Nov 23, 2021 Board of Aldermen

[00:00:01]

GOOD EVENING.

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

THE PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN BY ALDERWOMAN TAMISHA HARRIS, HEAVENLY FATHER.

WE COME TO YOU TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND SUPPORT.

AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING HELP US TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.

ALLOW US TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NATURE NURTURE THE BONDS OF THE COMMUNITY IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN.

YEAH.

WHAT'D YOU JOIN ME TO PLEDGE LEAFS AND FLAG, COUNTRY PLEASURE.

LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TO GOD WOULD YOU CALL THE ROAD HERE? ALDERWOMAN HARRIS ALDERMAN.

PASTOR, MAY YOUR ELMO ALDERMAN.

BEST ALDERMAN HOME HERE.

OKAY.

THIS

[Consent Agenda]

MAY I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION CNN ON FAVORITE MOTION? YES MA'AM YES.

I UNDERSTAND.

LET'S DO A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH OUR BETTER OVER YES.

ALDERMAN BEST.

YES.

OTTOMAN KINSEY.

YES.

YES.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER OUT A WOMAN.

PARIS ALDERMAN BAGEL.

YEAH.

YES.

MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO LET'S GO DOWN NUMBER

[4. Presentation on Wreaths Across America.]

OKAY.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.

NEXT ITEM IS PRESENTATION ON WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA.

I'D LIKE TO ASK KEVIN TO COME FORWARD TO MAKE HIS PRESENTATION.

UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

GOOD EVENING.

ALDERMAN ALDERMAN WOUND.

UH, MY NAME IS KEVIN YATES.

HI, I AM THE LOCATION COORDINATOR FOR REESE ACROSS AMERICA AT THE NEWBURN NATIONAL CEMETERY.

MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH REESE ACROSS AMERICA, AT LEAST, UH, THE BIG PICTURE I SIMPLIFIED THIS PRESENTATION AND, UH, TRIED TO REALLY MAKE IT A VERY OBVIOUS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BREAK IT DOWN AND KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR EVERYBODY.

UH, THE REESE CROSS AMERICA IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT PLACE REESE IS REESE ON HEADSTONES ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO.

AND, UH, WE WILL BE HOLDING A CEREMONY ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18TH, 2021 AT 12 O'CLOCK NOON.

THERE ARE OVER 2,700 CEMETERIES THAT PARTICIPATE IN RACE ACROSS AMERICA.

THIS IS THE 12TH YEAR THAT THE NEW-BORN NATIONAL CEMETERY, UH, HAS PARTICIPATED.

THERE ARE, UH, ABOUT 1 MILLION, 1.7 MILLION RHYS THAT WERE PLACED LAST YEAR, UH, ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HERE IN NEWBURN, WE HAVE 6,773 HEADSTONES, UH, THAT WE TRIED TO COVER EACH YEAR.

THE CEMETERY ITSELF WAS BUILT AND DEDICATED FEBRUARY 1ST, 1867, RIGHT AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, UH, CONTAINS A THOUSAND UNKNOWNS.

UH, MOST OF THEM ARE FROM THE CIVIL WAR, BUT PAULA SAYS RECENTLY ALL THE WAY UP TO WORLD WAR II AND IT CONTAINED SEVERAL MASS GRAVES THERE IN THE CEMETERY.

UH, EVERY REEF HAS TO BE SPONSORED.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOT EVERYBODY REALIZES.

AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PREACH QUITE A BIT.

EVERY REEF HAS TO BE PAID FOR AND SPONSORED.

THAT'S ALIVE READING THAT COMES ALL THE WAY FROM MAINE THEY'RE DELIVERED, UH, EACH YEAR.

AND, UM, WE WORK THROUGH VARIOUS DIFFERENT FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, LOCALLY TO TRY AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN AMONG FEST, UH, OVER AT MITCHELL'S HARDWARE, UH, THE FARMER'S MARKET, THINGS LIKE THAT, TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT.

WE ALSO USE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR FACEBOOK PAGE REESE ACROSS AMERICA, NEWBURN GETS A BULK OF OUR TRAFFIC, UH, TRYING TO GET THERE.

UH, WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

ONE OF THEM IS THE AGE OF THE CEMETERY.

LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, BEING A POST CIVIL WAR, THE GAP BETWEEN TODAY'S GENERATION AND THOSE THAT CAN RELATE TO THOSE THAT ARE ENTERED THERE GROWS EACH YEAR.

UH, IT'S ALSO THE MILITARY.

A LOT OF FOLKS LIKE MYSELF WERE SERVED HERE AT CHECKPOINT OR CAMP WAS JUNE.

AND THEN WHEN THEIR TIME WAS DONE, THEY MAY HAVE MOVED BACK HOME.

AND SO, UH, SERVICE MEMBERS THAT ARE BURIED THERE MAY NOT BE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO SOMEBODY HERE IN EASTERN, NORTH CAROLINA, UH, THE TRANSPLANTS, WHICH A NEWBURN IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY BIG RETIREMENT AREA.

AND SO WHEN FOLKS MOVE HERE, THEY AGAIN, DON'T HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE RIVER NATIONAL CEMETERY.

AND THEN LASTLY, I MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND UNKNOWN.

SO 15% OF THOSE THAT ARE INTERRED, THERE ARE UNKNOWN.

SO AGAIN, THOSE WERE ALL OUR CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE EACH YEAR AND TRYING TO PUT A WREATH ON EVERY SINGLE HEADSTONE.

BUT I PUT THESE

[00:05:01]

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE YOURSELF TO PARTICIPATE, IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND SEE OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC IS REPRESENTED.

I WILL ARGUE THAT WITH ANYBODY FROM LITTLE CHILDREN, ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR ELDERLY VETERANS, NON-VETERANS YOUTH GROUPS, SCOUTING PROGRAMS, UH, VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.

EVERYBODY IS REPRESENTED OUT AT THE RACE ACROSS AMERICA.

I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME AND PARTICIPATE THIS YEAR.

WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY COVID RESTRICTIONS.

SO IF ANY OF YOU CAME OUT LAST YEAR AND PARTICIPATED, WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO LET 50 PEOPLE IN AT A TIME.

