[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Dana E. Outlaw. Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Outlaw. Pledge of Allegiance.]
[00:00:11]
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE, I WOULD STILL TAKE MEETING OF THE NEW-BORN BOARD INVOLVEMENT.
AND SO TONIGHT THE PRAYER, I FAILED TO GET HER TO ASK HER IF SHE WOULD HAVE IT.
I KNOW MY CLASSMATE, UH, INCOMING ALDERWOMAN, UH, HAZEL ROYAL WOULD BE GLAD TO COME UP AND DO THE PRAYER FOR US.
AND WHILE SHE'S COMING UP, HAZEL, I WANT YOU TO HAZEL.
IF I MISS ANYBODY, THIS IS A BIG MOMENT FOR HAZEL.
I, BECAUSE A PERSON IS IN A ROOM TONIGHT.
WE KNEW WHERE HE WAS GOING TO WIND UP.
WE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO GO BIG AND WE HAVE THE HONORABLE JUSTICE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, MICHAEL MORGAN, A CLASSMATE OF OURS AND HAZEL WHO'D I LEAVE OUT THAT'S OH, LET'S SEE.
WAS SHE HERE? RENEE'S HERE TONIGHT.
AND ANYBODY ELSE WE CALL, RIGHT? SO IF YOU WOULD DO THE, UH, THE PRAYER FOR US, THANK YOU.
LET US PRAY, FATHER, IN JESUS' NAME, WE THANK YOU FOR YET.
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TOGETHER TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS.
WE PRAY YOUR GUIDANCE UPON US TONIGHT.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND WE THANK YOU GOD, FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU THE GLORY THAT IS DUE YOUR NAME, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS US TONIGHT.
GOD, WE ASK ONLY THAT YOUR WILL BE DONE.
WE THANK YOU FOR A BOARD OF ALDERMAN LAYER.
WE THANK YOU GOD, FOR EVERY CITY OFFICIAL EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD, WE THANK YOU FOR DOING GREAT THINGS IN THIS GREAT CITY OF NEW BERN.
AND WE ASKED TONIGHT THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR WAY AND WE ASK IT IN JESUS NAME.
WHAT'D YOU DRAW THEM INTO PRAYER IN THE FLAG, UH, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL MEN FLIRT.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROPE? ALDERMAN BENGAL HERE.
OTHER WOMAN HARRIS PRESIDENT ALDERMAN ASKED HER MAYOR OUT.
WELL, HERE I'LL REMAIN KINSEY.
I'LL REMAIN THIS ALDERMAN ITEM
[Consent Agenda]
HERE.OUR FIRST SORT OF BUSINESS TONIGHT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? SEE, NOW LET'S HAVE A ROPE.
LET'S HAVE, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
[7. Miscellaneous.]
AT THIS TIME.WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS MISCELLANEOUS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MISCELLANEOUS, SIR? NO, SIR.
I SEEN THE MISCELLANEOUS MIGHT BE A FEW COMMENTS AND EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE MAYOR OF THE CITY AND THEY WERE, I HAD A LOT OF SAY IN EIGHT YEARS AND MORE PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST 16 YEARS.
AND I KNEW THEN THAT PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS LATER THAT I WOULD WANT TO HAVE AS FEW AMOUNT OF WORDS AS THERE ARE TO SAY, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY ELSE'S TERM TO SERVE THIS CITY, UM, I WON'T SAY THIS VERY, UM, SUCCINCTLY AND FROM MY HEART.
UM, I WANT TO FIRST THINK, UM, MY LORD AND SAVIOR AND JESUS CHRIST.
UM, I WANT TO THANK MY DAD WHO WAS CITY MANAGER HERE FROM 68 TO 81 JC OUTLAW AND MY MOTHER MARIE.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY SISTER, DEBRA AND HER HUSBAND, GREG.
I WANT TO THANK MY BROTHER JENNINGS AND HIS WIFE, KATHY, AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, OTHER BROTHER HANK AND HIS WIFE, TARA.
THEY'RE ALL GREAT FAMILIES, GOD'S SPIRIT AND JUST BEAUTIFUL FAMILIES.
I WANT TO THANK MY CHILDREN, JANET AND HER HUSBAND, GREY, WHO WERE IN BETHEL AND VERY INVOLVED IN, IN THE BEDROOM COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THINK JENNA, MY DAUGHTER HERE AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER KEELY, AND I DON'T WANT TO THINK I'M A SON, ADAM, WHO'S HERE WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND HIS SIGNIFICANT OTHER MALE ON THE LESSON.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO BE CHECKING UP LIKE THIS.
I'M ALMOST THREE, BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK SOMEBODY HAS REALLY BEEN VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME AND FOR THE CITY.
AND I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
[00:05:02]
I LOVE THE STAFF.I LOVE ALL THE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY, BUT, UM, A MAYOR IS NOT MAYNARD CITY, NEVER WITHOUT BRENDA BLANKET, THE CITY CLERK.
UM, BRENDA DOES A LOT OF STUFF AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S THE GLUE.
SHE'S BEEN A GLUE FOR ME AND I WANT TO THANK HER.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PAST BOARDS THAT HAVE GOTTEN NEWBURN, WHERE THEY ARE MANY TIMES WHEN I'VE BEEN ON, I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THE PASSPORTS DID SO MUCH, BUT THE TOMMY BAYLESS BOARD ALLOWED A MINUTE AND THERE WAS SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CITY, WHICH YOU ARE SEEING THE BENEFITS AND RESULTS OF THE LEAD BETTER SHEERS.
AND SO I CONCLUDE WITH SAYING THAT I'VE LEFT ONE PERSON OUT TO THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JOURNEY HURRICANES AND OFFS, SABRINA AND BOBBY AND I, WE GOT SO TIRED OF CALLING EACH OTHER BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TRYING TO BEAT PLACES AND ALL THAT.
BUT THEN WE FINALLY TO GET ONE CAR RIDE AROUND FOR ABOUT THREE DAYS.
BUT AFTER THAT INITIAL HURRICANE AND ALL THERE WAS SO MUCH TO THAT HAPPENED AND MY CONFIDANT AND MY, MY GO-TO PERSON THAT WAS THERE FOR ME, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD LIKE TWO PHONES AND LIKE WHEN I WAS ON ONE, SHE WAS ON THE OTHER AND WE WERE TRYING TO BRIDGE THE GAP YEAR BETWEEN 70 THINGS.
AND I JUST WANNA, UM, THANKS SO MUCH, LAURIE GRANTED, WHO IS NOT SO MUCH, THEY HELPED ME AND HAS BEEN BY MY SIDE AND I LOVE HER DEARLY.
AND YOU KNOW, I JUST HOPE SOMEDAY SHE'LL BE MY WIFE.
SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN AND SHE'S DONE SO MUCH FOR THIS CITY.
AND SHE'S BEEN THERE BY MY SIDE.
AND YOU KNOW, THE MORE I GET READY TO DO THIS, THE MORE I REALIZED THAT, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT MEAN SO MUCH TO YOU THAT DID SO MUCH FOR YOU, SOMETIMES IT LEAVE THEM OUT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK HER FOR ALL SHE DID FOR THE CITY.
SHE DID SO MUCH PROBABLY AS A, UM, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GLUE STUCK WITH ALL THIS HURRICANE STUFF, PARTICULARLY, UH, AND HELPING ME TO COORDINATE IT BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORST TIMES.
SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO, UM, MAYOR ALECK, JEFFREY ODOM FOR COMMENTS.
WELL, MARY, DO YOU USUALLY START ON THAT END AND THE WAY THIS WEEK, I DON'T, THESE ROLL CALLS, I'VE ALWAYS FLIPPED IT BACK.
AND, UH, ONE THING THAT I HAVE LEARNED, UH, SERVING WITH YOU OVER THE LAST NINE AND A HALF YEARS IS TO BE PREPARED AND BE ON YOUR TOES BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET THROWN IN THERE AS A
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN THE CITY, YOU MENTIONED, YOU MENTIONED THE HURRICANE, BUT THERE WERE MANY EVENTS THAT PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE IN THE GENERAL POPULATION OF THINGS THAT YOU DID AND YOU LED THE WAY.
SO I CERTAINLY, I EXTEND MY SINCERE APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE FOR YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN, UH, FOR THE, THE OUTGOING BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WE DID THIS, GOSH, IT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER AGO, BUT I GUESS IT WAS ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
AND I WATCHED THE MEETING TODAY BECAUSE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES ON HOW TO ACTUALLY DO THIS PROCEDURE.
UH, BUT I WATCHED A MEETING AND SAW SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UM, THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER GAVE.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INSPIRING THAT WHENEVER YOU GET ON A BOARD LIKE THIS, OFTENTIMES YOU DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SERVE WITH.
UM, I KNEW SABRINA AND, UM, AND I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED CAUSE I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER AT, UH, MS. BARBARA LEAVES RESTAURANT ON ELECTION NIGHT, THE MAYOR CALLED EACH BOARD MEMBER AND YOU WERE WELCOMED THEM AND CONGRATULATE THEM ON THEIR VICTORIES.
AND UH, SHE TOLD THEM, SHE SAYS, MAYOR, GET READY.
I'M COMING IN LIKE A BULLDOZER.
AND I THOUGHT, OH BOY, HERE WE GO.
UH, BUT IT'S, UM, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE SHOWN WITH THIS BOARD DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS AND BACKGROUNDS AND RELATIONSHIPS, UH, WE PROVED THAT IN TOUGH TIMES WE CAME TOGETHER AND UH, JUST LIKE YOU MENTIONED WITH HURRICANES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT, UM, THIS, THIS NIGHT IS CERTAINLY BITTERSWEET BECAUSE IT'S A CULMINATION OF WORK THAT THIS BOARD, THE LONGEST SERVING BOARD IN THE CITY OF NEWBORNS HISTORY, UM, IS COMING TO AN END, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY COMING TO AN END.
IT'S REALLY THE BEGINNING OF A BUILDING BLOCK AND A STEPPING STONE OF WHAT THIS BOARD HAS DONE FOR THE FUTURE.
AND I, UM, HUMBLED AND LOOKED FORWARD TO BEING PART OF IT, UH, FOR THOSE THAT WILL NOT NO LONGER BE SITTING UP HERE WITH US.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
I KNOW YOUR PERSONALITIES TOO MUCH.
I KNOW YOUR DRIVE AND YOUR INITIATIVE.
[00:10:01]
AND SOMEBODY ASKED THE MAYOR DOWNSTAIRS, WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS HE GOING TO DO? WE TALKED ABOUT IT.HE HAD BOUGHT A BOAT, DOING ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
BUT TO EACH OF YOU THAT ARE MOVING ON TONIGHT, I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK FOR THOSE THAT ARE STAYING.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, ALL MY BEST IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AS WELL AS OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THE GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
AND THERE'S JUST, UM, DIFFERENT THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON HOW TO DO THAT.
BUT I KNOW THAT, UM, IF SABRINA MANGO AND JEFFREY ODO COULD FIND A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, ANYBODY CAN, WELL, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE THIS CITY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING AND LOOKING TO BE A NEW RELATIONSHIPS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND ALL THROUGH THE WHOLE ENTIRE CITY.
AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR.
UH, I'VE SEEN TIMES IN HURRICANES AND STORMS THAT COME THAT HE AND I WAS OUT IN THE TRENCHES, CLEANING OUT DITCHES, OPENING UP WHERE THE WATER COULD FLOW THROUGH.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH BOBBY NEISHA AND SABRINA.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE AND I'M LOOKING TO BUILD A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEW MEMBERS, THIS COMING BOARD.
UM, I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY, UM, ALDERMAN, I WOULD HAVE MENTIONED ARE MY BEST BARBEL BEST.
UH, I ACTUALLY WAS OUT THAT WAY YESTERDAY AND THAT I KNOW SHE'S WORKED VERY HARD LAST FOUR YEARS FOR THAT THE CENTER OUT AT PLEASANT HILL AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY LOOKING GOOD.
SHE'S SICK, SHE'S UNDER THE WEATHER.
OTHER THAN THAT, SHE WOULD BE HERE.
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT ALL WE'RE GOING TO ASK HER.
WE LET HER SISTER OUT SOUTH CITIZEN AND SHE WAS MY CLASSMATE AREA, ANOTHER CLASS OF 72.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MAYOR, I'M GOING TO MISS YOU.
I'M GOING TO MISS THE PHONE CALLS THAT WE CONSTANTLY HAVE AND THAT WE'VE CONSTANTLY HAD, AND I'M GONNA MISS, UH, YOUR GUIDANCE, UH, AND, UM, YOUR HELPFUL WORDS AND KIND WORDS.
AND GIVING ME THROUGH SOME ISSUES THAT I HAD AT MY WARD.
UM, SABRINA IS, YOU KNOW, WE TALK, I THINK, DAILY, UH, YOU'VE GOT, UH, YOU'VE GOT BY FAR THE BUSIEST WARD AMONGST THIS, UH, CITY.
UH, SOMEBODY HAS GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FEEL.
I KNOW, PERSONALLY OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE, UH, THAT YOU'VE DONE, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND I'M GOING TO CERTAINLY MISS YOU.
AND WE'LL STILL TALK, JAMIE, DON'T THINK I CAN SAY ABOUT IS TO YOU.
IS IT, HE CERTAINLY KEPT ME ON MY TOES AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I'M GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS FIRST.
I WANT TO, UM, GIVE THE, THE SITTING BOARD, UM, THE 22 CRAVEN COUNTY FREEDOM FIGHTER AWARD FROM THIS, UM, PHONE, THE EVENT, UNLIKE THE VOTE ON, YEAH, SOMEONE AMAZING HERE.
THAT IS ACTUALLY A PART OF THIS.
UM, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, 56,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS THAT ARE DISENFRANCHISED, GOT THEIR RIGHTS TO VOTE BACK.
SO MAN, YOU KEEP THAT TIGHT MINDS THAT I CAN GET IT OUT AND WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE CRYING, BUT, UM, FIRST I'M WILLING TO TAKE A MINUTE TO JUST GIVE GOD THE GRACE AND MERCY AND HONOR FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT, TO SIT IN THIS SEAT.
I WANT TO THANK MY PARENTS, JAMES ADAMS AND MY LATE MOTHER, MARJORIE ALEX, MY MOTHER WOULD WATCH THE MEETINGS ONLINE AND STICK UP FOR THE PEOPLE FOR ME WHEN PEOPLE WOULD MAKE COMMENTS.
AND MOM, I LOVE YOU WHEN I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WATCHING OVER ME.
I WANT TO THANK THE MANY PEOPLE THAT KEPT ME ENCOURAGED THROUGHOUT MY TERM.
THANK YOU, RAMONA MARION, JULES, JESSE TARA, REGGIE PARKWHIZ MS. SHARON BIN.
MY GOAL MAMA SAMPSON LATE MR. SAMSON, THE ENTIRE SAMSON FAMILY, MR. AND MRS. WHITE,
[00:15:01]
MR. BROWN AND COUNTLESS OTHERS.I WANT TO THANK MY SISTER TALENA MASSEY AND MY BROTHER, CORY PERRY FOR ENCOURAGING ME, UM, THROUGHOUT THE MANY YEARS OF SITTING ON THIS BOARD AND HAVING MY BACK, NO MATTER WHAT WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY BEFORE I WAS ELECTED DURING MY TIME AND WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE CITY STAFF FOR MAKING ME LOOK GOOD OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE YOU HANDLE ALL OF THE REQUESTS AND TO THE SATISFACTION OF EVERYONE.
UM, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE OUTSIDE.
BRENDA, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS PICKING UP MY CALLS WHEN I NEEDED YOU AND MAKING MY LIFE EASY, BECAUSE I KNOW I NEVER HAD ANY POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.
WHEN YOU WALK ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOU DESERVE EVERY RAISE YOU GET PLUS MORE BARBARA, BEST ALL THE WOMAN, BARBARA BEST THANK YOU FOR BEING MY SUPPORT AND A FIGHTER.
YOU WANT CITY BUSINESS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT ALONGSIDE OF ME DURING THE TERM, OUR TERM ON THE BOARD, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE SERVING WITH YOU AS WE MADE HISTORY AS THE LONGEST SPORTS WAR TO SERVE AND BEING THE SECOND AND THIRD BLACK WOMEN TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
I WANT TO APPRECIATE AND THANK MR. BRANDON BENGAL, BECAUSE WE MADE HISTORY AS BEING THREE WOMEN IN THE HISTORY OF THIS BOARD TO SERVE.
I WANT TO THANK MY BOARD MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO GROW IN MY EXPERIENCE AND ALLOW ME TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
I KNOW IT WASN'T OVERLY SWEET, BUT WE MADE IT WORK AT THE END.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WATCHING AND LISTENING TO MAKE SURE YOU STAY ENGAGED AND CONTINUE TO HOLD EVERY SINGLE ELECTED OFFICIAL, OLD AND NEW ON THIS BOARD, ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND THE PROMISES THEY MAKE DURING ELECTION TIMES YOUR VOTE MATTERS.
AND IT'S YOUR RIGHT TO ASK QUESTIONS AND REQUEST THE ANSWERS I WANT TO THANK MY CHILDREN, TYLER, OLIVIA, AND AARON JR.
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE AWAY FROM HOME WHEN DUTY CALLS AND EMBRACING ME EVERY STEP.
EVERY TIME I STEPPED BACK INTO THE HOUSE WITH LOVE, I WANT TO THANK MY HUSBAND AARON YEARS WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT, MAKING SURE OUR FAMILY, IT WAS GOOD.
