LIBERTY — The Liberty Town Council voted to increase the number of parking spaces dedicated to handicapped or veteran parking at Town Hall and the Liberty Public Library.

The decision came at Monday's board meeting.

Terry Crouse, a Liberty citizen, brought the matter to the council's attention, saying the current spaces were not adequate for the number of people who use them. The board voted unanimously in favor of his request.

In other action, the council:

* Supported a change to an ordinance dealing with repairs in case of emergencies.

The issue arose due to an emergency repair to the Reitzel Center's clogged pipes; during the repair, a camera used to navigate the pipes got stuck, requiring emergency funds to fix the situation.

Liberty Town Manager William Doerfer asked for a vote to change the ordinance wording so, in case of emergencies, immediate decisions can be made by the town manager without having to wait on a board vote. The board moved to approve his request.

* Heard a briefing by Doerfer on various projects under way, including an application from Liberty for a Golden LEAF Grant to fund a survey on Hurricane Florence impacts on the town, especially on repairs.

* Voted unanimously to write a letter of endorsement supporting Archdale's concerns over the proposed tobacco ban on government property that the Randolph County commissioners are considering.

Archdale had expressed concerns over the language of the ban which would implement a $50 fine for anyone caught using tobacco products of any kind on government property. The ban would increase administrative work, forcing Parks and Rec personnel along with law enforcement to fine anyone using tobacco products. The Liberty board voted unanimously to write a letter of endorsement supporting Archdale's concerns of the proposal's language but not the principle itself.

The next work session for Liberty will be Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. and the next council meeting will be Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m., both at Town Hall.