HERTFORD — The Hertford Town Council on Monday approved proposed speed limit changes recommended by the N.C. Department of Transportation, awarded a major infrastructure contract, accepted a donated property for future green space, and authorized payment of a state environmental fine during a meeting that focused heavily on safety, infrastructure, and long-running capital needs.

During public comment, resident Henry House raised concerns about ongoing street work and traffic disruptions downtown.

“I had earlier emailed last week Town Manager Doris Walton regarding concerns about Market Street and the four traffic cones that are blocking parking and a lane of traffic,” House said. “My biggest concern is Market Street. It’s been close to a month since it was reported, and we have cones sitting around.”

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House said the cones have reduced already-limited downtown parking and created safety hazards.

“On Market Street, you have to go into the opposite lane of traffic in order to do it,” he said. “It creates a bottleneck and safety hazard when you’re turning from Church Street because you can’t see what you’re turning into unless you know it’s there.”

House also cited uneven road surfaces left after utility trenching.

“There’s a good inch and a half, two inches in between where they dug the trench, and the pile of gravel is just left sitting in front of one of the driveways,” he said. “It’s an unnecessary exposure that we’re risking.”

Town Manager Walton later addressed traffic concerns and presented a detailed overview of proposed speed limit adjustments, based on DOT records and recommendations.

“Right now, some speed limit signs out on Dobbs aren’t what DOT has in their records of what it should be,” Walton said. “Their records show that it’s 35.”

Walton said DOT reviewed speed limits throughout town and proposed adjustments intended to better reflect traffic patterns and safety concerns.

“He agrees that in that bend off of South Church Street, where we have the main accident area, that should be proposed to bring that down to 25,” Walton said. “Once we get to the bend, he agrees that it should have never stayed at 35.”

The proposal included reducing speed limits near the high school and making several transitions more consistent. However, Walton asked council members whether they wanted to keep the downtown business district at 20 mph or raise it to 25 mph.

Council members agreed that downtown should remain at 20.

“I personally would prefer keeping it 20 miles an hour just for that stretch because of how much foot traffic we do have,” Councilman Evan Copeland said. “I oftentimes have to widen the center line because somebody won’t see my car and they’ll fling their door open.”

Mayor Pro Tem Connie Brothers added that enforcement challenges would remain regardless of posted speeds.

“A speeder is a speeder and will always be a speeder,” she said. “Regardless what we change, we’re still going to have the same problems.”

The council voted unanimously to support DOT’s recommended speed limits with the exception that the downtown business block remain at 20 miles per hour.

“We’ve obviously had some people killed in town over the last two years in traffic accidents,” Mayor Ashley Hodges said. “Any DOT process is usually not very fast, so thank you for walking this through for us.”

In other business, the most contentious discussion came during approval of a budget amendment to pay a $4,432.19 civil penalty issued by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality following an inspection of the town’s wastewater treatment plant.

“We were fined $4,000, plus a processing fee,” Walton said. “This doesn’t make me feel better, but I was told this is one of the lowest fines they’ve seen.”

Walton detailed multiple equipment issues cited in the inspection, all of which are scheduled to be addressed using $3 million in Community Development Block Grant funding.

“There’s no disruption in service,” she said. “These are things that are being fixed.”

Mayor Hodges sharply criticized the policy behind the fine.

“I think this is one of the stupidest policies that North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has,” he said. “Taxing a small town under 2,000 people that has grant funding because we can’t afford to do the work ourselves makes no sense.”

Despite objections, council unanimously approved the budget amendment to pay the fine to avoid risking the town’s operating permit.

In other matters, the council awarded a contract for phase one of the Hyde Park Street culvert project to CC&R Land, following receipt of three bids.

“The town received $650,600 in Golden Leaf grant dollars to have this work done,” Walton said. “This is phase one to get us started and moving forward for better water flow and less flooding.”

Walton said CC&R submitted the lowest bid at $380,635, well below the grant amount.

“The recommendation was based on who provided the best fully completed bid package, and that was CC&R,” she said. “Even though they bid low, there are still contingencies. We never give back money. We’ll use every single dime we have.”

Council approved the contract unanimously. Construction is expected to begin several weeks after contracts are finalized.

Council also adopted a resolution to accept $160,000 in Great Trails State Program funds, which will reimburse prior engineering and design work related to waterfront dock planning.

“This will help cover work that’s already been done,” Walton said. “It’s not an additional amount of money.”

“Nobody wants to speak against free money,” the mayor said, drawing laughter before the unanimous vote.

The council approved the reappointment of Milton Long and Gracie Felton to the Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment, extending their terms through December 2028.

Later in the meeting, council accepted the donation of property at 306 King Street from the Haig sisters.

“It’s not for selling,” Walton said. “It’s for the town eventually doing something on that piece of property for that side of town.”

Mayor Hodges called it “free land,” adding, “That’s a good meeting.”

Council unanimously accepted the donation, thanking the family for its generosity.

In closing remarks, Walton announced that town offices will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and asked council members to begin submitting topics for the annual retreat.

Council members also raised concerns about a sinking section of North Church Street near a bridge project, with Walton confirming repairs are scheduled once weather conditions allow paving.