The Down East Seniors Club held its Aug. 9 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Stewart Rumley led the meeting. Charles Smith led the singing of “God Bless America” and gave the invocation. Ed Hamrick read factoids for the date in history, and Dick Paul provided humor.

Bobby Roberson presented the program. Since he is also Washington’s city manager, he gave an update on the city. Since Stanadyne and part of Flanders Filters closed, the city sustained a $1 million loss per year in electrical revenue. The building Little Shoppes is vacating is set to become a boutique hotel. The Bank of America building is being considered for a restaurant downstairs and apartments upstairs. Ribeye’s is doing quite well and setting sales records for the chain. The Fairfield Inn has provided 60 new jobs for the community. The city has received a $50,000 grant for Main Street enhancement. The city is planning to build another hangar at the airport.

Roberson introduced Matt Rauschenbach, city finance manager, who presented a brief financial overview for the city. Washington’s current annual budget is $75 million. The largest single item, the electric fund, is $35 million. Other than income from the sale of electric power, the largest income item is property taxes and next is sales taxes. The property revaluation the county will conduct in 2018 will also include all city property.

Sam Price won the 50/50 drawing.