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SO I'M REFERRING HAROLD HARBEN.
SO I CAME TO STAND IN THAT DUTY.
WE STAND IN ALL BEFORE YOUR THRONE.
THIS EVENING, YOU'VE CALLED TOGETHER GOVERNMENTS.
AND THE GOVERNMENTS ARE TO OVERSEE THE PEOPLE AND TO DO BUSINESS IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE UNDER THE APPROVAL OF THE PEOPLE.
WE THANK YOU GOD, FOR YOUR TIME OF CONSECRATION, WHERE YOU'VE CALLED OUT THESE MEN WHO ARE THE ALDERMAN OF THE CITY OF NEWBURGH, THAT'S ALL, SOME TASK YOU LAID BEFORE THEM.
THIS AWESOME TASK YOU LAID BEFORE US AS YOUR PEOPLE.
NOW, LORD, WE ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ENDOW THEM WITH BLESSINGS, OR THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE PROPER DECISIONS THAT FIRST OF ALL, LORD, THOSE DECISIONS SHALL PERFORM YOUR WILL.
THAT SECOND OF ALL, LORD, IT SHALL BE FOR THE BETTER OF THE PEOPLE AND THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
NOW, WHAT WOULD WE JUST LIFT OUR HEARTS TO YOU AND THANKSGIVING SAYING THANK YOU FOR LOVING US, BEING WITH US AND GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU THROUGH GOVERNMENTS ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
FIRST LANGUAGE AND SEWER RECORD
THAT IS A 3.5 MILLION GALLON PER DAY.
THE MAXIMUM FLOW IN ANY ONE GIVEN DAY WAS 4 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PLANT IS UNDER SOC AND WE HAVE HIGHER LIMITS, THE PLANT ACTUALLY PERFORMED, UM, WELL ENOUGH TO JUST ABOUT MEET OUR ORIGINAL 30, 30 LIMITS.
WE WERE AT 31.2 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER OF VOD.
AND WE WERE UNDER THE 30 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER, UH, REQUIREMENT FOR SUSPENDED SOLIDS AT 23.6.
AND THE EFFICIENCIES WERE BOTH ABOVE 85% AND THAT'S WITH ONLY ONE HALF OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATING.
AND, UM, WE CAN EXPECT THAT THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS UNTIL ABOUT THE END OF OCTOBER, THE PLANT CONSTRUCTION IS GOING VERY WELL.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT 85% OF BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT UNITS BEING COMPLETED.
THE ONE CLARIFIERS COMPLETED, UH, SOME PUMP STATIONS, UH, UH, TANKAGE IS COMPLETE.
THE SECOND CLARIFIER IS ABOUT 50% COMPLETE.
AND IF YOU RIDE OUT THERE NOW, THERE IS A HUGE SLUDGE STABILIZATION BUILDING.
UH, THEY SHOULD FINISH THE ROOF THIS WEEK.
UM, THEY HAVE PLACED OUR SLUDGE, UM, BELT PRESS IN PLACE AND ARE NOW BUILDING THE BUILDING AROUND IT.
UM, A LOT OF WORK GOING ON AT IT PLANT REALLY LOOKS GOOD, PROGRESSING VERY NICELY.
UH, WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE APPROVED AND HAVE BEGUN, UH, THE WORKS FOR THE NEW PUMP STATION THAT WILL PUMP IT OUT TO THE RIVER.
AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A PERMIT FROM THE STATE OR THE DIFFUSER, WHICH WILL REACH OUT TO THE CHANNEL IN THE RIVER ABOUT 900 FEET OUT INTO THE RIVER, DISCHARGE THE WASTEWATER THERE, THAT'S AT THE STATE, UM, FOR APPROVAL ALSO THE MARTIN MARIETTA QUARRY PROJECT.
WE ARE STILL, UM, WORKING ON THE, UM, REUSE PUMP STATION, UM, WHICH IS A NEW PART OF THE DESIGN.
UH, THE DYKES HAD BEEN FINISHED.
WE HAVE GONE OUT WITH A BARGE AND, AND TAKING SOIL SAMPLES OF WHERE THE LAKES WILL BE SPLIT BY BERM.
AND, UM, ALL OF THAT IS PROGRESSING NICELY.
THE HYDROGEOLOGIST IS DOING HIS STUDY TO SATISFY THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.
WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE STATE AND ABOUT SIX WEEKS AND WOULD HOPE FOR A PERMIT SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'M REMINDED THAT THE PERMIT IS SMALLER THAN WAS ORIGINALLY.
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THE PERMIT WILL BE FOR, UM, 150 ACRE, UM, POND THAT IS TOTALLY ISOLATED FROM ANY, UH, UH, ADJOINING LANDS.UH, IT WILL BE TOTALLY SURROUNDED BY EITHER WATER OR THE, UH, 500 ACRE LAKE THAT WILL BE LEFT, UH, THAT IS CLOSEST TO NOOSA BOULEVARD.
SO THAT SHOULD ELIMINATE ANY OF THE FLOODING PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO ELEVATED LAKE LEVELS IN THE AREA AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ANY OTHER INFORMATION SHARE WITH ANYONE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED?
UM, AND THE PAPER IS WHERE I SAW THAT.
UM, I WAS UNAWARE OF HAPPENING.
UH, NEXT THING WE HAVE IS THE LITERATE VACANT REPORT.
I CAN SAY RNS, ANXIOUS THAT HE WANTS TO JUMP EVERY TIME I SAY I CAN'T TABS COMING, CHIEF FARMBOT HAS ASKED ME TO COME AND PRESENT THE LITTER REPORT FOR YOU TONIGHT.
UM, SINCE THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD, WE'VE HAD AN ADDITIONAL 12 CITATIONS OR WARNINGS ISSUED, UM, FOR VARIOUS LITTERING AROUND THE CITY AND HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UP ON A NUMBER OF OTHER, UM, UH, INCIDENTS FROM PAST MONTHS, SENDING OUT LETTERS, UH, FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THOSE TO SEE IF WE CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF LITTER HERE.
I MAY ASK YOU TO DO ME A FAVOR WITH, WITH IT, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT THE OFFICES THAT YOU HAVE OUT ON 70 THAT BEEN PATROLLING, AND I KNOW I'M ASKED TO G FOR KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR LETTER AND SO FORTH, AND HE TELLS ME THEY ARE, I'M SURE THEY ARE.
COULD YOU ASK THE, THEY JUST PUTTING OUT A LITTLE REPORT, IF YOU WILL, OF WHAT THEY OBSERVED ABOUT LENNAR ON THEIR, ON LAYER, A WATCH OR ON THEIR EIGHT HOURS OR WHATEVER THEY DIDN'T OBSERVE.
AND HE LET HER DID SOME MOVE, OBSERVE SOME LETTER SOLID OR BLOW OFF THE BACK OF THE TRUCK OR WHATEVER, FOR TWO REASONS, ONE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR IT TOO.
I STILL WANT TO TRY TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHERE SOMEONE HAS LED HER COMES FROM, AND THAT WAS BLOWN OFF WITH TRUCKS OR THIS OR THAT OR WHATEVER.
AND SO JUST IF YOU WOULD MAKE THAT A LITTLE CHECK-OFF, I DIDN'T OBSERVE ANYTHING ASPECT.
AND THEN WHEN DO YOU HAVE TO REPORT EACH TIME, IF YOU'LL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT, THAT THE CHIEF DID, HE CAN SAY THAT ON THE WATCH OUT ON SATURDAY, WHATEVER NOTHING WAS OBSERVED, HOW MANY CALLS WE HAD PEOPLE PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE REPORT FOR VETERAN, YOU KNOW, THE SIGNS AND I ADVERTISE IT AND ALL WE SEE AS PEOPLE DO THAT, MANY OF THEM, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, UM, THE, THE REPORT THAT WAS COMPILED FOR US, DOESN'T INDICATE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WOULDN'T LOOK INTO FOR YOU POSITION TO THE CITIZENS.
