<p>Commissioners Donna Patterson, Deborah Inman and Annie Stephens review their agendas Thursday during the St. Pauls Board of Commissioners meeting. </p>
                                 <p>Jessica Horne | The Robesonian</p>

Commissioners Donna Patterson, Deborah Inman and Annie Stephens review their agendas Thursday during the St. Pauls Board of Commissioners meeting.

Jessica Horne | The Robesonian

ST. PAULS — Plans for the construction and relocation of the town’s wastewater treatment plant took a step forward Thursday.

Town Board of Commissioners members approved designating Asheville-based McGill Associates as the engineering firm for the project and the grant administrator of the Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure Grant that will be used to help pay for the project.

The town has been approved for $6.2 million in replacement project money through various funding sources.

“We haven’t signed the contract yet,” Interim Town Administrator Debra McNeill said.

The contract, which is between the state and the town, is under review by Town Attorney Tim Smith.

McNeill said efforts to reach Parkton and include them in the WWTP services continue.

The Robeson County Landfill is taking samples and providing flow information regarding leachate, according to Benton Rogers, assistant Public Works director. The samples and flow information will help the town decide if its plant can handle waste from the landfill, Rogers said.

A leachate is any liquid that, in the course of passing through matter, extracts soluble or suspended solids, or any other component of the material through which it has passed.

Commissioners also approved on Thursday spending more than $100,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to order water meters that Public Works personnel can read without leaving their work vehicles. The town has been approved to receive $670,000 in ARP funding for the meters and other projects and needs.

Also on Thursday, commissioners heard that the Wilkinson Drive drainage project has continued to stall because of “bad communication,” according to Rogers.

McNeill said the process was slowed by the need to get a new project subcontractor insured.

Efforts continue to move forward the environmental study regarding the Johnson Street Drainage Project, McNeill said.

The project is moving at “a turtle’s pace, but we’re moving slowly,” McNeill said.

The town’s audit is scheduled for next week and a positive audit result is expected, she said.

Commissioners also decided to have a meeting on Thursday with a dentist from Village Family Dental to discuss a problem caused by high levels of mercury in sewage lines. Mercury is used in fillings and the discarding of the mercury has caused a problem, according to Mayor Pro Tem Evans Jackson.

In other matters, St. Pauls Chief of Police Steve Dollinger said the first police cadet meeting Wednesday went well. The four attendees were told about duties of a magistrate and shown police car equipment.

“Kids yesterday seemed to enjoy themselves,” Dollinger said.

He anticipates more growth as the program continues. The next cadet meeting will take place Sept. 22 in the courtroom in Town Hall.

Dollinger also said the department is working to obtain grant funding to help pay for more equipment.

Also during Thursday’s meeting, a swearing in ceremony was held for St. Pauls Police Patrol Officer Anthony Day, who joined the department in February.

Commissioners emerged from closed session after discussing economic development in town, but took no action.

McNeill told commissioners the town has received one application for the role of grant administrator so far.

Commissioners also decided to park a firetruck near Brisson Drugs on Saturday and fly an American flag at half staff in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected].