Sep 28, 2021 Board of Aldermen

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WE'D

[1 . Meeting opened by Mayor Dana E. Outlaw. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Aster. Pledge of Allegiance.]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

EXCUSE ME, MS. MARY.

I'D LIKE TO CALL UP KENNY MONRO KENNY MON ROSE, A CITY NEWBURN FIRE CAPTAIN.

HE HAS 20 YEARS OF SERVICE.

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I HIRED HIM BUT 20 YEARS AGO, AND HE IS ALSO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAIN.

GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR BOARD, CITY MANAGER, STAFF WITH ALL HIS BELL IS CLOSE.

LET US PRAY YOUR WISE AND 11 FATHER FIRST GIVING YOU HONOR TO YOU, OUR LORD AND SATAN ON BEHALF OF ALL HERE IN ATTENDANCE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY BLESSINGS.

YOU ESTABLISHED THIS GOVERNING BODY TO PROMOTE PEACE AND ORDER AND JUSTICE.

THEREFORE, I PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR CITY OF FISHES AND OUR GREAT CITY.

AND FOR THIS MEETING, I AM ASKING THAT YOU WOULD GRACIOUS GRANT THEM WISDOM, A SENSE OF WAYFAIR AND A TRUE NATIVE OUR PEOPLE, AS WELL AS A KEEN THIRST FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

I PRAY FOR THE AGENDA SET BEFORE THEM TODAY.

PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE THEM AN ASSURANCE OF WHAT WOULD PLEASE YOU AND WHAT WOULD BENEFIT THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN AND AROUND OUR BELOVED CITY.

IT IS IN YOUR SON, JESUS NAME.

I PRAY.

AMEN.

WHICH DO YOU WANT ME TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY, UH, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL MAN, TO CALL THE ROAD.

THANK YOU, KENNY ALDERMAN BAGEL HERE OUT A WOMAN HARRIS OUT OF AN ASTRO ORDERING KINSEY ALDERMAN, THIS OUTER MAN ITEM.

OKAY.

FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE CONSENT

[Consent Agenda]

I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AVID'S SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION CNN? UH, ALL IN FAVOR MOTION, SAY AYE.

ALL OPPOSED THE SAME MOTION CARRIES MR. HERE'S THE SCOPE ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

[5. Presentation on Juneteenth of New Bern.]

THE NEXT ITEM IS TALENA MASSEY WITH JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE.

WE'LL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION ON JUNE 10TH OF NOVEMBER.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE LONG TIME.

NO.

SEE, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

UM, I JUST THOUGHT I'D COME BACK AND DO A REALLY QUICK WRAP UP OF JUNETEENTH.

UM, SINCE I DID A PRESENTATION BEFOREHAND, I JUST THOUGHT IT'D BE A DUE DILIGENCE TO COME BACK AND JUST KIND OF LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW IT WENT AND HOW IT WAS RECEIVED.

UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, JUNE TEAM THIS YEAR WAS, UM, IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

IT WAS A BIG UNDERTAKING AND IT INVOLVED A LOT OF PARTNERS, A LOT OF NEIGHBORS, A LOT OF AMAZING FOLKS WHO CAME OUT TO SUPPORT IT.

UM, OUR COMMUNITY REALLY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT SO SUPER EXCITED, UM, FOR ANYONE WHO WASN'T ABLE TO COME AND HAD ACTIVITIES SUCH AS, UH, FOOTBALL AND KICKBALL INTRAMURALS.

OUR SECOND MARINE AIR WING BAND WAS THERE.

UM, OUR U S COLORED TROOPS FOR THEIR FIRE TRUCKS.

WE HAD THREE ON THREE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS, WHICH OUR LOVELY NEWBURGH POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATED IN, UM, TONS OF CHALK ART AND ESSAY CONTEST AND LAWN DECORATIONS.

AND YOU NAME IT.

IT WAS THERE PRETTY MUCH SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, LIKE I SAID, RECAP GO OVER.

WHO HELPED WITH THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION? I WANT TO THANK SHARON.

BRIAN HAD THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, EXCUSE ME AT TRIUMPH PALACE.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, BRADEN WELSH AS WELL FOR BEING THE MEDIA ASSISTANT AND HELPED ME PUT TOGETHER THIS AWESOME VIDEO.

AND ALSO TRAYVON'S WHITE, WHO ASSISTED WITH OUR DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT THE KIDS AT JUNETEENTH GOT A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT.

SO HERE, IF YOU PICTURES AGAIN FOR ANY OF OUR CITIZENS OR VISITORS OR ANYONE WATCHING THAT DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S VERY DIVERSE.

IT'S VERY UNIFYING, UM, EVERYTHING FROM THE CHURCH, UM, HANDHOLDING TO THE, AT THE UNITY HANDS, AS WELL AS AGAIN, YOU SEE THE MARINES AND OUR WONDERFUL POLICE

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SO AS WELL AS YOU CAN SEE, ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY THAT CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS COME TO FRUITION, INCLUDING YOURSELVES.

SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT AGAIN FOR, UM, BEING, YOU KNOW, AS GENEROUS AS YOU WERE AND LISTENING AND, UM, REALLY TAKING A PART IN THAT.

I THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I THINK WE HAD A PERSONAL CONVERSATION THERE AS WELL.

AWESOME TO SEE YOU.

AND WE GOT TO INTERACT WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS AROUND THERE.

IT WAS GREAT.

UM, SO HERE ARE SOME, IF THIS LOOKS FAMILIAR, THIS IS FROM OUR INITIAL PRESENTATION.

SO HERE ARE JUST SOME UPDATED FACTS.

HOPEFULLY YOU GOT TO GO OVER INSIDE OF YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU RECEIVED.

BUT, UM, ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS FOR US WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE PLANNED THIS, WE HADN'T PLANNED THE FACT THAT ON JUNE 17, UM, JUNETEENTH OFFICIALLY BECAME A FEDERAL HOLIDAY IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT NEW BERN WAS A BIT ABOVE THE CURVE.

UM, SINCE WE HAD BEEN PLANNING THESE EVENTS SINCE 2018.

UM, SO AGAIN, THERE'S JUST SOME FACTS UP THERE, UH, BASICALLY STATING WHAT HAPPENED NATIONALLY IN OUR STATE AND JUST AROUND OUR COUNTY AS WELL.