IF THEY UNDERSTAND ENOUGH OF THEIR REPORT FROM SOME OF THESE THINGS, I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED W WE'VE HAD SOME CALLS FROM TIME TO TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW UP ON.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS CALLING IN DON'T WANT TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED AND WITHOUT OUR OFFICER ACTUALLY SEEING THE LITTER, UH, WE'RE UNABLE TO TESTIFY TO IT.
WE, WE NEED THAT CITIZEN TO ASSIST US IN COURT WHEN I REALIZED THAT, BUT I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO HOW MUCH OF AN INTEREST TO CITIZENS HAS TAKEN.
AN EVEN THOUGH WE CAME TO OBSERVE IT AND CATCH IT, AT LEAST THEY HAVE INTEREST ENOUGH TO CALL IT.
AND, AND, UM, AGAIN, I'M UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY OF THESE WERE COLEEN'S, BUT, UH, WE'VE HAD SOME, UM, BUT I'D BE HESITANT TO GIVE YOU A PERCENTAGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
MAY I ASK YOU SOMETHING, BUT IN THE REGIONAL DISCUSSION OF THIS THING, HEY, IF I UNDERSTOOD ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS CORRECTLY, UH, IF SOMEBODY OBSERVED SOMEBODY TOSSING SOMETHING OUT IN THE WINDOW OR WHATEVER, AND EVEN CALLED IN, GAVE YOU THE LICENSE NUMBER, WHATEVER, UH, AT LEAST MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE COULD CONTACT THAT INDIVIDUAL, SEND THEM A LETTER OR WHATEVER, AND SAY, LOOK, IT HAS BEEN RECORDED.
DO YOU HAVE TOSSED OUT SO-AND-SO AND SO-AND-SO YES, SIR.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY GO INTO COURT OR THIS OR THAT OR WHATEVER.
BUT MY INTENTION WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY REALIZES THAT SOMEBODY SAW THEM AND CARED ENOUGH TO CALL IT AN IN, THEY PROBABLY WON'T DO IT AGAIN.
AND THEY'LL TELL
SO I HOPE THAT ALL OFFICERS UNDERSTAND AND
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THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO GET, GET INVOLVED.YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY DOING SOME SEX THING, YOU CAN JUST CALL IT IN AND SAY IT.
AND WE'LL JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF SOMEBODY SAID THAT THEY TOSSED IT OUT, OKAY, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF RESPONSES TO IT.
OBVIOUSLY, IF WE SEE THEM LETTERING, WE HAVE OPTIONS OF CITATIONS, WARNINGS, ET CETERA.
IF SOMEONE ELSE REPORTS IT AND IS WILLING TO GO TO COURT, THOSE OPTIONS REMAIN THE SAME.
IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO GO TO COURT WITH US, THEN THE, UH, SENDING THE LETTER TO THE INDIVIDUAL, JUST PLACING THEM ON NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEEN.
AND, AND THOSE LETTERS ARE BEING GENERATED OUT OF THE RECORDS UNIT, UH, TO, TO ANYONE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THE TAG AND GET A WORKABLE ADDRESS.
SO, UH, WE ARE GETTING THE WORD OUT TO THOSE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY, UH, EITHER THROUGH CITATION WARNING OR A LETTER OF WARNING.
WELL, I DON'T EVEN MENTION THAT YOU HAD ACHIEVED YOU.
HOW ABOUT GIVING US SOME FIGURES? HOW MANY OF THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED? DIFFERENT THINGS.
BE GLAD TO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER 2002, 2003 CITY BUDGET.
HASN'T MET NO ONE OR YOU JUMPED UP.
I KNOW I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE GLASSES IS ONE OF THESE DAYS.
I'M GOING TO ADMIT ADMITTED HAZARD MITIGATION BEFORE NOW.
YOU WERE RIGHT WHEN YOU JUMPED UP.
THAT'S WHAT MY, MY WIFE MAKES ME DO IS SIT AND WAIT.
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M IN DOG HOUSE, UM, I'VE PUT A COPY OF THE HAZARD MITIGATION REPORT AT EACH ONE OF YOUR PLACES, AND I'LL RUN THROUGH IT VERY BRIEFLY.
UH, THE ELEVATIONS THAT ARE COMPLETE AND REOCCUPIED, THERE ARE 18 OF THOSE ELEVATIONS.
THERE ARE TWO, UH, ELEVATIONS THAT WE INTEND ON DOING.
THERE ARE TWO THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR CONSTRUCTION THE WEEK OF JULY 8TH.
UM, WE HAVE MET WITH THOSE PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM RELOCATED, SUPPOSEDLY OVER OUT OF THE HOUSE.
OVER THE 4TH OF JULY, THERE ARE SIX THAT WE WERE READY TO PROCEED ON.
UM, WE NEED HAVE ONE OTHER THAT ACTUALLY HAD GONE FROM REHAB OR ELEVATION, UM, TO ACQUISITION, AND NOW THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO ELEVATION.
SO WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR, GET BACK INFORMATION FROM DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON THAT.
UM, THE ONE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT HAVE AN ELEVATION, BUT JUST TO HAVE REHABILITATION, HE IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST, UH, TO BE WORKED ON.
THERE ARE FIVE UNITS LEFT TO BID.
THERE ARE NINE ACQUISITIONS WE WORKING ON IN THE PROGRAM.
FIVE OF THOSE ARE COMPLETE, AND FOUR OF THEM ARE ON PINS AND NEEDLES WAITING ON APPROVAL FROM VISION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, SO THAT WE CAN PROCEED ON THOSE FOUR.
WE'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED LIKE SOMEBODY WHO'S FOCUSING ON TV.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, THE STATE, THE, UM, THE MONEY AND WHATEVER.
AND THEY HAD BEEN PROMISED THIS OR THAT, OR BECAUSE OUR MONEY IT'S LIKE THIS IS, UM, IT'S A LOT SAFER THAN THE CRISIS HOUSE AND MONEY IS AT A TIME WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SEEING ON TELEVISION.
AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN IN THE STATE.
UM, UH, REALLY BEEN IN THE VIEW OF THE PUBLIC, UH, IS AN 800 MILLION CRISIS HOUSING PROGRAM THAT CAME AFTER FLOYD.
THAT IS STATE MONEY, UM, STARTING LAST WEEK.
AND I THINK IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LEGISLATURE, THE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, THE REDEVELOPMENT CENTER IS TRYING TO RECAPTURE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO HELP BALANCE A BUDGET.
NOW WE'VE ALL READ ABOUT THAT TYPE THING.
AND MOST OF WHAT'S THE HIGH PROFILE STUFF IN THE NEWS TONIGHT, UM, SEEMS LIKE I HEARD SOMETHING ON THE RADIO, MAYBE LENORE COUNTY, BUT LENORE COUNTY IS NOT BY ITSELF.
THIS, THAT MAY BE THE ONE THAT WAS MENTIONED, BUT THEY'RE ALL OVER ONSLOW COUNTY.
UM, AND I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO SAY, BUT THEY ARE ALL PART OF THE STATE 800 MILLION PACKAGE.
WE ARE PART OF A PREVIOUS PACKAGE THAT IS ACTUALLY FEMA MONEY WITH HUD MONEY.
OUR DRI SUPPLEMENTS, OUR HUD MONEY WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SORROW STATE ACQUISITION RELOCATION MONEY, WHICH IS NOT PART OF THAT CRISIS HOUSING.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE TO GET, HAVE UNNECESSARY FEARS.
WELL, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF CUTTING GOING ON WITH, UM, OR POTENTIAL CUTTING GOING ON WITH THIS STATE STATE PROGRAMS. MS. BARNETT, THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS FLOYD MONEY IS THE MONEY THEY WERE DEALING WITH THE BIRTH AND FRAN MONEY.
SO IT'S TWO DIFFERENT POTS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
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NO, SIR.THE, THE, THE, UM, THE POTS WE'RE DEALING WITH A PRIMARILY FEDERAL POTS AND STUFF YOU'VE BEEN SEEN IN READING ABOUT THE NEWSPAPER LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IN NEGOTIATIONS, ACTUALLY STATEMENT.
AND ALONG THOSE LINES, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO CONTACT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WITH ALL THIS STUFF, BEING ON THE TELEVISION, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE REASON TO FEAR FEAR AT THIS POINT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT, HOW ME, WE WILL TRY.
AND MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE PEOPLE I VISITED THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT SIX 30, HAD THAT QUESTION FOR ME.
SO I WILL TRY GOOD TO DO AN OVERALL INFORMATION FLYER.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND YOU STILL HAVE THAT ONE NOTATION IN THERE ELEVATION ONLY NO ELEVATION THAT THAT DON'T WANT TO
YEAH, HE, UM, HE'S OUT, HE'S OUT OF TOWN AND HE W HE REALLY DOESN'T WANT US WORKING ON HIS HOUSE TILL AUGUST.
HE'S GOING TO BE BACK IN AUGUST AND WE SCHEDULED FIXING UP HIS HOUSE FOR, UM, AUGUST 7TH.
WELL, I RAN INTO ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN WHO WAS HERE FREQUENTLY WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET THIS THING ROLLING, AND HIS HOUSE IS FINISHED AND HE IS JUST ABSOLUTELY THRILLED.
HE'S HE'S VERY WELL SATISFIED.
HE WAS, HE WAS NO MORE FRUSTRATED THAN WE WERE AT THAT POINT, BUT WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET IT ROLLING, BUT HE'S A VERY HAPPY MAN NOW.
AND ALL THESE PLACES, JUST LOOK GREAT.
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER 2002, 2003 CD BUDGET.
SO HOW DO WE START WITH PUBLIC HEARING? YOU MAKE THE STATEMENT OR DID WE JUST LOVE IT HERE AND IT'S OPEN.
SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE FROM THE PUBLIC AND WANTS TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET STEP, HOPING, NO, YOU DON'T.
MY NAME IS JOANNE CURLY, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO REALLY VEHEMENTLY OBJECT TO THE PROPOSED CITY PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, WHICH FOR MY FAMILY AMOUNTS TO 26%, THIS INCREASE IS JUST OUTRAGEOUS.
I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS IN MY BUDGET TO ADD ANOTHER 26%.
ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE SUN JOURNAL ON JUNE 13TH, REAL PROPERTY INCREASED AN AVERAGE OF 18.2% DUE TO THE CRAVEN COUNTY.
RE-EVALUATION AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IF THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS ADOPTED AND THE CURRENT TAX RATE REMAINS UNCHANGED, THE CITY WILL BE INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
I UNDERSTAND MINE IS SOMEWHAT HIGHER THAN THEY WERE GOING TO BE SOME HIGHER, SOME LOWER WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH AVERAGES.
BUT I CAN, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE PUBLIC IS NOT AWARE THAT THESE AN 18.2% INCREASE IS COMING THEIR WAY BASED ON THAT LACK OF ATTENDANCE HERE TONIGHT, IT WAS NEWS TO ME.
I WENT DOWN AND TOOK A LOOK AT THE, THE BUDGET AT THE LIBRARY, AND THERE WAS NOBODY THERE, NOBODY LOOKING AT IT.
THEY'RE JUST VERY MUCH UNAWARE, BUT WITH HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, THE DOWNTURN OF STOCK MARKET RETIREES, LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES AND BUSINESS OWNERS, FREEZING WAGES AS THE CITY IS PROPOSING.
JUST HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY PAY FOR THIS PROPERTY TAX INCREASE TO MAKE MATTERS, EVEN WORSE.
THE PROPOSED INCREASES DON'T END THERE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING ELECTRIC RATES BY 4% ALSO INCREASING WATER RATES BY 5%, EVERY SIX MONTHS.
AND IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THE COUNTY PLANNING, A SIGNIFICANT TAX INCREASE, AND THE STATE IN ALL LIKELIHOOD IS GOING TO HAVE TO SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SOMEHOW FROM THESE VERY SAME RESIDENTS, THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THESE INCREASES.
THERE'S NO DENYING THE CITY COUNTY AND STATE AREN'T TERRIBLE FINANCIAL SHAPE.
THIS IS A TIME OF CRISIS, BUT SPENDING HAS TO STOP RATHER THAN BUYING 14 NEW POLICE CARS.
WHY DON'T WE UTILIZE THE CARS THAT ARE SITTING IN ITALY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OR WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, PAYROLL AND BENEFITS BY FAR ARE THE LARGEST EXPENSE CATEGORY IN THE BUDGET.
HAVE WE DETERMINED THAT STAFFING LEVELS ARE APPROPRIATE? GIVEN THE CRISIS WE'RE FACING IT'S TIME TO ASK HARD QUESTIONS AND MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS.
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PROGRAMS, REDUCING SERVICES OR THE NUMBER OF CITY EMPLOYEES? WELL, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNERS MUST SEEK OUT WAYS TO REDUCE THEIR COSTS IN ORDER TO BE PROFITABLE.
THE HOUSEHOLD BUDGET HAS LIMITED FUNDS AND SACRIFICES ARE MADE EVERY DAY TO LIVE WITHIN THOSE BUDGETS.
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SHOULD BE NO EXCEPTION.
YOU WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT AND PROTECT THE WELFARE OF THE CITY RESIDENTS.
AS A CITY RESIDENT, I AM ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE ASSOCIATED 26% TAX INCREASE.
RATHER I ASK THAT YOU DIRECT MR. BILL HARTMAN TO PRIORITIZE THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET BASED ON THEIR IMPACT UPON CITY RESIDENTS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITH THE LOWEST PRIORITY CAN THEN BE EVALUATED AND POTENTIAL ELIMINATE AND POTENTIALLY BE ELIMINATED TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
JOANNE CURLY 1 0 5 9 DAY COURT, NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA.
LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHILE WE'RE GOING UP ON VARIOUS THINGS, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS HEALTH HEALTHCARE COSTS, AS WELL AS THE STATE HAS WITHHELD SOME MONIES THAT ARE DUE TO THE VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES, EXCUSE ME, A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT APPLE IN THE CASE OF THE ELECTRICAL, UH, RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ACTUALLY REDUCED RATES OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, EVEN THOUGH HIGHER RATES HAVE BEEN PASSED TO US.
I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE.
AND, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, NOT ON THE MOUNTS IDEA THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO GET OUR MONEY, BUT JUST YOU DON'T GET THE MONEY CHECKING THE MAIL ROOM, A MAILBOX, SO TO SPEAK, BUT THE RESIDENTS ARE FACING THE SAME THING.
THERE'S NO CHECK IN THE MAIL FOR THEM EITHER TO PAY.
BUT THE POINT OF IT IS WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO DO AWAY WITH HE SPENT WEEKS AND WEEKS CUTTING BACK EVERYTHING WE CAN EAT.
IN FACT, HE TYPED A LETTER FROM ME TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CITY MANAGERS HAVE BEEN OUT ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA, BUT IF YOU READ THE PAPER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED IN EVERY CITY AND 41, I THINK STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BUT ESPECIALLY IN NORTH CAROLINA, YOU KNOW, OUR STUFF WAS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE UNTIL WE GOT IT DUMPED ON US.
SO WE'VE HAD TO HAVE ALL THESE LESSER SALES TAXES AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF, PLUS THE MONEY THAT THE GOVERNMENT HELD BACK.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR RESPONSIBILITY OF COURSE, IS TO KEEP THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GOING.
WE HAVE MANDATES FROM THE STATE TO HAVE TO BUILD A NEW PLANT AND HAVE CLEAN WATER AND ALL THESE OTHER VARIOUS THINGS.
AND WE JUST CAN'T DECIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITHOUT AND TURN THE TAP OFF.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY SAVING GRACE OF THAT.
IF YOU WILL, IS IF THE GOVERNOR TURNS THE MONEY LOOSE AND THINGS COME BACK, THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND DO SOME THINGS, OUR RECORD OF NOT INCREASING THE TAXES AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN FOR FROM LAST QUITE SOME TIME, HOPEFULLY IT SPEAKS TO THE PUBLIC FOR ITSELF.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S THE EASY WAY OUT OR SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO OR IN AN EXCELLENT BUSINESS.
