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[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Dana E. Outlaw. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Aster. Pledge of Allegiance.]
WELCOME EVERYONE TONIGHT TO THE APRIL 12TH MEETING OF THE NEWBERN BOARD OF ALDERMAN.AND AT THIS TIME THE PRAYER IS BEING GIVEN BY.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU TONIGHT.
ONE OF OUR FINED, UH, NEWBURN POLICE OFFICERS, KEVIN SERGEANT KEVIN BRYCE.
IF KEVIN, IF YOU WOULD COME UP PLEASE.
UM, KEVIN'S BEEN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR EIGHT YEARS.
HE'S ON SR T TEAM AND THE HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR, AND HE ALSO PARTICIPATES IN THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
KEVIN, IF YOU WOULD TURN AROUND, FACE THE MICROPHONE AND, AND LEAD US IN PRAYER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE THAT HAVE GATHERED IN THIS BUILDING.
LORD, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIONS.
UH, COMMUNITY IS ONE, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEN LORD OUR LEADERS.
WE JUST, UH, ASK FOR A SPECIAL PRAYER AND HAND UPON THEM, OUR LEADERS, AS WE DEFINITELY WANT TO TAKE THEM INTO CONSIDERATION, WE HOPE THAT YOU OPEN THEIR EYES AND THEIR MINDS AND THEIR HEARTS GIVE THEM THE COURAGE AND THE WISDOM TO LEAD.
NOT ONLY THE GREAT CITY OF NEWBURGH, BUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE AND REPRESENT.
AND LORD, AS WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS TONIGHT, JUST PRAY FOR SAFE TRAVELS FOR EACH AND ALL.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN'T THANK YOU MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ALL OF US HERE.
OUR GREAT CITY OF NEWBURGH, THE HISTORY OF NEWBURN AND ALL WE JUST, UH, AGAIN, WE, WE JUST CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
AND AS EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER HERE, YOU ARE TRULY PART OF THAT.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP YOU FIRST AND YOUR SON JESUS NAME.
13 OF THE SCENARIO, YOU'RE NOT MET THE SEARCH, UH, LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROW.
THEY SAY ALDERMAN BENGALS HERE.
OTHER WOMAN HARRIS FOR THE OUTER MAN ASKED HER MAY OR ALCOHOL ORDERING KINSEY MENDEZ ALDERMAN ITEMS AT THIS TIME WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME TREAT 13 OF US SITTING HERE, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
IF SOMEBODY WOULD COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE AND TELL US WHAT YOU GUYS ARE UP TO.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE PROJECTS THAT YOU DO AROUND NEWBURN.
WE MEET OVER SITTING THERE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
THE TRUTH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE 1929.
UH, THIS GROUP OF YOUNG MEN YOU SEE BEHIND ME OR PARTICIPATING IN THE SYSTEM'S SHIP AND THE COMMUNITY MIRROR AND THEY, YOUR STUDYING LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND WE'RE HERE DID MIKE TO ABSORB THE MEETING.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCOUT MASTER THERE? 20, 30 YEARS.
REBECCA, WOULD YOU, BEFORE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS A MINUTE.
WOULD YOU WELCOME THEM TO GRADUATE SAID ONE-ON-ONE AND UH, I'LL RUN BEING ALYSSA WAS HER IDEA.
AND SHE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS THREE YEARS AND WE HAVE, I THINK THIS IS WHAT SECOND CLASS.
SO TONIGHT WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE THE GRADUATES OF NEWBERN 1 0 1, WHICH IS OUR, BASICALLY OUR NEWBURN CIVICS CLASS.
IT STARTED OUT THAT WE HAD HAD A POLICE ACADEMY CLASS LIKE THIS, AND WE HEARD SO MANY GREAT COMMENTS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK IT.
UM, I ASKED THAT WE TRY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS.
IT LOOKS ONE WAY ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S TRULY DIFFERENT ON THE INSIDE WHEN YOU GET IN THERE.
BUT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT WAY FOR NEW MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WILL THE GRADUATES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU SOON, BUT WOULD YOU JUST STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED?
HEY TIM, I WAS JUST ASKING YOU THINK WE COULD GET YOUR, UH, SCOUTS TO COME UP AND TELL US THEIR NAME? THEY'RE PROBABLY ALL SAYING, OH, XAVIAN STERLING.
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NICHOLAS BUTTERLY ZANDRA STERLING, JOSHUA BOY, WILLIAM DEVIN, JAMES BORDERLESS, LANDON PIKE, CALEB DOWNPOUR, AERONAUTICS AND JEDDAH.[3. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
DO HAVE REQUESTS OF CITIZENS TONIGHT, AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH JET A MIRROR.REMEMBER THE WORD ULTIMATE AGAIN.
I'M JOE OFTEN THE COMMANDER AND ALSO PAC-MAN TO COME AFTER AND ASSISTANT SCOUT MASTER FOR 2 97, A BEACH GROVE CHURCH HURT, UH, UNITED METHOD, CHURCH OR NEWBURGH.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK ON BEHALF OF SCOUTING FOR A SCOUT RAMEN THAT WE HAD A YOUTH POINT PARK ON APRIL 1ST AND THE SECOND, UH, I'LL THROW LONG RIGHT HERE.
YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS WE DID.
UH, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
X YOU PHOTOGRAPH THE WEATHER WAS BEAUTIFUL.
UH, SCOTT DID A TREMENDOUS JOB, BOTH SETTING IT UP AND ALSO RUNNING IT, MANAGING THEIR DISPLAYS.
WE HAVE 13 DIFFERENT STATIONS, MAN, BUT IT COMES COUNTS SCOUTS AND UNIT LEADER AND ADULT LEADERS.
OUR MISSION WAS EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
WHAT SCOUTING IS ALL ABOUT AND TO LET THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY MEET THE SCOUTS TO DO RECRUITMENT FOR SCOUTING RIGHT NOW IN THE NEWBURN AREA, WE HAVE SIX CUPS OF CALLBACKS AGED SCOUT TROOPS CURRENTLY CALLED CURLY UP.
CAUSE YOU USED TO BE CALLED BOY SCOUTS.
NOW WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SCOUTING, TWO OF WHICH ARE ALL FEMALE.
WE HAVE ONE ADVENTURES WE'RE POSTING THE NEWBURN AREA.
UH, BUT IN CLOSING, I LIKE TO OFFER OUR SCOUTS AND LEADERS TO ASSIST THE CITY IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
OUR SCOUT CUB SCOUT MOTTO IS DO YOUR BEST.
DO A GOOD TURN DAILY AND THE SCOUT MOTTO BE PREPARED AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL LIGHT AND JUST ENJOY THIS LIGHT SHOW WE'VE PRESENTED FOR YOU.
I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS I MAY HAVE, BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.
I'M PAM JENKINS AND I RESIDE AT 200 TOKEN COURT.
NUBER I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PETITION YOU AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OR THE CITY OF NEWBURGH TO AMEND THE CITY ORDINANCE CHAPTER 18 CEMETERIES SECTION 18, 13, DISTURBING THAT THEY SING GRAY, GRAY, MARGARET FLOWERS, SHRUBS PROPERTY WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PARK, BIG FLOWERS, INCLUDING ARRANGEMENTS AND ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS.
AFTER ONE WEEK WILL BE REMOVED AND DISPOSED OF I'M THE DEED HOLDER OF TWO PLOTS AT NEWBURN MEMORIALS THE MATERIAL THE FIRST AND SECTION A WHERE MY AUNT AND UNCLE HAD BEEN BURIED SINCE THE 1970S.
THE SECOND IS SECTION EIGHT WHERE MY FATHER AND MOTHER HAD BEEN BURIED SINCE 2011 AND 2013 RESPECTIVELY.
I'VE BEEN MAINTAINING THE FIRST GRADE SIDE FOR OVER 30 YEARS WITHOUT INCIDENT FROM DECEMBER, 2013 THROUGH 2017, THERE WERE SIX SEPARATE INCIDENTS IN WHICH THE FACING THE GRAVE SITES OCCURRED THAT RESULTED IN FILING POLICE REPORTS WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I MEETING WITH THE MAYOR TO ALDERMAN'S THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR AT THAT TIME AND THE CITY CLERK ATTENDING AND LAST RESORT APPEARING BEFORE THE BOARD OF ALL THE MEN ON MAY 19TH, 2017 TO PETITION AND AMENDMENT TO THE CITY ORDINANCE.
IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, I WENT TO THE CEMETERY TO CLEAN OFF THE MONUMENTS.
MY SISTER AND I PLANNED TO CHANGE OUT THE WINTER ARRANGEMENTS.
THE SPRING ARRANGEMENTS, THE FLOWERS IN THE ARRANGEMENT HAD BEEN PLUCKED OUT OF THE BEACH PLANTER AND LEFT IN DISARRAY.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, HERE WE GO AGAIN.
I WENT ONLINE TO LOOK UP THE CITY ORDINANCE, SEE IF ANY OF THEM THAT'S HAD IT.
THE NEXT DAY I CALLED MISS VERONICA MADDIX WHOM OVERSEES THE CEMETERY DIVISION, BUT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SHE TOLD ME THAT CITY WORKERS HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL FADED FLOWERS FROM THE GRAVE SITES.
AND I CAUGHT IN OUR CONVERSATION.
SHE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE.
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I HEARD ASSURED HER THAT I WAS NOT CALLING TO COMPLAIN, BUT INSTEAD WANTED TO VERIFY THAT IT WAS THE CITY REMOVING THE FLOWERS AND NOT VANDALISM.I ALSO NEEDED CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE THE CITY WOULD BE FOLLOWING.
I AM IN NO WAY BEING CRITICAL OF MS. MADDOX, NOR THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
THEY ARE FOLLOWING DIRECTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND MYSELF.
WHO'S BEEN ON A 38 YEAR CAREER UNDER DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS.
I KNOW THAT OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THAT'S POLICIES, DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS COME IN AND THEY TAKE HOLD AND GO FORTH WITH WHAT'S PUT IN PLACE.
AND I WILL SAY MS. MADDOX HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE TIME.
SINCE 2013, I ALSO DO NOT MAKE IT MY BUSINESS TO BE JUDGEMENTAL AND HOW OTHERS CHOOSE TO MEMORIALIZE THEIR LOVED ONES.
HOWEVER, IT DOES BECOME CONCERNING.
AS I WALKED THE GROUNDS AT THE CEMETERY TO SEE MANY THINGS AROUND GRAVE SITES THAT ARE PROHIBITED ACCORDING TO THE, ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE AND JUST A VIEW INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED CURBING FENCING, BORDER ENCLOSURES, STONE, GRAVEL, BENCHES, SUNDIAL, CITIES, LIFE.
AND ONE THING THAT'S VERY DISTURBING AS IT READS FLAGS WILL BE ALLOWED ONLY DURING THE WEEKS OF MEMORIAL DAY VETERAN'S DAY, PATRIOTS DAY IN JULY 4TH.
AND I AM ONE THAT PUTS AN AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FATHER'S GRAVE BECAUSE HE IS LIKE HE WAS A VETERAN.
UM, THERE ARE SHREDDED FLAGS AND FADED FLAGS OUT THERE ON A YEARLY.
MY SISTER, NOT PLACE EIGHT FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS ON EACH GRAPE SIDE, WE'VE TAKEN GREAT LENGTHS.
DO YOU USE FLOWERS AND GREENERY THAT HAVE YOU BEEN PROTECTION? YOU BE PROTECTION TO AVOID THE RAPID RAPID FADING FROM THE FOUR MINUTES.
SO IN ESSENCE, I AM JUST ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE ORDINANCE FROM ONE WEEK.
I DO NOT THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE TIME TO FAMILIES.
YOU MAINTAIN THE GRAVES AS WELL AS TO OUR CITY WORKER TO HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH ONE WEEK OF REMOVING FLOWERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BOARD STAFF.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS FINE CITY HAS LEFT THEIR CITIZENS DOWN THE WRONG PATH.
I GAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION ON MAY 23RD, 2017 DURING THE MAY PUBLIC HEARING ON A BUDGET IN 20 16, 20 17, THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE WAS 36.5 MILLION FAST FORWARD TO THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE A DAY, WHICH IS 37 MILLION TO 41 MILLION.
THAT'S 12% INCREASE IN 20 17, 20 18.
I DISCUSSED SAVING DESPISED CITY OVER $11 MILLION ON 112 ITEMS, WHICH WERE REQUESTED BY EACH DEPARTMENT FROM PUBLIC WORKS, HAVING 22 LINE ITEMS. I MADE A RECOMMENDATION DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT EACH DEPARTMENT HAVE FIVE ITEMS ONLY REQUESTED FROM EACH DEPARTMENT AND THAT BUDGET YEAR, ALSO THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME, MIKE EPPERSON, YOU KNOW, THE PERSON THAT THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT TIME VOTED AT A RETREAT TO GIVE THEM A $10,000 INCREASE SIGNED BY THE MAYOR AND BLESSED BY THE ALDERMAN ONLY TO BE REJECTED.
THAT PERSON TOLD ME HE DID NOT NEED THE MONEY.
AS SOON AFTER RESIGN RE RESIGNED HIS POSITION, THE CITY MANAGER GAVE ME A LIST OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT EQUIPMENT FOR A LATER DATE.
AND DISCUSS CAME UP TO THE FIRE STATION IN WEST OF NEW BURN WOOD LAND EQUIPMENT.
STAFF COSTS A $3.5 MILLION FAST FORWARD TO 2022, WHERE SCENES ITEMS ARE NOT BUDGETED AT ALL TAKEN FROM THE GENERAL FUND CUSHION.
AND THEY'LL PUT MONEY INTO THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND, WHICH AT ONE TIME HAD 665,000 AND NOW HAS 387,000.
YOU WAIT UNTIL ELECTRIC RATES GO OFF AS CITIZENS.
WE KNOW SHOCK ABSORBER FOR RATE STABILIZATION FUND, AND YOU HAVE CITY HALL FILLED WITH PROTESTORS.
WHAT TROUBLES ME IS THE TOP IS IT TAKES TIME FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO HAVE AN ANNEX AND ELEVATOR TO CITY HALL AND MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS PROPERTY TAX CONTRIBUTORS VOTED IN BY ELECTED OFFICIALS, NO REGARD FOR A NEW FIRE STATION IS FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND NOT NUMBER ONE AND A NEW BUILDING ON AN ELEVATOR.
YOU CAN GET A QUOTE FROM LIFTING NADER FOR A LIFT CHAIR, RAIL SYSTEM WIDE SEAT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 700 POUNDS DERIVED ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
SECOND FLOOR, WHICH ONLY IS APPROXIMATELY $60,000
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A CITY HALL THAT IS NOT USED 24 7.I WILL BE REVIEWING THE BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR 20 22, 20 23, AND WE'LL MAKE A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 10TH, 2022 WITH MY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON A BUDGET ORDINANCE ARE DRAWN CITIZENS WHO HAVE CONCERNS OR SHOW UP AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD THE CITY LIKE THE COUNTY GETS FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAXES.
YOU WILL NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY IRRESPONSIBLY JUST FOR A WARM, FUZZY AND POLITICAL POINTS.
SHOW UP AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK WHILE WE'RE WAITING ON MS. TINDELL CITY MANAGER? ARE YOU THE CAMP AREN'T WE DICTATED BY LAW ON LINE ITEMS. WHAT WOULD GO IN EACH LINE ITEM? DON'T THE STATE HAVE A REGULATION ON HOW SOME LINE, WHAT AREAS HAVE TO BE IN SOME LINE ITEMS? SO I'M GONNA LIVE IN SONOS FROM ANSWER THAT KEVIN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, IS THAT I KNOW FOR SALARIES ALONE AND BENEFITS AND STUFF.
THERE'S THREE OR FOUR LINE ITEMS JUST FOR THAT.
ARE WE, ARE WE KIND OF DICTATED BY THE STATE AS TO HOW THE LINE ITEM SYSTEM WORKS? UM, YES AND NO, WE DON'T HAVE A STATE CHART OF ACCOUNTS THAT WE ABIDE BY, BUT WE DO HAVE TO START A CHART OF ACCOUNTS THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT DOES SEPARATE OUT THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN DIFFERENT CAPITAL PURCHASE SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
SO CERTAIN ITEMS HAVE TO GO IN A CERTAIN LINE FOR REPORTING PURPOSES.
AND THEN I GOT ONE OTHER STATEMENT I KNOW IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR THIS LIFTED BAYER THING TO PUT IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE MUSEUM DID, THEY WEREN'T RATED FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS, SO MAYBE DIFFERENT TODAY, BUT THEN THEY WEREN'T READY FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT EDWIN THAT I SAW.
AND I'LL BRING EVERYBODY OKAY.
REBECCA TINTO, 1406 NORTH PASTURE STREET.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE UNION POINT PARK IS STILL VULNERABLE TO ALLMAN BOARD SELLING OFF TWO PARCELS OF THE PARK PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY.
A FEW MEMBERS OF THE ALMOND BOARD HAVE OFFERED IT TO THE KESSLER CORPORATION.
FEBRUARY 8TH, WE SAW THE OUT PRIOR PEOPLE EXPLAINING THIS IS A BAD IDEA, BUT AFTER HOURS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VOTED YES TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THE SELL OFF OF THE PARK PUBLIC RALLY WAS CREATED AND SAVED YOU.
AND YOUR POINT FACEBOOK PAGE 2000 PEOPLE CHANGE.ORG WAS CREATED 10,000 PEOPLE SIGNED THE PETITION TO SAVE THE PARK.
ULTIMATE BOARD DID NOT EVEN FLINCH.
SO WE STARTED EMAILING AND CALLING CUSSLER.
THEY GOT TIRED OF THE EMAILS AND THE CALLS ASK THE ALL THE MORE ALL OF THEM BORE TO REMOVE IT FROM THE MOU MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE THERE'S MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS I WORK IN CONVERSATION WITH A FEW ALDERMEN BOARD.
AS EASY AS THE PORK WAS TAKEN OFF IS AS EASY AS THE PARK CAN BE PUT BACK ON WHEN NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION UNDER GENERAL VISIONS OF THE MOU.
IT CLEARLY STATES BE COVENANTS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED IN THIS MOU SHALL BARRING AND ENSURE TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY AND B H NEWBURN, HISTORIC LLC OF DELAWARE AND THE RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
AFTER THE ELECTION, THE CITY ATTORNEY COULD GO TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WITH A PARCEL DEDICATED AS A PUBLIC PARK AND REPLACE AT UNION POINT PARK SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE COMPARABLE TO YOU.
AND YOUR POINT PARK, YOU CAN SAY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A PLAYGROUND THERE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE, A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN MEET, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PROBABLY WATERFRONT PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT GOING TO COMPARE, BUT THIS COULD HAPPEN.
THE ALBANY COULD SELL TWO PARCELS OF THAT.
AND IF THE CITY ATTORNEY MOVES FORWARD TO FIND ANOTHER LOCATION IN NEWBURN TO REPLACE THAT PARK SO THEY CAN SELL THAT AND PUT A LUXURY HOTEL, THERE IT IS POSSIBLE.
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IS PAYING ATTENTION.IF BY CHANCE, THE CITY ATTORNEY STARTS THIS PROCESS AND GETS IT APPROVED.
THE ALDERMAN BOARD CAN CALL KESSLER AND SAY, WE ARE READY TO PUT THE YOUTH UNION POINT PART BACK ON THE MOU.
IF WE LET IT GET THIS FAR, NO PETITION WILL STOP THEIR PERSONAL INTEREST IN SELLING OFF THIS AMAZING PARK.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW HAPPY IS KASLER NOW WITH ONLY TWO PROPERTIES ON THE MOU.
THE ALDERMAN BOARD OFFERED THREE PROPERTIES AND WITH THE BEST ONE BEING FOUGHT FOR BY THE PEOPLE I WONDER, DID, DID CERTAIN ALL BEEN SAFE TO KESSLER? DON'T WORRY.
WE'LL GET IT BACK ON THE MOU FOR YOU.
WHEN AFTER THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS FINISHED THINGS ON HIS END, WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY FROM THE KESLER COMPANY WHERE THEIR NEW-BORN HISTORIC LLC OUT OF DELAWARE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S INVOLVED WITH THAT, LLC.
IT COULD BE JUST KESSLER, BUT IT COULD BE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE ALDERMAN BOARD.
IT COULD BE SOMEONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALDERMAN BOARD.
WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE DO WANT TRANSPARENCY.
WE DON'T EXPECT ANY ANSWERS FROM YOU TO KNOW BECAUSE WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONTACT KESSLER AND ASK THEM WHEN THEY ARE FILING THEIR LLC IN NORTH CAROLINA.
AND I'M SURE THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM US AGAIN.
I'LL LEAVE THIS FOR NEXT MONTH.
THANK YOU, MR. UH, WHAT OF ALDERMAN STAFF CITY MANAGERS? MY NAME IS MICHAEL MOORE.
I LIVE AT 1500 TO A CERTAIN WAY AND NEWBURN AND I JUST COMPLETED THE NEW-BORN ONE-ON-ONE CLASS.
AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR ALL YOU GUYS.
ACTUALLY, I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 17 TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S ONE THAT SPEAKS TO THE, THE BUS SHELTER THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE CARDS PROGRAM THAT RUNS IN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.
THE, UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN THAT PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED, THERE WERE FIVE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR THESE SHELTERS, AS THE PLAN DEVELOPED FURTHER AND GOT INTO THE DESIGN PROCESS, THEY REDUCED THAT NUMBER OF LOCATIONS TO THREE, WHAT ACTUALLY ENDED UP BEING INSTALLED OR IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSTALLED AS ONE LOCATION.
LET'S AT THE UTILITY BUILDING ON TOP.
AND I'M CURIOUS, I'M HERE TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHY THAT LOCATION, HOW WE GOT TO THAT ONE LOCATION OUT OF ORIGINALLY FIVE REDUCED THE THREE AND THEN DOWN TO ONE LOCATION.
THE OTHER TWO OF THE VERY ONE WAS LOCATED.
I BELIEVE IT'S ROUND TREE STREET, UM, YOU'RE CRAVING TERRACE.
AND THE THIRD LOCATION WAS AT THE BOLT CENTER.
IN MY OPINION, EITHER THE ONE AT CRAVEN TERRACE OR THE ONE AT THE BOLT CENTER WOULD MAKE BETTER SENSE, UH, WAS A BUS STOP AND PEOPLE ARE USING THE BUS STOP.
SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO USE THAT SERVICE, TO GET TO THE BOLT CENTER FOR CLASSES, UH, CRAVELY CENTER THERE'S PEOPLE THERE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE, UH, CARS AND OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.
THEY WOULD BE MORE APT TO USE THE SERVICE AND ANYBODY IN THE FORT TOTTEN AREA.
SO IF I WAS, UH, CERTAINLY IF I WAS THE WARD TO ALDERMAN, AND I KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS NEW BUS SHELTER BUILT AT CRAVEN TERRACE OF THE STOPPING MY FEET REQUESTING TO KNOW WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PUT IT ON FORT TOTTEN AND THE UTILITY BUILDING, INSTEAD OF IN AN AREA WHERE IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE USED.
SO I APPEALED TO YOU FIRST OF ALL, TO CONSIDER RELOCATING THE BUS SHELTER THAT'S CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE INSTALLED IN THE FORT TOTTEN AREA AT THE UTILITY BUILDING TO CRAVE AND TERRACE THAT CAN HAPPEN AT THE VERY LEAST.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT IT BE MOVED TO THE EAST END OF THE UTILITY BUILDING INSTEAD OF THE WEST END ON FORT TOTTEN.
IT MAKES NO SENSE TO HAVE ON FORT TOTTEN, ANYBODY RIDING THAT BUS WOULD HAVE TO GET OFF THE BUS.
IF THEY'RE STOPPING THERE TO PAY A UTILITY BILL, THEY'D HAVE TO WALK THROUGH A VERY ACTIVE PARKING LOT
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TO GET TO THE SERVICE END OF THE BUILDING.AND I REINFORCE THAT IT'S A VERY ACTIVE PARKING LOT.
AND I WATCHED THE CARD BUSES IN THAT LOCATION MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES A DAY.
THERE'S A VERY GENEROUS, SPACIOUS PARKING LOT.
THERE, THEY DRIVE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT TO THE EAST END OF THE BUILDING AND THEY STOP.
AND I AM NOT KIDDING IF I TOLD YOU, I HAVE SEEN PROBABLY LESS THAN TWO OR THREE PEOPLE IN THE COUPLE OF YEARS THAT I LIVED THERE, USE THAT SERVICE AT THE UTILITY BUILDING.
SO I THINK THE LOCATION THAT MIGHT BE A REQUIREMENT FOR A LOCATION OR A, A BUS STOP THERE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH OF A REASON TO INSTALL THE ONE.
AND IN MY OPINION, I MIGHT BE THE ONLY BUS SHELTER IN THE WHOLE CITY OF NEWBURGH.
AND I KNOW IT'S A NEW PROGRAM AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET IMPLEMENTED AND MAYBE IT'S GOING TO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT SOME POINT.
AND I'M VERY CURIOUS WHY IT WAS DECIDED TO PUT ONE SHELTER AT THAT LOCATION WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE UNDERUTILIZED AT THE VERY, VERY BEST.
SO AGAIN, BILLING TO YOU TO CHANGE THE LOCATION OF POSSIBLE, IF NOT MOVE THE SHELTER FROM THE WEST END OF THAT, BUILDING TO THE EAST END OF THE BUILDING ON THE OTHER END OF THE PARKING LOT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PATIENTS AS CITIZENS.
I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE LEADERSHIP THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I WANT TO ALSO WELCOME UP TO SPEND, ADVISE ON FORGOTTEN.
UM, WE'VE GOT LEADERSHIP CRAVING HERE THIS EVENING.
SO THE MEMBERS OF LEADERSHIP CRAVING AND THAT'S THE GROUP LIKE A NEWBORN ONE OH ONE IT'S TO LEARN ALL ABOUT CRAVING COUNTY AND THE SERVICES THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY.
SO WILL THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW-BORN LEADER.
I MEAN THE CRAVEN COUNTY LEADERSHIP 1 0 1 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAND AND LET US RECOGNIZE YOU PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN A DISCREPANCY WITH A PETITION TO CITIZENS WITH THE PETITIONS ASSISTANCE.
THE APP, THE FORMAT HAS TO BE FILLED OUT PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING AT SIX O'CLOCK.
THAT HAS BEEN THE POLICY OF THE BOARD AND AS MAYOR I'M OFFICIATING BASED ON THE POLICY OF MA'AM HERE, OUTBOARD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, THAT, THAT IS THE POLICY AT THIS TIME.
[Consent Agenda]
THIS TIME, UH, LET'S GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA HAS THIS MOTION.AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION SEEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR THE MOTION, SAY AYE.
[6. Recognition of New Bern 101 Graduates.]
I REMEMBER SIX GOOD EVENING.WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR NEW ROOM 1 0 1 GRADUATES.
UH, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE DONE NUMBERED 1 0 1.
THIS YEAR WE HAD 23 PARTICIPANTS TO COME AND VISIT US FOR.
THIS IS THE EIGHTH WEEK IN A ROW.
THEN THEY VISIT US FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS EACH WEEK.
THEY'VE GONE TO EACH DEPARTMENT TALK WITH THE DEPARTMENT, HEADS AND STAFF GOT TO LEARN IN DETAIL WHAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS DO.
AND THEY'VE GOT TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE, UH, THE EXCITING THINGS THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UH, DO ON A REGULAR BASIS AND ASK A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS.
TONIGHT WAS THE CULMINATION OF THAT EVENT, WHERE THEY TALKED TO SEVERAL OF THE ALDERMAN AND THE CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY DID AS WELL.
SO A NIGGER ONE-ON-ONE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS.
UH, WE'VE GIVEN THE, UH, PARTICIPANTS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, AND WE HOPE THEY'VE LEARNED SOMETHING AND, AND HOPE THAT IT ENCOURAGES THEM TO CONTINUE TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE CITY OF NEW IN THE FUTURE.
IF THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE ALDERMAN TO COME ONTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, OF THE GATE HERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTICIPANTS.
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NEWBERG ONE-ON-ONE PARTICIPANTS.IF YOU COULD START WITH FOSTER HUGHES AND THE MAYOR, UH, YOU'LL RECEIVE A SPECIAL PIN ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF NEWBURN, AS WELL AS YOUR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR COMPLETING THE CLASS FIRST.
AND HIS WONDERFUL WIFE, VIRGINIA CLEVENGER MICHELLE PORTER.
AND MICHELLE'S HUSBAND PHILIP PORTER.
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RICK DAVIS.THIS WAS A BIG CLASS TO SAY THE LEAST JOE CALL KYLE LOCEY.
CAROL MOORE AND HER HUSBAND MICHAEL MOORE.
[00:40:27]
CLAIRE WILKINS AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST TOM WILLIAMS. AND WE DID THIS LAST SESSION ALSO WHEN THE GRADUATES MIND COMING UP AGAIN TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO.THANK YOU, MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN
[7. Presentation on RP3 Electric Award.]
NUMBER SEVEN.THIS MAY, YOUR NEXT ITEM IS, UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, OUR, UM, UTILITIES DIRECTOR, CHARLIE, TO BE SURE TO COME UP AND MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE RP THREE ELECTRIC AWARD.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR GOVERNING BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND WOMEN.
UH, MORE GOOD NEWS TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT.
UM, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION HAS DESIGNATED OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY WITH THE RELIABLE PUBLIC POWER PROVIDER DESIGNATION.
YOU'LL HEAR ME REFER TO THAT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION AS RQ THREE OR THE RP THREE PROGRAM RATHER THAN REPEATING RELIABLE PUBLIC POWER PROVIDER.
SO THAT'S A TONGUE TWISTER FOR ME.
UM, THIS IS ABOUT, UH, YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR GOVERNANCE OVER THE UTILITY.
AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT OUR HIGHLY SKILLED AND DEDICATED STAFF AND WHAT THEY DO THAT TO RUN THE OPERATION AND RECOGNITION OF THIS DESIGNATION.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I SHOULD ALSO GIVE CREDIT TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION FOR PROVIDING SOME OF THESE SLIDES.
UM, SOME OF THE INFORMATION I USE FROM THEM, SOME OF THEM I EDITED PROBABLY WHERE YOU SEE THE TYPOS IS WHERE I ADDED STUFF.
SO WHAT IS THE RP THREE PROGRAM? IT'S A PEER EVALUATION OF THE UTILITIES, RELIABILITY, SAFETY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES.
IT'S A SELF-CHECK AND A BENCHMARK OF UTILITIES OPERATION AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, AND IT PROVIDES NATIONAL RECOGNITION
[00:45:01]
FOR THE UTILITY.SO THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
HOW DOES IT WORK? A UTILITY RESPONDS TO A VERY EXTENSIVE APPLICATION, FOCUSED ON FOUR DISCIPLINES, RELIABILITY, SAFETY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT.
THIS IS NOT A CHECK THE BOX APPLICATION.
IT REQUIRES A LOT OF SUPPORTING SUBMITTALS AND DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THAT WE ARE A RELIABLE PUBLIC POWER PROVIDER.
THERE'S 37 GRADED QUESTIONS, AND THE APPLICATION IS SCORED BY AN 18 MEMBER PANEL CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF LARGE, MEDIUM, AND SMALL UTILITY PROFESSIONALS, RELIABILITY, SAFETY SYSTEM, IMPROVEMENT PROFESSIONALS, HUMAN RESOURCES, SAFETY TRANSMISSION, AND PLANNING PROFESSIONALS, AS WELL AS JOINT ACTION AGENCY PROFESSIONALS.
SO HOW ARE THE DESIGNATIONS EARNED? EACH DISCIPLINE IS TWENTY-FIVE POINTS, RELIABILITY, SAFETY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT.
AND THE DESIGNATION IS RANGE FROM GOLD TO DIAMOND.
IT'S A THREE-YEAR DESIGNATION.
AND THEN UTILITY HAS TO REAPPLY THIS YEAR.
WE WERE GIVEN THE DIAMOND DESIGNATION WITH A HUNDRED POINTS AND THE RELIABILITY SECTION, THE QUESTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON RELIABILITY, OF COURSE, AND, UH, THE USE OF OUR DATA AND OUR ANALYTICS, OR WE'RE USING OUR DATA TO IMPROVE OUR SYSTEM AND MAKE WISE DECISIONS.
OR WE'RE JUST GUESSING, ARE WE INVOLVED WITH MUTUAL AID, MUTUAL AID CONTRACTS AND PROGRAMS? DO WE HAVE A DISASTER PLAN AND ARE WE UPDATING OUR DISASTER PLAN ON A REGULAR BASIS? AND WE EXERCISING IT, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY, BUT AS A UTILITY DISASTER PLAN.
UM, DO WE HAVE A PHYSICAL AND CYBER SECURITY PROGRAM? DO WE HAVE MEASURES IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR SYSTEM SAFETY? THESE QUESTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON, DO WE HAVE A SAFETY MANUAL? ARE WE USING IT? ARE WE KEEPING IT UP TO DATE? DO WE HAVE SAFETY DIRECTIVES? DO WE CONDUCT FREQUENT SAFETY MEETINGS? DO WE PROVIDE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE USE OF AED? DO WE PERFORM OUR CHASM ASSESSMENTS? DO WE PERFORM UTILITY DISASTER DRILLS? DO WE BENCHMARK OUR SAFETY RESULTS? AND WE'RE USING THAT DATA TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ON HOW WE OPERATE SAFELY AND FORCED DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS OFTEN THE MOST DIFFICULT SECTION AND IT FOCUSES ON, UH, DO WE HAVE A GOOD SUCCESSION PLAN? UH, DO WE FORECAST OUR DEPARTURES? ARE WE PLANNING FOR THOSE DEPARTURES? WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH RECRUITMENT? DO WE HAVE GOOD RECRUITING AND RETENTION PLANS? WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT? DO WE HAVE CAREER PATHS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT OFFER PROFESSIONAL GROWTH? DO WE HAVE GOOD CONTINUING EDUCATION POLICIES THAT AFFORD STAFF OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? ARE WE ACTIVE WITH COMMITTEES AND NETWORKS WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY AND GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND NETWORK WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT? ARE WE USING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT? ARE WE ACTIVE IN IT? WE'RE NOT AN R AND D FIRM, BUT ARE WE PAYING ATTENTION TO R AND D TRENDS? ARE WE USING THAT TO OUR ADVANTAGE TO HELP US MAKE DECISIONS AND GUIDE THIS UTILITY? DO WE HAVE GOOD SYSTEM MAINTENANCE PLANS? ARE WE DOING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE? DO WE USE SYSTEM DATA TO DRIVE OUR IMPROVEMENTS OR ARE WE JUST GUESSING, ARE WE DOING LONG-TERM PLANS 5, 10, 20 YEARS OUT? ARE WE LOOKING AT OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT SUCH AS CAPACITY, RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, UTILITY MODERNIZATION, AND ALSO, DO WE HAVE GOOD FINANCIAL HEALTH? DO WE HAVE THE POLICIES IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY? AND DO WE HAVE FUNDING PLANS FOR NEAR NEAR TERM CAPITAL PROJECTS? AND ARE WE ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH US? SO OUT OF ALL THE DESIGNEES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE'S ABOUT 2000 PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES, 275 OF THEM HAVE THE RP THREE DESIGNATION, 26 OF THEM ARE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND 13 OF THEM ARE A DIAMOND DESIGNATION AND WE HAVE ONE.
SO WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? UM, DURING MY TIME AS THE PAST VICE CHAIR OF THE ART B3 PANEL COMMITTEE, WE TOOK A VERY, VERY DEEP DIVE INTO THE ANALYTICS SIDE OF THIS.
I COULD DIVE INTO THIS REAL DEEP WITH MANY MORE EXAMPLES, BUT THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW RP THREE UTILITIES HAVE A MUCH LOWER SYSTEM LOSS THAN OTHER UTILITIES AND THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT IT GIVES US A WAY TO ACHIEVE NATIONAL RECORDS, RECOGNITION AND FOLLOW OUR BEST PRACTICES.
UM, IT GIVES US A SELF-CHECK, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME AS UTILITY DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND OUR P THREE CREATES A CLEAR PATH FOR LONG-TERM OPERATIONAL STABILITY FOR THE OPERATOR.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE AS A PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
[00:50:01]
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK OUR STAFF FOR THEIR, THEIR SKILL AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND THEIR DEDICATION.CHARLIE HAS EITHER THAT WITH, UM, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON COMMERCIALLY WITH, UM, DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA, IT'S BEEN TOUGH COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE CONTRACTORS.
SO I HAD SOFT OR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING.
AND MAYBE YOU HAVE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES.
HOW DO YOU RECRUIT WHEN YOUR BIGGEST COMPETITOR IS THE PRIVATE CONTRACT SERVICES? SO WE FIGHT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.
I KNOW THAT RIGHT OUTSIDE OF WILSON, THERE'S A BILLBOARD RIGHT BESIDE THE UTILITY OFFICE, YOU KNOW, AS FROM A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR.
SO THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH PLEASURE, CHARLIE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO, YOUR LEADERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL IN THAT DEPARTMENT, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE AND WORKING, YOU'VE ALWAYS COME TO US TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO RUN THAT DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THE INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK TOWARDS THIS, AND YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHARLIE, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK, YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT TO MAKE ME BLUSH.
AND CHARLIE, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING YOUR PHONE.
WHERE ARE THE ONES THAT GET THE CALL WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN LET OUR TWO HOURS, TWO HOURS YOUR STANDARD ANSWER, IT'LL BE BACK THE TRUTH, BUT, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE.
[8. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Financing Contract with Truist Bank for the City Hall Elevator Project.]
NUMBER EIGHT, NEXT ITEM IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER A RESOLUTION, APPROVING A FINANCING CONTRACT WITH TWO TRUEST BANK FOR THE SYDNEY HALL ELEVATOR PROJECT.AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE KEMO FIRM TO COME UP AND MAKE THE PRESENTATION SO WE, UM, REACHED OUT TO FOUR BANKS TO GET PROPOSALS AND WE RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE FROM JEWISH BANK.
THEY RESPONDED WITH A TERM OF 15 YEARS AT A 2.8, 6% INTEREST RATE THAT TERM OF 24 TERM OF 20 YEARS AT A 3.1, 3% INTEREST RATE.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD, UM, FOR SUE THE 15 YEAR TERM AT 2.8, 6%.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, AND THE RESOLUTION ATTACHED.
YES, JIM, IS THAT, IS THAT A PRETTY STANDARD RESPONSE? ONLY ONE BANK OUT OF, FOR LAST YEAR WHEN WE, UM, REACHED OUT, WE ONLY RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE, I BELIEVE AS WELL.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHATEVER THAT LOAN WAS? LAST TIME? WHAT THE INTEREST RATE WAS? I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE RADIOS AND BEAUTIFUL.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE IT WAS THOUGH? DO YOU KNOW WHAT INTEREST? I DON'T.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THAT IS.
ANY OTHER STAFF COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? NO, SIR.
THIS TIME BOARD HEMION COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
WHEN WE GIVE THEM NOW, HOW ARE WE HEARING THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD, ASK ANY QUESTIONS, MAKE ANY COMMENTS YOU'RE FREE TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M EDWIN VARGAS AT ONE 19 RANDOM WOOD LANE IN NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, BOARD AND STAFF.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS FINE CITY HAS LET THEIR CITIZENS DOWN ON A WRONG PATH.
FINANCIALLY TONIGHT, A VOTE WILL BE MADE ON FUNDING FOR AN ELEVATOR AT CITY HALL.
LET'S GO BACK ON THIS REQUEST.
THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, AFTER MIKE EPPERSON DID AN RFQ FOR A VERTICAL PLATFORM LIFT FROM LIFTING NADIR AT 44 30 US 70 NEW BERN NORTH CAROLINA, 2 8 5 6 0.
I'VE VISITED THEIR OFFICE IN THAT PROVIDED A BROCHURE STYLE AND COLORS.
THE QUOTE WAS GIVEN TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND IT WAS SQUASHED.
WHY FAST-FORWARD OVER THE PAST 60 DAYS, THEY VOTE TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR FOR AN ELEVATOR ANNEX IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, TAKEN AWAY FROM THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE OF 42 MILLION.
IT WAS $36 MILLION IN 2017 BUDGET ORDINANCE.
THE COST OF THIS VERTICAL COMMERCIAL LIFT IS BETWEEN 28,000 AND 40,000 FOR THE EQUIPMENT.
THE CONTRACTOR WORK IS NOT INCLUDED.
[00:55:01]
COLT MET THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS AT 17 FEET.MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE LIFT AIDER AS A LOCAL VENDOR TO INSTALL A VERTICAL.
IF THAT WILL MEET THE WHEELCHAIR AND WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS OF 750 POUNDS.
THIS COMPANY HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR YEARS.
SERVING CRAVEN COUNTY FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS.
THE MONEY SAVED CAN BE USED TOWARDS A FIRE STATION IN WEST NEWBURN.
SINCE I ASKED MIKE I PERCENT AT THE TIME AND HE ASKED ME WAS BETWEEN 2.5 AND $3.5 MILLION.
PLEASE RECONSIDER THE IDEA OF FUND A FINANCING, THE ELEVATOR PROJECT, WHICH EXPENSIVE AND THE ALTERNATIVE WAY OF USING LYFT IN ADR SEVERE A BRAND WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS AND STAFF GOING FROM THE FIRST FLOOR TO THE SECOND FLOOR AT CITY HALL.
CITIZENS VOTED FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SAVING MONEY, SAYS VOTERS WERE MAKING FOR BOATS WERE MADE AND CLAPS WERE DONE FOR POLITICAL POINTS.
CITIZENS WANT THEIR SALES TAX PROPERTY TAX USE WISELY SINCE THE ELEVATOR IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A FIRE STATION.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COME FORWARD AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS? MAKE COMMENTS, STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS ISLAND AND FREE TO DO IT AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. VARGAS FOR BRINGING THIS INFORMATION.
MOTION AND SECOND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, FOSTER AT THE LAST NIGHT AND WHERE WE DISCUSSED ABOUT THE, UM, ELEVATOR, UM, TO GIVE DIRECTION TO APPROVE IT.
WE, WE ALREADY SIGNED THE CONTRACT TO, UM, THEY WERE, THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD THE BED FOR US.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
WE DO HAVE MUCH AND SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
YEAH, I CAN, UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION, APPROVING A FINANCING CONTRACT WITH TRUEST BANK FOR THE CITY HALL ELEVATOR PROJECT.
FOR THE 15 YEAR TERM AT THE 2.86, I HAVE MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SO NONE OF US HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ODOR.
ALDERMAN ASKED HER OUT A WOMAN.
[Items 9, 10 & 11]
I NEVER NOT.NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SELL OF 5 0 6 DARKS AVENUE UPON RECEIVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO INITIATE THE UPS BID PROCESS OF FIVE OR SIX STARS TO AVE.
MARY PETER KIDS SUBMITTED AN OFFER OF $2,000 FOR THE VACANT ALMOST HALF ACRE PARTIAL.
THE OFFER WAS ADVERTISED AND KNOW IF THE GOODS WERE RECEIVED, THE PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY FOR TAX FORECLOSURE IN MARCH OF 2018.
AND THE TAX VALUE OF THE LAND WAS $4,000.
IF THE SALE IS APPROVED, THE CITY IS ESTIMATED TO RECEIVE $182 23 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS.
AND THE COUNTY IS ESTIMATED TO RECEIVE $1,817 77 CENTS.
A MEMO FROM THE CITY OF PARK IS ATTACHED.
IF THE BOARD APPROVES I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF BIBLES SIX DARTS AVENUE, 26 0 2
AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION THERE? YES.
I'VE MADE IT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY CAN'T PUT A SIGN ON EVERY PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE.
THAT IS A DEVELOPABLE LOT WITH A PHONE NUMBER TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO SAY THIS PROPERTY IS FOR SALE.
PLEASE MAKE A B, WE ARE CONTINUING TO SELL PROPERTY.
WE, WE DO IT AND I'LL UNDERSTAND THERE'S UPSIDE TO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE TAX ROLLS.
IT'S NOT PRODUCING ANYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO THE PEOPLE THAT FIND THESE DEALS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO SCOOP THEM UP.
BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T ADVERTISE IT.
ALMOST EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD HAS GOT SIGNS AROUND THE CITY AND WE KNOW HOW EASY IT IS TO GET A SIGN AND PUT A SIGN UP.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY HAS A PROBLEM DOING IT.
IS THERE, UM, SPEAKING ON WHAT HE SAID, CAUSE I AGREE.
UM, I MEAN, W WHAT STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO DO THAT BASED ON, UM, GUIDANCE FROM THE ATTORNEY BOARD IS FREE TO DIRECT STAFF TO, TO DO ANYTHING, TO, TO MARKET
[01:00:01]
AND PROMOTE THE SALE OF, I GUESS, CURRENTLY THE WAY WE MARKET, AS YOU CAN GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE AND UNDER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, IT LISTS THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE FOR SALE.I WOULD SAY, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, THEN WE NEED TO TAKE THE STEP OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING THE BID AT 50% OF THE, UM, OF THE TAX VALUE AND MAKE IT THE WHOLE TAX VALUE.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND WE REALLY WANT THESE THINGS TO MOVE AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING UPSET BIDS.
AND WE THINK THAT PROPERTY IS NOT BEING PROPERLY, NOT PROPERLY ACQUIRED, BUT PAID FOR, WE THINK IT TIES MORE VALUE KNOWING SO FORTH.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK INTO AND GET A SMALL WORKING GROUP, A COMMITTEE, A WORKING GROUP WHO WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK ON BRINGING FORTH SOMETHING.
I THINK THE ONLY ISSUE WITH TAX VALUE AND THIS ATTORNEY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT SOMETIMES THE TAX VALUE IS NOT ACCURATE ON SOME OF THESE PARCELS BECAUSE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A STRUCTURE ON THEIR PRIOR.
SO IT SKEWS THAT NUMBER, BUT I DON'T CARE WHAT PRICE THAT GOES ON THERE.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE JUST CAN'T PUT A SIGN ON IT, BUT MAYBE WE CAN, WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
CAN WE DO THAT? GIVE US DIRECTION.
I MEAN, I SUPPORT US MAKING THE SUB, PUTTING SIGNS OUT ON THE PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE TO MARKET TO INDIVIDUALS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE, BUT THIS WOULD JUST BE A SECOND TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX AND ADVERTISE TO REACH OUT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH IN SECOND AND THIRD, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THERE? I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU A SIGNAL THAT WE DO HAVE TIMES THAT WE PUT OUT.
WE'RE ON ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES SAYING THAT THERE'S AN UPSET BID PROCESS GOING ON.
HE HAS, SOMEHOW THEY CAN FIND OUT HOW TO FIT ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, EACH LAW WAS GIVEN A NUMBER LIKE THEY WOULD CALL HIM AND SAY, I'M INTERESTED IN NUMBER NINE.
BOTH SONS WERE POLLED WHEN WE PUT THE, UM, FREEZE ON THE REDEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY AREA, AND THEY'VE NOT BEEN PLACED BACK OUT ANYWHERE WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS DOES HAVE SIGNS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE THEM TO PUT BACK OUT.
I AGREE WITH I'D HELP THE PRICING POLL QUESTION YET.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH OLIVER MANGLE, ALDERMAN BINGO.
OUT A WOMAN HARRIS OUTER AND ASKED HER MAY YOUR AUNT LAW ORDER MCKINSEY ALDERMAN DESK.
UM, BEFORE WE GET THE NEXT ONE TOO, I'LL READ THE NOTAMS COMMENT.
I THOUGHT THE WHOLE IDEA ORIGINALLY OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WAS THEY HAD THE FLEXIBILITY OF MARKETING THAT WE DID NOT HAVE.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL HAVING AN ISSUE, TRYING TO GET THE COUNTY TO AGREE MAYBE TO SOME ADDITIONAL INVENTORY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE ARE PROPERTIES OUTSIDE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION THAT, UH, AS THE CITY CLERK ALLUDED TO.
SO AGAIN, UH, HAVEN'T BEEN IN REAL ESTATE SINCE 1978, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MAXIMAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, GET THE RETURN BACK FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING.
SO I HEAR A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HERE, BUT MR. DAVIS, COULD YOU CORRECT ME ON ANYTHING? I MISSED MISSPOKEN? NO, SIR.
THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE CONDITIONS ON THE PROPERTY THAT GOES THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
SO THEY CAN REQUIRE THAT A HOUSE BE BUILT.
UH, THEY CAN REQUIRE CERTAIN THINGS WHEN THE CITY SELLS PROPERTY, IT SELLS IT FREE AND CLEAR TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER WITH NO CONDITIONS.
SO LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, CAUSE I'M, I'M SOMEWHAT CONFUSED.
SO A PIECE, TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT WE'VE SOLD HERE TONIGHT, WE'RE IN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AREA.
IT MIGHT'VE BEEN THREE, TWO OF THEM SHORT.
UM, AND IT WENT BEFORE THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CAME BECAUSE OF THE TITLE WAS NOT IN THEIR NAME.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THE TITLE IS NOT IN THEIR NAME.
BUT IF IT WAS IN THEIR NAME, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE UPSET BID PROCESS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PIECES THAT WERE IN THEIR NAME.
STILL HAD TO COME BACK TO US FOR APPROVAL, JUST FOR APPROVAL, BUT NOT FOR UPSET BECAUSE WHO WAS SO CONFUSING, BUT WITH WHAT YOU SAID, SOMETIMES IF SOMEBODY WAS FIXING TO PUT REALLY NICE IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LOT, AND WE KIND OF HAVE POLICY OF NOT ACCEPTING ANYTHING LESS THAN 50% TAX BY, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING LESS THAN 50% TAX BY IF THE IMPROVEMENT FIXED AND GO GO IN, THERE WAS DONE IN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF 9,280 DAYS OR SOMETHING, KNOWING THAT THE END PRODUCT WAS GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD REDEVELOPING.
BUT IN OTHER WORDS, EVERYTHING REDEVELOPMENT STILL HAS COME FORWARD AND OR INVOLVEMENT FOR APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S WHAT I, AGAIN, THEY BROUGHT ONE UP AND THE TAX BY THAT
[01:05:01]
THE SELL PRICE OF THE LOT WAS LESS.I WOULD BE IN FAVOR SALAD IF I KNEW THE IMPROVEMENT WAS GOING ON THERE, THAT THEY CAN PUT THOSE BIBLE GOODS, THOSE REQUIREMENTS ON IT THAT WE CAN.
[12. Consider Adopting a Resolution Initiating the Upset Bid Process for 2502 New Bern Avenue (PID 8-037-102)]
IT'S GOT AN ITEM NUMBER 12.CONSIDER A RESOLUTION IN INITIATING THE UPSET BID PROCESS FOR 2,500 TO NEWBURN AVENUE.
LORENZA GRIST HAS MADE AN OFFER TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY FOR $5,000, WHICH IS THE FULL TAX VALUE OF THE 10TH ACRE PARTIAL PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN 2017 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE, THE UNPAID TAXES DUE TO CRAVE THE COUNTY.
AT THAT TIME, INCLUDING AN INTEREST IN PENALTIES WAS 3,500, $5 25 CENTS.
UNPAID TAXES DUE THE CITY, ALONG WITH INTEREST IN PENALTIES WAS $212 33 CENTS.
IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THE INITIAL BID, THE CITY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $609 46 CENTS.
AND THE COUNTY IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $4,390, 54 CENTS.
MOST PROCEEDS THERE'S NO QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS.
I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION INITIATING THE UPSET BID PROCESS FOR 25 0 2 NEWBURN AVENUE, SECOND MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION CNM, A SEPARATE ROM-COM STARTED WITH ALDERMAN ODOM.
MAYOR ALDERMAN ASKED HER OUT A WOMAN HARRIS ALDERMAN BAGEL.
[Items 13 & 14]
I REMEMBER 13.NEXT TIME, JUST CONSIDER A RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRADER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW CATEGORY D HURRICANE FLORENCE DAMAGE YOUR PRAYERS FOR CORY ONE DRAINAGE BASIN PROJECT.
THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. CHILDS TO COME FORWARD AND DISCUSS THIS ITEM.
GETTING MORE, UH, THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF OUR HURRICANE FLORENCE THEME OF WORK.
WE HAVE TRANSITIONED NOW INTO THE CAT D WORK, WHICH IS THE PERMANENT WORK.
UM, EASILY FIND THAT AS THE BANK STABILIZATION, HEADWALL STABILIZATION THAT WE'RE GETTING INTO.
UM, SO THE NEXT TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, OR FOR CORY LAUREN IN 42 WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT AND WE'VE RECEIVED THREE BIDS FOR EACH AND THE LOWEST BIDDER ON EACH WAS TRADED CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THESE BIDS HAVE BEEN VETTED AND WE'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE IS A LINE ITEM AND MS. CAT D WORKSHEET ADDITIONAL CAT EIGHT WARRANTY FOUND, WHICH IS THE SEDIMENT THAT DICTATION.
SO WE CAN ALSO, UH, ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AS WE WORKED DOWN THE DITCH LINES.
DID YOU SAY ALONG THE LINE, IF WE FIND SOME OLD CAT? YES MA'AM YES.
THERE'S A LINE ITEM FOR A UNIT UNIT AMOUNT IN THERE THERE'S ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WE FIND IN THOSE AREAS THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED.
SORRY, BECAUSE I HAVE A COUPLE OF GEORGE.
HOW MANY HAVE THEY COME FROM SO FORTH? OKAY.
THIS WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF OUR CAT D WORK.
SO HOW MANY ARE YOU LOOKING TO COMPLETE? WE'RE WE'RE HOPING TO COMPLETE ALL OF THEM IN THE NEXT WEEK.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THE BASINS, JUST VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY THE CAT, THE CAT WAS DONE.
WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS EACH BASE IN SUMMER GROUP TOGETHER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THEM IN THE SAME WAY.
THIS IS THAT THERE'S THEIR NORMAL QUESTIONS.
UM, MS. HELLER, BROOKE, YOU DO BE ABLE TO DO, UM, 13 AND 14 AT THE SAME TIME.
I GUESS THAT I GOT, UM, OR THAT MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRADER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR THE CHARACTER CATEGORY.
D HURRICANE FLORENCE, DAMAGE REPAIRS FOR YOU.
ONE DRAINAGE, SPATIAL PROJECT AND CORY TWO DRAINAGE BASIN PROJECT.
AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION?
HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH TOTAL HAVE WE DONE SINCE HURRICANE FLORENCE? BALLPARK NOT HOLDING YOU TO IT.
UM, APPROXIMATELY SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
[Items 15 & 16]
NUMBER 15 AND YOUR NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF THE FUNDING APPLICATION TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A PLANNING GRANT.[01:10:01]
I LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU USE TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN THAT ITEM.I BELIEVE BEEN MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
ACTUALLY THE NEXT TWO ITEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE ARP FUNDS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING OVER THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS.
UH, THIS IS FUNDING HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE DIVISION OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
ARE THERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUCKETS THAT THE FUNDING HAS BEEN KIND OF SPLIT UP INTO? THERE ARE REALLY TWO BUCKETS.
THE L THE CITY IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR ONE IS A CONSTRUCTION GRANT WITH A MAXIMUM GRANT AWARD OF UP TO $15 MILLION.
THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 55 OR $60 MILLION IN THAT BUCKET.
UM, WE EXPECT THAT TO BE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND THE FUNDING TO GO VERY FAST.
THE OTHER BUCKET, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY HAVE A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF RECEIVING THE GRANT AS A PLANNING GRANT IN WHICH THEY ARE AWARDING GRANTS UP TO $500,000, AND THERE'S ABOUT 700 MILLION IN THERE.
SO WE THINK THOSE WILL BE DISPERSED AMONG MANY MORE APPLICANTS.
AND WE PROBABLY HAVE A BETTER SHOT OF ACTUALLY GETTING THAT GRANT FUNDING.
SO THE TWO GEN ITEMS, THIS ONE AND THE NEXT ONE ARE BOTH ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE AR YEAH.
AND THE FIRST ONE IN ACTUAL CAPITAL PROVEN THE SECOND, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.
AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE CRITERIA IN THE GRANT APPLICATION, UH, WE, WE KIND OF LOOKED AT WHAT THE SCORING CRITERIA WAS AND OUR BEST, OUR BEST SHOT AT ACTUALLY GETTING A HIGH ENOUGH SCORE TO BE SELECTED FOR ONE OF THESE GRANTS.
WE DETERMINED THAT RESILIENCY AND REHABILITATION OF SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WOULD BE OUR BEST PATH FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY GETTING SOME GRANT FUNDS.
LET'S SAY WE GOT THE SECOND ONE, WHICH WAS CAPITAL APPROVAL, BUT WE DIDN'T GET THE FIRST ONE.
WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND HIDE ENGINEERING 400,000 TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE SECOND ONE.
IS THAT RIGHT? IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THERE'S ONLY 50 MILLION FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION IN 700 MILLION FOR THE ENGINEERING AND PLANNING IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, ANYBODY THAT GETS AWARDED.
WHY, WHY IS THAT THE CASE? THERE IS ACTUALLY MUCH MORE THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
HOWEVER, THE BIG CHUNKS OF IT, THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE FOR WATER WASTEWATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE DISTRESSED OR AT RISK OF BEING DISTRESSED.
UM, AND THIS IS I GUESS, FORTUNATE AND UNFORTUNATE.
WE ARE A WELL RUN WATER, WASTEWATER UTILITY, BOTH ON OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT AND BOTH ON FINANCIALS.
WE DO NOT QUALIFY FOR EITHER ONE OF THOSE BUCKETS.
SO THE ZEBRA MATCH, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULDN'T DO IT, BUT WOULD THIS IN ANY WAY THAT THE TWO, THE ENGINEERING AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UM, IN ANY WAY, GET US READY FOR WHEN WE GET TO 80% SOC ON THE PLANET.
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IN SOME OF THE EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THE PLANT WITH, WITH GAYNESS, SOME NUTRIENTS, UH, DISCHARGE EXPANSION OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS PROBABLY OUR LIMITING FACTOR IN GROWTH OF OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN AT THIS POINT.
OKAY, GREAT, JORDAN, JORDAN IS THE QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND IT'S A GOOD THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE DISTRESS SYSTEMS, BUT THIS, THIS MAY BE MORE OF A POLITICAL QUESTION, BUT WHO IS IT? THE NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF BOARD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SEPARATED THESE TWO FUNDS, THE ACTUALLY THE STATE LEGISLATURE WHEN THEY ISSUED, IT'S A SENATE BILL THAT WENT OUT THAT ALLOCATED ALL THIS MONEY.
UH, I THINK THERE'S FIVE GROUPS OF FUNDING, TOTAL THREE FOR WATERWAYS, FOR CONSTRUCTION AT RISK, I'M SORRY, DISTRESS AT RISK.
AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE, UM, THERE WERE A LARGER POOLS OF MONEY.
A LOT OF THE MONEY, PROBABLY OVER HALF THE MONEY IN EVERY POOL WAS DIRECTLY ALLOCATED THROUGH THE BILL.
WHEN THEY ISSUED THE BILL, THEY GAVE OUT CHUNKS OF MONEY.
WE ACTUALLY GOT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
WE'VE GOT $230,000 FOR SOME, UH, SEWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.
AND WE'VE GOT $75,000 FOR SOME STORMWATER STUDY THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
SO WE DID GET A LITTLE BIT OF THAT DIRECTLY APPROPRIATED MONEY.
NOW WE'RE GOING BACK COMPETING FOR THE, THE GRANT MONEY, INVEST WITH THEM.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE ALONG THE WAY, ANY CONTINGENCIES OR DISCUSSION OR THOUGHT OF, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU'RE IN THERE, IF YOU'RE PUTTING IN A 24 FOOT WIDGET AND YOU KNOW, FOR A YEAR 2085, WE MIGHT'VE PUT A 48 OR ARE YOU AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON THAT? AS FAR AS WHATEVER THIS IS GOING TO BE, WHICH I HAVEN'T SEEN PLANS AND SPECS, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ALL THIS IS, BUT I KNOW IT'S PLUS FOR THE CITY.
SO HAVE YOU LOOKED AT, AND DO YOU THINK YOU'LL COME BACK WITH BUDGET AMENDMENT IDEAS ON SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS WE PROBABLY ALL DO WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS? SO MAYOR CAN TELL YOU IS AS YOU REVIEW THE GRANT APPLICATION AND TELL YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS TO HOW TO FILL THE GRANT APPLICATION OUT WERE 87 PAGES LONG.
SO IT GIVES YOU SOME IDEA OF HOW IN DEPTH THE, THE, UH, THE APPLICATION IS.
AND THE SCORING IS, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN SOME OF THE GRANT APPLICATION
[01:15:01]
QUESTIONS ARE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MOVE THINGS FROM THE FLOOD PLAIN, TO ZONE A, TO ZONE X? ARE YOU, ARE YOU PROVIDING FREE BOARD ABOVE WHAT THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS? SO THERE YOU ACTUALLY GAINED BONUS POINTS AND SOME OF THE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR NOT ONLY MOVING TO THE BARE MINIMUM OF GETTING THINGS OUT OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN, BUT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOOD FOR TODAY.AND YOU'RE GOOD FOR 50 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, SO THAT THERE'S KIND OF A BUILT IN SYSTEM TO GUIDE EVERYBODY IN THAT DIRECTION.
IF WE'RE CERTAINLY, IF WE'RE AWARDED THE GRANT, THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS GOOD FOR THE DAY GOOD FOR TOMORROW AND GOOD FOR 50 YEARS.
AND JUST TO REFRESH THE BOARD, AS FAR AS, UH, IN AN EVENT LIKE FORUMS, HOW DID WE OPERATE AND WHAT ARE THE ELEVATIONS OUT THERE? AND THEN THAT'S KIND OF IN A SURPRISINGLY WELL, GIVEN HIS LOCATION, RIGHT ON THE BANKS OF THE NEUSE RIVER BESIDE GLEN BRAIN PARK, OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WAS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED IN THE SIXTIES ON A VERY HIGH BLOCK.
IT IS ACTUALLY ELEVATION OF MID TWENTIES.
IT'S WAY OUT OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN, THE RIGHT ON THE RIVERBANK NEVER HAD ANY FLOODING PROBLEMS AT THE PLANT ITSELF.
IT BECOMES AN ISLAND AS THE ISSUE.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING THERE IS ISOLATED.
IT'S HARD TO GET SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, RESOURCES IN AND OUT OF THE FACILITY DURING A FLOOD EVENT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON WITH SOME OF THE, UH, RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF THE GRAPH.
CAN WE APPROVE A 15 TO 16 MARIJUANA MAKE A MOTION? WE ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A FUNDING APPLICATION TO THE NC DEPARTMENT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PLANNING GRANT AND FOR A CONSTRUCTION GRADE, SECOND MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION STAYING ON THE SABBATH ROLL CALL STARTED WITH ALL THE ALDERMAN ITEM? YES.
MAYOR OUT LONG ALDERMAN ASKED HER OTHER WOMAN HARRIS.
[17. Update and Discussion on Bus Stops.]
ON NUMBER EIGHT, 17 MAYOR.NEXT TIME IS TO UP UPDATE AND DISCUSSION ON BUS STOPS TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THE BUS STOPS BACK IN 2019 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, STARTED WORKING ON THEIR, UH, CBBG FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN.
AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS THEY WANT TO LOOK AT DOING WAS ADDING BUS STOPS ALONG THE CARTS ROUTE.
THEY INITIALLY LOOKED AT SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, UM, AND THEY NARROWED DOWN TO THREE THAT THEY WANTED TO START ON FIRST.
SO THEY, THEY PURCHASED, UM, THE ACTUAL SHELTERS THAT WOULD GO WITH THOSE BUS STOPS.
AT THAT TIME, BACK IN 2020, THEY SIGNED CONTRACTS.
THE CITY MANAGER SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH, UH, THE APPROPRIATE ENTITIES, UH, TO DESIGN.
ONE WAS AT FORT TOTTEN, THE OTHER ONE'S AROUND THREE.
AND THE FINAL ONE THAT WAS AT THE BOLT CENTER.
NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THE STAFF THAT WERE COORDINATING THIS PROJECT ARE NO LONGER WITH US.
SO, UH, THE HISTORY OF WHY THEY CHOSE THOSE AREAS OR WHY THEY DECIDED TO EXACTLY WHERE IT WOULD GO AT FORT TOTTEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T ANSWER IN THE EXISTING STAFF CAN ANSWER SO THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THIS, BUT THE GOAL WAS FOR THEM TO START WORKING ON THAT PROJECT, LITERALLY IN 2020, COVID AFFECTED THE PROJECT, UM, BIDDING ON THE PROJECT AND THEN PRICES COMING HIGHER THAN, UH, FUNDS THEY RECEIVED EFFECTIVENESS TO.
THEY HAD TO REBID THIS PROJECT A FEW TIMES.
UM, FINALLY THEY WERE ABLE TO BID IT AT A DIFFERENT WAY, WHERE THEY LOOKED AT ONE BUS STOP INSTEAD OF THREE BUS STOPS AND THEY CHOSE TO DO FORT TOTTEN.
