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[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Royal. Pledge of Allegiance.]
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 25TH, 2022 NEWBURN BOARD OF OTTERMAN MEETING TONIGHT.THE PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY OTTERMAN ROYAL.
OUR PRAYER WILL BE OFFERED THIS EVENING BY BISHOP HOLLY RAV, EAST COAST COALITION OF PASTORS.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU AND WE BLESS YOU FOR THIS DAY.
THERE'S A DAY THAT WE HAVE NEVER HAD.
IT IS A DAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE, AND IT'S A DAY THAT WE SHALL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN.
WE ARE GRATEFUL OF YOUR INFINITE WISDOM, YOUR BLESSINGS, AND YOUR GRACE.
WE HONOR YOU AS THE GOD OF THIS LAND AND THE GOD OF THIS CITY.
AND WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS AND YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY.
WE PRAY THE POWER OF YOUR WISDOM TO BE UPON US ALL.
ASK THAT YOU ADMINISTER TO EVERYONE HERE, TO THIS, UH, CITY LEADERSHIP, UM, AND THE MAYOR AND THE ALDERMAN AND EVERYONE THAT'S PRESENT.
I PRAY, GOD, THAT YOUR PEACE AND YOUR LOVE WILL BE UPON US ALL.
NOW, HAVE YOUR WAY IN THIS PLACE.
GUIDE US AND DIRECT US WITH YOUR COUNSEL.
IT'S MY DESIRE, LORD, THAT EVERYTHING THAT WILL BE SAID AND DONE WILL BRING YOU GLORY.
NOW IT'S IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY.
YOU WOULD PLEASE SHOW ME THE PLEDGE FLAG THE COUNTRY I PLEDGE TO OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT HANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH THE LIBERTY AS ADAM CLERK.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN PR AL ROYAL.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA? I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.MAYOR, IF THERE'S NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS HE IS.
HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Consent Agenda]
TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. BOARD'S DESIRE.WILL YOU APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND.
HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S DO A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
[8. Public Safety Update.]
EIGHT, UH, MR. MANAGER, WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE.AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK CHIEF GALLAGHER TO COME UP AND GIVE AN UPDATE.
UH, WE'VE HAD A, A STRING OF INSTANCES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND SO WE WANTED ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE THE MOST RECENT UPDATE.
UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL, UH, MONTHS AND WEEKS, OUR NATION HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN SENSELESS GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, THIS IS FALL UPON OUR STATE, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE SEEN IT IN NEWBERG.
UM, THESE SENSELESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE HAS RESULTED IN A DEATH AND INJURIES TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I PAY GREAT DEFERENCE AND I, UM, HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY THAT, UM, IS IN FEAR OF THEIR SAFETY.
THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES IN CRAVIN COUNTY ARE HERE TO PROTECTED CITIZENS, AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO DETER CRIME, UM, AND TO SOLVE CRIME.
I WANT TO PROVIDE, UH, SOME CONTEXT AND TO SOME RECENT INCIDENCES THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE, UH, THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH.
AND I'LL START ON, UM, OCTOBER 8TH.
ON OCTOBER 8TH, UM, SIX ON A BLOCK OF FIRST STREET, SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS, UH, IN COUNTING EACH OTHER AND BEGAN TO SHOOT AT ONE ANOTHER THAT RESULTED
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IN THE DEATH OF AN 18 YEAR OLD NEW BERN RESIDENCE.WE DO HAVE A PERSON OF INTEREST, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, UH, ADDITIONAL LEADS THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING UP, AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING CHARGES TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT HOMICIDE CASE.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, ON OCTOBER 13TH, UH, FOUR OF OUR CITIZENS, UM, WERE AT A RESIDENCE ON NEW BERN AVENUE WHERE THEY BECAME THE LATEST VICTIMS OF A DRIVE-BY STYLE, UH, ASSAULT.
ALL FOUR OF THOSE VICTIMS SURVIVED THEIR INJURIES.
OFFICERS, INVESTIGATORS, MEMBERS OF THE NEW BURNED VIOLENT CRIME UNIT, FORENSIC SPECIALISTS, UM, ARRIVED ON SCENE AND BEGAN THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION TO RECOVER ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.
LEADS ARE BEING FOLLOWED UP AND WE HOPE TO BRING CLOSURE TO THAT INVESTIGATION.
THOSE TWO CASES RIGHT NOW ARE STILL ACTIVE THAT SAME EVENING ON WASHINGTON AVENUE, AND WITHIN AN HOUR CAROLINA AVENUE, A DRIVE-BY STYLE SHOOTING OCCURRED ON BOTH LOCATIONS.
OFFICERS AFTER THE SECOND SHOOTING SPOTTED A SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE AND A SHORT PURSUIT ENSUED.
THE VEHICLE CRASHED AT THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE RIGHT OVER HERE AT EAST FRONT STREET AND BROAD STREET.
FOUR SUBJECTS WERE EVENTUALLY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
THREE OF THE SUSPECTS FLED THE SCENE, AND OFFICERS FROM THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT MADE THE ARREST OF THOSE THREE SUSPECTS.
WE WISH TO THANK MEMBERS OF THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHO RESPONDED TO ASSIST US THAT NIGHT.
THAT NIGHT, ALL OF OUR OFFICERS WERE ON HYPER ALERT BECAUSE WE HAD A QUADRUPLE SHOOTING AND ANOTHER DRIVE BY WITHIN SEVERAL HOURS.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR OFFICERS TOOK THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO ENGAGE IN CANVASSING THE AREAS OF EGRESS, UH, FROM THOSE LOCATIONS, AND WHICH RESULTED IN THE EVENTUAL ARREST OF THOSE SUSPECTS.
DURING AN ARTICLE SEARCH OF THAT PARTICULAR ARREST, WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER, UH, FIREARM EVIDENCE THAT WILL BE USED, UM, IN CONNECTION WITH THE, UH, FUTURE PROSECUTION.
ARRESTED ON THAT INCIDENT WAS AN ADULT 21 YEAR OLD BY THE NAME OF KESHAWN WILLIAMS AND TWO JUVENILES.
ALL THREE OF THOSE SUBJECTS WERE CHARGED THAT NIGHT WITH DISCHARGING A FIREARM INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING.
MR. WILLIAMS, THE ADULT WAS LATER CHARGED WITH THE FOLLOWING, ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, WITH THE INTENT TO KILL, CONSPIRED TO ASSAULT WITH A WEAPON, WITH INTENT TO KILL INJURY TO REAL PROPERTY IN DISCHARGING A FIREARM WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
THERE WAS A FOURTH SUBJECT INVOLVED IN THAT INCIDENT, AND THAT WAS A JUVENILE FEMALE, AND SHE WAS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS.
ONE WAS A FELONY FLEEING TO ALLUDE IN CONSPIRACY TO DISCHARGE A FIREARM INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING.
LAST MONDAY WE'RE ACTUALLY TWO MONDAYS AGO ON THE 17TH AT THE MCDONALD'S ON NEWS BOULEVARD.
SHORTLY AFTER 9:00 PM NEW BERN POLICE OFFICERS RESPONDED TO THE MCDONALD'S AND INVESTIGATED, UH, ONCE AGAIN A SENSELESS ACT OF VIOLENCE WITH A FIREARM.
FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED AT THAT SCENE.
A 17 YEAR OLD WAS, UH, CHARGED, UH, WITH A CONCEALED WEAPON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A MINOR AND DISCHARGING A FIREARM WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
THOSE CASES HAVE BEEN SOLVED AND CLEARED.
ON THE 17TH OF THIS MONTH, AT 9:15 AM A LOAN SUBJECT ENTERED THE FACILITY AT FORT TOTON, UM, AND DISPLAYED A WEAPON TO THE CLERKS.
TELLERS GAVE THE SUSPECT APPROXIMATELY $1,900 IN US CURRENCY.
THE SUBJECT FLED THE SCENE PRIOR TO OFFICERS ARRIVING.
WHEN RESPONDING OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEY BEGAN TO CONDUCT A SEARCH OF THE AREA FOR ANYONE MATCHING
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THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPECT.OFFICER STOPPED AN INDIVIDUAL LATER IDENTIFIED AS RAYMOND O C, THAT'S O S O R I O, TW, UH, CORRECTION, 32 YEARS OF AGE, AND HE'S FROM RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, AND CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATIVE STOP.
THAT SUBJECT WAS LATER FOUND TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ROBBERY.
WE RECOVERED THE WEAPON AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED THE MONIES TAKEN DURING THAT ROBBERY, AND HE WAS CHARGED WITH ROBBERY WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AND RESIST OBSTRUCT AND DELAY THOSE INCIDENCES.
UM, WE HAVE, LET ME RESTATE THAT.
WE HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER TYPE OF INCIDENT LIKE THAT SINCE THE ARREST, UM, ON, UH, OCTOBER 14TH.
AGAIN, WE HAVE TWO ACTIVE CASES THAT I CANNOT COMMENT ON.
UM, WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY SEEKING TO BRING CLOSURE TO THOSE TWO ACTIVE CASES TO INCLUDE THE HOMICIDE.
WE HAVE TAKEN PROACTIVE MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO THE SPIKE IN VIOLENCE TO INCLUDE ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF EACH NIGHT IN, IN THE AFFECTED AREAS, AND ALSO OTHER, UM, STRATEGIES THAT I WOULD PREFER NOT TO MAKE PUBLIC AT THIS POINT.
UM, THERE IS ALWAYS A THREAT IN EVERY COMMUNITY WITH PROSPECTIVE VIOLENCE.
UM, BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE REGION TO INCLUDE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND OUR STAFF, WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDE SAFETY TO OUR, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT I'M ABLE TO, IF YOU HAVE ANY HELP ME BOARD, HAVE QUESTIONS.
CHIEF, DO YOU THINK THEY'RE RELATED OTHER THAN THE ROBBERY PRIOR? UH, IF I MIGHT, UH, AND THIS IS NOT A DIRECT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
THE SHOOTING ON MCDONALD'S IS NOT RELATED TO ANY OF THE OTHER INCIDENCES.
THAT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT IN WHICH WE'VE BEEN BRING, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING CLOSER TO THAT CHIEF, IF I COULD.
UM, THE, THE INCIDENTS THAT YOU HAVE, UH, OUTLINED THIS EVENING, UM, ARE, ARE UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, A SYMPTOM OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND I KNOW OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO, I'VE SEEN, UH, AN INCREASE IN I THINK A LEVEL OF ANXIETY WHERE PEOPLE, RESIDENTS OF WARD ONE, HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME, YOU KNOW, TO ASK.
AND, AND I THINK TO THE REST OF THE BOARD AS WELL, YOU KNOW, ASKING, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THESE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, BUT SOME OTHER VERY BROAD SYMPTOMATIC ISSUES THAT THE COUNTRY IS FACING.
AND IN, IN SPEAKING TO A RESIDENT THIS MORNING, UM, IT IT, WHAT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL IF THE CITY, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT COULD MAYBE WORK ON A PRESENTATION, THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO TRY TO GET IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY ON HOW INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE PRECAUTIONS, UM, TO GIVE THEMSELVES A LITTLE, AT LEAST A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF SECURITY WHILE THEY'RE IN THEIR HOMES, WHILE THEY'RE OUTSIDE THE HOMES, WHILE THEY'RE DRIVING.
YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE SIMPLE THINGS, YOU KNOW, KEEP AN OUTSIDE LIGHT ON, MAKE SURE YOU LOCK YOUR DOORS.
UM, DON'T ANSWER, DON'T OPEN YOUR DOORS IF YOU GET A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AT A RATHER ODD HOURS.
UM, JUST SOME VERY SIMPLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE, I THINK NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, I'M KIND OF FOCUSING ON MORE JUST SELF AWARENESS, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, AGAIN, WHEN THEY'RE IN THE HOUSE, WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF THE HOUSE, TO PUT TOGETHER SOME KIND OF A, A PRESENTATION THAT, OR COMMUNICATION THAT WE CAN GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND OUT TO RESIDENTS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THE BIGGER ISSUES THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, BUT I THINK IT WOULD HELP THAT HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF ANXIETY THAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW, NOW THAT THEY CAN HAVE A LIST, A LITTLE MORE SELFCONTROL OVER, YOU KNOW, THE, AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THEMSELVES.
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EXCELLENT IDEA, ALDERMAN.AND, UM, ALLOW ME TO GO BACK TO MY STAFF AND WE WILL STRATEGIZE HOW BEST TO DELIVER THAT MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ANYBODY ELSE? CHIEF, I'VE, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENCE THAT YOU HAVE, UM, STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO RESPOND TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S A VERY, VERY SERIOUS SITUATION.
IT'S A BAD SITUATION, BUT THE PRESENCE THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP, UH, I AM IMPRESSED WITH THAT AND THANK YOU AND THE MANAGER FOR COMING TOGETHER TO SHOW THE PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, TO GIVE THE PEOPLE SOME SORT OF SECURITY OF BEING SAFE.
WHEN THEY CAN SEE A MAN ON FOOT, A MAN IN HIS CAR, YOU SAYING, HELLO, HOW IS EVERYTHING GOING? THAT'S IMPRESSIVE TO ME, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
ANOTHER THING, CHIEF, ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAMS MIGHT ALREADY HAVE SOME LITERATURE OR SOME TYPE PRESENTATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN COMMUNITIES FEELING, UM, MORE PROTECTED OR MORE SAFE, SIMPLE STEPS THAT THEY CAN TAKE.
AND, AND CERTAINLY I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE AN AVENUE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERHAPS TO UTILIZE SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT'S ALREADY AVAILABLE.
UM, CHIEF, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE YOU AND YOUR OFFICERS PROVIDE FOR, UM, OUR CITIZENS.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO KNOW, UM, I'M GONNA ALLUDE, UM, AUTUMN ALLUDED TO WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK, UM, QUESTIONS I WAS GOING TO ASK WHEN HE SAID YOU HAD OFFICERS OUT ON FOOT WALKING IN THE COMMUNITIES, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, WE, WE HAVE OUR OFFICERS AND OUR MARKED PATROL CARS TO HAVE MORE VISIBILITY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE, UH, COMMUNITY.
WELL, I, I KNOW PATROL IN THE AREA, UM, AND HAVING OFFICERS IN CARS IS A FIRST STEP.
BUT WITH, WITH ME, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR OFFICERS.
WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE A CITIZEN WALKING, YOU KNOW, IF THAT OFFICER WAS STOP AND SPEAK TO THAT CITIZEN AND ASK THAT CITIZEN, IS EVERYTHING OKAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND BUILD THAT TRUST AND THAT, THAT TRUST, IF THE CITIZENS, IF YOU BUILD THE TRUST OF THE CITIZENS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, YOU, YOU WOULD GET MORE COMMUNICATION OUT OF THE COMMUNITY.
YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD GET A LOT, YOU WOULD HAVE A HANDS ON APPROACH TO A LOT OF THINGS THAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I JUST THINK THE CITIZENS ARE NOT FEELING THAT THE POLICE PRESENCE THERE, AND IT'S MAKING A LOT OF CITIZENS, UM, AS ALDERMAN PRIUS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, UNEASY AND, AND IT'S, AND IT IS BECOMING, UH, AN ANXIETY, SAFETY ISSUE FOR CITIZENS.
BUT I JUST THINK IF THE INVOLVEMENT WITH OFFICERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHEN YOU JUST GET OUT AND TALK TO THE CITIZENS AND, AND, AND BUILD THAT TRUST, I THINK WE ARE STILL A BIG IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE HOTSPOT AREAS OF OUR CITIES.
AND, AND I'LL JUST BE, UH, REAL FRANK WITH IT IN NEXT WARD, UM, FIVE AND, UM, HALDEMAN, HAZEL, ROY, OR, UH, WARD TWO.
SO, BUT AGAIN, I COMMEND YOU AND YOUR OFFICERS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND, AND YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO TRY YOUR BEST TO KEEP OUR, OUR CITY SAFE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR OTTERMAN, I THINK THIS IS ALSO A GOOD TIME TO, TO REMIND THE CITIZENS THAT WE DO HAVE THE TIP FOUR 11 PROGRAM.
YOU CAN GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE OR YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, ON THE, ON THE GOOGLE PLATFORM.
I BELIEVE WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE IPHONE VERSION TO, UH, TO DROP ON THAT APP.