AND THE ONLY SAVING GRACE IN THE WHOLE THING, IT'S LIKELY TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, A FEW DOLLARS A PIECE ACROSS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE CAN DO SOME GOOD FOR THE SHIP OF STATE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW PEOPLE AND A BUNCH OF MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
I MEAN, YOU, WEREN'T LOOKING AT THE BUDGET, YOU GOT ANY SUGGESTIONS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN CUT OUT AND WE HAVEN'T CUT OUT.
WELL, LIKE I SAID, I JUST THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING HAS BEEN CUT OUT OF THE BUDGET.
I, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE BUDGET GIVE US SOME DEPARTMENTAL DIFFERENCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, OF HOW MANY PERCENT ACROSS THE BOARD APARTMENTS, I COULD TAKE OUT THE HEALTHCARE, UH, INCREASE, WHICH HAD TO BE PUT IN, UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT 6% OPERATING EXPENSES OVERALL ACROSS THE BOARD WAS REDUCED.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT CUTTING OUT PEOPLE, OR WE'RE TRYING NOT TO CUT OUT PEOPLE, PROBABLY THE REDUCTION IN OUR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT DOWN MAYBE 35, 40%.
AND, UH, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD HIT.
YOU'RE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO COME FROM.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT THERE'S MANY EMPLOYEES, OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT HANDING OUT INCREASES EITHER YET.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO PAY THESE DASH AND THEY LAY OFF PEOPLE AND JUST SAY IN OUR CASE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO THINGS DURING HURRICANES AND MAKE SURE THE POWER'S ON AND MAKE SURE THAT THINGS FLUSH AND WATER FLOWS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DECIDE WE'RE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.
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I MEAN, WE COULD DECIDE IT, BUT THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE CHARGE WOULD DO IT.SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SIT IN THE CHOICE.
AND THAT WAS BASICALLY WHY I WAS SUGGESTING THAT WE PRIORITIZE ALL OF THE PROGRAMS TO SEE WHAT, WHICH HAVE THE LEAST IMPACT AND WHAT THE DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ARE.
AND SEE IF THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN CUT AND SHARE THIS PAIN AND NOT JUST PASS IT ALONG 26% INCREASE.
YOU'VE SHARED SOME, YES, THE RE-EVALUATION IS DONE BY THE COUNTY.
I BELIEVE EVERY EIGHT YEARS AND HOUR GOES UP AND DOWN EVERY CITY IN ALL FOLLOW SUIT WITH THE, RE-EVALUATION JUST NOT A RAISE IF WE VOTED FOR, OH, I UNDERSTAND.
BUT NORMALLY IT'S REVENUE NEUTRAL AND YOU REDUCED YOUR RATE SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A WINDFALL SORT OF THING WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
I STOOD UP IN FRONT OF THEM, SOME WOMEN HERE ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, THREE MONTHS AGO, FOUR MONTHS AGO, I DON'T REMEMBER A WOMEN'S MY MAN BOATERS LADY.
AND I TOLD THEM THAT WE JUST HAD AN EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN, LEFT THE RIGHTS THAT WERE PUT TO US.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE CITY LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE ABLE TO EAT.
AND I SAID, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD MAGIC WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MARGIN IN WHAT WOULD THE VICTIM EAT? EXCUSE ME, WOULD HAVE CAUGHT BECAUSE OF A LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE BEHIND THE SCENES AND SO FORTH TO KEEP THESE THINGS DOWN.
IT GOES, THE GOVERNOR TOOK OUR MONEY, DIDN'T KNOW THAT AT THE TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TO PASS ON SOME OF THAT AND SEE THE ONLY, THE ONLY THINKING BEHIND SOME OF THIS, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, IT'S JUST LIKE IN THE CASE OF THE WHITE CAR, RIGHT? THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS TO HAVE TO GO UP ON THE ELECTRICAL RATES WERE ALREADY HIGH ON THAT.
THE ONE SAVING GRACIE AS A PERSON CAN ALWAYS CUT BACK ON ELECTRICITY AND SAVE THAT MONEY.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN, YOU CAN PUT THE SUPPLIES FOR THE ECONOMIZER.
IS THAT GOOD? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WANT TO DO OR ENJOY DOING? NOT AT ALL.
IT'S LIKE WHEN THE PRICE OF GAS GOES IS VERY HIGH, YOU KNOW, THE BEST THING MOST PEOPLE DO THEN IS TRAVEL LESS UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS.
AND ALL WE CAN HOPE IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT FINDS A WAY TO PUT MONEY LOOSE AND, OR THE ECONOMY PICKS BACK UP AND WE'LL STRAIGHTEN SOME OF THIS OUT.
AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE AND ALLEVIATE AS MUCH OF THE BURDEN AS WE CAN.
BUT UNTIL THEN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO, UH, CHALLENGING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE WERE, BUT THERE WEREN'T ANY INCREASES TO KEEP CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS GOING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, THE SOUTHERN GOPAL
AND IF THERE ISN'T MONEY THERE AVAILABLE TO HELP THESE GUYS CONTINUE TO KEEP THE SAME QUALITY, THE SAME STANDARD SERVICE, THEN WE WOULDN'T, WE WOULD HAVE
I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CALLS ON THAT TOO.
AND A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT OUR OFFICERS DRIVE THAT VEHICLES HOME.
IF THEY LIVE IN THE CITY APARTMENT, JUST LIKE THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND THE SURF AT THE RESTAURANT, IF THEY LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, WE PICKED PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO PARK FROM, AND THEY RIDE THEIR OWN VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
SO FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, YOU'LL SEE THAT SAME POLICE VEHICLE PARK AT THE SHATTERED OR NOT COMFORTABLE, OR SOMEWHERE AROUND TOWN, MAINLY AS A DETERRENT FOR PEOPLE THAT SEE THE POLICE CAR.
AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE SLOW DOWN BY THOSE POLICE CARS ARE BEING USED BACK IN 85.
WHEN I CAME ON THE BOARD, WE HAD ONE CAR FOR THREE SHOES, AND THEN WHERE I'M OUT SO QUICK WHEN I ONLY HAVE A CAR FOR EVERY SHIFT, BUT WE PARKED AROUND TIME AND NOT CARS, AND I'M NOT BEING USED.
AND THOSE CARS THAT ARE REPLACED, LIKE WHY ONES YOU TALKING ABOUT THOSE REPLACED VEHICLES ARE PASSED DOWN WITHIN THE CITY TO VEHICLES THAT ARE WORN.
AND USUALLY MORE, A LOT MORE THAN 14 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BOUGHT IN YEARS PAST.
AND THIS TIME THEY'RE SQUEEZED DOWN TO JUST THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GETTING MAINLY WHAT THEY EVEN CALL IT THE POTENTIAL OF THE CITIZENS.
SO I JUST WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY THAT PART, NO, I WAS JUST PROPOSING THAT IN THIS TIME OF CRISIS THAT MAYBE WE UTILIZE THE CARS MORE.
IT'S A WAY TO FREE UP SOME FUNDS FOR NOW.
OBVIOUSLY YOU PAY LATER, BUT MAYBE THEY WOULD HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUES WITH THE STATE AND THE GOVERNOR.
AND I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS INVOLVED, LIKE THE MAINTENANCE BUDGETS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'VE GOT A PIECE OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE REDACTED, BUT IT'S STILL WORK.
SO THE FIRST LANG AND QUOTE UNQUOTE COST SAVING APPROACH THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON, BUT THANK US FOR
[00:30:01]
GOD'S SAKES.WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, BUT A PERSON WHO'S LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT BLOWS AND TAKES OUT EVERYTHING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE.
AND THAT COSTS 10 TIMES AS MUCH TO FIX IT.
AS I SAY, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THAT'S WHERE THEY HAVE TO COME INTO SOME SORT OF TRUST OF US AS A BOARD AND HIM AS A CITY MANAGER TO DO BEST WE CAN AND BELIEVE ME, OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR CITIZENS COME BEFORE EVERYTHING ON HIS BOARD IS SITTING DOWNSTAIRS AND HEAT RIGHT NOW.
AND NO AIR CONDITIONING, BEN DOWN THAT WAY.
NOW HOW LONG HAVE Y'ALL BEEN IN DANNY TWO MONTHS.
SO HOW MUCH? SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE KIND OF THINGS THAT SOMEBODY HAS GOT THEM OUT, GOT A BETTER IDEA WITH ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
WE WILL DO IT, BUT LIKE I SAY, SOMETIMES WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE FACE OF IT.
IT'S NOT, NOT THE WAY IT REALLY PANS OUT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE DON'T TAKE IT AS, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN WITH PEOPLE HAVING TO PAY MORE TAXES OR TO HAVE TO GO UP IN THE LEFT.
AND THE LAST LANE WE WANT TO DO IS TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN PEOPLE COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, YOU COULD HAVE CUT THIS AND CUT THAT.
I MEAN, HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 2020.
LIKE I SAID, WE DIDN'T REPLACE THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OR OTHER THINGS THAT ARE STILL IN THERE THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE OUT FOR A FEW HOURS.
WE MIGHT BE OUT FOR A FEW WEEKS.
I'VE SEEN SOME LARGE INDUSTRIAL PLANTS AND THEY'VE HAD A CRITICAL EQUIPMENT BLOW OUT AND THEN NOT BE A PIECE OF IT ANYWAY.
AND THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD IT IN THEIR BUDGET AND COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND AN AVERAGE FOR THE CITY.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU WENT DOWN AND LOOKED AT THE BUDGET AND IN FACT, UH, IF YOU'D HAVE BEEN
ONE OF THE POLICEMEN THEY BARN AT FIVE MIGHT NOT BE THE ONLY POLICEMAN WITH ONE BULLET.
MR. MAYOR, THE IT'S, IT SEEMS SO SIMPLE IN SOME WAYS, AND IT GETS SO INTRICATE.
UH, AND, UH, YOU SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED POLICE CARS, AND I WANT TO MENTION TWO THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT COME TO MIND IN THAT BACK IN 1985, WE WERE NOT BUYING A NEW POLICE CARS.
WE WERE BUYING USED HIGHWAY PATROL CARS WITH AT, AT LIKE 60,000 MILES ON THEM FOR HALF THE COST OF A NEW POLICE CAR.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE WERE PAYING HALF THE COST OF A CAR AND FOR THE NEW CAR, AND WE WERE BUYING THE LAST HALF OF ITS LIFE.
AND THEY WERE CONSTANT, CONSTANTLY BREAKING DOWN IN AN EFFORT TO DO AS MUCH AS WE COULD FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY THAT PEOPLE NEWBURN.
AFTER LOOKING AT THAT SITUATION, WE DECIDED IT WAS PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH.
WE WERE RELYING, WE WERE SAVING A FEW BUCKS UPFRONT AND IT WAS COSTING US MORE AFTER WE GOT THE CARS BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY, THEY'D ALREADY, AS WE SAY, BEEN RODE HARD AND PUT AWAY WET, AND THEY WAS JUST EXPENSIVE AND THEY WERE UNRELIABLE.
SO WE STARTED BUYING NEW CARS AND WE GET A LOT, LOT MORE VALUE OUT OF THEM WITH LESS REPAIR WORK.
AND LIKE THEY SAY, OTHER DEPARTMENTS DON'T GET SO MANY NEW CARS NOW BECAUSE THEY GET TO USE POLICE CARS AND THEY GET THE, THE NON-EMERGENCY TYPE DEPARTMENTS GET THE DECLINING YEARS USE OUT OF THOSE VEHICLES.
SO WE GET A LOT, LOT MORE VALUE FOR THE MONEY.
AND THAT, THAT HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO US, OUR PEACE OF MIND, AND THAT WE FEEL THAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
THEY GET QUICKER RESPONSE AND THEY GET BETTER SERVE.
WE GET BETTER, WE GET SAVINGS BY DOING IT THAT WAY.
THE SECOND THING IS EVEN WITH THAT SAID, THOSE 14 POLICE CARS WILL NOT BE BOUGHT THE 1ST OF JULY WHEN THIS NEW BUDGET GOES INTO EFFECT, WE DELAYED THE CAR, THE PRICE, THE PURCHASE OF THOSE CARS FOR SIX MONTHS IN ORDER TO CUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE WOULD BE PUTTING OUT DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE AND SAVE A FEW BUCKS.
THE FINANCING HAS BEEN ARRANGED WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE GETTING THE, THESE CARS ON THE, ON THE CHECKBOOK.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WRITING CHECKS FOR THESE CARS FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE BUDGET YEAR IN ORDER TO CUT BACK SOMEWHAT ONLY THE IMMEDIATE EXPENSE.
[00:35:01]
IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION.AND, AND IT GOES SO DEEPLY IN A BUDGET PROBLEM.
PROBABLY WHAT YOU SAW WAS A BUDGET OUTLINE.
UH, THE BUDGET IS THAT THICK AND I'VE GOT THE COMMAND.
I'VE GOT TO COME IN MR. HARTMAN.
BECAUSE EVERY TIME I WOULD COME IN HIS OFFICE FOR THE LAST FIVE, FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, HE'S BEEN JUST SITTING THERE STARING IN THAT COMPUTER SCREEN WITH THIS LOOK OF TERROR IN HIS FACE BECAUSE OF THE HORRENDOUS PROBLEMS WE FACED IN TRYING TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT PEOPLE WON'T HERE, THAT I WANT FOR MY FAMILY AND, AND STILL AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST.
BUT EVEN WITH THE POLICE CARS, YOU COULD BUY A NEW POLICE CAR FOR $12,000, 15, 12, 15 YEARS AGO.
IT'S, IT'S ALMOST DOUBLE THAT NOW, BUT YET WE'RE TRYING, WE'RE TRYING TO BUY THEM WITH THE SAME DOLLARS THAT WE WERE GETTING EIGHT YEARS AGO AND IT JUST DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.
SO I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DO WE CUT? DO WE, WE CUT OUT LITTLE LEAGUE.
DO WE CUT OUR POLICE FORCE BY 10 PEOPLE SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA TO SOME PEOPLE WAIT TILL THEY PICK UP THE PHONE AWAY, HEAR THAT WINDOW BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
AND THEN IT'S NOT QUITE AS GOOD IDEA AS THEY THOUGHT IT WAS.
AND THERE'S NOT A ONE OF US UP HERE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY THE SAME TAX RATE.
AND THE MONEY COMES HARD FOR US TO MY WIFE, WORKS FOR THE STATE.
WON'T GET ME ANY PAY INCREASE IN OUR FAMILY THIS YEAR.
IT'LL BE JUST AS TOUGH ON US AS IT WILL ANYBODY ELSE IN NEWBURN.
BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'VE GONE OVER IT, AS MUCH AS WE HAVE, AND WHEN THE WORK'S BEEN DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND BY MR. HARTMAN, AT SOME POINT YOU JUST HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET AND SAY, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS WE THINK IS REALLY ABOUT THE BEST WE CAN DO WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH.
BUT I THINK I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THE PRESSURE WILL BE OFF FINANCIALLY SOON BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR ARE UNDER SUCH PRESSURE FROM ALL THE CITIES AND ALL THE COUNTIES.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THINGS LIKE THE, THE REPAIRS, THE STREET MAINTENANCE, GETTING SOME NEW WATER PIPES IN THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS TO CUT SOME OF THESE LEAKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THE BUDGET AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DO THAT WE PLEDGE.
IT'S NOT A PERSON HERE THAT HASN'T AGREED THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
AS SOON AS WE GET SOME RELIEF, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE PEOPLE AND WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HELP THEM EVERY WAY WE CAN, BUT WE'VE GOT A JOB TO DO.
AND WE, WE'VE TRIED TO BE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS IN THE WAY WE WENT ABOUT IT.
LET ME TELL YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN,
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LAID OFF PEOPLE IN THE STANCE BY PUTTING ON A BREEZE AND NOT HIRING PEOPLE THAT LEFT.
I MEAN, REPLACING PEOPLE THAT LEFT, BUT AS FAR AS REAL REAL LIVES ARE CONCERNED, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TOOK OFF THE TABLE.