AND WE DID 30 MINUTE WAVES ALL DAY LONG.

WE STILL HAD 600 PEOPLE COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE LAST YEAR.

THIS YEAR, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE RESTRICTIONS.

SO WE WILL BE MORE OF A TRADITIONAL APPEARANCE, BUT NOT QUITE AS BIG AS WE TYPICALLY DO.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY WANT TO DRIVE TONIGHT IS THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST REESE.

I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT.

OKAY.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPONSORING GREECE, BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR VETERANS? OKAY.

UM, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO THIS AND WE'VE TRIED TO INCORPORATE MORE INTO IT.

UM, MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE, TO VOLUNTEER, TO GIVE BACK AND BE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM.

ONE OF THOSE IS THE TRUCK ESCORT.

SO THIS IS MY FIFTH YEAR AS THE, UH, COORDINATOR HERE IN NEWBURN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I REALLY PUSHED FOR WHEN I FIRST TOOK OVER WAS THE WREATH ESCORT.

WE GO OUT AND WE MEET THESE TRUCKS THAT COME IN FROM MAINE AND WE ESCORT THEM IN TO DO BURN.

WE GET, UH, IN THIS PICTURE HERE, YOU CAN SEE NEWBURN PD, THEIR MOTOR OFFICERS ARE INVOLVED CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AND THEN ALL THE WAY AT THE VERY BACK, YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE IT IN THIS PICTURE, BUT NEWBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT IS BACK THERE, UH, BRINGING HIM THE ESCORT.

SO THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR.

IT WAS KIND OF HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.

WE ONLY HAVE MAYBE A DOZEN MOTORCYCLES THAT SHOWED UP IN EACH YEAR HAS GROWN BIGGER AND BIGGER AND A LITTLE MORE COORDINATED.

UH, THIS PICTURE IS LAST YEAR AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE BRAND NEW APPARATUS THAT, UH, NEWBURN FIRE RESCUE WAS SHOWING OFF.

AND, UH, WE BROUGHT THE REECE RIGHT DOWN BROAD STREET AND, UH, LAST YEAR IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT, EVEN WITH, UH, THE RESTRICTIONS AND THINGS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE ALL LINED ALL THE WAY DOWN.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

AND BROAD STREET AS THEY CAME OUT, UH, DAIRY QUEEN IS A REALLY POPULAR SPOT THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO HANG OUT.

AND THEN HERE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR, THE CITY EVEN HAD THEIR DRONE OUT THERE FLYING AROUND AS WE FLEW OR DROVE UNDERNEATH THE FLAG THERE AT BROAD STREET.

AND SO THESE TWO TRUCKS, AGAIN, THIS IS LAST YEAR, UH, OH, I'LL EXPLAIN IT REAL QUICK.

ONE IS THE FIRST TRUCK IS A TRUCK ACTUALLY CAME ALL THE WAY FROM MAINE CARRYING THE REESE.

THE SECOND TRUCK HAS THE PEPSI TRUCK CAUSE IT'S NEWBURN, BUT ALSO BECAUSE, UH, LOGISTICALLY SPEAKING, TRYING TO GET REESE SPREAD OUT ALL OVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IN A MATTER OF DAYS IS, IS VERY CHALLENGING.

SO REESE CROSS AMERICA HAS LOGISTICS SPOTS SET UP AND THE PEPSI TRUCK ACTUALLY COMES FROM WINSTON SALEM WHERE THEY HAVE REESE ALREADY PRE-STAGED.

AND SO NOVEMBER 30TH IS OUR CUTOFF.

ONCE NOVEMBER 30TH COMES, THEY KNOW HOW MANY REESE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.

AND, UH, THEY'LL COMBINE THE TWO TRUCKS.

THAT'S HOW WE GET OUR EXACT NUMBER OF REESE THAT WE SPONSOR FOR OUR CEMETERY.

UH, THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THIS ONE ACTUALLY HAS RED CLASSIC, WHICH IS COCA-COLA'S ARM OF LOGISTICS.

UH, DELIVERING SOMETIMES WE GET THESE VERY PATRIOTIC THEME TRUCKS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST THE PLAIN ONES LIKE THIS, BUT NONETHELESS, UH, WE DO THE ESCORT.

WE'LL BRING THEM IN.

IT'S A BIG DEAL AND WE MAKE A, A GOOD TIME OF IT.

UM, THEN PLACING THE REESE.

SO THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK REESE ACROSS AMERICA IS ACTUALLY GOING OUT THERE AND PLACING REESE ON THE HEADSTONES.

UH, WE HAVE A BRIEF CEREMONY THAT WE HOLD, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE REESE REPRESENT, UH, WHAT ROUTE THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

THEN WE ALSO GIVE IT AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, A LESSON ON HOW TO PLACE THE REESE AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AT FOUR.

AND THEN IT'S HARD TO TELL IN THIS PICTURE HERE, BUT ON EACH ONE OF THE HEADSTONES, THERE WERE COINS COINS, GO BACK TO AN OLD MILITARY IN CEMETERIES WHERE PEOPLE LEAVE COINS WHEN THEY VISIT THE HEADSTONES.

UH, WE PITCHED THAT A LOT BECAUSE WE OFTEN DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REESE TO COVER ALL 6,773 OF THEM.

SO PEOPLE WILL BRING BAGS OF COINS WITH THEM.

UH, FOLKS THAT LEAVE A PENNY ON THE HEADSTONE MEANS THEY CAME TO VISIT, ALLOWS THE FAMILY TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY DID COME AND VISIT THE HEADSTONE.

A NICKEL REPRESENTS THAT THEY KNEW THE PERSON DYING WAS THAT THEY SERVED WITH THEM AND A PORTER REPRESENTS THAT THEY WERE THERE WHEN THAT PERSON PASSED.

AND SO WE TALK ABOUT THAT.

WE TALK ABOUT SAYING THE PERSON'S NAME.

SO AS THEY PLACE THE REEF, IT KEEPS THEIR MEMORY ALIVE AND WE'D GO THROUGH ALL THAT IN A CEREMONY.

UM, AGAIN, PEOPLE COME OUT, ALL TYPES OF FOLKS COME OUT.