AT THAT TIME, THE REASON THEY CHOSE FORT TOTTEN AT THAT TIME WAS BECAUSE THAT BUS STOP AND IT'S CURRENTLY SERVES AS A BUS STOP.
THERE ARE 19 STOPS A DAY ON THREE CARTS ROUTES.
UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE USE IT AND THEN DROP OFF ON THERE? WE CAN'T ANSWER THAT, BUT BASED ON THE CARTS ROUTE, THERE ARE 19 DIFFERENT STOPS A DAY THROUGH THERE.
SO, UM, CONSTRUCTION STARTED MID-MARCH, UH, RIGHT AFTER CONSTRUCTION STARTED, UH, WE STARTED RECEIVING, UH, COMPLAINTS ON THAT.
UH, SO WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS.
LET'S CONTINUE WITH, LET'S JUST GET THIS INSTALLED BECAUSE WE ARE, WE HAVE A DEADLINE ON THIS WITH HUD FUNDS.
WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE HUD FUNDS FOR THIS.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO HEAR CONCERNS.
OTTOMAN BANGLE REACHED OUT, ASKED THAT WE ISSUE A STOP WORK ORDER ON THIS PENDING, THIS COME TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN FOR DISCUSSION OR REACHED OUT TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE A MAJORITY TO STOP WORK.
SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER.
UM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I DO RECOMMEND WE CONTINUE INSTALLING THE BUS STOP, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY AT.
IF THE BOARD WANTS TO MOVE IT AT ANOTHER TIME, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.
BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH COVID AND THINGS LIKE THAT, OUR
[01:20:01]
BACKS ARE AGAINST THE WALL TO HAVE THIS INSTALLED.I, THE END OF APRIL, WE CAN EVALUATE STOCK.
IF IT NEEDS TO BE MOVED, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE MOVED TO SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE FORT TOTTEN PROPERTY, WHICH WE COULD DO THAT I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO ENGINEERS.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DESIGNED TO HUD'S SPECIFICATIONS.
UH, WE COULD NOT USE HUD FUNDS TO DO ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING AND DESIGN.
WE DO HAVE FUNDS, UH, IN THE CITY GENERAL FUND TO TAKE CARE OF THAT IF THIS BOARD WANTS US TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY ON THIS.
UM, MR. FOSTER, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UM, DO YOU HAVE A ROUNDABOUT HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST IF THE BOARD WAS TO VOTE AGAINST LEAVING IT THERE? UM, WHAT IT WOULD COST US.
SO IF IT WERE TO BE MOVED, IF IT WOULDN'T BE MOVING, IF IT WERE TO BE MOVED, IT WOULD COST US PROBABLY 20 TO $30,000.
THAT THAT'S THE ESTIMATE WE RECEIVED.
WELL, I'LL JUST GET MY THOUGHTS ON IT.
UM, I ACTUALLY DID HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, SPEAK WITH JEFF AND AMANDA, UM, WHEN THIS PROJECT WAS GOING ON A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE THREE LOCATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, THE CITY OF NEWBURGH, THE VOLT CENTER.
UM, WE DO UTILIZE THE UVO CENTER A LOT THAT A LOT OF ELDERLY THAT DON'T USE THE INTERNET DON'T WANT TO MAKE PHONE PAYMENTS.
THEY PHYSICALLY GO IN AND HAVE TO HAND CASH TO SOMEONE OR SPEAK TO SOMEONE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO IN CRAVEN TERRACE IS GOING TO BE, UM, VERY, UM, GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I SUPPORT ALL THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE.
I KNOW THAT I WENT TO, UM, A MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN REGARDS TO THESE HUD'S FUNDING, UM, FUNDS AND THE COMMUNITY DID SAY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PROJECT COMPLETED.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS A WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I, I RESPECT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS AND ALLOWING IT TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THE FUNDS WERE ALREADY ALLOCATED, THE WORK WAS ALREADY DONE.
AND IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE IT TONIGHT, THAT'S 20 TO $30,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY THAT IS GOING TO GO TO DO THAT.
WHEN THERE MAY HAVE ONLY BEEN A FEW COMPLAINTS, UM, I BELIEVE IN KNOW THAT THE PREVIOUS, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT WORKED HERE DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE WITH LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW AND GETTING ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK.
AND SO THEY PROPOSED IT, THEY DID THE WORK AND I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO I WILL BE, UM, HOPEFULLY VOTING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH BECAUSE STAFF DID INFORM ME THAT THE BOARD WAS MADE AWARE OF WHERE THE LOCATIONS WERE.
AND WE DID RESEARCH HAD BRENDAN LOOKED BACK AND WE COULD NOT FIND WHERE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS WERE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD IN TERMS OF ANY PRESENTATION, IT IS INCLUDED IN THE ACTION PLAN, BUT IT JUST HAD THE ADDRESS LISTED.
SO REALLY THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE, AND I'VE GIVEN THIS TO YOU, UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE, ON THE RECTANGLE, THAT IS THE CURRENT LOCATION OF WHERE THE BUS STOP IS GOING OUT.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT IS NOT BEING COMPLETED ON THAT IS THE SHELTER, THE BENCH AND THE TRASH CAN, IF IT IS TO BE MOVED, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE FIRST THREE FIRST THREE SPACES AS YOU COME IN THE PARKING LOT, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE BRIDGE BUILDING, UH, BESIDE THE UBL OFFICE.
ONE LAST QUESTION UNDERMINE, UM, WHEN YOU SAID THE INFORMATION WAS PUT IN THE FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN, THAT WAS ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, CORRECT? I BELIEVE THAT WAS YES.
CAN YOU, WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE LOCATED? THE, YEAH, IT IS CURRENTLY ON FORT TOTTEN DRIVE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THE RECTANGLE BOX RIGHT THERE.
UM, THE AREA THAT THIS HAS PUT USED TO BE A RAMBLED AREA, AND INSTEAD THEY PENNY THE AREA.
NOW THEY'VE GOT URBAN GUTTER AND A SIDEWALK THERE THAT, THAT, THAT IS FORT TOTTEN UBO OFFICE.
IT'S BASICALLY WHERE THE CUT AND WITH, UH, WITH A STAMP FARM ON THE BACK SIDE, ON THE BACKSIDE, THAT'S CORRECT.
OH, IT'S ON THE SIDE STREET THAT FAR REPORT TOP DRIVE IT'S ON THE STREET.
SO THAT'S, I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU, UM, ALDERMAN BEST IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT IT IS FORT TOTTEN IS THE STREET THAT COMES.
SO IF YOU'RE COMING DOWN NOOSE, YOU WOULD TAKE THAT LEFT-HAND TURN AT THE UBO THAT STREET THERE IS WE'RE TALKING.
AND, UM, SOME OF MY CONCERN FROM THE CITIZENS WAS THE SAFETY ISSUE.
AS YOU'RE TURNING OFF THERE, THE BUS WOULD HAVE TO COME IN.
YOU, WE MAKE A U-TURN TO COME BACK IN TO DROP PEOPLE OFF ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROAD.
UM, AND IT'S JUST SOME CONCERN COMING AROUND THAT CORNER WITH THE BUS THERE, THAT'S BEEN A CONCERN, THIS ISN'T MY REWARD AND IT, UM, AND THE CITIZENS REACHED OUT TO ME.
I'VE HAD 13, UM, A RECORD OF 13, UM, UH, CITIZENS WHO ARE OPPOSED
[01:25:01]
TO THIS LOCATION.AND AGAIN, UM, FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
AND, UM, ALDERMAN, UH, HARRIS, DO YOU REMEMBER WE HAD A PHONE CALL WITH, UH, I BELIEVE FOSTER WAS ON, IT WAS A ZOOM CALL AND, UH, MR. RUGGIERI, AND WE HAD THOUGHT THAT THE BUS SHELTER WAS GOING TO GO IN THE LITTLE PARK, THAT LITTLE POCKET PARK THERE ON ROUNDTREE AND THAT, AND HE SAID, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING LOCATIONS.
SO, BUT NEVER SAID WHERE THE LOCATION IS.
SO WE NEVER REALLY KNEW WHERE IT WAS GOING TO BE.
AND AGAIN, WE NEVER KNEW WHAT THE LOCATION, IT WAS NEVER PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
ALL IT WAS WAS THE FUNDING FOR BUS SHELTERS.
I KNEW THERE WERE BUS SHELTERS.
I KNEW WHERE THEY WERE FUNDING, BUT NEVER DID WE GET ANY DISPLAY TO SAY HERE, HERE, AND FROM FIVE TO THREE TO ONE NOW THERE'S ONLY ONE BUS SHELTER.
THIS ONE, WELL, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE THE THREE.
IT'S JUST THE POS, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE FUNDING AND IT IT'S HUD FUNDING.
SO WE'RE HOLDING THIS PROCESS UP OR DON'T HAVE DON'T, DON'T GET IT IN THIS, THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD AS A CITY.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO FUND THE OTHER TWO, BUT WHEN WE, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALLOCATED TO FUND THE OTHER, THE OTHER TWO SHELTERS THAT CORRECT.
AND, AND, UM, ALDERMAN BANK, YOU ARE CORRECT.
UM, ALL THREE OF THE ROUTES ARE COMING DOWN NEWS OR BROAD STREET EITHER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
SO WHEN THEY DO TURN DOWN MORE TIME, YES, THEY DO HAVE TO TURN AROUND.
NOW, ONCE THIS CAME UP, UH, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THEN THE, UH, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS STAFF ENGINEER.
AND, UH, WE, WE MET OUT ON SITE AND WE WERE JUST OBSERVING TO SEE HOW THE CARTS, UM, BUSES NORMALLY GO.
AND ACTUALLY, I TALKED TO ONE OF THE DRIVERS TO SEE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY DROPPED OFF.
THEY DID INFORM ME THAT THEY DO COME DOWN FOUR TIMES AND THEY TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES, BUT THEY DROP OFF AND PICKUP WHERE THE GENERATOR SITE WAS.
AND I, CAUSE I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WERE ACTUALLY DOING IT.
SO, UM, THE METHODOLOGY THAT STAFF USE TO DETERMINE WHERE THE ROUTE WAS GOING TO GO.
I CAN'T ANSWER THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BUT FOR THE FUNDING, YES, WE DO STILL HAVE FUNDING.
WE HAVEN'T ALLOCATED THE CURRENT CBDG FUNDS.
THAT THAT'S CORRECT, RIGHT? YES.
JUST WONDERING, IT WOULD JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
HOW'S THIS? LET ME UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO, SO WE HAD A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR BUS STOPS.
WHAT WAS THE CDBG? UM, I DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS, BUT I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BECAUSE ACTUALLY THE DATE, I BELIEVE OVER 72,000 IS SPENT ON, HAS BEEN SPENT FOR THIS ON THE SHELTERS AND THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, THE DESIGN, THE DESIGN ON THREE.
AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE A CONTRACT OUT WITH CONTRACT AND I BELIEVE THAT'S JUST UNDER $70,000 TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE SO FAR FOR TODD AND TO INSTALL THE SHELTER SITES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140, 150,000 TO DO, TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO, UM, THE DESIGN HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE FOR, UH, THE VOLT CENTER AND FOR ROUNDTREE, BUT IT'S JUST THE BIDDING THAT OUT THE CONSTRUCTION AND IT WASN'T GOING ON AROUND HERE.
CAUSE AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW, CAUSE WE WERE TOLD IT WAS GOING TO GO IN THAT CAR.
SO NOW WE ARE DOWN TO THE, I THINK WE HAVE A PLOT OF LAND OVER THERE BY THE, UM, UM, WHERE, UM, MS. BENITA SIMMONS HAS HER.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY ONE OR TWO LOTS DOWN PAST, UH, UNITED WHITE CAR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WHERE THEY COULDN'T VIDEO.
SO IS THIS A PROCESS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EITHER THE BOARD SHOULD HAVE BEEN FORMED AS FAR AS WHERE THE STOPS ARE TO HAVE ANY PUBLIC INPUT OR, UH, ANYTHING, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THERE ARE SAYING THEY HAD, THEY WERE UNAWARE, WHICH I WAS UNAWARE OF EXACTLY I'M WITH YOU BECAUSE I SAW HOW THE COURTS CAME IN.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE PARKING LOT WHEN I SAW THE ADDRESS.
AND WE DID THAT TERRIBLE WORD ASSUME AND NOT KNOWING THE EXACT, BECAUSE NO, WHERE DID WE HAVE ANY PAPERWORK OR MAPPINGS OR ANYTHING WITH A STAR TO SHOW US WHERE THIS WAS? I ALWAYS THINK THE MORE INFORMATION WE CAN PROVIDE THE BETTER.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS PROJECT IS WHILE THE DESIGN TOOK PLACE OVER TWO YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN THE FOREFRONT.
UH, ESPECIALLY, I DON'T THINK THAT IT WITH, WITH OUR CURRENT STATUS JUST, HASN'T BEEN, UH, A THOUGHT THAT, HEY, WE NEED TO GET THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND, AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, WE MENTIONED ABOUT TAKING THE FUNDS OUT OF GENERAL FUND, BUT IT, WE ARE ABOUT APP.
WE ARE ABOUT TO THE END OF OUR BUDGET YEAR.
WOULD THERE NOT BE FUNDS IN PUBLIC WORKS THAT WE COULD USE FUNDS FROM PUBLIC WORK? WE CAN PULL IT FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS GENERAL FUND.
WELL, FOSTER, IS THIS SOMETHING, THIS IS A TIME SENSITIVE MATTER, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU FOR GOING ON TO IMPLEMENT, TO INSTALL
[01:30:01]
THIS ONE BUS SHELTER.AND THEN IF THERE'S PROBLEM ARISES FOR SAFETY, THEN I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT AT THAT TIME.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CARTS COMING THROUGH THAT PARKING LOT, COMING ON THAT STREET INCIDENTS HAPPENING THAT WE ARE AWARE OF? I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF.
THE STOP HASN'T BEEN THERE, THE STOP HAS BEEN INSIDE THE PARKING LOT, NOT ON THE STREET.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE SO FAR? SO MY, MY, MY THOUGHT IS I'M HEARING SAFETY HERE AND I'M HEARING MONEY HERE.
THE THING THAT IT IS, UM, LIKE YOU SAY, WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION WHEN IT ALL CAME TOGETHER.
SO WITH THAT AREA HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED NOW THAT CAN BE FOR A BIG TRUCK THAT COMES IN TO PARK THERE VERSUS A PERSON HAD TURNED ALL AROUND AND ACTUALLY COME OFF THE BUS, GO INTO THE BUILDING, WHICH IT HAD, WHICH IT WAS INSIDE OF THE PARKING LOT BEFORE, WHICH I THINK WOULD PROBABLY BEEN A, A SAFER, UH, A PLACE FOR THEM WHERE THEY'D BE, HAVE A CHANCE TO STOP BECAUSE WE HAVE CROSS WALKS ON THE, ON THE PRIVACY THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY USE.
SO THAT MEANS A CAR WOULD YIELD TO THEM.
SO, UH, WITH THAT AND SAY, UH, WHICH DIRECTION SHOULD WE TAKE TO MAKE YOU BETTER AND MAKE YOUR SITE? SO I'M HERE TO DO WHATEVER THE BOARD DIRECTS US TO DO.
BUT AGAIN, I WILL SAY THIS, THE GOAL IS TO CLOSE THIS PROJECT OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN GET INVOICES FROM CONTRACTORS AND BASICALLY GET REIMBURSEMENT FROM CDBG FOR OUR DRAW DOWN.
THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT I'M LOOKING AFTER.
IF THE BOARD WANTS US TO GO AHEAD AND STOP AND START WORKING ON THE OTHER LOCATION, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO IT IN TIME, THE NEW LOCATION? SO BASICALLY WE WOULD, WE WOULDN'T LOSE OUT ON SOME FUNDS, HOW MUCH, I DON'T KNOW.
IT WOULD REALLY DEPEND ON WHAT THE FINAL BILL WILL BE FROM THE CONTRACTOR.
UH, I'M NOT FOR PUTTING ADDITIONAL TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS INTO A PROJECT MONEY.
MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GO AHEAD AND INSTALL THE SHELTER, THE BUS SHELTER, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, ARISES FROM IT, THEN WE ADDRESS IT AT THE TIME, BUT I CAN'T SEE WASTING $30,000 TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH FUNDING TO SUPPORT IT.
FOSTERS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MAYBE NEXT, LIKE THE NEXT, UM, UH, HUD SEASON WHERE WE CAN GET A GRANT ASKED FOR THE GRANT MONEY TO SUPPORT THE OTHER TWO SHELTERS.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT FID AND CDBG OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
NOW I'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CONSULTANT, UH, URBAN DESIGN VENTURES.
AND, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO REALLOCATE SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO, TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL THE OTHER SHELTERS, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
WELL, MY CONCERN ABOUT THE WHOLE PRIVACY KIDS IS YOU GOT AN ALDERMAN SITTING RIGHT HERE.
IT SAYS SHE IS HAD AN OUTCRY FROM AT LEAST 13 RESIDENTS IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT WOULD HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT BEING THERE FOR SAFETY REASONS OR WHATEVER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I FELT WE LEARNED FROM UNION POINT PARK THAT WE SHOULD LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO, UM, WITH OTTOMAN BINGO, I'M GONNA LISTEN TO HER CONSTITUENTS AND, UM, DO WHAT THEY FEEL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS TO BE DONE.
NOW, MY CONCERN TOO IS LOSING FUNDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, LUCK, A LOT OF THINGS WE DO WITH THE CITY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN READ THIS INFORMATION AND MAKE PRETTY GOOD DECISION.
UM, WHEN ALL THIS CAME UP, I WISHED SOMEBODY HAD ASKED ME A YEAR AGO, SOMETHING HAVE PROBABLY DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT SIZE, READ SOME INFORMATION WHEN THIS DID COME UP.
MARSHA GRAHAM WAS THAT, UM, I WENT OVER FOR ABOUT A HALF-HOUR A DAY AND SAT THERE AND WAITED FOR THAT CAR, HIS TRUCK TO COME.
AND I HAD READ ALL THE ROADMAPS, EVERYTHING TRIED TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE SYSTEM AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHY FOLKS WOULD WARM UP DISEMBARK IN-MARKET MARKET, THAT LOCATION.
UM, I KNOW THE HISTORY OF THAT, THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND FIRST THING I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HIM, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT'S A VERY BUSY STREET.
IT'S RIGHT NEAR A TRAFFIC LIGHT.
UH, IT'S NOT COMMON CERTAIN TIMES A DAY.
IT HASN'T CUT THROUGH THAT'S BETWEEN THESE BOULEVARD, CROSS STREET, TRENT ROAD.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE USE THAT, RIGHT? I HAVEN'T BEEN ONE OF THEM, UH, GETTING BACK AND FORTH, SOMETIMES GET FIRST STREET.
SOMETIMES I GO FOUR TIMES, UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTERACTION OF THE BUS STOP
[01:35:01]
IN THERE AND, AND THE STACKING OF CARS AND THE CONFLICT THERE.BUT PART OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SITTING THERE FOR HALF AN HOUR, WAITING ON THAT BUS, WHEN THE BUS PULLED UP, THEY PULLED UP WHERE THAT STAR IS, WHICH TO ME AIR BUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE, THEY DO DIFFERENT THINGS FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS.
THIS ONE HERE TO ME, I MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT I THINK THAT, AND I DON'T LET HER RELATIONSHIP WITH CARBS AND HOW LONG THEY'LL ALLOW A CLIENT TO DISEMBARK DO SOMETHING AND THEY CAN GET BACK ON THAT BUS.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT SOME OF THE BOOKS THAT WILL BE COMING HERE OR GOING IN TO PAY A BILL, UM, AS I THINK I'VE HEARD, UM, SOME FOLKS DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE BILLING OFFICE TO PAY THEIR BILL.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION I HAD LAUNCHED THAT LAST OVER THERE IS, YOU KNOW, I FIND SOME 67 YEARS OLD NOW, HUH.
YOU KNOW, 20 MORE YEARS NOW, I'D MUCH RATHER GET OFF THAT BUS WHERE I'VE STARTED IS TO GO IN AND BILL AN OFFICE TO PAY A BILL.
THEN TO AT AGE SEVEN YEARS OF AGE, THEY WERE THERE ON FOUR TIRES DRIVE HAVING TO WALK THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH LINE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE DRIVE THROUGH DESPERATE PEOPLE, DIDN'T PAY A BILL.
SO THAT MEANS I'M NOT GONNA WALK THAT WAY.
OR I WON'T HAVE TO WALK DOWN TOWARD THE, UH, AREA DE REPORTING AND THEN WALK BACK AROUND AND THEN GO IN THERE OR I CAN GO OUT FRONT.
NOW, IF I DO THAT, I'M GOING TO, UH, ME, UH, POSSIBLY GET RUN OVER BY SOMEBODY AT THAT ATM MACHINE.
SO I GUESS MAYBE IF I WERE TO USE THAT BUS, I COULD WALK DOWN TO THIS BOULEVARD, WALK DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND IT WON'T GO OVER AND GO IN TO THE OTHER SIDE, COACH, YOU DON'T GO IN THE SAME BUILDING WHERE THIS IS.
SO, SO AS I WATCHED ALL THIS AND I'M SURE PARKS PROBABLY OWED IT, IN FACT THAT THE CONSTRUCTION WAS GOING ON, UM, THEY HAVE A SYSTEM, THEY KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE ABOUT WHAT TO DO AND THAN I DO, BUT THE SAFETY FACTOR, UM, SAME THING, MUCH BETTER WHERE TO STAR LOCATION WAS.
AND THE ULTIMATE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY I THOUGHT ARE BEING MET BETTER.
NOT SAY SOMEBODY IS RIDING FARMS AND THOSE THAT WE HAVE FINALLY AFTER 30 YEARS OR WHATEVER IS WE HAVE FINALLY PUT SOME PUBLIC BATHROOMS IN IT.
