Aug 24, 2021 Board of Aldermen

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WILL BE THE CONSENT AGENDA MAYOR.

OUR

[Consent Agenda ]

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND IS THERE DISCUSSION.

SEE, NONE OF US HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTED WITH ALL OF BINGO.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER MAY ARE OUTLAWS ALDERMAN KINSEY, ALDERMAN.

UH, MR. HUGHES IS GOOD.

[5. Presentation by MetroNet.]

I REMEMBER FINE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND OTTOMAN.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT METRO NET COMING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SAY WE'VE GOT TWO REPRESENTATIVES HERE, CHRIS SMITH AND BOBBY SHADOWY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT AND AS THEY START THEIR PROCESS IN NEWBURN AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

THANK YOU, BARRY.

THANK YOU BOARD AGAIN.

MY NAME IS CHRIS SMITH.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR METRONET.

UH, WITH ME TODAY, I BROUGHT A COUPLE OF COLLEAGUES.

I BROUGHT MR. BOBBY SHADOWY, WHO WILL BE YOUR PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURGH AND ALSO MR. WARREN JARMAN, WHO WILL BE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER.

SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW AND REVIEW WITH YOU.

UM, WHAT TO EXPECT AS WE GET STARTED IN THIS CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

AND AS WE BRING A HUNDRED PERCENT FIBER OPTICS TO THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON FROM A LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE IS COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE.

WE WANT RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF A PROJECT IT IS THAT WE'RE UNDERGOING, WHAT TYPES OF THINGS TO EXPECT.

WE WANT TO REDUCE SOME SURPRISES.

WE WANT TO REDUCE SOME PHONE CALLS THAT COME IN HERE TO THE CITY, AND WE WANT TO GIVE DIRECT THOSE CALLS DIRECTLY TO METRICS THAT WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR FOLKS, UM, CONSTRUCTION, I WON'T SUGAR COAT.

IT CAN BE MESSY.

IT CAN BE INVASIVE.

THIS TYPE OF A TELECOMMUNICATION PROJECT IN MOST COMMUNITIES HASN'T OCCURRED SINCE THE FIFTIES OR SIXTIES WHEN THE ORIGINAL COPPER LINES WENT IN.

SO IT WILL BE UNIQUE AND IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WE WANT TO BUILD A GOODWILL AND AWARENESS WITH RESIDENTS.

SO HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS WE'RE GOING TO START OFF BY COMMUNICATING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF PR ACTIVITY PRIOR TO THE START OF CONSTRUCTION.

I'VE ALREADY HAD A MEETING TODAY WITH MS. COLLEEN ROBERTS AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECTS.

SO WE CAN REACH OUT TO RESIDENTS.

WE, UH, ABOUT 45 TO 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START OF CONSTRUCTION, WE'LL MAIL A LETTER OUT TO RESIDENTS.

AFTER THAT IT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY A POSTCARD ON HOW TO CONTACT METRONET AND THAT CONSTRUCTION IS COMING.

THEY WILL FOLLOW THAT UP WITH SOME INDIVIDUAL YARD SIGNS AND THEN WE'LL HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRANCE SIGNS AS WELL IN CASE THEY MISSED THE MAIL PIECES.

THAT LETTER THAT I SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT THAT IT'S ABOUT 45 TO 30 DAYS OUT.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LETTER LOOKS LIKE.

IT'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ARE THE FREQUENT LAST QUESTIONS THAT WE GET DURING THIS TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION? WHO'S METRONET ARE WE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY? AND AGAIN, HOW TO CONTACT US DIRECTLY FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD POSTCARD RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE A POSTCARD ABOUT SEVEN TO 14 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START OF CONSTRUCTION IN CASE THEY MISSED THE LETTER.

THIS IS A SIMPLE MESSAGE THAT SAYS CONSTRUCTION'S COMING.

HERE'S HOW TO

[00:05:01]

CALL US.

HERE'S HOW TO REACH OUT TO US VIA OUR CONSTRUCTION WEBSITE.

THAT'S DEDICATED TO ALL THINGS CONSTRUCTION.

NEXT.

I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT YARD DARTS.

THOSE ARE TYPICALLY GOING TO GO INTO THE GROUND AROUND THREE TO FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO THE START OF US WORKING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY LOOK ABOUT THE SIZE YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS PICTURE, AS WELL AS, UM, IF YOU HAD SOME SORT OF TREATMENT PLACED ON YOUR YARD.

SO THERE'S SMALL SIGNS THEY'LL BE PLACED IN THAT AREA.

WE ALSO WILL BLOW UP A LARGER VERSION OF THAT SIGN THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS TO PLACE IT ENTRANCES AND EXITS OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, JUST WHEN APPLICABLE APPLICABLE.

SO AGAIN, WHEN REACHING OUT AND SAY, HERE'S HOW TO CONTACT US WITH QUESTIONS, CONSTRUCTION IS COMING THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN EASEMENT FLYER THAT WE WOULD USE RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT TO FIND US WORKING ONLY IN UTILITY EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS OF WAY.

IN SOME INSTANCES THAT UTILITY EASEMENT MIGHT BE LOCATED IN THE REAR OF SOMEONE'S YARD.

AND SO IF THERE'S A FENCE PRESENT, WE'LL PLACE A NOTICE THE DAY BEFORE TO LET THEM KNOW TO PLEASE UNLOCK THE FENCE, PLEASE RESTRAIN YOUR PETS.

AND THAT WILL NEED TO WORK IN THAT EASEMENT.

THE NEXT DAY AT THE BOTTOM, OUR CREW LEADERS WILL PLACE THEIR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER AND THEY CAN CALL US DIRECTLY TO IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR CONSTRUCTION WEBSITE THAT I'VE MENTIONED.

THIS IS DEDICATED SOLELY TO CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION ON THAT FIRST, UH, PICTURE IN MY SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE AN INTERACTIVE MAP.

I CHECKED THIS MORNING AS OF THIS MORNING, NEWBORN'S NOT UP THERE YET.

UH, BUT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE THAT IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS OR SO, BUT RESIDENTS CAN GO ON.

IT'S AN INTERACTIVE MAP.

THEY CAN ENTER THEIR EMAIL, EXCUSE ME, THEIR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, AND FIND OUT IF CONSTRUCTION IS PENDING UNDERWAY OR COMPLETED.

AS THE PROJECT MOVES ALONG FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS, THIS WILL BE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHEN WE'RE COMING TO THEIR AREA BESIDE THAT IS THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION TICKET PROCESS.

AND SO I'VE REFERENCED WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE PEOPLE TO THE SITE TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR US.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT FORM.

IT'S JUST BASICALLY A NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER.

YOU'LL ENTER YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN.

IF YOU WANT TO UPLOAD PICTURES, YOU CAN.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF NEWBURN IS THAT WE WILL RESPOND TO ALL CONSTRUCTION TICKETS AND RESIDENT QUESTIONS WITHIN 24 BUSINESS HOURS, OUR RESTAURANTS PROCESS.

I TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE PREVIOUSLY IT'S CONSTRUCTION.

IT CAN BE MESSY.

IT CAN BE INVASIVE.

WE'LL FOLLOW WHAT OTHER UTILITIES HAVE DONE HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.

SO THAT'S UNDERGROUND WILL LIKELY GO UNDERGROUND.

THAT'S ARIEL WILL LIKELY GO ARIEL.

AS WE DO OUR COMPLETE, OUR BUILD OUT PROCESS, YOU COULD EXPECT TO SEE RESTORATION OCCUR AS WE GO.

SO TYPICALLY WITHIN 24 TO 48 BUSINESS HOURS OF THE START OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND AIR IN THAT AREA, WE'LL RESTORE THAT AREA AS WE GO.

OUR CREWS THAT MENTIONED IT WILL ALL ALSO BE VERY IDENTIFIABLE.

IF YOU LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW, YOU'LL SEE SIGNAGE ON TRUCKS THAT SAY METRONET OR CONTRACTOR FOR METRONET, YOU'LL SEE PICTURE ID BADGES WITH A FIRST AND LAST NAME ON ALL PERSONS DOING WORK FOR METRO.

THAT YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE ON THEIR SAFETY VESTS THAT THERE'LL BE MARKED, AND IT'LL SAY METRONET OR CONTRACTOR FOR METRO NET.

UM, WE'LL ALSO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE A DAILY STREET SHEET LIST TO MAKE IT EASY FOR FIRE POLICE, ANYONE ANSWERING PHONES HERE AT THE CITY.

IF THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT PRODUCE IN THEIR YARD AND, UH, IS IT A METRONET UTILITY OR SOMEONE ELSE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IF IT'S A METRONET CREW AND BY THE STREET THAT THEY'RE LOCATED ON, WE DO AGAIN TO ALL TAKE IT TO AND ALL QUESTIONS THAT COME IN TO US DIRECTLY WITHIN ONE BUSINESS DAY.

AND WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT WE'RE UPHOLDING THAT AS A COMPANY AT A 99% RATE.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE CONSTRUCTION REPORT.

SO ALL TICKETS THAT COME INTO US AND ALL PHONE NUMBERS GENERATE PHONE CALLS, GENERATED TICKET TO US.

SO WHAT I'LL BE DOING IS I'LL BE REPORTING TO THE CITY EACH MONTH.

HOW MANY TICKETS YOU RECEIVED THE MONTH PRIOR? WHAT'S OUR PROGRESS? HOW MUCH UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION HAVE WE COMPLETED? HOW MUCH AERIAL CONSTRUCTION HAVE WE COMPLETED? THIS WILL HELP GIVE YOU A GOOD PULSE ON WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OVERALL, HOW IT'S IMPACTING RESIDENTS AND HOW EXCITED THE CITY IS FOR US TO BE HERE IN THIS SLIDE.

I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT OUR FACILITIES WILL LOOK LIKE.

SO ON THE LEFT UNDER UNDERGROUND, YOU'LL SEE SOME PICTURES OF OUR FACILITIES.

THAT FIRST TOP PICTURE, THE SMALL ROUND IS CALLED.

WE CALL IT A FLOWER POT.

IT'S HOW WE CONNECT SERVICES TO THE RESIDENT HOMES.

THE ONE BELOW THAT IS CALLED A BOLT FOR

[00:10:01]

EVERY SO MANY FLOWER POTS TO REPLACE THAT BOLT.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT I LIKE THAT METRONET DOES IS WE TRY TO MINIMIZE OUR IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.

THESE ARE GOING TO BE MOUNTED FLUSHED TO THE GROUND THAT PEOPLE CAN MOW OVER THEM VERSUS THE LARGE PEDESTAL UTILITY BOXES PEOPLE ARE USED TO SEEING.

AND THEN THERE'S AN EXAMPLE.

IF WE CHOOSE TO PUT OUR FACILITIES IN AN AREA, YEAH, THIS IS A CONSTRUCTION CAR, ALL MEMBERS AND CONTRACTORS FOR METRONET WOULD CARRY THESE CARDS AROUND.

IN SOME CASES, OUR CONTRACTORS MIGHT HAVE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.

SO WE PROVIDE THESE BUSINESS CARDS TO THEM.

SO IF THERE'S EVER A LANGUAGE BARRIER AND SOMEONE HAS A QUESTION, THEY CAN REACH US DIRECTLY VERY QUICKLY WITH MINIMAL IMPACT.

AGAIN, BACK TO THAT DEDICATED CONSTRUCTION WEBSITE.

UM, ON THAT WEBSITE, WE HAVE A TAB CALLED CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF REALLY GREAT VIDEOS THAT LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S AN EASEMENT, WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION, YOUR STEP BY STEP GUIDE THAT PROVIDES PICTURES AS WELL ON WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT AS THE PROCESS MOVES ALONG.

SO FINALLY, THIS IS MY INFORMATION AND I HOPE YOU GUYS WILL TAKE THIS DOWN.

IF YOU RECEIVE RESIDENT QUESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOURSELF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN BE OF SERVICE TO THE CITY WITH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME AT ANY TIME.

AND I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP NOW TO SEE WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR ME.

IT'S THE, I HAVE QUESTIONS MS. SMITH, MS. SMITH.

UM, HOW WILL YOU CHOOSE WHICH SECTIONS OF NEWBURN YOU START CONSTRUCTION IN? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE'LL PROBABLY START BASED ON, UM, UNDERGROUND AREAS, WHICH IS WHERE WE TYPICALLY LIKE TO START PERMITTING FOR POLES TYPICALLY TAKES US A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

SO WE'LL LOOK FOR AREAS WHERE MAYBE IT'S MOSTLY UNDERGROUND TO START IN.

WELL, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE BLUE WATER RICE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO INTERNET.

NO, AND THERE'S SEVERAL HOMES OUT THERE.

AND, UM, I CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM GET SOME TYPE OF, WELL, THEY HAD NO TELEPHONE, NO CABLE, NO INTERNET.

SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF, IF, UH, WE COULD START IN THAT AREA, YOU SAID THAT'S THE BLUE WATER RICE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT.

WELL, WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU AGAIN TO NEWBURN AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

UM, SOME OF THE AREAS IN NEWBURN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER 200 AND SOMETHING PLATES, UH, FROM A PRESIDENT PROVIDER AND WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO SEE SOME COMPETITION.

AND THEY'VE BEEN PART OF THAT.

IF ANY WAY, WE CAN HELP YOU IDENTIFY SOME, SOME MORE PROBLEMATIC AREAS OF TOWN, PARTICULARLY SOME AREAS THAT SEEM TO BE, UH, DONE AT HOME.

THAT JUST FOR ONE REASON OR THE OTHER, UM, THAT WE HAVE SYSTEMS THAT PRESENTLY JUST ALL, BUT DON'T HAVE ANY SERVICING AND CAN'T GET ANY, WE, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO IN ANY WAY, TELL YOU HOW TO RUN THE RODEO, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, UH, CERTAIN AREAS THAT COULD AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS YOU COULD, UM, BE SERVED.

NOW I KNOW THAT I THINK THAT THE, SOME OF YOUR FIRST SUBSCRIBERS WILL BE COMING ONLINE.

I THINK I REMEMBER FROM AN EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH THEM, ABOUT SIX MONTHS, WAS THAT WHAT I BELIEVE? SO I BELIEVE SPRING OF 20, 22, MAYBE AS EARLY AS APRIL IS WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOUR TOTAL ABSORPTION OF OUR MARKET WILL PROBABLY GENERALLY BE FROM THE 18 MONTHS ABOUT THE THREE-YEAR RANGE.

IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT? YEAH.

SO AGAIN, UM, OUR DOOR'S OPEN ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU, UM, AND COMMUNICATE YOU THAT CONCERNS THAT WE CONTINUALLY GET.

UM, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.

WE, WE SO MUCH FOR OUR CHILDREN STAYING HOME WITH EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND ARE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE WORKING FROM HOME NOW.

UH, WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO A MUCH BETTER, UH, FIBER OPTIC SYSTEM.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR ANYTHING? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW JUST FOR, UH, CITIZENS THAT ARE WATCHING THIS EVENING, WHAT WILL BE THE PROCESS OF THEM TRYING TO SIGN UP FOR THE SERVICE? I KNOW YOU'LL START IN APRIL, BUT WHEN WILL THAT PROCESS START? WHERE CAN THEY GET INFORMATION ABOUT COST AND WHAT THEY'LL GET FOR THAT SERVICE? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

IT'S A GREAT ONE.

UM, ONE PLACE THEY CAN VISIT IS METRONET INC COM AND THAT'S OUR ACTUAL SALES WEBSITE.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF FIBER.

UH, SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT PROVIDES COMMUNITIES, RESIDENTS CAN ALSO USE THE INTERACTIVE MAP, THEIR PRE SIGN

[00:15:01]

UP FOR SERVICES, THE WAY THAT WE WILL, UH, COMPLETE THIS BUILD PROJECT AS WE COMPLETE THE LCPS, WHICH IS OUR TERM PER NEIGHBORHOODS.

UM, AS WE COMPLETE A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'LL OPEN THAT UP FOR SALES.

SO THEY'LL GET MARKETING MATERIALS, THEY'LL GET CONTACTS THAT WE HOPE THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN GET WE'LL SIGN UP FOR INTERNET SERVICES.

I THINK ANOTHER THING TO JUST HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE, AND THE MARKETS YOU'VE BEEN INTO THAT MAYBE ARE SIMILAR TO IRON'S WHERE YOU'VE GONE FROM A 10 TO ONE UPLOAD DOWNLOAD SPEED.

UH, I WOULD ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO BE A ONE-TO-ONE OR I'M NOT KIND OF, I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WITH.

IT'S GOING TO BE THE OUTLET IS GOING TO BE MUCH FASTER PROBABLY.

THERE'S HULU, THERE'S YOUTUBE.

IT'LL BE A SYMMETRICAL.

SO IF YOU WERE TO CHOOSE A ONE GIG SERVICE, YOU'LL GET THAT FOR DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD AS WELL.

AND CUSTOMERS PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE, UM, THE LOAD MANAGEMENT PHENOMENON KNOWN AS THROTTLING OR ANY OF SORT OF THINGS WITH YOUR SYSTEM, YOUR SYSTEM DOESN'T NEED THAT BEING THAT IT'S FIBER FIBER-OPTIC.

IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

MAYOR.

UM, IN FACT, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT FIBER IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT SHARED TIME WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.

SO SATURDAY NIGHTS, WHEN YOU'RE STREAMING A MOVIE, WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE AND YOU SEE, I LIKE TO CALL IT THE WHEEL OF DEATH.

YOU WON'T, YOU WON'T EXPERIENCE THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT FIBER OPTICS IS DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR PREMISE IS WHAT WE SAY.

SO YOU GET A STRAIGHT FIBER CONNECTION COMING INTO YOUR HOME.

SO ARE YOU GUYS, OR ARE YOU PRETTY MUCH UP AND RUNNING IN FAYETTEVILLE? NOW WE EXPECT TO SEE OUR FIRST CUSTOMERS THIS FALL.

SO, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING CONSTRUCTS.

WELL, WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU WAS FOR, UM, WE, WE INJURED YOUR DISCUSSION HERE THAT, UH, IN SOME OF THE MARKETS SIMILAR TO NEWBURN, UM, IT'S A BIT OF A CULTURE CHANGE FROM, UH, THE TRADITIONAL TV BOX CABLE BOX.