I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE RESOURCES OVER THE YEARS.
YOU MAY NOT SEE HIM AT EVERY EVENT OR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT, BUT HE IS HERE FOREVER, STANDING IN MY CORNER, LOVING ME THROUGH IT ALL 12 YEARS.
AND KELLY, THANK YOU FOR NURSING ME BACK TO HEALTH DURING MY JOURNEY WITH BREAST CANCER AND WORKING THROUGH THE PAIN OF LOSING MY MOTHER, YOU ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY KING.
I LOVE YOU FOREVER, ALWAYS IN THE DAY.
LASTLY, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE ME WHO CREATED FERTILE SOIL ON WHICH I WAS ABLE TO PLANT MY POLITICAL DREAMS AND SEEDS.
AND I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO COME AFTER AS THE FLOWERS RESPECTFULLY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
UM, I FIRST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MY FAMILY, OF COURSE, SEATED IN THE FRONT ROWS.
MY DAUGHTER, BECKY, HER HUSBAND, JONATHAN, MY SON BUDDY, AND HIS FIANCE AND NELLA.
THE ONLY ONE THAT IS AF UNFORTUNATELY MISSING IS STEVE BECAUSE WHEN I CAME HOME TONIGHT AND I SAID, HOW COME YOU'RE NOT DRESSED? HE SAID, I DON'T THINK I'M FEELING GOOD.
AND I THINK I BETTER NOT GET AROUND PEOPLE.
UM, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY BECAUSE NOBODY CAN DO THIS SOMETIMES VERY LONELY AND HARD JOB WITHOUT THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF THEIR FAMILY.
STEVE BANGALORE IS THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS.
AND I ABSOLUTELY ADORE HIM FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME WHEN MANY OTHERS HAD ABANDONED ME.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF THE FIRST WARD FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THEM THESE PAST FOUR YEARS.
AND THE FOUR YEARS PRIOR THAT I SERVED FROM 2009 TO 2013, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THIS CITY THAT I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT.
AND IF YOU KNOW, I WASN'T BORN HERE, BUT THROUGH LOVE, I ARRIVED HERE IN 1980 AND I MADE IT MY FOREVER HOME.
MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE I ARRIVED AND I BELIEVE IN MY HEART, THEY WERE CHANGED.
IT CHANGES FOR A BETTER NEW BERN.
AND I'M THANKFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO PLAY A PART IN MAKING
[00:20:01]
MANY OF THOSE CHANGES HAPPENING, INCLUDING THE ELEVATOR, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, AND MANY OTHER THINGS YOU SEE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.ALTHOUGH MY SEASON HAS ENDED AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, A NEW SEASON WILL EMERGE.
THAT WILL LEAD ME TO CONTINUE TO BE A VOICE FOR BETTER HOUSING CHOICES AND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD AREA IN SUPPORTING THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND RCS ALL NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT DREAM COME TRUE.
I WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A STRONG VOICE FOR THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THIS CITY AND THIS COUNTY, I URGE THE NEW MAYOR AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A COMMERCIAL ZONE, UM, BUILT ON GOOD OUTCOMES WITH RESIDENCES STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND NOT A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE AWESOME, AWESOME STAFF OF THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.
I COULD NOT SERVE THE CITIZENS WITHOUT ANY OF YOU.
AND I MEAN THAT ANY OF YOU AND TO WHO I HOLD THE DEEPEST RESPECT, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT SEATED IN HERE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM.
SO TO ALL OF YOU OUT IN THE HALLWAY, COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
WE ARE BLESSED WITH SOME OF THE BEST DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE CITY, IN ANY CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA AND MY SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU FOSTER FOR LEADING THIS TEAM AND FOR WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH ME.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ME THESE PAST FEW YEARS, FOUR PLUS YEARS.
I KNOW WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT I DID MY BEST TO WORK WITH EACH OF YOU IN FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COLLECTIVE CITIZENS.
WE DID HAVE A ROUGH START, UM, BUT WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SEEING THAT I HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AT HEART AND WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK IT OUT FOR ME AND NEVER CALLING ME ANY NAMES.
NOT IN PUBLIC OR NOT ON FACEBOOK.
THANK YOU TO, TO MY FRIEND MAYOR OUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR THE TREMENDOUS RESPECT AND SUPPORT YOU HAVE SHOWN ME.
WE TWO STARTED AT ROUGH, BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP EFFORTS.
