By Sarah Richardson
The Lewisburg City Council held its regular October meeting earlier this week, where Police Chief Chris Teubert introduced several officers who recently completed SWAT Team training.
“It wasn’t something just anybody could do,” said Teubert. “What I like to tell people is – who do our officers call when we have a problem? This team is who we’re going to call.”
Members who completed the training were present at the meeting, along with Officer Yates with K9 Officer Szebi, who have just completed several week’s worth of bomb dog training in North Carolina.
Chief Teubert also brought the Crime Scene Unit vehicle for councilmembers to tour. “When you go outside, you will notice there is a drone sitting there, and you will see yourself through the thermal imaging camera on the drone on the screen in there.” The vehicle is also equipped with a new fingerprint scanner, which has already proven useful twice since its purchase in July when individuals provided false identities.
“I want the City to be self-sufficient, that’s my goal,” said Teubert. “We work very well with others, but I don’t want us to have to depend on others.”
Next, councilmembers approved two pay requests, one for the Water System Improvement Project and one for the Public Works Building. Mayor Beverly White read several proclamations, including one for the 205th anniversary of the John Wesley United Methodist Church, which stated in part:
“Whereas, John Wesley Methodist Church was built in 1820 on one of the original 64 lots in the town of Lewisburg and was the first Methodist Church in the town, and the brick was burned on site, and the plain meeting house was built by John Weir. In 1835 a brick addition was made which extended the church about 10 feet toward German Street which is now Foster Street. In the 1840’s the Lewisburg Methodist congregation split over the issue of slavery. The Methodist Episcopal Church faction continued to worship in John Wesley, while the Methodist Episcopal Church South moved to a new church building near the west end of Lewisburg. Following the Civil War the two Methodist factions reunited and constructed a new church on Lee Street. The older church, now, John Wesley Methodist Church was conveyed to the freed African American congregants, and 205 years later the descendants of that congregation still worship in the church now called John Wesley United Methodist Church.”
She also read proclamations for Extra Mile Day, Nov. 1, 2025, and Municipal Government Week, Oct. 13 through 19, 2025.
City Manager Misty Hill reported that six contractors submitted bids to pave the intake drive at the new Public Works Building in Caldwell. The lowest bid was for $302,684 and came from JDL Contracting. Hill noted that the project’s funding will come from the Public Works Building fund, which has come in “massively under budget.”
Hill reports they are continuing to work with the DEP and Chapman Technical Engineering on the stormwater project on Lafayette Street near the Asylum. The City does not have rights to work on the inlet and water injection well, so they have to be cautious to keep their work “within the means of the permit that we have.” They hope to begin paving shortly, pending DEP approval.
The City will also be taking bids for landscaping at the Public Works building and Water Plant following complaints from residents in the neighboring subdivision. “We need to have them in before Thanksgiving,” she stated, and said there will have to be a special meeting. “Not fancy landscaping, but landscaping. Some will be for privacy, some for draining and culverts and such.”
In other news, the Lewisburg Dog Park is making headway, with fencing and other accoutrements being delivered this week. The park, which will be located at Dorie Miller Park, will have two sections, one for large dogs and one for small dogs.
Lastly, paving at the intersection of Court and Foster Streets was discussed following the sinkhole repair made last month. Council approved an amount up to $13,400 for paving, which will be done before the winter season this year. Councilmembers noted that this will be a “temporary” fix for the sinkhole site, with final and more extensive repairs to be made later on, but the City wanted the intersection paved before winter to help with the snow removal process.
The next meeting of the Lewisburg City Council will be on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
