China Grove’s Tuesday Town Council meeting was short and to the point.
The council declared seven items as surplus equipment, which was on the council’s consent agenda, and heard a presentation about the Getting Ahead Program.
Equipment included two Dell desktop computers, one generator, a mailbox, ambulance and two Dell laptops. China Grove Mayor Don Bringle said the items were outdated and simply weren’t needed by the town of China Grove any longer.
“It’s just sitting idle and we don’t have any need for it,” Bringle said. “Taxpayers paid for it, so we can’t give it away.”
Bringle said the city would place its surplus items on an online government surplus website for auction and place any revenue in China Grove’s general fund.
A presentation from a China Grove charitable program comprised the bulk of Tuesday’s meeting.
The Getting Ahead Program is a part of another program called Bridge Builders, run by Anne Corriher of the Main Street Mission in China Grove, the Rev. Alexis Coleman, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Landis, and Hope Oliphant, who serves as Bridge Builders’ community outreach advocate.
Corriher and Oliphant talked about the benefits of the Getting Ahead Program, which began in August and is six classes into its 15-week program.
“We see people every day at Main Street Mission that have many gifts and talent that they are not able to use due to the challenges of today,” Corriher said. “We are so happy to tell you that we are now able to offer more than food.”
The Getting Ahead program currently has nine active participants, Corriher said.
Tuesday’s meeting was originally scheduled for Sept. 2, but was rescheduled due to Labor Day.
Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.