AND THAT TYPE OF SYSTEM, YOUR SYSTEM IS BASICALLY GOING TO BE THE, THE SUBSCRIBERS CHOICE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROBABLY GET TO A SMART TV CONCEPT.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THEIR OWN, UM, UNILATERAL DECISION MAKER, AS FAR AS IF IT'S GOING TO BE A NETFLIX OR WHEREVER ELSE.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT AND SAID, CUSTOMER BUY, YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING RIGHT INTO A RETAIL STORE AND DON'T BE CHANGING THESE BOXES OUT AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THAT RIGHT.

WELL, YOU HAVE THE OPTION FOR THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO SUBSCRIBE, WOULD YOU OFFER TO TRADITIONAL TV SERVICES WHERE A BOX IS PRESENT? WE CAN OFFER THAT TO RESIDENTS.

WE OFFER HOME TELEPHONE TO RESIDENTS AS WELL.

THAT PREFER THAT.

UM, BUT YES WE ARE HIGH-SPEED.

WE ARE FOR EARLY ADAPTERS.

WE ARE FOR CORD CUTTERS AND YOU KNOW, REALLY ANY OF US TODAY CAN BE CORD CUTTERS AT ANY AGE.

SO NETFLIX IS ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN STREAM YOUR TV TODAY.

WE'RE THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK FROM HOME, WHO STREAM A LOT OF THEIR CONTENT, BECAUSE THERE IS NO DEGRADATION OF SERVICE.

YOU'RE NOT SHARING WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

YOU'RE GETTING THAT CONNECTION.

IT BELONGS STRICTLY TO YOU AT YOUR HOME.

SO, SO HAVING SAID THAT, UM, YOU, YOU WILL NOT HAVE LIKE A RETAIL STORE HERE OF SORTS WITH, UM, I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RETAIL STORE IN THE CITY OF GREENVILLE.

I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE IF WE'RE HAVING A REGIONAL STORY.

I'M SORRY, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, WELL, WE HOPE NOT.

WE HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER NEWBURN BECAUSE ONE OF OUR MAJOR COMPLAINTS FROM OUR CITIZENS WITH, UM, SUDDENLINK IS THAT THEY REMOVE THE STORE FROM NEWBURN.

AND EVERYBODY HAD TO GO TO GREENVILLE TO TURN IN BOXES OR TO GET SERVICE OR TO WHATEVER THEY HAD TO DO.

AND IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING.

SO I REALLY HOPE I KNOW IN OUR EARLY CONVERSATIONS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE LOCAL PRESENCE HERE, UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND COST ISSUES, BUT STILL, I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE THAT FACE OR TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO TO GET THE SERVICE THAT THEY NEED.

AND I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT.

SO PLEASE DO ADD THAT TO YOUR LIST.

I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU THOUGH.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SHOWED US THE FLOWER POTS, YOU SHOWED US THE OTHER BOXES FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE UNDERGROUND IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE POLLS WILL THEN BE FROM THE POLL HARDWIRED TO THE HOUSE, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? YES, IT WILL COME DOWN FROM THE POLE AND CONNECT DIRECTLY TO THE SIDE OF THE HOME OR INSIDE THE HOME.

THEY'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

SO THAT'S HOW IT GOES.

AND THE UNDERGROUND JUST GOES VIA THE UNDERGROUND.

ANYBODY ELSE ONE QUICK? YES, SIR.

YOU MENTIONED FED DEAL EARLIER AND THEN WE MENTIONED RAINVILLE SO, UH, IT'S GRAVY.

YOU'LL ACTUALLY HAVE THIS SET.

IT'S SET UP RIGHT NOW FOR THE, FOR THE SURFACE NAME.

[00:20:01]

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK.

OKAY, THIS SOUNDS

[6. Discuss FEMA Update on Stanley White Recreation Center. ]

GOOD.

I'M NUMBER SIX, MAYOR.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.

UH, BASICALLY, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO, FEMA CAME IN TO DO A PUBLIC INPUT MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.

THE CITY UNDERTOOK THAT ASSESSMENT APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO.

SO IT HAS BEEN A LONG ARDUOUS PROCESS.

THE 30 DAY PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD ENDED ON AUGUST 15TH ON AUGUST 16TH.

FEMA ISSUED ITS FINDINGS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THEY ISSUED WHAT'S CALLED A FONZIE.

AND THAT IS FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND THE CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK THAT THE CITY REQUESTED.

SO THE THIRD AVENUE LOCATION HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THE NEW SIDE OF THE STANDARD WIDE RECREATION CENTER.

SO STAFF IS LOOKING FOR DIRECTION.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO RISK, TO START WITH THE PROCESS OF SEEKING ARCHITECT AND CONTRACTORS, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.

SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD IF WE CAN, BECAUSE THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN WITHOUT FACILITY.

IT'S GOING TO BE THREE YEARS IN A FEW WEEKS.

AND YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T START NOW, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE A YEAR NOW FOR THAT PROCESS.

SO THAT'D BE FOUR YEARS THAT THE CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE A FACILITY AND THE LONGER WE DELAY AND THE LONGER WE KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD, THE LONGER THEY'RE WITHOUT THE SERVICES THAT THEY DESERVE AND THAT THEY EXPECT FROM THE CITY, FROM THE CITY.

SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS AND START THE PROCESS.

UM, FEMA HAS MADE THEIR DECISION AND I BELIEVE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE BASICALLY BY LAW, WE HAVE TO PUT IT IN THAT LOCATION.

IS THAT PRETTY MUCH WHAT I UNDERSTAND? IS THAT CORRECT? SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD WASTE ANY TIME AND LET'S JUST START.

THE PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE LONG ENOUGH AS IT IS.

SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT.

JAMIE, DO YOU WANT, IS ANY AWARD, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION? ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS ALL THE WOMEN HERE.

UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE GO AHEAD AND, UM, ARE WE APPROVING THIS TO BE IN THE NEW LOCATION? IS THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO? BECAUSE IT JUST SAID DISCUSSION OR THERE ISN'T A MOTION TO BE MADE SO WELL, THE MANAGER ASKED FOR IT, CORRECT? YEP.

DIRECTION ON, ON, ON PROCEEDING WITH THE ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS TO BEGIN THIS CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

DID WE LOSE HER? WE GOT JOE BIDEN ON HERE.

YOU THINK HE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION? JAMIE, DID WE LOSE YOU? SO YOU'RE SAYING THIS WAS, UH, WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING OR WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A MOTION.

WHAT, LIKE, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

MA'AM UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS IT ANYMORE, WE CAN, BUT WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE FEMA HAS APPROVED THIS PROJECT AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.

NOW IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US DIRECTION TO DO SO.

TO THE, UH, TO THE MOTION, BUT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE THAT, AND IN YOU'RE PROCURING, WHOEVER THESE EXPERTS ARE GOING TO BE, THAT, UH, THERE'LL BE A PENALTY PENALTY PHASE IS NORMALLY THERE IS, BUT WON'T PARTICULARLY THAT WE, UM, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN A QUICK TURNAROUND ON THE PLANS AND SPECS SO WE CAN SEE SOME FLOODINGS.

SO THEY WANT DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO DON'T BE DISCUSSING OR AFTER THE MOTIONS MADE TO GO THROUGH DISCUSSION, I THINK AFTER YOU MAKE THE MOTION AND IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, WE OKAY.

SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STANLEY WHITE PROJECT, UM, IN THE APPROVED FEMA LOCATION.

HEY JAMIE, CAN WE ADD TO THAT? UM, AND GIVING THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTION TO PROCEED WITH, UM, HIRING, UH, ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS ARE GETTING AT LEAST WHAT'S CALLED AN RFP DOING AN RFP FOR ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS.

AND YOU DID HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND SCENE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.

I DIDN'T WANT TO, I DID NOT WANT TO ASK FOR AN AMENDMENT TO IT OR AN INCORPORATION, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON NEWMAN RIGHT NOW.

I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE TURNAROUND ON ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES BEING DONE.

AND PARTICULARLY ON THIS PROJECT AS ARE OUR OWN BEING AWAY INDICATED IT'S THREE YEARS NOW.

UM, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE TO GET ANY AND ALL THE BY ENGINEERED ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING STUDIES DONE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT PART OF THAT, AGAIN, A LOT OF ATTACHING THIS

[00:25:01]

SO, UH, AT THIS TIME, BUT NOBODY ELSE SAID ANY COMMENTS.

COMMENT.

WE WERE TOLD TO GO AHEAD AND GO.

UM, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ONCE THIS DECISION WAS MADE ABOUT TURNING THE OLD SLAB, IF YOU WILL, TO AN OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT WITH SOME FENCINGS AND SOME WHITES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STAFF HAS SOME WORK DONE ALREADY? OR DO WE NEED TO ADD THAT TO THE LIST? SO WE HAVE DONE SOME PLANS FOR THAT, BUT ALSO ONE THING WE HAVE TO WORK ON NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THE STANDARD WHITE RECREATION CENTER IS GOING TO BE RELOCATED, THIS, WE NEED TO REQUEST A CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE RESTROOMS. SO THOSE RESTROOMS WILL BE RELOCATED.

UM, AND PART OF THAT, WHERE DO USE SOME OF THAT FUNDING FOR SOME OTHER, OTHER GRADES.

SO WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD ON THAT IN A FUTURE MEETING.

ANYBODY ELSE AT THIS TIME? YES.

YES, YES.

UM, SO WHAT, UM, MR. ODOM SAID, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, THE BATHROOM OVER IN HENDERSON PARK? THOSE WILL BE ENDED UP BEING MOVED OVER TO THE NEW LOCATION? NO, THE, THE, THE RESTROOMS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE BACK OF THE PARK.

AND SO THAT'S ONE, I'M REALLY ONE OF THE LOWEST AREAS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT BRINGING THE BATHROOMS UP CLOSE TO WHERE THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER TO BE IN A MORE CENTRALIZED LOCATION.

AND SO, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS JUST, UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS BEEN A BIG, CONTROVERSIAL, UM, TOPIC.

I KNOW I'VE BEEN A BIG FIGHTER, UM, AND I'M JUST GOING TO BE IN SUPPORT BECAUSE FEMA STATED THAT IT HAS TO BE, UM, BUILT IN THAT LOCATION AND JUST MOVE ON FROM HERE.

UM, I HOPE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF IT BEING IN THIS NEW LOCATION, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHEN THE RFP GOES OUT, THAT WE HAVE, UM, DIVERSITY IN REGARDS TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, RECONSTRUCTING, UM, THE FACILITY, JUST SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BRING, UM, ECONOMIC WEALTH AND STABILITY BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE TO SAY.

AND I CALL THE QUESTION IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO SAY, OKAY, SAM ROLL CALL STARTED WITH ALDERMAN ODOM.

ALDERMAN.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN BEST.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER ALL THE WOMAN HARRIS I'LL GIVE HER THE BAGEL.

A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 1 25 HILL MONT ROAD.

NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER

[7. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Sale of 125 Hillmont Road. ]

AFTER RECEIVING AN OFFER FROM HILL YOUR THOMPSON TO PURCHASE 1 25 HILLMAN FOR $7,500.

THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON JUNE 22ND TO INITIATE THE OPPOSITE BID PROCESS.

THE BID WAS ADVERTISED, BUT NO UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED AS PARTIAL AS A VACANT, NEARLY HALF ACRE LOT WITH A TAX VALUE OF $15,000.

THE PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN MAY OF 2019 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE AND PAY TAXES.

AT THAT TIME WERE 6,000 394, 40 $9 65 CENTS.

IF THE SALE IS APPROVED, THE CITY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $3,244 62 CENTS.

AND THE COUNTY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $4,255 38 CENTS.

MOST PROCEEDS IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, UM, ON LIKE MICHAEL MOTION TO, UH, RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 1 25 NEWMONT ROOM, SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION CNN, THE CYBER ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BINGO.

ALDERMAN DANGLE.

I WONDER WOMAN HARRIS.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER MAYOR OUT LONG.

THE KINSEY.

YES, YES.

ITEM IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO PREVENT THE SALE OF 5 97 HIGHWAY 55 WEST.

[8. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Sale of 597 Hwy. 55 West. ]

MR. THOMPSON HAS ALSO RENDERED AN OFFER ON THIS PROPERTY.

THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON JUNE 22ND OF THIS YEAR TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS.

THE BID WAS ADVERTISED, BUT NO EPICEL BIDS WERE RECEIVED.

THE PARTIAL IS A VACANT POINT.

ONE FOUR ACRE TRACK TAX RECORDS INDICATE AN ADDITIONAL VALUE OF $19,570 FOR A MOBILE HOME OR STRUCTURE.

BUT PUBLIC WORKS.

STAFF HAS CONFIRMED.

THE PROPERTY IS VACANT.

THE PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN MAY OF 2019 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE.

THE MPA TAXES AT THAT TIME WERE $4,851 AND 10 CENTS.

IF A SALE IS APPROVED, THE CITY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $140

[00:30:01]

50 CENTS.

AND THE COUNTY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $3,234 AND 50 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS MERE.

IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ON THIS, UNLIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 5 97 HIGHWAY 55 WEST SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND IS OUR DISCUSSION.

SEEING SEVERAL ROLL CALLS, STARTING WITH OUR ARLAN ODOM.

MAY YOUR OUTLAW? YES.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER OUT A WOMAN HARRIS BAGEL.

ITEM IS CONSIDER A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FYI 2122.

MOTION CARRIES.

I'M NUMBER NINE.

[9. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for FY2021-22. ]

THERE ARE THREE ITEMS ON THIS AMENDMENT.

THE FIRST WAS THE EMERGENCY NINE 11 TELEPHONE SYSTEM FUND AS AMENDED TO REDUCE THE ANNUAL PEACE APP DISTRIBUTION FROM THE STATE.

THE REDUCTION OF $28,325 IS DUE TO THE CITY EXCEEDING THE ALLOWABLE 20% THAT CAN BE CARRIED FORWARD FROM .

ALSO, WE HAVE GRANT FUND A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE $1,500 GRANT FROM THE JUVENILE CRAFT PREVENTION COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

AND THIS GRANT REQUIRED AN UNMATCHED.

AND FINALLY WE HAVE THE WATER FUND IS AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE $18,583 FROM FUND BALANCE TO REPLACE A 2013 FORD F TWO 50.

THAT WAS TOTALED IN AN ACCIDENT IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.

INSURANCE PROCEEDS OF $16,417 ARE RECEIVED AND WILL BE USED TOWARD THE VEHICLE REPLACEMENT, WHICH WILL COST $35,000.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

YOU MAY HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION.

WE HAD DONE A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR F 2122 SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND IS THERE DISCUSSION SAY NONE OF THE SEVERAL COUGH STARTED WITH GOING TO BINGO.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER YES.

SHE CARRIES A SKETCH TO APPOINTMENT

[10. Appointment(s). ]

STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BINGO.

TONIGHT, ALL THE WOMAN HAIRS ONE TONIGHT.

MAYOR, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU MR. MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO REAPPOINT SUNNY, A LOSER TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.

SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SAY NUNS HAVE ROM-COM STARTED WITHOUT THEM? I WOULD HAVE BEEN ADAM.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEATH.

OTTOMAN KINSEY.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN ASKED HER YES.

OUT OF HARRIS.

ALDERMAN BINGO.

MOTION CARRIES VME OTHERS.

NO, I DON'T MATTER.

TO THE ATTORNEY'S REPORT ONE ITEMS. AND I MAY REMEMBER THE BOARD.

LET'S GO

[11. Attorney's Report. ]

UM, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN ANY NUMBER OF EMAILS COMING FROM STAFF REGARDING THE CENSUS DATA.

WE SPOKE A FEW MONTHS AGO, UM, ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS FORTHCOMING.

WE NOW HAVE THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS, WHICH MEANS IT'S TIME TO DIG INTO OUR, UM, REDISTRICTING, GETTING OUR MAPS, OUR ELECTION MAPS.

CORRECT.

UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WEEKS TO DO THAT 5, 6, 7 WEEKS.

SO, UM, I WOULD PROPOSE A PROCESS TO YOU.

WHAT WE DEFINITELY NEED IS A MEETING DATE.

WE CAN, DEPENDING ON EVERYONE'S COMFORT LEVEL, WE COULD CERTAINLY HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE NEEDED AN INTERVENING SPECIAL MEETING, THEN THIS WOULD BE THE MOMENT TO THINK THAT THROUGH A PROCESS I WOULD PROPOSE TO YOU.

UM, ALICE WILL BE CIRCULATING, UM, WHAT I'M CALLING A BASE MAP.

IT'S JUST A STARTING POINT, UM, FOR YOU TO, TO LOOK AT AND CONSIDER.

UM, IN FACT, I SAW AN EMAIL JUST BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED, WHERE ALICE IS MAKING THAT MAP A BIT INTERACTIVE, SO THAT ON THE USER END ON YOUR END, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SLIDE THE LINES OR THE WARD LINES AROUND DIFFERENT BLOCKS AND IT WILL TABULATE THE RESULTING POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC FOR YOU.

SO YOU CAN DO YOUR OWN EXPERIMENTATION, THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME AND GET SMART.

UM, YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME TO, TO VISIT WITH ALISON ONESIES, TWOSIES, AND THREE SEAS, UM, TO, TO RUN VARIOUS SCENARIOS.

IF YOU FIND THAT HELPFUL, I WOULD JUST SIMPLY, UM, ENCOURAGE YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT ALICE IS THERE AS A RESOURCE TO YOU, UM, TO RUN SCENARIOS AND PRINT OUT WHATEVER YOU NEED TO HELP EDUCATE YOURSELF.

UH, IN THIS PROCESS, ALICE IS, IS NOT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.

SHE HAD TO HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT.

SO BE GENTLE WITH HER.

SHE'S JUST HERE TO HELP US HELP YOU.

UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE, UM, DOING YOUR HOMEWORK IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN TAKE THIS UP,

[00:35:01]

UM, AT YOUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.

