FAIRMONT — The commissioners here voted Tuesday to give the interim town manager a pay raise.

The $350-a-week raise was given to Ricky Harris so he would stay on the job while the Lumber River Council of Governments searches for a new manager. The town hopes to have a manager in place by Jan. 1.

Harris submitted his letter of resignation Sept. 21. The resignation was to be effective Oct. 30 because his earnings would affect his Social Security payments. The town will pay him $1,350 per week, and $100 each week for gas expenses. It originally paid him $1,000 a week.

Mayor Charles Townsend had to cast a tie-breaking vote to allow a new business to occupy 104 S. Main St. The vote granted Dominique Brown a conditional, mixed-use permit for a used car dealership, retail or restaurant at the location, which consists of two buildings. One building is located inside the historic district, the zoning for which does not allow a car dealership.

Commissioners Felecia McLean-Kesler, Monte McCallum and Terry Evans voted in favor of the permit; Mayor Pro Tem J.J. McCree, and Commissioners Charles Kemp and Heather Seibles voted to deny the request. Seibles joined the meeting by telephone while recovering from COVID-19, which she contracted two weeks ago. Interim Town Manager Ricky Harris did not attend the meeting.

After the meeting, Kemp said the town has never had a car dealership in the historic district, and he didn’t wish to “break that tradition.” The lot beside Rawls Chevrolet-Oldsmobile, which has been the site of vehicle sales, was not located inside the district.

“That was not allowed in the historic district, so I voted against it,” McCree said after the meeting.

Brown, a Fairmont resident and CEO of Whitted Service Group LLC, plans to buy the property and place cars near the building on South Main Street, the former site of Badcock Furniture and A.L. McDaniel Hardware.

She plans to have five to eight cars at the business, with three parked beside the brick building. The rest will be located in the rear parking lot near a metal building, which is in the neighborhood district zone.

“It’s my first business, and I just want to bring something new to Fairmont,” Brown said.

No mechanic work will be performed at the business, she said.

Brown hopes to provide “affordable, dependable cars for the citizens of Fairmont.” She also plans to divide the building into about four sections to allow other businesses, like a restaurant, to operate at the location.

Terry Evans said he knows Brown, and has worked with her as a former manager at Smithfield’s.

“I know her heart, I know her intent,” he said.

And he plans to support any business that brings revenue into town, including hers, Evans said.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners heard of Kemp’s plans to hold a Dec. 4 virtual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Fairmont Community Park and have musical entertainment at the Fairmont-South Robeson Heritage Center. The events will be livestreamed on the town’s Facebook page.

The town’s Twilight Christmas Parade has been canceled.

In other business, Town Attorney Jessica Scott told the commissioners that progress is being made on the foreclosure of two properties with delinquent taxes. One property is at 201 Pine St. The other on Mckoy Street had about $170,000 in Medicaid liens, which have been closed.

“It’s just going to take some time to move through this process,” Scott said.

Rachelle Johnson asked commissioners what to do concerning the purchase of property at 606 S. Main St. She was hoping for a conditional use permit to place a double-wide mobile home on the property.

The R-10 district will not allow a conditional use for that, said Jenny Larson, town clerk and finance director. But, she will conduct research into what can be done, Larson said.

“I actually don’t want to make the purchase if I can’t use the property,” Johnson said.

Commissioners also heard from town resident Nate Thompson, who commended them on their work to clean up the town.

Robeson County Arts Council President Vanessa Abernathy invited the commissioners and town residents to an event at the community park that is scheduled for 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 8. The event will feature River Voices, a project that promotes local vocalists. The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Jazz Ensemble will perform at the event. Masks must be worn and social distancing followed.

Many commissioners also expressed condolences to Mayor Charles Townsend and his family for the loss of his twin brother, Donald, who died Oct. 13.