AULANDER – Not many people like leftovers, but the Town of Aulander isn’t complaining.

After completing water and sewer improvements covered under a grant from the Rural Center, the town will have between $2,000 and $3,000 in unused funds.

The town was awarded $197,000 for improvements to its water and sewer lines in the early part of last year and committed $25,000 in matching funds, leaving a total of $222,000 in available funds for the project.

However, according to Aulander Town Administrator David Overton, the project appears it will be completed under the original budgeted amount.

The town used the grant money to perform water improvements to an area adjacent to town limits on Dunning Road and NC 305, extend water lines on Carroll Street and perform sewer improvements on Alfred Alley.

The new lines extending to Dunning Road will connect an additional 13 to 14 homes to town water for the first time.

During its regular monthly meeting, Monday, town council members voted in favor of a motion to transfer the remaining funds to an existing project covered by a $700,000 concentrated needs grant awarded by the Department of Commerce Division of Community Assistance (DCA) in 2004.

Overton said the town would submit a letter to the Rural Center requesting they transfer the remaining money for upgrades to the Rawls pumping station on East Main Street.

&uot;This would help supplement upgrades to the pumping station,&uot; explained Overton, who noted an approximate cost of $70,000 to perform the work. The town was given approximately $65,000 from DCA to perform upgrades to the pumping station.

&uot;It’s great to know that money can be used to supplement other much-needed improvements for our citizens,&uot; he said.

Aulander town council meets at 6 p.m. every third Monday at the Aulander Town Hall.