The city will begin a paving and curb and gutter project in the former Riversedge subdivision using its bond money from the original project, state road improvement funds and a contribution from the new developers of the property.

City Manager Joseph Scherer told reporters today that after examining the matter, the city has the responsibility ensuring the safety and providing services for all in the city.

“The city did its due diligence,” Scherer said.

The city will use $115,000 in bond money; $61,000 in state Powell Bill funds and $35,000 as a good faith effort from the developers of the project.

Sooner or later the improvements were going to have to be made. “If we kept delaying it would continue to deteriorate,” the city manager said. “It would cost us more to do it then.”

Those will be the only improvements done by the city in the subdivision.

The decision to proceed with the infrastructure was an administrative decision that council did not have to vote on and came as a result of negotiations.

Rightmyer Machine Rentals will do the work, which is expected to begin soon.

While Mayor Emery Doughtie owns lots in the subdivision, Scherer said, “He never said one word to me about the issue.”

The announcement today settles an issue that began when the former developers of the subdivision failed to complete work on the project.

Since then RBD Investments of Rocky Mount bought the unsold lots in the subdivision at auction. “I’m glad we were able to do what we needed to do to provide service and safety,” Scherer said.