IF WE GET STUCK IN THE MUD AT THAT POINT, WE MIGHT CONSIDER SOME NON, SOME INTERVENING, UM, UH, MEETINGS WITH A GOAL TO HAVE THIS WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

SO DO YOU WANT SOME DIRECTION TONIGHT? YES.

I'M SO CURIOUS ABOUT THE GOLF.

UM, IF, IF, UM, IF YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, WITH, WITH THE INTERACTIVE LINK THAT ALICE PREPARED FOR YOU AND TIME WITH ALICE, THAT YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THIS INTELLIGENTLY AT OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING, THAT'S FINE.

AND WE CAN USE THE REST OF SEPTEMBER TO BACKFILL ADDITIONAL MEETINGS IF WE, IF WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING OR IF YOU'RE, IF YOU FEEL ANXIOUS AND YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE A MEET BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, WE CAN SCHEDULE THAT, BUT IS IT OKAY FOR, LIKE YOU SAID, TUESDAYS THREE, Z'S JUST NOT UNDERSTOOD.

UM, JUST MY, MY CONCERN IS, AND, AND REALLY, I WOULD PREFER IF I COULD TO MEET WITH ALDERMAN BEST AND ALDERMAN HARRIS BECAUSE IT, UM, OUR THREE BOARDS ARE SO CONNECTED AND ONE, IF I MOVE ONE WAY OR, OR THEY MOVED ONE WAY, IT IMPACTS ALL OF OUR, OUR AWARDS AND LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS INSTEAD OF MAYBE COMING HERE, ALL OF US SITTING, OR, YOU KNOW, I CAN CERTAINLY GO ONLINE, LIKE ALICE HAS PROVIDED AND MOVE IT AND GET A FEEL FOR IT.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER'S WARD ON THAT I'M PUSHING THIS WAY OR PULLING THAT WAY.

I THINK THE REST OF US WOULD FEEL THE SAME IS AMENABLE.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO DO THAT.

IF, IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR WARD, UM, FROM THE BASE, THE BASE SETTING AND, AND FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO MOVE THE M AND D INTO A NEIGHBOR'S WARD, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO GET WITH YOUR COLLEAGUE AND TALK AND TALK THAT BRUCE, WE DON'T HAVE TO BAKE THE CAKE ALIVE, UH, IN A, IN A FULL MEETING.

UH, THIS IS ALL THE WOMAN GEARS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF WE JUST KIND OF MAYBE HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING AND PROBABLY HANDLE IT ALL IN ONE SHOT, LIKE A WORK SESSION.

KIND OF A, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT WAS A WASTE.

I MEAN, I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE THAT WILL MAYBE ANY QUESTIONS FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, RESIDENTS OR ANYBODY THAT'S NOT UNDERSTANDING READING DISTRICT CAN, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY, IT'S THE NORTH CAROLINA PEOPLE GET CONFUSED BETWEEN, UM, THE TWO IN THIS.

I THINK IT CAN BE EASIER JUST TO DO IT OUT IN THE OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO EAT, HOW WE'RE COMING UP WITH THESE BOUNDARIES.

UM, CAUSE I KNOW THAT I MET WITH, UM, ALL WOMEN BEST IN ALISON, UM, THE OTHER DAY AND IT DEFINITELY CAN BE MADE, UM, AND MAYBE HARD TO, UM, UNDERSTAND OR MANIPULATE IN REGARDS TO HOW YOU UTILIZE THE MAC.

AND I JUST THINK IT'D PROBABLY BE EASIER AND MAKE, WE'RE ABLE TO LEARN IN ONE SETTING SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HANDLE IT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON AND GET LECTURE THAT'S GOING ON.

THAT'S JUST MY POINT OF VIEW, UM, CALLED THE WOMAN HARRISON.

WELL, DON'T YOU THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER IF YOU THREE SAT DOWN WITH ALICE FOR AN HOUR BEFORE HAND AND WORKED OUT THESE DETAILS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO WORK THEM OUT DURING A MEETING.

OKAY KNOW, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE AND I REMEMBER VERY VIVIDLY.

WE WERE, WE WERE BROUGHT IN TWOS, I THINK YOU REMEMBER.

AND SO WHOEVER'S REWARDING.

YOU WERE.

AND SO WE SAT DOWN WITH ALISON, AS SHE MOVED THE MOUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD SHOW YOU, OKAY, BY PUTTING THIS IN YOUR WARD, YOU GAVE THIS MANY YOU OR BESIDE LOSES THAT MANY.

AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAD A PUBLIC PROCESS WHERE IT WAS PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING PUBLIC COMMENT.

YES MA'AM OKAY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE.

CAUSE I AGREE WITH ALDERMAN HARRIS THAT WE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE THE DRAWING OF WARDS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE DRAWING OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE DRAWING OF STATE LEGISLATOR DISTRICTS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE DRAWING OF CONGRESSIONAL.

EACH LAYER HAS ITS OWN DIFFERENT BOUNDARY.

YES MA'AM AND IT IS VERY CONFUSING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS.

THIS IS ALDERWOMAN HARRIS AGAIN.

UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING IS FOR ME IS SEEING THE WHOLE PROCESS WE MEET.

AND THEN IF WE COME TO THIS MEET AND IT GETS CHANGED, THAT WAS

[00:40:01]

SO I KNOW BASED OFF THE, THE, THE INTERACTIVE ONE THAT SHE JUST SENT TODAY, IT LOOKS VERY INTERESTING.

LIKE IT MAY WORK OUT WHEN I NEED, YOU CAN GO BACK AND FORTH ON MOVING DIFFERENT PIECES.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO PROBLEM.

WE MEET AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO MEET TO MEET.

AND THEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MEET AND THEN WHATEVER WE MET ABOUT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WHAT IT IS.

SO THAT'S WHERE I FIGURED IF WE JUST DO IT IN ONE FULL SMOOTH, IT WAS A LOT EASIER.

UM, BUT I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT ON A REGULAR BOARD MEETING NIGHT.

CAUSE IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT TAKES AN HOUR OR AN HOUR AND A HALF.

THAT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION.

THIS IS ALL YOUR HAIR, SOMETHING TO BE.

HOW DO INVEST? HOW DO YOU VIEW THIS? I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO MEET, YOU KNOW, US THREE.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE COME BACK AND HAVE A PUBLIC ABSOLUTE MEETING TO DISCUSS IT.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, I COULD SAY, OKAY, I'LL MOVE THIS BOUNDARY OVER THIS WAY AND MAKE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HOME.

AND YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THAT.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE, WE SHOULD, I GUESS TALK ABOUT, IS THAT CORRECT? YOU TRIED TO DRAW THINGS TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS ALL AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

MA'AM IT'S, AS, AS YOU ARE SAYING, IT'S, IT'S A LOT TO DIGEST, ESPECIALLY AT YOUR LEVEL, BECAUSE ON ONE HAND WE ARE DOING THE MATH.

WE ARE TRYING TO EQUALIZE WARDS.

WE ARE TRYING TO FOLLOW.

WE ARE, WE ARE FOLLOWING THE LAW WITH RESPECT TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO JUST THINK LOGICALLY ABOUT THE POLITICS OF THE WARDS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ONE MIGHT HAVE TO SPLIT UP TO GET TO THAT MATH.

SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.

THIS IS MY THIRD, GO AROUND TO SIT DOWN, MOVE THE, GET THE NUMBERS, RIGHT.

AND THEN GO HOME AND REFLECT ON THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT IT, IT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTMENT YET AGAIN.

SO IT, IT MAY BE A COUPLE OF BITES AT THE APPLE, AMONGST SOME WORKING GROUPS TO GET YOURSELVES WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.

AND THE SOONER YOU START THE BETTER, IF YOU CAN GET YOURSELVES TO A POINT SO THAT AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING, WE ARE HAVING A VERY THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.

MY HOPES THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AN HOUR DISCUSSION, BUT A 10 OR 20 MINUTE DISCUSSION BECAUSE YOU FOLKS HAVE DONE A LOT OF THINKING THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING.

SO THAT AT THE END OF THAT FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, THE CITIZENS WOULD THEN HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO LOOK AT YOUR PROPOSAL TO COMMENT ON IT AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

THIS IS ALL THE WOMEN HERE, UM, ALL WOMEN BEST.

AND, UM, ULTIMATELY YOU GUYS HAVE A BILLABILITY ON AUGUST 30TH FOR OUR CENTER.

THE 30TH WOULD WORK FOR ME.

YOU GOT WORK.

THAT'LL WORK FOR ME AS WELL.

DO YOU, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE BEST TIME I PREFER THE AFTERNOON, BUT I'LL WORK AROUND WHATEVER WOULD BE BEST FOR THE GROUP.

THE BOOM.

RIGHT.

WHAT I DO IS AFTER THE MEETING, WE'LL JUST EMAIL AND TRY TO GET A TIME TOGETHER AND GO FROM THERE.

AND THEN THAT YOU'RE SAYING THE FIRST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER, THIS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA BASED ON KIND OF THE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH ALICE.

AND THEN THAT WILL BE KIND OF THE INTERACTIVE MAP.

UM, AND IF IT STUFF BY THEN, YOU'RE SAYING WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN, OR HOW DOES IT WORK AFTER WE ALL AGREED ON THE BOUNDARIES? IT, IT WOULD BE IN A PERFECT WORLD.

IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD LEAVE THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, LEAVE THAT MEETING WITH SOME CONSENSUS ON WHERE EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE.

THAT GIVES YOU ABOUT WHAT TWO AND A HALF, THREE WEEKS TO, TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND SEE IF EVERYONE CAN GET REASONABLY SATISFIED WITH, WITH A MAP.

SO THAT IN SEPTEMBER WHERE WE ARE PRESENTING WHAT FEELS COMFORTABLE TO EVERYONE AT THAT POINT, WE CAN, THEN WE WILL THEN HAVE TWO MORE WEEKS FOR THE BOARD AND THE CITIZENS TO REFLECT ON THAT.

HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE LAST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER TO APPROVE IT.

IF WE GET STUCK IN THE MUD AND THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, WE'VE STILL TWO WEEKS FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS TAKE TO KEEP PUSHING TOWARD THE GOAL OF BEING DONE BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR.

CITY

[12. City Manager's Report. ]

MANAGER.

HAVE TESTED POSITIVE, AND THE REST OF THOSE HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED.

SO TWO THINGS TO TALK ABOUT FIRST.

SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, HAVE KEVIN JUST TAPED HIM, THE CITY OF NEWBURN AND OUR EMPLOYEES.

UM, SO SINCE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, UH, 269 CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

[00:45:01]

CURRENTLY WE HAVE 33 EMPLOYEES THAT EITHER THEY HAVE EITHER TESTED POSITIVE OR IN QUARANTINE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO THAT, THAT AFFECTS OUR WORKFORCE.

UM, WE ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO SOCIAL DISTANCES.

THEY HAVE NOT GOT A SHOT.

WE GET COURAGE TO THEM TO WEAR MASKS.

SOME DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT.

ONE OF THE TRENDS THAT WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE IS THAT CITIES ARE OFFERING AN, A VACCINE INCENTIVE, A AMOUNT OF MONEY TO GET A VACCINE.

SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS AN AVERAGE AMOUNT OF $250 TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO DO THAT, WHETHER THAT WORKS OR NOT, WE DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT TREND.

SO WE'RE BRINGING THAT UP TO THE BOARD TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY INTEREST IN WANTING TO SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WHEN AN EMPLOYEE GOES OUT OF WORK, THEY'RE OUT FOR AN AVERAGE OF 10 TO 14 DAYS, THEY HAVE TO USE THEIR OWN SICK TIME OR THEIR OWN VACATION TIME WHERE THEY WILL NOT GET PAID, UM, ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEE.

AND EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE VACCINE AND ENCOURAGING SOMEONE TO GET THIS CAN HELP THEM NOT BE OUT OF WORK.

WE LIKE OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE AT WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.

UM, PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE, POLICE, PARKS, AND RECREATION, AND HUMAN RESOURCES, ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, EVERYONE IS AFFECTED BY THIS RIGHT NOW.

UM, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH SONIA, WE'VE JUST SEEN THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO, TO WEAR MASKS AS NEEDED SOCIALLY, SOCIALLY DISTANCE.

AND OF COURSE GET VACCINES.

BUT WE WANTED TO BRING THIS UP TO THE BOARD, UM, FASTER, IF A CITY IS VACCINATED, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROTOCOL FOR THEM? DO THEY HAVE TO WEAR A MASK OR THEY, SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA LET SONIA SIGN.

HE DEALS WITH THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO SIGN, YOU COULD COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY ARE EXPOSED TO SOMEONE THAT HAS COVID AND THEY HAVE A VACCINE.

SO LET'S SEE A LOT OF PROTOCOLS THAT CHANGE ARE CHANGING, BUT IF SOMEONE IS VACCINATED AND THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO A CONFIRMED POSITIVE, BASED ON THE CDC GUIDELINES, IF THEY ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, THEY CAN PUT ON A MASK AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO WORK FOR 14 DAYS.

OR IF THEY CHOOSE TO BE TESTED ON DAY FIVE, THEY CAN DO THAT.

AND IF THEY TEST NEGATIVE AND CONTINUE TO BE ASYMPTOMATIC, THEY CAN REMOVE THE MASK.

AND IF AN EMPLOYEE IS EXPOSED TO, UM, ANOTHER EMPLOYEE THAT HAS, COVID THIS TESTED POSITIVE, POSITIVE, WE SEND THAT EMPLOYEE, THE EMPLOYEE HOME, ALONG WITH ANYONE THAT'S BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THAT EMPLOYEE FOR A QUARANTINE TIME.

CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND THEY HAVE TO USE THEIR OWN TIME, VACATION TIME TO DO THAT WITH THEY USE THEIR SICK LEAVE OR WHATEVER LEAVE THEY MAY HAVE ON THE BOOKS.

UM, BOBBY, CAN I ASK A QUESTION BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID? SO IF AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS, UM, VACCINATED OR NOT VACCINATED IS IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER EMPLOYEE THAT HAS CONTRACTED, COVID NOT ONE THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD, THE OTHER PERSON HAS TO QUARANTINE AND USE THEIR OWN SICK TIME.

MA'AM THAT IS CORRECT.

THAT IS WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE THE BURKA THAT EMERGENCY PAID SICK LEAVE PROVISIONS UNDER BURKA EXHAUSTED IN DECEMBER, ON DECEMBER 31ST.

THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING.

WELL, THE FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THIS, I THINK WE SHOULD DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO INCENTIVE WISE TO GET OUR EMPLOYEES VACCINATED.

THAT'S THE SIMPLEST WAY FOR AN EMPLOYEE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.

IF THEY BECOME EXPOSED, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO HOME.

I HAVE THEIR BACKS, DAVID, IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BURN THEIR SICK LEAVE TIME OR THEIR VACATION TIME OR WHATEVER.

UM, IF THEY'RE VACCINATED.

SO IF CAN WE USE ARP MONIES TO DO INCENTIVES FOR VACCINATIONS? THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT HAS JUST COME OUT WITH SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.

UM, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT THAT WE'VE SENT IT TO OUR, IN OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, KEN MOSTER MAN TO SANYA, WE WERE ALL REVIEWING IT.

AND IT APPEARS THAT IN MOST CASES WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THOSE FUNDS.

WE'RE STILL RESEARCHING THAT THEN.

WE, WE RAN A NUMBER BASED ON 495 EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR, WE HAVE 4 95 POSITIONS CURRENTLY FUNDED.

CAN WE GO BACK TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR VACCINATION AND GIVE THEM THE SAME INCENTIVE THAT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE WOULD OFFER DO THIS IS IF YOU COULD DO RETRO, THAT'D BE THE ONLY WAY IT'D BE FAIR.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF WE BRUISE ARP MONEY FOR HER, CORRECT? YES.

UM, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, WE,

[00:50:01]

NOW THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY WHAT ARE WE AT CURRENTLY ABOUT 460 EMPLOYEES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, BUT THE COST FOR THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $123,750.

IF WE OFFERED SOME TYPE OF INCENTIVE, LIKE A $250 INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO GET THAT.

UM, AND YES, I BELIEVE THE MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL, THAT COULD BE COVERED BY THE ARP FUNDING.

SO I THINK I SAW WHERE ONE OF THE COLLEGES WERE ASKING STUDENTS TO PRODUCE A, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT PASSPORT NOW TO PRODUCE A PASSPORT ARE, HAVE TO BE TESTED ONCE EVERY SEVEN DAYS OR SOMETHING.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND? IS THAT, HAVE YOU EVER, HAVE YOU HEARD THAT SOUND? I THINK THERE ARE SOME EMPLOYERS THAT ARE DOING THAT.

SO YOU CAN BE VACCINATED OR YOU CAN BE TESTED PERIODICALLY, MAYBE WEEKLY, MAYBE.

WELL, IF YOU HAD THE TEST I HAD, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT WEEKLY.

I PROMISE BECAUSE THAT THING IS BAD.

SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO GIVE THE MANAGERS SOME DIRECTION TO LOOK INTO, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO START A CAMPAIGN, GETTING OUT EMPLOYEES VACCINATED.

AND IF IT MEANS GIVING THEM AN INCENTIVE, THEN I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF IT.

IF IT MEANS THAT SOMEONE DOES NOT WANT TO BE VACCINATED, THEN THEY EITHER HAVE TO WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES AT WORK, ARE THEY HAVE TO GET TESTED WEEKLY OR SO, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A THOUGHT, I MEAN, IT'S OPEN FOR DISCUSSION FOR ANYBODY, BUT, UM, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO START SOME TYPE OF CAMPAIGN TO GET OUR EMPLOYEES VACCINATED.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT'S GOING TO STOP YOU FROM GOING HOME AND BURN YOUR SICK LEAVE AND YOUR VACATION TIME.

IF YOU'VE COME IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE THAT IS POSITIVE.

AND I, I WILL SAY THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO TRY TO GET ALL POLICE AND FIRE VACCINATED.

THEY THEY'RE WORKING WITH, UM, THE, I BELIEVE THE HOSPITAL FOR CLINIC, FOR THEM TO GO AND GET BACKSTAGE FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AT WORK AND WE'RE SEEING AN ISSUE WITH THIS RIGHT NOW.

AND WE, WE ARE AFRAID TO DO THIS IS GOING TO GET WORSE AS TIME GOES ON.

UM, WE HAVE TO THE NUMBERS DROP.

WELL, I JUST, I AGREE WITH YOU.

AND I JUST THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT IF I'M AT WORK AND MY PARTNER TEST POSITIVE, I HAVE TO GO HOME AND BURN MY VACATION TIME.

WHAT HAPPENS TO POOR EMPLOYEE DOESN'T HAVE ANY TIME BECAUSE HE JUST STARTED TO WORK HERE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A SHAME, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I CAN UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES RELATED TO DOING THAT.

IT WOULD BE A LOGISTIC NIGHTMARE TO TRY TO KEEP TABS WITH WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE AT WORK, WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO TESTED POSITIVE AT HOME OR WHATEVER.

UM, BUT TO START WITH, I THINK WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE VACCINATED.

AND I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE FOR THE MANAGER TO PUT A PROGRAM TOGETHER WITH AN INCENTIVE OF SOME SWORD, TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO BECOME VACCINATED.

W YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT AN EMPLOYEE, IF THAT'S THEIR RIGHT, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO GET VACCINATED, BUT THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED WHEN THEY COME TO WORK TO WEAR A MASK.

AND I MEAN, THAT SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET VACCINATED, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T SEE WHERE WE SHOULD.

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION.

UM, GIVE SOMEBODY A $250 INCENTIVE TO GET VACCINATED.

WHEN I THINK WHAT WAS IT? A HUNDRED DOLLARS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS JUST DOING IT.

WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THE QUESTION A HUNDRED.

HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT COSTS THE CITY WHEN THOSE FIVE EMPLOYEES GO HOME, WHEN YOU HAVE TO BRING FIVE MORE IN AND WORK OVERTIME TO COVER FOR THEM? WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK TO WORK IF THEY DON'T WANT TO GET VACCINATED, AND THEN THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO GET THAT TEST AND BRING IT BACK INTO THEIR EMPLOYER IF THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE BACK SIGN YET.

UM, IF I WEAR A MASK EVERY DAY AT WORK, AND I'M STILL EXPOSED TO SOMEONE TO TEST POSITIVE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEAR A MASK EVERY DAY AND YOU WERE EXPOSED? OKAY.

SO THE CDC GOT, IT ONLY HAS AN EXCEPTION FOR K THROUGH 12.

THE EMPLOYEE WEARING A MASK STILL HAS HIS CLOSE CONTACT, AND IT HAS TO BE COLD, EVEN IF BOTH OF THEM WERE MASS.

SO IF THEY'RE SITTING BESIDE A CLASSMATE, THEY'RE EXPOSED, THEY'RE BOTH WEARING MASKS, THEY'RE WEARING THEM CONSISTENTLY AND CORRECTLY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO QUARANTINE, BUT THE GUIDANCE OUTSIDE OF THAT FOR THE REST OF US, IT'S STILL CONSIDERED A CLOSE CONTACT.

SO EVEN IF AN EMPLOYEE IS WEARING A MASK AND HIS PARTNER TEST POSITIVE,

[00:55:02]

NOW, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, UM, ALDERMAN ASKED HER TO THAT WOULD BE, IF YOU HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY WEARING AN N 95, IF YOU'RE WEARING AN N 95 AND YOU'RE EXPOSED TO A CONFIRMED POSITIVE, IT'S NOT CONSIDERED AN EXPOSURE.

ARE ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE WEARING IN 95? I DIDN'T THINK SO.

THEY'RE KIND OF HARD TO FIND ON ME.

IN THE SAME AREA, BUT YOU'RE STILL VACCINATED.

SO, I MEAN, WELL, I'LL ASK FOSTER THIS QUESTION, OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT YOU KNOW OF AND BEEN TALKING TO DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE INCENTIVE.

WE WE'VE SEEN LARGER COMMUNITIES.

WE'VE SEEN WHITE COUNTY, UM, ALL THE AREAS AROUND THAT WE'VE SEEN CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG.

OF COURSE, THOSE AREAS ARE, ARE BLOWN UP.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE ON THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE YET.

UH, SO WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO? MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT VACCINE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT NO MATTER, NO MATTER WHAT WE OFFER YOU.

UM, BUT IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT'S ON ON THE FENCE AND WE CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET THAT VACCINE, I THINK IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ONCE YOU'RE OUT, THAT'S 10 TO UP TO 10 DAYS OF SICK TIME OR VACATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE BECAUSE OF THIS.

DO YOU FEEL THAT PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO BE VACCINATED SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE TESTS? I THINK IF WE START GOING DOWN THAT PATH, IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES TO KEEP UP WITH, WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND I REALLY ALMOST THINK FOR SIGNING, CAUSE SHE MAY HIT ME AFTER THIS MEETING, BUT I THINK THAT WILL BE TOO MUCH OF A BURDEN ON HR TO KEEP UP WITH THAT, THAT PART.

SO THE INCENTIVE WILL BE PROACTIVE TO PLAY AND TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE KIDS.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND OF COURSE IN ANY AMOUNT, I MEAN, W WE JUST, WE JUST THREW OUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE, BUT, UM, WE'VE GOT A HOLD OF VISION RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S COMPLETELY IMPACTED AND IT'S MAKING IT DIFFICULT.

THE MAN, IF YOU HAVE FIVE MEN THAT YOU HAVE TO TRY TO REPLACE THIS ONE, MAN CAUSED THIS EPIDEMIC, YOU KNOW, DO THE MATH.

WELL, I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG YOU COULD STAY WITHOUT A WHOLE DIVISION OUT, WHICH IS WATCHING THAT NOW.

UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES TO THE CITY WOULD BE WITH THEM BEING OUT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN POLICE AND FIRE, IF YOU GET THREE OR FOUR OF THEM ON THE SAME SHIFT OUT, YOU'VE GOT THE BACKFILL, THOSE PEOPLE, AND IT'S GOING TO COST YOU TIME AND A HALF TO DO THAT.

SO, AND I THINK A WEEK OR SO OF THAT KIND OF HAS THAT HAPPENED CHIEF AND CHIEF, IT HAS HAPPENED.

I MEAN, YOU HAD OUT AT ANY ONE GIVEN TIME AND HOW WAS THE TEAM? SO YOU HAD SIX PEOPLE OUT AT ONE TIME YOU HAD TO BACKFILL ALL THAT.

THAT'S IN TWO TIMES, THAT'S 12 PEOPLE YOU'VE HAD A BACKFIELD.

WELL, THEY WOULD MAKE GOOD SENSE THEN TOO.

LET'S WORK WITH DOING AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

I MEAN, IT'S COSTING US A WHOLE LOT MORE PAYING TIME AND A HALF.

DO YOU HAVE, WHAT'S THE HOSPITAL DOING? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? ARE THEY REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED? NONE AT THIS POINT, MAN, SONYA, I HAVE A QUESTION.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR EMPLOYEES OF THE 400 AND SOME ODD THAT'S ON PAYROLL NOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE WERE VACCINATED? AND NOT W WE DON'T TRACK THAT BECAUSE WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A REASON TO TRACK IT.

NOW, IF WE WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, OF COURSE, I RECOMMEND THAT WE GET THE VACCINE CARS, BUT THE ONLY TIME ALDERMAN ODOM THEY ASKED FOR THOSE VACCINE CARDS IS WHEN WE CALLED TO DO THE CONTACT TRACING, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT PATH WE TAKE, IF YOU'RE VACCINATED OR UNVACCINATED.

SO I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER.

SO I THINK, UM, WITH ANY DECISION, YOU SHOULD BE EDUCATED BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION ON SOMETHING.

AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION.

I THINK ALSO NEEDING TO KNOW BY DEPARTMENT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, THOSE THAT HAVE INTERACTION WITH PUBLIC OR CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OTHER EMPLOYEES VERSUS SOMEBODY WHO COULD WORK REMOTELY FROM HOME.

UM, IT'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION I THINK WE WOULD NEED BEFORE WE LEAVE THEM A GOOD DECISION.

ARE YOU ALLOWING PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK REMOTELY FROM HOME TO CONTINUE TO WORK SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO LOSE THEIR SYMPTOMS? I DON'T AT THIS TIME, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD VERY MANY EMPLOYEES THAT THEY CAN WORK REMOTELY WITH.

HAVE BEEN THAT'S CORRECT.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

THIS IS ALL THE WOMEN HERE.

UM, IS THERE ANY, W WHAT'S WHAT'S THE, UM, THE SITUATION WHEN YOU ARE VACCINATED AND, UM, CATCH COVID FROM AN INDIVIDUAL

[01:00:01]

YOU'RE STILL HAVE TO SUFFER AND REALIZE, UM, YOUR SICK LEAVE AND ALL OF THAT.

AND EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE VACCINATED, THEY WEARING THEIR MASK WITH A PARTNER THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH, THEY CONTRACTED FROM YES.

MA'AM.

THAT IS CORRECT.

SO EVEN IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED, IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE EXPOSED TO A POSITIVE AND YOU CAN TRACK COVID, THEN YES.

MA'AM YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE QUARANTINED AND SUBJECT TO USING THE LEAP TIME.

WELL, JUST MY THOUGHT PROCESSES IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH ULTIMATE ODOM.

UM, I THINK YOU WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, UM, IN REGARDS TO HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE ABOUT THIS ONE, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE BACK'S UNAIDED OR NOT.

UM, MY ONLY THING WOULD BE IF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT ANYTHING, NO, JUST THE RECOMMENDATION OF, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO WEAR A MASK AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THE THREE W'S, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE TO GET, UM, THAT SEDATED, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, SEND, UH, AN INCENTIVE.

I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS AND OUTLET NECESSARILY WOULD WORK OUT, UM, WITH ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE I CAN LIKE, VOTE ON THAT.

BUT, UM, IS THERE, ARE WE ABLE TO 10, WE HAVE 10 PEOPLE ON STANDBY IF, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND IT GETS BURST AND PEOPLE ARE EVEN WITHIN A SENTENCE, PEOPLE ARE STILL NOT WANTING TO GET VACCINATED.

UM, PRESERVE TEMPS WERE WE'RE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE HIRED EXPEDITIOUSLY.

UM, AND WHEN A 10 AGENT 10, UH, LIKE 10 AGENCY BASIS, I THINK THAT WOULD ALL DEPEND ON THE POSITION.

UM, THAT'S AFFECTED, LIKE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE TEMPS FOR POLICE OR FIRE.

UM, BUT YEAH, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US ANY DIRECTION, THAT'S FINE.

IF YOU DON'T, THAT'S FINE AS WELL.

THE, WE JUST WANTED TO BRING IT UP FOR INFORMATION TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THE, WHAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS.

SO WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE? HE HAD JEFF, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD VACCINATED.

I, AND I THINK WE NEED TO SEE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TELLING US THAT JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, IF 90% OF THE STAFF'S VACCINATE AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OFFERING INCENTIVE TO 10%, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO WEIGH THAT DECISION BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT GOING BACK AND GIVING EVERYBODY THE OTHER 90% HAS ALREADY HAD IT, UH, INCENTIVE.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT HEALTHCARE EXPERTS.

AND I THINK ONE THING THAT THIS PANDEMIC HAS PROVED IS THAT SOME OF THE EXPERTS ARE NOT EXPERTS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS WITH THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE LIKE SONIA SAID, YOU CAN BE VACCINATED AND STILL CONTRACTED, YOU CAN BE VACCINATED AND STILL SPREAD IT.

UM, I JUST THINK THAT, UM, THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS AND HAS BEEN SO FOR A LONG TIME, UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, SOME OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHAT THEY ARE DOING, UH, BEFORE THEY WOULD PAY, GET PAID, LEAVE, IF SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO OUT AND QUARANTINE, UM, WHAT I HEARD ONE COMPANY, IT'S NOT THE ONE I WORKED FOR WHEN I HEARD ONE COMPANY IS DOING IS NOW, IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE VACCINATED AND YOU CAN TRACK IT AND YOU HAVE TO BE OUT BECAUSE OF IT, THEN THEY DON'T CHARGE YOU YOUR SICK LEAVE OR YOUR TIME.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

IF YOU D IF YOU CHOOSE AS YOUR CHOICE, NOT TO BE VACCINATED, AND YOU COULD TRACK THAT AND HAVE TO BE OUT, THEN THAT'S ON YOU.

THAT'S A DECISION THAT YOU MADE.

SO THAT'S A GOOD MEDIUM THAT WOULD GET YOU TO GET THERE.

MAYBE SOME, I KNOW PUBLIC PRIVATE IS DIFFERENT, SO THERE MAY BE SOME LEGAL ISSUES THERE, BUT THAT'S FOR YOU GUYS TO POP OUT EMPLOYEES TO FIGURE OUT SO LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.

BUT I DO RECALL SEEING ONE MUNICIPALITY AND I CAN'T RECALL WHAT IT WAS, BUT ONE MUNICIPALITY IS DOING JUST THAT.

SO WHAT ARE WE, SO, SO HOW THEN, HOW WILL WE TREAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT IS NEWLY HARDS AND DON'T HAVE THAT TIME ON THE BOOKS FOR, TO STAY OUT FOR SICKLY, RIGHT? SO, SO WE'VE HAD A SITUATION OR TWO WHERE SOMEONE HAS HAD TO BE OUT AND THEY WERE IN THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD.

AND THEN WHAT I DO IS THAT APPROVED THAT THEY USE THEIR ANNUAL LEAVE TIME UNDER THE HARDSHIP PROVISIONS, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY CAN DETERMINE, SO THEY, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY THE .

THEY JUST USE IT, JUST ALLOW, ALLOW THEM TO, TO USE IT, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE IN THEIR PROBATIONARY PERIOD.

VERY GOOD.

WOW.

I LIKE THAT IDEA THAT JEFF BROUGHT UP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PAYING THEM IF THEY GET, IF THEY'RE OUT, IF THEY'RE VACCINATED AND, AND NOT, I JUST, IT AND LET THEM BE ON THEIR OWN TIME IF THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED.

SO CAN YOU, CAN YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT SOME OF THIS STUFF AND PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER, GET SOME INFORMATION, WE'LL HAVE COMPENSATION WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE MORNING AS WELL, AND BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THE BOARD, BUT I THINK

[01:05:01]

WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING.

WE CAN ENCOURAGE OUR PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

AND SO, BRENDA, CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS.

OTHER THAN THAT, THE WHOLE, I GET THE BIG BUCKS.

ALRIGHT.

ONE OTHER ITEM AND WE'LL END ON A VERY GOOD NOTE.

THE, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO GREENSBORO THIS WEEKEND, UH, TO ATTEND, UH, UH, UH, AWARD CEREMONY.

I, OUR CITY CLERK, BRENDA BLANCO, WAS AWARDED THE CLERK OF THE YEAR, UM, THE NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL CLERK.

SO I WANT TO SAY WE'RE VERY PROUD OF BRENDA, UM, THAT THAT'S AN AWARD THAT IS GIVEN BY HER PEERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

[13. New Business. ]

WE'VE GOT A NEW BUSINESS IN, UH, I WAS UP IN GREENSBORO EVERY WEEKEND AND, UH, IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO SEE THE WHOLE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA TO BE IN, IN SCHOOL FLIRTS.

AND, UM, FRIEND IS REALLY HELD IN VERY HIGH REGARD ON THE STATE LEVEL.

AND BRENDA, YOU RIGHT NOW, OR ARE YOU A BOARD ON BOARD DIRECTORS? AND, UM, SO WE WERE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU NEVER WOULD COME SEEK FOR, IF YOU'VE TAKEN NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND, UH, UM, I'M NOT QUITE I CAN'T YOUR ACRONYMS. COULD YOU TELL ME, UH, COULD YOU TELL US WHAT LEON NORTH CAROLINA CERTIFIED MUNICIPAL CLERK INTERNATIONAL SORT OF ODD MUNICIPAL LARK AND INTERNATIONAL MASTER MUNICIPAL BOARD ONE AND FOSTER AN HOUR, WE'RE GOING BACK TIME TO REMEMBER, BUT I THINK THE PRECEDENT HAD INDICATED THAT YOU WERE, UH, OF RECENTLY OR ONLY YOU WOULD ONLY WANT HIM TO STAY HEAD TO DESIGNATIONS.

IS THAT CORRECT? I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THAT.

I ACTUALLY DO HAVE A VIDEO OF IT, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT.

SHE SAID THAT I DIDN'T.

AND, UM, WE DID FOSTER AND I DIDN'T KNOW QUITE HOW WE WERE GOING TO PLAY THIS UP.

SO WE WERE, WE WERE HIDING BEHIND COLUMNS, SO SHE WOULDN'T SIT IT SNIPPED, I GUESS SHE HAD SEEN A CIRCLE ON HERE.

IT'D BE A LITTLE HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT WE WERE DOING UP THERE.

WE WEREN'T PLAYING GOLF.

UM, BUT WE WERE GOING TO DO BUSINESS.

I DO WANT TO SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THIS WHOLE SUBJECT, MATTER OF COVID-19, YOU KNOW, EASY HOURS, JUST KEEP MOUTH, MOUTH SHUT AND LET OTHERS DO THE TALKING.

UM, EARLY ON, I FELT LIKE SET AN EXAMPLE.

UM, UH, I HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND, UM, BUT I DON'T SAY A LOT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A VERY INDIVIDUAL DECISION.

AND AGAIN, UH, THE SEVERITY OF IT AND THE UNKNOWN AND ALL THESE THINGS, THE THING I, UH, I KIND OF EVER MISS ABOUT IN THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION IS WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD AS ALDERMAN ASKED HER IS INDICATED.

AND, AND I AM INDICATING, UM, AT SOME POINT WALKS TO PROVIDE FURTHER LEADERSHIP AS FAR, WHAT WE THINK OF PUBLIC SHOULD BE, IF IT WERE ON ME, I'D SAY I'LL GET BACK TO ME, BUT I HAVE FOLKS IN MY OWN FAMILY THAT ARE VERY STRONGLY, THE OTHER WAY ABOUT IT AND ARE VERY CONCERNED AND, UM, ARE SCARED TO GET VACCINATED.

AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE PERSONAL DECISIONS OF LOVED ONES OF MINE.

AND I RESPECT HIM.

SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE TRYING TIMES, UM, THOMPSON BENEFIT RATIO OF, UH, EMPLOYEES GETTING VACCINATED OR NOT.

I DON'T WANT TO, UM, HOW MANY ARE VACCINATED WE DON'T WANT, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY 35, 40%.

I DON'T THINK IT'S 75 OR 80, BUT THEN I COULD BE WRONG.

SO AGAIN, UM, THE THING IS, IS THAT TO ME ON THE SELF STUDY MANNER, UM, NATIONWIDE, AS WE LOOK AT THE STATISTICAL MODELING OF THE NUMBER OF, OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS AND THE RESOURCES AND SUCH, UM, IT, IT OBVIOUSLY STRESSING OUR NATION IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

AND TO ME, UH, OVERALL BASED ON A LOT SMARTER PEOPLE THAN MYSELF, WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICINE, UM, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD ON GETTING THE VACCINATION, AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO IT.

SO, UM, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T AND EMPLOYEES THAT DON'T WANT TO, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS CITY, THE TOWN OF BEAUFORT, I DON'T REALLY PARTICULARLY KNOW THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH IT, BUT I THINK THEY HAD GONE TO MAN MANDATORY MATCH, UH, OF THE EMPLOYEES.

NOW, SIR, IF WE'RE NOT THAT'S CONSTITUTIONAL OR NOT, AGAIN, I'M NOT A LAWYER.

SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS SUBJECT UP AND THE DISCUSSION WE HAD, AND I'M SURE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE BOARD WILL PROBABLY LOOK MORE INTO THIS

[01:10:01]

AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO GIVE US MORE INFORMATION AND WE'LL TRY TO GET IT, BUT I GUESS I'M GOING TO BRING IT IN FOR LANDING THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM WITH WHETHER OR NOT EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING BACKSLASH AND THE NONPROFIT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH, WITH WHAT LEADERSHIP AND STANFORD TOWN, EACH OTHER, OR TALENT EMPLOYEES.

NOW WE'RE CERTAINLY HAVE NOT AS A BOARD, TOTAL STAFF, THAT THEY ALL GET TO DO IT.

AND OBVIOUSLY UPPER-LEVEL STAFF HAS NOT.

SO THE ENTIRE POPULOUS OF THE CITY AND NEWBURN 460 EMPLOYEES TO GET TO GET VACCINATED.

SO AGAIN, UM, THESE ARE TRYING TIMES, UM, KEEP PRAYING ON IT AND DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT IN YOUR HEART.

YES, YES.

MA'AM MAYOR.

I WAS GOING TO SAY ALL OF THEM HERE TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.

UM, MAYBE IT'S POSSIBLE TO ACTUALLY HOLD A VACCINATION CLINIC ON SITE, BABY.

MAYBE IT MIGHT BE THAT SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO GET VACCINATED.

MAYBE THEY'RE BUSY ON THE WEEKENDS, DON'T THEY GOTTA GO TO WORK.

WHAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, TO HOLD, HOLD THE VACCINATION CLINIC ON SITE, UM, AT THESE OR A LOCATION THAT COULD, YOU SAID CITY HALL ANYWHERE THERE, AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR EMPLOYEES THAT WANT TO GET VACCINATED.

MA'AM WELL, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMEONE WHOSE CLINICS THAT WERE BEING HELD, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF PARTICIPATION TOWARD DAN.

THERE WAS HARDLY ANYBODY COMING TO THEM.

SO AGAIN, WE LET'S, LET'S DO SOME RESEARCH INTO THAT.

AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO OR ONE HERE.

MAYOR, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, SINCE WE'RE STILL ON THE SUBJECT, UM, FOSTER, HOW DO WE, UNTIL WE GET MORE RESEARCH ON THIS UNTIL WE DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHENEVER.

SO JUST SAY, FOR INSTANCE, IF AN EMPLOYEE'S VACCINATED AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE UNVACCINATED, AND THEY SPREAD THAT COVID TO THAT VACCINATED EMPLOYEE, SHOULD WE NOT HAVE THAT PERSON, THAT EMPLOYEE THAT'S VACCINATED HAVE TO USE THEIR SICK LEAVE? I KNOW, BUT I'M SAYING WHETHER OR NOT I KNOW FROM THAT FROM TONIGHT, UP UNTIL THAT TIME, IT COMES BACK TO US.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO TREAT THAT VACCINATED EMPLOYEE? IF THEY CONTRACT KOBE FROM SOME, FROM AN EMPLOYEE THAT'S NOT VACCINATED, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE, WE SHOULDN'T HOLD THEM HAVING TO USE THEIR SICK LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DID, THEY FOLLOW A PROTOCOL AND THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO AND GOT VACCINATED.

WELL, LET US COME BACK IF AT THE NEXT MEETING GET INFORMATION.

SO IF AN EMPLOYEE GETS COVID DURING THIS PROCESS OF COMING BACK WITHIN A TWO WEEKS FAN, WE'RE GOING TO STILL MAKE THEM USE THEIR SYSTEM.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR, WHAT'S THAT FUNDING.

SOUNDS GOOD.

NEW BUSINESS, STARTING WITH ALVIN BANK.

UM, I WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS, UM, NOT RELATIVE TO THE CITY, BUT RELATIVE TO THE CITY.

AND THAT HAS, UM, BEEN ON MY MIND LATELY.

AND I'M WANTING TO ADDRESS ALL OF OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL THAT LIVE IN OUR CITY AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE SERVICE.

THESE ARE DIFFICULT THE DAYS TO CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT WE SEE ON THE TV AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN AFGHANISTAN.

AND BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A MILITARY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE HEROES TO US EVERY DAY, THAT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A VERY PUBLIC STATEMENT, UM, OF SUPPORT.

AND WE ARE WITH YOU, AND WE UNDERSTAND THE PRICE OF FREEDOM AND THAT THEY WILLINGLY WENT AND SERVED IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT THEIR SERVICE IS NOT IN VAIN IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERY MILITARY PERSON IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTY AND IN OUR STATE THAT PUTS THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY DAY, SO THAT ALL OF US SIT HERE TONIGHT CAN SIT IN THE AUDIENCE AND COULD WALK FREELY ON OUR STREETS.

SO IT'S BEEN BOTHERING ME, IT'S BEEN ON NOT, AND I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT I AM PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN.

I HOPE WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR CITIZENS OUT SAFELY IN ANY OF THOSE AFGHANIS THAT WANT TO GET OUT, UH, AND GET AWAY FROM THE TYRANNY OF THIS NEW REGIME.

SO I KNOW IT'S NOT A CITY ISSUE, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE THIS IS OUR CITY AND THIS, THESE ARE OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE HERE PROTECTING US.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY UNDERNEATH THIS.

UM, FOR THE CITY, HE WAS SENT OFF, UM, BY HIS FAMILY, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE.

UM, TWO THINGS, I JUST WANTED TO INFORM EVERYBODY THAT, UM, VAN WAS SENT OFF, UM, THE FORMER EMPLOYEE THAT USED TO WORK,

[01:15:01]

WE WERE ABLE TO VIEW IT ON YOUTUBE.

UM, A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAME OUT AND SPOKE.

GOOD WORDS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT, UM, THE OTHER, UM, RELATION OR QUESTION OR CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT, UM, MARGARET SENT US AN EMAIL IN REGARDS TO, UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF APPLYING FOR THE GOLDEN LEAF, UM, GRANT IN REGARDS, WE'RE REQUESTING $50,000.

UH, AND THIS IS TO BE IN PART OF THE VOLT CENTER.

AND, UM, I THINK WE WERE, UM, WE EMAILED AND I GUESS IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE THIS AS A DISCUSSION.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DISCUSSION WOULD BE, BUT, UM, JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS, UM, BECAUSE IT IS A GRANT THAT IS TIME SENSITIVE AND IT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT IN THAT PROCESS WITH THIS GRANT.

UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, ALDERMAN BAGEL EXTENDED AN OLIVE BRANCH IN REGARDS TO THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN, UM, AND THE WHOLE, UH, BOLT CENTER.

WE DID HAVE A GOOD MEETING AND WE ENDED IT ON THE NOTE THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO EVERYBODY WINS.

AND I THINK THIS $50,000, UM, IS AN ADDED VALUE AND JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW, UM, WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS OF GETTING SIGNED.

SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT STEP OF, UH, THIS GRANT.

SO ALDERMAN HARRIS, I WILL SAY THIS AT THE JULY 13TH MEETING, UM, ALDERMAN BEST DID BRING UP, UH, REQUESTING MS. SHIELDS AND JEFFERY JERRY AND AMANDA OWEN IS SALEM TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH GRANTS.

UM, AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A ROLL CALL VOTE AND THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR FAILED.

AND SO CURRENTLY STAFF HAS NO DIRECTION ON MOVING FORWARD.

IF STAFF, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE STAFF DIRECTION TO, UH, PROCEED WITH APPLYING FOR GRANTS FOR A COMMISSARY KITCHEN TO THE VOLT, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO ANYTHING THE BOARD WANTS US TO DO.

UM, I THINK FOR ME IN THIS REGARD, I THINK THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE APPLIED FOR IT, THE GRANT OR MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS, UM, THE COMMISSARY KITCHENS, UM, THE VOLT CENTER PROJECT, LIKE I STATED IN THE EMAIL, IF, IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE APPROVED FOR IT AND WE GET TO A POINT WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK OUT AND WE MAY NEED TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER LOCATION, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR A CHANGE OF SCOPE, UM, FOR THIS MONEY FOR ANOTHER LOCATION THAT UTILIZE IT FOR THE SAME, UH, WAYNE WORD THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR THE GRANT.

UM, AND THEN IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEND THE MONEY BACK.

BUT I, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE SECOND TIME THAT WE'RE UP FOR THIS.

UM, AND HAVE, UH, I HA HIGH PROBABILITY OF GETTING THIS MONEY AND IT'S A BENEFIT TO THE PROJECT.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULDN'T GIVE THE BOARD DIRECTOR OR GIVE STAFF DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING THE GRANT IT'S GOING TO HELP THE PROJECT.

I GOT A QUESTION.

UM, FOSTER, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED WHEN I SAW THAT GRANT, BECAUSE I THOUGHT ON JULY 13TH, WE HAD VOTED NOT TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION, UH, WHO WHO'S AUTHORIZE THE GRANT WHO AUTHORIZE WRITING THE GRANT.

I'M ONLY AWARE OF ONE GRANT THAT WAS APPLIED FOR BEFORE THE BOARD CHANGED THE DIRECTION ON THE APRIL 13TH MEETING.

THAT WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT GRANT CAN CANNON FOUNDATION GRANT.

SO, OKAY.

SO THAT'S THE GRANT THAT, UM, BARBARA IS LOOKING FOR SIGNATURES FOR THE OTHER DAY.

NO, NO GRANT THAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR THE OTHER DAY AND, AND WHO AUTHORIZED THAT GRANT? PARDON ME? WELL, I THOUGHT THE BOARD DIRECTION WAS NO ON JULY 13TH.

THIS GRANT WAS STARTED PRIOR TO JULY 13.

I CAN'T HEAR YOUR DOG TALKING ABOUT THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT CANNING GRANDPAS.

THAT WE WERE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A KIND OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COLLEGE, THE CITY ON SHARING THE SPACE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT, THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT.

UM, I WAS SITTING IN THE HOPPER WAS READY TO GO.

I THINK IT WAS A RESULT OF THE MEETING THAT, UH, ALL THE WOMEN HARRIS, UM, ALL THE INVEST AND ALL OF BANGLES HAD IN THAT, AND WITH THE COLLEGE AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

[01:20:01]

AND I THINK THE QUESTION WAS AFTER THAT MEETING, WHICH WAS VERY POSITIVE, THAT WAS THAT PARIS SAID, WHAT'S THAT WE'RE ASKING TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT GRANT.

THAT'S ALL IT'S BEEN SITTING READY TO GO FOR MONTHS.

SO WE JUST NEED DIRECTION FROM THE WARDS, THE NIGHT TO PROCEED ON MOVE THIS GRANT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER, UM, WE WORK OUT SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURE WITH THE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE SHARING THE SPACE ARE NOT THE ONLY, THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE.

AND, AND AGAIN, THE MEETING WAS, IT WAS A GOOD POSITIVE MEETING.

I WILL SAY THAT WE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT IT IS STILL LACKING THE INFORMATION THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.

AND THAT IS WHAT IS THE COST? WHAT IS IT GOING TO COST US TO OPERATE? WHAT IS IT GOING TO COST? BECAUSE I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS THE MONEY IN HAND.

THEY GO TO WORK.

IT DOESN'T COST US ONE PENNY TO GO IN THERE.

WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE PROPERTY.

BUT IF I COULD SEE SOME, SOME NUMBERS, SOME STATISTICS, I CAN'T GET THAT.

THE SECOND THING IS I WANT TO SEE A COPY OF THIS GOLDEN LEAF GRANT BECAUSE THE GRANT THAT WAS SENT TO THE CANNON FOUNDATION HAS INCONSISTENCIES.

AND IT HASN'T AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, HAS MISINFORMATION IN IT, BECAUSE IT, UM, IT TALKS ABOUT THAT.

WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE HOSPITAL.

WE HAVE NOT PARTNERED WITH THE HOSPITAL THAT THEY HAVE, NOT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.

AND I'VE CALLED OUT THERE.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN IMPORTANT OR WE'RE WRITING THINGS IN GRANTS THAT ARE, ARE NOT CORRECT.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO FLUFF UP THINGS.

SOMETIMES I GET IT, BUT BEFORE WE SEND OFF A GRANT, I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST VIEW THE COPY OF IT AND SEE WHAT'S WRITTEN AND SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HELD TO.

BECAUSE ONCE WE WRITE A GRANT AND IT'S SUBMITTED, WE'RE GOING TO BE HELD TO SOMETHING I BELIEVE WE WOULD BE HELD TO SOMETHING.

IS THAT RIGHT? MS. MARGARET, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SHARE OR SOME LIGHT ON THAT CANON GRANT? SHE WAS SPEAKING OF THAT THE MIND WOULD JANET, I THINK BY PARTNERING, WE MEANT THAT THE HOSPITAL, IT COULD HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES USE THE FACILITY FOR TRAINING.

THAT'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED.

UH, IT SAYS IN THE THING HERE, IT SAYS WITH, UH, WITH A WORKING LAB IN PLACE, THE CITY WITH SUPPORT FROM CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CAROLINA EAST WILL PROVIDE TRAINING FOR PROSPECTIVE WORKFORCE IN THE HOSPITALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INDUSTRY.

WELL, THAT, THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A COMMISSARY KITCHEN, THAT, UM, COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL HAVE LIMITED SCOPE, BECAUSE DEPENDING AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION.

HOW MANY HOURS IS IT OPEN TO A COMMISSARY KITCHEN? HOW MANY HOURS IS IT OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAN'T GET IN THERE? YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY GOT A PREP IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AN EVENT IN THE EVENING, OR THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE SCHEDULE THIS? THESE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS I'M TRYING TO GETTING ANSWERED.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS CAROLINA EAST WILL PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE WORKERS HIRED FROM THE COMMISSARY KITCHEN PROGRAM.

YES, THEY WILL.

IF, BUT IT'S NOT A COMMISSARY KITCHEN PROGRAM, IT WOULD BE FROM A COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE A COMMISSARY KITCHEN, IS TO HAVE PEOPLE PREP AND COOK AND DO THAT.

NOT TO NECESSARILY BE TRAINED.

THAT WOULD BE A TRAINING PROGRAM THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

SO AGAIN, I JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST SEE THE GRANT BEFORE WE SEND IT OUT.

IF IT'S BEEN PREPARED THAT LONG, IT WAS A LETTER OF LETTER OF INTENT.

SO WE HAVEN'T EVEN READ.

SO WE HAVEN'T STARTED THE GRANT.

IS THAT WHERE YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT THE LETTER OF INTENT FIRST, THEN THE LETTER OF INTENT IS APPROVED, THEN YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE GRANT.

SO I THINK THAT WAS WHAT WAS CONFUSING.

AND THE CANDIDATE FOUNDATION GRANT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, BACK IN APRIL.

WELL, YOU, CAUSE YOU UPLOADED ALL THE DOCUMENTS APRIL.

RIGHT? RIGHT.

BUT IT WAS VOTED THE NEXT WEEK VENTURE WARY AND THEN IT WAS DELAYED.

AND SO YES, IT WAS FINALLY SUBMITTED IN EARLY APRIL SABRINA.

INDUSTRY AND THE FOOD INDUSTRY CAN, UM, PREP FOOD CAN COOK FOOD, CAN BAKE FOOD, CAN PREPARE JAMS AND JELLIES CAN DO WHATEVER IN AN, IN A KITCHEN THAT IS CERTIFIED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

YOU'VE SEEN THAT, LIKE YOU'RE AN EXPERT ON A COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT, WHAT THE IDEA IS HERE? WELL, NO, IT'S NOT THAT.

AND I, I WOULD RATHER SAY FEWER THINGS THAN MORE THINGS, BUT, UM, A COMMISSARY KITCHEN IS, IS A PLACE WHERE, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE

[01:25:01]

SO IT HAS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, UM, SAFETY AND HEALTH PRECAUTIONS AND HAS PROPER COOLING AND PROPER STORAGE, DRY STORAGE, COLD STORAGE, SO THAT THINGS ARE KEPT AT TEMPERATURE.

A HEALTH DEPARTMENT REQUIRES THAT CERTAIN TEMPERATURES WILL FOOD, EITHER COLD OR HOT.

SO THAT'S THE BASIS OF HAVING A COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU ARE A FOOD TRUCK, PUSH CART, FOOD CART, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THAT YOU MUST HAVE A CERTIFIED KITCHEN TO WORK OUT OF.

YOU.

CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL, MY HOUSE IS CLEAN AND I'LL FOLLOW ALL THOSE RULES AND YOU CAN COME IN MY HOUSE AND CHECK IT OUT.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SIGNIFIES AS A COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

WHAT MOST FOOD TRUCKS THIS AREA DO IS THEY CONTRACT THROUGH A RESTAURANT OR SOME KIND OF PROVIDER TO RENT THE SPACE OR TO USE THESE CERTIFIED KITCHENS THAT HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE HEALTH REPORT.

AND QUESTION, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OF THESE FOOD TRUCKS ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT THAT I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN'T ANSWER.

I BELIEVE WE WERE ON THE PHONE CALL AND, UM, BEST YOU MAY REMEMBER.

I TRIED TO WRITE DOWN AS MANY NOTES AS I COULD.

UM, 17, I BELIEVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID 17 PERMITS, BUT THAT DID NOT INCLUDE PUSH CARTS.

RIGHT.

AND HOW MUCH WE WANTED THESE KITCHENS COST TO UPFIT KITCHEN ANYWHERE BETWEEN TWO AND $300,000.

SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO SPEND, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO SPEND $300,000 FOR THE CITIES.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET GRANTS AS WHAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO SPEND $200,000, PROVIDE A LOCATION.

WHO'S GOING TO MANAGE IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GET SUED IF SOMEBODY GETS HURT.

SO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE, UM, IN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND I'LL DO MY BEST.

PLEASE JUMP IN.

IF I'M SAYING SOMETHING INCORRECT, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT, UM, OF COURSE, UM, AMANDA OLIN SALEN HAS, UM, HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING THE KITCHEN AT THE HAVELOCK TOURIST CENTER.

NOW THAT YOU CAN CALL IT A COMMISSARY KITCHEN, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WAS THE CASE.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS IT WAS USED FOR CATERERS.

CATERERS WOULD COME INTO THE TOURIST CENTER.

AND IF THEY HAD A CATERING EVENT, THEY COULD PREP AND COOK AND DO WHATEVER THE CONVENTION CENTER IN NEWBURN DOES THE SAME EXACT THING.

WELL, MY JOB IS NOT MY MANAGER, BUT THIS IS WHAT IF YOU READ THE GRANTS, IT LISTS AMANDA AS THE PERSON WHO WOULD OPERATE AT MANAGEMENT MANAGER.

AND , I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

WELL, I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING HERE, JOHNNY RAY HERE, THE RESTAURANTS IN TOWN THEN, UH, UH, THAT ALLOWS THE INDIVIDUALS TO GO THERE, TO PREP THE FOOD.

HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT A HUNDRED.

I CAN TELL YOU TOO, THAT I KNOW FOR SURE.

AND THAT WOULD BE BLACK BEERS BECAUSE WE HAD A GENTLEMAN ON THE PHONE CALL WITH US THAT HAS A FOOD TRUCK SCENE SOUL, AND HE USES BLACKBEARD'S AS HIS COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

HOW MUCH DO THEY CHARGE $500 A MONTH.

HE PAYS.

AND THAT SAYS OFTEN IS HE LIKED TO GO TO CORRECT? SO ON AVERAGE, I THINK WAS GOING FOUR TIMES, ABOUT FOUR TIMES A WEEK, HE GOES TO PREP, PREPARE HIS.

SO VIDEOS SAID IT WOULD BE 15, $20 AN HOUR.

IF YOU ESTABLISH THIS, AND THEN ANYBODY THAT'S RUNNING A FOOD TRUCK TRAILER RUN OUT OF MORE THAN 500 OR $700 RENTAL.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CORRECT INFORMATION.

UM, THEY LISTENED TO THERE'S ONE AND YOU CAN LISTEN ON THERE'S ONE, UM, COMMISSARY, PUBLIC COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

I BELIEVE IT'S IN BURGLE.

AND AGAIN, AMANDA DID SOME RESEARCH ON IT AND BROUGHT BACK MY NOTES.

IT SAYS THAT THEY CHARGED A BOUT $20, 15, $20 AN HOUR.

SO THEY CHARGED BY THE HOUR.

SO AGAIN, WE TALKED TO THE FOOD TRUCK, HE SAID TWO TO THREE, PROBABLY THREE HOURS.

IT TOOK HIM TO PREP, MAYBE SOME CLEANUP TIME.

SO SAY FOUR HOURS, $20 AN HOUR TIMES FOUR THAT'S $80 TIMES FOUR, IF HE'S PREPPING FOUR TIMES A WEEK, THAT'S $320 A WEEK.

SO THAT PERSON WOULD END UP PAYING MORE.

BUT THEN WE KIND OF CAME BACK.

IF YOU WATCH THE VIDEO, WE KIND OF CAME BACK AND SAID, WELL, THERE'D BE A SLIDING SCALE POTENTIALLY.

SO AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T, I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

I NEED, WE NEED MORE INFORMATION, THIS, UM, A STATEMENT.

UM, WE,

[01:30:01]

WE DID IN THAT TO MEET, AND THIS IS ALL THE WOMEN HERE.

SPEAKING STATE THAT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WAS GOING TO BE PROVIDED IN OUR NEXT MEETING IN THREE RIGHTS WHERE WE ALL AGREE.

UM, AND SO THIS IS SIMPLY A LETTER OF INTENT AGAIN, UM, ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS INSIDE HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD.

UM, WE'VE HAD, UM, ASKED FOR CHANGES TO GO WHEN WE RECEIVED THE GRANT OR IN THAT GRANT PROCESS, THAT'S NOTHING NEW WE'RE EXPERTS IN THAT ALL THEY'RE ASKING IS TO SIGN A LETTER OF INTENT BECAUSE THAT'S A BENEFIT.

IF WE GET THIS $50,000 TO GO TOWARDS THE UPKEEP, I MEAN THE UPFIT OF, OF THE, UM, VOTE CENTER, IF WE AGREE THAT IT CAN WORK OUT, WE HAVEN'T DETERMINED THAT YET IN THIS MEETING FROM THE OLIVE BRANCH, THAT ALDERMAN BINGO SUPPLIED US LIKE 13.

SO I'M JUST SAYING IN HOPING THAT THE CITY, INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR CAN SIGN THE LETTER OF INTENT SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD.

WE MAY NOT EVEN GET APPROVED FOR IT.

I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO BE HELD UP BECAUSE LACK OF INFORMATION THAT IS KNOWN THAT WE'RE BRINGING BACK IN THREE WEEKS, WELL, I DIDN'T PAY THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

THE OTHER, THE LAST THING IS IN THAT MEETING, IF ANYONE WANTS TO GO BACK AND WATCH IT, UM, THE GENTLEMAN DID STATE THAT THERE, THERE ARE SOME FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE ABLE TO PREP FOR A WEEK IN ADVANCE.

SO THE NUMBERS AND THE NUMBERS AND THE AMOUNT ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

WE CAN'T COMPARE OURSELVES TO ANOTHER CITY AND HOW THEY DO IT.

THE WHOLE POINT OF THE MEETING IS TO DEVELOP WHAT THIS WOULD BE BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING PRESENTED.

SO, UM, PROVIDED SO, AND THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THREE WEEKS.

UH, WELL WE GO ON TWO WEEKS AND A HALF NOW SINCE THE MEETING WAS LAST WEEK.

SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH SIGNING A LETTER OF INTENT.

WELL, BECAUSE I THINK $50,000 IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET.

I THINK WHEN YOU, I MEAN, I'LL JUST PUT IT TO YOU LIKE THIS.

I'M, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE TO SPEND 50,000, A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 150,000, WHATEVER THE NUMBER MAY BE TO BUILD A KITCHEN AND FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURGH TO MANAGE THE KITCHEN AND FOR US TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLEANING OF THE KITCHEN AND US TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INSURANCE AS TO GO IN THE KITCHEN.

SO SOMEBODY CAN GO IN THERE, COOK THEMSELVES SOME HOT DOGS OR WHATEVER IT IS.

EVERYONE COULD PUT THEM ON THEIR FOOD TRUCK, CARRY THEM OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND SELL AND, AND PUT THE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.

NOW I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S LIKE ME.

THAT'S LIKE THE JOHNNY RAY, WHEN HE BECAME MR. WORLD OR MR. MERRICK, WHAT IT WAS ASKING THE CITY TO BUILD HIM A GYM AND LET HIM GO IN THERE AND USE IT TO WORK OUT IN, I MEAN, IT'S THE, IT'S THE SAME THING.

WHAT'S GOING TO STOP THE NEXT PERSON FROM COMING IN AND SAYING THE SAME THING.

I MEAN, THIS WOULD THE CITY BUILD IT SO I CAN USE IT.

I'M JUST, I THINK THIS IS A PRIVATE INDUSTRY.

AND BESIDES THAT, YOU'VE ALREADY TOLD ME THAT IF WE DO THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE POCKETS AND SOME PRIVATE BUSINESSES, UM, ON THAT STATEMENT, BECAUSE THE CNI PLAN, UM, THAT WE GOT A GRANT FOR FOR $400,000 IN THE COMMUNITY ASKED FOR WAS THE CITY MARKET.

SO THIS WAS ALREADY PART OF THE PLAN.

AND I DON'T THINK SOMEONE'S JUST COMING IN THERE, WILLY NILLY IT'S ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUPPORTING NOT JUST STANDALONE RESTAURANTS, BUT ALSO INDIVIDUALS THAT DO HAVE PRODUCTS THAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PREP AND SELL THAT WASN'T THE CONVERSATION FROM THE BEGINNING.

SO WE UNDERSTOOD FROM WHEN YOU VOTED IN APRIL AND IN JULY THAT YOU WERE AGAINST IT.

BUT AGAIN, ALL WE'VE BEEN BAGELS SUPPORTED US AND PROVIDED A OLIVE BRANCH.

AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE MEETINGS.

SO I'M JUST CONFUSED.

THE ONE WHY THIS SCHOOL HINDER US SIGNING A LETTER OF INTENT BECAUSE WE CAN, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT PAYING IF WE'RE GETTING GRANT MONEY, WE'RE NOT PAYING.

AND IF WE GET A POOF WITH A KIDNEY, THAT'S WHAT 60 GRAND.

SO WE'RE CLOSE TO A 200,000, SO THERE'S NOT MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO UPFITTED.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO DISCUSSING THE OTHER PROCESS WITH IT.

I DIDN'T THINK THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THIS IN THEIR KITCHEN BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPORTIVE.

I THINK IF WE PUT THE KITCHEN IN THAT THAT'S DIFFERENT.

IF WE PUT THE KITCHEN IN AND WE PAY FOR THE KITCHEN, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THEIR FUNDS, THEIR FUNDS TO PUT KITCHEN EQUIPMENT ARE STRICTLY FOR TRAINING.

THEY CANNOT DO ANY FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS IN A KITCHEN THAT THEY FOUGHT.

NO, I'M JUST LISTENING.

THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE FORMED.

WELL, ALLAMAN HARRIS COVENANT ABOUT THE LOI FORM.

UM, BUT THAT'S WHY WE FORMED THIS SUBCOMMITTEE ON AN ESTER SO THAT WE CAN TALK MORE IN DEPTH AND GET MORE INFORMATION.

[01:35:02]

AND AT OUR LAST MEETING, DR.

STACKS WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HEY, BY NO MEANS WE GOTTA ALWAYS BE A PARTNERSHIP REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE, AS A BOARD OF ALMA WANTING TO DO.

SO WE HAD SOME REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION THERE.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, IF WE CAN, UM, THROUGH GRANT FUNDING, BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, HAVE THIS KITCHEN COME TO FRUITION, WHICH AS OTTOMAN HARRIS SAID, THIS WAS THIS COMMISSARY KITCHEN, CATALYSTS KITCHEN, OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY IT WAS PART OF THE INITIAL PLAN OF THE C AND I PLAN THE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.

AND WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY HAD THAT KITCHEN UP.

UPFITTED IF THAT $200,000 TOBACCO GRANT TRUST GRANT HADN'T BEEN DENIED.

SO HERE WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH GRANTS, TRYING TO GET THE KITCHEN UP FITTED.

SO I, MY, MY THING IS I CAN UNDERSTAND IF WE WERE ASKING FOR CITY TAXPAYERS MONEY TO UPFIT THIS KITCHEN, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT THROUGH GRANTS.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO TRY TO GET FOR GRANTS.

BUT MY, MY QUESTION IS AFTER THAT, WHO'S GOING TO MANAGE IT WELL, WHO'S, THAT'S WHY AT OUR NEXT MEETING COMING UP MORE INFORMATION WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO US.

UH, AMANDA, JEFF, AND THEIR STAFF THERE, SHE'S GOING TO BRING US BACK.

OH, I THINK IT WAS A THREE OR FIVE YEAR BUDGET PLAN FOR THIS COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE YOU NEED SOME INFORMATION FROM AMANDA OR JEFF TO MAYBE BRING YOU UP TO PAR TO WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS, BECAUSE APPARENTLY YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT IT.

SO I APPARENTLY I DON'T, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME CONVINCED ME TO SPEND TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS ON BUILDING A KITCHEN, THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO GO IN AND USE AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MANAGE IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE TOO.

AND, UH, WITH THE COLLEGE, PARDON ME, IT'S GOING TO BE A JOINT EFFORT WITH CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, IF WE GET TO THAT POINT.

SO THIS IS IF IT HAD EVER BEEN A JOINT PROJECT, THEY WOULD COME IN IF THEY CAN AND DO TRAINING CLASSES.

SO WHAT I'M ENJOYING, I MEAN, SHARED SPACE SHARED.

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO INITIALLY SHARED SPACE TO SHARE THE SPACE FOR THE PROGRAMS, FOR THE, YOU KNOW, KNOW THE NEXT THING IS NOT ON WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR NEXT MEETING, BUT IN THE INTERIM SEPTEMBER AYE, MR. MAYOR, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ANY DEPARTMENT, THIS ARE ANYBODY THAT'S APPLYING FOR GRANTS, IT NEEDS TO BE RUN THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

I MEAN, IT WOULD BE FOR, WE APPLIED FOR GRANTS WHEN I WAS A DEPARTMENT HEAD, BEFORE WE APPLIED FOR ANY GRANT, WE HAD TO GET THE MANAGER'S INITIAL ON THE GRANT, APPROVING IT.

AND THAT WAY HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.

UH, I THINK THAT'S JUST COURTESY TO THE POOR CITY MANAGER TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WELL, I WANT TO ANSWER THAT OTHER QUESTION TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW AT OUR BOARD MEETING, UM, AUTUMN AND ODOM SAID THAT HE WAS GONNA CHECK WITH THE HOSPITAL.

AND DID YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK WITH THE HOSPITAL FOR AS THE PARTNERSHIP AND WHAT WAS THE RESULTS OF THAT FEED LINE SHARING OR I'M SURE THERE WASN'T ANY CONVERSATION.

MAIN ROAD OUT AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR WHERE WE DO VIRTUAL REALITIES, SIMULATOR SIMULATOR.

THE HOSPITAL WILL DO EXACTLY.

IF THE COLLEGE HAS A CLASS TO TEACH FOOD PREP SERVICE, THE COLLEGE, THE HOSPITAL IS GOING TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION WITH THE HOSPITAL WILL BE IN THE SAME SITUATION AS THE COLLEGE IS THAT WE WOULD NOT BE PROVIDING FUNDING FOR FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.

AND RIGHT NOW, UM, MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME OUT.

I THINK, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S TWO PATHS THAT WE CAN GO DOWN.

ONE PATH IS THE CITY CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET GRANTS, TO PAY FOR THE KITCHEN TO BE INSTALLED.

AND THEN THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO MANAGE AND PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THAT FACILITY.

MAYBE THE COLLEGE WILL PARTNER IN SOME FORM OR FASHION TO DO SOME TRAINING CLASSES THERE.

I THINK THAT'S OPTION ONE, OPTION TWO IS THE COLLEGE HAS THE FUNDING TO INSTALL THE KITCHEN.

NOW THEY CAN START CLASSES ONCE IT'S UP FIT AND GO AHEAD AND START TRAINING FOOD PREP SERVICES THAT THE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, THANK YOU.

WELL, WHAT ARE WE HOLDING THE COLLEGE UP? I THINK COLLEGE IS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THEIR HVHC PROGRAM OUT THERE.

THEY NEVER KNEW IT WOULD TAKE OFF LIKE IT DID, BUT THEY, THEY WERE IN CONTROL OF IT, NOT THE COUNTY OR THE CITY.

THEY DID ANYTHING AND FOUND A REAL NICHE.

AND NOW THE HVHC HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF THE, UM, THE, THE SYSTEM, WHEN THE CITY NEWER, WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT HAVING OUR

[01:40:02]

WE WANTED TO, WE WANTED TO SAY WHAT HOURS IT WAS RUN AND WHO COULD USE IT.

AND WE WANTED TO PARTNER WITH THE COLLEGE AND THAT TOOK QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION.

AND IT FINALLY TURNED OUT THAT, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, UH, THE COLLEGE WAS GOING TO BE IN CONTROL OF THAT.

AND I THINK PROBABLY THE HOLISTIC CAMERAS LEVEL OF THAT HAS BEEN QUITE A SUCCESS.

I JUST SEE THE COLLEGE, IF THEY ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF THE PROGRAMMING, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A SUCCESSION.

UM, THE, THE LIMP, THAT NUMBER OF POTENTIAL, UH, STUDENTS THAT WOULD GO OUT TO A COLLEGE BASE, UM, FOOD PROGRAM IS IT'S PROBABLY EXPONENTIALLY.

UM, DON'T BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

UM, IF YOU, IF YOU DO THIS AND IT RUNS COLLEGE OFF AND COLLEGE GOES AND PUTS THE PROGRAM BACK AT THE, AT THE COLLEGE, OR IF IT PUTS IT IN HALF LOT, AND WE WERE TO DO THIS, HOW MANY, HOW MANY FOOD TRUCK, HOW MANY FOOD TRUCKS DO WE, ARE WE, ARE WE IN THE EDUCATIONAL IN THIS? OR WHAT ARE WE IN THE, THE RENTAL END OF GIVEN SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE TO PREPARE FOOD? I MEAN, SO THE END RESULT FOR ME, JUST LIKE WITH THE SIMULATORS, HOW MANY, HOW MANY POLICE OFFICERS FIRST RESPONDERS CAN BE TRAINED TO MAKE EXTERNAL CAROLINE MOST SUCCESSFUL? YES.

I SAID EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, I DIDN'T SAY NEWBURN.

AND THE REASON I SAY EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS BECAUSE IT'S STATE MONEY TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO HELP FOLKS THAT WON'T GET INTO THE FOOD INDUSTRY, WHEN YOU SAY CRAMPED COMMUNITY COLLEGE, YOU'RE SAYING EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BANKSTON NEWBURGH.

AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IF YOU GET THESE GRANTS AND YOU UPFIT THE, THE KITCHEN AND IT'S $200,000, AND WHERE'S THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR 10 OR 20 YEARS OUT IS THE CANON GROUP IS THE TOBACCO TRUST GOING TO FUND THIS ONE TIME FOR THE INITIAL STARTUP.

AND THEN AS THE CITY AND NEWBURN DON'T FOOT THE BILL.

AND THEN IF IT'S JUST FOR THE CITY AND THEY WERE NOT FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, OR ARE WE GOING TO SAY TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE'VE GOT 90, 90 FOOT TRUCKS IN THE AREA.

NOW THAT'S TOO MANY.

ARE WE GOING TO SHUT THE PROGRAM DOWN? JUST A LOT OF UNKNOWNS THERE.

I JUST, I THINK THE SAFE HARBOR FOR THE CITY AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PARTNER WITH COLLEGE AND COLLEGES AND THEN HAS BINS.

IF SOMEBODY EATS BARBECUE SANDWICH IN AND GET SICK, UH, THE BIG POCKET SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO WHERE THE FOOD WAS FAIR, NOT NOT TO THE FOOD TRUCK.

SO I JUST DON'T KNOW.

I, I HAVE TO, UM, SOME COMMENTS, UM, THE WAY THAT WE'RE COMPARING THIS, IT DON'T ADD UP TO ME BECAUSE WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT A TAXPAYER DOLLARS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE NOT USING ANY TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND MAYOR, YOU KEEP BRINGING UP THE SIMULATOR, BUT DIDN'T IT TAKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF OUR MONEY, WHICH WOULD BE TAXPAYER MONEY TO UPDATE THAT.

AND THEN WE GAVE IT OVER TO THE COLLEGE FOR THEM TO DETERMINE AND SCHEDULE ON WHEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT.

AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A POOL WHERE WE HAVE RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS THAT COME THERE AND UTILIZE THAT POOL.

WE'RE IN THIS CONVERSATION AS THOUGH THAT THESE ENTREPRENEURS OR INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE MONEY.

SO FOR ME, I JUST WANT BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ONLY CARE ABOUT A CERTAIN POPULATION THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND THAT'S PEOPLE THAT WANT TO WORK IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.

IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUESTED AND TALKED ABOUT FOR MONTHS ON END WITH THE CNI.

AND I KNOW MANY TIMES WHEN WE APPLY FOR GRANTS, WE UTILIZE THE CNI AS A FOUNDATION OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH PROGRESS IN OUR CITY.

AND I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE WE HAD A MEETING AND ULTIMATELY BEST IN ALL OF THEM.

BINGO AND MYSELF ARE COMING HERE AND WE COME BACK AND PRESENT THE INFORMATION.

THE COLLEGE SAID THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PARTNER, RESTAURANTS ARE WILLING TO PARTNER.

WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S NOT WORKING.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.

THIS IS JUST A LETTER OF INTENT.

IF WE CAN'T PARTNER WHERE IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT IN THE VOLT CENTER, IT WAS

[01:45:01]

A SUGGESTION THAT WAS MADE BY ANOTHER ALDERMAN.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS ALDERMAN BINGO.

SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OF FINDING ANOTHER LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY TO STILL DO THE SAME PROJECT.

SO MY CONCERN IS IF WE DO A LETTER OF INTENT, IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, BUT WE FIND ANOTHER LOCATION TO CHANGE ITS SCOPE.

WE HAVE THIS FUNDING AND IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET THE FUNDING, THEN WE'RE NOT USING ANY TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

THEN WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING IT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE MEETING SAID THAT THEY GET PERMITS FOR THIS ALL THE TIME.

WE'RE A BEAUTIFUL CITY.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME TO NEW BERN.

SO I THINK THAT HAVING IT OPEN TO CITY RESIDENTS AND NON-CITY RESIDENTS IS PART OF WHAT THE SLIDING SCALE AND THE STRUCTURE WOULD BE.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE OUT ON THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING $50,000 FOR THIS PROJECT OR A PROJECT IN THIS, IN THIS CAPACITY WHEN WE COULD DO A CHANGE OF SCOPE, IF IT DOESN'T WORK AT THE VOLT CENTER.

SO WE'RE ALL WINNING YOU, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE, WE, WE ALL WANT TO WIN.

WE W WE WANT THE COLLEGE TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN.

WE WANT INDIVIDUALS TO GET TRAINED.

WE'RE ABOUT THE EDUCATION, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO CREATE A SPACE FOR ENTREPRENEURS.

IF WE FIND OUT THAT AFTER THIS MEETING IN THREE WEEKS, IT DOESN'T WORK.

WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO FIND ANOTHER LOCATION TO MAKE IT WORK.

THAT'S THAT'S THAT, THAT THAT'S THE PLAN IS TRYING TO MAKE THIS WORK AND COME TOGETHER WHERE EVERYBODY WENT, WHERE ALL CITIZENS FEEL THAT THEIR VOICES AND THINGS THAT THEY DO IS, ARE IMPORTANT.

SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO JUST SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

WE HAVEN'T EVEN INCORPORATED THAT IN THE CONVERSATION AS OF YET.

SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE BOARD TO BE OKAY WITH THIS BEING SIGNED.

SO THAT AGAIN, IF IT DOES NOT WORK AT THE PHYSICAL BOAT LOCATION, AND WE FIND ANOTHER LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY, IT'S STILL A PROJECT THAT CAN MOVE FORWARD.

THAT'S JUST, THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL A POSSIBILITY.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE OUT ON $50,000.

AND I, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE.

I'M JUST SAYING EVERYBODY COULD WIN, WIN SITUATION IF WE WORK TOGETHER.

WITH YOU SAYING ALL OF THAT.

AND I JUST WANT TO ASK IF ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY MORE OTHER COMMENTS, IF WE CAN JUST GET SOME DIRECTION HERE TONIGHT FROM THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S A YES OR NO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TRYING TO GET THIS LOI, UM, WITH MARGARET AND AMANDA AND JEFFREY JERRY'S OFFICE, MOVING FORWARD TO GET GRANT FUNDING, IF WE CAN JUST GO HEAD ON AND, UM, DISCUSS THAT, IF THERE'S ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THE LOI FORM TO BE SIGNED OR GIVE DIRECTION FROM THIS BOARD, WHAT DO WE DO YOU NEED TO DO? I HAVE A BIG QUESTION.

THE, UM, FOR-PROFIT SO THAT GRANT WOULD BE OKAY FOR PROFIT, CORRECT? YES.

MARGARET ALL THE INFORMATION WITH US AT A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING.

SO THAT, SO ONCE THE MONEY COMES IN, IT'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUE FLOW OF THINGS.

SO WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THAT THEN CAN YOU FLOW OF OPERATION OUT THERE? YOU KNOW, WE WILL, WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING COMING UP AND AMANDA AND, AND, UH, HUG DEPARTMENT, THEY SUPPOSED TO BE BRINGING.

AND, UM, THAT INFORMATION BACK TO US, THE SUBCOMMITTEE GROUP, THAT ALMA BINGO, MYSELF AND HARRIS IS ON.

CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE LETTER OF INTENT? JUST HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND IT AGAIN, MARGARET, COME UP HERE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND SOMETHING.

SO RIGHT NOW, A LETTER OF INTENT SAYS YOU INTEND TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT, CORRECT? YES.

AND SO W WHEN IS THIS LETTER OF INTENT TO, UH, THURSDAY.

THURSDAY.

SO WHEN YOU SEND THIS OFF, THEN WHEN DO YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION? THE BOARD WILL MEET AND WHEN THE VIEW, THE LOI, SO THEY MAY NOT ACCEPT, CORRECT.

THEY MAY NOT ACCEPT IT.

UM, THE BOARD MEETS, I BELIEVE, UM, IN SEPTEMBER, AND THEN IF IT IS ACCEPTED, WE'LL, THEY'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THEIR OCTOBER DEADLINE FOR THE FULL RECORD.

BUT AT THAT POINT, IF THE BOARD TAKES A DIFFERENT THING, WE DON'T HAVE TO APPLY.

CORRECT.

GOING TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY OF NEIGHBOR TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE OPERATION AND TRYING TO PROVIDE SOMEBODY AND THE COST TO THE PERSON TRYING TO WORK IN THERE.

SO I'M OKAY.

THEN IF THAT'S THE CASE, YOU KNOW, A LETTER OF INTENT TO ME IS NOTHING MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, UM, PUTTING IT OUT THERE, LETTING PEOPLE AT THE TOBACCO TRUST.

I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO? WE CAN STOP THE PROCESS.

LET'S, LET'S GET THE INFORMATION BECAUSE I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE INFORMATION IS

[01:50:01]

I'VE I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL HAVE THAT IN TWO WEEKS.

AND SO, SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DELAY A SITUATION WHERE RESTAURANTS RIGHT NOW, ACROSS THE CITY ARE CLOSED THE CERTAIN DAYS OF THE WEEK, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET HELP.

WE HEAR PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH BECAUSE THEY GET HIRED AT EIGHT OR $9 AN HOUR.

AND I THINK I HEARD SOMEBODY AT SOME POINT IN THIS CONVERSATION, SAY THAT WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE COLLEGE AND THEY GET THE CERTIFICATION THAT THEY GET PAID MORE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF CERTIFICATION.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DELAY THIS WHOLE PROCESS WHEN MR. ATTORNEY, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE LEASE ON THE VOLT CENTER WITH THE COLLEGE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM EDA ON SOME QUESTIONS THAT THEY RAISED.

SO ANY DAY NOW WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PLAN FOR THE COLLEGE TO INSTALL THE KITCHEN AND START THAT PROCESS.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO HOPE AND WAIT AND SEE IF WE GET GRANT MONEY FOR THIS KITCHEN.

SO SOME ENTREPRENEURS CAN HAVE SOMEWHERE TO PREPARE THE FOOD.

UM, AMANDA, THEY SAID YOU RAN THIS CONCEPT AND HAVE A LOT, OR DID I MISUNDERSTAND THAT? UM, NO, THERE WAS NOT A COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

I RAN A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN IN HANDBALL.

SO WHERE'S THE CLOSEST COMMISSARY KITCHEN IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

UH, BURGA I BELIEVE IS THE CLOSEST ONE.

AND THERE'S ONE MORE NASHVILLE.

UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL ACROSS THE STATE.

UM, MANY OF THEM, UM, ARE KIND OF MORE IN LARGER CITIES AND MAY EAT EITHER HAVE A, KIND OF A PUBLIC KIND OF BACKING OR A PRIVATE BACKING, UM, AS A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES, ALL FUNCTION A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND ARE FUNDED DIFFERENTLY.

SO DO WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THOSE WITH HOW THEY'RE FUNDED AND HOW THEY'RE OPERATING? YEAH, WE'VE DONE, UM, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.

UM, I COULD COMPILE IT INTO A LIST.

UM, BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S AN, AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST BY ANY MEANS.

UH, WE CERTAINLY LOOKED INTO CERTAIN, UM, EXAMPLES THAT SORT OF MORE FIT THE MODEL WE WERE, WE WERE LOOKING TO, UM, TO MAKE OREGON WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT CLOSELY RESEMBLED WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

EVERYTHING ELSE ACROSS THE STATE REALLY IS MORE PRIVATELY BASED.

IT LOOKED LIKE FROM THE RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME FUNDING, MAYBE THEY GOT A GRANT OR SOMETHING FROM A PUBLIC ENTITY.

UM, BUT THE VERBAL ONE WAS TO WHAT WAS ENVISIONED HERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE THING IN BERGOFF IS THAT THEY HAVE NO RESTAURANT.

I MEAN, THERE ARE DYING IN ECONOMY, UNFORTUNATELY, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NEEDED TO HELP FOOD TRUCKS TO TRY TO BRING SOME, SOME FOOD TO THAT AREA.

SO, AMANDA, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME A MOM IS THINKING THAT LITTLE WASHINGTON IS ALSO IS IN THE PROCESS THROUGH BRAND.

I THINK THEY HAVE $400,000 IN GRANTS OR MORE.

I WOULD, UM, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER BACK TO MARGARET, I THINK WOULD HAVE THE NUMBER, UM, NUMBERS AS FAR AS GRANT FUNDS, THEY BRACE, BUT THEY HAVE A MARKET IN THEIR DOWNTOWN AND ARE EXTENDING ALMOND, ADDING A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, UH, TO SUPPORT, UH, WORKFORCE AND, UM, ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION AND THIS MIGHT BE A MURDER QUESTION.

THIS LETTER OF INTENT, THIS WILL GO BEFORE THE GOLDEN LEAF.

THIS IS FOR THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT.

IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.

LET ME ASK YOU THIS AS PROFESSIONALS.

WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS WOULD GO TO THE LEAF HAVE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO JUST COME UP HERE AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PRESENT, UH, A THING FOR A $50,000 CHECK PER COMMISSARY.

WHAT, WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS WILL THEY BE ASKING? SO I'M SATISFIED THAT THEY GOT THE RIGHT ANSWERS.

WHAT QUESTIONS WILL THEY PROBABLY AM? THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY JOBS ARE GOING TO BE CREATED FROM THIS PROJECT.

AND SO THE FIRST YEAR, HOW MANY JOBS DO YOU THINK WILL BE CREATED? WELL, WE'VE THOUGHT PROBABLY, UM, DOING SOME PROJECTIONS THAT OVER THEN NEXT WE DID A THREE-YEAR PROJECTION.

UM, THAT'S 15 PROBABLY, UM, FOR THE DRUGS, 15 FOOD TRUCKS.

AND, AND, AND MAYBE AN ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE, ARE YOU STARTS GOING TO BE IN NEWBURN? THEY GOING TO BE IN WARSAW, BERGEN, THEY HAVE LOCKED.

UH KENSTON OR ARE THEY GOING TO BE IN NEWBURN PROPER? WOULD THAT, IS THAT A QUESTION NOW I ASK,

[01:55:01]

THEY MIGHT ASK IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN CRAVEN COUNTY SINCE WE'RE IN CRAVEN COUNTY.

RIGHT.

SO WOULD THEY HAVE A QUESTION LIKE, WELL, IF BEFORE WE JUST WRITE THAT CHECK, IS THE CITY A HUNDRED PERCENT RUNNING? THIS IS A, IS IT THEY'LL ASK, THEY'LL ASK WHO'S MANAGING THE PROJECT.

OR IN THE, IN, IN AN AREA OR USING THE CNI THAT WAS BASED ON THE RATE OR FIVE POINTS, GARY, THERE, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND FORTH, TIT FOR TAT.

AND SO AN ANSWER AND GOING ON FURTHER, WHEN THEY ASKED THE QUESTION, NOW, THIS IS THE INTERESTING ONE.

UM, WHAT WILL BE THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES PARTICIPATION IN THIS, OR WHAT WILL BE THAT, THAT THEY WILL BE ANSWERING TO THE CITY OF NEWBURGH MINUS TWO AND HOURS OF OPERATION? UH, I GUESS COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS CLOSED ON FRIDAY.

SO MAYBE THE, THE FOOD TRUCK THING WILL PROBABLY WORK FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND THEN COLLEGE WILL USE THAT MONEY THROUGH THURSDAY.

IS THAT HOW THAT WOULD WORK? I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED IN THE WORKS SHOP.

SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THOSE, ALL OF THAT COMPLETELY NAILED DOWN, BUT HOPEFULLY BY OCTOBER WHEN THE FULL GRANT AND STU OKAY.

SO ANOTHER QUESTION.

SO IF THE CITY'S IN CHARGE OF IT AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS KIND OF LIKE CLAUSA SUBSERVIENT TO THE CITY, UM, AND LET'S SAY IN THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME, LET'S GO TO A THREE TO FIVE-YEAR PROJECTION.

LET'S SAY THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE TO THE 300 EMPLOYEES FOR JOBS HERE IN CRAVEN COUNTY, NEWBURN PROPER.

UM, HOW, HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THE CITY OF NEWBURN SIMILAR TO THE SIMULATOR, I KEEP GOING BACK TO HOW, HOW HAS THAT THE MAINTENANCE END OF IT, THE MANAGEMENT END OF IT, THE ELECTRICITY AND THE PRICE PER, UH, I THINK, UH, OTTAWA HARRIS HAS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES THE SLIDING SCALE.

I ASSUME THAT'S THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE OF, OF MORE PRODUCTION.

SO IS, DOES THAT MEAN AT SOME POINT, IF A PERSON IS VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH A FOOD TRUCK? I THINK MR. UM, PATRICK SAID, UH, ON A GOOD DAY THOUSAND DOLLARS, A BAD DAY, A HUNDRED, $200.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT IF A PERSON IS REALLY BEING SUCCESSFUL AND IS DOING $1,500 A DAY, THAT THEIR, UH, HOURLY RATE WOULD BE GRADUATED DOWN TO $10 AN HOUR? HOW, HOW WOULD THAT WORK? UM, I, AND I THINK, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE, UM, WORK TEAM IS, IS PUTTING TOGETHER.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN A DECISION ABOUT THE IDEA, MAYOR, JUST, THIS IS ALL THE WOMEN HERE, SO WE CAN, UM, ASK ALL THESE QUESTIONS.

BUT THE POINT IS, IT'S A LETTER OF INTENT AND YOU CAN ASK THESE QUESTIONS TOWARDS THE COMMISSARY OR COMMERCIAL KITCHEN.

BUT IF YOU LISTEN TO THE MEETING THAT WAS RECORDED, HOW ARE WE NOT ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS TO THE COLLEGE? UM, CAUSE I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE REQUEST WAS TO HAVE A FACILITY SPECIFICALLY, JUST TO TRAIN PEOPLE, TO GO INTO THE RESTAURANT.

WE IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUR PERSONAL VIEWPOINTS ON THERE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE NOT WANTING TO WORK, UM, JUST CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK.

UM, AND THAT'S DIRECTED TOWARDS YOU.

BUT SINCE THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM, YOU KNOW, COVID IS A BIG REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT WORKING BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT VACCINATED.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE VACCINATED.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK AND YOU WANT TO WEAR MASKS.

EVERYBODY'S SITUATION IS DIFFERENT, BUT I'M, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY, UM, THE, THE TERMINOLOGY OF, YOU KNOW, PARTNERING WITH THE COLLEGES NOT BEING SET.

CAUSE WE'RE GOING BASED OFF THEIR WORDS, DR.

STAT SAID THAT HE'S WILLING TO PARTNER WITH US, HOWEVER WE NEED TO, TO MAKE THIS WORK.

AND THAT'S IN THAT MEETING.

SO WHEN WE SAY, OH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO DO THIS.

WE DON'T, WE SHOULDN'T SPEAK OUT A TERM.

WE SHOULD SPEAK BASED ON WHAT THEY SAID.

AND WE CAME BACK AS A GROUP AND WE STATED THAT WE WOULD BE BACK IN THREE WEEKS TO PROVIDE THE REST OF THIS INFORMATION.

AND IT'S ALL, THIS IS A LETTER OF INTENT.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET APPROVED OR NOT.

WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR YOU TO SIGN IN THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SIGN.

WE'VE NEVER BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE WITH ANY TYPE OF PROJECT WHERE WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH AND HAVING 1,000,001 QUESTIONS WHEN IT'S JUST THE LETTER OF INTENT.

AND I THINK THIS IS THE FRUSTRATION THAT WE'VE EXPRESSED IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS THAT WHEN IT'S A PROJECT THAT IS, UM, NECESSARILY FOR ENTREPRENEURS OR,

[02:00:01]

AND ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A SIGNATURE AND AN OPPORTUNITY.

WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S JUST FOR FOOD TRUCKS OR PUSHCARTS.

IT COULD BE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO GO IN, IN CANNED TOMATOES OR JAM AND HAVE A FORM OF INCOME TO ME.

I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONLY WANTING TO GIVE IT TO THE COLLEGE SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT PEOPLE IN THE RESTAURANT AND THAT'S NOT FAIR.

CAUSE THERE'S INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T WANT TO TRAIN AND BE IN THE RESTAURANT WHEN THEY CAN UTILIZE THEIR SKILLS AND RECIPES TO SELL THEIR STUFF IN A COMMERCIALIZED KITCHEN FOR A CERTAIN PRICE.

CAUSE EVERYBODY CAN'T GET A BRICK AND MORTAR.

SO I THOUGHT THAT WHEN, WHEN YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION LAST MONTH THAT WE WERE UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING OF TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK AND WE'RE JUST GOING BACK AND FORTH.

AND IT'S ONLY A LETTER OF INTENT.

SO I MEAN, CAN, CAN, CAN WE, CAN WE GET THIS SIGNED? NOT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET APPROVED.

WE JUST WANT AN OPPORTUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GO.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE BEING HONEST, BEFORE COVID HAPPENED, THIS PROJECT WAS FULL FORCE.

WE, WE, WE GOT APPROVED OR WE HAD THAT GRANT, THE TOBACCO TRUST GRANT, BUT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL AND CONTROVERSIAL THINGS, WE LOST THAT GRANT BECAUSE, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL PULLED OUT BECAUSE OF BEING HARASSED.

SO WE DIDN'T, WE HAD A GRANT, WE HAD MONEY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT POLITICS AND THINGS GOT INVOLVED.

AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE ALL NOT GOING TO AGREE, BUT THIS IS JUST A LETTER OF INTENT FOR $50,000.

THAT'S ALL IT IS.

THERE'S OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN THIS CITY THAT, THAT ARE ENTREPRENEURS.

AND THEY DESERVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

IF THEY PAY TAX MONEY, THEY PAY TAX MONEY, THEY PAY TAX MONEY.

AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO LISTEN TO THEM AND THEIR PART AND WORK TOGETHER.

AND IF THE COLLEGE, IF A RESTAURANT OWNERS AND US ARE WILLING TO MEET AND WORK TOGETHER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, WHY IT'S SUCH A BIG DEAL FOR US TO SIGN THIS LETTER.

AND ALBANY BINGO JUST SAID, IT COULD BE STOPPED AT ANY TIME.

IT'S JUST SIGNING.

THE LETTER IS THE DEADLINE ON THURSDAY.

IT'S NO HARM.

WE'RE NOT COMMITTED TO IT.

IT'S JUST SAYING THAT THIS IS A LETTER OF INTENT TO APPLY AND THEN BECOME THE NEXT MEETING.

WE REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

BUT IF WE DO GET TO THE MEAT AND WE FIND OUT THAT IT CAN WORK AND WE DIDN'T GET THIS SIGN THAT PUSHES THE OPPORTUNITY BACK OR NOT TRYING TO HOLD ANYTHING UP, WE JUST, WE JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO WIN.

IT'S THEIR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.

HOW MANY, HOW MANY GRANTS ARE OUT THERE FOR THIS TYPE OF STUFF? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE CHANCES OF THIS GETTING ANOTHER HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY? WELL, I'VE GOTTEN $469,000 FOR THE MARKET IN LITTLE WASHINGTON.

IT'S THE SAME, SAME THING WITH A COMMERCIAL OR A COMMISSARY KITCHEN.

AND WHO'S GOING TO RUN THAT.

WHO'S GOING TO RUN THAT THEY WILL HAVE A SLOT, THE CITY, IT'S A FARMER'S MARKET GROUP.

AND SO NOW IT'S THEIR SWISS FAIR.

IT'S NOT A CITY.

WHY ISN'T THAT INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED TO US? I MEANT IF YOU'RE ASKING US TO MAKE A DECISION ON DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE INFORMATION AND IF THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, THEN GIVE IT TO US.

BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THE FIRST THING.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN DEPRESSIVE BECAUSE SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT WE'RE ASKING TO SIGN A LETTER OF INTENT AND AUTO WOMAN HARRIS HAS MADE THE ARGUMENT TONIGHT NIGHT THAT WE'RE UTILIZING A CNR PLAN AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO TRY TO GO GET FUNDS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING ADVOCATED TO DO WITH THE LOI TONIGHT.

WHEN WE'RE SAYING THAT, HEY, LOOK, WE MAY NOT END UP IN THERE.

WE MAY PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SO WHY WOULD WE ENTER A LOI UNDER FALSE PRETENSE? THAT PROBABLY WON'T WORK.

SO I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT ONCE AND FOR ALL.

SO THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE DIRECTION IS WITH THE VOLT CENTER.

I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENT THAT WE HAD IN THE APRIL MEETING TO LEASE THE SPACE TO THE COLLEGE SO THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH A FOOD PREP SERVICE PROGRAM.

AND I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.

WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

IS THERE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION I'VE SEEN NOTICE NO DISCUSSION.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTED WITH ALAMODOME I'LL DURBIN ITEM ORDER IN BEST ORDER IN KENZIE MAY YOU'RE OUT LONG.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN ASKED HER OTHER WOMAN HARRIS ALDERMAN BAGEL.

CRYSTAL BALL ON THE EDA AND THE LEASE? AND THE LEASE CAN BE SIGNED TIME OF THE ESSENCE OF LET'S GET THIS BALL ROLLING.

SO THE MOTION PASSED.

SO FROM HERE, MR. DAVIS, WHAT IS YOUR

[02:05:01]

THE LEASE CAN BE SIGNED IMMEDIATELY.

ONCE WE GET THE FINAL PAPERWORK BACK FROM THE EDA, THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY PROMPT, UM, IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

SO I'VE EXPECTED A WEEK OR TWO.

GREAT.

LET'S SEE.

UH, WERE WE UNDER, UNDER NEW BUSINESS AND SHE'S STILL UP AT NIGHT? YEAH.

IT'S ALL ONE HARRIS.

I BELIEVE YOU STILL IT'S YOUR FLOOR.

YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS IT, MAN.

SORRY.

I DON'T MEAN HERE.

IS THAT, WOULD THAT MEAN IF THEY GIVE I'M DONE SPEAKING? YES.

MA'AM.

I WANT TO ASK HER.

IT'S JUST A PROCESS AND IT, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S AN UNCOMFORTABLE PROCESS, BUT LIKE I SAY, HOPEFULLY IN TWO WEEKS, WE'LL BE OUT OF THERE AND WE WILL HAVE RESOLVED SOME OF THESE SHEETS.

MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO PLEASE, I'M ASKING EVERYBODY TO KEEP TOWER AND BODEN HARRIS AND THEIR PRAYERS.

UM, THEY UNEXPECTEDLY LOST THEIR SON BO THIS WEEK AND, UM, THEY NEED ALL THE SUPPORT AND HELP THAT THEY CAN GET AT THIS TIME.

AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ASK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE, UM, ASKED FOR A MAP OF THE DITCHES.

IS THERE A PROGRESS REPORT ON WHERE THAT MAP MIGHT BE? W WE SHOULD BE OVER, UH, PRESENT SOMETHING TO YOU PROBABLY FIRST, NEXT WEEK THEY'RE FINALIZED.

AND SOME OF THE WHAT'S INCLUDED ON THAT MAP BEFORE RELEASE IT TO YOU.

GREAT, THANKS.

YEAH, THAT WILL AT LEAST GEORGE WHITE HERE.

AND ABOUT 15 YEARS, MALE ON THE BOARD, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT DRAINAGE AND I'M ACTUALLY GETTING MORE COMPLAINTS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE CORRECTION, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

UM, ANY MEANS BY WHICH THE REMEDIATION AND THE, UH, OF GETTING THE CABLE BACK INTO THE GROUND AND THE PROCESS OF RESTORING THE LANDSCAPE, ET CETERA, WOULD CERTAINLY BE APPRECIATED.

AND I KNOW EXACTLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOU'RE TALKING OF IT.

AND THE CONTRACT RIGHT NOW IS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT A TWO WEEK WINDOW FROM THE SCHEDULING THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD FROM THE FINISHING OF DIRT MOVING OR EXCAVATION AND REGRADING TO AN END OF HAVING IT RESIDED.

SO TWO WEEKS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S A MESSY PROCESS.

IT'S EVEN THOSE IN THEIR FRONT.

AND, UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WANT TO SHY AWAY FROM BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFICULT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST GOT TO WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU ANYTHING.

WELL, GEORGE, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

THIS WEEKEND WAS PRETTY EVENTFUL FOR US, UM, GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING VERY ATTENTIVE AND QUICK TO THEIR RESPONSES.

UM, COULD YOU, MAYBE SINCE YOU WERE STANDING THERE, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ANYWAY, UM, COULD YOU JUST SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC, HOW THE CALLS HAVE BEEN SINCE THIS PROJECT HAS STARTED, WE'RE FAR FROM BEING COMPLETE, BUT I THINK YOU WERE TELLING ME IT'S BEEN A BIG IMPRESSION, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN ONGOING CONSTRUCTION CONCERNS, WHICH WE KNEW WERE GOING TO HAPPEN.

ACTUALLY THEY'VE BEEN, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD WIDE WHERE WE WE'VE HAD LOTS OF CONCERNS, BUT WE'RE RIGHT IN THESE PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS THAT ARE MANICURED LANDSCAPE.

AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT.

AND, AND WE MADE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE PLANS FOR THESE, THESE FRONT YARDS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE RESIGNING RATHER THAN JUST SEATED AS WE'VE DONE IN SOMEONE IN THE MORNING, UM, DURING THE WOULD RUN.

SO THE DITCHES.

SO, YOU KNOW, IN THAT PART, UM, I THINK WE'RE GOING ALONG A, WELL, WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS I KNOW Y'ALL BEEN AWARE OF THE MICROBURST RAINS.

WE'VE HAD RECENTLY WHERE WE'RE GETTING 2, 3, 4 INCHES IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

WE HAVE SEEN LESS CALLS AT OUR OFFICE FOR DURING THIS SITUATION.

SO I THINK OVERALL WE'RE SEEING A VAST IMPROVEMENT.

UM, IT STILL TAKES SOME TIME WHEN WE HAVE THESE HEAVY RAINS, WE STILL HAVE SOME AREAS WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK ON, BUT YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THE WATER OUT OF AREAS, I THINK IT'S REALLY ACHIEVED WHAT WE'RE HOPING IT WOULD.

SO HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CABLE PROVIDER ABOUT IT? LISTEN TO ME, LIKE ONE OF YOUR MAJOR HOLDUPS IS GOING TO BE HITTING THOSE CABLES BACK THE UNDERGROUND COOPERATE WEEK.

WE'VE ACTUALLY MET ON SITE WITH SOUTHERN LANKAN AND WE'VE HAD SOME SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD A TECHNICIAN THERE WHILE THEY WERE, WHILE THE CONTRACTOR WAS DIGGING, BECAUSE WE'RE IN AREAS WHERE THERE WERE MULTIPLE CABLES.

WE WENT AND KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HIT IT AND THEY HAVE, THEY WORKED PRETTY GOOD THUS FAR.

AND WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER SITE MEETING TOMORROW WHERE WE CAN FURTHER EVALUATE WHAT'S GOING ON.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

WE HAVE LOTS OF UTILITIES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND WE'VE GOT TO EXCAVATE THE DIRT WHERE IN SOME INSTANCES THE CULVERTS ARE COMPLETELY BURIED.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING, GOING DOWN DEEP INTO THOSE AREAS.

[02:10:01]

THE QUESTION, GEORGE, THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING ON RACETRACK ROAD.

I WAS ABLE GOING THE CONSTRUCTION ON RACETRACK, RIGHT? THEY HAVE, UH, I SAID, I BELIEVE THAT'S WATER RESOURCES AND PUTTING IN A NEW SECTION OF FORCE MAIN ON THAT ROAD RIGHT NOW.

A CLOSE SESSION TONIGHT? WE DO.

I'M GOING TO ASK HER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I DO NOT.

I DO NOT.

HEY, THIS TIME THAT'S NEW BUSINESS.

DO WE NEED

[14. Closed Session. ]

YOU MAY REMEMBER SOME BOARDS, UM, UH, DISCUSS A PERSONNEL MATTER.

SO 2, 1 43, 311 8, 6, UM, NEED TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY IN TWO.

WELL, 1.3, 3 10, 11 85 AND 83.

AND, UM, MAY ALSO NEED TO DISCUSS, UM, THE, UH, AN ECONOMIC INCENTIVE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCATION OF A NEW BUSINESS WITHIN A CITY FOR CENTRAL 1 43, 3 TO 11, A FOUR SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND IS THERE DISCUSSION, SAY NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR.

WELL, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL.

ROLL CALL WITH OUR MINIMUM ALDERMAN ITEM.

MAY YOUR OUTLAW ASKED HER OUT A WOMAN HERE IS YES.

ALDERMAN BINGO.

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CLOSED SESSION WHERE WE ARE NOW BACK IN OPEN SESSION.

AND SO WE ARE NOW WE JUST GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

AND IS THERE ANY MORE BUSINESS TO COME GET INVOLVED WITH THIS TIME? MS. MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HIRE FOSTER.

CAN YOU HEAR US, JAMIE? OKAY.

SHE MUST BE NEEDED.

I'M NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU GUYS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR US? HELLO? WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT MUTED.

SHE'S NOT EITHER.

ALDERWOMAN HARRIS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU TRY? I WILL PUT THIS IN THE CHAT, BUT CAN YOU TRY REJOINING US WHILE WE CAN? YEAH.

YOU BET.

WE GOT TO TRY TO GET HER BACK.

ALDERWOMAN HARRIS.

CAN YOU HEAR US? OKAY.

SHE'S MUTED.

CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

CAN YOU HEAR US? I CAN'T HEAR YOU GUYS.

DO YOU WANT TO JUST CALL ME ON THE PHONE? I CAN PUT HER ON A CELL PHONE IF THAT'S FINE.

LONG AS SHE BE HERE, SHE CAN PARTICIPATE AND BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

CAN IT BE RECORDED? YES.

LET HER KNOW.

WE'RE GOING TO CALL HER.

HELLO? HEY, THERE ARE.

I'M PUTTING YOU ON SPEAKER.

CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? YES.

MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HIRE FOSTER HUGHES AS OUR PERMANENT CITY MANAGER AT A SALARY.

AND DO YOU HAVE HER WHERE HER VOICE CAN BE, UH, WILL BE RECORDED, ET CETERA? WE ARE NOW BACK IN OPEN SESSION.

IS THERE ANY MORE BUSINESS TO COME FOR LIVE BOARD INVOLVEMENT? YES, SIR.

THIS TIME

[02:15:01]

UH, DO WE HAVE TO GIVE ALL THAT INFORMATION? YES.

AT A SALARY OF $165,000 A YEAR, PLUS A $500 A MONTH VEHICLE ALLOWANCE, AND ALSO ASKED MR. HUGHES TO WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO LOCATE A ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

UH, AND ALL THIS WILL BE EFFECTIVE AT THE SEPTEMBER 14TH MEETING TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THAT.

OH, SO YOU PROBABLY TO OUR LEGAL, OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND, UM, THIS ALL SUBJECT TO MR. FOSTER HUGHES, WORKING WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY ON AN AGREEABLE CONTRACT.

A SECOND.

THAT MOTION WAS THEN SECOND.

IS THERE A DISCUSSION OF THAT? OKAY.

DISCUSSION.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTED WITH OUR MINT ITEM.

ALDERMAN, ALDERMAN BEST? YES.

ALDERMAN KINSEY.

MAY YOUR OUTLAW ALDERMAN ASTERS ALDERWOMAN HARRIS.

ALDERMAN.

ANY MOTION CARRIES AT THIS TIME.

AND IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD? DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANYTHING TO ADD OR ANYTHING ON YOUR DESK? THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYONE AND MOVING NEWBURGH FORWARD.

CONGRATULATIONS.

I MAKE A MOTION.

WE ADJOURN MOTION.

AND SECOND TO TURN UP.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL AND THE GERMAN I'LL START IT OFF WITH A BAGEL.

OTTOMAN.

BINGO.