By JEFFERSON WEAVER

The Whiteville City Council Tuesday will hear an update on several engineering projects and consider increasing police presence in a troubled area.

Interim Town Manager Doug Palmer said Leo Green of Green engineering will brief the board on a laundry list of projects, including the addition of fluoride and polyphosphate to the town’s water system.

Including either of the compounds individually was considered too cost prohibitive, Palmer said, but the town could save money by using the same system for both.

“We’ll have some more exact numbers Tuesday,” he said, “but it’s estimated to be around $35,000.”

Polyphosphate will help seal some of the town’s aging iron pipes, Palmer said.
“By sealing out the rust,” he said, “it eliminates some of the brown water problems experienced by the town.”

In an unrelated issue, Palmer said the town has asked the town of Bolton for the chance to have Green’s firm review the Bolton sewer plan.

Bolton would transfer wastewater to Whiteville for processing under the plan. The smaller town recently received approval for $3.5 million in federal funds toward the sewer project.

Whiteville wants Green to review the Bolton plan, created by McDavid and Associates engineers, to make sure the plans mesh.

In other action, the Whiteville council will consider providing a police officer at Central Middle School from 3:30-5:30 p.m. daily.

The town already provides two full-time officers during the regular school day. The Whiteville city Schools made the request due to an increasing number of problems on or near the school grounds after students are released for the day.

The school system would be responsible for any security after 5:30 p.m.

The move would cost the town around $7,200 in overtime, plus $1,255 in FICA and other costs. Superintendent Danny McPherson and Police Chief Jerry Britt are expected to be at the meeting to discuss the issue.

The CMS area has been the scene of several assaults, gunfire and other problems in recent years.