BUT IF YOU, IF, IF YOU KNOW ABOUT A CRIME REPORT, IT, IT'S ANONYMOUS, PLEASE WILL, WILL, WILL GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND, AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL DO THEIR INVESTIGATION ON THAT.
ALSO, NEWBURN ALERTS, THAT'S OUR NEW, NEW ALERT SYSTEM, UM, THAT WAS ROLLED OUT ABOUT A MONTH OR SIX WEEKS AGO.
AND, AND, AND, AND IT'S A VERY SMART SOFTWARE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, AND WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHIEF AND WITH THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, AFTER THIS STRING OF EVENTS, WE'RE ABLE TO EVEN, UH, LOCATE THE GENERAL AREA THAT A CRIME OCCURS.
AND IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE, WHAT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WE CAN DO A GEO MAP IN AN AREA TO ALERT THE CITIZENS OF SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON.
SO WE'VE HAD OUR INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS
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ON WHAT THE BEST STAFF IS IN ORDER TO SEND THOSE ALERTS OUT, AND WE'VE DEFINITELY IDENTIFIED THE FOLKS AT, UH, DISPATCH THAT ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT.SO WE'RE GONNA BE DOING SOME TRAINING WITH THAT STAFF.
SO HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS TO OCCUR, UH, VERY OFTEN, BUT WHEN THEY DO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS ARE MADE AWARE OF THESE SITUATIONS AS SOON AS REASONABLY POSSIBLE.
CHIEF, WHAT'S THE, UM, ROUGH ESTIMATE? WHAT'S THE AVERAGE AGE OF THOSE INVOLVED WITH ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS, UH, YOUNG ADULTS, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, THAT RANGE? I DON'T, UM, I, I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM.
IT, MY MIND CAN'T QUITE FATHOM HOW SOMEBODY JUST TAKES LIFE FOR GRANTED.
UM, WHETHER IT'S PUTTING YOURSELF IN DANGER, PUTTING SOMEONE ELSE IN DANGER, I, I JUST, I CAN'T COMPREHEND THAT.
UM, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I THINK THESE, THESE FOLKS NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
NUMBER ONE, BISHOP, UM, THEY NEED PRAYER.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, WE NEED, WE NEED SOME PRAYER IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SHOW THESE YOUNG ADULTS THAT THIS IS NOT THE PATH FORWARD FOR THEM.
BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT, UH, I KNOW I SPEAK FOR YOU AND BEHALF OF THE SHERIFF, WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE THIS.
I MEAN, WE'RE JUST NOT, AND PREVENTING THINGS.
IT'S MUCH EASIER, UH, YOUR COUNTERPART AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS AN EASIER JOB AT, AT DOING WHAT THEY DO AS FAR AS PREVENTING THINGS AND WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES.
BUT, UH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR, THAT IF SOMEONE NEEDS HELP, IF THEY NEED SOME SUPPORT, THEY JUST NEED TO ASK FOR IT.
UH, BUT THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER TO WHATEVER THEIR PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE FACING.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE TOLERATED.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU STAND BEHIND ME WITH THAT STATEMENT.
UM, CHIEF, HOW IS YOUR RECRUITING GOING? ARE YOU GETTING CLOSE TO BEING FULLY STAFFED? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE OPTIMISTIC, AND I GENERALLY AM OPTIMISTIC.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, IT REMAINS A CHALLENGE, UM, NOT JUST IN THIS CITY, BUT INDUSTRY-WIDE.
UH, WE HAVE TAKEN SOME ADDITIONAL PROACTIVE APPROACHES TO TRY TO IDENTIFY GOOD CANDIDATES WHO WE CAN HIRE EARLY PRIOR TO TRAINING.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE THAT.
UM, WE ARE DOWN, UH, UH, SEVEN OFFICERS RIGHT NOW, PLUS WE HAVE FOUR THAT ARE IN TRAINING.
SO THAT'S 11 STAFF THAT I DO NOT HAVE AVAILABLE ON THE STREET.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO, UM, RECRUIT THE BEST TALENT OUT THERE.
WE WANT TO BE AS DIVERSE AS POSSIBLE.
WE TRIED TO ENCOURAGE, UM, ALL THOSE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE B L E T PROGRAM IN THE REGIONS AROUND WHY NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS THE LOCATION FOR THEM.
UM, I'M STRATEGIZING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ON HOW TO, UM, CREATE THE BEST, UH, UH, RECRUITMENT PACKAGE FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE MAKING CHOICES.
DO I GO TO GREENVILLE? DO I GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? DO I GO TO NEW BERN? WE BELIEVE THAT NEW BERN IS A, IS A DESTINATION POINT FOR, FOR OUR PROFESSION.
WE'RE AN ACCREDITED AGENCY AND WE CAN OFFER A GREAT DEAL TO OUR STAFF.
WE JUST HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ENTICE THEM TO COME.
AND THE OTHER PART TO THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME FILIBUSTERING JUST A LITTLE BIT, IS THAT RETENTION PIECE.
AND WE CONTINUE TO STRATEGIZE.
IN FACT, UH, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND I HAD A CONVERSATION THIS MORNING ABOUT SOME, UH, SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE, UM, OUR RETENTION STRONGER FOR OUR INCUMBENT STAFF.
HOW ABOUT YOUR CANINE UNITS? ARE THEY FULLY STAFFED? FULLY STAFFED, AND, AND ALDERMAN ASKED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, UH, FOR THE MONIES TO ALLOW US TO BUY THAT THE MAYOR AS WELL, UH, TO BUY THAT, UH, THAT FOURTH CANINE DOG.
SO HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD JUST FOUR? WE WE HAD FOUR.
SO WE ARE FULLY STAFFED OF FIVE DOGS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHIEF.
[9. Recognition of New Bern 101 Graduates.]
ALONG TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, WE'VE GOT RECOGNITION OF THE NEW BERN 1 0 1, 1 0 1 GRADUATES MR. MANAGER.SO MAYOR AND ALTMAN, NEW BERN 1 0 1 IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS CITIZENS TO BASICALLY LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN, SO TO SPEAK, AND TO SEE HOW THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY ARE.
YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH ANY, ANY STREET, IF ANY CITY IN, IN THE, THE WORLD.
AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU'VE GOT POWER, THAT YOU'VE GOT WATER IN SEWER, THAT YOU'VE GOT RECREATION PROGRAMS GOING ON, THAT THE GRASS IS MOWED, UH, THAT THE, UH, YOUR, UH, DITCHES ARE CLEANED OUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
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AND IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.AND SO WITH NEW 1 0 1, THIS GIVES OUR PARTICIPANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MEET ONE ON ONE WITH OUR CITY STAFF.
THEY, THEY GET TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT OUR STAFF DOES.
THEY LEARN ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THEY, THEY GET, UH, INDOCTRINATED AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE, AND THEY GET TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES.
AND, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PARTICIPANTS TONIGHT, AND WE, WE GOT TO HEAR WHAT THEY LIKED A LOT ABOUT IT.
AND WE'VE GOT TO HEAR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE THIS PROGRAM.
BUT THIS IS THE THIRD OFFERING WE'VE DONE.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO OFFER THIS TWICE A YEAR.
UH, OUR NEXT CLASS IS GONNA BE ON FEBRUARY 23RD.
AND IT'S ABOUT AN EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM.
UH, MEET ONCE A WEEK FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS.
AND IT, AND IT IS REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATES AND THEN HOW YOU GET INVOLVED AS WELL.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TONIGHT THAT WE'VE GOT 13 GRADUATES.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A CERTIFICATE OUT AND LIKE TO ASK THE GOVERNMENT BOARD TO COME DOWN ON, ON THE OTHER SIDE HERE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONGRATULATE THESE FOLKS.
AND WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR THE SPRING SESSION.
IF YOU'LL THEM GO BACK TO YOUR SEAT, THEN WE'LL ALL GET UP AND TAKE GROUP OF JUST, WE'LL, LET ME AND THE MAYOR IN THE, OF YOUR SEATS THERE, THAT'S
YOU SAID THIS WAS THE MOST INQUISITIVE OF CLASS.
IF I COULD, IN HERE TO CALL UP THE FOLKS.
FIRST IS MR. MARSHALL BALLARD.
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MS. KATHLEEN, MARTY SO MUCH MR. ED MCDONOUGH, HUSBAND AND WIFE, MR. MRS. DAVID AND CATHERINE SEVIER.I FIGURED YOU'D COME UP THE SAME TIME.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MS. MICHELLE STOUT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND CITY MANAGERS.
YOU MAY RETURN TO YOUR SEATS, MA'AM.
IF YOU COULD GATHER IN THIS AREA HERE, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BRING YOUR CERTIFICATES.
OH, CAN YOU WE NEED AN ELEVATOR.
YOU, YOU MIGHT HAVE WANT TO PASS IT TO I, YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO THAT GRADUATING CLASS.
[10. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Rezoning of 4416 US Highway 17 South; and a) Consider Adopting a Statement of Zoning Consistency or Inconsistency; and b) Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone 4416 US Highway 17 South from R- 10 Residential District to C- 3 Commercial District.]
A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REZONING OF 44 16 US HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH.MR. MANAGER, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. SHELLY TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND ALDERMAN.
SO TONIGHT BEFORE YOUR, UH, HEARING BEGINS, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE REZONING.
UH, THE, UH, APPLICANT IS COREY THOMAS IN THE LOCATION, UH, AS BEFORE MENTIONED, 44 16 SOUTH US 17.
UH, CURRENTLY THE EXISTING ZONING IS R 10 RESIDENTIAL, AND THEY'RE PROPOSING TO CHANGE IT TO C3 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
THE SIZE IS HALF AN ACRE AND THE PARCEL IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED.
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USE IS THAT IT IS VACANT.THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS OUTLINED IN THE BRIGHT LIGHT BLUE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE IT IS DIRECTLY ALONG, UH, US 17 SOUTH.
UH, AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT, UH, TO THE WEST IS A HOUSE.
UH, TO THE EAST IS A VACANT LOT, AND TO THE REAR, UH, IS A HOUSE AS WELL.
AND JUST IN GENERAL, YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER VACANT, UH, PIECES OF PROPERTY THERE, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME MORE DEVELOPED, UH, PARCELS ALONG US 17 SOUTH AS OPPOSED TO THE REAR.
THERE ARE SOME, UH, RATHER SPREAD OUT HOUSING IN THAT.
AND ACROSS THE WAY, YOU CAN ALSO SEE HOUSING AS WELL.
SO, UH, THAT IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE ZONING.
UH, WE HAVE CURRENTLY, THE SITE IS R 10 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, AS I MENTIONED, UH, WHICH ALLOWS FOR SINGLE AND TWO FAMILY HOMES.
UH, 10,000 SQUARE FOOT, MINIMUM SIZE LOTS FOR ONE FAMILY DWELLINGS.
AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF LOT SIZE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH ADDITIONAL UNIT, SINCE IT COULD BE MORE THAN ONE UNIT.
SO, AS OPPOSED TO THE PROPOSED ZONING, WHICH IS C3, IT'S COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, UM, IT DOES ALLOW OFFICES, PERSONAL SERVICES, RETAIL SALES OF GOODS, AND IT, THEY'RE GENERALLY LOCATED ON MAJOR RADIO ROADS.
UH, THE EMPHASIS ON IS ON OFF STREET PARKING, CONTROLLED TRAFFIC MOVEMENT, AND AN APPROPRIATE APPEARANCE, INCLUDING SUITABLE PLANTING IS REQUIRED.
UM, THIS IS A MORE THOROUGH COMPARISON OF ALL THE USES HERE, UH, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AS THE CURRENT ONE, WHICH, AND THEN WE'VE TRIED TO LINE THEM UP WITH THE, UH, ALSO THE, UH, PROPOSED USES AND THE C3.
SO BOTH, UH, USES, UH, BOTH ZONING DISTRICTS ALLOW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, BOTH ALLOW TOWN HOMES.
THE R 10 ALLOWS A DUPLEX, UH, WHEREAS C3 ALLOWS MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
THEY BOTH ALLOW, UH, THE C3 ALLOWS HOTELS AND MOTELS.
THEY BOTH ALLOW GOVERNMENT OFFICES, SCHOOLS, NURSERY SCHOOLS, DAYCARES, RELIGIOUS FACILITIES, ATHLETIC FACILITIES, EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND UTILITY FACILITIES.
THE C3 ALSO ALLOWS COMMERCIAL OFFICES, NURSING HOMES, RETAIL MANUFACTURING, BANKS, RESTAURANTS AND BARS, HOSPITALS, BOWLING AND POOL HALLS, DRIVE IN A MOVIE THEATER, CAR SALES AND REPAIR, GASOLINE SALES AND INDOOR STORAGE.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT ON A HALF ACRE LOT, MANY OF THOSE THINGS CAN'T BE DONE OR DON'T FIT.
UH, THE SURROUNDING ZONING, I ON NORTH SIDE, UH, IS R 20 RESIDENTIAL.
THAT WAS THAT SCATTERED HOUSING I WAS TALKING ABOUT TO THE SOUTH ACROSS, UH, US 17 IS R 10 RESIDENTIAL, UH, EAST.
UH, SO TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, UH, IS ALREADY COMMERCIAL C3 AND TO THE WEST, UM, IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT IS R 10.
BUT BEYOND THAT IS ALL C3 COMMERCIAL.
WE'LL SEE THAT IN A SECOND ON THE MAP AGAIN.
SO THE UTILITIES, UH, FOR THIS PROPERTY, CITY WATER SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO THIS SITE, BUT NO SEWER IS AVAILABLE.
SO THAT ALONE WILL ALSO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF INTENSITY OF THE USE, UH, BECAUSE SEPTIC SYSTEMS WOULD BE REQUIRED.
UH, CITY ELECTRIC SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO THIS SITE.
SO THIS IS A, UM, A DUKE, UM, UH, ELECTRIC, UH, SERVICE AREA.
SO ACCORDING TO THE 2022 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE, WHICH, UM, YOU ALL JUST, UM, ADOPTED A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, THE AREA'S CLASSIFIED AS DEVELOPED, UH, WITHIN THE MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD FOCUS AREA.
IT IS, UH, ALLOWS FOR A MIX OF LAND USES IN THAT AREA.
THE RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES, UH, ARE FROM MAXIMUM OF ONE TO FIVE DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE, JUST ACCORDING TO THE LAND USE PLAN.
HIGHER DENSITIES ARE PERMITTED WITHIN MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENTS AND ZONING OVERLAY DISTRICTS WITHIN COMMERCIAL AREAS.
UM, THIS AREA IS ALSO CHARACTERIZED BY URBAN AND HIGHER INTENSITY USES THAT REQUIRE URBAN, MUNICIPAL OR PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND INCOMPATIBLE USES WITHIN THIS LAND CLASSIFICATION ARE INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL LAND USES.
SO THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY FROM THE LAND USE PLAN, WHICH IS KIND OF THE GOALS FOR THE AREA.
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS,
[00:40:01]
UH, FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.UH, UH, ACCORDING TO THE LAND USE PLAN, SUBJECT PROPERTY HAS SUITABILITY HIGH SUITABILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT.
AND ACCORDING TO THE NORTH CAROLINA FLOOD PLAIN MAPPING PROGRAM, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MINIMAL RISK FLOOD RISK ZONE, ZONE X ON THE FLOOD RISK INFORMATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS TO SAY IT'S OUTSIDE THE FLOOD PLAIN.
SO IN ADDITION, AS SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, TEMPORAL, UH, CONTEXT, UH, WE'LL SEE THAT IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT.
CAN I POINT WITH THE POINTER? OH, YEAH.
IT DOES NOT WORK ON THE SCREEN.
UM, THERE, CAN WE GET A POINTER ON THERE? ALL RIGHT.
UH, SO, UM, YOU'LL SEE ON THE, THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THERE'S THREE, UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN BLUE.
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
UM, AND THAT ONE WAS REZONED FROM R 10 C3, JUST LIKE THIS ONE.
UH, THEN THE, THE NEXT ONE IN THE MIDDLE, UH, THAT WAS REZONED FROM R 20 TO C3, UH, BACK IN 2013, IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN, UH, THE THIRD ONE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT, UH, WAS REZONED FROM A FIVE TO C3 BACK IN 2007.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, FROM THE STAFF AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD ARE FOR THE PROPOSAL TO REZONE THE SUBJECT PARCEL TO C3 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE ADJACENT LAND USES AND THE 2022 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE.
AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HEARD THIS REQUEST THAT THEIR OCTOBER 5TH, 2021 MEETING AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL WITH A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SUMMARY.