UM, AN INTERESTING FACT IS THE 2021 JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL IN NEWBERN BROUGHT OUT AN ESTIMATED 600 PLUS RESIDENTS, VISITORS, VOLUNTEERS, TOURISTS, NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS.

SO THAT WAS, UH, FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS PLANNED IN THREE MONTHS, THAT WAS PRETTY UNEXPECTED.

BUT AGAIN, UM, IT WAS GREAT THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THIS.

AND IT REALLY SHOWED A TESTAMENT TO, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE COME TOGETHER.

JUST A FEW HONORABLE MENTIONS THAT VISITED OUR FESTIVAL THIS YEAR.

UM, WE HAD UN AMBASSADOR, UM, SYLVIA PIR STILL COME AND SHE ACTUALLY TOOK PART INSIDE OF THE PARADE.

SO THAT WAS AMAZING.

UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FORGE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR UN AMBASSADORS.

UM, IT, IT WAS JUST LIKE I SAID, UM, UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HER AND HOST HER IN OUR CITY THAT DAY.

UM, AS WELL AS WE ALL KNOW THAT ANGELA THORPE WAS THERAPY, NORTH CAROLINA HERITAGE, UH, COMMISSION, UM, AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION.

AND WE WORKED WITH THE TDA TO GET ONE OF THE TIC TALKERS HERE.

HER NAME WAS REBECCA, THE GO SKY, BUT, UM, SHE INDEED HAD A WONDERFUL TIME THERE AND BROUGHT A TOTALLY DIFFERENT AUDIENCE TO OUR CELEBRATION.

AS YOU CAN SEE, SHE HAS OVER 600,000 FOLLOWERS AND OVER 9 MILLION LIKES.

SO THAT WAS A GREAT VIDEO THAT SHE PUT UP.

UM, AND AGAIN, WORKING WITH MELISSA WRIGGLE, UM, HELPED YOU BRING THAT NOTORIETY TO OUR FESTIVAL.

SO JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR 2022 TO ESTABLISH THE GYMS AS AN OFFICIAL 5 0 1 C3 WITH WHOSE PAPERWORK IS PENDING.

AS WE STAKE COMPOSE THE PAST COMMUNITY, COLLABORATORS, SUPPORTERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND RESIDENTS WITH THE COMMON GOAL OF INCREASING INTEREST IN THE HISTORY AND CONTINUED CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH AND NEWBURGH AND SURROUNDING AREA NEXT WEEK, OR EXCUSE ME, NEXT YEAR'S FESTIVAL WILL BE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 18TH IN 2022.

SO WE ARE ALSO PLANNING FOR THAT NOW.

UM, THE NEXT, THE SECOND PLANNING MEETING WHERE JUNE 18TH, 2022 IS TOMORROW EVENING ON ZOOM.

WHAT WE HAVE REQUESTED THE COMMITTEE FROM THE CITY OF NEWBURGH DOES THAT THE CITY OF NEW BARN CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE JUNETEENTH ORGANIZERS AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN AND MAINTAIN AN ANNUALLY CELEBRATED AND CITY SUPPORTED EVENTS DURING THE WEEKEND CLOSEST TO JUNE 19TH AND SOLIDARITY OF THE PLOT PROCLAMATION THAT WE HAVE FROM THE CITY.

SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THE SAME AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVE TO CONTINUE THAT AND CONTINUE TO GROW IT AS THIS FESTIVAL ULTIMATELY GROWS, WHICH WE SEE IT, UM, DOING IN THE YEARS TO COME.

AND AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FROM OUR COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD PAST 2022 IS TO STREAMLINE THE JUNETEENTH OF NEW BARN COLLABORATION PROCESS, WORKING WITH THE CITY OF NEW BARN, GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND SURROUNDING AND SUPPORTING TOWNS AND CITIES FOR ANNUAL EVENT COORDINATION TO CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR EXPOSURE FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES, AND TO GROW TOURISM THROUGHOUT THE PARK.

THAT IS ULTIMATELY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE.

UM, AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING, UH, ONCE MORE, UM, OUR CITY OF NEW BERN REQUESTS GOING FORWARD IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION, TO RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH AS A PAY HOLIDAY FOR CITY WORKERS TO ENCOURAGE THE CELEBRATION OF THE FREEDOM AND THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR FELLOW AMERICANS.

UH, WE HUMBLY THANK ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, ANYONE THAT IS WATCHING OR ANYONE SITTING UP HERE, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW OF ANYONE THAT HAS RECEIVED A WONDERFUL THANK YOU CERTIFICATE,

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WE DELIVERED THOSE TO THE CITY WORKERS.

PUBLIC WORKS, UM, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS, UH, OTHER VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP THROUGHOUT THE CITY, LIKE RCS WITHOUT LIMITS, UH, CHURCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO VISIT THE JUNETEENTH OF NEW BERN WEBSITE, WHICH IS JUNE TO THE NEW-BORN DOT COM UH, ORIGIN TO THE NEW BURNED OUT FOR, UH, VISIT THE JONES TO THE NEWBORN FACEBOOK PAGE, INSTAGRAM PAGES, EMAIL JONES HAS A NEW AT G-MAIL THAT PROM OR FEEL FREE TO COMMENT LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO.

UM, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THIS LAST VISUAL AND HOPES THAT, UM, AGAIN, YOU GUYS JUST SEE THE NEED, UM, TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND THIS, THIS, THE NEXT COLLEEN OR .

THANK YOU TOTALLY.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOU AND THE COMMITTEE AND ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU'VE PUT FORTH TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BRING JUNETEENTH TO LIGHT FOR THIS WONDERFUL WEEK NOW.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR TAKING A CHANCE ON US AND SUPPORTING THE DREAM AND OUR HOPE THAT WE CAN DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR, 2022, BIGGER AND BETTER.

SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND THE COMMITTEE HAVE DONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OF COURSE, ANYTIME.

THANK YOU.

HEY, MR. HE'S A

[6. Presentation on African American Heritage Signs.]

