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NOW GOD IS, WE AM TO COME BEFORE YOU AGAIN.
THE THING, THE REALITY PROBABLY IS THIS BOY, LOOK AT THE BUDGET CRISIS.
FATHER, LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP US TO OVERCOME.
YOU HELPED US SO MUCH IN THE PAST FALL WHERE THE DEVIL CONTINUE TO BLESS US IN A MIGHTY WAY THAT WE'VE MADE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW BLESSED IS BALL ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS MALE PILOT THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON IN YOUR WORD, THAT THEY MAY REALIZE THAT WE ALL ARE BROTHERS KEEPER.
THAT'D BE OF BOTH BE CONCERNED WITH, WELL ENOUGH.
FIRST THING WE HAVE AT NIGHT IS THE PRESENTATION LAYER.
GRANT FUNDS, GROVE CEMETERY, EARL CRAVEN CHAP.
MAYOR BAYLESS AND THE ALDERMAN.
I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE QUESTERS ALONG WITH MY FELLOW MEMBERS.
OUR CHAPTER IS MADE UP OF A SMALL GROUP OF WOMEN LIVING IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT WHO HAVE A MUTUAL INTEREST IN ANTIQUES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO READ A LETTER FROM WE TO YOU.
WE, THE 18 MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF QUESTERS WISH TO DONATE TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN, $6,500 FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE TWO MAUSOLEUMS AT CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY.
QUESTERS IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN MTA EQUITY.
OUR LOCAL CHAPTER HAS MADE OUR OBJECTIVE, THE RESTORATION OF CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY.
TODAY WE HAVE ASSISTED DANNY AND HIS WONDERFUL DEPARTMENT IN THE RESTORATION OF THE ENTRY GATES, THE RESTORATION OF THE FOUNTAIN, A LONG WITH THE CITY IN AND TONIGHT, INCLUDING OUR GIFT.
WE HAVE GIVEN 11,500 TO THE CITY TOWARDS THE RESTORATION OF THIS IMPORTANT HISTORIC SITE IN THE FUTURE.
WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE IN THESE TIMES OF TREMENDOUS STRESS IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY.
WE HOPE THAT THIS GESTURE WILL HELP IN SOME SMALL WAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
AND WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER THIS, ACCEPTING THIS.
UH, LET ME, LET ME SAY A FEW WORDS FOR YOU.
LEAVE PODIUM, BUT I'D LIKE TO PELVIC, THESE LADIES HAVE DONE A LOT OF THAT CEMETERY AND I WAS OUT THERE WITH THEM IN ONE PARTICULAR APPLICATION.
AND, UH, AS I TOLD THEM, I WENT AROUND AND FOUND A COUPLE OF RELATIVES THAT HAD BEEN OUT THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE REALLY GET MY RELATIVES CAN SPEAK.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU LEAVING A GOOD LEGACY FOR US HERE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PUT IT UP,
I MEAN, IF YOU WANTED TO PRESENT IT ACTUALLY PRESENTED ACROSS AN APPLE NANNY KEEPS JUMPING UP, LIKE, HE'S TRUE.
NOW THIS ISN'T GOING TO COST THIS.
ISN'T GOING TO COST THE CITY A DIME TO RESTORE THESE TWO.
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IS A LETTER OF COMMITMENT.DO WE HAVE THE MONEY? YES, WE DO.
BUT BECAUSE WE WENT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL $5,000 GRANT OF WHICH THERE WERE 47, UM, APPLICANTS, ONLY 21 WERE GRANTED AND CEDAR GROVE WAS ONE OF THE 21 AND THERE WERE ONLY 5,000 OF WHICH WE WERE ONE AND THE REST WE HAVE, WE HAVE RAISED.
SO YES, WE HAVE THE MONEY AND YES, WE NEED TO TAKE PICTURES AS WE GIVE THIS AND WE NEED TO HAVE, AND DANNY KNOWS THIS, THESE RESTORED BY MAY 1ST, 2000 INTO.
AND I THINK DANNY IS ON TOP OF THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT YOU HAVE THE MONEY AND THIS LETTER IS OUR COMMITMENT.
THIS MARRIAGE HAD ANOTHER GOOD INDICATION AND CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS COMING FORWARD TO HELP US OUT.
YEAH, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT, IF YOU UNDERSTAND MANY TIMES THAT WAS ONE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES I HAD AS A MINOR AND THE PUBLIC IS NOT AS AWARE AS IT SHOULD, BUT HE CAN COMMIT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GOOD WORK BASICALLY AROUND THIS CITY IS DONE BY VOLUNTEERS AND IT GOES UNNOTICED.
SO ANYTIME THAT YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO STAND UP AND TAKE CREDIT FOR IT, I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO APPLAUD YOU.
IN FACT, IF THE CAMERAMAN CAN SWING AROUND AND GIVE A SHOT AT
UH, IF I MAY HAVE JUST A SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK MRS. COLLISON AND ALL OF THE OTHER LADIES, I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES HOW THE RETIREES WHO COME TO OUR AREA TAKES SUCH AN INTEREST IN WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND WORK SO HARD FOR US AS VOLUNTEERS IN SO MANY THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT THEM.
UH, YOUR HUSBAND, KURT HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO US AND THE WORK THAT HE DID, UH, ON THIS, THIS RESTATE, WE HAVE REACHED WITH GETTING SOME WORK DONE ON THE OLD RAILROADS.
IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO SEE IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.
WE THANK ALL OF YOU, ROBIN, THE INSPIRATION.
AND NEXT THING WE HAVE BY THEN THIS REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS IS ANYBODY HERE UNDER THAT HEADING IT IS YOU'VE RAISED YOUR HAND AND THERE'S NOT.
NEXT THING WE HAVE THEN IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER CERTIFICATES OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO OPERATE TAXI CABS IN THE CITY OF DUBIN CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING.
EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THIS FIRST READING.
YOU COME FORWARD WITH CHEAP RENT DONE ONE DAYS IN A WHILE.
SO I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT SEQUENCE OF AWESOME IF YOU JUST TURN, OKAY, COME ON.
MY NAME IS, UH, JOMAR WIRELESS OF NEW SAFEWAY TAXI.
I'M THE PRESIDENT CEO, UH, I'M THE GENTLEMEN THAT, UH, TOOK OVER MR. WILLIE NEWKIRK.
UM, SO I'M LIKE FIRST SAY HELLO TO THE BOARD AND MR. MAYOR.
AND I SAY IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, UM, AT SERVING YOU GUYS AND SERVING THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVEN'T HAD TOO MANY PROBLEMS. IT WAS JUST ONE ISSUE THAT I WANTED TO COME BEFORE YOU GUYS TONIGHT TO, UH, DISCUSS.
AND THAT IS AN ISSUE OF, UM, OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'VE SEEN ABOUT THE CITY, UM, ACTING AS THEY ARE TAXI CABS, WHEN THEY REALLY AREN'T.
HE HAS GONE TO THE EXTENT OF WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACTUALLY STARTED POSTING, UH, THEY'VE ACTUALLY COME UP WITH NAMES AND STARTED PLACING THEM ON THEIR, VIA ON THEIR VEHICLES, WHEREVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND I KIND OF JUST WENT TO THIS, YOU KNOW, WANT IT TO KNOW WHAT IS CONSIDERED A TAXI CAB AND WHAT IS NOT APPARENT I HAVE HAD I'VE HAD HERE BEFORE ME.
UM, THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE ON ONE IN PARTICULAR, THE NAME OF THE COMPANY IS TNL TRANSPORT SERVICE.
AND IT'S RUN BY MR. STEVEN TOON, WHO WAS A FORMER DRIVER OF MINE.
AND HE'S A P APPLIED FOR A, UH, PRIVILEGED LICENSE.
I THINK THAT YOU GET FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR, OR IF YOU WANT TO OPEN UP ANY TYPE OF BUSINESS, I THINK YOU HAVE TO GET THAT FROM THEM.
AND HE STATED ON HIS APPLICATION THAT HE IS A TRANSPORT PICKUP
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AND DELIVERY SERVICE.ALONG WITH THAT, HE IS DOING THE SAME THING THAT I, THAT WE DO AS TAXI CABS, WHICH IS PICKING UP INDIVIDUALS AND DROPPING INDIVIDUALS OFF WHEREVER THEY MAY WANT TO GO ABOUT THE CITY.
AND WE AS OWNERS AND AS TAXI CAB OPERATORS, FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE PAY OUR CITY, PRIVILEGED, FRENCH FRANCHISES, THINGS FOR THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE BEHOLDING TO YOU GUYS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO LOOK A CERTAIN WAY.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO ACT A CERTAIN WAY.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF, IS WHAT ARE THEY, IF THEY'RE NOT A TAXI CAB? AND IF THEY'RE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT HIGH DOLLAR INSURANCE AND LOOK A CERTAIN WAY, UM, HOW CAN THEY OPERATE AS WE DO? AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I MIGHT AS WELL STRIP EVERYTHING OFF OF MY CARS AND BECOME JUST AS WHAT THEY ARE AND, AND PAY NOTHING.
AND DON'T PAY THAT HIGH DOLLAR INSURANCE, JUST GET REGULAR TAGS AND OPERATE ASSETS.
SO REALLY, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THE REMEDY THAT I COULD TAKE IN STOPPING THIS BECAUSE REALLY, TRULY THEY ARE EATING AWAY AT OUR BUSINESS.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT CITIZENS ARE DOING.
THEY'RE FINDING OUT ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.
AND INSTEAD OF PAYING THE FAIRS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR METERS, THEY UNDERCUT US AND CHARGE WHERE WE WOULD SAY CHARGE $7.
THEY'LL COME BEHIND US AND CHARGE FIVE.
AND WHAT IF YOU WERE A CITIZEN, I THINK YOU TAKE THE LOWER DOLLAR AMOUNT TO GET WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT, WHAT REMEDY COULD I COULD, COULD WE DO TO KIND OF PUT INTO THAT? AND I MEAN, THIS IS NO SECRET THAT THE PERSON IN QUESTION I'M TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S NOT ONLY HIM IS HIM AND SEVERAL OTHERS, BUT THIS PARTICULAR PERSON HAS NO HAS NO SHAME.
HE SHOWS NO DOUBT IN WHAT HE'S DOING.
IN FACT, HE HAS POSTED IT ON HIS VEHICLE, THAT HE IS TNL TRANSPORT SERVICES.
I SEE HIM PICK IT UP ONE DAY I WAS GOING INTO EGRETS AND, UH, HE WAS OUT THERE PICKING UP A CLIENT JUST AS I GOING IN JUST AS, JUST AS ONE OF MY TAXES.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT, INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO PAY ALL THE THINGS THAT I HAVE TO PAY AND KEEP THE HIGH DOLLAR INSURANCE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
WHENEVER ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL CAN COME IN AND CALL HIMSELF A TRANSPORT SERVICE AND OPERATE JUST AS I DO, WE HAVE THE CHIEF POLICE RIGHT THERE AS BLANK.
UM, ACTUALLY IT IS A SECRET BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY THERE ARE REMEDIES.
THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE.
IF THEY'RE DOING THAT, UM, JAMAL, IF YOU'D GET WITH ME, GIVE ME THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE AND WE'LL INVESTIGATE AND WE'LL DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STOPPED DOING IT.
BUT WE HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT IT FIRST.
AND YOU KNOW, WE, THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT.
AS SOON AS WE KNOW WHO IT IS AND WORK ON IT LAST TIME YOU CALLED ME WE DON'T WAIT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT SORT OF THING WHATSOEVER.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE HADN'T GOTTEN A RESULTS OR WHATEVER, THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT WE AGREE WITH YOU THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LICENSES FOR, AND THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT.
THAT'S THE AMERICAN WAY YOU CAN BUY IT, BUY IT FOR $5.
SO SEVEN, WHY NOT? WELL, THE LITTLE CAVEAT THAT COMES WITH THAT IS IT.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY IS GOING TO GUARANTEE YOU CERTAIN THINGS WITH LIKE, WITH A TAXI LICENSE, LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, DID YOU HAVE INSURANCE? AND DID YOU HAVE NON FELONS, A DRIVING THE CABS AND ALL THAT SORT OF BUSINESS AS IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH THE PUBLIC IS NEEDED IN THE PAST, AT LEAST HISTORICALLY THAT IT WASN'T BORN.
THAT'S WHAT THE LICENSE MEANS.
AND SO THAT, I MEAN, IT'S JUST LIKE GETTING AN AIRPLANE OR SOMETHING AND NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRIVER OR WHAT THESE, THE PILOT OF THE AUTOPILOT OR WHATEVER.