SOMEBODY MIGHT BE RIDING A BUS, ONE ANOTHER, STOP IT AND MIGHT SAY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN, HEY, COULD YOU STOP? AND WAIT A MINUTE.
I GOT TO WALK IN THE CITY AND THEY WERE BUILDING HOMELESS USE BATHROOM.
I'M LIKE THEY JUST SEE ME LIKE THAT, THE STORE LOCATION.
UM, THE ONLY, I THINK WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO IS, IS, IS HELP OUR CITIZENS BETTER.
AND I JUST THINK THAT'S, UH, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC STACK IN THERE, THE, THE CONFLICT WITH THE BUS, UM, HOW MANY TIMES A DAY SOMEBODY ELSE ON BOARD IS MORE BUTTON I DID, BUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF SOMEBODY BEING ABLE TO PAY BILL THINKING, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT THERE.
AND I THINK THAT STAR LOCATION BE VERY MUCH BETTER, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD REALLY CANNED INFORMATION THAT THEY PROBABLY NEEDED.
SO, UM, WELL I THINK IT BETTER SERVES THE COMMUNITY ANYWAY.
BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, THERE'S THE DOLLAR STORE FAMILY DOLLAR STORE JUST BEARS.
WELL THEN IF THEY CAN, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GET PAID OR BUILDING MIGHT WANT TO DO SHOTS OR WHATEVER.
SO, UM, BUT MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST SAY, YOU TOOK A DAY OFF AND RODE ALL AROUND A LITTLE BIT, DID ALL BY MYSELF.
WELL, TELL ME, TELL US ABOUT, I MEAN, NOBODY RIDES IT, SUPPOSED TO PAY A DOLLAR A RIDE.
I DIDN'T SEE THE FIRST DOLLAR BILL EXCHANGE.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT GOT ON AT WALMART.
UM, AND I ASKED THEM, I SAID, WHY DIDN'T THEY PAY? AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE GOT AN ARRANGEMENT WITH RCS OR, OR SOMEBODY, WE JUST WRITE IT DOWN AND WE GET REIMBURSED IT IN THE MONTH.
UM, JUST A, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT SHE GAVE ME THE FLOOR.
UM, THIS PROJECT WAS FIRST BROUGHT UP DURING THE MPO.
AND ONE OF THE VERY FIRST SUGGESTIONS THAT WAS MADE IS WHATEVER THE DESIGN OF THIS BUS SHELTER WILL BE, SHOULD GO THROUGH HPC TO GET THEIR APPROVAL.
BECAUSE WHAT YOU DON'T WANT IS INCONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT YOUR CITY FOR THE SAME BUS ROUTE.
YOU WANT THE SAME BUS SHELTER TO BE RECOGNIZED WHETHER YOU'RE DOWNTOWN, WHETHER YOU'RE IN FIVE POINTS OR WHETHER YOU'RE IN A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, YOU WANT THE SHELTER TO LOOK THE SAME.
SO DOES THIS HAVE HPC APPROVAL? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T ASK A QUESTION IF I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER MOST OF THE TIMES, UM, THE SECOND THING I'LL SAY, UM, I'M LOOKING AT PAGE ONE 60 OF THE CDBG FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND IT SAYS THE CDBG FUNDING IS $187,842.
AND THAT IS FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND THAT IS FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SIX BUS SHELTERS.
[01:40:01]
WITH CARTS, THE LOCAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER, THE SHELTERS WOULD BE LOCATED IN SPECIFIC AREAS THAT SERVE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERSONS.THE SHELTER, WE SIT ON CONCRETE PAD WITH HANDICAP ACCESS TO SURROUNDING WALKS AND STREET CROSSINGS.
THE SHELTERS WILL HAVE SOLAR PANELS FOR LIGHTING, A BENCH AND DISPLAY BOARDS FOR BUS ROUTES, SCHEDULES, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
UM, IT DID I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU ASKED CARTS HOW MANY PEOPLE USED IT AND THEY COULD TELL YOU THAT'S PERFECT.
AND IF YOU ASK PARTS, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO TELL YOU SPEAKING TO THE BUS DRIVER, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT DATA.
I WOULD THINK A BUS DRIVER WOULD KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE GET ON AND OFF THEIR BUS WHILE THEY'RE DRIVING.
BUT YOU GOT TO ALSO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THEM AND OWN THEM THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN DAYS THAT PEOPLE USE CARTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE CERTAIN DAYS THAT THEY GO TO THEIR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS OR, OR TO THE GROCERY STORES OR WHATEVER.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A CURRENT EVERY DAY EVENT THAT THESE CITIZENS USE THE CART SYSTEM AND MAY OUTLAW AS OPPOSED TO YOU.
IF I HAD A, I'LL JUST SAY MY 70, 75 YEAR OLD MOTHER OR GRANDMOTHER, 85 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER, AND SHE USES THAT CART.
I WANT HER TO BE CLOSER TO THAT BUILDING WHERE YOU GO INTO ENTRY, WHERE YOU GO INTO THE ENTRANCE, THE STORE, THE STORE ON THE OTHER SIDE, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE.
SO WHAT IS THE OTHER BUILDING OVER HERE? THAT'S THE OLD WAY IN THE, C-STORE SEE AROUND HERE.
THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING US, RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT'S THE REASON WHY WE SHUT DOWN THE INTEREST ON THE OTHER SIDE.
BUT CAN YOU STILL WALK THROUGH TOO AND SEE THE OTHER SIDE? YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO WALK THROUGH THAT BUILDING BECAUSE A WALL WAS BUILT UP.
SO YOU THINK IF THEY WERE THE RECTANGLE IS THEY GET UP THERE? THEY HAVE TO WALK ALL THE WAY AROUND.
OH, I THOUGHT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE AS WELL, IT'S UNSAFE.
WELL, BOTH SIDES, BOTH SIDES USED TO BE AN ENTRANCE.
HOW DO WE DO THIS WITHOUT LOSING FUNDING? CAN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? CAUSE I WAS STILL TRYING TO ASK, SO, NOPE, YOU'RE FINE.
WHEN DID THIS PART OF THE BUILDING GET, GET SWITCHED? WAS IT PRE CAUSE I KNOW IT WAS A YEARS AGO.
THEY READ REMODELED THAT WHOLE BUILDING INSIDE.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN 10 YEARS CAUSE I'VE BEEN, IT'S NOT BEEN 12 YEARS AND I'VE WALKED ON THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
WASN'T WHEN THE BATHROOMS CAME IN, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER THAT TO EITHER CHARLIE OR HIM TO TELL US.
HARRIS HAS BEEN WITHIN FIVE, MAYBE 4 20 14.
MY OTHER STATEMENT IS, IS EVERYBODY MAKES VALID POINTS, BUT I KNOW THAT WE SIT UP HERE AS A BOARD AND WE TALKED ABOUT BEING CONSERVATIVE AND SPENDING TAX DOLLARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IF, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE WORK THAT TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE, IF, IF THE BOARD IS SAYING THAT THAT WASN'T DONE, THAT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT, THAT IT WASN'T DONE.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THERE'S COMPLAINTS.
BUT THE ALSO UNFORTUNATE PART ABOUT THIS IS WE ALREADY HAVE, LIKE HE SAID, $72,000 INTO THIS PROJECT.
AND IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO MEET THE DEADLINE BY THE END OF APRIL.
AND THAT IS A DING FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WITH HUD.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THIS ROUTE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEND THIS MONEY OR HAVING SERVICES COME TO US AT A BOARD MEETING AND SAY, HEY, WE DIDN'T SPEND THIS MONEY.
LET'S ROLL IT OVER INTO NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE DOING OUR CITIZENS, A DISSERVICE WITH THIS HUD FUNDING THAT WE'RE GETTING.
WE, I MEAN, WHY WOULD, WHY WOULD HUD WANT TO SEND US FUNDING IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE IT? IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE.
BUT I FEEL FROM THE DIRECTION OR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT FOSTER SAYING, WE HAVE TO, WE NEED TO INSTALL IT HERE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
SO WE ARE NOT CONTINUING TO LOSE OUT ON MONEY.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE WILLING AS A BOARD, WHICH I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST TO SPEND OVER $30,000 TO, TO SWITCH IT AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING HUD FUNDING, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
I WON'T AGREE WITH IT BECAUSE IT IT'S A LOSS EITHER WAY I UNDERSTAND, BUT THE DUE DILIGENCE OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT DONE, BUT WHERE, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE WITH THE FACT THAT THERE'S A DEADLINE AND THIS IS FUNDING GOVERNMENT FUNDING.
I MEAN, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS, BUT DO IT.
HOW DO YOU VALUE SOMEONE'S SAFETY? HOW DO YOU VALUE SOMEONE THAT DO YOU REMEMBER DURING
[01:45:01]
COVID HOW THE CARS LINED ALL UP IN THAT PARKING LOT? THERE'S SOMEBODY HAVING A TRANSVERSE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT.WOULD TRAFFIC COMING AROUND IN THERE TRYING TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE? I THINK THAT TO ME, AND I REALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT.
SO MY CONCERN WAS MORE THE TRAFFIC COMING OFF, A NEW SIGN TO FORT TOTTEN THERE.
AND THEN THE MAYOR REMINDED ME OF THE ENTRANCE BEING OVER THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THE, LIKE YOU SAID, DUE DILIGENCE WASN'T DONE, BUT WHAT VALUE DO WE PLACE ON SAFETY? I MEAN, THERE'S NO NUMBERS.
HOW DO WE, I CAN'T ENUMERATE THAT.
CAN WE, CAN WE PUT THE BENCH IN AND PUT THE THING DOWN AND THEN GET THE PAPERWORK AND THEN MOVE IT OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE? I MEAN, I HATE TO DO THAT, BUT IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO? WE CAN DO THAT BEFORE.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PULL UP HERE AND THEY'RE GOING PASS THE DRIVER TO GOING OVER THERE.
THE PART WHERE THAT STARTED BECAUSE THEY GOT TO GO IN, THEY GOT TO GO IN THE BUILDING.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA USE IT THAT MUCH RIGHT THERE.
I WILL SAY THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME.
THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN I TALKED TO THE DESIGNER AND WHEN I TALKED TO HER HOOK DALTON AND WE EXPLAINED THE SITUATION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS, THIS DOES HAPPEN WHERE THEY GET COMPLAINTS ON WHERE ORIGINAL DESIGN IS AND THINGS HAVE TO BE ADMITTED.
UM, AGAIN, ALDERMAN ASKED HER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE COULD LOSE ON THIS FROM THIS, THIS PROJECT.
UM, I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION TOMORROW WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, UH, TO GIVE THEM AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD GIVES US.
AND I CAN GIVE HER EVERYBODY THAT DAY.
FROM THERE WE GET AN EXTENSION.
NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AN EXTENSION.
AND WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO HOOD, CAN, CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW WE'RE, WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE CHECKS AND THE BALANCES OF THIS FUNDING, BUT 180, ALMOST 188,000 WAS SUPPOSED TO INSTALL SIX BUS SHELTERS, BUT THIS IS GOING TO END UP INSTALLING ONE.
IS THAT, AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY ON THERE.
I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE BROKE IT DOWN THAT WAY.
REALISTICALLY, IT JUST WASN'T GONNA, IT WASN'T GOING TO, SO I JUST SPENT A DAY.
I WANT TO, I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
SO WHEN, WHEN HUD COMES HERE TO VERIFY THAT WE'VE COMPLETED THIS PROJECT, SO WE CAN GET THIS FUNDING IS HUD NOT GOING TO SAY WHERE'S THE OTHER FIVE SHELTERS AT THEY COULD.
AND WHAT I DON'T KNOW IS WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR CONSULTANT IS, IS ALREADY DATED.
AND HOW MUCH DID THE CONSULTANT MAKE ON THIS DEAL? UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS CAN GET UP TO 20% OF THAT.
UM, WELL MAYBE TO HAVE A WRAPPED UP IN STORES, RIGHT.
IT'S ABOUT GETTING IT INSTALLED.
AND THE THING ABOUT IT IS LIKE YOU SAID, WE ALL KNOW WHAT COVID, YOU KNOW, STANLEY WHITE, YOU KNOW, THE ELEVATOR, EVERYTHING WENT UP, THE PRICES WENT UP.
SO IF COVID DIDN'T HAPPEN, THESE WOULD ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED.
THAT'S WHERE, I'M THE INFORMATION THAT I'M GATHERING.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S ON THIS BOARD AND NEGATING THAT SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE.
WE SPEAK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR YOU TO TAKE YOUR DAY TO GET ON THE BUS SHELTER.
IT MAY NOT BE USED WHEN YOU SAW IT, BUT CARTS IS DEFINITELY USED.
THESE THREE LOCATIONS ARE GOING TO BE PIVOTAL TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BALL CENTER.
THIS AREA IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS ONE WAS PUT HERE.
I WANT TO JUST DO THE BEST, MAKE THE BEST DECISION.
IF THE BOARD FEELS IT NEEDS TO BE MOVED, THEN, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE AGREED UPON TO, TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
BUT THE CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO THIS MISFORTUNE AND THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT WASN'T DONE.
AND IF WE ALREADY HAVE $72,000 INTO THE PROJECT, AND I ALSO THINK THE TAXPAYERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY'RE SPENDING $188,000 TO GET ONE BUS SHELTER INSTALLED, BUT THERE'S TWO MORE SHELTERS IT'S ALREADY BEEN ORDERED.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S STILL GOTTA BE INSTALLED.
WE WON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO INSTALL.
WE HAVE $220,000 OF FUNDS THAT WE HAD FOSTERED.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN? WE HAD A MEETING FOR THE CBDG FUNDS LAST MONTH FOR THIS IS 4 23.
OH, THESE ARE TOTAL FUNDS 200 TWICE, NOT JUST GOING TO THE BUS THAT WAS PREVIOUS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE GET AN ALLOTMENT.
AND SO WHEN YOU, YOUR PREP, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS RECORDED, BUT THE ASIA WAS THE ONE THAT IT IN THE COMMUNITY STATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.
AND THAT I ALSO SAID IT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE ARP FUNDS THAT IF THIS MONEY WASN'T ALLOCATED TO THAT, BECAUSE WE FOUND SOME OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING
[01:50:01]
TO FINISH THE BUS, THAT IT SHOULD GO TO THE MCCARTER HOUSE.SO WE FOUND MONEY FOR THE MCCARTER HOUSE AND THIS MONEY WILL STILL BE ALLOCATED.
THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BUS SHELTERS COMPLETED.
SO WE WILL HAVE THE FUNDING TO COMPLETE THE OTHER TWO.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING HERE, PLEASE? SO FOSTER, THIS IS ON THE SIDE OF WHAT IS THAT LUCERNE WAY? NO, OR NOT.
SO WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT UBO OFFICE? I DON'T SEE THAT IT'D BE A SAFETY ISSUE.
IF THE CUSTOMERS CAN GO IN THROUGH THAT SIDE ENTRANCE THERE, I KNOW.
IS THERE A, IS THAT A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE WAY THAT THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED RIGHT NOW TO OPEN UP THOSE DOORS? BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE POINT IN TIME YOU COULD GO IN ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT.
THE WAY IT CURRENTLY IS, YES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECONFIGURE.
SO THE BUILDING HAS BEEN RECONFIGURED TO WHERE EVERYONE COMES IN ON THE, ON THE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, THE RIGHT WHERE THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUILDING, AND THAT'S WHERE ALL OF THE, UM, UH, THAT'S WHERE ALL THE FIRST LINE FRONTLINE STAFF ARE TO ASSIST.
I HAVE A QUESTION TOO WAY STARTS AT, RIGHT.
IT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE BUILDING, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO BETWEEN THE ATM MACHINE AND THE BUILDING IS A WALKWAY, CORRECT? RIGHT.
THERE IS A DRIVEWAY DRIVEWAY HERE FROM THE BUILDING TO THE ATM.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DRIVEWAY FROM THE ATN TO THE STREET.
IS THERE ANY CREATIVE IDEA IF WE HAVE TO PUT IT HERE BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION WITH FUNDING, IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO DO IT THAT WAY, WHERE WE CAN CREATE A WALKWAY TO THE OTHER SIDE, BECAUSE CARS DON'T HAVE TO GO IN THAT WAY.
IF YOU'RE USING AN ATM, YOU CAN DO THE SIDE OF THE, WHEN WE BOUGHT THAT BUILDING FROM FIRST CITIZENS, THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE AN ATM THERE.
NO, I'M NOT SAYING TAKE THE ATM AWAY.
YOU HAVE THE BUILDING, THE ATM, AND THEN THE OPEN SPACE, THERE'S TWO OPEN SPACES.
SO BECAUSE IT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE BUILDING.
SO IF YOU CREATE A WALKWAY THAT WAY, THEY STILL ARE ABLE TO DRIVE UP TO THE ATM AND GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS, THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A DEADLINE WITH HUD, THAT WE WILL NOT MEET.
AND IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD FOR A CITY TO NOT UTILIZE THE FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED.
UM, FOSTER, HAVE WE EVER EXPERIENCED THIS AS A CITY WHERE WE MAYBE RECEIVED, UM, KIND OF LIKE A WARNING FOR NOT UTILIZING OUR FUNDS OR BEING DELAYED ON USING OUR FUNDS WITH WHEN IT COMES TO THE HUD OR CDBG SONS, THE CITY OF NEWBURGH HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL WARNINGS OVER THE YEARS.
AND IT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE APPLIED TO WORK, UM, CASE IN POINT THAT DOESN'T FEEL, IT DOESN'T FEEL WETLAND PROJECTS, SOMETHING THAT TAKES SEVERAL YEARS TO DO.
AND THESE FUNDS ARE REALLY IDEAL TO BE ABLE TO EXPEND A MINT IN A YEAR.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE PROBLEMS WE'VE GOT TO START LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN REALLY CAN COMPLETE QUICKLY.
AND SO IF, IF THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, ALTHOUGH THEY'VE GIVEN US A COUPLE OF SLAPPING THEM, SO WE HAVE ALREADY HAD ENOUGH DISCUSSIONS OF THIS IS THE LINE HAS BEEN DRAWN IN THE SAND.
WHEN IT, WHEN IT CAME TO THIS, THAT THE WHOLE CDBG THING IS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED YOUR LEADERSHIP, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING HYPOTHETICALLY, IF WE WERE TO MAKE A MISTAKE, CAN, CAN HUDSON, WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY FUNDING.
WHAT'S THE, DON'T YOU LOSE 50% OF THE FUNDING THAT YOU WOULD GET IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
ANOTHER IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY OF THE WEEK.
AND IF WE, ESPECIALLY, IF WE DON'T EXPEND, UH, ALLOCATED THE FUNDING, BUT THERE ARE OTHER MECHANISMS IN PLACE, UH, AS I WAS TALKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT DAY ON, ON WHAT WE COULD DO TO GET BELOW THAT, THAT RATIO OF SPENDING, OKAY, COLLEEN, COME HERE.
IT MIGHT HELP SOME OF US TO PULL UP ON THE, ON THE COMPUTER, UM, 600, 6, 4 TOP DRAW, BECAUSE YOU COULD REALLY SEE WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS DRIVEWAY HERE.
I JUST THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL ON GOOGLE EARTH AND SHE COULD, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE ALL THE CARS PARKED HERE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
IT MIGHT BE MORE HELPFUL TO, TO VIEW IT AS YOU'RE COMING AROUND FROM NEW SPEC TERM THERE, YOU GOT A DRIVEWAY THERE, AND THEN HERE'S THE BUS STOP.
I MEAN, THERE'S JUST A LOT GOING ON THERE.
I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE WHY THEY CHOSE THAT AND NOT IMAGINE WHY IT'S DEFINITELY UNFORTUNATE.
I JUST FEEL, YOU KNOW, THAT IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IF YOU, THE ONLY WAY I WOULD ACQUIESCE IS IF WE SCREW IT IN TODAY, GET THE APPROVAL AND TOMORROW MOVE IT TO THE, TO THE BACKSIDE.
OTHERWISE I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S DANGEROUS.
SO, I MEAN, IS THAT AN OPTION TO DO THAT? AND, BUT THEN WE'RE STILL UTILIZING FUNDS TO MOVE IT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REDESIGN IT.
WE COULD NOT, WE COULD NOT USE HUDSON'S TO DO A SECOND DESIGN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[01:55:01]
WHERE I'M SPENDING MONEY, BUT WE, UNFORTUNATELY, EITHER STAFF DIDN'T SPEAK TO US OR IT WAS NOT PRESENTED AND WE COULD NOT COMMENT OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER, OF COURSE WE'VE HAD SO MANY CHANGES.WE DON'T WANT TO POINT THE FINGER AT ANYBODY AT THIS POINT.
SO HERE WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PICTURE, YOU SEE THESE CARS, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DIRECT STAFF TO SAY, HEY, DON'T CROSS.
WELL, THAT'S NO RIGHT HERE WHERE YOU SEE THAT TRUCK.
IF YOU MOVE THAT COLIN, CAN YOU MOVE OUT A LITTLE BIT? IF YOU MOVE IT DOWN, SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOT? THE TWO TRUCKS THERE.
THAT'S WHERE THE STOP IS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT OVER IN THIS BUILDING.
I CAN'T TOUCH IT, BUT YOU SEE WHERE THE FIRST WHITE TRUCK IS.
SO IF, IF OBVIOUSLY STAFF IS DIRECTED NOT TO NOT TO COME EITHER OUT OR IN THAT WAY, IF YOU GO OVER TO WHERE THE ATM, YOU SEE THAT RED TRUCK, THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S GOING.
BUT IF YOU CAN CREATE A MAKESHIFT WALKWAY FOR THEM TO WALK AROUND THE BUILDING SO FAR WHERE THE OTHER WAY IS WHERE THE OTHER WORD COP COURTS IS DOING RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE PULLING.
