Bob Shiles

Staff writer

LUMBERTON — The Robeson County Board of Commissioners has canceled its meeting that would normally be held Monday.

The board instead will be holding its annual retreat on Jan. 30, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The three-day retreat is being held at the county’s Emergency Operations Center next to the Sheriff’s Office on Legend Road.

County Manager Ricky Harris recently said the retreat’s business agenda is still being worked out.

“Department directors will be making presentations,” Harris said. “They will be updating the commissioners on what their departments are doing, and what it costs to operate their programs.”

Noah Woods, chairman of the board, when asked directly if the commissioners would be discussing a study by Harris about their pay and perks said “no decision has been made.”

The Robesonian did a series of stories last year after learning the commissioners’ pay and stipend rank fourth highest in the state; their health benefits, free for them and their family, were better than what other county employees receive; and their discretionary fund was unmatched. A deferred compensation plan by the commissioners was scuttled shortly after The Robesonian reported on it.

Harris has said his study found essentially the same thing when compared with pay and benefits other county commissioners receive.

All three days of the retreat are open to the public. Business will be conducted from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Jan. 30, 8:45 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. on Jan. 31 and 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 1.