The city will begin using inmate labor by Nov. 1 after council passed a resolution allowing their use tonight.

City Manager Paul Sabiston said the measure will benefit the city some $75,000 in labor.

A four-hour training session begins Wednesday, Sabiston said.

“It’s going to be a big help,” Sabiston said.

Using the 10 inmates from Tillery Correctional Center will also allow the city to bring back its street sweeper program on a limited basis by freeing its operator to do streets which lead into the city.

The inmates, all honor grade, will do some 10,800 hours of work because of cutbacks in seasonal and part time work. The inmates will pick up leaves, repair fences and work on ball fields as well as do required work with public works.

In other matters tonight council:

• Approved the paying the city’s share of a state Department of Transportation bridge inspection, which is done every two years. The city’s share is $4,000 and the state pays 80 percent.

The only bridge in the city is at Chaloner Park, a city council action form noted.

Public Works Director Richard Parnell told council he prefers using DOT engineers because they do a thorough job and usually find minor problems such as loose bolts, asphalt wear and sediment on the pilings, which the city will repair. “There has never been anything major,” he said.

• Approved installation of a new server priced at $4,260 from The Computer Guy, a Roanoke Rapids company. With $590 worth of storage equipment, the total cost is $4,850.