THEY WANT TO HELP US, UH, PUT OUT ALL THE REESE.

WE ALL HAVE TO GET PEOPLE THAT, UH, THEY, THEY, ONCE THEY DO IT ONCE THEY WANTED TO EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND THEY COME BACK AND IT GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER EACH YEAR, UH, THIS IS LAST YEAR, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE STILL WEARING FACE COVERINGS.

UH, WE STILL HAD A HUGE TURNOUT LAST YEAR.

LIKE I SAID, EVEN WITH ALL THE RESTRICTIONS.

AND THEN CHERRY POINT OFTEN SENDS DOWN, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MILITARY TO COME OUT AND PLACE THE CEREMONIAL REESE.

WE PLAY CEREMONY REESE FOR EACH ONE OF THE

[00:10:01]

AND, UH, SO HERE IS THE MARINE CORPS GUARD THAT CAME DOWN FROM CHERRY POINT LAST YEAR AND PLACE IT AGAIN, SOME OF OUR UNKNOWNS, UM, IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE NATIONAL CEMETERY WOUND THE RESEARCH ROUTE, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME HOME AND PARTICIPATE JUST TO SEE IT.

IT'S A VERY POWERFUL STATEMENT.

WHEN YOU SEE ALL THE MINI RESET IN PLACE THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH SUPPORT WE HAVE FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM FOR A CEMETERY.

AGAIN, THAT WAS JUST A FEW MORE PICTURES I WAS GOING TO FLIP THROUGH.

UM, AGAIN, IT'S TRULY JUST A POWERFUL STATEMENT WHEN YOU COME BY AND YOU DRIVE DOWN NATIONAL AVENUE AND THE ENTIRE CEMETERY WAS COVERED THAT POP OF RED AND GREEN ON TOP OF THE HEADSTONES IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.

WE'LL PLACE THEM, UH, DECEMBER 18TH, THIS YEAR THEY'LL STAY OUT UNTIL, UH, PROBABLY THE END OF JANUARY 3RD OR FOURTH WEEK IN JANUARY, AND THEN RETIRING THE REESE.

UM, SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE LEARNED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT, UH, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE, UH, JUST AS MANY PEOPLE WANTING TO HELP US COME RETIRE THE REESE AS THEY DID PLACE IN THEM.

AND SO IT WAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I'M OUT OF TOWN, YOU KNOW, THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS.

SO I CAN'T PLAY SOME, BUT I'D LIKE TO COME OUT AND HELP US RETIRE THEM.

SO THAT'S TURNED INTO JUST AS BIG OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT.

UH, HERE'S MY LOVELY WIFE HELPING A FEW YEARS AGO.

UH, WHAT PEOPLE DO IS THEY BRING THEIR BROOMSTICKS AND AS THEY'RE PICKING THEM UP, THEY'LL ACTUALLY SLIDE THEM ON THE BROOMSTICKS AND THEY'LL BE CARRYING A DOZEN OF THE RECENT LONG AS WE MOVED THEM OVER TO THE DUMPSTERS AND RETIRE THEM.

UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY THE DUMPSTERS ARE PART OF IT.

IT'S, UM, UNFORTUNATE THAT, UH, ONCE THEY'VE SERVED THEIR PURPOSE, THE RIBBONS HAVE FADED.

THE REESE BEGIN TO WILT.

IT'S TIME TO DISPOSE OF THEM.

IT'S A METAL FRAME THAT CONTAINS THE REEF.

AND SO, UH, DISPOSING THEM THROUGH A LANDFILL, UNFORTUNATELY IS THE, UH, THAT'S HOW WE DO IT.

UM, WHEN YOU HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF REESE, UH, VOLUNTEERING TO GIVE THEM THE FARMERS WAS AN OPTION, BUT IT JUST BECOMES A LOGISTICS ISSUE OF GETTING THOUSANDS OF REESE TO THE RIGHT FARMERS, WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF GOATS THAT CAN EAT IT, ET CETERA.

UH, WE TRIED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, DONATING THEM DOWN TO THE BEACHES TO HELP WITH EROSION, BUT THE METAL FRAME WAS A CONCERN.

AND SO TAKING THEM APART, AGAIN, THOUSANDS OF REESE, IT'S JUST NOT REALISTIC.

SO THEY GO IN THE LANDFILL.

UNFORTUNATELY IT'S JUST A REALITY, BUT AGAIN, UH, TONS OF PEOPLE COME OUT AND HELP US WITH THIS, UH, CHILDREN, YOUTH GROUPS.

UH, THESE ARE THE YOUNG MARINES PROGRAM, ROTC UNITS, UH, THE MARCHING BANDS GET INVOLVED, ALL SORTS OF FOLKS COME OUT AND HELP US WITH THIS.

UM, SO WHY AM I HERE TONIGHT? WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? UH, I, MYSELF, I'M A VOLUNTEER.

I HAVE A REGULAR MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NINE TO FIVE JOB.

IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH REESE.

THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT I BECAME INVOLVED IN.

I HAD A PASSION FOR, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A BUDGET.

UNFORTUNATELY WE CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT THE CITY'S HELP.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR TONIGHT.

SO WE WOULD LIKE AGAIN, TO DO ANOTHER WREATH ESCORT, UH, INTO THE CITY.

UH, SO I'M ASKING FOR SUPPORT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

ALSO AWARENESS THAT ON DECEMBER 18TH AT 12, O'CLOCK, WE'LL BE HAVING FIVE TO 600 PEOPLE OUT THERE AT THE CEMETERY.

I DON'T NEED SOMEBODY THERE.

I JUST NEED AWARENESS THAT IT'S HAPPENING SO THAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, UH, PEOPLE AREN'T SURPRISED BY THAT.

UM, PARKING, IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO PARK AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY, THEN ON A NASH OR ON A REGULAR DAY, IT'S NOT VERY USER-FRIENDLY.

UH, FORTUNATELY REESE CHAPEL CHURCH, WHICH IS DOWN AT THE CORNER OF SIMMONS STREET AND OAK ROAD HAS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED US THE USE OF THEIR PARKING LOT.

