ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County commissioners handled a light agenda in just 30 minutes on Monday, allowing County Manager Greg Martin to get home and celebrate his birthday and Chairman Russell Priest to change into his East Bladen baseball uniform to manage the Eagles against Midway.
The commissioners had a few recognitions to take care of — the first for the first-, second- and third place finishers in the annual Keep Bladen Beautiful Essay Contest. First place went to Sydney Garner, second place to Sam Inscoe and third to Henry Pate. All three received a special framed certificate from the county.
Also recognized was Patricia T. Smith, who retires as of April 30 after 28 years with the Bladen County Department of Social Services.
And finally, the board recognized Dalphaine Jenkins for 20 years service in building inspections; Joan Taylor for 20 years with the health department; Kendall Kelly for 10 years with the sheriff’s office; Sheila Rains for 10 years with the health department; Adam Nobles for 10 years with environmental health; Tangela Graham for 10 years with DSS; David Howell for 10 years with EMS; and Andrew Powell for five years with the sheriff’s office.
Also on Monday, commissioners heard from Beverly Parks, register of deeds for the county, who gave the board a rundown of what takes place in the department. She said her staff records all births, marriages and deaths and, in 2014, those records began getting received electronically.
Parks also said the department records all veteran discharge information and all real estate deeds.
“We have digitally recorded all births back to 1970, all marriages back to 1969 and all deaths back to 1988,” she said. “In addition, all incoming records go to a temporary file until they are checked and proofed, then they are put into a permanent file.
“I’m very proud of the staff because they work very hard,” she added.
The board also considered awarding a bid for the DSS Lobby Construction Project, and Martin recommended the commissioners accept a bid for $137,834 from Bill Worley & Sons out of Whiteville. The board approved the bid unanimously.
The next meeting of the board will be May 2 at 6:30 p.m.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.