ON MY BEHALF, I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR OUR FRIENDSHIP AND YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND I, HE WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I MET WHEN I MARRIED STEVE AND, AND GOT CAME TO NEWBURN IN MAY OF 1980.
I GOT INVITED TO A WEDDING OF TWO PEOPLE.
AND IT WAS DANA OUTLAW AND HIS WIFE, SUSAN IN JULY, BECAUSE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WAS ON THE BOARD WITH HIS DAD AND GOT TO MEET SOMEBODY THAT INVARIABLY I WOULD SPEND MANY, MANY YEARS WORKING WITH.
SO WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS OVER 40 YEARS NOW.
AND UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT FRIENDSHIP.
I DO WANT TO SAY I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THE MEANNESS OF THIS PROCESS FINALLY OVER AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.
I HAVE NO REGRETS IN MY SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS.
I CAREFULLY STUDIED MY AGENDA.
I CAME PREPARED TO EACH AND EVERY MEETING HAD AN OPEN DOOR AND AN OPEN HEART TO MAKE DECISIONS BEFORE ME.
THIS IS HOW GOOD GOVERNMENT REALLY WORKS.
IT IS WHEN WE TAKE DISAGREEMENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL THAT WE LOSE OUR TRUE FOCUS AND SERVING EACH OTHER.
MY HOPE AND PRAYER FOR THE NEW MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN IS THAT YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF ALL CITIZENS AND NOT JUST THE LOUDEST ONES.
I WELCOME ALDERMAN PRILL TO THE SEAT AND I'M WILLING TO HELP HIM IN ANY WAY I CAN FOR THE GOOD OF OUR CITY AND GETTING THEM UP TO SPEED.
MY ADVICE TO THE NEW MEMBERS IS TO SEEK, TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND OUR S OUR WONDERFUL STAFF COME PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ASK GOD FOR GUIDANCE IN ALL YOU DO.
THIS IS AN AWESOME CITY WITH MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE, AND WE ARE ALSO BLESSED TO LIVE HERE.
SO MY TIME HAS ENDED, BUT NOT MY SERVICE, NOR MY LOVE OF NEWBURN.
MY DAUGHTER, BECKY WROTE THIS TO ME AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES SOMEBODY UP.
THE GIFT OF LEADERSHIP IS YOURS.
IT'S PART OF YOUR BEING AND YOUR MINDSET.
NO ELECTION CAN TAKE THAT FROM YOU BECAUSE IT'S INSTILLED IN WHO YOU ARE AND PEOPLE WILL FOREVER RESPECT YOU.
SO ALL I WANT TO CLOSE WITH IS THAT I ASK GOD'S BLESSING ON ALL OF YOU HERE TONIGHT ON THIS NEW BOARD OF HALDEMAN, ON THE OLD BOARD, ON THE NEW BOARD, AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO BLESS THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.
[00:25:08]
I LEFT ONE PERSONNEL.WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR OFFICE, MY SON, HE WAS THREE YEARS OLD.
HE KNOCKED ON DOORS AND PUT SIGNS DOWN AND PEOPLE SHOW UP.
THEY ASKED HIM TO PLEASE VOTE FOR HIS DADDY.
MY SON WAS BACK IN THE BACK, SEAN.
I JUST HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IT'S STILL IN THERE BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T BE IN THE SEAT TODAY BECAUSE HE REALLY HELPED ME CAMPAIGN.
I THINK YOU SAW BEFORE WE GO TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY TO SABRINA AND I WE'LL BE BACK IN MAY, MAY OF 2023, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO COME HERE TO THE FIRST PERSON THEY GO INTO NEW EL VITOR IS MOTHER SAMPLE, SAMSON MATRIARCH.
THIS IS, UH, MY MAYOR'S PIG FOR THE MATRIARCH OF NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA.
WE LOVE YOU, AND WE'RE GOING TO COME GET YOU.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIRST WANT TO PUSH THAT BUTTON.
IF, IF THE NEW MAYOR LET YOU DO IT, MAN, I HOPE HE WILL.
I'M DOING THINGS LIKE MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
NOT THAT I HAVE ANY POWER, BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO, I REMEMBER EIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, DON'T FORGET ME WHEN IT'S TIME TO CUT THE RIBBON THE NEXT DAY, WHAT MARY I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS BOARD OF ALDERMAN SIGN INTO SECOND AND MUCH.
AND SECOND, IS THERE DISCUSSION, UH, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL JUST TO BE SOURCED OVER EVERYTHING.
ALDERMAN, MAY YOUR OUTLAWS ORDERING KINSEY ALDERMAN