HEY, OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE PRESENTATION ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE SIGNS WITH MR. BERNARD GEORGE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR OUTLAWED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

I'VE COME AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW BERN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCIENCE AND HISTORY COMMITTEE TO BRING YOU GREETINGS AND ALSO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON OUR NEWLY COMPLETED AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL IN THE FIVE POINTS AND DRIVE BAR AREA.

I LIKE TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SIDES OF HISTORY COMMITTEE EXTENDS HIS SINCERE APPRECIATION TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF THE RECENTLY DEDICATED AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL.

THIS HAPPENED ON JUNE 19 AND, UH, THERE WAS A BRIEF PIECE IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION.

WE WERE LOCATED THERE.

THE DEDICATION CEREMONY WAS LOCATED THERE ON THE CORNER OF ROUNDTREE AND BROAD STREET.

AND WE WERE ALSO PART OF THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.

UH, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TRAIL IS COMPOSED OF 10 HISTORIC SIGNS CONTAINING 16 SIGNED POUNDS THAT EXPLAIN AND INTERPRET SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL EVENTS, PEOPLE IN PLACES PERTAINING TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE

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AND WE'RE FIN.

AS I STATED EARLIER, THAT, UH, FIVE POINTS AND DRIVE BAR AREA, THESE 16 HERITAGE SAND PANELS ARE THE RESULT OF LONG-TERM COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF NEWBURGH, THE NEWBURN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE HISTORIC DRIVE BOROUGH ASSOCIATION, THE NORTH CAROLINA PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THE HOUSE, THE BODY OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL IS DEDICATED AND WAS ATTENDED BY A DIVERSE CROWD OF MORE THAN 200 CITIZENS.

AND THIS WAS PROBABLY THE, A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT OF OUR CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION INITIATIVE FOR THIS YEAR, DOING THE DEDICATION CEREMONY, THE SIGN COMMITTED, DEDICATED TO 10 NEWLY INSTALLED AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL SASS TO THE SEA OF NEWBURN.

WE REQUEST TO SEE THE NEWBERN A STEP, THE OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL.

LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE TRAIL AND HOW WE GOT TO THAT POINT.

THE TRAIL WAS DRAWN UP THROUGH A STIPULATION WITH A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE U S DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF NEWBURN AND THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, WHICH IS, WHICH WAS DONE FOR PARTIAL MITIGATION FOR THE ADVERSE EFFECT, UH, IN THE REMOVAL OF SEVEN HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND THE CRAVING TERRORISTS, UH, DEVELOP, UH, AS PART OF THAT AGREEMENT, CRAVEN TERRACE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP PROVIDED A $35,000 GRANT FOR THE INTERPRETIVE SIGNS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DECEIVING GIVEN THE LOCATION NATURE OF THE PROJECT, THE DROUGHT BOROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND THE NEW BERN HISTORICAL SOCIETY PARTICIPATED IN THE CRAVEN TERRORIST MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT AS CONCURRING PARTS, AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT, THE CRAVEN TERRORIST SIGN COMMITTEE.

NOW THE NEW BERN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SIGNS OF HISTORY COMMITTEE WAS CREATED IN 2015 TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT AND DIRECTION FOR THIS IMPORTANT HISTORIC SAND PROJECT.

WELL, AFTER FIVE YEARS OF METICULOUS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THE 15 MEMBER SIZE OF HISTORY COMMITTEE COMPLETED THE PROJECT AND DEDICATED THE SIGNS BACK IN JUNE.

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, THE NEWBURN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCIENCE OF HISTORY, COMMITTED, A DOVE COMMITTED PERSONS WHO ARE HERE.

IF YOU WOULD STAND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME FIRST, WE HAVE CAROL BECTON.

SHE'S OUR FIRST CHAIRMAN, UH, SUSAN COOK, OUR SECRETARY.

UH, WE HAVE LEN HIERARCHAL, UH, VICTOR JONES AT THE LIBRARY, NELSON MCDANIEL, JOHN MILLER WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MARRIED PETER KING AND AFTER STATE, THEY BOTH WERE VERY, UH, HAVE BEEN ILL AND WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT.

BUT SINCE THE INITIAL MEETING, JUST ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO, THAT INITIAL MEETING WAS IN, UH, OCTOBER, OCTOBER 28 OF, UH, NINTH OF 20, 20 15, 6 YEARS.

JUST ABOUT, IS THAT THE 16, I MEAN, JUST ABOUT SIX YEARS.

SO, UH, AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SPOKE ABOUT THE THREE MONTHS THEY WORKED ON, UH, ON OUR, UH, FESTIVAL FOR JUNE 10TH, WE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT FOR JUST ABOUT SIX YEARS.

THESE VERY DEDICATED AND HOW TO PROFESSIONAL COMMITTED MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 3,500 VOLUNTEER HOURS VALUED AT MORE THAN 70 TO $100,000 TO THE OVERALL SAND PROJECT.

THESE WERE REALLY DEDICATED CITIZENS, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SIDE TRAIL, AS A RESULT OF THEIR ACTIONS AND WORK HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE SOUTHEAST CHAPTER SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS, 2021 BEST OF THE SOUTH PRESERVING SOUTHERN ARCHITECTURAL WAR.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR THIS, THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT.

THE BEST OF THE SOUTH AWARD WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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SO FINALLY, WE ARE PROUD OF THE COMMITTEE'S WORK AND ELEVATING THE HISTORY OF THIS IMPORTANT COMMUNITY AND EDUCATING OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ABOUT THE MAGNIFICENT HERITAGE OF OUR CITY AS A GREAT 20TH CENTURY HISTORIAN JOHN HOPE, FRANKLIN REPORTEDLY NOTED NEWBURN PAVEMENT COUNTY AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA HAS SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING AND COMPREHENSIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE NATION.

THESE HERITAGE SIGNS WILL PLAY A MAJOR PART AND HIGHLIGHT OUR MAGNIFICENT LOCAL HISTORY.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IS DEEPLY THANKFUL TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, HONESTY, FAIRNESS, AND SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY OUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR WARD ONE AND WARD TWO, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THESE SIGNS ARE LOCATED.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY NEED AT THIS POINT? NOW I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, UH, CRUISE THROUGH A COUPLE OF THOSE SIGNS THAT WE HAVE ERECTED.