IF THE CITY COULD HELP US WITH BUSES, UH, IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO BUS PEOPLE FROM ROUGE CHAPEL UP TO THE CEMETERY AND BACK.

AND IT'S NOT A LONG WINDOW TALKING, MAYBE A COUPLE HOURS SORT OF THING.

AND THEN LASTLY FROM PUBLIC WORKS, IF WE COULD GET A COUPLE OF DUMPSTERS IN JANUARY AND, UM, TO HELP US DISPOSE OF THE REEFS.

AND SO I REALIZED THIS IS ALL VERY REAL MONEY, AND I REALIZED THAT THIS STUFF COST MONEY AND, UM, FOSTER YOU CERTAINLY, YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE BUSES AND OVERTIME AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING, BUT IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S THE REALITY OF HOW WE OPERATE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR TONIGHT AND ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND IF POSSIBLE, UH, FOR US TO MAKE REESE ACROSS AMERICA HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR.

YES, SHE USED, DO YOU NEED ANY DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD WE DON'T DO ABOUT WHAT WE NORMALLY DO.

IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS THIS YEAR? NO, IT IS ONE OF THEM'S.

IT'S THE SAME QUIZ THAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

OKAY.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, BECAUSE THEY COME HERE EVERY YEAR AND I KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT IT.

IS THERE SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN JUST AUTOMATICALLY DO IT EVERY YEAR? THIS, THIS EVENT REALLY NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR, UH, CITY SPONSORED EVENT? I BELIEVE SO, TOO.

SO WE LOVE THE PRESENTATION AND YOU COME EVERY TIME AND ASK, BUT FEEL LIKE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

THIS IS A BENEFIT TO OUR CITY, TO THESE VETERANS.

UM, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT YOU DO.

I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD JUST BE AN AUTOMATIC THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER

[00:15:01]

I MEAN, THAT'S MY PERSONAL VIEW.

I'M NOT SURE HOW THE REST OF THE BOARD FEELS, BUT I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN HONOR THAT WE HAVE THIS AND THAT, THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME, THE LOGISTICS TO DO THIS.

AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME OUT, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VOLUNTEER, BUT I WILL.

UM, MY MOTHER, MY DAD IS, UM, THAT IN MY DAD IS WASN'T, UH, MY MOM WASN'T AVID SUPPORTER OF ELECTION.

SO I'M DEFINITELY GONNA TRY AND GET OUT THERE THIS TIME AND PUT SOME RESOURCES.

I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, OH, FOSTER THE, UM, NEXT TO THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.

THERE'S GREEN SPACE OR GROW A LOT, USED TO BE ASKED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY NEXT TO PIERCE FIERCE BARK IS THE CITY OWNED THAT, UM, THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE A LARGE ENOUGH AREA PROBABLY TO PARK A LOT OF CARS.

IF YOU HAD SOMEBODY THERE TO ASSIST, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PROBABLY GET SOME ROWS OF CARS THERE, WHICH MAY HELP NOT HAVING TO TRANSPORT AS MANY PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CARS SHOULD GET ON THERE, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY SEE IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT.

AND IF, IF NOTHING ELSE PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE OR MAYBE EVEN GET A VOLUNTEER OUT INTO YOUR GROUP THAT WOULD HELP TO PARK CARS THERE BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR, IT WOULD JUST MAYBE HELP WE PARKED THERE.

AND THEN ALONG THE BASEBALL FIELDS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT STREET IS, WHERE THE PARK IS.

RIGHT.

WE'LL PARK THERE.

UM, INEVITABLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS CALLED, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE START PARKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE STREET IMMEDIATELY ACROSS NATIONAL AVENUE.

AND, UH, PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS APPRECIATE, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED POLICE PRESENCE THERE THAT, THAT PRESENCE.

BUT I MEAN TO, OKAY.

JUST AWARENESS IS REALLY WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, BUT YEAH.

UM, THAT LOT IS THERE.

WE DO TRY TO USE IT.

THAT'S WHERE WE PLACE THE DUMPSTERS.

WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR DISPOSAL, THEY GO RIGHT THERE IN THAT WATER.

SO.

WELL, GOOD, GOOD.

WE'LL WE'LL CHECK OUT AND MAKE SURE I KNOW A ONE YEAR RAIN THAT MUCH AND WE PROBABLY PUT SOME ROCK OUT THERE ON THAT LOT.

BRING YOUR TOP ABOUT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF AREAS.

YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

LET'S

[5. Recognition of Graduates of New Bern 101.]

THEY ARE.

THE NEXT ITEM IS RECOGNITION OF GRADUATES MANEUVERING 1 0 1 A FEW YEARS AGO, THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN EXPRESS INTEREST IN, IN THE CITY OFFERING THIS PROGRAM.

UM, WE WERE DELAYED WITH COVID AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.

AND THEN I WAS APPOINTED.

INTERIM MANAGER STARTED TALKING TO STAFF ABOUT, THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO START.

AND SO WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO START THIS EARLIER, UH, ABOUT, UH, ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS AGO, ACTUALLY.

AND SO THIS SEVEN WEEK PROGRAM STARTED OFF WITH APPROXIMATELY 17 PARTICIPANTS IN IT.

IN ORDER TO GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO, UH, 10 AND PARTICIPATE IN 100% OF THE PROGRAMS. SO TONIGHT I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT, I MEAN, WE HAD, WE'VE GOT NINE FOLKS THAT GOING TO BE GRADUATING.

IF SOMEONE MISSED A CLASS, THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE UP THE SESSION THEY MISSED.

AND OUR NEXT SESSION, WHICH IS GOING TO START IN LATE FEBRUARY, AND THEN THEY WILL GET TO GRADUATE AT THAT TIME.

SO GIVEN THESE PARTICIPANTS AND OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY, UH, ATTENDED A TOUR HERE AT CITY HALL.

THEY LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, HUMAN RESOURCES, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PARKS, AND RECREATION, PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE POLICE UTILITIES, WATER RESOURCES.

THEY LEARNED EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT THE CITY DOES.

AND THEN AT THE END TONIGHT WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS GETTING TO MEET WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK THROUGH EVALUATIONS, TO HELP MAKE THIS PROGRAM BETTER IN THE FUTURE.

AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

THE GOAL NEXT YEAR IS TO OFFER THIS SESSION IN THE SPRING AND FALL AND CONTINUE THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK COLLEEN ROBERTS TO START HER PART OF THE PRESENTATION MAYOR BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PARTICIPANTS AND GRADUATES OF OUR FIRST EVER NEWBURN 1 0 1 CLASS.

UM, THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING GROUP.

YOU HAD A BRIEF MEET AND GREET WITH THEM RIGHT BEFORE THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.

UH, THEY BROUGHT FANTASTIC QUESTIONS TO EVERY SESSION.

UM, THEY ARE, THEY REPRESENT ALL AGES, ALL BACKGROUNDS.

WE HAD COLLEGE STUDENTS, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.

UM, WE HAD RETIREES, WE HAD NATIVES TO NEWBURN.

WE HAD PEOPLE WHO ARE CITY RESIDENTS.

WE ALSO HAD SOME WHO DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY.

UM, ONE PERSON SAID THEY TOOK THE CLASS BECAUSE THEY'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME COMPETITION DOWN THE ROAD.

UM, ANOTHER PERSON SAID THEY WANT TO WORK IN PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THAT WAS THEIR MAIN REASON FOR PARTICIPATING IN NEWBURN 1 0 1.

I THOUGHT I'D GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GATHERED SO FAR FROM THE STUDENTS.

UH, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS TO ME INTERNALLY AS WELL WAS TO SEE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS STRATEGIZING ON HOW THEY COULD MAKE A SESSION THAT WAS BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.

UM, SO THAT MADE FOR SOME INTERESTING CONVERSATION.

[00:20:02]

THE NEXT ONE IS FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FOR NEWBURN FIRE RESCUE.

THIS WAS A GOOD SESSION.

BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS DEPARTMENT IN A CURRENT AND HISTORICAL SENSE HELPED GIVE ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST AND ARE BEING MADE TODAY.

IT ALSO SHED LIGHT ON ALL THAT FIRE RESCUE DOES AS FIRST RESPONDERS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, EVEN IN NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION, HUMAN RESOURCES AND FINANCE, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY THE VERY FIRST SESSION.

IT WAS THEIR INTRODUCTION TO CITY HALL AND THE HISTORIC COURTROOM.

I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK FOR THE CITY.

IT TAKES MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY QUALIFIED AND ALL DOING THEIR PARTS TO KEEP OUR SMALL CITY RUNNING SO NICELY AND EVEN KEEPING ITS HISTORIC CHARM.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.

JUST A FEW MORE.

UM, I ACTUALLY RECEIVED RECENTLY A TWO PAGE 14 PARAGRAPH, UH, LETTER FROM ONE OF THE STUDENTS WITH THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM.

AND I'LL JUST TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THEIR LETTER, EACH PHASE OF NEWBURN, 1 0 1, PRESENTED A TRUE INSIGHT INTO THEIR WORK.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE WATER AND SEWER PROGRAM DISCUSSED IN DEPTH, THE WATER TREATMENT PROCESS.

AND THEN WE TOOK A FIELD TRIP TO THE SEWER TREATMENT FACILITY.

THE FIELD TRIPS WERE OF ENORMOUS VALUE.

AND IF ANYTHING, THEY WERE TOO SHORT IN THAT SAME LETTER.

THE MOST MEMORABLE EVENT FOR ME WAS THE CITY POLICE SIMULATOR.

WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT POLICE OFFICERS OFTEN WALK INTO VAGUE SITUATIONS THAT CALL FOR JUDGMENT ON LIMITED INFORMATION, BUT IT'S ANOTHER TO ACTUALLY BE FACED WITH THAT SITUATION ALONE.

THE SIMULATOR WAS EYEOPENING.

AND THE LAST ONE I'LL SHARE WITH YOU, VERY INVOLVED GROUP, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CERTIFICATION OF PARKS AND RECREATION WAS MOST IMPRESSIVE TO ME, THE DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM OF BOTH DEPARTMENTS.

THIS WAS PARKS AND RECREATION AND PUBLIC WORKS THAT WERE HELD ON THE SAME DAY, THE DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM OF BOTH DEPARTMENTS AND THE EXCEPTIONAL WORK OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT NEW-BORN SHOULD BE MOST PROUD.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS INVITE THE BOARD IN FRONT OF THE PARTITION.

I WILL HAVE EACH OF YOU PIN A GOLD BEAR PIN ONTO THE PARTICIPANTS AS THEY'RE CALLED ONE BY ONE TO COME UP HERE, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION FOR THEM AND A GOODIE BAG AS WELL.

MANAGERS.

WHY DON'T YOU COME OUT AS WELL? YOU'VE WORKED ONE ON ONE PHOTO AT THE END.

I'M SURE WHEN YOUR NAME IS FALL, WE'LL START AT THIS END AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN.

ALRIGHT.

AGAIN, PARTICIPANTS LIKE YOU TAKE YOUR HANDS AS WELL AS ONE OF THE PEN

[00:25:09]

SO NEXT WE HAVE JEFF NEXT? WE HAVE JOHNNY ROBINSON CONGRATULATIONS TO LEE HARRINGTON.

MATTHEW LEWIS.

[00:30:44]

SADERO YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST SURELY PUBLICITY ARROW AND IF WE CAN HAVE THE PARTICIPANTS COME TO THE FRONT AGAIN FOR A GROUP PHOTO MAY OR BOARD OF ALDERMEN AND MANAGERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ONE OF OUR ENTHUSIASTIC PARTICIPANT SAYS WE'D BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT MENTION ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO WORKED SO HARD TO PUT THE SESSIONS TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[6. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Holiday Gift Card for City Employees.]

THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALDERMAN BEST, HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A HARD TIME HEARING SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC AS WE MOVE FORWARD THIS EVENING.

SO OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE HOLIDAY GIFT CARD FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AT THE NOVEMBER 9TH BOARD MEETING, A SUGGESTION WAS MADE TO GIVE CITY EMPLOYEES CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR CHRISTMAS.

THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF THE GIFT CARDS AND THE DESIGNATED AMOUNT MR. MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE MOTION THAT WE, UM, GIVE $50 GIFT, HOW THEY GIVE CARDS TO ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.

OUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS OPERATION.

I THINK THAT IS ROOM 1 0 1 WILL TELL YOU

[00:35:01]

THEY'VE WORKED HARD DURING COVID THEY'VE WORKED HARD DURING SNOW STORMS, ICE STORMS, HURRICANES, WHILE WE'RE ALL SITTING AT HOME, ENJOYING OURSELVES.

SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GIVE EACH EMPLOYEE A $50 GIFT CARD.

YES MA'AM UM, OUTLAWS AND BOARD.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

THIS IS ALL THE ONES ON THAT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT SAID.

UM, I REALLY WISH THAT WE COULD GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES MORE, UM, BUT BORED BEING SO GENEROUS.

AND, UM, YOU BEEN UP TO $50 AND WE DO HAVE A GREAT BOND OF CITY EMPLOYEES.

THEY ARE DEDICATED, HONEST, HARDWORKING, DEPENDABLE, LOYAL EMPLOYEES.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S JUST A SMALL GIFT THAT WE CAN GIVE HIM.

UM, AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WE CAN GIVE THEM MORE.

UM, SO I EXPECTED THAT AS WELL.

YES.

MA'AM ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WE DID JUST A COMMENT, I THINK GOING FORWARD JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER.

UM, I FEEL THAT AGAIN, BRINGING THIS UP YEAR AFTER YEAR KICKS A BALL AROUND THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO KICK AROUND IF THIS IS THE DECISION OF THE BOARD, I WOULD LIKE TO WORK TO EACH YEAR, JUST INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET AS YOU'RE GOING FORWARD WITH YOUR BUDGET PREPARATIONS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A YEARLY THING.

I JUST FEEL THAT IT MAKES THE STATEMENT.

WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO IT.

AND IT TAKES IT OFF OF ALL OF US TO TRY TO KICK THIS BALL AROUND 25, 50, WHATEVER.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT AT SOMETHING SO THAT EVERY YEAR IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE JUST PICKING AT SOMETHING.

I'D RATHER GO AHEAD.

WE MEAN IT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AND THEN LET'S GET IT IN THE BUDGET AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS.

IT'S STILL UNCOMMON.

I AGREE.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? UH, SO I HAVE A ROPE CALL STARTING WITHOUT A MOVING ALDERMAN.

BINGO.

YES.

ON A WOMAN HARRIS ALDERMAN ASKED HER ARE ORDERING KINSEY.

YES.

ALDERMAN BEST.

YES.

ALDERMAN.

YES.

[7. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Contract to Audit Accounts for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2021.]

NEXT ITEM.

IT'S CONSIDERED A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT TO AUDIT THE COUNTS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2021 ON MAY 11TH, 2021, THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AUDIT CONTRACT WITH THOMAS PRICE, SCOTT ADAMS AND COMPANY FOR F Y UH, 21 INDIAN JUNE 30TH.

UH, THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT TO EXTEND THIS DATE TO JANUARY 31ST, 2022.

OUR INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR, KEMO STRUM IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND ALSO TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

OKAY.

SPORTING QUESTIONS CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE GRAVE THAT, UH, AND KIM, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, ESPECIALLY STEPPING INTO THE ROLE.

AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE GETTING THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND GETTING THAT STRAIGHTENED OUT.

SO CERTAINLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU.

BUT WE COULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE.

THEY'RE DOING AN AWESOME JOB.

OKAY, GREAT.

SO MAYOR I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT, TO AUDIT ACCOUNTS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2021 MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION SCENE ON THE SIDEWAY ROLL COUGH STARTED WITH OTTOMAN ODOM, ALDERMAN ITEM.

YES.

ALDERMAN THE BEST ALDERMAN KINSEY MAY OR OUTLAW OUT A WOMAN HERE IS

[8. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Pole Attachment Agreement with Metro Net.]

AS WE WERE, AS WE PREPARE FOR METRO NET TO BEGIN WORK ON THEIR BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON POLE ATTACHMENT AGREEMENT.

THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK CHARLIE BOUCHARD TO STEP UP AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE HE STANDS WITH THIS.

UM, THE, THIS AGREEMENT THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU IS JUST, UH, IT'S STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE UTILITY.

UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF AGREEMENTS THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR WITH A BROADBAND COMPANIES AND OTHER TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES JUST BASICALLY LAYS OUT THE TERMS. SO ADMINISTRATIVELY WHAT IT MEANS TO ATTACH TO A CITY UTILITY POLES.

AND IT GIVES STAFF THE GUIDANCE TO, TO ADMINISTER THAT NOT ONLY DURING CONSTRUCTION, BUT THEN LONG-TERM AS THAT ATTACHMENT STAY THERE.

AND THEN AFTER THE ATTACHMENTS ARE RETIRED, I MEAN, HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT? SO IT'S ALL BUILT INTO THIS AGREEMENT.

IT'S, UH, IT'S BEEN EXECUTED BY, UH, METRO NET.

THEY'VE LOOKED AT IT AHEAD OF YOU FOLKS WHO THEY'RE HAPPY WITH IT.

STAFF'S HAPPY WITH IT.

AND, UH, RECOMMEND YOU CONSIDER IT.

CHARLIE QUESTION.

I KNOW THIS

[00:40:01]

HEY, WHEN ARE THEY COMING HERE? AND I DON'T WANT TO STEP ON THEIR TOES, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING AS FAR AS GENERALIZATION THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC, YES.

UM, STAFF IS WORKING OUT A PROCESS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO WORK OUT BETWEEN EACH ORGANIZATION, HOW WORK WILL FLOW.

WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

IT'S A LITTLE BUMPY RIGHT NOW TRYING TO COORDINATE BETWEEN BOTH WORK PROCESSES BETWEEN METRO NET, OVERHEAD WORK, UNDERGROUND WORK AND CITY STAFF.

BUT, UM, I THINK THEY WILL BE REALLY SUPPORTIVE ON, ON BEING FORWARD WITH KNOWING WHERE THEY'RE AT TODAY, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO BE AT TOMORROW AND WEATHER FORECASTING? I THINK THEIR PLAN RIGHT NOW IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM IN THE PEMBROKE AREA.

