MURFREESBORO – Mayor Ben McLean joined members of the Murfreesboro Town Council for a special called meeting here Monday to discuss the matter of requesting additional funds to support the town’s anticipated improvement projects.

In the meeting, the council approved two separate resolutions requesting funding from the state of North Carolina for the construction of curbs and gutters on Main Street and the placement of overhead utility lines underground.

Although it was originally awarded funding to relocate overhead utility wires to alleys and surrounding streets from the state’s Transportation Enhancement Grant Program, the town determined that it would directly benefit from placing the wires underground in order to make it more attractive economically for new businesses desiring to relocate.

Council members agreed that by the town reverting back to its original historic appearance of having the utilities out of sight would be an important step toward the restoration and enhancement of Main Street.

They also maintained Main Street’s need for curbing and guttering to ensure the safety of its citizens and provide a system of streets that would benefit traveling public as a whole.

Since the town does not have funds available to accomplish these improvements, the adopted resolutions will be delivered to local state Representative Howard Hunter Jr., local state Senator Robert Holloman, the Department of Transportation and other appropriate officials in hopes of securing the necessary funding.