An issue not on the agenda stirred debate during tonight’s Roanoke Rapids City Council meeting.

The issue on funding 15 new police cars also forced Mayor Emery Doughtie to cast his first tiebreaker during his tenure, voting to not seek the funding by submitting proposals for financing options.

The debate started when Councilman Ernest Bobbitt asked City Manager Paul Sabiston about the status of grants for new cruisers.

There has been no word on the grants since it was discussed last year as a possible funding source.

Sabiston said there were other needs along with the police cars, including a new roof at the library and public works.

Bobbitt’s point is many of the department’s cars have more than 100,000 miles, no in car cameras or in car cameras which don’t work properly, cameras that possibly helped save Officer John Taylor’s life when he was shot last month.

“I don’t appreciate you bringing up Mr. Taylor’s name as a political move,” Sabiston replied.

Doughtie intervened, saying the matter was something that should be discussed during upcoming budget negotiations, that a $170,000 general obligation bond was going to be retired in March.

Bobbitt said the new cars are a public safety concern while the library’s roof has been leaking for three years. “We don’t have any grant, we just have hopes of a grant.”

Bobbitt made the motion, which was seconded by Suetta Scarbrough. With Councilman Greg Lawson absent, Carl Ferebee and Ed Liverman voted against the motion, which forced the mayor to cast the tiebreaker.

Bobbitt said after the meeting he was not trying to politicize Taylor’s shooting. “This is something we asked for last July ... I know when someone calls for help you like to see someone coming up.”

Chief Jeff Hinton had no comment following the meeting.

In other matters tonight:

Hinton presented Detective Jeff Baggett with his advanced law enforcement certificate from the state.

Approved allowing Planning and Development Director Amanda Jarratt to apply for a Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant of up to $1 million. Through the housing authority, the city is interested in buying houses in the 1000 block of Henry Street owned by Roy Dixon so they can be rehabilitated.

Council earlier in the meeting gave Dixon an extension to bring the nine houses up to code.

Approved a special use permit request from Joe Ann Moody to run an auto repair shop in property owned by Bobby Phillips at 108 Roanoke Avenue.