UM, I'VE NOT PASSED BY NOT ONE DAY SINCE WE'VE ERECTED THEM, DID NOT SEE A CITIZEN, SOMEONE PASSING BY READING THEM.

AND, UH, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT RAISES THE LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS OF OUR CITIZENS ABOUT THE MAGNIFICENT HERITAGE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

AND IT'S GOING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO HELP PROTECT THAT, TO ENHANCE OUR CITY'S, UH, UH, GROWTH TO ENHANCE HIS STANDARD OF LIVING.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOW IN THIS MODERN WORLD IS THAT WHEN WE TRY TO, WHEN WE ATTEMPT TO, UH, ATTRACT INDUSTRY AND VISITORS, THEY GO TO A WEBSITE AND THEY LOOK, THEY LOOK AT NOT ONLY OUR BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN, WHICH THANK YOU SO MUCH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, RECEIVED NATIONAL, UH, RECOGNITION, BUT THEY ALSO GO TO THE LESSER KNOWN AREAS IN THE CITY TO EVALUATE HOW WELL WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE ENTIRE CITY.

SO THIS PROJECT IS NOT A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION OF ELEVATING OUR CITY TO A POINT WHERE IT IS TRULY AN ALL AMERICAN CITY.

CAN WE CRUISE TO A COUPLE OF THOSE, PLEASE? THIS IS OUR ONE OF OUR MAJOR SIGNS.

UM, THIS IS, UH, CITIZENS OF THE REPUBLIC, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE MAGNIFICENT HISTORY THAT THIS CITY HAS AS BASICALLY ONE OF THE VERY FIRST AREAS IN THE SOUTH THAT SENT A DELEGATION IN 1864 TO WASHINGTON DC, A DELEGATION OF EX-SLAVES AND FREEMAN TO SEE THE PRESIDENT AND DEMAND THREE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR TODAY, ASKING FOR JOBS.

WE ASKED HIM FOR EDUCATION AND NOW WITH THE POLITICAL SITUATION, AS IT IS, WE'RE ASKING EVEN MORE SO FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR FREE CHAT FRANCHISE, THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

AND THEN WE SEE ABRAHAM GALLOWAY AND, UH, UNDER THE, WHEN WE SEE, UH, UH, REVEREND HOOD JAMES WALKER HOOD, WHO WAS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT MEN IN THE, UH, COMING OUT OF SLAVERY AND IN OUR LEGISLATURE WHO CREATED OUR, UM, OUR EDUCATION PACKAGE LEGISLATION FOR A FREE EDUCATION PUBLIC EDUCATION, THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED IN OUR STATE, THAT WE HAD A PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND AT ONE TIME THEY CALLED THE CONSTITUTION OF 1868 HOOD'S CONSTITUTION, BECAUSE WHAT THEY DID AT THAT TIME, WAS IT LOOKING ON EDUCATION LEGISLATION FOR THE OTHER STATES, AND THEY PULLED THE BEST OF THAT AND CREATED HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR BLACKS AND WHITES, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS DR.

BARR, AND I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO SAY, I LOVE THE CLASSMATES.

THEY ALL IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

AND WE NOTICED, UH, MS. ALTO STATING SHE IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE DRY BAR COMMUNITY.

SHE'S

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SHE HAS, UH, WORKED VERY HARD FOR IT TO RECEIVE HISTORIC DESIGNATION ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.

AND THIS IS, UH, NEWBURN REALLY NEWBORNS FIRST, UH, SERBER.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE TOWN'S DRIVE BAR WHERE, UM, UH, THE CEMETERY IS LOCATED ON QUEEN STREET AND ALL THAT AREA THAT IT WAS CREATED BY THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNMENT DRY.

AND IT BECAME A CENTER OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMERCE AND, UH, HOUSING DOING THE EARLY AND LATTER PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY.

NEXT ONE, THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC AS A CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT.

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, SIGN LBS BECAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS MAGNIFICENT HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE IN THIS CITY TO COME TOGETHER AND TO CREATE AN ORGANIZE.

THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN UNIT, ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE SOUTH OF BIG SLAVES, THEY FOUGHT TO SAVE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE IS 40.

AND THEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE FOUR OR FIVE IS FOUGHT.

AND THAT UNIT, WHICH LATER BECAME THE 35TH UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS HEADED BY THE BROTHER OF HARRIET BEECHER, STOWE, COLONEL JAMES BEECHER.

WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY DID.

THEY TRAVELED UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST.

THEY FOUGHT TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE UNION.

AND WE'RE GLAD THAT NEXT ONE.

AND HERE WE HAVE A TRAGIC PART OF OUR HISTORY, THE GREAT FIRE, THE GREAT FIVE 19 POINT, AND TO GROW 40 BLOCKS OF THIS CITY WAS BURNED.

AND, UH, MOST OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY WAS LEFT HOMELESS OVER 3,500 PEOPLE THOUSAND FAMILIES WERE LEFT HOMELESS BECAUSE OF THAT FIRE AND OUT OF THOSE ASHES, THE COMMUNITY SLOWLY REBUILD ITSELF.

AND SO OUT OF CATASTROPHE, THERE IS ALSO OPPORTUNITY.

AND OUT OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS RISEN AGAIN LIKE THE PHOENIX, THE BIRD, THE PHOENIX BIRD OUT OF THE ASHES.

AND SO WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.

THAT'S NOT.

AND THEN SAVING GRACE.

WE HAVE HERE, THERE ARE FIVE CHURCHES IN THE CITY THAT ARE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.

THEY ALL WERE CREATED GERMANY RIGHT DURING THE CIVIL WAR PRACTICALLY BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR AND AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

BUT THESE WERE THE FIRST STEPS OF NEWLY FREED SLAVES TO, TO, TO, TO COME FORWARD AND TO BEGIN CREATING THEIR OWN COMMUNITY.

AND THOSE COMMUNITIES WERE FOR AIDED AROUND THESE CHURCHES.

AND, UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THEM, THOSE CHURCHES WHO STEAL YOU TODAY, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE FLOURISHING.

SOME OF THEM ARE IN TROUBLE LIKE THIS CHURCH HERE.

UH, THIS CHURCH, UH, WAS ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY ACROSS THE STREET.