RIGHT, RIGHT AT THAT DOORWAY, PEOPLE GET OUT AND WALK RIGHT IN.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE AN ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE OF THE, LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THEY HAVE TO, I ASSUME THEY'VE MADE A PATHWAY NOW OR SOMETHING, BUT YOU GOT TO WALK THROUGH THE DROPLET.
HOW DID YOU GET THERE? YOU KNOW, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE, NONE OF IT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
AND I JUST THINK THEY PUT IT THERE AND REALLY DIDN'T THINK IT THROUGH.
AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR OUR CITIZENS, OUR CITIZENS SUFFER BECAUSE IT WASN'T THOUGHT THROUGH PROPERLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS, WHEN JEFF READ JERRY'S OFFICE, WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH THIS BUS SHELTER, WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT ALL THIS, BUT I'M, I'M QUITE SURE IF THEY SELECTED THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IT WAS, THEIR OFFICE HAD NOT BEEN RE MODELED YET, BUT IT WAS REMODELED PRIOR TO WHERE THEY AT.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT OPENING AND BEING ABLE TO GO INTO THE BUILDING.
BUT I MEAN, FOR ME, I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT THE STAFF THAT'S WORKED ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T DO THEIR JOB BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DID WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.
AND WHAT THEY WERE DIRECTED TO DO IS VERY UNFORTUNATE.
IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT IN THERE TO MEET THE DEADLINE AND THEN VOTE TO TAKE THE MONEY, TO MOVE IT, THEN THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO DO.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE BEATING A DEAD HORSE.
IF WE WANT TO PUT IT THERE, TO TRY IT OUT AND MAKE A MAKESHIFT WALKWAY TO WALK AROUND THE BUILDING, THEN LET'S TRY IT OUT.
IF WE DON'T WANT TO UTILIZE THE FUN TIME, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD COST LESS TO CREATE A WALKTHROUGH CLOSER TO THE BUILDING, THEN SPEND 30, 30 GRAND TO MOVE IT OVER ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE IF YOU'VE GOT BATHROOMS AND YOU'VE GOT SOME THAT WHATEVER'S OVER THERE THAT DOESN'T ENABLE YOU TO WALK THROUGH ANYMORE, THEN IT BECOMES, I KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
OVER HERE OUT, YOU'RE OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE WALKING THROUGH STILL TO THE SAME ENTRANCE, UH, DO AN ACTUAL FIELD SURVEY OUT THERE.
WE CAN'T REALLY ANSWER WHAT, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THAT.
WELL, WE DO HAVE A DEADLINE AND IT HAS TO BE IN BEFORE.
UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS IF WE DID NOT ACTIVATE THE BUS STOP, THAT COULD, THAT CAN MEAN SOMETHING.
SO WE TOLD THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND ACTIVATE THE BUS STOP NOW, UM, WHICH MEANT PUTTING THE SIGN UP, UM, AND HAVING IT TO WHERE THE BUSES COULD STOP BUS STOP THERE RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE USING IT AT THIS TIME.
OF COURSE WE HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO THE CAR TO LET THEM KNOW.
SO WOULD IT BE CONSIDERED COMPLETE IF WE JUST HAD THE SIGN UP AND NOT THE SHELTER PART AND WHATEVER WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FULL SHELTER BITCH.
SO, SO CAN WE, CAN WE ASK HUD TO REIMBURSE US FOR WHAT WE'VE EXPENSED SO FAR AND JUST STOP DON'T SPEND ANY MORE DON'T ASK FOR ANY MORE MONEY.
SO THE THREE BUS SHELTERS, WE'VE GOT THIS IN SHRINK WRAP, SOMEWHERE IN A WAREHOUSE, KIM, THEY REIMBURSE US FOR THAT.
AND THE ENGINEERING HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS SITE WITH THAT TALK TO OUR CONSULTANTS ABOUT ALL THAT.
AND HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT US FUTURE FOR FUNDING BY REJECTING THIS MONEY? AND I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY LOSE SOME FUNDING.
NO, WE DON'T WANT TO DO, IF YOU VOLUNTARILY SAY THAT WE'VE MADE A DECISION TO CHANGE COURSE ON THE SCOPE AND DON'T GIVE US ALL THE MONEY.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT IN THE FUTURE, THEIR GOVERNMENT'S GOING TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH NEXT TIME.
AND DO THEY TAKE SAFETY INTO FACTOR? DOES MPL HAVE ANY PLAY INTO THE, INTO THE CDBG? DO THEY, IS THAT AN ISSUE WE CAN RAISE WITH THEM SHOWING THEM THE LAYOUT WHERE THE PEOPLE HAVE TO WALK.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
SO HOW DOES A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TRAVERSE ALL OF THAT IF IT'S HANDICAP, ET CETERA.
SO I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH KIM MAXI AT THE MPO TODAY, AND I ASKED ABOUT, UM, WHAT WAS HER INPUT ON THIS? THAT SHE HAS A TRANSPORTATION PLANNER IN AND SHE DIDN'T, SHE WAS NOT ASKED TO PROVIDE INPUT ON THAT PROJECT.
[02:00:01]
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I MAY BE WRONG CAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN IT LIKE THAT.BUT WHEN I WAS WORKING OVER THERE AT THE OFFICE, IF SOMEONE COME THAT UTILIZE CARTS AND WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR, THEY BOUGHT THEM AROUND TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE HANDICAP ASSESSABLE SIGNS.
AND THAT'S OVER THERE ON THE SIDE, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE INTO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CARTS BUS WOULD DRIVE.
THEY WOULDN'T JUST STOP THERE ON THE SIDE OF THE I'M QUITE SURE PARTS WOULD NOT JUST STOP HERE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE, WHERE THE, UH, THE SQUARE IS AND PUT SOMEBODY OUT, THAT'S SEND THE WHEELCHAIR.
I'M QUITE SURE THEY WOULD PROBABLY DRIVE AROUND TO THE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE SIDE AND PUT THE INDIVIDUAL OUT.
AND I CAN'T HEAR YOU CAUSE PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO THE CROWN.
WELL, I'M SAYING IN THE PAST, WHEN I WORKED OVER THERE AT THE OFFICE, IF, UH, IF AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN WAS RIDING THE CART'S BUS, THEY WERE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR THEY WAS ON A CANE OR WALKER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE CARDS BUS WOULD DRIVE AROUND TO THIS SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHERE Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT WHERE TO STORIES AND THEY WILL PUT THE INDIVIDUAL OUT IN THE HANDICAP AREA.
AND I'M NOT, I'M QUITE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE SAME STEPS PROCEDURE THAT CARTS STILL USE, BUT I COULD SEE THEM DOING IT.
I COULDN'T SEE THEM PUTTING SOMEBODY OUT ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET AND THE WHEELCHAIR, RIGHT.
THAT FOUR WAY FROM THE ENTRANCE OR THE NEW STOP IS HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
IT IS, THAT WAS PART OF THE REQUIREMENT.
IT IS AFTER THEY GET OFF THE BOX.
WEIRD GRASSY AREA TO THEM, GET IN THE DOOR TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AUTUMN AUGER.
AND AFTER I BROUGHT THAT UP WITH, UH, WITH GEORGE CHARLES, WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE LOOKING THAT, UM, WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO AN ADA CURB CUT ON THE BACK OF THAT TO IF YOU WANT TO, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU WANT A STRAIGHT LINE TO GET TO, TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO PAY, UM, YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS.
YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO GO UP ON BRAWLER NEWS AND TAKE THAT SIDEWALK AROUND SAFELY AND THEN COME BACK DOWN THE, UH, THAT EXIT OR YOU CAN WALK STRAIGHT TO AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
YOU'VE GOT THE CARS COMING IN, UH, ON THAT, ON THAT ENTRANCE ON FOR TODD.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE DODGING THE CARS TO GET AROUND THERE UNTIL YOU GET THE CROSSWALK ON THAT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO WE'RE STILL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FACT THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION.
THE BOARD COULD GIVE ME DIRECTION.
IF YOU TELL ME YOU WANT TO RELOCATE, WE'LL RELOCATE AND WE'LL LET, LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE TALKED FOR SOULS.
COULD WE NOT NECESSARILY, CAN WE JUST, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A SHOW OF HANDS, GIVE, GIVE SOMEWHAT DIRECTION.
I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF YOU COULD ANSWER SOME MORE QUESTIONS AGAIN, I THINK HUD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE.
UM, I THINK THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE SAFETY FACTOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ISSUES.
AND THEN I THINK YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND COME BACK AND TELL ME WHAT'S LEFT IN PUBLIC FORKS, GO TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HAS BEEN GONE SINCE FEBRUARY, OUR ASSISTANT, NOT THEREAFTER.
SO THERE'S MONEY IN THAT LINE ITEM FOR SALARIES THAT WE'VE GONE ON USE.
WE GOT AN END TO THE BUDGET USE.
SO WE W LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
IF I GET CREDIT FOR TAKING IT, NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S NOT COMING FROM FUND BALANCE.
IT WOULD COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND, EITHER FROM PUBLIC WORKS OR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
HUD IS NOT GOING TO GIVE US ANY MORE OF AN EXTENSION.
WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE RELOCATING THIS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE OUR FUNDS TO COMPLETE THE REST OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, GIVE US THE MONEY WE'VE ALREADY SPOKE WITH ALREADY SPENT.
WE'VE ALREADY SPENT FOR THE BUS STOP.
NO, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOSE FUNDING COMING INTO THE NEXT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
NO, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY SET UP.
SO WHAT FUNDING WOULD WE LOSE IF WE DON'T DO THIS PROJECT, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE SAYING WHATEVER, YOU STILL OWE THE CONTRACTOR ON WORDS THAT THEY HAVE NOT DELETED.
AND I CAN'T ANSWER HOW MUCH THAT IS.
I MEAN, WHEN THE STOP WORK WAS, WAS GIVEN, THEY HAD TWO DAYS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND THAT INCLUDED PUTTING IN THE, THE, UH, THE SHELTER, THE BENCH AND THE TRASH CAN IN THE SIDE, THAT'S ALL THAT REMAINED FOR WORK AND PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE MOBILIZATION.
SO, BUT WE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE FINAL INVOICE FROM THEM ON THAT.
SO HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO LOSE? I HONESTLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
SO WE'RE AT A LOSS, MEANING WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY THEM AND THEN TO MOVE IT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COST SOME MONEY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALLOCATED IN THESE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS, THE FUNDS WAS ALLOCATED FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS.
THIS IS A MISHAP THAT NOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S STILL TAX DOLLARS MONEY THAT IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE DEBACLE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
FOSTER CAN, CAN KIM OR SOMEONE
[02:05:01]
TELL US HOW MUCH WE HAVE SPENT ON THIS PROJECT YEAR DATE OR MULTI-YEAR TODAY? THAT'S TRUE.PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATION WAS, WAS TO ESSENTIALLY CUT OUR LOSSES.
IF WE'VE SPENT 150, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE ADDITIONAL $38,000.
AND THEN WE'LL FIND OUR OWN MONEY TO PUT IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AND PAYING THE CONTRACTOR, THE REMAINDER MONEY THAT WE OWED THEM, THAT'S COVERED, WHATEVER WE'VE ALREADY EXPENDED WOULD BE COVERED OUT OF THIS FUND.
THAT'S CORRECT FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CONSULTANT FORM THIS VERSUS SPENDING ALL OF THIS MONEY, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT TO SPEND MORE MONEY.
SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU SIT SAY CONTRACTS A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND WE'VE SPENT 50.
WHO, WHERE IS THAT FUNDING? THAT THAT FUNDING IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE PAID FROM THE CBDG FUNDS OR US.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE, WE CAN'T, IF WE DON'T COMPLETE THIS PROJECT, WE CAN'T TAKE THE HUD FOR THE MONEY AND PAY WHAT WE OWE THE CONTRACTOR THAT COMES FROM US.
AM I CORRECT? CAUSE YOU'RE NOT COMPLETING THE PROJECT AND YOU'RE GOING TO LET HER KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO, WHAT WOULD NOT BE COMPLETED ON THE PROJECT.
AS OF RIGHT NOW WOULD BE THE INSTALLATION OF THE SHELTER, THE BENCH, THE TRASHCAN, AND THE SIDE WHERE THE BUS STOP AND ALL SENTENCE PURPOSES.
IS THERE, THE CONCRETE ASPHALT IS THERE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE THOSE FUNDS ALL ON WHAT HAD BEEN SPENT SO FAR ON WHAT'S BEEN BUILT.
IT'S, IT'S THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT, THAT, UH, IS GOING TO COST TO, TO ERECT AND INSTALL THE SHELTER, THE BENCH AND THE TRASHCAN.
IF WE DO NOT INSTALL THAT BY THE END OF THE MONTH, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE.
HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO BE? IT COULD BE I BELIEVE FROM THE BID LINE ITEM FROM THE CONTRACTOR IS APPROXIMATELY $7,500 FOR THE INSTALL OF THE SHELTER.
SO THE ACTUAL FABRICATING SHELTER, THAT, THAT WAS WHAT THEIR CHARGE WAS.
THE, SO WE JUST DO AN ADDITIONAL $7,500 IS WHAT WE HAVE OUTSTANDING TO, TO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CONCRETE WORK THAT'S ALREADY DONE RIGHT HERE.
AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAS DONE LIKE, LIKE, LIKE CITY MANAGER SAID, EVERYTHING ELSE IS COMPLETE, BUT INSTALLING THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL SEARCH SHELTER, WHICH, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ALREADY PARKED WELL, I'M, I'M TOTALLY CONFUSED HERE BECAUSE NOW I'M CITY MANAGER JUST SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ANYWHERE FROM 20, $30,000, RIGHT.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO USE SYDNEY FUNDS.
IF WE, IF WE MOVED THE SHELTER, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ENGINEERING AND DESIGN TO LOCATE WHERE THE STAR IS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE FORCE CONCRETE.
THEN WHETHER STAFF DOES IT OR CONTRACT OUT, SOMEONE'S GOING TO HAVE TO PUT THE SHELTER.
THE TRASH CAN BENCH IN THE SIGNAGE IN.
SO WE'LL JUST ROUND IT UP TO WHAT, $38,000, WHEREAS ESTIMATING THE ENTIRE THING BETWEEN 20 AND $30,000.
SO, SO LET ME, LET ME, LET ME MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.
SO AS OF TODAY, THE PROJECT IS FULLY FUNDED THROUGH THE WORK THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED.
THERE'S A BALANCE OF $7,500, WHICH WOULD COST TO INSTALL THE SHELTER, THE SIGNS, THE TRASH CANS IN THE BENCH.
SO WE COULD ESSENTIALLY TO TELL BUCK, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
CUT THE CONCRETE, ALL THE GRADING, ALL THE ENGINEERING WORK, PAY US FOR THAT.
THEN WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT TO WITH THE BUS SHELTER.
IS THAT WHAT I'M GATHERING? WELL, THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO PAY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT WITHOUT HAVING ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH A CONSULTANT.
SO YOU NEED TO ASK A CONSULTANT BECAUSE IF I'M BLOOD, I'M SAYING, SO WHERE'S THE OTHER FIVE PUSH SHELTERS THAT WE APPROVED IN THIS, THAT GOES BACK TO MY ORIGINAL POINT AND THINK ABOUT THIS.
IF YOU GO AHEAD AND SAY, WELL, LET'S NOT LOSE THIS $7,500.
IF WE DO DECIDE TO MOVE IN AFTER IT'S INSTALLED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY SOMEBODY TO TAKE IT DOWN, WHICH WOULD THEN BE ADDITIONAL MONEY.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO RE-ENGINEER THE NEW LOCATION.
AND OF COURSE, IF WE RELOCATED STAFF RELOCATED, AND MY LAST POINT IS THIS IS CARTS, WHICH IS A COUNTY FUNCTION, WHICH I AGREE WITH.
CAUSE I SAID, AFTER THAT MEETING, I SAID, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CARTS IS NOT COVERING THE REMAINDER AMOUNT FOR THE REST OF THESE TO BE PUT BECAUSE
[02:10:01]
IT'S UTILIZED.BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LACK OF THAT COMMUNICATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THIS PROBABLY ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO GO ON AND GIVE THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTION.
CAN WE GO ON, I WANT TO KNOW THIS STATE BEFORE WE GO ON.
I WANT TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT.
I THINK THAT THIS, THE COUNTY FOR HAVING THE CARDS FOR OUR CITIZENS TO, WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM IN THE CITY, DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM, A TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR OUR CITY AS FAR AS CITIZENS.
SO YOU SHOULD ASK THE COUNTY IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE IT TO US AND LET US RUN IT AND SEE WHAT THEIR ANSWER WILL BE.
MS. KIM, I JUST WANT TO, UM, KIND OF CAUTION YOU MY EXPERIENCE WITH FEDERAL FUNDS.
IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN THE WAY YOU WROTE FOR IT AND YOU WERE FUNDED FOR, THEY WILL NOT, WE'LL HAVE TO PAY THAT MONEY BACK.
SO THAT IS A QUESTION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR HUD TOMORROW, RIGHT? THAT THAT'S, I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS PROVIDED A WHILE AGO IN REGARDS TO THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT.
WHY WOULD IT MAKE SENSE THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE THIS? AND THEN IF WE'RE GOING TO, UNFORTUNATELY YOU NEED TO COMPLETE IT AND THEN MOVE IT.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO PAY THE MONEY TO DO THE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MOVE IT, WE HAVE TO INCUR THESE COSTS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THAT.
AND, AND, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE FOSTER, ONCE YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND OUR CONSULTANT ON HOW WE WENT FROM SIX BUS SHELTERS TO ONE.
SO WHATEVER HISTORICAL EMAILS OR DATA INFORMATION I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, DO WE NEED TO, UM, HAVE A SPECIAL CALL ME IN REGARDS TO THIS SECTION? IT'S TIME SENSITIVE.
WE REALLY NEED TO GET MORE INFORMATION WITH THE REST OF YOU AGREE WITH THAT YOU FEEL, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE WHAT, HOW WE GOT FROM.
I SAID, WE NEED TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO SAY NO, NO, NO.
I SAID, WE NEED TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
I THINK IT'S, IT WOULD BE PRUDENT FOR US TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND TOTALLY UNDERSTAND SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM CITIZENS, PUBLIC REGARDING, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
SO, OH, IT DIDN'T TAKE THEM TO INSTALL MAY MAYBE THROUGH, BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
IF WE PUT IT THERE, WE NEED TO BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR FEMA TO DO THEIR BLESSINGS? EXCUSE ME, HOOD.
I'M NOT SURE HOW WE DO THE REPORT.
IT MAY BE AS SIMPLE AS US TAKING PICTURES AND UPLOADING THAT INTO THERE.
ONCE WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THING FROM HUD, THERE'S NO ISSUES WITH US SAYING, OH, THIS IS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO PLAY.
WE CAN PICK IT UP AND MOVE IT WITHOUT, ACCORDING TO OUR CONSULTANT, THAT WAS NOT AN ISSUE.
THE CONSULTANT WOULD MAKE ME DO THE PAPERWORK TO MAKE THE, MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT.
I DON'T WANT IT, PUT IT IN AND JUST DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO UNTIL I WILL ANSWER ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
AND THEN AGAIN, HAVE CONVERSATION WITH EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING AND WE HAVEN'T SWITCHED TO CALL ME, IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND CALL THE SPECIAL CALL ME AND NOW, OR DO YOU FEEL THAT IF YOU GET THE INFORMATION, YOU INFORM US THAT IF WE MAKE A DECISION ON THE 26TH, THAT IT COULD BE INSTALLED BEFORE? I CAN'T GUARANTEE IT, WOULD IT BE, IF WE WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT WE CAN GET THE CONTRACTOR TO MOBILIZE IN THAT SHORT OF NOTICE.
SO TOMORROW, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET WITH THE CONSULTANT? I JUST THINK, LET HIM DO THAT, LET HIM GET BACK TO US.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, WE NEED 48 HOURS TO CALL A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, OR WE CAN CALL A MEETING FOR NEXT MONDAY OR TUESDAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I CAN GIVE HIM DIRECTION AND MOVE BASED ON THE SKY.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK? I MEAN, TO DISCUSS THESE BUS SHELTERS, YOU CAN GET DIRECTION OR YOU CAN CONTINUE THIS MEETING TO TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY.
OH, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND WE'D COME BACK TO USING IF WE HAVE TO.
UH, NO, MA'AM NO, MA'AM I'M OFF FRIDAY.
UM, IT'S MONEY TO MAKE A MOTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT HE NEEDS A MOTION.
I THINK HE JUST NEEDS A DIRECT DIRECTION.
DOES IT NEED TO BE IN THE FORM OF A DIRECTION? I MEAN, HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE I KNOW FOR WHAT IT IS.
I, I WANT, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE LEGAL REALIST, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, BECAUSE I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THE SHELTER IN ITS PLACE, BUT AGAIN, I'M, I'M PRUDENT.
I GET WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING, BUT I AM NOT FOR LEAVING THAT SHELTER IN THAT SPOT.
THE CITIZENS DON'T DON'T WANT THE NEIGHBORS ARE, HAVE CONCERNS THAT I THINK ARE LEGITIMATE FROM THE PHONE CALLS I'VE RECEIVED.
[02:15:01]
I WANT TO SEE IT.I WANT TO SEE IT MOVED, BUT AGAIN, I, LIKE I SAID, I'M PRUDENT AND I'M FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND I GET IT, BUT I WANT MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO USE CONSULTANTS AND PAY THEM A PORTION, THEN THEY SHOULD BE READILY AVAILABLE TO US TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATION SET MY PEACE Y'ALL.
SO JUST SO, JUST SO IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING HELPFUL AT THIS MOMENT, THE CITY IS ENGAGED IN INSTALLING A BUS STOP.
SO IF THERE'S NO DIRECTION, GIVING STAFF IS GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S THE DIRECTION THEY NEED.
STOP IT OR CONTINUE ON THE PATH THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ON.
THIS, MY MOTION STOPPED THE PROJECT, GET BACK WITH US.
