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The Elon Board of Aldermen unanimously awarded contracts Nov. 10 for two improvement projects — the Oak Street Sidewalk Improvement Project and the project to install water pipes along University Drive.

The Oak Street Sidewalk Project will develop sidewalks “from Trollinger to Truitt on Oak Street, and that would tie back in when we do Trollinger later,” Town Manager Mike Dula said. The project will be funded with stimulus money, with the contract awarded to S.T. Wooten Corporation of Wilson for $61,543.50.

The water improvements along University Drive also will be funded with stimulus money. Dula said the project will connect the waterline from U.S. 70 up University Drive to where a waterline now terminates. This will provide added flow and more access points for water coming in from Burlington.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Alderman Ron Klepcyk expressed concern about the asking price for the Connor property, land that is included in the plans for the town library.

“I would make a motion that we delay taking action on this issue until we have a little bit better chance to look at it and see what we can afford to do,” Klepcyk said. “I’m not confident at this point that we can afford the prices being asked for that property.”

Alderman Jo Grimley contested that even though money is tight, the library project is too important to delay. “I think that we are being foolish not to go ahead and get these plans so we can go ahead with plans for the library and go ahead with fundraising,” Grimley said. “I’m disappointed if we don’t do this.”

The motion to delay action on the Connor property deal passed in a vote of 3-1.

The board also approved the items on the consent agenda, including the release of 10-year-old taxes resolution pledging support of the N.C. Armed Forces Community Covenant.

David Koontz is a senior journalism major at Elon University. Contact him at david.r.koontz@gmail.com