AND MR. MAYOR, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
IT ALSO GUARANTEES WHAT JAMAL WAS TALKING ABOUT, THAT WHEN YOU GET INTO THE CAB, IF IT'S A CITY FRANCHISE CAB THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOT INSURANCE, SO GOD FORBID YOU GET IN AN ACCIDENT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S LIABILITY INSURANCE, THAT'LL COVER YOU TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
AND IF YOU GET INTO WHAT WE COMMONLY REFER TO IN THE BIG TOWN IS GYPSY CABS.
THEN THOSE ARE CALVES THAT OPERATE WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY.
THEN YOU TAKING A CHANCE ON WHO'S DRIVING, WHETHER THEY GOT INSURANCE, WHAT THE SITUATION IS GOING TO, WHAT THE FARE IS GOING TO BE.
IT MIGHT START OUT ONE WAY AND END UP ANOTHER WAY.
AND YOU GOT NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO NOT UTILIZE CABS THAT ARE NOT FRANCHISED BY THE CITY.
WELL, WHAT IT DOES IS IT FORCES THE ILLEGAL PAM OUT OF BUSINESS, PETE, AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A CHILDREN'S.
SO RELATIVE TO THE APPLICANTS FOR THE FRANCHISES, UH, I REVIEWED ALL THE APPLICATIONS AND, UH, FOUND NO, UH, INDICATIONS OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THE APPLICANTS, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT, UH, ONE APPLICANT REQUESTED TWO, UH, FRANCHISES.
AND BY MY CALCULATIONS, THERE'S ONLY
[00:15:01]
ONE, UH, VACANT FRANCHISE AVAILABLE.UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO ONE OF THE APPLICANTS THAT IS IN THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD TO DEAL WITH, NOT ME, UNFORTUNATELY.
DO WE NEED TO BOTTLE OF THESE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY OR WHAT YOU BEEN DRINKING? WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO IS, UM, I'VE CONTEMPLATED DOING IT AS A GROUP.
UM, BUT IF I CAN DO IT INDIVIDUALLY, WE CAN SORT OF COMBINE.
AND HOW DO WE BACK FIRST HERE, WE NEED TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE, UH, PROMOTION WITH OVER ONE FOR FURTHER REVIEW, OR, UH, YOU COULD DO THAT.
UM, WE WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE IF YOU COULD DO IT THAT WAY AND WANT TO CONTINUE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
IT WILL GIVE US A CHANCE TO LOOK INTO IT MORE THAN, OKAY, BUT THIS WOULD NOT, THIS WOULD NOT PREVENT THE COMPANIES FROM CONTINUING TO OPERATE AS THEY ARE NOW.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO IF YOU MADE A MOTION.
BUT, AND, AND, UH, GRANT THE FRANCHISES TO ALL THE REMAINING APPLICANTS, TAKE IT SEPARATELY.
THAT'S YOUR FIRST MOTION AND WHATNOT IS TO DELAY THE PUBLIC
I DON'T HAVE TO HEAR IT AT THIS YEAR.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO HEAR IT ANYMORE WITH IF THEY WANT TO ACT ONE IN THE FUTURE, WE'VE GOT A LAG PERIOD.
THEY DON'T HAVE NO, I MEAN, ALL I NEED TO DO IS ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO HEAR NICE TO HEAR.
AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO A PERIOD, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO HEAR IT, SO YOU CAN GO.
SO IF WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS, AS IT STANDS, NOW THAT ONE WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE, UH, GRANTED, OR IT WILL BE AS BY APPROVING THIS AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A FRANCHISE HAS TO BE READY TO FLIGHTS, RIGHT? SO IF WE EXCLUDE ONE PERSON THAT WE LATER WANT TO ADD, WE'VE GOT THERE.
WE'VE GOT TO READ THE ADDITIONAL ONES TWICE.
SEEMS LIKE MOST TO DO IS TO HAVE A NORMAL RANGE WHEN THEY ASK ONE, CORRECT.
DO I HEAR A MOTION, MR. MAYOR? HE'S NOT EVEN ON THE LIST.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS THING IN THE BACK OF HIS APPLICATION, UH, THE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE FOLLOWING HANDMADE APPLICATIONS VERSUS CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, AND HIS NAME IS NOT EVEN LISTED THERE.
WELL, YEAH, BUT HE'S NOT ON THIS LIST.
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WITH WHO'S ON THIS LIST IS NEXT, THE WAY THIS ONE IS, IT DOES NOT HAVE HIM FIRST HERE.
WE'LL DO THE FIRST MOTION YOU'VE MADE THEM.
THE NEW MOTION IS HIS NEW MOTION WAS TO ADOPT THE ORDERS ON THE FIRST READING MINUS ONE, APPLE.
HE WON'T SAY THIS ORDINANCE IS EVERY APPLICANT, EXCLUDING MR. TURNER.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT.
WHO IS ON FIRST THING? I THINK THE, I THINK THE CONFUSING THING, I THINK THE THING THAT'S CONFUSING IS THE APPLICATION IS INCLUDED WITH THE PACKET.
ALTHOUGH HIS NAME IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE PAPERWORK.
IF THIS, IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN THERE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO CONFUSING TO ME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REALLY WHAT WE WANT.
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WE DON'T WANT TO THE RIGHT.AND IT LOOKED LIKE SUCH A SIMPLE THING.
YOU HEAR IT HERE? YES, YES, YES.
IS IT, OH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT.
IT'S GOING TO JUMP HERE A SECOND.
IF NOT, CALL ROLL, PLEASE, MAN.
I DON'T HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT, BUT I DO HAVE A VACANCY ON THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD THAT I LIKE TO HAVE A LADY WAS INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
IS THAT WHEN YOU KEEP ADVERTISING? WELL, I GOT, I GOT AN ADVERTISEMENT BY ADVERTISING.
I GOT A NOMINEE BY ADVERTISER.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY ASK ABOUT WE'LL.
WE'LL TALK NOTHING AT THIS TIME, SIR.
I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT BELL AND TAYLOR FARMS. UH, HE'S VERY WELL QUALIFIED FOR THE VARIOUS SERVICES.
I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO GO OVER TO RALEIGH, TO ATTEND A TOWN HALL DAY.
TOWN HALL DAY IS A DAY WHEN THE NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES ENCOURAGES ALL THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO COME TO MEET WITH THEIR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES, TO TALK ABOUT, UH, ITEMS OF INTEREST.
AND THE MAIN SUBJECT TODAY WAS THE, UH, GOVERNOR WITHHOLDING THE FUNDS AND SURELY LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES, ALICE UNDERHILL AND WE WAYNE WHITE AND SCOTT, THOMAS ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO, UH, GET THE BILLS PASSED AND SECURE LOCAL REVENUES.
THERE'S A BILL IN THE HOUSE THAT HAS A 74 SPONSORS.
THERE'S A BILL IN THE SENATE THAT HAS A NUMBER OF SPONSORS.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NAME, A NUMBER, BUT ALL THE, UH, THE ONES THAT SUPPORTED OR ARE WELL-KNOWN.
AND, UH, SCOTT THOMAS IS A, UH, A LEADER IN THAT.
AND DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET ANY MONEY FROM THE MONEY THAT WAS WITHHELD THIS YEAR.
UH, THERE'S SKEPTICISM ABOUT WHETHER WE WILL GET IT, UH, FOR THE YEAR 2003.
THE BIG THING THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO INCREASE THE SALES TAX, BUT ONE HALF CENT.
AND THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE UP THE, UH, TO MAKE UP THE SHORTFALL.
AND I THINK WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO IS TRY TO ADVANCE THAT, UH, HALF CENT SALES TAX AND THEY GET EFFECTIVE MAYBE AUGUST 1ST, WHICH WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM WHAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY.
SO THERE IS SOME HOPE, UH, NOT, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT, UH, THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
AND, UH, THERE'S SO MANY SPONSORS OF THESE BILLS THAT I'M SURE THEY'LL ENCOURAGE THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN THE BILL ONCE IT GETS TO, UH, ONCE IT GETS TO HIS DESK.
AND IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO SIT IN AND WATCH THE LEGISLATURE WORK WITH THAT.
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE GOING OVER THERE AND SITTING IN THE GALLERY.
AND I THINK I'LL GO BACK AND FIND OUT THE, UH, MORE ABOUT HOW THEY OPERATE.
THE, MY NEXT VISIT IS JULY THE 10TH.
GO BACK THERE TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL BE DOING ON THAT DAY.
HOW ABOUT LATIN US? I'M JUST AN OBSERVER.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE APPOINTMENT SECTION FOR A MOMENT, PLEASE.
I NOTICED SOMETHING AND ESCAPE MY, UH, MY ATTENTION HERE THAT, THAT THE BOARD, I GUESS SOME MEMBER OF THE BOARD NEEDS TO, UH, FORMALIZE A NOMINATION
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TO THE NEUSE RIVER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.UH, CLARA ADD MORE AS RECOMMENDED BY MICHAEL MIKE, AVERY, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND INSPECTIONS WHO IS NOT HERE AT THIS TIME.
BUT IF YOU COULD CHECK ON THAT AND ONE OF US, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO DO IT, OR WHOEVER MAY NEED TO DO THAT.
SO WE CAN MOVE, MOVE THAT THROUGH THE, THE WORD.
UM, AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY, MR. UH, CITY MANAGER THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT WE NEED TO NOMINATE, MAKE THAT NOMINATION.
THIS IS MICHAEL LAVERY REQUESTED IT DOESN'T HAVE A WORD YET.
NO, THERE'S NO WAR DESIGNATION.
IN OTHER WORDS, JUST BY THE, UH, THE, UH, MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND CENSUS IS THE NEWSROOM OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR THE MAYOR TO DO IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
AND I ALSO FIND THAT THERE ARE SOME, UH, NOMINATIONS TO BE MADE, UH, TO THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
AND I DID NOT REALIZE THAT MR. BELCHER'S TERM WAS ENDING.
HE HAS ONE MORE YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY, SO HE CAN BE REAPPOINTED FOR ONE MORE YEAR.
ACCORDING TO THIS, IT SAYS, UH, FROM VICKY JOHNSON SAYS I'M SUBMITTING THE NAME OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBER WHOSE TERM WILL EXPIRE ON JULY THE FIRST 2002, THE MEMBER ON IT.
IT SAYS, CANNOT SERVE A CONSECUTIVE TERM.
SO THAT, UH, I'LL CHECK INTO, AND AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
IS THERE ANY URGENCY IN DOING THAT? UH, CHEAP? UH, WELL, WE DO NEED A BOARD, BUT VICKI AND I WENT OVER TO THE ORDINANCE AND THERE SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT COULD BE SERVED AND THE, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE HAS WRITTEN IT, IT ADDRESSES THE INITIAL BOARD AND THE INITIAL BOARD SPEAKS ABOUT A ONE-YEAR TERM FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS AND THEN TWO YEAR TERM FOR OTHER MEMBERS.
BUT THE CONCEPT IS THAT'S IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR STAGGERING, BUT THAT'S JUST FOR THE INITIAL BOARD.
SO FUTURE APPOINTMENTS WILL BE TWO YEAR APPOINTMENTS, RIGHT? SO WE WON'T HAVE THIS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO ONE YEAR AND WHO'S TWO YEAR AND ALL OF THAT.
SO WE PRETTY MUCH GOT THAT SQUARED AWAY.
AND THE FUTURE APPOINTMENTS WILL BE FOR TWO YEARS EXCEPT FOR ONE PERSON.
SO THEN THIS LETTER ABOUT MR. BELCHER SAYS THAT, UH, BLAKE HAS ACTUALLY SERVED ONE YEAR AND IS ELIGIBLE FOR A SECOND YEAR TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, OR THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME AND CANNOT SERVE AGAIN.
BECAUSE, WELL, THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF URGENCY TO MIKE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S WHY I WAS PASSING IT ONTO THE CHIEF HERE.
LET HIM DO THE HARD WORK, CORRECT.
THAT SHOULD BE APPOINTED OR REAPPOINTED TO THAT BOARD.
BUT I THINK THAT IT'S OF THAT, BUT SHE'S ON IT NOW SAY WE NEED TO KNOW ON AN AVERAGE NOW LET'S FIND OUT EXACTLY.
HOW ABOUT THE ATTORNEYS REPORTING CITY MANAGER ONE TONIGHT I'M PRESENTING YOU WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I HAVE THE BUDGET MESSAGE AND A BUDGET SUMMARY HERE THAT SHOWS THE FUND LAW REQUIRED FOR THE FUND TO BE IMBALANCED.
ALL OF THOSE FUNDS ARE IN BALANCE.
UH, I'LL JUST TOUCH ON THIS, UH, MESSAGE AGAIN, THIS MESSAGE IS MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.
THIS BOARD STILL HAS TO CONSIDER ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND RULING ON WHAT IS DONE AND WHY NOT.
UH, LET ME SAY ONE OF THE THINGS HERE IS THAT, UH, THERE'S BEEN A BIG EFFECT ON OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR FROM THREE AREAS.
THE FIRST AREA IS THE ECONOMY WENT SOUTH, UH, THAT HAD A EFFECT ON A LOT OF OUR SALES TAX REVENUE AND A LOT OF OUR OTHER ECONOMY RELATED REVENUES THAT WE WERE ALREADY ANTICIPATING, WHICH STOPPED BANK ACCOUNT.
IT'S NOT THE SAME STORY, BUT IT HAS THE IMPACTED CITIES AS WELL AS COUNTY.
UH, THE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT THIS YEAR, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE HAVE JUST HAD A LOT OF HEALTH CLAIMS. OUR HEALTH INSURANCE HAS
[00:30:01]
TAKEN A HIT AND WE'VE HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.AND SO THAT IS FUNDED IN HERE AND THAT IF THAT WAS NOT FUNDED IN HERE IN THIS BUDGET, JUST BY YOUR FROGGY AMOUNT OF 5% LAST YEAR, WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, AS IT STANDS, THIS BUDGET IS A LITTLE LESS THAN 1% LESS THAN THE YEAR WE'RE IN.
THAT'S TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND.
ONLY WHAT I'M REFERRING TO THE LAST ISSUE IS, UH, UH, GOVERNOR EASILY AND STROKE OF HIS PEN, UH, EARLIER IN THE YEAR IN FEBRUARY, UH, HAS CAUSED US TO LOSE SIGNIFICANT REVENUE THIS YEAR.
AND OF COURSE THE STATE'S BUDGET PRICES.
THAT'S UPCOMING, UH, AS MR. MATTINGLY JUST ELATED TO, UH, IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD FOR WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS CALLED LOCAL REIMBURSEMENT, BUT THE LEVEL OF REIMBURSEMENT WE'RE REALLY GIVING US MONEY FOR LOCAL TAXES THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE REPEALED, UH, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND WHEN THEY REVEALED THEM, THEY SAID, WELL, WE WON'T HURT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT MONEY BACK.
SO THEY WON'T HURT YOU AND A DIAPER.
I DON'T GET IT, BUT THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME COMING ACROSS WITH IT.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO TRY TO RECTIFY THAT, BUT THOSE THREE THINGS THAT REALLY IMPACTED OUR BUDGET SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR, AS A RESULT, WE'VE HAD TO REALLY CUT BACK ON OUR BUDGET JUST TO BASICALLY STAY EVEN WITH THE BOARD.
UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS BUDGET OR THAT ARE NOT IN THIS BUDGET, I'LL JUST SAY, UH, NUMBER ONE IS COST OF LIVING INCREASES AND MERIT INCREASES FOR SITTING IN BOYS THIS YEAR.
THERE'S, NON-RECOMMENDED THAT THE FIRST TIME THAT THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ANYWAY, AND IT'S THE 16TH BUDGET THAT I'VE PRESENTED TO THIS BOARD.
SO IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, UH, AND WE'VE GIVEN, WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EMPLOYEES GOT SOME COSTS HAD TO RATE EACH YEAR THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF THIS, UH, ALL OF THESE FACTORS.
UH, IT'S JUST NOT REALLY POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO IT WITHOUT REALLY HITTING PEOPLE EVEN HARDER THAN WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO HIT UP HERE IN THIS BUDGET.
UH, IF ADDITIONAL FUNDS COME IN, THEN MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE FIRST CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO, UH, GIVING SOME, UH, COST OF LIVING INCREASES CONSIDERATION TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
UH, BUT THAT'S CONTINGENT ON FUNDS COMING IN.
UM, AS I'M SAYING IN THIS MESSAGE THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND OUR COMMUNITIES WON'T BE IMPACTED BY THIS BUDGET.
THERE'S NO FUNDING IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL, NO FUNDING FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS PROGRAMS FOR TRI COUNTY, SENIOR CITIZENS.
THERE'S ANOTHER FUNDING IN HIS BUDGET FOR THE VETERANS.
UH, I RECOMMENDED IN THE BUDGET AT LEAST FOR THIS YEAR THAT THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM, BECAUSE, UH, STRAIGHT UP KEITH AND TEVA HAS BEEN PUSHED INTO FUTURE YEARS AS A RESULT OF, UH, BUDGET.
UH, WE HAVE FROZEN AND CONTINUE TO FREEZE VACANT POSITIONS IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE A NUMBER AT LEAST EIGHT POLICE OFFICER VACANCIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS AT PRESENT TIME.
UH, SOME OTHERS ARE IMPACTED BY LACK OF GRANT FUNDING.
AND AS A RESULT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST MAIL AT THAT ARE, THEY ARE ALLOWED, IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM WHAT IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
UH, AND THAT WILL AFFECT SERVICE.
IT WILL MEAN THAT NOT NECESSARILY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE, BUT FOR NON-EMERGENCY SERVICE, THAT MAY MEAN PEOPLE WILL WAIT LONGER IN ORDER TO GET A POLICE OFFICER TO THEIR DOOR.
UH, NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE WITHOUT CALLS AND THE POLICE ARE JUST AN EXAMPLE HERE.
THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO.
AND, UH, IT IS, UH, REALLY, UH, M IS IMPACTING AND WILL IMPACT US AS WE GO ON THROUGH THE YEAR.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY FIREWORKS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT YEAR IN THIS BUDGET.
SO FOR THEM, FOR THE FOLLOWING JULY, THERE ARE NO FIREWORKS SCHEDULE HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MAINTENANCE OR IMPROVEMENT TO ANY OF OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS IN THIS BUDGET.
SO CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO STOP WRITING THIS YEAR.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, WE USUALLY GIVE THE EMPLOYEES A CHRISTMAS DINNER AND THAT'S BEEN CUT OUT OF THIS BUTTON.
WE USUALLY GIVE THEM A $25 CERTIFICATE TO GET SOMETHING AT WALMART OR ONE OF THE STORES OR AT A GROCERY STORE OR AT CHRISTMAS DINNER OR SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CUT OUT OF THIS BUDGET.
UM, THE CITY PICNIC CAN REMOVE FROM THIS BUDGET.
IT'S BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS UPCOMING BUDGET, MY RECOMMENDATION, UM,
[00:35:01]
THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR OPERATIONS.AND, UH, IF WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE HURRICANE THIS YEAR, I THINK WE'RE GONNA REALLY HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO SOME REAL SERIOUS LOOKING AT WHAT, HOW WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH MONEY TO DO THIS.
WE COULD PROBABLY HANDLE ONE HURRICANE IF WE GET REIMBURSED FROM THE FED AND THE STATE.
AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU'RE IN THE FISCAL YEAR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE STRETCHED THIN WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO.
OR WHAT I PLAN TO DO WITH THIS BUDGET IS TO, UH, ONCE IT'S ADOPTED BY THE BOARD AND IT GOES INTO EFFECT IN JULY, WE HAVE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S BEEN DEADLINE BECAUSE WE'VE NOT REPAIRED IT CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS GO AND TAKE THE MONEY WE HAVE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND FIX ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT, GET EVERYTHING READY, AND WE'RE GOING TO REALLY TRY AND KEEP IT ALL IN A HIGH STATE OF MAINTENANCE, UH, FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHEN THE HURRICANE SEASON IS IN, SO THAT IF SOMETHING COMES OUT WITH AND IT WILL BE READY TO BE USED, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT WE CAN HANDLE WHATEVER COMES UP, UH, COMING UP AROUND DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
THEN WHEN HURRICANE SEASON ENDS UNDER THIS BUDGET, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GO RIGHT BACK INTO A SHUTDOWN MODE, JUST LIKE WE DID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FEBRUARY, WHEN THE GOVERNOR CUT US OFF AGAIN.
AND SO WE'LL AT THAT TIME, STOP REPAIRING NON-ESSENTIALS AND WE WILL GO RIGHT BACK INTO IT, HOPING WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IN ORDER TO, UH, FUND OUR OPERATIONS.
EVEN THE, I HAVE TO RESOLVE THIS.
WE'RE NOT, I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE LOWER OUR TAX RATE.
I'M NOT RECOMMENDING ANY TAX RATE GAIN.
I AM RECOMMENDING HERE A 4% ELECTRIC TEAM.
WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT WE COULD MITIGATE THAT MORE, BUT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE OTHER CONSTRAINTS ON STATE MIND EVERYWHERE JUST REALLY WAS NO WAY TO DO IT.
WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT AND FREE US FROM THE POWER AGENCY AND WE HAD NO CHOICE REALLY, BUT TO RECOMMEND THAT WE PASS AT LEAST 4% OF THAT ALONG A COUPLE OF GUYS MAINTAIN OUR SYSTEM.
IF WE DON'T, THEN WHEN THE STORM'S DONE, WE ARE GOING TO BE REAL SERIOUS DROUGHT.
UM, WE'VE GOT ALL THE WATER FUND HAS, UH, IS DOING OKAY.
THE WASTE TREATMENT PLANT IS, SHOULD COME ONLINE.
THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND MAYBE COMPLETE THE FOREIGN PROJECTS SOMETIME, UH, EITHER THIS FISCAL YEAR OR INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND, UH, WE EXPECT THAT THAT WILL BE OKAY NOW THE WASTE TREATMENT PLAN DEBT SERVICES, NORMALLY COMING UP IN THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR THAT FOLLOWS THIS UP, KNOWING WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT RIGHTS IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT GENERATING ENOUGH REVENUE TO MEET THAT.
SO THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE CONSIDERATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, NOT THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT IN THE FUTURE.
WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE.
WE'LL HAVE TO DETERMINE THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO IT, THAT'S THE BAD NEWS.
THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS IN THIS ONE IS WE'RE NOT REALLY LAYING OFF ANY EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S ONE EMPLOYEE THAT, UH, WE'LL BE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE SHIFTED AROUND FROM THE MUSEUM.
WE ARE HOPING TO KEEP THAT EMPLOYEE ON, PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY OF REEFER RELOAD FAMILY INTO A VACANT POSITION THAT'S IN THE CITY.
UM, THAT'S THE ONLY JOB REALLY THAT'S BEEN ELIMINATED IN THIS BUDGET.
ALTHOUGH A NUMBER OF JOBS HAVE BEEN FROZEN IN THIS BUCKET AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE FROZEN AS LONG AS THE MONEY IS AS TIGHT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE DO, UH, THIS BOARD HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT LOOKING AFTER THE PEOPLE THAT THE CITY HAS, WHICH IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE AND THAT, AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF DOING THAT THIS YEAR BY JUST KEEPING EVERYBODY ON WITHOUT HAVING TO LAY OFF.
SECONDLY, I ALSO WOULD COMMEND THE BOARD AND PREVIOUS BOARDS THAT AT LEAST I HAVE TO WORK WITH, UH, IN THE FACT THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY MINDFUL OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR BUILDINGS WERE MAINTAINED IN A STATE THAT THEY'RE NOT LEAKING, OR THEY'RE NOT IN DANGER OF DETERIORATING.
AND THEY'VE ALSO BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT THAT THE CITY EMPLOYEES MAY HAVE TO WORK WITH WAS WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT AND THINGS THAT WHEN MACK, WHEN NATURAL DOES ACTORS DO THAT, WE HAVE SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH THEM WITH THIS BUDGET.
I CONTINUES THAT ON MAY ON A SMALLER SCALE, AND I GUESS THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT PURCHASES THAT'S RECOMMENDED IN HIS BUDGET THIS YEAR IS ABOUT ONE THIRD.
WHAT USUALLY IS IN THE BUDGET.
AND, UH, BUT THERE ARE 14 POLICE CARS RECOMMENDED IN THIS BUDGET.
THOSE CARS THAT ARE, WILL BE REPLACED WILL BE SHIFTED
[00:40:01]
AROUND TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND WILL BE UTILIZED.WE'LL USUALLY GET AT LEAST 10 OR 12 YEARS OUT OF JUICE OUT OF POLICE CARS IN THE CITY, SOME FROM THE POLICE ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS IN THE POLICE AND THEN ANOTHER FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, UH, IN THE CITY SOMEWHERE.