AND THE SECOND, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? YES.
I NEED TO KNOW THE TIMEFRAME AND WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THE INFORMATION AND WHEN THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING IS GOING TO BE CALLED, BECAUSE SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE, BUT ALSO RECEIVING OUR FUNDING AND MAKING SURE WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE ARE A CITY THAT UTILIZES THESE FUNDS AND FOR THIS PROJECT TO CAUSE THIS MUCH OF A RIPPLE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I NEED TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
YES, BECAUSE IT'S THE DEADLINE IS APRIL.
MAYBE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MEET UNTIL TOMORROW.
WHAT TIME ARE WE COMING HERE TOMORROW? WELL, WE HAVE MOST OF THE SECOND RIGHT NOW AT PHOTO.
UM, BUT WE CAN KEEP TALKING WELL, BUT, BUT AS PART OF THAT, WE CAN AMEND THAT MOTION AND I WOULD HAVE MADE IT TO, TO, TO, TO INCLUDE A TIME.
AND IT'S, IF WE WANT TO, COULD WE AMEND IT UNTIL TOMORROW TILL WHOEVER MADE THE MOTION CAN AMEND IT? YES.
IS THAT GOING TO BE, HE'S GOT TO TALK TO THE CONSULTANT.
IS THAT GOING TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME FALSE TAMARA FOR US TO CONVENIENT.
CAN WE DO THAT? GIVE YOU ALL DAY THAT AT LEAST KIND OF GET TO THEM.
IS THAT A GOOD TIME FOR EVERYBODY I'LL MAKE IT.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ADJUSTMENT TO YOU.
SO WE CAN WITHDRAW THE MOTION IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THE, TO THE MOVEMENT AND THE PERSON WHO SECONDED OR WE HAVE TO COME, WE HAVE TO HEAR THAT MOTION OUT AND THEN ENTERTAIN SOMETHING ELSE.
IF IT DOESN'T PASS, I WOULD WITHDRAW, WOULD READ.
SO HE WOULD TURN TO MAKE THE MOTION.
MY MOTION IS TO GIVE FOSTERS DIRECTION, TO STOP THE PROJECT, TO GET WITH THE CONSULTANT TOMORROW.
WE WILL REALIZE YOU'RE AT FOUR O'CLOCK TOMORROW.
SO THAT'S AN AMENDED MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO AT THE END, SO THAT'S THE MOTION, MEANING THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE THIS REGULAR MEETING UNTIL TOMORROW AT FOUR, RIGHT? SO YOU WILL NOT ADJOURN TONIGHT.
WITH THE PERSON WHO'S LOOKING AT IT ON THE SECOND.
[18. Update on Racetrack Road Project.]
18.OUR NEXT ITEM IS NOTHING ON RACETRACK, THE RACETRACK ROAD PROJECT.
UH, THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK ME TO COME UP AND GIVE AN UPDATE UM, KILLING RECALL.
AND A 2028 WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT OR MCKENZIE THE CONCERN FOR SOME ADDITIONAL PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE IMPROVEMENTS ON RACETRACK ROAD.
UH, WE WENT AHEAD AND, UM, HARDBALL, MILTON, THE CONSULTANT TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY WITH SOME OPTIONS OF WHAT WE COULD DO ON THAT ROAD, WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE EXISTING RIGHT AWAY.
UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL IDEAS GIVEN OUT AND THE MOST FEASIBLE COST-WISE AND WITH THE REAL ESTATE THAT'S IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, WAS AN OPTION TO EXPAND THE ROAD.
SO WE ENDED UP WITH WIDER SHOULDERS.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT BALL MILTON CAME UP WITH WAS A SET OF PLANS FOR US THAT TAKES AN EXISTING 22 FOOT RIGHT AWAY SECTION OF RACETRACK ROAD.
SO FROM ELIZABETH AVENUE OF ONE NORTH TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS, WE WOULD EXPAND THAT RE THAT ROAD FROM 22 TO 28 FEET.
SO THEY CURRENTLY HAVE TWO 11 FOOT LANES.
SO WHAT WE WOULD END UP WITH IS FOUR FOOT PAIN SHOULDERS ON EITHER SIDE.
AND WE WOULD REDUCE THE WAYNE LANE WITH DOWN TO 10 FEET.
AND THE REASON FOR DOING THAT IS TO TRY TO SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN ON THAT ROAD.
SINCE HE IS GOING THROUGH RESIDENTIAL HOUSES.
WE ALSO HAD AN ALTERNATE ON THAT PROJECT TO DO THE REPAIRS AND RESURFACE
[02:20:01]
FROM THE RAILROAD TRACKS NORTH TO THE NEUSE BOULEVARD.AND WE HAVE GOTTEN CONSTRUCTION, JUST ROUGH ESTIMATES FROM THE ENGINEERS FOR THOSE CALLS TO DO THOSE.
THESE, UM, THIS PROJECT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL ASPHALT PAVING FOR PUBLIC WORKS THIS PRIOR YEAR.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M GONNA, THE NUMBERS I'LL GIVE YOU, OR JUST ESTIMATES FROM THE ENGINEER, WHAT WE THINK THIS PROJECT WOULD COST.
IF WE WERE TO GO FORWARD WITH IT, UM, THE NUMBERS WHEN THEY GAVE US THESE, AND THESE ARE NOT THE MOST CURRENT NUMBERS, BUT FOR THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH IS ELIZABETH TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS, WHICH IS THE SECTION WE WOULD WIDE.
AND SINCE WE DO HAVE ENOUGH ROOM BETWEEN THE DITCHES WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $627,000.
AND THEN FOR THE ALTERNATE TO GO FROM THE RAILROAD TRACKS ONTO NEWS BOULEVARD WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE PLANS DRAWN UP FOR THIS.
THE PERMITS ARE READY TO BE SUBMITTED.
SO WE HAVE THE PAPERWORK TOGETHER TO DO THIS PROJECT IF, IF WE'RE, UH, LED IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON THEM TO STOP ONE PHASE FROM ELIZABETH AVENUE TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET? YES.
UM, FOR OUR PAVING PROJECT ISSUE, WE'RE FALLING BEHIND WATER RESOURCES IN THERE, SOME OF THEIR IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THE MONEY THAT IS ALLOCATED IN THIS CAPITAL YEAR IS ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THOSE, TO THOSE STREETS.
SO WOULD YOU TEND TO CORRECT THE AVERAGE, THE AVERAGE UP PAYMENT RATE CONDITION RATING ON RACETRACK ROAD IS 92.
AND THAT WAS DONE IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR AND HALF, FIVE YEARS AGO.
THERE IS ONE BAD SECTION, WHICH I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE AWARE OF IN FRONT OF THE CONCRETE PLANT THAT WOULD, THAT DROPS THAT RATING IN THAT SECTION.
IT'S VERY BAD RIGHT THERE AS WELL.
ARE THOSE CURRENT PRICING? I MEAN, THERE'S 20 RIDE.
I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL TELL YOU, THIS IS A EARLY 20, 21 PRICE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST 1218 MONTHS IS, YOU KNOW, 35, 40%.
IT'D BE TOUGH FOR ME TO SPECULATE AS FUEL PRICES GO UP AND ADJUST ASPHALT COSTS.
UM, SO WITHOUT, WITHOUT BIDDING THIS OUT, UH, I WOULD ONLY BE SPECULATING INCREASES.
I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, IS OUR GOAL IS, UM, IN THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU IS GOING TO BE, TO HAVE MINIMAL CAPITAL ITEMS. UM, UH, AND, AND THAT'S AN ANTICIPATION OF BRINGING THINGS BACK UP TO THE NEXT BOARD.
UH, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN BRING UP TO THE NEXT BOARD AT A WORK SESSION, UH, TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER CAPITAL ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AT THAT TIME.
OH, I'M JUST GOING TO COMMENT ON THIS.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, YOU SEE THAT AWKWARD ANGLE WHEN YOU'RE COMING DOWN RACETRACK TURN ON THE NEWS BOULEVARD, THAT INTERSECTION RIGHT THERE IS IN A PROJECT WITH THE NPI TO REDO THAT ENTIRE INTERSECTION.
IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T AFFECT MUCH OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING, BUT IT WOULD BE SOME PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN THAT ROAD OUT.
CAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TURN CONCRETE, THE CONCRETE ISLAND ALL WITH THIS IS THAT YES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE APPEALED PLAN AND LOOKING AT THAT TO TAKE INTEREST IN, OH, AUTUMN MCKENZIE.
I'D HAVE TO GET HIM TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON, I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO AND HE NOTED ON THE MPO.
SOMETIMES YOU TALK ABOUT A PROJECT AND THEN IT COULD BE TWO YEARS OR IT COULD BE 20 YEARS.
IT JUST DEPENDS, BUT IT IS IN THE PLAN.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM AT THIS TIME? NUMBER 18.
[19. Appointment(s).]
POINT WHERE STARTING WITH THE ALBUM THING.WELL, AM I WANT TO THE FIRST ALDERMAN ASTOR, THESE THREE GENTLEMEN, THEY ALL WANT TO SERVE AGAIN.
YES, THEY, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT TO JUST SAY WHAT A GREAT EVENT THEY HAD WITH THE NINE 11 MONUMENT MEMORIAL THAT THEY DID IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
AND THESE PEOPLE DO A GREAT JOB.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO REAPPOINT DAVE FINN, GEORGE HOWIE ACT, AND JOHN ME HAM, UM, UM, TO THE FRIENDS OF THE NEWBURGH FIREMAN'S BOARD IS THAT THEY NEED MOTION SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, MOTION, SAY AYE.
ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? NO, SIR.
[20. Attorney’s Report.]
REPORT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.UH, JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE POTENTIAL WE LOCATION OF THE TISDALE HOUSE ON BROAD STREET, UM,
[02:25:01]
ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH STAFF TO IDENTIFY VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR THE BOARD.UM, THERE ARE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS, PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON THE LEGAL SIDE, WE HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS, UM, TO, TO, TO GET THE HOUSE MOVED.
UM, BUT THOSE LEGAL OPTIONS LEAVE YOU WITH PRACTICAL PROBLEMS AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS ON THE PRACTICAL SIDE, UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS, YOU DO NOT WANT THE CITY TO BE OUT OF POCKETS IN THIS RELOCATION.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND 10, 20, 50, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE THIS PROPERTY MOVED.
YOU WANT TO END UP AT THE PROPERTY, MOVED AND NET SOMETHING CLOSE TO ZERO.
IF NOT ZERO, THAT'S A PRACTICAL CONSIDERATION THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH.
THE OTHER PRACTICAL CONSIDERATION IS THE SUBDIVISION OF THE LOT ON REM AVENUE.
UM, THE LOG IS GOING TO BE SUFFICIENTLY SIZED, UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME, UM, SOME, UM, LARGER TREES, UM, ANCIENT TREES THERE THAT, UM, THAT MAY BE A PRACTICAL PROBLEM, UM, IN GETTING THE HOUSE ON THAT SITE WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE ONE OF THE ONE OR MORE OF THOSE GRAND TREES, WHICH LEADS TO POLITICAL ISSUES.
I KNOW, UM, ALDERMAN, UM, BENGAL, UM, IS GOING TO REACH OUT TO THAT COMMUNITY TO TAKE THEIR TEMPERATURE ON THE RELOCATION, KEEPING THE TREES, RELOCATION, POTENTIALLY LOSING A TREE OR TWO.
AND THEN, UM, SPEAKING WITH MAYBE MORE OF THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS TO SEE HOW, HOW THAT MAY PLAY WITH THEM, BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A CHANGE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL FOR PROGRESS, BUT WE'RE NOT SO MUCH FOR CHANGE.
SO THIS JUST POPPED IN MY HEAD.
UM, BASED ON THE LAST DISCUSSION, IS THE HOUSE FUNCTIONAL? IS IT A GOOD HOUSE? OKAY.
IS THERE NO WAY THAT WE CAN GET CREATIVE WITH UTILIZING THIS AS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN UTILIZE BATHROOMS AND MAYBE JUST BE CREATIVE WITH IT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALL THAT LAND AND MAYBE WE COULD BE CREATIVE WITH HOW WE UTILIZE, BUT YOU'RE KEEPING THE HOME.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT MOVING IN AND MAYBE USING IT AS LIKE REDEVELOPMENT, COMMISSIONS OFFICES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IN THAT CASE, THE PROBLEM IS IT'S NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GET THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO COST APPROXIMATELY 50,000 PLUS JUST TO MOVE A ONE BLOCK TO THERE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE IT'S, WHERE IT WOULD HAVE TO GO.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S NOT A BAD IDEA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST THE PRACTICALITY, LIKE A, YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN, HEY, YOU'RE PASSING OUT INFORMATION OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE A VISITOR CENTER, YOU KNOW, TYPE OF THING.
I JUST, I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT FROM HERE TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF A HISTORY IT IS, BUT I KNOW THAT IT, WE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR LIKE 45 MINUTES AND I JUST FEEL IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT IT TO BE DEMOLISHED.
I MEAN, THAT'S AN OPTION, YOU KNOW, BE CREATIVE.
WE HAVE ALL THIS LAND THAT WE WERE GIVEN.
I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT SAVES FROM TREES BEING CUT DOWN OR ANY TYPE OF FRUSTRATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
MA'AM SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY TO MOVE IT DOWN THERE AND GET CREATIVE.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN RACKING, OUR BRAINS LOOKING FOR OTHER OPTIONS.
WE'VE THOUGHT OF THE REBOUND, THE COMMISSION, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
THERE ARE LOTS IN DRIVER ROAD.
THERE ARE LOTS AROUND THE QUEEN STREET, UH, POULTRY CORRIDOR.
THERE ARE PLACES FOR IT TO GO.
IT'S JUST, IT'S LIKE AN ANTIQUE CAR.
WE ALL LOVE THEM, BUT THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND IT'S MORE OF A PASSION PROJECT THAN A PROJECT OF PENCILS MATHEMATICALLY.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE SURPRISED YOU CAN TAKE IT AND MOVE IT.
CAN, CAN WE PUT A SIGN AND THE SIGN SAYS FREE HOUSE TO WHOEVER WANTS TO, BUT IT HAS TO BE MOVED BY A CERTAIN DATE.
CAN WE DO THAT? THERE'S THE HOSPITAL ONE, OUR VISITOR CENTER.
NO MA'AM CAN WE, CAN WE GIVE DIRECTION TO WHERE DO WE PUT IT OUT AT? LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
WHERE DO WE PUT IT? HOW DO WE MARK IT? THAT WE WERE GOING TO GIVE THIS HOUSE AWAY FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT? HOW DO WE MARKET IT? LET'S DO A FACEBOOK VIDEO.
I WANT TO, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MARKET IT?
THIS I'M SURE IT WAS ON THE CITY'S WEB PAGE.
I'D HAVE TO DEFER TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT STAFF IS GONE AND SO ON.
AND I, AND I HATE THAT IN, IT'S NOT A REFLECTION ON YOU FORESTER, SO PLEASE
[02:30:01]
KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE UNFORTUNATELET ME PUT IT UP THERE FOR TWO WEEKS.
HEY, I'M ALL FOR PUTTING THE SIGN OUT.
LET'S DO A LIVE VIDEO, GET COLLEEN OUT THERE AND GO LIVE ON FACEBOOK AND LET'S REPOST IT.
I MEAN, SOMEONE'S GOING TO WANT TO HAVE THE FREE HOUSE SIDE OR WHATEVER ELSE YOU WANT TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA IS FINE TOO, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK WE HAVE TO PUT US DOWN.
SO IS THAT MOTION GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU FALSE TO GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT HER I MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO PUT A SIGN IN FRONT OF THE TISDALE HOUSE, FREE HOUSE FOR WHOEVER WANTS IT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MOVED BY WHATEVER DATE STAFF DETERMINES IS APPLICABLE.
CAN WE ALSO HAVE COLLEEN AND DO A VIDEO POLICE? JUST SOCIAL MEDIA WISE? SHE DON'T HAVE TO.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT DOES HELP ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
[21. City Manager’s Report.]
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.I'VE JUST GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, ONE, LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT A MAGIC MIDWAY'S IS GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO LAWSON CREEK PARK.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY SETTING UP OF THIS WEEK.
I THINK THAT OPEN UP FRIDAY NIGHT, THERE'LL BE HERE FOR ALMOST 10 DAYS, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD TURNOUT, GOOD CAR.
AND THE LAST TIME, NICE FAMILY FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THEM BACK.
SO IF ANYONE GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLEASE COME AND CHECK THAT OUT AT LAWSON CREEK PARK, ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, DOING THE BUDGET PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUDGET ON MAY 24TH.
AND THE GOAL IS TO ADOPT THAT BUDGET ON JUNE 14.
DO WE NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE ON OUR CALENDAR? WE'VE ALWAYS COVERED.
IT WAS ALWAYS THAT DAY BUDGET MEETINGS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE CALENDAR THAT WAS ADOPTED.
SO WE CAN MAKE IT ANY, SO DO WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT IT WILL BE THAT DAY? YES MA'AM.
SO JUST FOR THE MAY 24TH DATE, CORRECT.
BUT IS THAT A SPECIAL, IS THAT GOING TO BE A SPECIAL MEETING OR IS THAT PART OF OUR REGULAR MEETING ON MAY 24 OF THE REGULAR MEETING.
SO THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION.
SO THE BUDGET'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED ON MAY 24TH AND WE'LL DO ADOPTION ON JUNE THE 14TH, 14TH.
AND JUST TO THROW OUT THERE, THE BOARD IS OKAY WITH THE SEATED BOARD, AFTER THE ELECTIONS VOTING, BECAUSE WE WERE HERE WHEN THE BUDGET, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST MEETING IN JUNE.
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THE OLD BOARD WOULD DO THAT VOTING WOULD SIGN AND DOC CORRECT.
YOU MAY HAVE AN OPTION TO APPROVE THAT OR WHO APPROVES IT.
SO THIS WERE GOING TO THE FIRST MEETING IN JUNE, IF THERE WAS NO RUNOFF.
SO EVERYTHING IS REALLY UP IN THE AIR.
THERE IS A RUNOFF AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LOOKING AT A BASIC BUDGET JUST TO MEET OUR STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
WELL, I MEAN, PERSONALLY, I FEEL WE'VE SAT HERE FOR THE, FOR THIS AND WE, WE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD APPROVE THE BUDGET AND LET THE NEXT BOARD, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE CARRY ON FRESH.
[22. New Business.]
THE START WITH ALL THE THING, IF YOU WOULD MENTION TONY AND THE AMERICAN FLOODING REVELATION IN YOUR REPORT, HE'S WITH AMERICAN FLOOD COALITION.SO, UM, LAST WEEK, THE MAYOR AND I MET WITH CITIZENS FROM THE CARE GROUP AND THAT IS CITIZENS.
UM, OH, THAT'S THANK YOU, CITIZENS ADVOCATING FOR, UM, EDUCATION, RESILIENCY AND EDUCATION.
SO C A R S CITIZENS ADVOCATING FOR RESILIENCY AND EDUCATION.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, THE BACKBONE REALLY OF WORKING WITH US ON THE RESILIENCY PLAN THAT WE AND BROUGHT IT BROUGHT IN HOUSE HERE.
SO LOTS OF HARD WORK, LOTS OF MONEY SPENT ON THIS, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, ALDERMAN BEST AND MYSELF.
UH, AND, AND SOME OF, UH, ALDERMAN, UH, HARRIS'S AREA REALLY, REALLY GOT HIT PRETTY HARD AND WE WANT, UM, MITIGATION, IMPLEMENTATIONS AND RESILIENCY IMPLEMENTATION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE PLAN, SOME POSITIVES, SOME NEGATIVES AND MOVING FORWARD.
SO THE MAYOR, UM, GOT ON THE PHONE, MR. TONY MCEWEN, WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF WILMINGTON.
UH, HE IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN FLOOD COALITION.
[02:35:01]
AND IT IS, UM, A FREE ORGANIZATION FOR US TO BE A MEMBER OF.AND BASICALLY HE WOULD DO THE FLOOD CZAR WORK.
SO HE, THAT ORGANIZATION WOULD BE THE OUTWARD REACH FOR PEOPLE, UH, TO GET INFORMATION.
IF THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN, TO HELP US TO PREPARE OUR CITIZENS BETTER, TO HELP US IMPLEMENT SOME OF THIS RESILIENCY, UH, PLAN, TO LOOK FOR FUNDING AND OTHER THINGS.
SO HE WOULD BE AN AMAZING RESOURCE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY COMMUNITIES.
SO HE'S, HE'S GOING TO BE REPRESENTING, I GUESS, WILMINGTON AND, UM, OTHER AREAS THAT'S IN THERE AND THERE'S NO COST TO US.
SO, UM, I HOPE I'VE ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD PLEASE COME TO NEWBURGH TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE CARE GROUP, BUT TO ADDRESS US AS WELL AND TALK TO US AND WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS FOR HIM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CARE GROUP SAID THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND EVERYTHING IS EDUCATION.
WE'VE GOT TO EDUCATE OURSELVES, WE'VE GOT TO EDUCATE OUR CITIZENS AND OUR STAFF SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE WENT THROUGH THE LAST TIME.
OF COURSE, THAT WAS A 500 YEAR FLOOD.
NONE OF US HAD EVER BEEN THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK WE DID AN AMAZING JOB, BUT WE STILL, THERE WAS STILL PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND, UM, TRY TO FIND WAYS TO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN.
SO DOES THAT COVER IT, MAN? YEAH, I SAW, YES.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK THE STAFF, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
ALL THE LEADERSHIP FOSTER APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE CRAZY.
UM, THERE IS GOING TO BE A MEETING AT THE, UH, OMEGA CENTER ON CEDAR STREET TOMORROW AT FIVE 30, DISCUSSING THE SOCIAL DISTRICT'S, UM, PROPOSAL IN REGARDS TO THAT INFORMATION.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GO TO THIS MEETING.