AND WE TRAP WHEN NOT PREGNANT TERRORIST WAS BUILT.

THE CHURCH WAS CONDEMNED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE PUBLIC HOUSING AND THOSE AND THOSE PARISHIONERS TOOK THAT CHURCH IMPORTANT BRICK BY BRICK AND MOVED ACROSS THE STREET.

AND THERE IT SITS TODAY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSEVERANCE, THAT'S THE KIND OF COURAGE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS, AND THAT WE TODAY ATTEMPT TO ENCOURAGE AND TO INCORPORATE IN OUR HISTORY.

THESE ARE HISTORIES THAT WERE NOT TAUGHT IN SCHOOL.

THERE ARE HISTORIES THAT MANY TIMES ARE NOT PART OF OUR HISTORICAL EDUCATION, BUT THERE ARE HISTORIES THAT ARE HERE TODAY.

AND WE ARE HOPING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO BECOME BETTER CITIZENS, BETTER PEOPLE, AND MAKE THIS CITY A BETTER CITY.

LAST OF ALL, THE WINDS OF CHANGE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE WHILE HE WASN'T LAST FROM THE SOUTH FOR 72 YEARS LEFT ON 7 19 0 1.

HE HAD, HE GAVE A FAMOUS SPEECH UPON HIS LEAVING CONGRESS IN HIS HOUSE, WHEREABOUTS THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS, NO MORE NEW STREET, BUT HE PROMISED

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I MIGHT BE LEAVING THE DAY AFRICAN-AMERICAN SHALL COME AGAIN AND BE A PART OF THIS TIME.

IT TOOK 72 YEARS, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, UH, THEY SAY THAT THE, UH, THE ARC OF JUSTICE AND TRUTH IS LONG, BUT IT DOES BEND TOWARDS TRUTH.

IT DOES BEND TOWARDS TRUTH.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE SAID, PHOENIX LIFE WILL COME AGAIN.

AND WE HAVE, THIS WAS THE LAST MAN TO SERVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE SOUTH.

HE SERVED IN CONGRESS FOR FOUR YEARS.

THE ONLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN THE CONGRESS, HIS HOUSE THAT SAYS THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS AWAY.

HE, UH, HE HAS TWO WIVES THAT ARE BURIED IN GREENWOOD CEMETERY AND HE, UM, AND OUR CHILD, BUT THIS IS HIS HOME.

THIS IS WHERE HE GOT HIS START.

THIS IS WHERE HE STARTED HIS SCHOOL.

THOSE, UH, EBENEZER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SORRY, THIS FOOD THEY'RE GREAT, MAN.

AND THIS IS THE GREATNESS THAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE, AS I SAID, SO THAT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE, OR WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND THE STAND UP, STAND UP FOR, RIGHT.

AND THAT THE FACT THAT WHEN THEY TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY HAVE IN THEIR LIFE, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THAT HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THEY STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.

UH, THAT IS MY PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I ALSO LOVE WITH YOU A MAP OF THOSE SIGN LOCATIONS.

I INVITE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM, UH, TO GO BACK, READ THEM.

I DON'T GO BACK INTO THEM ANY DAY THAT I DON'T SEE SOMEBODY STOPPING TO READ AND UNDERSTAND WHAT A GREAT TOWN WE HAVE AND WHAT A GREAT BOARD OF BALTIMORE WE HAVE.

HUH? WHAT A GREAT MAYOR WE HAVE RIGHT THERE.

BERNARD.

YES, SIR.

MR. GEORGE.

UM, THE DAY THAT THEY WERE DEDICATED, I SAW A CAMERA THERE THAT WAS RECORDING THAT EVENT.

IS THAT VIDEO AVAILABLE? YES, IT IS.

AND, UH, WE ARE WORKING HARD NOW.

I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TDA AND SEVERAL ON SOCIETY TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEBSITES ELECTRONICALLY.

AND I WAS JUST TALKING WITH ALICE WILSON, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SHE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH US ALSO SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A, UH, A VERBAL, UH, RENDITION OF WHAT SOMEONE TO SIGN.

SO THAT THOSE WHO ARE, UH, AUDITORALLY CHALLENGED CAN ALSO HEAR AND, UH, BE A PART OF THIS.

BUT YES, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ALL THIS SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING BY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE NOW THAT HAS SOME OF THIS INFORMATION ON IT, AND IT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE TDA VISIT NEWBORNS.

OH, WELL, YES.

MR. BERNARD, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK IN THE COMMITTEE'S WORK FOR, UM, PULLING THIS TOGETHER.

I WASN'T HERE IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE YEARS AGO, BUT I'M JUST SO GLAD THAT, UM, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO WALK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE RICH HISTORY, UM, OF OUR GREAT CITY, OUR GREAT COMMUNITY.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO FROM HERE.

IF WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE SIGNS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE BOARD, UH, MR. HUGHES AND MR. DAVIS, COULD YOU KINDA TELL US WHERE WE ARE BEFORE WE DO THAT? I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT TO MR. GEORGE AS WELL.

AND THANK YOU.

I, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PART OF THE TVA BOARD FOR MANY YEARS, AND THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR US.

AND, UM, IN WORKING WITH MELISSA AND PROVIDING THIS, THIS HANDOUT HERE, UM, AND HAVING IT ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT VISIT NEWBURN.COM, IT WILL OPEN IT UP BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN SO MANY REQUESTS FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN GROUPS THAT WANT TO VISIT OUR CITY THAT HAVE LIVED HERE, OR THEIR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, GREAT GRANDPARENTS LIVED HERE AND THEY WANT TO COME BACK AND SEE THIS.

I THINK THIS IS A RICH OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

THE OTHER THING IS, I BELIEVE YOU SPURRED ON OTHER PEOPLE TO GET EXCITED ABOUT RETELLING HISTORY, VIA SIGN, AS WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER,

[00:35:01]

YES.

MISS BECKTON, HER CLASS, AND WHAT A MARVELOUS JOB THEY DID ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS MAN WHO WAS SO CENTRAL TO EDUCATION IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND SO NOW THAT SIGN'S THERE AND THE BEAUTY OF WHAT THE TDA IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO, AS YOU CONTINUE TO ADD SIGNS, IT CAN PRETTY EASILY BE ADDED TO THE WEBSITE QUICKLY.