DOES BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? YES, I DO.
UH, MR. SHELLEY WAS, UM, I KNOW YOUR OFFICE DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND MADE SURE THAT A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE OF THIS UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARING TO THE CITIZENS.
UH, THAT INCLUDED THE, UM, NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER AND SIGNAGE, UH, AROUND THE PROPERTY.
WHEN WAS THE SIGNAGE DIRECTED AROUND THE PROPERTY? DO YOU KNOW? A WEEK FROM TODAY, TWO WEEKS A MONTH? UH, I DON'T REMEMBER.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THE SPECIFIC DATES, BUT I, I DO KNOW THAT THE, UM, ZONING OFFICER, UH, HAS ASSURED ME THAT THEY WERE DONE ON THE APPROPRIATE TIMING FOR THE, UH, THAT'S, UH, REQUIRED BY STATUTE.
JUST, UH, REAL QUICK, I KNOW THAT THIS MATTER WAS HEARD BY THE PREVIOUS BOARD, I THINK, LATE LAST YEAR OR EARLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, HAS ANYTHING CHANGED BETWEEN THE TIME THAT THIS MATTER WAS BEFORE THIS BOARD AND TONIGHT? WELL, THE, UH, THE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
UM, I HAVE TO SAY, UM, BECAUSE I DO NOT RECOLLECT BEING UP HERE DOING THIS, UH, PRESENTATION, IT MUST HAVE BEEN BEFORE, UH, FEBRUARY.
UH, AND WE HAVE ADOPTED THAT PLAN IN, UH, JUNE.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGE I CAN, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ZONING CHANGES, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU MEAN, UM, OR OTHER, UH, RELEVANT INTERVENING CHANGES.
OH, UH, I GUESS MAYBE THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE WOULD BE, UH, WE DID CHANGE THE, UH, UM, THE SIZE AND FORMAT AND COLOR OF OUR SIGNS, UH, AROUND THE SITE.
SO THOSE ARE NOW LARGER, LARGER FONT ON THE, ON THE TEXT AND THE COLOR IS A BRIGHT YELLOW, UH, SIGN.
AND ONE MORE QUESTION ON, UH, YOUR SLIDE NINE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, THE UPDATE, LIKE YOU TALK ABOUT TOO, THE LAND USE PLAN, UH, WHEN YOU MENTIONED, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD FOCUS AREA, THAT'S FOR BUSINESS, CORRECT? IT'S A BUSINESS CORRIDOR.
WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A LARGE AREA THAT INCLUDES BUSINESS, BUSINESS AND POTENTIALLY, UH, RESIDENT.
IT INCLUDES THE, UH, CRAVER FOREST AREA AS WELL.
SO IT'S, UH, IT'S A LARGE, UM, IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE PLAN THAT'S SHOWN AS A BIG CIRCLE.
SO IT'S BOUND TO BE, INCLUDE A LOT OF OTHER USES AS WELL.
UH, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT, OR MR. DAVIS, WHEN AN ITEM HAS BEEN OFF THE AGENDA OR TABLED FOR THIS, UH, EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR OVER A YEAR, IS THERE AN
[00:45:01]
AUDIENCE OR REGULATION THAT GOVERNS THAT THIS NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, TO BE REVISITED? ARE THERE IS NOT AN AUDIENCE FOR THAT? NO, MA'AM.ONCE IT'S, ONCE IT'S PAST THAT STEP, IT STAYS AT THIS BOARD.
UM, AND THEY'VE RE NOTICED IT AND STARTED OVER AS IF IT WERE FRESH WITH THIS BOARD.
THIS TIME I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND IF ANYONE DESIRES TO SPEAK, EITHER FOR OR AGAINST, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I RESIDE AT 44 20 HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH.
WE ARE HERE AGAIN, WE ARE HERE ONCE AGAIN BEFORE THE BOARD TO EXPRESS OUR OPPOSITION TO THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTY, LOCATED AT 44 16 HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH FROM R 10 TO C3, WHICH IS WITHIN 100 FEET OF MY HOUSE.
UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT AS I STATED ON NOVEMBER THE NINTH, 2021 BEFORE THE BOARD OF ALL, I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE HOW A BUSINESS CAN AFFECT A NEIGHBORHOOD.
LET ME GIVE YOU, LET ME GIVE THIS BOARD A LITTLE HISTORY.
UM, SOMETIME BETWEEN SOMETIME BETWEEN 2003 AND 2004, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN APPROVE A BUSINESS COMING BETWEEN MY HOME AND MY NEIGHBOR.
THIS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IN SUCH COMMUNITIES LIKE R BEING OR COLOR CAROLINA COVER COLORS OR TRENTWOOD, OR, OR TOVER, JUST THE NAME OF A FEW.
HOWEVER, A BUSINESS WAS ALLOWED TO COME INTO A PREDOMINANT MINORITY NEIGHBORHOOD, NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN TWO RESIDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ANY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD THE SAME QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE A BUSINESS BETWEEN YOUR HOME AND YOUR NEIGHBOR? WE OPPOSE THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTY AT 44 16 US HIGHWAY 17, FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL BASED ON THE SAME CONCERNS THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE THIS TO A BOARD ON JUNE 23RD, 2020, AND AGAIN ON NOVEMBER THE NINTH, 2021.
WE DO NOT WANT ANOTHER BUSINESS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OUR RESIDENTS.
WE ARE CONCERNED REGARDING THE NOISE FACTOR, BECAUSE THIS IS A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A LOT OF MANY SENIORS.
