Preferred Post Office Site
Mayor Boyette opened the meeting and gave the history of the site of the new post office. Mayor Boyette explained that the contract to build had been tentatively approved by the postal service for a site on Old County Road on the east side of Totsland Daycare. Mayor Boyette explained that the town administration was not pleased with this site due to the fact that the post office would not be near or in the downtown business district. The site on the corner of West Main and Railroad Street (Bishop Heir Property) is the town administration, along with a majority of the citizens’ preferred location for the post office.

Mayor Boyette stated that the developer who had proposed the Old County Road site approved is Mr. Doyle Walsh and his son Keith, who have built many post offices and knew the standard specifications approved by the postal service. Mayor Boyette explained that the Walsh Developers would be the preferred developer because of their expertise but because of the funding differential, the town may have to step in, build and own the building, only, if absolutely necessary. Mayor Boyette explained that originally the owners had asked $125,000 for this property and recently had dropped the price to $100,000 to try to get the developers to build the post office at this site. Mayor Boyette stated that to build the post office on the preferred site would cost the developer additional monies due to the cost of the property and the surveying and option paid on the property on Old County Road. The Beaufort County Committee of 100, a ( 501(c)3, tax exempt organization) had committed to assist the town in locating the post office on the preferred site. In order to defer costs, the Committee of 100 is taking pledges from the community to support whoever develops the post office on the preferred site. Mayor Boyette stated that pledges made to date were: Marion and Jane Dilday - $5,000; Cecil Smith - $1,000; Julian Goff - $1,000; Topper and Dorinda Bateman - $1,000; W. P. “Bud” O’Neal - $1,000; Dave and Nancy Gooding - $1,000 and Rocky Jacobs - $1,000. In addition to monetary pledges Mr. Sam Jarvis, Engineer and Mr. Bill Gwynn, Architect have both donated their services, thus far, to assist in getting the post office on the preferred site. Mayor Boyette stated that other donations were to remove the debris and grind the stumps after cutting of trees. Town Manager Johnson stated that any trees which needed removing from the Civic Center property could be cut by town staff and sold.

Town Manager Johnson stated that taking all donations into consideration, there remained a difference of approximately $17,000 needed for the preferred site and clarified that the monies pledged were miscalculated by $25,000 by the group securing the pledges. Mayor Boyette stated that the town has expressed an interest in allowing .61 acres of the Civic Center property for parking and an additional entrance to the post office but could not donate to a private party, such as the developer. Mayor Boyette stated that the Town could donate this property to the Beaufort County Committee of 100 because of their 501(c) 3 tax status.