SO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, CONTINUE TO THAT.

SO THIS IS AWESOME FOR OUR CITY.

IT'S AWESOME FOR OUR STATE.

AND IT'S ALSO ALSO FOR OUR COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE WHO SEEK OUT THIS KIND OF INFORMATION.

SO, UM, I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE ALL PART OF THIS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THERE ARE SEVERAL THE DECIDES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

SO WE'D LIKE TO ASK THAT THE COMMITTEE MEET WITH CITY STAFF TO WORK AT ANY LOGISTICAL ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SIGNS ARE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OR THAT THEY HAVE AN EASEMENT FOR THOSE SIGNS BEFORE THE CITY ACCEPTS THOSE.

OKAY.

AND I THINK THAT DIRECTION ALL THE WAY OVER HERE.

SO I THINK SO YOU'LL COME BACK ONCE THAT'S RECTIFIED SO THAT WE CAN DO A MOTION TO ACCEPT THEM.

YES.

MA'AM THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND, UH, WHAT TYPE OF TIMETABLE ARE WE LOOKING FOR THIS? YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL THAT WE'LL DIRECT STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND MEET WITH THE COMMITTEE.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME BACK WITHIN A ONE OR ONE OR TWO MEETINGS.

SO IN THERE, LIKE TWO SIGNPOSTS THAT ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT AWAY, I THINK THERE WERE MORE THAN THAT.

UM, AT LEAST SIX THAT ARE THERE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DIRECTION IS CLEAR TO THE COMMITTEE SO THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT IS THAT THE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO GO BACK AND WORK WITH STAFF TO EITHER MOVE THE SIGNS INTO THE RIGHT.

OR WE PREFER THEM TO MOVE THE SIGNS INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY, IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY AND WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY WILL TAKE ON THAT TASK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND JUST ACCEPT THEM BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANY LEGAL CHALLENGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND STAFF WILL ASSIST WITH ANY RELOCATION AS NEEDED BERNARD WHEN YOU WERE, WE WERE TALKING EARLIER A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, IF YOU WOULD'VE JUST TELL PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PERMANENT TYPE OF, UH, AT LEAST THE SIGNS OR ARE BUILT WHERE THEY WOULD STAND, YOU'D BE RAISED AND EVEN, UH, VANDALISM AND THINGS LIKE THAT, TOO.

YES.

THEY WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH THE LATEST STATE OF THE ART MATERIAL, SUCH AS JACK DAY ON ANTI VANDALISM PROOF, IF THERE'S SUCH A THING, BUT THEY CAN BE WHITE, UH, IT'S IMPREGNATED METAL SO THAT NOTHING CAN STAY IN THERE THAT THEY'RE COVERED SO THAT IF ANYONE, UH, MARKS THEM UP, IT CAN SIMPLY BE WIPED OFF, CAN BE WASHED OFF.

RIGHT.

MR. BERNARD, WHEN YOU GUYS WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH, UM, ERECTING THE SIGNS, DID YOU ALREADY BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE OWNERS AND GET THEIR APPROVAL TO BE ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY? YES, WE DID.

AND SO THEY'RE WILLING TO KEEP THEM THERE IF THE CITY TAKES THEM OVER OR IF THE CITY TAKES THEM OVER, IT HAS TO BE ON OUR PROPERTY.

THAT'S THE BEST, A BETTER PRACTICE TO HAPPEN IN THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE NEVER HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT THE LEGAL WORK AND TIME AND EFFORT TO DRAW THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR TWO FEET OF LAND.

THIS IS EXTENSIVE.

IT'S MUCH EASIER TO DIG A HOLE UNDER THE, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE, HOW IT WORKS WAS WORKING ON THIS, WE WERE CONCERNED WITH WHATEVER, WITH NO ASS AS-BUILTS FROM FIBER-OPTICS OR WHATEVER ON THE GROUND.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES, A NEW-BORN OF SIGNS THAT WERE JUST PROBLEMATIC PROBLEMATICALLY IN THE WRONG LOCATION, AND, UH, WERE HIT ACCIDENTALLY BY TRUCKS, ET CETERA.

WE'VE MOVED ONE OF THEM, I THINK, THREE TIMES NOW TO FINALLY GET IT IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

SO, UM, I'M AGAIN, NOT FAMILIAR WITH EXACTLY THE LOCATION OF A COUPLE OF THOSE, BUT MR. DAVIS, IN SOME INSTANCES, IF IT WAS PROBLEMATIC, HAVING HIM RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER HISTORICAL ISSUES WE'VE HAD, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LEGALLY BE IN FAVOR OF, OF A, OF AN EASEMENT OF SORTS WITH THE OWNER TO SAID WE HAD PROPERTY TO, AND ONCE WE CAN CERTAINLY DRAW THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND GET SURVEYS AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO AGAIN, UM, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, I'LL BE GLAD TO UPDATE YOU ON A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS WHERE THEY JUST WERE IN THE WRONG, THEY WERE IN THE WRONG PLACE AND THEY KEPT GETTING DAMAGED.

SO WE DON'T WANT THAT.

SO ANYWAY, MR. GEORGE, UM, RIGHT HERE, ALDERMAN BEST, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU

[00:40:01]

AND FINALLY HAVING THIS, UH, THESE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSIGNS COME TO FRUITION LONG OVERDUE FOR OUR CITY, AND I'M JUST SO THANKFUL FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

AND I KNOW MISS ETHEL STAYTON.

I KNOW SHE'S JUST OVERJOYED WITH IT.

SO THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AGAIN.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT.

EXCUSE US.

GO.

I REMEMBER

[7. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Annex Tax Parcel IDs 7- 035- 002 and 7- 035- 030.]

THE TURF CLUB LLC HAS REQUESTED TAX PARTIAL SEVEN DASH 0 3 5 DASH 0 0 2 AND SEVEN DASH 0 3 5 DASH 0 3 0.

LOCATED AT 4,103 OLD CHERRY POINT ROAD AND 40 16 US HIGHWAY 70 EAST, THE ANNEX INTO THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.

THE FIRST ITEM WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS REQUEST AND THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE.

OKAY.

THERE IS CONCERNS OF THE BOARD.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT LIKE TO COME FORWARD, ASK QUESTIONS, MAKE COMMENTS, STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND THE BOARD.

WELCOME TO DO IT AT THIS TIME.

WE'RE LIKE MAKE A MOTION CLOSED HEARING.

SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND TO CLOSE UP HERE.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NONE? ALL IN FAVOR MOTION, SAY AYE.

MOTION CARRIES.

OKAY.

MR. MARRIN, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO NOT ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO ANNEX TAX PARCEL SEVEN DASH 0 3 5 DASH 0 0 2 AND SEVEN DASH 0 3 5 DASH 0 3 0 SECOND.

THAT WOULD BE A MOTION TO DENY THE PETITION.

THAT'D BE A MOTION TO DENY THE PETITION.

THANK YOU, SIR.

DID I HEAR A SECOND? YES.

OKAY.

WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

IS THERE DISCUSSION I DON'T REMEMBER AN ITEM.

YES.

OTTOMAN DESK.

YES.

ALDERMAN KANZI YES.

MAYOR OUTLAW OTTOMAN ASKED HER OUT A WOMAN HARRIS.

YES, YES.

[8. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed Redistricting Plan for the City of New Bern.]

MATT TO THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND VARIOUS CITY OFFICES.

AND AT THE LIBRARY, UM, MAYOR AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO OPEN UP THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND WE HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

IT'S MORE HANDMADE COMMENTS BEFORE DO THAT.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD, ASK QUESTIONS, MAKE COMMENTS OR STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE PROVIDERS, REDISTRICTING PLAN CITY NEWBURN.

YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO IT AT THIS TIME.

AND CLASSMATE.

GOOD.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

MY NAME IS HAZEL ROYAL.

I AM A RESIDENT OF WARD TWO FOR OVER 55 YEARS.

I KNOW I DON'T LOOK THAT OLD AND I'M TRYING NOT TO TELL YOUR AGE MAYOR IF THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO REDISTRICT, I'M ASKING THAT ATTENTION, NOT ONLY BE FOCUSED ON BALANCING THE POPULATION GROWTH, BUT IN ADDITION, ALSO ECONOMIC GROWTH AND LOOKING AT THE MAP AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES OF SOME OF THE WARS, UH, AS YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, IN SOME AREAS THERE ARE HIGH-END PROPERTIES THAT CAN ADD A HIGH TAX VALUE.

UH, SPECIFICALLY WHAT WARD ONE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO STRONGLY URGE THAT THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE TAX VALUE, UH, ON SOME OF THE PROPERTIES.

AND, UH, THAT WILL AFFECT EACH WARD THAT NOT ONLY, UH, AGAIN, THAT WE WOULD HAVE POPULATION BALANCE, BUT ALSO ECONOMIC BALANCE, UM, ALREADY, UM, WARD TWO HAS

[00:45:01]

AND SO THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD NOT ONLY PERPETUATE A LOW INCOME BOARD, BUT ALSO WOULD STOP THE GROWTH I BELIEVE AWARD TO, UM, IN LIGHT OF THAT, AGAIN, I STRONGLY URGE THE BOARD TO GO BACK AND CONSIDER THE TAX VALUE, UH, THAT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD MAKE SPECIFICALLY TOWARD TWO, BUT IN FAIRNESS TO ALL BOARDS AND THAT ALL OF US TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY COULD ENJOY A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND, UH, THAT WERE THE TAPE THAT IN CONSIDERATION.

UM, LASTLY, UM, IF THE G I S AND THE CITY COULD COME TOGETHER AND DO A BREAKDOWN OF THE WARDS BY TAX VALUE, AND THEN CROSS REFERENCE THAT WITH THE, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT WE COULD SEE ALSO, NOT ONLY JUST THE TAX VALUE, BUT THEIR IMPACT UPON THE DEMOGRAPHIC DEMOGRAPHIC VALUE ALSO.

AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOY BEFORE YOU RATIFY, THERE ARE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT, UM, WE TAKE OUR TIME THAT THE DATA CAN BE VIEWED AND THAT THE DATA CAN BE PRESENTED AND THAT, UH, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO ATTAIN A MOTION TONIGHT TO DO SO TO TAKE THIS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT UPON ALL BOARDS, AS WE'RE CONSIDERING ALSO THE POPULATION GROWTH.

THANKS.

I DON'T KNOW, IS ANYBODY ON STAFF? I ASSUME THAT WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS, SECTION TWO AND FIVE OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT THAT I'VE NEVER, I'VE NEVER HEARD.

I JUST GOT A FEELING THAT THAT MAP WOULD BE EXTREMELY HETEROGENEOUS OR, UH, I WOULDN'T SAY FRAGMENTED, BUT I THINK IT WOULD HAVE, UH, UH, AN ANOMALY OF, UH, BOUNDARIES IN ORDER TO, IF YOU, IF YOU STARTED DOING THAT, MR. DAVIS WAS ANY ILLEGAL THOUGHTS ON THAT, WE'LL CHECK THE LAW MAYOR.

UM, ON THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT IS USED, UM, UNDER THE, THE EQUAL RIGHTS ACT.

UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT.

OKAY.

WELL, AGAIN, IT'S A SUGGESTION.

AND AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POPULATION GROWTH, ACCORDING TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS JUST WANT ALSO ECONOMIC TOO.

CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU THE QUESTION THERE, BECAUSE I MEAN, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT, BUT MY QUESTION, MR. DAVIS IS THAT THE WARD DIVISIONS, THE BOUNDARIES, WHATEVER IS REALLY DOING PART TO VOTE AND REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FUNDING.

SO WE DON'T GET ONE WAR, DOESN'T GET MORE FUNDING THAN ANOTHER BASED ON THE TAX VALUE OF THOSE PROPERTIES.

IT'S MORE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN VOTE IN THE BREAKDOWN OF THE VOTERS IN THAT WARD AS WE HAVE WARDS.

AND THAT'S HOW IT'S MADE UP, NOT ECONOMICALLY.

SO I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON WE DRAW WARDS IS FOR VOTING RIGHTS OR FOR VOTING PURPOSES.

AND NOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE, I MAY BE WRONG.