AND SO THEY'RE CIRCULATE AROUND AND KILLED.
THEN YOU THURMAN ROAD FIRE STATION SHOULD BE COMPLETE THIS YEAR.
AND THE BUDGET ALSO ADDRESSES OUR STREET DEPARTMENT NEEDS FOR FACILITIES.
ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT ANTICIPATED THAT WE WON'T DO ANY CONSTRUCTION THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT WE'LL DO THE NECESSARY WORK TO GET US READY SO THAT WE SWITCHED TO SOME CONSTRUCTION IN FUTURE YEARS AS OUR FINANCES TURN OR HOPEFULLY TURN AROUND.
AND THE STATE COMES OFF WITH SOME OF THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE, UH, WITH TELEPHONE.
SO I KNOW IT'S NOT LIKE DOOM AND GLOOM, BUT REALLY IN ACTUALITY, EVERYBODY'S WORKING A, CITY'S GOING TO HAVE SERVICES, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY APPARENT BACK IN ORDER TO, UH, HAVE A MINIMUM IMPACT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ON THE POCKET FOLKS OR THE CITIZENS.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, THE BOARD HAS LOOKED THROUGH A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I THINK THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF, WHAT'S GOT TO BE DONE, WHAT HASN'T GOT TO BE DONE.
AND DO YOU, OF COURSE, AS A BOARD WILL MAKE FINAL DETERMINATION ON ALL OF THESE MATTERS.
UH, I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO SCHEDULE, UH, JULY OR JUNE 25TH, WHICH IS YOUR SECOND REGULAR MEETING AS THE DATE WERE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THIS BUDGET.
AND, UH, AT THAT MAYBE WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT AS TO WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE MIGHT BE ABOUT TO DO OR NOT DO, OR TO BE ABLE TO COME SOME HORRIBLE DECISION AT THAT TIME WHEN I MAKE MY COMMENTS JUST TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS CLEAR ON THIS AND NEWS MEDIA AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IS THAT TWO THINGS, ONE, THE, UH, IF THE GOVERNMENT TURN THE MONEY LOOSE, OR IF THEY IMPOSE A SALES TAX OF WHATEVER, ALL THIS CAN CHANGE VIRTUALLY OVERNIGHT, BUT THE BUDGET IS DESIGNED TO WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE KNOW AND PLAN.
SO THAT'S TRULY A WORST CASE SCENARIO, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CHARGED WITH PREPARING FOR THEM.
THE SECOND THING IS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT WASN'T A CHOICE OF YOU GOING UP ON THE TAX RATE.
YOU COULD PROPOSE WOULD GO UP ON THE TAX RATE OR YOU GOING UP ON THE ELECTRIC.
RIGHT? I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO SUBSIDIZE ITS GENERAL FUND BY GOING UP ON PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL ELECTRIC SYSTEM FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING IS COVERING THE COST TO US.
THAT WAS IMPOSED UPON US BY AN INCREASE, THE COST OF ELECTRICITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HEAR THAT ALL BEFORE SOME FOLKS, YOU KNOW, TO THE, NOT IN THE CITY, BUT THEY WANT TO SAY THE POWER, I THINK, OH, THEY HELD THEIR TAXES, BUT THEY WENT UP ON MY ELECTRIC, RIGHT.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, NOT SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IN FACT, WE HAD MADE VALUE AND EFFORTS.
THEY LAST EIGHT TO 10 YEARS TO NOT INCREASE OUR ELECTRIC RATES AND HAVING, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD COSTS INCREASED TO US AND WE WERE PREPARED TO DO IT AGAIN BEFORE, BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.
SO A VALUE EFFORT FELL 4% SHORT.
SO IT WAS REALLY MIRACULOUS THAT IT'S NOT IN THE HIGHLAND AND IT HURTS ALL OF US, UH, BELIEVE ME TO HAVE TO GO UP ON A NANNY AND ALL WE KNOW IT'S ALREADY HIGH.
WE DO THINK IT'LL CORRECT ITSELF IN THE FUTURE, BUT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THOSE TWO POINTS CLEAR.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON WHAT THE PROBLEM IS? THE NO FUN OUT THERE YET? IT HAS NOT BEEN FUN PUTTING THIS BUDGET.
IF THERE IS NO COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET, THEN I HAVE ONE FURTHER ITEM JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE POLICE CHIEF HAD SOME STATISTICS COME OUT OVER THE TELEVISION THIS MORNING THAT WERE ALARMING AND JAKE ABOUT IT KIND OF SET ME STRAIGHT.
SO, UM, I THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD IF HE REPORTED IT TO YOU ALSO.
SO MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IT WAS ALARMING TO ME AS WELL.
WHEN I READ THE PAPER THIS MORNING, I DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE IN SUCH A CRIME INFESTED CITY.
UM, THE, THE, UM, TV IN THE NEWSPAPER, THE SUN GENERAL REPORTED THAT CRAVEN COUNTY EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE OF 18.5% IN, UH, INDEX CRIMES PART ONE CRIMES, UH, IN THE YEAR 2000 OVER THE YEAR 2000, I MEAN THE YEAR 2001 OVER THE YEAR OF 2000.
AND SO IMMEDIATELY I CALL KEVIN SETS HER HAND AND DO SOME RESEARCH RELATIVE TO THE STORY SO THAT I COULD REPORT TO YOU THE NIGHT AND ALSO TO, UH, GIVE SOME, UH, ACCURATE INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA.
THE REPORT WAS BASED ON PARTIAL INFORMATION THAT WAS RELEASED ON THE SBIS WEBPAGE RELATIVE TO THE 100 COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA AND 15 OF THE LARGEST CITIES.
AND WHEN I SAY PARTIALLY COMPLETED, THEY DID NOT
[00:45:01]
CALCULATE, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL CITIES, WHICH ALL OF THOSE COUNTIES NUMBERS ARE COMPRISED OF ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY.IN ADDITION TO THE UNINCORPORATED, UH, CRIME RATES THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THOSE COUNTIES, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO BEYOND WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS IN RESEARCHING OUR OWN STATISTICS.
AND FIRST, LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT, HOW THEY GOT THE 18.5% INCREASE THE, UH, CRIME INDEX FOR CRAVEN COUNTY.
