“My biggest concern is the streets and water outages that we’ve had. I’ve had lots of calls about that. Social media is a good thing and it is also a dangerous thing. A lot of people have chosen that platform to discuss things about the town and when we come and have budget meetings and things that’s important for the town, we have this— no one comes so they try to manage the town through social media,” said Capel.

She acknowledged the ongoing efforts of town staff and expressed appreciation for the support of state officials.

“No, I do not respond to that stuff. If I do look, I see it and I keep scrolling. We’re here to do a job and I think we all do the best that we can. We work very hard, not just when it comes to the first Monday night of the month, but throughout the month, some of us are doing different things and working — each one is working on something all the time whether it’s going to another meeting or representing the town. We have also worked hard to procure funds for these projects,” said Mayor Capel.

“I really thank people like Representative Moss and Senator McInnis and folks like that have gone out of their way to help us do some things that have not been done for over 100 years,” she added.

Capel addressed public frustration about road conditions and utility work, noting that some pipes had not been replaced in a century.

“For over 100 years, we have had pipes in the ground here that have never been replaced. You would expect people to be grateful that we are finally getting something replaced because we were blessed to be able to get these pipes and these things replaced, but all I see is people complaining about the pavement and the resurfacing of the streets. Yeah, it is wear and tear on your car, I too drive and I understand that. If you drive like somebody with some sense and stop for the holes in the ground and allow enough time to get where you’re going, I promise you will not tear up your vehicle. We are doing absolutely the best we can and I still continue to praise SKC that’s doing the work,” she said.

She explained that water shutoffs, though inconvenient, are often necessary during infrastructure upgrades.

“Yes, it’s inconvenient to cut the water off, but it has to happen to connect the lines. The thing about connecting old pipes with new pipes, you might say, ‘it doesn’t have to be cut off,’ but when you put it together, you don’t know what’s going to crumble and you don’t know what’s going to hold up. Unfortunately, they have some issues where they didn’t realize that the water would have to be cut off when they do the tie-ins,” said Mayor Capel.

She also highlighted efforts to improve communication, particularly through phone calls about the water service interruptions.

“We have good communication now — Jamie does the one call. Everybody that gives a phone number is called. If you didn’t get a call, that’s because you haven’t given us your phone number. If you don’t give us your phone number, we don’t have any way of informing you,” Capel said.

Capel concluded by inviting all residents to attend monthly meetings for project updates.

“Any resident of the town who would like to come in and listen to what they have to say, you’re welcome to come. I don’t do closed-door meetings. Anything that you would like to know about the project or where we are with it or how far along we have to go, that’s open to any resident in Ellerbe,” she said.