AGAIN, IT IS AT THE OMEGA CENTER TOMORROW AT FIVE 30, TOMORROW AT FIVE 30 AT THE OMEGA CENTER.
IT'S ABOUT THE SOCIAL DISTRICTS.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT INFORMATION, THEN THE OTHER MEETING FOR THIS IS ALSO GOING TO BE ON APRIL 18TH AT THE CHELSEA AT TWO 30.
SO YOU HAVE TWO TIMES TO GO AND EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS, WHETHER YOUR NAME OR FOR IT AT THESE TWO MEETINGS.
AND ONE OF THE PARENTS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SET UP BY THE CITY OF NEWBURGH BOARD OF FRIENDS.
THIS IS, THIS IS BEING DEMOTED AND PUT TOGETHER BY SWISS BEAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AND THE TDA.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
NONE OF US ARE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THEY ARE DOING ALL THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THEN WE WILL DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT SHE SAID.
THEY'RE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, BEFORE IT'S PRESENTED, WHICH THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THEY'RE TAKING THE CORRECT STEPS.
[23. Closed Session.]
NEED A PLUS SESSION MEANS I BELIEVE YOU DO DOES THAT? YES.THAT WOULD BE THE 1.3, 3, 10, 11 A SIX TO DISCUSS A PERSONNEL MATTER MOST OF THE SECOND TO HAVE A SESSION ON FAIR MOTION, SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED TO SAYING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE OPENING BACKED UP OF THE PRE PRIOR NIGHT MEETING.
WE RECESS LAST NIGHT AND WE ARE OFFICIALLY OPENED BACK UP FOR BUSINESS.
MR. HUGHES, DID YOU WANT TO UPDATE THE BOARD? YES, SIR.
SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION.
WE DID REACH OUT TO OUR CONSULTANTS WITH URBAN DESIGN VENTURES, ASKED A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS.
AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO COVER A FEW THINGS.
THE FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED ACTION PLAN DID LIST A PUBLIC TRANSIT, UH, UH, PROJECT AT $187,842.
THAT PROJECT DID INCLUDE SIX SHELTERS TO BE INCLUDED.
UM, AS TIME HAS GONE ON STAFF LOOKED AT THAT AND REALIZED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PROJECT FOR THAT AMOUNT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY STARTED LOOKING AT THE DESIGN AND THE CONTRACTING THAT OUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE THE CHANGES.
IT HAD TO BE RECONCILED IN THE CAPER, WHICH IS THE CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS DO, UH, THAT'S ACTUALLY DUE LATER THIS YEAR, MR. HUGHES, LET ME, LET ME STOP.
JUST SAYING, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIM A ROLE.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THE PLEDGE IN THE,
[02:40:01]
IN A PRAYER BECAUSE WE WERE, WE'VE OPENED THE MEETING BACK UP, BUT PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN CALL IT A ROW FOR, FOR THE RECORD.ALDERMAN BINGO, EAR AUTO WOMAN HARRIS PRESENT.
ALDERMAN ASKED HER MAYOR ELMO, OTTOMAN, KINSEY, OTTER, MENDEZ, ALDERMAN, MADAM CLERK.
THE THING WE NEED TO DO THOUGH, TO SLEEP BACK UP, OKAY.
LIKE, SO AGAIN, THE, THE SCOPE OF WORK ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK DIDN'T INCLUDE INSTALLING SIX SHELTERS AT $187,842 THAT SCOPE CAN CHANGE AS LONG AS IT'S REFLECTED IN THE CAPER, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION REPORT.
TOTAL PROJECT COST ESTIMATE FOR THE DESIGN OF THE THREE SHELTERS PURCHASING THE THREE SHELTERS AND CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF ONE SHELTER AT FORT TOTTEN WAS $140,757 AND 50 CENTS.
SO FOR THE DESIGN, WE PAID RAINY CAMP AND ASSOCIATES, $39,000.
THE SHELTERS COST US $32,677 AND 50 CENTS, WHICH IS JUST UNDER $11,000 EACH AND SAL CONSTRUCTION WAS THE CONTRACTOR IN THAT CONTRACT WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $69,080.
TODAY WE HAVE RECEIVED $71,677 AND 50 CENTS FROM THAT PROJECT.
SO WE'VE PAID FOR THE DESIGN WE'VE PAID FOR THE SHELTERS.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED IS THE CONTRACT WITH SOUTH CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS $69,080.
SO WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE INVOICE FOR THAT YET BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT FINISHED THAT PROJECT.
IF WE STOP THE PROJECT AND DO NOT COMPLETE IT, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY BACK THE $71,677 AND 50 CENTS.
PLUS ANY ADMIN COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT TODAY, WHAT THOSE ADMIN COSTS ARE.
WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE YET, BUT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP WITH THE, WOULD WE LOSE OUR, OUR HUD CDBG ALLOCATION BECAUSE OF THIS? NO, UH, WE, WE WERE GRANDFATHERED.
WE WILL ALWAYS RECEIVE A CDBG ALLOCATION.
HOWEVER, IF WE PAY THIS MONEY BACK IN THE UPCOMING 23 CYCLE, WE WILL RECEIVE $71,677.
PLUS ADMINISTRATION COSTS LESS.
TO COVER THAT UP IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE WILL GET WHATEVER PERCENTAGE OF THAT CDBG ALLOCATION, UH, YES, WHETHER IT'S TWO OR 300,000.
SO WE WON'T LOSE ANY MONEY OVERALL.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF IS STILL, UH, TO INSTALL THE BUS STATION AT THE, AT THE FORT TOTTEN LOCATION AND WHERE, UH, WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY BEING, UH, PUT IN.
UM, WE DID SPEAK WITH URBAN ZEN VENTURES AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE, THAT THE STOP BEING THERE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS TO EVALUATE IT, THEN IF WE WANT IT TO RELOCATE IT RELOCATE, THAT WAS THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
WE COULD, WE COULD DO THAT, BUT HERE'S THE DEAL I NEED DIRECTION FROM YOU.
WE CAN, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT IT IN THE OTHER LOCATION.
WE CAN PUT IT IN, UH, ON FOUR TIGHT AND DRIVE AND JUST NEED DIRECTION FROM YOU.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOSTER, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PREVENT PEOPLE FROM HANGING OUT IN THE SHELTER, OUR AFTER HOURS IN THE SHELTER OR SLEEPING ON THE BENCH OR WHATEVER? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO BUS STOPS, BUT I THINK WE CAN LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE THE BUS STOP IS, IS, IS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO USE THAT TRANSIT STOP.
AND THAT TRANSIT STOP IS BASICALLY DURING REGULAR HOURS OF OPERATION.
I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE TOO MANY STOPS AFTER LIKE SIX OR SEVEN O'CLOCK.
SO COULD WE LOOK AT PUTTING SOMETHING IN PLACE TO, UM, OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS? I THINK WE COULD ADDRESS THAT.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD MOVE FOR US, MR. MAYOR.
UM, MY COMMENT WOULD JUST BE BASED ON ALL THE INFORMATION THAT, UM, WHEN THIS PROJECT WAS PUT TOGETHER, THAT THE UVO OFFICE IS, IS A STOCK THAT UTILIZE ON CARP.
UM, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT THE PROJECT WAS SPECIFICALLY TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A BUS SHELTER FOR THE UV OFFICE THAT WAS ALREADY STOPPED, THAT WAS HAPPENING.
UM, AND WE JUST KIND OF WERE ABLE TO PARTNER TO MAKE IT SO THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PROTECTION FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IS, UM, COMING THERE.
AND, UM, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROJECT ISN'T SPECIFICALLY FOR THE UBO OFFICE, IT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE CARDS, AND THAT WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT CONSOLIDATING AND POSSIBLY EVEN GETTING RID OF THIS BUILDING.
[02:45:01]
IF WE WENT DOWN THE ROUTE OR THE NEW BOARD WENT DOWN THE ROUTE OF CONSOLIDATING AND AS A COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND TRYING TO SELL IT, WE HAVE ISSUES NOW WITH SELLING THINGS, NO ONE'S GOING TO WANT TO TAKE A PROPERTY THAT HAS A BUS STOP ENCUMBERED ON IT.SO FOR IT TO BE ON THE STREET WHERE IT'S ALREADY STOPPED, I THINK US WORKING WITH CARTS AND FIGURING OUT A WAY LIKE WE DISCUSSED ABOUT UTILIZING THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, UM, WHERE WE HAVE THE SPACE TO MAKE A WALKWAY.
I THINK IT'S DOABLE FOR US TO COMPROMISE IN THIS SITUATION, GIVEN THE INFORMATION, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, SAFETY IS KEY.
UM, BUT SECONDLY, MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BENEFIT TO US WHEN IT COMES TO THE CDBG FUNDS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING THEM APPROPRIATELY.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN THE STAFF IS SAYING IN REGARDS TO MOVING FORWARD WITH PUTTING THE SHELTER THERE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU GIVE STAFF DIRECTION TO CONTINUE WITH THE INSTALLATION THERE, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
IF YOU GIVE US DIRECTION TO RELOCATE TO THE OTHER SIDE, IF AT SOME POINT IN THE, UH, THE MORE GIVE STAFF DIRECTION TO LOOK AT, UH, UH, SELLING THAT PROPERTY AND THE NEW BUYER DOES NOT WANT THAT BUS STOP THERE, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS MOVING TO SHELTER AT THAT TIME.
SO, UM, EVERYBODY'S JUST HAVING TO HAVE COMMENTS.
I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP THEM SHORT AND SWEET.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, UM, MANY ERRORS ROLLED INTO ONE AND I'M LEARNING A LOT ABOUT CDBG.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT IT TODAY.
IT'S BEEN INTERESTING WHERE, UM, WE, WE TAKE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND REALLY ARE NOT SPENDING IT APPROPRIATELY.
I MEAN, WE HAD $585,000 AT THE START OF 2020 UN UNUSED FUNDS.
AND THANKFULLY THEY GOT IT DOWN TO ABOUT 104.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD THING, BUT WHEN WE DON'T ALL WORK TOGETHER, I MEAN, NPO HAD NO INPUT INTO THIS AND THEY ARE A TRANSPORTATION PERSON THAT WAS CONCERNING.
UM, I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS IS WHERE THE COMMUNITY, I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING WHEN WE WERE DEBATING STANLEY WHITE, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO CROSS BROAD STREET.
NOBODY WANTED ACROSS BROAD STREET, SO THAT SHELTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT SIDE.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EITHER OVER BY STANLEY WHITE OR BY ROUNDTREE BECAUSE THE CITIZENS SAID THEY WEREN'T CROSSING BROAD STREET WAS TOO DANGEROUS.
WHATEVER, IF THAT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT IS USING THIS, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
WHEN I SAY COMMUNITY, I'M SAYING EVERYBODY, THEN I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE YOUR DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY MEANS THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, THEY DON'T WANT TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET.
DIDN'T WANT TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING, UM, STANLEY WHITE.
SO I FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING THING, I JUST DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE USED ENOUGH BY THAT COMMUNITY ON THAT SIDE OF BROAD, AS IT WOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BROAD.
UM, I'VE HEARD FROM US CITIZENS AND I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES HERE WOULD AGREE THAT WHEN THEIR CITIZENS CONTACT THEM, MANY OF US HAVE TAKEN VOTES THAT WE HAVE STOOD BY OUR, OUR, EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW IT WOULDN'T PASS, WE HAVE STOOD BY OUR, OUR CITIZENS.
SO I'M GOING TO STAND BY MY CITIZENS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO ME AND I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THEM NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT I LOVE AND ALL OF GRANTS, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE WIN-WIN.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GIVE BACK $70,000 OF MONEY THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE OTHER NEEDS AND THINGS IN THE CITY, IF WE ARE WILLING.
AND MY, THE BOARD WOULD AGREE WITH ME, I SAY, GO AHEAD AND DO THIS.
THE CONSULTANT SAYS SIX MONTHS AND IN SIX MONTHS, MOVE IT TO THE OTHER LOCATION AND GET IT OUT OF THIS LOCATION.
THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD AGREE TO OTHERWISE.
I MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THAT EMOTION.
DO YOU WANT IT TO BE OKAY TO SAY SOMETHING YESTERDAY? UM, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING, A COMMENT THAT YOU MADE, UM, ALDERMAN BINGO ABOUT THE SANDY WHITE REC CENTER CROSSING BARN STREET.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WHAT I HEARD FROM THE CITIZENS MORE SO WAS THEY DID NOT WANT THEIR CHILDREN CROSSING THE BROAD STREET TO GO TO THE STANDING WHITE REC CENTER.
UM, THAT'S SOME OF THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED WHEN I WENT TO SEVERAL MEETINGS, UM, NOW FOR IS SIX MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS, UM, BUS SHELTER IN SIX MONTHS.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IN AT THAT POINT IN TIME WHEN WE MOVE IT, WE WANT, WE RE USING TAXPAYERS MONEY.
SO I, I CAN'T AGREE WITH THAT JUST TO ADD OUT THERE, UM, JUST TO REITERATE THAT THIS WAS ALREADY A STOCK.
[02:50:01]
PUT A SHELTER OF BENCH IN A TRASHCAN.THIS WAS ALREADY A STOCK ON THIS RALLY, BUT THEY COME INTO THIS.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN INSIDE THE PARKING LOT.
YOU CAN GO THERE, STAND THERE, WATCH IT.
IT NEVER STOPS THERE AND LETS PEOPLE OFF AND LETS PULLS INTO THE PARKING LOT, LETS THE PEOPLE OFF IN THE PARKING LOT.
AND THEN THEY ENTER THE BUILDING, WHICH IS ALSO A TRAFFIC ISSUE.
THERE'S CARS THAT GO ALL AROUND THAT BUILDING.
THAT'S THE TRAFFIC ISSUE AS WELL.
UM, SO WITHIN THIS AREA, THE UBO OFFICE WAS ALWAYS A STAFF.
THIS WASN'T A NEW STUFF I UNDERSTOOD.
AND THE REASON THEY PICKED IT IS BECAUSE THAT WAS THE WAY THEY CAN SPEND THE MOST MONEY.
IT WASN'T THEIR NUMBER ONE, SPOT IT BECAUSE I THINK ROUNDTREE STREET WOULD HAVE BEEN THEIR NUMBER ONE SPOT, BUT IT WASN'T, THEY COULDN'T SPEND AS MUCH MONEY TO GET RID OF THE ISSUE THAT AROUND IT'S UNFORTUNATE.
UM, AND BUT ALSO ADDING IN THE, THE OTHER PART OF IT, NO ONE'S GOING TO WANT TO BUY A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT HAS THE BUS ROUTE WHEN YOU PICK IT UP FROM THE OUTSIDE.
BUT EITHER WAY, EITHER WAY, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE SPENDING TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
AND WHEN WE SAY TAXPAYER DOLLARS, EVERYTHING WE DO EXACTLY.
AND SOMETIMES WE MAKE THE DECISIONS TO SPEND THEM HOW WE WANT TO AND WITH THIS IS IT'S VERY IRONIC AND FUNNY FOR SOMETHING AS A BUS SHELTER, WE'RE WILLING TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
BUT IF WE WANT TO THROW STANLEY WHITE BACK IN THERE, IT WAS A BIG TO-DO.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS IS I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I MEAN, WE, WE VOTED TO BUILD UP BY THE 13, $13 MILLION, $12 MILLION ON THIS BOARD BEFORE I KNOW WARD FIVE, WE SIT HERE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKS MONEY, WHICH DEALS WE UTILIZE SIDEWALKS.
WE ASKED FOR SIDEWALKS, WE ASKED FOR STREETS TO BE PAID PROPERLY.
SO WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE CLOSE TO 30, 40, 50, 60 GRAND, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH IT IS TO MOVE A SHELTER.
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT COULD GO TOWARDS THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ISSUES ON, ON SIDEWALKS AND STUFF.
I'M JUST THE ALLOCATION OF MONEY AND STORM WATER.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA PUT IT HERE AND THEN MOVE IT BECAUSE A FEW HAVE A CONCERN WHEN MILLIONS OR, OR UH, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAD A CONCERN ABOUT SOMETHING, WE STILL VOTED THE OPPOSITE WAY.
I RESPECT YOUR STANCE BECAUSE I'M THE SAME WAY.
AND YOU VOTE FOR WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
I JUST FEEL IT ISN'T INCONVENIENCED AND WE'RE STUCK IN A HARD SPOT.
WE'VE CREATED A SOLUTION FOR SAFETY, BUT SECONDLY, YOU KNOW, TO BRING TO THE FOREFRONT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY THIS MONEY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CDBG.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOSS FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE, REDUCING THAT MONEY AND HAVE TO PAY IT BACK.
AND WE DON'T NEVER WANT TO GIVE ANY MONEY BACK TO.
WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MONEY ON MR. MARRIOTT.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND MAKE A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONTINUE THE CONSTRUCTION.
I HATED THAT I HATE LOSING 70 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS CONTINUED THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND AS SOON AS WE GET, CHECK OFF THE BOXES AND GET CLEARANCE FROM THE HOOD, LOOK AND RELOCATE MS. SHELTER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE UTILITY BILLING OFFICES.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD LIKE FOR OUR ATTORNEY TO DRAFT US ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NO LOITERING IN AND AROUND A BUS SHELTER OR ON THE BUS BENCHES OR WHATEVER.
UM, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, IS THAT A DOABLE TYPE OF COORDINATES? ARE WE BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE? I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME COMPLEXITIES WITH IT.
THE SAME WAY WE WOULD WITH THE SIDEWALK AND THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY.
BUT CERTAINLY WE WOULD LIKE US TO RESEARCH THAT ISSUE AND TO PRESENT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER'S FEASIBLE.
THEN I'LL SECOND THAT YOU HAVEN'T MUCH.
SECOND IS THERE DISCUSSION ABOUT YES.
THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION IN REGARDS TO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THE RESEARCH.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE A SEPARATE MATTER.
UM, BECAUSE TO ME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING A MOTION BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE AND WE SHOULD ALLOW WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE APPRECIATE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT JUST LIKE WE DO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE SHOULD ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR JOB BEFORE WE GO AND TRY AND CREATE AN ORDINANCE.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW WITH HOMELESS POPULATION BECAUSE WE PARTNER WITH RCS.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT AS BAD, BUT YEAH.
WELL I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A BUS SHELTER.
YOU CAN DO PARAMETERS THAT WE CAN'T
[02:55:01]
DO DOWNTOWN.SO I THINK IT'S, AND I THINK WE, AS A CITY SHOULD START TO BE MORE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE WAIT TILL SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEN DO IT.
LET'S WE THINK IT COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH BOTTOM LINE IS IF, IF WE'D HAD ANY IDEA THAT THIS WAS TAKING PLACE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER RECOMMENDED IT TO GO THERE.
WE'RE ALL STUCK IN THE SITUATION.
I JUST FEEL BAD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THEY DID SINCE 2019 PUT A LOT OF WORK IN THIS AND THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE FUNDS AND DOING WHAT'S NECESSARY.
WELL, THIS WILL MAKE US IN COMPLIANCE.
WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DRAWDOWN TO DO, BUT YES.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE UTILIZING SHELTER, OTHER THAN FOR A BUS STOP AND YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL LOTTERY NOW IN THAT AREA AND, UH, SAFETY AND ALL OF THIS, I KNEW THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES HERE.
SO THAT'S THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
AND I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA, WAS AN ISSUE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STATS CONCERNING THE UBO OFFICE FOR ANY INCIDENTS, CRIMES, FIFTH, UH, FIGHTS, WHATEVER IS BEING AT THAT DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME.
I'M SEEING HOW CONTINUE TO HAVE A NEW, AND THEN PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE ARE MAKING COMMENTS.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT HOW, I MEAN, W WHY DO WE NOT ADDRESS THAT? I MEAN, WE TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T COME TO MIKE OUT OF ORDER.
WE JUST NEED TO CONSENT CONSISTENTLY KEEP THE ORDER WHERE THE GOVERNING BODY THAT HAS TO DISCUSS THIS.
AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE QUORUM AND THE WHOLE ROOM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT.
WELL, GETTING BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING, AND I'M NOT SAYING MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE TO GOVERN OUR BUS STOPS, UM, SHELTERS.
BUT I'M SPEAKING ON THE FACT THAT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, SHOW ME SOME POLICE REPORTS THROW ME SOME STATS, AND IT'S GOING TO SAY, THIS HAS BEEN THESE MANY CRIMES THERE.
THIS HAS BEEN DISMISSED AT HONORING THEIR, THIS HAS BEEN THESE MANY FIGHTS.
THEN I CAN JUSTIFY TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WHEN YOUR CITIZENS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT PAVIN PEOPLE THERE AT THE BUS STOPS, THAT SHIT DOES NOT UTILIZE THEM AT BUS STOPS CALLED PROACTIVE, GOING FORWARD.
I'M TALKING ABOUT NOW, YOU, I WOULD GET THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S IN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET IT FROM HER MOUTH, CONTACT THE POLICE, CHIEF MYSELF AND GET IT BECAUSE I'M JUST TIRED OF PEOPLE WAS TALK.
AND THIS IS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE, PUT INTO SHELTER HERE FOR SIX MONTHS AND THEN WE GONNA MOVE IT.
AND HE WAS IN TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS TO MOVE IT A DESK I'M SUSCEPTIBLE TO ME.
I RESPECT ALL OF Y'ALL'S OPINION, BUT THAT IS MY OPINION QUESTION QUESTION'S BEEN CALLED.
LET'S HAVE REAL COUGH STARTED WITH ALDERMAN.
NO ALDERMAN ASKED MAYOR ATLONA OTTOMAN.
THIS IS THE SINGULAR ITEM THAT WE WERE HAVING A RECESS LAST NIGHT, UH, WOULD ASSUME THAT THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME FOR THIS BOARD AT THIS TIME TO ADJOURN.
AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION SEEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED TO SAYING THE MEETING IS CONCLUDED.