UM, THEY'RE GOING TO, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD THEIR HOT, UH, WHICH IS THE MAIN HEART OF THEIR SYSTEM.

FROM THERE.

THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HEAD TOWARDS LAWSON CREEK AND JUMP ON THE MCN FIBER.

THERE YOU GET ACROSS THE RIVER AND CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE THEM GO DOWN COUNTRY CLUB, LOWER ROAD AND START MAKING A LOOP AROUND THE CITY, GLEN BURNIE, NEUSE BOULEVARD, AND TRY TO MAKE THAT LOOP BACK INTO THE HOT AT PEMBROKE.

AND THEN CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT START BRANCHING OFF.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR BRANCHING PLANS ARE AS OF RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTMARK.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE BOARD ON THIS ITEM, MARILYN, LIKE MAKE A MOTION.

WE ADOPT A WHOLE ATTACH AGREEMENT WITH METRONET SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING ON THE SURVEY ROLL CALL STARTED WITH AUTUMN AND MINGLED ALDERMAN BAGEL? YES.

OUT A WOMAN HARRIS ALDERMAN ASKED HER MAY OR ALCOHOL AUTOMATING KINSEY ALDERMAN, BEST ALDERMAN ADAM.

YES.

MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER

[9. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving an Additional Streetlight for Carolina Street.]

AND YOUR NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERED A RESOLUTION PROVEN IN ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHT TO CAROLINA STREET.

ALFONZO NELSON IS REQUESTED THE ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTING ON CAROLINA STREET.

STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE REQUEST TO DETERMINE THE AREA THAT DOES NOT NEED THE CITY'S LIFE STANDARD RECOMMENDED.

THE ADDITION OF ONE STREET LIGHT.

THE INSTALLATION OF HIS LIGHT WILL COST $766 69 CENTS.

AND THE MONTHLY UTILITY CHARGE FOR SERVICE WILL BE $8 AND 44 CENTS.

AND MR. BOUCHARD IS ATTACHED TO AN INMATE FOR YOUR REFERENCE.

MAY I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO A DOCTOR RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHT FOR CAROLINA STREET, SECOND MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION STAND ON THE SAVVY ROLL CALL STARTED WITH ALL OF THEM.

A NOTE OF YES.

ALDERMAN BEST.

YES.

ALDERMAN KINSEY MAYER, OUTLAW ALDERMAN ASKED HER A WOMAN HARRIS ALDERMAN BAGEL.

YES.

MOTION

[10. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Submission of an Application for the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant.]

NUMBER TWO.

NEXT TIME IS CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR THE FEMA ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SEEKING THIS OFF A RELATION FIRE UP TO, TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT TO PURCHASE A SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS, THE GRANT REQUESTS FOR $284,539 AND 55 CENTS WITH A 10% MATCH, $31,615 AND 40 CENTS.

THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS ESTIMATED AT $316,153 AND 95 CENTS.

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT IS DECEMBER 17TH, A CHEAP WAY TO SEE HER TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

YEAH.

YES, YES.

SO YOU WILL KNOW IF, IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE THIS GRANT AND PAY OUR 10% MATCH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE FULL THING.

AND NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE OUR, OUR SCBA IS OUT OF DATE, NO LONGER SERVICEABLE ARE FOR REPAIR, AND THIS WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE CITY.

IF WE CAN GET THIS GRANT THAT BEING SAID, I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE FEMA ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION? YES.

WELL BOBBY OR BOBBY, WHAT'S THE AGE ON THE, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE SI THE AGE ON THE UNITS THAT ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE, WHY WE HAVE NOW PRODUCT BEING CLOSE TO TWO YEARS OLD.

OKAY.

SO IS THAT TYPICAL LIFESPAN OR IS IT TYPICALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST? WE WOULD BOB LIKE FIVE OR SIX A YEAR FOR THAT.

AND THE MANUFACTURER IS NO LONGER MAKING.

SO WE CAN'T THIS DIFFERENT POINT.

YOU CAN'T MISMATCH CPA.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, BOBBY, LET ME ASK YOU AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION ON THAT.

THIS IS THE PRICE OF THIS STBA INCLUDE THE TESTING EQUIPMENT IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY FOR OUR PEOPLE TO TEST THEM, NOT FEMALE ONLY

[00:45:01]

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING TO CORRECT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, THE OLD RETRO AND STUFF WE HAVE.

ALRIGHT.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR THAT.

YEAH.

WELL, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS TRAINED STAFF TO CERTIFY THESE, THESE AIR PACKS INSTEAD OF SENDING THEM OUT AND HAVE THEM, SOMEONE TO A THIRD PARTY TO DO IT, THEY DO IT IN HOUSE.

THEY HAD THE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND BEEN CERTIFIED TO DO IT.

SO THANK YOU BOB.

ANYBODY ELSE? SO MISS BAMFORD, WE HAVE A MOTION.

AND SECOND ON THAT.

UH, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ARLA.

BINGO.

YES.

I'M A WOMAN HARRIS.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER MAYOR ALDERMAN.

YES.

MOTION

[11. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Article VI of Chapter 70 to Designate a Portion of Tax Parcel 8-008-202 as an Additional Free Parking Lot.]

MAY.

YOUR NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE SIX OF CHAPTER 70 TO DESIGNATE A PORTION OF TAX PARCEL.

EIGHT DASH OH ZERO EIGHT DASH 2 0 2 IS ADDITIONAL FREE PARKING LOT.

THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD DESIGNATE FREE A FREE PARKING LOT.

ON THE SIDE OF THE FORMER DAYS IN HOTEL PORTION OF THE PROPERTY CLOSEST TO POLLOCK STREET WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR THAT PARKING.

THE GOAL FOR THAT PROPERTY IS TO DEVELOP THAT IN THE FUTURE.

BUT UNTIL THAT TIME IT HAS BEEN USED AS PARKING.

IF IT IS DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE, UH, AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION, THE PARKING WOULD BE REVERTED TO PRIVATE USE.

PERFECT.

THEN YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF NOT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE DOCKED IN QUESTIONS.