UH, IN THE YEAR 2000, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 3,764 PART ONE CRIMES OR INDEXED CRIMES.
UH, 393 OR 394 WERE VIOLENT CRIMES.
AND 3,370 WERE PROPERTY CRIMES.
THAT WAS IN 2000, IN 2001, THE COUNTY REPORTED 4,462 INDEX CRIMES, OR AN INCREASE OF 18.5%.
THE VIOLENT CRIMES WENT UP TO 410, AND THAT WOULD BE A 4.3% INCREASE.
AND THE PROPERTY CRIMES WENT UP TO 4,051, WHICH WOULD HAVE REPRESENTED A 20.2% INCREASE IN CRIME THROUGHOUT CRAVEN COUNTY.
UH, THE THERE'S A REALLY GOOD EXPLANATION WHY EVEN THOSE NUMBERS ARE SO HIGH IN THE YEAR 2000, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, THERE WERE UNREPORTED, UH, INDEXES, RON REPORTED IN THE MONTHS OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF 2000 BY THE COUNTY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY DIDN'T REPORT THE CRIMES OR THEY WEREN'T CALCULATED OR WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT WHAT IT DID WAS IT LEFT 2000 AS A REALLY BANNER YEAR BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO MONTHS MISSING.
BUT THEN WHEN THEY COMPARED THOSE NUMBERS TO THE 12 MONTHS OF 2001, THOSE EXTRA TWO MONTHS WORTH OF REPORTED CRIMES REALLY JACKED THE NUMBERS UP.
SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT CRAVEN'S CRAVEN COUNTIES, UH, CRIME RATE INCREASE OR DECREASE WAS, UH, FOR THE YEAR 2001 OVER 2000.
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THIS, UH, IN NEWBURN, UH, LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THESE NUMBERS WELL STATEWIDE.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, THOSE FIRST NUMBERS I GAVE YOU A CRAVEN COUNTY STATEWIDE.
THE 2000 INDEX CRIMES WERE 4,919, A 498, VIOLENT AND FORTY FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE PROPERTY.
AND THEN IN 2001, THE STATE EXPERIENCED A FORTY NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE, UH, INDEX CRIMES, 501 VIOLENT AND FORTY FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY FOUR PROPERTY, WHICH REPRESENTED A OVERALL INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF 1.5%, A 0.7% INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIMES.
AND AT 1.6% INCREASE IN PROPERTY CRIMES.
WHY, WHY, HOW MANY OFFICERS IS TOO MANY? AND WHEN DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH? AND, AND SO WHAT I SAID WAS YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, AND HERE'S WHAT YOU GET IN NEWBURN.
IN 2000, WE HAD TOTAL OF 1,878 INDEX CRIMES, 224 OF A VIOLENT AND 1,654 WERE PROPERTY CRIMES.
NOW ALL OF US KNOW THAT ONE VIOLENT CRIME OR ONE PROPERTY CRIME IS TOO MANY, BUT HERE'S THE WAY THE NUMBERS WENT IN 2001, WE HAD 1,836 INDEX CRIMES, 215 VIOLENT CRIMES AND 1,621 PROPERTY CRIMES.
WHAT THAT INDICATES IS A VIOLENT CRIME DECREASE OF 4% AND A PROPERTY CRIME DECREASE OF 2%.
AND OUR OVERALL CRIME RATE DECREASED BY 2.2%.
SO RELATIVE TO THE STATE, WE DID BETTER.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, BUT WE DID BETTER THAN THE STATE DID.
AND CERTAINLY RELATIVE TO THE 18.5% INCREASE IS PROBABLY NOT ACCURATE.
AND IN DOING SOME COMPARISONS WITHIN THE COUNTY, WE DID VERY WELL.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF, OF THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THEM BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IT, CRIME RATES ARE FICKLE.
THEY, THEY HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE ECONOMY.
THEY HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE DRUG SITUATIONS.
THEY GO UP AND DOWN LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER SOMETIMES.
AND I HATE IT WHEN SOMEBODY TRIES TO GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR GOOD CRIME RATES, BECAUSE THEN THEY TRY TO BLAME YOU WHEN GO BAD.
SO ALL I'M SELLING YOU IS THAT, THAT THE CRIME RATES IN NEWBURN ARE GOING DOWN.
THEY'RE CONTINUING TO GO DOWN.
THEY ARE NOWHERE NEAR OBVIOUSLY WHAT THE, THE, UM, WAS REPORTED.
AND IT COMES ACCURATELY OFF THE SBIS WEBPAGE.
I'M NOT FAULTING THE MEDIA OR ANYTHING.
THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD WITH THE NUMBERS.
WE JUST HAD THE ABILITY TO GO BEYOND THAT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WATCHING, I'M SAYING ABOUT THE STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH OUR SHOWS A DATE WHERE YOU SLIGHTLY, AND THAT MEANS WE ALL GET REAL EXCITED, THINGS ARE ON A DOWN SLIDE, LACK OF PRECIPICE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE WAY TO INTERPRET THAT IS WE'RE SURELY NO WORSE OFF AND PROBABLY A LITTLE BETTER, A LITTLE BETTER ON THAT, CAUSED IT, DEEMED THROW UP ANY KIND OF EXACTLY, AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
[00:50:01]
OF WITH STATISTICS.FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAD ONE HOMICIDE LAST YEAR AND YOU HAD TWO HOMICIDES THIS YEAR, THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE IN HOMICIDES.
THAT'S IF YOU JUST LOOKED AT THE NUMBER CITY XYZ AT A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE IN HOMICIDES OVER LAST YEAR, IT WOULD BE HORRIFYING.
OF COURSE, THE FACT THAT ONE PERSON WAS KILLED IS HORRIFYING.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REAL NUMBERS VERSUS THE STATISTICAL EXTRAPOLATION FROM THOSE NUMBERS, THEN, THEN YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, WELL IT'S BAD, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAD 500 MURDERS LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WELL, THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND MEDICAL NEWS, BECAUSE THEY'LL SAY, AND CENTRAL CALLS IT A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE IN THE RATE OF SO-AND-SO.
BUT WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK, WE WENT FROM ONE OUT OF A HUNDRED DIALS, BUT TWO OUT OF EXACTLY, WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND WE KNEW YOU ALL KNEW WHERE TO GET A JOB.
ANYHOW, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR I'LL MOVE TO ADJOURN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY.