[00:00:23]
HE TURNED ON GOD, A FATHER, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, THE GOD OF ONE LANGUAGE.
AND THAT BEING THE TRUTH FATHER.
BEFORE WE ASK YOU FOR ANYTHING, WE JUST WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, FATHER.
AS WE KNOW IT RIGHT NOW, GOD, FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR LIFE HEALTH AND STRENGTH TO HIM.
THE FATHER, GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR CLEAN LIVING.
SO FATHER GOD, WE GIVE YOU GLORY FATHER.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THE BUSINESS AT HAND, DEAR GOD, FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOUR PRESENCE BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD AND LET YOUR PRESENCE BE MANIFESTED THROUGH THE DECISIONS MADE ON THIS EVENING.
OH GOD, WELL FATHER, WE LIFT THEM UP TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
YOUR GOD, OOH THAT THEY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR PRESENCE.
WHEN WE SEEK TO DO THAT AND WILL IN JESUS NAME, DO WE PRAY UNDER THE OLD
FIRST THING, WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, THE PROCLAMATION FOR WORLD TOWN LANDING DAY.
YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE PROCLAMATION IN YOUR PACKETS.
UH, AND BASICALLY THIS RE UH, PROCLAIMS THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH THROUGH THE 15TH AS COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING WEEK.
AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS, WE HAD THE WORLD TOWN PLANNING DAY AND GIS DAY, UH, DOWN ON THE STREETS, UH, IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE ON, UH, WE HAD NEARLY 200 FOLKS TO COME BY, TO COME IN AND TALK WITH US, TO LOOK AT THE MAPS AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE OTHER THINGS WE DO.
SO IT WAS A, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, MEET WITH CITIZENS AND HAVE THEM SEE, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THINGS WE'RE DOING.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THE PROCLAMATION DOES IS TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CITIZEN PLANNERS, UH, AND ALSO PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHICH THEY DID.
AND OF COURSE YOU ALL KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO THE HISTORICAL FOLKS.
YOU AND I, BOTH OF THEM, BUT IT'S JUST AMAZING TO ME, LOOKING BACK AT THE OLDEST MAPS THAT YOU CAN FIND IN THE CITY OF NEWARK AND LOOK AT HOW MUCH, WHAT THEY PUT IN PLACE IS STILL IN PLACE.
AND YOU KNOW, IT, WASN'T A REAL FOCUS ON THE HISTORICAL STUFF PER SE, YOU KNOW, FOREVER.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST LAID OUT IN SUCH A NICE MAP OR WAIT UNTIL IT WORKS.
AND THAT'S, THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD PLAN ON SOMEBODY AS FAR FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO YOU DON'T JUST KEEP CARRYING ON THE GOOD WORK AND THEN YOU CAN ADD INTO IT.
WE WON'T MONKEY WITH THAT ORIGINAL PLAN.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COMMENT ON THE PLANNING? OKAY.
I GUESS WE DIDN'T PLAN TO THE NEXT THING THAT WE HAVE IS THE REQUEST CAN PETITION OF CITIZENS.
AND THAT'S THE ONCE A MONTH OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE TO COME FOR.
AND TO TELL US WHAT'S ON YOU MAD.
AND OF COURSE THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE YOU FROM CALL THEM AT ONE OR TWO IN THE MORNING.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE ON THE LAPTOP HATING, LET'S CALL IT, RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS NUMBER FIVE PRESENTATION UPDATE ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
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UH, A PLEASURE TO BE BACK BEFORE YOU ALL THIS EVENING TALKING ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.AGAIN, I'VE, I'VE BEEN WHEN WE KICKED OFF THIS PROCESS, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME, GOT TO GET EVERYTHING GOING AT ONE TIME HERE? UM, AND THAT IT'S WORLD TOWN PLANNING WEEK.
SO THIS ALL JUST SORT OF GELS TOGETHER AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UM, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
IT MAY LOOK FOR ME OR IT'S SORT OF AN UPDATED VERSION OF WHAT YOU ALL SAW WHEN WE KICKED OFF THIS PROCESS.
AGAIN, AS YOU RECALL THIS AS THE CITY'S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WE, UH, IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE DIVISION OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE, UH, THE HELP THAT WE GET FROM THOSE FOLKS.
AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THE WAY THAT IT'S GONE SO FAR WITHIN PHASE ONE, WHICH HAS BEEN THE DATA COLLECTION PORTION, THE OVERALL PLANNING PROCESS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THINGS ABOUT WHERE WE NOW THAT'S BEEN PHASE ONE, THAT'S BEEN THE DATA COLLECTION AND THAT'S THE EIGHT CHAPTERS THAT YOU'VE GOT.
AND THE SUMMARIES THAT THE BOARD HAS THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FINDINGS FROM THE, UH, THE DATA WE'VE COLLECTED THE NEXT STEP.
AND WE'RE WHERE WE'RE SORT OF BEGINNING BEGAN TO TREAD IS TO ANTICIPATE FUTURE CONDITIONS WITH THE LONG RANGE GOALS OR BEGINNING THAT VISIONING PROCESS.
AND THEN AS WE KIND OF SET OUR MIND ON WHAT IT IS, WHERE WE WANT TO BE, THEN WE'LL START TALKING ABOUT, WELL, HOW DO WE GET THERE? AND WE'LL SET UP GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND THEN WE'LL DEVELOP ACTION STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING THOSE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE OVERALL PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN MEETING PRETTY REGULARLY EVERY FOUR TO SIX WEEKS AND REVIEWING THE DATA AS THE CONSULTANT WHO IS NOT BY THE WELL, BY THE WAY, NOT FEELING WELL THIS EVENING.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE WITH YOU, UM, HAS BEEN MEETING REGULARLY WITH HIM AND REVIEWING THE DATA.
AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE THIS EVENING, SUSAN MOFFITT THOMAS IS THE YEAR GEORGINE HANNON, UH, JIM DAVIS AND THE RESA LEE.
AND, UH, THIS STEERING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
IT'S NOT FALLEN APART AS YOU KNOW, COMMITTEES CAN DO AS YOU GO ALONG.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD GOOD ATTENDANCE.
FOLKS WERE VERY ATTENTIVE AND IS, UH, MR. DAVIS WAS SAYING TO ME, JUST BEFORE THE MEETING, IT'S BEEN A GOOD GROUP THAT SOMEONE COULD SAY WHAT THEY THOUGHT AND THE GROUP RECEIVED IT WELL AND, AND DISCUSSED IT IN.
AND EVERYBODY FELT, FEELS VERY COMFORTABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE IDEAS AND THINGS THAT THEY, UH, HAVE AN INTEREST IN.
WE ALSO HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
A LOT OF WORLD TOWN PLANNING DAY WAS ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND LETTING FOLKS KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT IT OUT THERE, WE'VE GOT THE STATE AVAILABLE, AND WE DID HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS COME BY AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GOT SO FAR.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN SENDING OUT PUBLIC INFORMATION BROCHURES, AND I HOPE YOU'VE BEEN SEEING THEM IN YOUR UTILITY BILLS OR WHOEVER PAYS YOUR LIGHT BILL AT HOME, SEES THEM IN THEIR UTILITY BILL.
AND THEY LOOK SORT OF LIKE THESE, UM, THIS IS THE NEXT ONE THAT'LL BE COMING OUT.
THE SALMON COLOR IS VERY PRETTY.
TRACY PICKED THAT OUT FOR US AND IT, UH, SORT OF RECAPS THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION AND OBVIOUSLY IN A VERY CONDENSED WAY, UH, THAT WE'VE COLLECTED SO FAR.
UH, THE SECOND BROCHURE WAS A SURVEY THAT WENT OUT AND, AND IT WAS THE BASIC SWAT ANALYSIS OF W WHAT'S THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS.
AND WE ASKED THE COMMUNITY THAT, AND WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SORT OF THE TOP THREE IN EACH CATEGORY, IN TERMS OF STRENGTHS, WHAT THE COMMUNITY THOUGHT, UH, THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE TOWN.
THEY SAID THAT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, THEY WOULD SAY THE RESIDENT, THE OLD HOUSES, OR THEY WOULD SAY THE OLD DOWNTOWN, OR THEY WOULD SAY, UH, TRYON PALACE.
UM, BUT THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND FEEL THE TOWN WAS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE RIVERS AND WATERFRONTS WERE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS ONE BECAUSE I THINK THE MARYLAND GRADE, THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY WERE, UH, WERE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE WOULD RESTATE PEOPLE FRIENDLY, THEY'RE KIND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WE FELT LIKE THOSE WERE THE STRENGTHS, THE WEAKNESSES, AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD BEFORE, UH, VACANT STORES.
AND THAT'S KIND OF A PERCEPTION OF, YOU KNOW, LACK OF SHOPPING, LACK OF RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF THE SHOPPING.
I KIND OF THINK THAT THAT IS MORE RELATED TO THAT.
WE HAVE A BIG TOWN FEEL AND PROBABLY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A LOT MORE IN THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES KIND OF GIVES THEM THAT BIG TOWN FEEL.
SO THEY MAY BE LOOKING FOR MORE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORK ON A BLIGHTED AREAS WHERE THERE'S, AGAIN, WEAKNESSES, THESE ARE BLIGHTED AREAS WHERE THERE'S A PERCEIVED LACK OF INVESTMENT AND A LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT COMMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE RESPONDENTS WERE RETIREES WHO NO LONGER DRIVE OR STOCKS.
I MEAN, THAT WAS WHEN YOU THINK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WHO WERE THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP PARKS, ESPECIALLY ON A WATERFRONT.
I THINK EVERYBODY FEELS REALLY GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, BUT THE COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE THERE'S MORE, UH, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORDERLY GROWTH
[00:10:01]
AND NEW LIGHT INTO INDUSTRY, SMALL ECONOMIC TYPE BUSINESSES, UH, THREATS.PEOPLE ARE STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, AIR AND WATER QUALITY, UM, SPRAWL THEY HAVE JUST COME ALIVE, UM, SPRAWL, UH, IS, WHICH IS A BUZZ WORD.
AND EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, VERY IN TUNE TO THAT, BUT THAT WAS PERCEIVED AS A THREAT AND CRIME AND DRUGS, ALTHOUGH A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE, THOSE WERE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT OR THREATS.
SO WE'VE WORKED REAL HARD TO TRY TO MAKE THE CITIZENRY, UH, UH, AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND GIVE THEM A VOICE IN IT.
UM, ALSO WE'VE WORKED REAL CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE CITY MANAGER, TRYING TO MAKE SURE TO FEED THEM DATA AND GET BACK INFORMATION FROM THEM, THE PLANNING STAFF, UH, THE PLANNING BOARD, WHICH ARE PART OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND NOW WE'RE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL THIS EVENING, CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AGAIN, TWO PHASE IS FACT FINDING, WHICH WE'VE BEEN IN AND PHASE TWO BEING CHARTING.
THE COURSE WENT THROUGH SOME SLIDES HERE.
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? WE'VE GOT EIGHT CHAPTERS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED, UM, AND YOU SEE THE TITLES FOR THEM THERE, AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH REAL QUICKLY THROUGH THEM.
UM, AND, AND TALK ABOUT THEM, THE CHAPTERS JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND THE FINDINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE CHAPTERS, AND THAT'S THE WAY THE, THE, UH, PLAN HAS BEEN SET UP SO FAR.
WE HAVE THIS INTRODUCTION, WE HAVE THE DATA THAT'S COME ALONG.
AND THEN FROM THE DATA, WE TRY TO PULL VERY IMPORTANT POINTS SO THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTED JUST A REAL QUICK SUMMARY, AND AGAIN, YOU ALL HAVE THOSE IN YOUR, UH, UH, FOLDERS TONIGHT, A REAL QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT'S THE MEAT.
THERE'S THE FINDINGS WE'RE CONTINUING TO REFINE THEM.
AND THOSE THAT I MENTIONED TONIGHT ARE NOT, UH, EVERYTHING, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANT ONES THAT WERE PULLED OUT POPULATION, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THIS PROCESS WAS ACTUALLY DELAYED A YEAR, WHICH MEANT THAT WE GOT THE 2000 CENSUS DATA TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH.
OTHERWISE, WE'D BE WORKING WITH THE 1990 CENSUS DATA.
UH, OUR POPULATION 20 3001 28 WAS A 33.2 INCREASE.
AND WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT WAS IT WAS MORE ATTRIBUTABLE TO ANNEXATION AND NATURAL THAN IN MIGRATION.
WE ALL FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS MOVING IN TO TOWN, BUT, UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE FROM NATURAL INCREASE IN ANNEXATION.
AND THE OTHER INTERESTING THING, WE ALL KNOW THIS IS THE MEDIAN AGE, WENT UP FROM 33.5 TO 38.9.
LIKE WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT, UH, AN AGING POPULATION WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS IN THE TYPE OF HOUSING.
THE TRANSPORTATION AS WAS MENTIONED, HEALTH CARE, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT.
UM, THE ECONOMY, UH, THIS CHAT REPORTS PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF NEWBURN.
UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT SEEM TO POP OUT AT US, 50%, 57% OF THE WORKING AGE WORKING AGE ARE IN THE LABOR FORCE.
WHEN WE COMPARE THAT TO CRAVEN COUNTY, WE'RE 62.8% OF THEIR WORKING AGE.
PEOPLE ARE IN THE LABOR FORCE AND 65.7% IN THE STATE.
SO IT WOULD SEEM LIKE WE NEED TO GET MORE FOLKS WORKING.
UM, BUT I DID LOOK AT THE DATA FOR OVER 65 YEARS OLD.
SO WE MAY HAVE MORE PEOPLE KIND OF IN THE RETIREMENT RANGE WHILE I'M THINKING THAT MIGHT ATTRIBUTE TO THAT 12% OF THE STATE OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE, 13.4% IN THE COUNTY, THE CITY HAS 17.9% PEOPLE, 65 YEARS AND OLDER.
SO MAYBE THAT'S MORE TOWARD, AGAIN, PEOPLE MORE IN THE RETIREMENT AGE, ALTHOUGH THOSE RETIREES WITH THE ECONOMY, AS IT IS MAYBE COMING BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE, UH, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR THE CITY IS 29,000 101 39 VERSUS CRAVEN AT 35,900 AND THE STATE AT 39,100.
SO OUR INCOMES ARE A LITTLE LOWER.
AGAIN, SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT TRYING TO GET OUR FOLKS UP TO THE STATE AND COUNTY STANDARDS.
AND OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TOURISM IS TO THE COMMUNITY AT GENERATED $74.9 MILLION LAST YEAR WITH AN ESTIMATED PAYROLL OF NIGHT, NOT LAST YEAR IN THE YEAR 2000 WITH A PAYROLL OF 19.86.
THE NEXT CHAPTER WE LOOKED AT WAS HOUSING, WHICH WE JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF HOUSING, HOUSING CONDITIONS.
UM, ONE THING THAT CONCERNS US IS, UH, HOME HOMEOWNERSHIP IS RELATIVELY LOW IN NEW BERN, UH, WITH AN OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING RATE OF 57% WHILE CRAIG COUNTY HAS 67% HOMEOWNERS AND THE STATE IS AT 69%.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING AGAIN WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF AND TRY TO, TO INCREASE IN HELP OUR FOLKS, UH, OWN HOMES AND THE MEDIUM VALUE OF HOUSES IN NEWBURN WHERE 84,000 WHILE CRAVEN CRAVEN COUNTY WAS AT 96
[00:15:01]
AND THE STATE WAS AT 108 THREE, AGAIN, AS I SAID, NOT AN ALL-INCLUSIVE LIST OF ALL THE FINDINGS AND ISSUES DEALING WITH, UH, THE VARIOUS CHAPTERS, BUT JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING AND TRENDS AND THINGS WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, UH, REAL IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL QUALITY OF LIFE.UM, IN, IN THE, OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE A LOT OF FINDINGS DEALING WITH THIS CHAPTER, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO US WAS NUMBER ONE, THE LAST TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND EFFORT WAS IN 1993 AND SHOULD BE UPDATED.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN THE FUNDING LOOP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET AN UPDATE RELATIVELY SOON, UH, PLANNING EFFORTS NEEDED TO EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITIES, INCLUDING TRAILS, GREENWAYS, AND OPEN SPACE CONNECTIVITY.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE AS A VIABLE TRANSPORTATION, UH, ALTERNATIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO, UM, TO EXERCISE THAT FIRST STREET IS STILL AN IMPORTANT ENTRANCE ENTRANCEWAY CORRIDOR AND SHOULD REMAIN A PRODUCT PRIORITY.
AND THE TREATMENT BRIDGE IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, ENTRANCE WAY GATEWAY INTO DOWNTOWN AND SHOULD BE UPGRADED FOR VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, WHICH WE KNOW IS PROBABLY IS SOMETHING PROGRAMMED INTO THE TIP PLAN, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE STATE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT WE THINK THAT IS TO HAPPEN.
SO, UM, UTILITIES MOVING RIGHT ALONG THIS TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE CITY'S, UH, CAPACITY IN TERMS OF WATER, WASTEWATER, ELECTRICITY, AND STORM WATER, THE CITY WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE HERE.
THE CITY'S CURRENT WATER SUPPLY SOURCES ARE ADEQUATE FOR THE PROJECTED NEEDS AND WELL INTO THE PLANNING PERIOD.
UH, THE CITY IS FINALIZING THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE PROJECT AND PURSUING PERMITS AND APPROVALS FOR EFFLUENT DISCHARGE OPTIONS, UM, AND WITH ELECTRICITIES AND THE ISSUES THERE.
UH, THE THING THAT OF COURSE CONCERNED THE COMMITTEE IS THAT, UM, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE STATE AND THE STUDY IN TERMS OF DEREGULATION AND ENSURE THAT DECISION-MAKERS AT THE STATE LEVEL DEVELOP EQUITABLE MEASURES FOR INVESTMENT RECOVERY, IF, IF THAT DOES HAPPEN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SECURING OUR INTEREST THERE.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES.
THE NUMBER OF SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THAT WE HAD WITHIN, UM, NEWBURN UNDER THIS PARTICULAR HEADING AND JUST RUN THROUGH THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS THAT DEALT WITH COMMUNICATIONS LIKE TV, RADIO, NEWSPAPER, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL RESOURCES, EDUCATION, EMERGENCY SERVICES, HEALTH SERVICES, LIBRARIES, UM, PUBLIC, AND SEMI-PUBLIC BUILDINGS, RECREATION, AND PARKS, SOLID WASTE AND VOLUNTEER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY ALL ENCOMPASSING AND THAT OUR COMMUNITY, THIS IS REALLY THE BACKBONE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS A LOT TO TALK ABOUT UNDER EACH ONE OF THESE SECTIONS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE, AND WE SHOULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES.
AND IN THAT SENSE, AGAIN, TO SOME OF THE MAIN BULLET BULLET POINTS THERE, IN TERMS OF, UH, CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME VERY VALUABLE RESOURCES AND THEY ARE ECONOMIC TOOLS, DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT THOSE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THOSE TO OUR BEST ADVANTAGE.
UM, THE 1996 PARKS AND RECREATION PLANS SHOULD BE UPDATED.
AND AS WE SAID BEFORE, A REALLY CLOSE LOOK AT OPEN SPACE, GREENWAYS BICYCLE TRAILS, UH, NEEDS TO BE STUDIED WITHIN THAT.
AND, UH, VOLUNTEERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE I'VE HEARD THE MAYOR SAY SEVERAL TIMES OVER WHAT A WONDERFUL, UH, RESOURCE WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH VOLUNTEERS AND THAT, UM, THEY CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND NEWBURN.
AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE THAT HAPPEN AND GET DONE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT SORT OF STRUCTURE THERE.
AND FINALLY THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
I THINK IT'S AS PRETTY AS THE MOUNTAINS ARE NOT IF, IF NOT PRETTIER, A LOT OF VIEW SHEDS AND THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY AGREED IN THE, IN THE, UM, COMMITTEE, THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT THE RIVER IS PROBABLY OUR MOST IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCE.
AND AGAIN, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL AND CAN NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE PROTECTED.
WE DO A LOT OF THINGS TO PROTECT IT.
UM, WE, UM, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND WE NEED TO DO MORE THINGS AND WE NEED TO KIND OF MONITOR WHAT'S HAPPENING UP STRENGTHS UPSTREAM, SO WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES, UH, BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO US.
SO THOSE ARE THE CHAPTERS AND JUST A REALLY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN THE STEERING COMMITTEES.
THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT, UM, THE NEW-BORN APPROACH AGAIN, WAS FIRST THE FACT FINDING, AND NOW CHARTING THE COURSE WE'VE GOT ABOUT SIX MONTHS LEFT TO FINISH UP THIS PROJECT.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED IN JUNE OF 2003, AND WE'RE RIGHT ON TARGET.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY
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TO PARTICIPATE.WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE MORE OF THESE INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS AS WE PRESENT INFORMATION AS WE GET IT AND ADD TO IT.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE FOCUS AREAS.
WE SORT OF TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE INITIAL, UM, PROCESS, AS WE BEGAN LOOKING AT DOING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND THEN FINALLY, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO IT, THIS WAS THIS LADY MOVING HER HEAD.
CAN YOU SEE IT? THAT'S HER? AND SHE'S GOING, YEAH, THIS IS IT.
SO, UH, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND, AND, AND HOPEFULLY THE BOARD WILL FINALLY APPROVE THE MEETING AND THEN THE PLAN WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND WHAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IS AT THE TIME THAT WE DO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN IS THAT WE DON'T JUST, YOU KNOW, OH, WE GOT A PLAN, PUT IT ON A SHELF IS THAT WE, EVERY DAY WHEN WE HAVE FOLKS COMING TO OUR OFFICE AND THEY ASK QUESTIONS AND THEY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING IN A CERTAIN AREA, WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE A PLAN OFF THE SHELF AND LAY IT OUT AND GO, WELL, THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID.
AND THAT REALLY HELPS TO DEVELOP OR HELPS UP WHEN WE'RE DOING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO BE SUCCESSFUL WORKING WITH THOSE THINGS.
IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE UPDATE IT ANNUALLY AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE CONDITIONS CHANGE THINGS CHANGE FREQUENTLY.
SO IT'S REAL IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT ANNUALLY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PLAN ON DOING, AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION FOR THIS EVENING.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING SO ATTENTIVE AND LISTENING, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND IF ANYBODY FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, UM, BE HAPPY TO LET THEM DO THAT.
COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT CAME TO MIND.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRESENTATION? ONE I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT PLANS THAT THE CITY HAS, YOU KNOW, IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS ANDREW'S BEEN TO MAY ASK THEM TO MAKE A MENTAL NOTE.
FIRST OFF, SOME PEOPLE BRING THAT UP.
I'M SURPRISED THEY EVEN AWARE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE AWARE OF IT, BUT IT JUST SHOWS HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE YOU MEAN AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THE SECOND THING IS THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS ANYMORE IN TERMS OF IF THAT EVER HAPPENS ONE DAY, THEY TALK ABOUT LIKE WHEN IT HAPPENS.
AND SO I WANT TO COMMAND ALL THE FOLKS SITTING HERE, SUSAN, AND ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK AND A BUNCH OF FOLKS THAT ARE NOT HERE, UH, FOR ACTUALLY CARRYING THESE PLANS OUT THROUGH AND SEEING THEM THROUGH.
THE SECOND THING I LIKE TO SAY IS, UH, SUNDAY NIGHT, I WAS AT A MARINE CORPS BALL AND HAVING TOMORROW NOW IS THE THIRD YEAR, GREAT BUNCH OF FOLKS OVER THERE.
AND A CORE, SEVERAL GENERALS IN THEIR WIVES THAT HAVE RETIRED, WHO CAN SAY FOR WHEN JENNA WAS WIDE IN PARTICULAR, CAME UP TO ME.
AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT COMPLIMENT TO THE CITY AND SAID THAT THEY LIVE, I THINK SHE SAID 28 PLACES AND THEY ARE TOO ALL OVER EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY HAD ALREADY DECIDED WHEN THEY, ONE OF THEM WAS HERE WHEN THEY RETIRED AND COMING BACK HERE, THIS WAS THE BEST PLACE THAT THEY HAD SEEN.
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS A FRIENDLINESS AT ITS PEAK.
AND I TOLD HER, I SAID, YOU KNOW, I KEEP HEARING THAT AND HEARING IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS, BUT MY BELIEF IN THAT IS IT THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO SORT OF BE A FRIENDLY PERSON YOURSELF TO APPRECIATE ANOTHER FRIEND, THAT PERSON.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S THE SAME BIOTIC THING THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE HAD MOVING HERE HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY, AND THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE IT, WHATEVER, DON'T YOU PUT THAT DOWN
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REAL INTERESTING THAT CAUSE I HAD HEARD YOU AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SAY THAT BEFORE ABOUT THE FRIENDLINESS OF THE PEOPLE.
AND THAT, THAT CAME OUT IN THE SURVEY THAT WAS DONE, THAT PAPER RECOGNIZED
SO THANK YOU, LORD, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
ANYBODY ELSE GOT A COMMENT? I HAD SOME COMPANY HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THIS IS A COMPLIMENT TO THE CITY INTO THE MIRROR.
I TOLD THEM, I WOULD TELL HIM WHO RATHER THAN THEM OUT.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS CITY IS CLEAN.
IF I DON'T REMEMBER THE GOOD THING MY MAGAZINE IS TONIGHT WHEN I GET HOME FOR THE TRASH MAN,
[00:25:06]
GOOD WORK.HERE'S A SUGGESTION FOR THOSE MAGAZINES.
NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED, I KNOW YOU PUT THEM IN RECYCLING, BUT MIGHT WANT TO DROP THEM OFF AT A NURSING HOME OR SOMETHING.
IT JUST, WHEN YOU SAID THAT BEING OUT, BEING OUT PERIODICALLY, TAKE BIG STACKS TO A SOCIAL SERVICES, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LEAVE THEM IN THE WAY YOU CAN RECYCLE IT.
THAT'S FINE BECAUSE WHEN I TAKE THEM ALL THERE AND THERE'S NONE, IT MUST BE THROWING THEM AWAY AS FAST AS WE BRING THEM IN.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF WE'RE FRIENDLY, WE'LL SCARE ALL THE MEAN PEOPLE AWAY AND LIKE THAT.
WELL, I MEAN, I REALLY DO BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT, UH, JUST LIKE SOMEBODY TOLD ME ONCE, UH, I NEVER BEEN IN NEW YORK IN 1996 AND YOU HEAR ALL YOUR LIFE, EVEN NEW YORKERS, EVERYBODY'S RUDE, YOU KNOW? AND I SAID, WELL, THAT'S FUNNY THE ONES THAT MOVE HERE, I HAVEN'T FOUND TO BE IN NEW YORK IN 96.
MAYBE I'M JUST A LUCKY GUY, BUT I DIDN'T MAKE THE FIRST SOUL THAT I'M JUST A LUCKY MAN.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF THE OLD PHONE BOOKS, UH, THE LITERACY COUNCIL GET GETS A DOLLAR.
IF YOU BRING THEM TO I'LL COME GET THEM FROM YOU.
LITERARY COUNSEL IS A DOLLAR FOR EACH OLD PHONE BOOK, THIS JOURNEY I'M SURE MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN WEARING.
YOU CAN SEND A GIN MOVE WERE APPROVED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, CALL THE ROLL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE MR. BARRY MEREZ AWARD? I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND MR. JOHN F MCCLELLAN, WHO LIVES AT FIVE 14 CRAVEN STREET.
AND HE'S A RETIRED ATTORNEY WHO WAS A CERTIFIED, UH, IN THREE STATES TO, UH, BEFORE THE BAR.
AND, UH, HE'S UH, WAS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
AND, UH, HE'S NOW A VOLUNTEER IN THE NEW BERN PRESERVATION FOUNDATION AND YOU BURN HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
AND I LIKE TO NOMINATE HIM FOR THE VACANCY ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
AND HE HAS BEEN HERE AND HE'S TALKED TO MR. AVERY ABOUT IT, AND HE'S GOT NO DETAILS ABOUT WHAT IS, WHAT WAS INVOLVED IN BEING ON THE BOARD.
AND HE'S HERE TONIGHT TO SHOW HIS INTEREST IN.
WOULD YOU STAND UP MR. MCCULLOUGH? YOU'RE BRAVE SERVING ON THAT BOARD.
AND I LIKE TO RECOMMEND THE POINT, ALL THAT.
AND I WON'T TELL YOU THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT BOARD.
MAYBE YOU GET SOME OF THE SAME, UH
ALRIGHT, MS. LEE, MR.
AND I REMEMBERED VICE-PRESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
MR. REINER, I GUESS WE GOT MISCELLANEOUS.
ONE OF MY BRANDS SAYS IS LOVE.
AND I TELL YOU EVERY TIME WHEN I SAY MR FREEZE, HE STILL
I HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY PERTURBED IN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO OVER RECURRING NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.
AND I'M NOT MAD AT THE NEWSPAPER.
JUST THE FACT THAT THE ARTICLES ARE TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR A SPECIAL SESSION OR THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND I JUST, UH, I WAS TIRED TODAY AND WASN'T READY TO SIT STILL AND BE QUIET ANYMORE ABOUT IT.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN TODAY AND, UH, GOVERNOR CALL SPECIAL SESSION ON APPOINTMENTS.
[00:30:01]
BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS HE FOUND IN THE APPOINTMENTS, WHICH I'LL GET INTO WHEN I READ THIS STATEMENT AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME A BILL HAS EVER BEEN VETOED BY GOVERNOR IN NORTH CAROLINA.THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT LAW BEFORE, AND WE ARE SO NERVOUS ABOUT GIVING TOO MUCH POWER TO THE PEOPLE IN RALEIGH THAT EVEN THE TYPES OF BILLS, WHICH THE GOVERNOR IS ALLOWED OR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO VETO ARE VERY LIMITED, HAD THESE APPOINTMENTS, WHICH IS THE PROBLEM.
HE HAD NOT BEEN ATTACHED TO A BILL, APPARENTLY UNRELATED TO THE APPOINTMENTS.
HE WOULD HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN ABLE TO ISSUE A VETO ON THAT, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO ISSUE THE BILL BECAUSE OF WHAT ELSE WAS CONTAINED CONTAINED IN IT.
NOWHERE HAVE I SEEN ANY EXPLANATION OF WHAT ELSE WAS IN THERE? SO APPARENTLY THE APPOINTMENTS ARE THE IMPORTANT THING THAT BEING SAID AS A VETERAN JOURNALIST WHO SPENT 31 YEARS COVERING NEWS EVENTS OF ALL KINDS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON GOVERNMENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
I HAVE READ LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF LETTERS TO EDITORS, BUT HAVE UNTIL NOW NEVER AUTHORED ONE MYSELF.
HOWEVER, THIS ISSUE FORCES ME TO BREAK MY LONGSTANDING VAL, NOT TO POKE A STICK INTO A HORNET'S NEST TOMORROW I'LL PLAN TO MAIL A PROBABLY SLIGHTLY MODIFIED VERSION OF THIS LETTER TO THE EDITOR, TO A NUMBER OF THE STATES NEWSPAPERS.
AND THE TEXT BASICALLY IS AS FOLLOWS TODAY.
I VERIFIED THROUGH A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES, THAT THERE ARE 170 ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
EACH OF WHOM RECEIVES IN ADDITION TO THEIR SALARY, $104 FOR EACH DAY, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS IN SESSION.
WHETHER THE LEGISLATORS PRESENCE IN RALEIGH IS NEEDED OR NOT.
AND WHETHER THEY, AND THEY RECEIVE IT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
NOW I KNOW THESE PEOPLE WORK HARD.
I DO NOT BEGRUDGE THEIR SALARY.
THIS LETTER IS NOT MEANT TO IMPLY THAT LEGISLATORS ACTUALLY GET ELECTED AND CHOOSE NOT TO SHOW UP IN RALEIGH.
I HAVE NEVER KNOWN A LEGISLATOR WHO DID NOT WORK HARD FOR THEIR HOME FOLKS, BUT IN REALITY, THERE ARE MANY DAYS THEIR PRESENCE IS NOT REQUIRED IN RALEIGH.
AND FOR THOSE DAYS I QUESTIONED THEM RECEIVING $104 PER DAY.
IN ALL FAIRNESS, THERE EXIST A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH A LEGISLATOR WHOSE PRESENCE IS NOT NEEDED IN RALEIGH ON THAT DAY OR WHO IS SICK OR WHATEVER, TO NOTIFY THE STATE TREASURER, NOT TO ISSUE THEM PAY FOR THOSE DAYS.
I ASKED THE STAFF MEMBER OF THE NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES WITH WHOM I CHECKED MY FACTS AND FIGURES TODAY.
IF THEY KNEW OF THAT EVER HAPPENING, THEY CHUCKLED AND SAID THAT IT SEEMED LIKE SOMEONE HAD TOLD THEM THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE PAST, BUT THEY COULD NOT REMEMBER ANY SUCH EVENT.
NO LOCAL LEGISLATORS NEED TO CALL ME ON THE TELEPHONE AND SAY THEY HAVE INDEED AT SOME POINT REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT PER DIEM COMPENSATION.
I JUST THINK THAT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK PRESIDENT OR NOT IS JUST INDEFENSIBLE IN VIEW OF THE PRESENT FINANCIAL SITUATION IN WHICH THE STATE FINDS ITSELF FINANCIALLY.
NOW THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY, VETOED TO MEASURE PASSED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, A MEASURE, WHICH NAMED SEVERAL PEOPLE TO STATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THOSE PERSONS WERE UNSUITABLE FOR APPOINTMENT BY REASONABLE, OBVIOUS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, WHICH TODAY'S NEWSPAPER ARTICLE POINTED OUT A COUPLE OF THOSE OR IN THE CASE OF TWO MEMBERS ARE DEAD.
NOW, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS DECIDED, AS I FOUND OUT JUST BEFORE I LEFT HOME TODAY, THEY SHOULD CALL THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
IT STARTS TOMORROW ON WHETHER OR NOT TO VOTE ON A POSSIBLE OVERRIDE.
THE GOVERNOR'S VETO, IF NO ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN, THE VETO WOULD HAVE STOOD.
NOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO INTO SPECIAL SESSION WHERE IF THEY DECIDE TO LET IT STAND WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED, OR THEY CAN OVERRIDE THE VETO, WHICH WILL TAKE A PRETTY HEAVY VOTE.
NOT JUST A SIMPLE MAJORITY, IF IT IS OVERTURNED, I SUPPOSE THE APPOINTEES, UH, IF IT IS NOT OVERTURNED, I SUPPOSE THE APPOINTEE IS GOOD.
CONFLICTED OR DEAD WILL BE OFFICIALLY APPOINTED THIS SPECIAL SESSION TO EITHER OVERRIDE A CONFIRM.
THE GOVERNOR'S VETO IS GOING TO COST THE TAXPAYERS OF NORTH CAROLINA, YOU AND ME $17,680 PER DAY.
AND THAT'S WHETHER A LEGISLATOR LIVES AT THE FAR END OF THE STATE, ASHEVILLE AND MURPHY OR WHEREVER OR A BLOCK FROM THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION IN RALEIGH, HE STILL GETS $104 A DAY.
THAT'S $123,760 PER WEEK WITH OTHER ASSOCIATED COSTS, SECURITY STAFF, OFFICE EXPENSES.
THE LIST GOES ON, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT ALL IS PAID FOR.
MY SOURCE AT THE NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES PLACED THE COST AT ABOUT $63,000 PER DAY.
[00:35:01]
THAT TOTAL FIGURE, SIMPLE MULTIPLICATION, STILL PLACES, THE LEGISLATORS DAILY COMPENSATION, A COMPENSATION FIGURE OUT A TOTAL OF $123,760 PER WEEK.THE STATE JUST COMPLETED ITS LONGEST SESSION IN HISTORY, MORE THAN 300 DAYS, ALMOST A FULL YEAR AT $104 PER LEGISLATOR PER DAY, SEVEN DAYS OF WEEK, FIGURE IT OUT FOR YOURSELF.
I STARTED TO JUST GOT DEPRESSED.
HOW IN THE NAME OF COMMON CAN ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING SUCH ACTION AS HOLDING A SPECIAL SESSION AT A COST LIKE THAT TO DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT DID PEOPLE SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO A STATE BOARD OR COMMISSION WHILE THEY SERVE IN A STATE, WHICH HAS A BUDGET DEFICIT, THE EXACT AMOUNT OUT OF WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE IN THE STATE NOTES.
EVERY TIME I READ A FIGURE, IT'S A DIFFERENT FIGURE HERE IN NEWBURN.
WE HAVE SOME BOARDS PLANNING BOARD TO WHICH SOMEONE HAS JUST BEEN TWO PEOPLE WHO'VE JUST BEEN APPOINTED.
POLICE CIVIL SERVICE, BOARD, ELECTRIC ADVISORY BOARD, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE, RECREATION, ADVISORY BOARD, GOOD PEOPLE.
THERE ARE PROBABLY A FEW I'VE FORGOTTEN.
AND I WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY WHO SEES THIS ON TELEVISION OR READS ANY REPORT OF IT IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT THUS FAR, THE NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN HAS NEVER KNOWINGLY APPOINTED ANYONE WITH A NON CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR ANYONE WHO WAS NOT ACTUALLY ALIVE AT THE TIME.
DOESN'T THAT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
THIS DECISION AS TO WHETHER A SPECIAL SESSION WAS NEEDED IN RALEIGH COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE STATE HAS THIS CRUSHING BUDGET DEFICIT, IT'S LED TO WITHHOLDING FUNDS FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND INSTEAD PLACED THE PRESSURE TO RAISE TAXES, TO FUND A LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES ON THE BACK OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND THE GUISE OF PROVIDING A MORE DEPENDABLE SOURCE OF FUNDING, BUT THEY CAN STILL KEEP IT IN RALEIGH IF THEY WANT TO, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE THEY WILL NEED IT FOR ANOTHER SPECIAL SESSION IN RALEIGH.
HOW CAN THIS ACTION TAKING, MAKING THIS SPECIAL SESSION TO AVOID APPOINTING DEAD PEOPLE TO A BOARD EVEN BE CONSIDERED IN A YEAR WHEN NOT 1 CENT HAS BEEN PLACED IN STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, RETIREMENT PLANS, THEIR LIFE INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAVE SKYROCKETED.
WHY WOULD A COSTLY SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY EVEN BE CONSIDERED WHEN TOWNS LIKE NEWBURN HAD TO CUT BUDGETS TO THE BONE AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES RECEIVED NO PAY RAISE AND LIKE STATE EMPLOYEES, THEIR INSURANCE COSTS WENT UP CONSIDERABLY.
WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE IN THIS? WHERE IS THE MORALITY, WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DRIVE TO RALEIGH OR NOT, AND STILL GET PAID AND CASH THAT CHECK AND TAKE IT OUT OF THE TAXPAYER'S POCKETS.
I DO NOT QUESTION THE QUALITY AND WISDOM OF OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES TO RALEIGH PAST PRESENT AND LEGISLATORS ELECT, PERHAPS STATE GOVERNMENT CAN CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITH THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSION OPENINGS STILL OPEN UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD COMING TO AN END.
AND AT THAT POINT, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN ANY LISTING OF ANY OF THOSE BOARDS.
ONE OF THEM, A REAL ESTATE LOBBYIST TO NORTH CAROLINA, APPRAISAL BOARD AND STATE LAW BAR'S APPOINTMENT OF ANYONE INVOLVED IN REAL ESTATE.
THAT'S OBVIOUS WHAT THAT SOMEBODY DID IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THE APPRAISAL BOARD COULD STILL FUNCTION UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MET APPOINTMENT, A MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD OF TRANSPORTATION TO THE NEWSPAPER TURNPIKE AUTHORITY AND ANOTHER GUY WHO IS AN AUCTIONEER AND HAS A SQUABBLE WITH THE STATE AUCTION LICENSING BOARD.
THEY APPOINTED HIM TO THE STATE AUCTION LICENSING BOARD WHEN HE ALREADY HAS A SQUABBLE GOING WITH HIM.
UM, LIKE I SAY, PERHAPS STATE GOVERNMENT COULD CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITH THOSE POSITIONS OPENED UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT THE WORLD COMING TO AN END, IT SEEMS TO WORK IN NEWBURGH, HAVE OUR VARIOUS LOCAL BOARDS DISCOVERED SOME SECRET ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITH A VACANT SEAT OR TWO.
I ASK THOSE WHO GOVERN AT THE STATE LEVEL ONLY TO EXERCISE THE, THE FAITH THAT WE HAVE PLACED IN THEM TO SPEAK UP FOR COMMON SENSE AND THE TAXPAYERS AND NEWBURN AND CRAVEN COUNTY AND STOP THIS KIND OF FOOLISHNESS.
I'M SORRY, I JUST COULDN'T STAND IT IN.
I WANT YOU TO SAY THEM TO ME, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF I'M TO THE DUMP TO GOVERNMENT EASILY, ANY MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
IF YOU ARE UPSET ABOUT THAT COMMENTARY, PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANY MORE WHILE
AND IF ANYBODY IN RALEIGH FEELS LIKE INSTITUTING A LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ME, ATTORNEY ROBERT RAINER.
I MEAN, I, I KNOW, I KNOW IT SEEMS COMICAL, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE REASON
[00:40:01]
170 LEGISLATORS ARE GOING TO RALEIGH TO COLLECT $104 A DAY IN PER DIEM TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO OVERTURN THIS VETO, WHICH BASICALLY AMONG A NUMBER OF POINTS, PEOPLE TO BOARDS THAT IF THE BOARDS DISAPPEARED TOMORROW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND REALIZE IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.AND ANYWAY, THE BIG, THE BIG HASSLE IS TWO DEAD PEOPLE AND A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE OBVIOUS VIOLATIONS ALONG WITH CONFLICTS.
AND, UH, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID, THE BAD THING IS, YOU KNOW, THESE KINDS OF THINGS I GUESS, HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN GOVERNMENT AROUND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD LET IT CONTINUE.
MORE OF THESE THINGS COME TO LIGHT, THAT THE MORE PEOPLE BECOME INTERESTED IN THESE PAPERS, NOBODY ELSE BRINGS ALL THAT STUFF.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE NOW APPOINTED A DEAD PERSON IN THE CITY.
WE MAY HAVE ELECTED
JUST WELL SAY THAT
AND THAT'S ALL THEY'LL MEETING NIGHTS.
SO ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, MR. BAL, MR. REINER.
I WONDER HOW MANY, I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE REALLY REALIZE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT AMOUNTS TO OVER A PERIOD OF A YEAR AND HOW MANY WE HAD 337 DAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE LAST SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TIMES 170 TIMES $104.
AND WE WONDER WHY THE BUDGETS AND THEY TOOK ONLINE.
WELL, ALL I CAN SAY IS JUST REMEMBER THIS, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS A BOSS TO SEE THIS CHARTER AND PEOPLE.
I TALKED TO SOMEBODY ABOUT THIS TODAY, AND I SAID, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A LEGISLATOR DRIVING A THREE-YEAR OLD GEO METRO, WHERE YOU EVER SEEN A LEGISLATIVE LICENSE PLATE ON THE BACK OF A THREE-YEAR-OLD GEO METRO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I DON'T THINK SO.
WELL, SOMEBODY IS WONDERING, AND ONE OF THE PIPERS WERE OUT THE GOVERNMENT USE, LIKE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT HISTORICAL VITO'S FIRST TIME IT'S EVER BEEN USED.
WHY DID HE USE IT ON THAT? AND I REALLY DON'T LOVE IT.
IT REMINDED ME OF ONE TIME WHEN WE WERE KIDS ON THE FARM, SOMEBODY GAVE US SOME FIRECRACKERS, WHICH ROOM, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WHO BROUGHT HIM IN THE STATE OF WHATEVER THE KIDS WENT AROUND THE CORNER.
AND I HEARD BOOM, I WENT AROUND, I WON'T MENTION WHICH ONE OF MY BROTHERS SAID AND HIS HAIR WAS CRAZY.
I SAID, MAN, WHAT HAPPENED? HE SAID, I WANT TO SEE IF IT WORKS.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE ANSWERED TO.
MY STATEMENT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT WHAT ALL THEY HAVE TO DO WHEN THEY'RE HERE AND THIS AND THAT AND THE OTHER AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'VE BEEN HEARING IT SINCE I WAS 15 AND STARTED DOING RADIO NEWS.
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT ANYMORE.
I WON'T SAY I'M BACK OFF ON TAKING SOME OF OUR MONEY AWAY SO WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE.
CAUSE I'M GETTING HOTTER AT ABOUT A MINUTE.
AND LAST THING WE HAVE IS THE ATTORNEY'S REPORT IN THE CITY MANAGER REPORT REPORT TO ADJOURN