AS A BOARD, WE SAY, WE'LL CUT EVERYTHING WE CAN POSSIBLY CUT WITHOUT HAVING TO PUT PEOPLE ON THE STREET, BECAUSE WE ALL BELIEVE THIS'LL BE A SLIM TEMPORARY SITUATION BECAUSE THERE'S ENOUGH HEAT IN RALEIGH THAT SOMETHING'S GOT TO SHAKE LOOSE.
PRETTY SOON EVERYBODY WILL HANG WITH US.
AND BY THE WAY, FOR POLICE, I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THIS INTO THE CAPTAIN SETS ARE STILL OUT THERE.
HOW ABOUT FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT? TELL HIM THAT.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE CAR WAS 60,000 MILES AND SOMEBODY MIGHT BE SITTING HOME GOING 60,000 MILES ON THE OLD HIGHWAY PATROL CAR THAT WASN'T BAD.
WELL, I BOUGHT A CAR FOR 60 TO TELL HIM HOW MANY HOURS, THAT THING SIT DOWN WHEN THE HEAT NEEDLES, BEFORE IT PROBABLY DIDN'T CUT OFF AT 24 HOURS, 60,000 MILES ON PATROL CAR, REALLY HARD WITH ALL THE RIGHT IN 12 HOURS AT A TIME TO STOP A LOT OF SHORTEN YOUR CITY.
CAN I SIT IN THEIR ISLAND WITH THE SPEED WHEN THE ODOMETER ABOUT EVEN TURN IT? SO IT'S JUST THOUSANDS MORE HOURS, BUT ANYWAY,
WHAT HAVE YOU REALLY? I MEAN, WE APPRECIATE, YES, SIR.
ON THE BUDGET, I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLIMENT AND COMMEND MR. HARTMAN OR WHAT HE HAS DONE TO SCRUB THIS BUDGET BEST WAY.
HE KNOWS HOW, BUT I'M STILL VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T GIVE THE CITY EMPLOYEES THEIR PAY RAISE, AND WE HAVE TO RAISE RATES TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT.
AND, UH, I WAS, I WAS GOING TO VOTE NO ON APPROVING THE BUDGET.
HOWEVER, I KNOW THE CITY NEEDS
[00:40:01]
A BUDGET IN ORDER TO OPERATE.SO WITH RELUCTANCE, IF WE COME DOWN TO A VOTE TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO VOTE TO ADOPT A BUDGET AS IT IS WITH THE PROVISO THAT COULD WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, COULD WE ADOPT AN ENTERING BUDGET? AND AS SOON AS THIS MONEY COMES DOWN AND THIS AN ANTICIPATED REVENUE COMES DOWN FROM, HOPEFULLY THE GOVERNOR WILL SEE THE LIGHT AND GIVE US THIS, UH, BUCKET OF MONEY.
THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE THE CITY EMPLOYEE'S PAY, RAISE FOLLOWED BY THE GIFTS TO THE, UH, SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AROUND TOWN THAT WE HAVE CUT OUT THIS YEAR.
IS IT REASONABLE TO SUGGEST? AND MR. HARTMAN IS LAUGHING NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE WAS WITH ME OR AGAINST, I WASN'T LAUGHING AT YOU.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
I THERE'S ANOTHER PROCEDURE THAT YOU CAN DO WITH THAT.
IF YOU WERE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS COME IN, YOU CAN ADJUST, AMEND THE BUDGET.
I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH AN ENTIRE MONTH OF WAITING.
AS SOON AS THAT RAINFALLS, UH, THAT STORM OR THE DELUGE COMES WITH ONES.
I WANT THE FIRST THING TO BE DONE IS TO INCREASE THE EMPLOYEE'S PAY RAISED BY 3%, WHICH IS $393,000.
AND THAT'S NOT EVEN HALF OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR HELD BACK THIS YEAR FROM US.
AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN NO PENALTY, NO SANCTIONS, NO NOTHING DONE TO THE LEGISLATURE OR THE GOVERNOR.
WE'RE DOING THIS TO THE CITIES OR THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND I THINK WE WOULD HAVE STEPPED RIGHT UP.
AND AS SOON AS WE GET THIS MONEY AMENDS OR BUDGET, OR TO TAKE THE BUDGET TO TAKE CARE OF THESE, UH, OUR GREATEST ASSETS, WHICH IS OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, AND ALSO THESE CHARITIES THAT NEED SO MUCH MONEY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THEIR GOOD WORK.
WELL, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE WOULD AMANDIT AT THAT TIME, CORRECT? BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION BE BECAUSE ONE OF THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, THE REAL IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION THAT WE DID IT ALL LAST, AND THAT WAS THAT OUR GOAL WAS NOT TO PUT ANYTHING.
IF WE COULD ON THE BACKS OF THE BACKS OF OUR CITIZENS.
AND WE HAD TO END UP DOING THAT.
SO I THINK IN REVERSE, FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS TRY TO GET THAT BACK ALL OVER THEIR BACK.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE GET THE MONEY FROM ROBIN.
LET'S LOOK AT GIVING THESE PEOPLE RELIEF, LIKE THE LADY, WHEREVER SHE WENT HERE TONIGHT AND SAY, WELL, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO NEEDS TO SHARE THE PAIN AND INDEED THEY HAVE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO DECIDE WHERE THAT MONEY CAN GO TO IF, AND WHEN WE FIRST, WE DON'T HAVE, SO LET'S GET IT AND WALLET FOR IT'S LIKE THAT LITTLE DUCK THAT USED TO BE IN THE COMIC BOOK OR WHATEVER, WHAT WAS HIS NAME? HE USED TO ALL AND ALL THE MONEY I SAID LOW.
AND I USED TO GET MY LITTLE DOLL AND MAKING INDEPENDENT AND I COULDN'T ROLL MUCH, BUT I WASN'T GOING ABOUT THAT LONG.
SO ANYWAY, LET'S, LET'S GET THE MONEY, BUT I, I HEAR WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS.
I THINK EVEN, EVEN IF WE WERE TO GET ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE LEGISLATURE, THAT UNTIL WE ARE SURE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S NOT GOING TO BE IN A POSITION TO SEIZE THAT MONEY AT A LATER TIME REAL AIRPORT, WE GOT LEGISLATION.
THEN THEY HAD TO TRIED TO PASS RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S THE ONE THING I GO TO A MEETING TOMORROW THAT NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE ADMINS, MUNICIPALITIES HAS THEIR DIRECTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING TOMORROW.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN NEEDS HELP.
AND THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT APPLIES PRESSURE TO THE LEGISLATURE TO HELP GET THE MONEY RELEASED TO ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEM WHAT WAS DONE, MR. MAYOR? YES.
SCROOGE MCDUCK WAS YOUR MAN WHO, WHO? I'M SORRY THAT I INTERRUPT SOMEBODY.
WE KNOW WE NEED TO LET THE PUBLIC HAVE THIS PUB HERE AND THEN WE CAN TALK FROM SOUTH SEAL, BUT WE'RE DELAYING THE PUBLIC HERE.
WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON PROMOTED? WAIT A MINUTE.
I THINK IT PUTS,
UH, AND, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT READ THE LATEST IN THE LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES NEWSLETTER, THE, THE LEGISLATURE IS, HAS KIND OF A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DEAL WITH.
AND YOU MIGHT FIND THIS INTERESTING.
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT GIVING THE COUNTIES, THE AUTHORITY TO RAISE THE SALES TAX.
ONE HALF OF A CENT, ONE HALF OF A PERCENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR MONEY AND THEN MAKE US DO IT.
BUT IF YOU NOTICED IN THE LATEST COPY OF THE NEWSLETTER, ONE OF THE BILLS INTRODUCED TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN ALSO SAYS THAT IT WOULD CREATE, IT WOULD GIVE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE,
[00:45:01]
UH, THE ABILITY TO COLLECT THAT TAX FOR US, WHICH THEY PRETTY WELL DO ANYWAY, AND GET A PART OF THAT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT ADDITIONAL TAX AND WRITTEN INTO THAT LAW WOULD BE THE AUTHORITY FOR THE S THE STATE, IF THEY HAD ANOTHER FINANCIAL CRUNCH TO KEEP THAT TAX.NOW THAT WAS IN THE ADDITION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE NEWSLETTER, WHICH CAME IN YESTERDAY.
SO EVEN WITH THIS HALF CENT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT LETTING THE COUNTIES IMPOSE TO MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTFALL.
THEY'RE ALSO WRITING IN THERE THAT, OH, YES.
BUT IF WE HAVE DIFFICULTY BALANCING OUR BUDGET, WE CAN KEEP THAT FROM YOU TOO.
I WANT TO ASK WHAT HE'S MEETING.
YOU NEED TO POINT OUT I GET THE SAME NEWSLETTER THE MAX DOES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BOTHERS ME SIGNIFICANTLY IS THAT WITH THIS HALF CENT SALES TAX, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO EFFECT, MAYBE THE 1ST OF AUGUST, NORTH CAROLINA WILL BE ONE OF THE THREE OR FOUR STATES WITH THE HIGHEST SALES TAX IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE'RE DEALING WITH, I THINK RHODE ISLAND HAS A 7% SALES TAX NOW.
AND THAT, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT'S A TAX ON EVERYBODY.
CAUSE EVERYTHING, YOU BUY A HALF A PERCENT MORE AND THAT'S UP TO 7%, WHICH IS EXTREMELY HIGH.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BATTLE, UH, UH, THAT AS WELL.
I MEAN, I LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION ON CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I WANT TO HEAR, AND THAT'S ALL WE NEED AT THIS POINT.
NUMBER SEVEN, BELLA HEARING, DO YOU REVISE THE SIGN OR NO, THAT ONE G RIGHT.
MR. AVERY, I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT MY FAVORITE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE THIS EVENING, OR A FEW MINOR REVISIONS TO THE SIGN ORDINANCE THAT WERE REQUESTED FROM THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SMALL BUSINESS COUNCIL TO AID IN THE OPERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD A FEW MEETINGS, WENT OVER ISSUES.
AND THESE BEFORE TONIGHT ARE THREE THINGS THAT THEY FELT WOULD HELP, UH, THE OPERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, UH, THEY CONCURRED IN RECOMMEND THESE THREE CHANGES TO YOU.
PRIMARILY IT ADDS, HELP, WANTED SIGNS TO THE CATEGORY OF EXEMPT SIGNS, UH, HELPS WITH, UH, THE TYPE OF GRAND OPENING SIGNS, ADDING BANNERS, AND ALSO, UH, INCREASES THE NUMBER OF DAYS, WHICH YOU CAN HAVE, UH, MISCELLANEOUS, UH, SALE SIGNS FROM 14 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR TO 30 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR TO HELP THEM WITH THE SEASONAL, UH, SALES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.
SO, UH, THAT'S UH, THE CONTENT OF THE, UH, PROPOSED REVISIONS.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE FOR THE PUB, IF YOU WANTED TO COMMENT ON IT OR THAT'S CHANGED IF YOU RUN IT OUT OF THE TOPICS HERE, PRETTY COOL.
BUT THE BEAUTY OF IT IS I'LL BE BRIEF CAUSE MIKE HAS DONE IT, UH, AS WELL AS IT COULD BE DONE.
UH, THE SMALL BUSINESSES DID TALK FREQUENTLY.
THEY, THEY TRY TO, UH, LOOK UNDER EVERY STONE.
THEY WORKED WITH MIKE AND HIS DEPARTMENT WHEN MAKING SURE THEY WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, GOING TOO FAR, BUT DOING THE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP.
THEY'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO HELP THEMSELVES.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO MAKE THE WHOLE AREA A LITTLE MORE FRIENDLY TO NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN.
WE SUPPORT IT COMPLETELY AND WE APPRECIATE MIKE'S HELP ONE.
I WOULD LIKE YOU ALSO TO, UH, AND I'M SURE YOU ALREADY DOING IT.
I MEAN, THIS IS PROOF OF IT, BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT YOU CAME A LETTER ANY OTHER WAY, YOU WANT TO DO IT.
THAT, UH, ANYTIME THEY SEE ANYTHING IN THE CITY THAT THEY DON'T THINK IS CONDUCIVE TO BUSINESS, THAT DON'T AGREE WITH OR WHATEVER, PLEASE AT LEAST PASS IT ON TO YOU ALL AND LET YOU ALL KIND OF SOMETHING.
WE DON'T MIND THEM PICKING UP THE PHONE AND CALLING US.
I JUST DON'T LIKE TO RUN INTO THINGS.
AND I DO ONCE IN A WHILE, WHEN YOU FIND A LITTLE GROUP OF PEOPLE, YOU DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE THE WAY SOMETHING'S DONE OR SOME ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER.
AND I SAID, WELL, NOBODY'S EVER SAID ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT.
SO I INVITE THEM TO COME TO US OR WHATEVER WITH THE SPANISH.
DO YOU ALL, SINCE YOU HAD A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WELL, I, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
I'D ALMOST LIKE ALMOST LIKE TO ASK YOU TO COME SAY THAT TO TWO DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE IN RECENT MONTHS, THE BOARD PASSED A, A POLICY STATEMENT.
THAT ENCOURAGES THROUGH THE DIFFERENT COUNCIL, LARGE INDUSTRY COUNCIL, SMALL BUSINESS COUNCIL, AND NON-PROFIT COUNCIL.
THE THINKING BEING THAT THOSE THREE COUNCILS TOUCH PRETTY MUCH EVERY BUSINESS
[00:50:01]
ENTITY IN TOWN, UH, IF THEY HAVE AN ISSUE, THEY DISCUSS IT AMONGST THEMSELVES.AND IT KIND OF COMES UP THROUGH THE CHAMBER.
SO TO SPEAK TO THE POINT WHERE WE WORK WITH WHATEVER LOCAL ENTITY IS NEEDED IN THIS CASE MIKE'S OFFICE AND ULTIMATELY COME BEFORE YOU AND MAKE THE CHANGES.
SO THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UH, WORK, WE'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, WE'VE HAD SOME THINGS THAT IF WE GET PAST AS ORDINANCES OR WHATEVER, THAT HAD A, UH, A SURPRISE EFFECT ON FOLKS, WE REALLY DIDN'T LOOK AT OR CONSIDER OR THINK ABOUT BECAUSE WE NEVER REALLY BEEN IN THAT BUSINESS OR WHATEVER.
SO JUST PLEASE TELL THEM THAT IT'S NOT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THE REASON TO SAY IT HAS TO BE 29.6 INCHES.
WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
AND I'LL ASK FOR A RETURN FAVOR WHEN YOU'RE IN THOSE GROUPS AND YOU HEAR A BUSINESS MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT THEY WISH WOULD GET ADDRESSED.
UH, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO POINT THEM AND TELL THEM THAT THE CHAMBER WOULD HELP THEM WITH THAT.
IF THEY'RE A MEMBER, OBVIOUSLY I'M READY TO HELP THEM.
IF THEY'RE NOT THAT I'LL TWIST THEIR ARM.
BUT I MEAN, IF YOU HEAR PEOPLE WITH THOSE CONCERNS, I MEAN, THAT IS IN FACT WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR HER, FOR OF WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR GOOD JOB AND, UH, HAVE DONE.
SO FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND JUST LIKE DURING THE SEPTEMBER 11TH CRISIS AND AFTERMATH AND EVERY OTHER PLANNING.
SO WE APPRECIATE IT LOOKS LIKE Y'ALL GOT THIS ONE, RIGHT? HOW'S THAT SOUND OKAY.
I'M SAYING THIS REQUEST, SMALL BUSINESS REQUESTS, LIKE LAMA TC WEEKS BUSINESS.
AND I CONCUR THOSE SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SIGNS, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO BE AMENABLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES OR TO ANYBODY IN BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, NO HOMO.
BUT, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I HAVE, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD, AND THAT IS PEOPLE COME UP UP TO US WHEN THEY SEE US OUT AND IN AND MENTIONED THESE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE.
AND I, TONIGHT I WAS AT A MEETING.
