Town council approved a $22,600 proposal from Withers and Ravenel Engineering firm of Raleigh to draw plans for sidewalk improvements on First Avenue from Sycamore to Robertson Street.

Town Engineer Fred Boone told council he had been “dusting off” plans created under the town’s contract with Tate Lanning & Associates in 2000.

The town shelved the project due to lack of funding.

Boone said having the project ready would make it better positioned to qualify for stimulus money.

The problem with the old plans is that even though Lanning & Associates was purchased by Withers and Ravenel, Lanning retired which voided any of the work he or his surveyors did in the past.

Boone said it was unfortunate that the town had to redo the drawings but it was necessary for proper approval.

Councilman Jeff Eddins asked if only the portion of the plans left uncompleted could be finished instead of a firm redrawing the entire project.

Mayor Russell Killen said the law will not allow that.

He said the council avoided a similar issue with the Hodge Road fire station it had planned to build in 2009-2010 because the council had removed it from the budget before work started on plans.

He emphasized the need to have funding in place before projects are approved.

Assistant Town Manager Seth Lawless said the money for the sidewalks is included in the Capital Improvement Plan which council approved when it OK’d the 2009 budget.