Actions by the Moore County Board of Commissioners clear the way for acceptance of $3 million in federal economic stimulus funds for five lift station replacements in Pinehurst.

The funding through the American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) represents $1.5 million in a direct grant and $1.5 million in a loan to be paid back over a 20-year span with no interest.

Discussion was minimal, and the board voted unanimously Monday to accept the funding and to authorize Chairman Nick Picerno to sign the resolution accepting the money and the acceptance letter. In a related matter, the board voted unanimously to adopt the Lake Pinehurst Lift Station Ordinance as required by state law.

Janet Colon, of the Public Works staff, made the presentation on the ARRA offer and acceptance, and Financial Services Director Lisa Hughes followed with the ordinance.

The grant/loan will be used to replace five lake lift stations at Pinehurst Lake. Colon said the current lift stations, pipes and appurtenances have out-lived their useful life, more than 35 years.

"This is a documented need," Colon reported.

The Monday night votes by the board follow a series of actions, including a public hearing, taken at previous board meetings, as part of the complex set of regulations needed in order to accept the special federal funding.

In other business, the board voted to award a contract for a major software overhaul for an amount not to exceed $1,554,445 in first year costs. The contract for the Enterprise Resource Planning System went to Tyler Software.

Money to cover the contract is provided in the 2009-2010 budget adopted in June.

Hughes made the presentation on behalf of the negotiating team, which included Commissioner Tim Lea, County Manager Cary McSwain, County Attorney Misty Randall Leland, Clerk to the Board Megan Owrey, Tax Administrator Wayne Vest, Information Technology Director Darlene Yudell and Planning Director Joey Raczkowski.

Negotiations with companies had been under way for almost a year, and the committee held eight meetings. In addition, the county manager held several follow-up meetings with Tyler representatives and the county attorney conferred frequently with the company attorney. Hughes said that the Government Finance Officers' Association negotiated the initial contract on behalf of the county, and the county also contracted with the Poyner and Spruill law firm in Raleigh for a further review of the contract. McSwain handled the final negotiations.

The commissioners also agreed to an amendment to the county's contract with HDR in the amount of $25,000.

Public Works Director Dennis Brobst said HDR was hired to help the county prepare an application to place cell 5 in service at the landfill. However, the state, in reviewing additional information, required a sediment and erosion plan for the entire site, something that was not required in phases 3 and 4 of the project.

Brobst said this is work not included in the original contract and amounts to additional work for the contractor.

In another matter involving Public Works, the board approved two change orders for the East Moore Water District, one to Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates for $11,550 and one to McMahan Brothers Pipeline Service for $236,084.

Because the contract came in lower than expected, the district now has sufficient funds to extend water lines into areas not covered in the initial contract. Approval of the change orders means that water lines will be extended along Dobe Road, Southern Dunes Road, Dundee Subdivision and Lea Road.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 693-2479 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.