WHO'S GOING TO KEEP THE PLACE IT'S CITY PROPERTY.

SO THE CITY MAINTAINS THAT.

SO THERE WOULD BE A TRASH CANS OUT THERE JUST LIKE WITH ANY OTHER PIECE OF CITY PROPERTY, WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IT AS A PARKING LOT, IT WOULD STILL BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN.

CORRECT.

YEAH.

WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, MA'AM THIS IS ALL IN MY BED.

UM, SO IN THIS, I'M GOING TO INCLUDE THE WHOLE PARKING LOT OR PARKING LOT AREA OVER ON THE PALLETTE STREET SIDE.

THIS IS JUST A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.

IT'S A, UM, YOU CAN ACCESS IT FROM POLLOCK STREET WHERE THE FOUNDATION FOR THE OLD DAYS IN HOTEL IS WE HAVE BLOCKED THAT AREA BECAUSE IT'S REALLY, ISN'T SAFE TO PARK IN THAT AREA.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ONE OTHER QUESTION SAID THAT PROPERTY IS STILL UP FOR SALE.

IT IS NOT CURRENTLY FOR SALE.

WE WERE LOOKING TO DEVELOP THAT.

AND SO WE'RE JUST IN THE, IN THE, IN THE STAGES OF SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT, BUT DOES NOT ACTIVELY FOR SALE NOW.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, TWO, TWO QUESTIONS.

UM, THE, THE LIGHTS THAT ARE ON THE PARKING LOT, HAVE WE EVALUATED THEM TO SEE WHAT CONDITION THEY'RE IN? WE HAVE NOT EVALUATED THEM.

WE KNOW THAT THOSE THINGS ARE CONNECTED TO THE DAY'S END.

SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET, WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO REWIRE THEM AND PUT A METER SOMEWHERE TO DO.

I JUST THINK, AND I HAVE NO ISSUE OPENING THE THING UP FOR PARKING WHO HELPED WITH REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT AREA.

BUT I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY PURPOSES, IT NEEDS SOME LIGHTING THERE.

SO THAT'LL BE THE FIRST THING.

UM, SECOND THING IS, I THINK WE NEED TO JUST OUT OF BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS, SEND A NOTE.

IF THIS PASSES SEND A NOTIFICATION TO THOSE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY USING THAT PARKING LOT TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE DID, BUT ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT IF THAT GETS REDEVELOPED, PLEASE DON'T COME SCREAMING AT US BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF IT, BUT IT MAY GO AWAY.

WE CAN DO THAT.

THANK YOU.

UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION TOO.

UM, SOME OF THE GRAVEL IS, UM, TORIC OVER THERE.

ARE WE GONNA PUT SOME PAVEMENT DOWN OR TRY AND TIDY THAT UP A LITTLE BIT? OKAY.

'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL GOOD QUESTIONS AND GOOD CONCERNS.

YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED AS A BOARD OR WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER AS A BOARD BECAUSE THAT PROPERTY IS A KEY SITE TO THE ENTRANCE OF FIVE POINTS INTO THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA, BECAUSE IT'S THE BUFFER BETWEEN, LET'S SAY THE BROAD STREET AND THE TRENT COURT AREA COMING OVER THROUGH TO THE DUFFY FIELD AREA.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHATEVER'S DONE THERE.

IT'S DONE WITH THE BEST INTENT AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE TOTAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL THAT IT WILL SERVE.

SO AT THIS POINT IT SERVES THE NEED FOR PARKING, BUT IT MAY NOT SERVE THAT SAME NEED AS WE GO DOWN THE ROAD TO DEVELOP IT AND PUT IT TO A BETTER AND HIGHER USE.

AND, AND AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THAT AREA, THAT PEOPLE WERE PARKING IN THERE.

ANYWAY, IT WAS UNSAFE.

IT WAS NOT LIKE, UH, IT WAS STILL OUR PROPERTY REGARDLESS OF EITHER.

AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, SO WE COULD HAVE GONE AND PUT A ROPE UP THERE, LIKE NOBODY IN THERE.

AND

[00:50:01]

YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE CONCERNS LIKE, UH, ALDERMAN ODOM IN THE SIDE.

I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE USE NOW, BUT IT'S NOT FAIR FOR TURBIDITY OR FOR ALL PURPOSES.

IT MAY, IT MAY CHANGE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHEN, BUT I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT WE STATE THAT UP FRONT AND WE'RE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE SIX OF CHAPTER 70 TO DESIGNATE A PORTION OF TAX PARCEL, EIGHT DASH 0 0 8 DASH 2 0 2 AS AN ADDITIONAL FREE PARKING LOT, SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND DESERVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.

OBERMAN ADAMS. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.

MOTION CARRIES.

[12. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Article II. Fire Prevention Code of Chapter 30 “Fire Prevention and Protection”.]

THE WEST CRAVEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DESIRES TO INSTALL ABOVE GROUND FUEL STORAGE TANKS AS PART OF ITS DAILY OPERATIONS AT THE CRAVEN COUNTY SCHOOLS FACILITY SERVICES BUILDING LOCATED AT NINE 50 HIGHWAY 55 WEST PURSUANT TO SECTION 30 DASH 40 OF ARTICLE TWO, THE FIRE PREVENTION CODE CHAPTER 30.

UH, THE ORDINANCE MUST BE A MINUTE TO ADD.

THIS SITE IS AN APPROVED DISTRICT FOR THE ABOVE GROUND STORE FUEL STORAGE.

AND WE'VE GOT FIRE MARSHALL, DANNY HILL TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE COME UP, DANNY, PLEASE.

UM, THIS IS ALL GOOD.

THAT'S WHY I HAVE A QUITE SIMPLY YES MA'AM UM, YES.

UM, MR. NEIL, I KNOW THAT YOU AND T FORD IN YOUR DEPARTMENT Y'ALL HAVE ACTUALLY, UM, DID YOUR, UM, BUT WITH ME AND CITIZENS, THIS IS LOCATED AT NINE.

SEE HOW IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO , YOU GET A LITTLE KIND OF A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, HESITANT ABOUT HAVING THOSE LIGHTS FOR SLAM HOLES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.