I APOLOGIZE, AGAIN, FOR BEING LATE, I HAD A MEETING OVER AT THE DAY'S INN AND ONE OF THESE ARE SIGNS.
SITUATIONS CAME TO MY ATTENTION, UH, AT THE DAY'S INN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS LIKE CONCERNED SORT OF THROWN OFF GUARD IS TOO.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, SOME SLANTS ARE GRANDFATHERED.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE TO MOVE THEIR SON SUPPOSEDLY, BUT THERE'S A SIGN AND PEOPLE ARE BEING MADE TO MOVE IN AND IT'S GOING TO, ACCORDING TO THEM, UH, MAKE A HARDSHIP ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND SO I JUST SAID, I WILL, I'LL ASK SOMEBODY WHEN I GET THERE, BECAUSE I'M SURE THE INTENT OF THE CITY OR ITS ORDINANCE WAS ON THAT TO MAKE A HARDSHIP ON BUSINESSES.
AND IF WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO SOMETHING THAT IT IS RIDICULOUS, THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT, AND I'M NOT TO SAY THAT IT IS RIDICULOUS TO THEM THE WAY YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR AMATEURIZATION PERIOD FOR NON-CONFORMING SIGNS.
THE BUSINESSES HAVE FIVE YEARS IN WHICH TO BRING THOSE INTO COMPLIANCE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 1992.
UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF NON-CONFORMING SIGNS HAVE COME IN TO COMPLIANCE 90%.
UH, THERE'S STILL A SMALL PERCENTAGE OUT THERE, UH, YET TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, BUT THE BOARD CHOSE A FIVE-YEAR AMATEURIZATION PERIOD, WHICH REALLY HAS GONE LONGER THAN THAT, UH, TO GIVE BUSINESSES TIME, TO AMORTIZE OUT THE COST OF THOSE SO THAT IT'S NOT A HARDSHIP.
WELL I'M, WELL, I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT IT AGAIN.
I REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION.
LIKE I SAID, I'M GLAD THAT THE CHAMBER BRINGS BEFORE US THE CONCERNS OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
CAUSE LIKE THE MAN SAID, WHEN PEOPLE APPROACH US, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT KINDS OF PROBLEMS THEY MIGHT BE HAVING UNLESS THEY TELL US.
AND SOMEONE HAD, UM, APPROACHED ME IN PARTICULAR ON WHAT THEY SPOKE WITH ANYONE ELSE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ASKING.
SHE SAID, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING ME TO DO WITH, UH, V BE GLAD TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IT.
WE'RE NOT ASKING ANYBODY TO REDUCE THEIR SIGN ON A NEW ORDINANCE.
RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS, THE RESTRICTION WAS PUT IN THE 10 YEARS AGO.
THERE'S BEEN A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD.
THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING HAD DIDN'T HAVE THE BUILDING 10 YEARS AGO.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, WE DON'T HAVE A
[00:55:01]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS NUMBER EIGHT AND I'M AT FIVE WHERE IT SAYS PROBABLY HEARING TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO GRANT FRANCHISES, BUT TAXI CAB OPERATION.
IT REALLY, THE CLUB ADHERENCE HAVE ALREADY BEEN OVER.
A SECOND THERE, THE DISCUSSION CALL THE ROLL PLEASE.
NEXT THING WE HAVE IS A CONSENT AGENDA.
I LIKE TO PULL ITEM 10 AND 17 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA DOC FROM SEPARATELY, TIANA AND 17.
AND LET ME POINT OUT AT ITEM 19.
UH, THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'LL BE CONSIDERING TO ADOPT IS THE ONE SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU CLERICAL CHANGES AS WELL IN IT INSTEAD OF THE ONE THAT'S IN THE BOOK.
SO I'M JUST ALERTING IT TO THE FACT THAT IF WE PASS 19 IS THE ONE IN FRONT, Y MY BUDGET FOR THE, WELL, I'M GOING TO GO TO DOCTOR BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR 2001, 2002 SNACK, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE FINAL AMENDMENT FOR THE EXISTING BUDGET THAT WE HAVE, NOT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS NOT, THIS DOES NOT DO THIS SEPARATELY.
THIS IS NOT THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THIS IS THE ADOPTION OF THE FINAL AMENDMENT TO GET IT CLEANED UP FOR THE AUDITORS' THE LAST
WELL, WE DO TO CONSENT THAT THE LAST DAY IS, AND THEY GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.
IF YOU WON'T THIS, WE CAN DO THAT.
HOW ABOUT, OKAY, SO THAT WOULD BE SEPARATE 10 IS IN IT NOW.
NO, TINA, I STILL WANT TO TAKE A SEPARATE
MA'AM YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.
I MEAN, I NEED AN EXPLANATION FROM MR. HARTMAN, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS AMENDMENT.
THIS AMENDMENT IS THE AMENDMENT THAT WE DO ANNUALLY.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT, UH, DEFINED, FIND THAT DIRECTOR HAS GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET TO CRIME, WHERE THERE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE AUDIT FOR OVER EXPENDITURES OR WHATEVER.
I'D TAKEN THOSE TAKING MONEY FROM AREAS THAT HAD UNDER EXPENDITURES, MOVE THEM INTO THOSE VARIOUS ONES THAT HAD THE OVERTHINKER.
SO WHEN THE AUDITORS COME IN, WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONS REGULATIONS.
SO WHAT WAS YOUR SPECIAL APPROPRIATION INCREASED BY 12 FIVE, BUT YOU KNOW, UM, MS. BROWN, MS. MORALES HERE, BUT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MERELY TO CLEAR OUT THE, UH, ANY OVERAGE THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN.
I CAN CHECK AND SEE WHAT AND THAT ORDINANCE YOU HAD WEANED SEE, UH, YOU ADVANCED MONEY TO THE WAY YOU SAY PROGRAM FOR THEM TO USE FOR OPERATING EXPENSES.
THERE WAS NO BUDGET IN THERE FOR THAT AMOUNT.
AND, UH, UH, THERE'S NOT LIKE THERE'S 12 FIVE, IT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO COVER THAT APPROPRIATION.
SO SHE'S MOVED THAT MONEY INTO THAT PROBATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S COVERED.
SO DO WE ADOPT THIS SEPARATE FROM THE REGULAR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR?
[01:00:03]
OR WAS IT JUNE 17 OR SOMEBODY TO MAKE A MOTION TO VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO TERMINATE THE LEASE AGREEMENT, BUT MR. HARTMAN ON THAT ONE, CAN WE ALSO AMEND THE ACTUAL ADDRESS TO COME THEN WE CHANGED THE ADDRESS OR WHEN WE DO THE NEW LEASE, CAN WE CHANGE THE ADDRESS? IT'S IT'S CALLED IT'S ON TRYON PALACE DRIVE, WHICH NO LONGER EXISTS.IT'S A 3 0 6 OR 3 0 2 SOUTH FRONT STREET.
SO CAN WE, WHEN WE PUT IT ALL BACK ON THE BOOKS, CAN WE CHANGE THAT ADDRESS? YEAH, THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF THE STREET.
I REALLY KEEP IT CONSISTENT WITH THE WAY HE GETS HIS LEASE, BUT CERTAINLY FROM HERE ON NOW WE CAN GET IT STRAIGHT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, IF NOT, CALL ROLL, PLEASE, MAN.
MR. MADE A MOTION AS A SUBSTITUTE.
POINT YOUR, I DON'T HAVE ANY NON TONIGHT, SIR.
I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO POINT DONALD MARTIN PLEASE.
ONLY THING THAT I HAVE UNDER MY THING IS THAT WE'RE REALLY UNDER STATE LAW.
WE REALLY SHOULD ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE ORDINANCE AT THIS MEETING.
SO I'VE GOT A BUDGET RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU ADOPT.
SO MOVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ALL THE ROAD, PLEASE.
WE ADOPTED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET ORDINANCE THIS YEAR, 2002 TO $2 PROPOSED, BUT WE HAVING A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION IF I CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
YES, BUT UH, I CHANGED MY VOTE NEXT NIGHT AND WE GOT A NUMBER 28.