AND YOU MAY CLARIFY THAT, BUT YES, MA'AM, AND THEN THE WAY OF SAYING THAT IS WORDS ARE NOT PENALIZED BASED ON THEIR TAX BASE.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

THAT'S A, THAT IS A BETTER WAY.

THANK YOU.

DID ANY WAY THAT WE COULD GET, UM, MS. WILSON TO COME UP AND GIVE US A LITTLE BREAKDOWN ON HOW SHE GETS A CALCULATION TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE TO US, PLEASE.

YES.

RIGHT? MAYER WHILE SHE'S COMING UP.

CAN I JUST, I REMEMBER BEING WELL, I'M WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID.

I THINK I MUST'VE MISUNDERSTOOD YOU.

THIS, THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THE REDISTRICTING IS TO BALANCE OUT THE POPULATION.

CORRECT.

WHICH ALSO LEADS INTO WHO'S GOING TO ELECT WHO AT AN ELECTION, BUT THE POPULATION AND THE WORK THAT ALICE DOES, DOESN'T LOOK AT NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS.

IT LOOKS AT THE TOTAL POPULATION, RIGHT? CORRECT.

YES.

BUT I'M SAYING, BUT IT'S REALLY DONE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO KNOW WHERE TO VOTE.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

YEAH.

WE'RE NOT RIDICULOUS DISTRICT TEAM TO DETERMINE FUNDING WHERE REDISTRICTING TO DETERMINE WHO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS, BUT IT'S ALSO EVERYBODY IN THE WARD, NOT JUST REGISTERED VOTERS, SO CHILDREN CAN SKEW THE NUMBERS.

IF YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT'S HIGHLY POPULATED WITH A YOUNGER POPULATION, THEN THAT COULD SKEW THE NUMBERS.

BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN, YEAH.

AND I'VE SEEN THAT AND LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, I THINK THEY, THEY ARE SKEWED BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION AND TRYING TO EVEN OUT, UH, THOSE NUMBERS.

SO IT MAY BE SKEWED BECAUSE OF THAT.

IF YOU WILL JUST TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THIS,

[00:50:03]

UM, ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF REDISTRICTING IS THE BALANCED POPULATION, SO THAT EVERYBODY'S VOTE EQUAL IS EQUAL ONE VOTE FOR ONE PERSON.

SO IN THE REDISTRICTING DATA THAT WE GET, THERE IS TOTAL POPULATION INFORMATION, BUT IT'S ALSO 18 AND OLDER POPULATION INFORMATION.

SO WE TRY TO BALANCE THAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT, IF YOU KIND OF ECONOMIC OR AS ALDERMAN, ANOTHER WOMAN SAID HE KIND OF VOTING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE DON'T TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

WE HAVE VERY VALUABLE, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AND THEIR VOTE COUNTS THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO THAT'S WHY WE LOOK AT THE 10% RULE.

IF WE SEE ONE BOARD IS WAY OUT OF BALANCE, WHICH WE FOUND IN THIS TIME AND WE FOUND THE INNER CITY IS GROWING.

SO UNFORTUNATELY IT DOESN'T GROW EQUALLY IN CERTAIN AREAS.

SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT REDISTRICTING AND TRY TO GET THOSE BALANCED SO THAT WE HAVE EQUAL POPULATION NOW.

AND IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE KIND OF WANT TO LOOK AT HOW GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT'S GOING TO OCCUR, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT MS. ROYAL WAS SAYING IN REGARDS TO, UM, THE ECONOMIC WEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT IS AT A HIGHER LEVEL COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOWN TO OUR LOCAL GOVERNOR WHEN HE HAD THE ABILITY AND MADE THE DECISION FOR THE CENSUS TRACK THAT ALLOWED US TO DO THE OPPORTUNITIES ZONES, UM, WHERE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY OR INVEST, INVEST IN PROJECTS THAT KIND OF TAX BREAKS.

SO THERE IS SOME TRUTHS IN REGARDS TO HOW THESE CENSUS TRACKS ARE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IN A LOW INCOME AREA AND THAT DATA IS COLLECTED THAT WAY, AND WE HAVE THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT COME DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE, THAT'S WHERE THE CENSUS INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE IMPORTANT.

BUT IN THE LOCAL SIDE OF IT, IT'S JUST THE BASICALLY TO CLEAN UP THIS MAP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EQUAL REPRESENTATION WITHIN OUR CITY, CORRECT.

AT WORK, THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE CRITERIA IS THE CURRENT PIECE OF IT, BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, CENSUS DATA AND THAT DATA, THAT MORE DETAILED DATA THAT AS FAR AS POVERTY AND ECONOMIC INPUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF COVID EVERYTHING EVERYTHING'S PUSHED BACK, WE WON'T GET THAT PROBABLY TILL LIKE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH OF NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S BEEN DELAYED AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

ONE OTHER COMMENT FOR MS. ROYAL, ONE THING THAT REALLY SKEWS THESE NUMBERS IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL.

SO LIKE I WAS JUST LOOKING AT ORANGE SIX, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A GIGANTIC CHUNK OF WARD SIX THAT NOBODY LIVES THERE AND IT'S MEDICAL OFFICES.

SO THAT ALSO CHANGES THE NUMBER OF THE TAX VALUE, WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO BALANCE OUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AREAS.

SO CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY ARE GOING TO HAVE COMMERCIAL AREAS AND SOME AREN'T OR NOT AS MANY.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER CHALLENGE.

LET'S GIVE A GREAT POINT.

MY AMPS, ANY ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND MAKE ANY COMMENTS, HAVING CONCERNS, HAZEL, HEY, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SAY? COME ON BACK UP.

THANKS, AMIR.

I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING MOTION.

INSECT CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING, SEEING NO DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR THE MOTION, SAY, AYE, AYE, MOTION CARRIES.

WHAT ACTION DO WE NEED TO TAKE? THAT'S A NIGHTMARE.

UM, I GUESS STAFF NEEDS SOME DIRECTION.

UM, WE CAN PUT THE EXISTING BOARD BOUNDARIES ON THE NEXT AGENDA IF YOU'RE READY FOR THAT, OR IF YOU STILL WANT TO REFLECT, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN POSTPONE THAT UNTIL, UH, THE END OF OCTOBER.