IF THE PROPERTY IS ZONED TO COMMERCIAL RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WILL NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL ON WHAT BUSINESS WILL COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY COULD SEE INCREASE IN STRANGERS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND POSSIBLY CRIME CUZ WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND A SAFETY ISSUE IN HAVING ANOTHER BUSINESS SO CLOSE TO A RESIDENT.
THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION 44 16 US HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH IS LOCATED WITHIN, AS I STATED EARLIER, 100 FEET FROM MY HOME.
AND MY COUSINS FAMILY MEMBERS ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE A BUSINESS WILL BRING, AS I STATED, STRANGERS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DISRUPT THE QUIET AND SECURITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO, IF WE COULD SEE AN INCREASE IN, UH, TRAFFIC FLOW, UH, IT SEEMED LIKE COMMERCIALISM IS JUST TAKEN OVER OUR COMM, OUR COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT WE STRONGLY OPPOSE A REZONING OF PROPERTY, OR TAKE 44 16 US HIGHWAY 17 FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL.
WE WOULD LIKE THIS BOARD TO KNOW THAT ROCK AND RUN COMMUNITY MATTERS.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, SIR, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS ED NELSON, AND MY ADDRESS IS 2 66 ROCKY RUN ROAD.
AND, UH, A FEW OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OF ROCKY RUN HAS ASKED ME TO ADDRESS YOU CONCERNING THIS MATTER.
UH, THE PREVIOUS SPOKEPERSON, UH, DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING TO YOU HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL.
I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 61 SIGNATURES THAT'S OPPOSING THE CHANGE OF, UH, THIS PROPERTY FOR THE REASONS IT'S ALREADY HAVE BEEN, UH, STATED.
SO, UM, LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE NOT REALLY ON BOARD WITH THIS,
[00:50:01]
UH, CHANGE.IF IT COULD ALL BE AT ALL, UH, PREVENTED BECAUSE OF, UH, ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND IT WOULD DISTURB TO SAY THE PEACE AND TRANQUILITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SANDRA GRAY, 44 18 HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH.
MY HOME SITE IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE MAYOR AND ALL THE BOARD OF ALMAN.
UM, I WOULD LIKE THAT FIRST ASK A QUESTION.
I KNOW BEFORE MAYOR ALL, ALL ODUM, I'M SORRY, WAS, UH, ASSIGNED AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
MY QUESTION TO YOU TONIGHT IS WHO IS ASSIGNED OR WHO IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE AT THE ROCK AND RUN COMMUNITY? WE DON'T NEED ONLY AN ASSIGNMENT, WE NEED A REPRESENTATIVE.
WE NEED SOMEONE THAT'S LOOKING OUT FOR OUR INTEREST IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THE FENCE ERECTED, ONLY ADJOURN THEIR PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS RIGHT NEXT TO MY BEDROOM.
AND WE SHOWED YOU PICTURES OF THAT BEFORE.
NOT ONLY WOULD MY PRIVACY BE AFFECTED, BUT ALSO MY PEACE.
I DO NOT BELIEVE, AND I WILL REITERATE WHAT MY COUSIN JUST SAID.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY ONE OF YOU THAT ARE SEATED HERE TODAY ON THIS WHOLE BUILDING, NOT EVEN, UH, COREY THOMAS WOULD WANT A BUSINESS NEXT DOOR TO THEIR RESIDENCE.
THE UNKNOWN INTENT OF A PERSON CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO ANOTHER PERSON.
WHEN WE MET LAST, WE SAID, I, I HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID THAT NO NEW HOMES WERE BEING ERECTED IN THAT COMMUNITY.
OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS GROWING AND THERE ARE ALSO HOMES BEING ERECTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, BUT COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE ROCKY RUN COMMUNITY ARE BEING TARGETED TO BE TAKEN OVER AND THE RESIDENTS REMOVED.
BUT WE AS A COMMUNITY STAND STRONG TOGETHER IN THE EFFORT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND PEACEFUL.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER NOT REZONING THAT PROPERTY.
UH, UM, AL ALDERMAN, UH, I JUST, UM, MY NAME'S TRAVIS OAKLEY.
I LIVE WITH THREE 19 BELL OAKS.
UM, I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, UM, FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
UM, A COUPLE POINTS THAT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE HERE THAT, THAT MR. SHELLY BROUGHT UP DURING THE, DURING HIS PRESENTATION, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AREA, A CORRIDOR THAT'S ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY COMING IN AND OUT OF NEW BERN.
UM, SO FAR I'VE HEARD THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA, IF IF WE APPROVE THIS ZONING, THIS IS GONNA CREATE NOISE.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A HIGHWAY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND IF YOU GO BACK TO, I BELIEVE IT'S SLIDE NINE THAT IS MIXED ZONING ON THAT CORRIDOR, THERE ARE ALREADY BUSINESSES ON THAT CORRIDOR THAT WERE, WERE APPROVED.
UM, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS WITH THIS PARTICULAR REZONING.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD DID A VERY GOOD JOB IN LOOKING AT THE, YOU KNOW, THE REQUEST AND LOOKING AT THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES.
THIS IS ALL MIXED ZONING ON THAT CORRIDOR.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A MAJOR HIGHWAY COMING IN AND OUT OF NEW BERN.
THIS IS NOT A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND FOR PEOPLE NOT THINKING THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT, THAT, THERE ARE NOT GONNA BE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO TRY TO REZONE ON THAT CORRIDOR.
THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FOOLISH TO THINK THAT.
SO I WOULD JUST REITERATE THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS A HIGHWAY CORRIDOR THAT ALREADY HAS MIXED, UM, ZONING.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THE BOARD KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE IF WE, IF WE SET THIS PRECEDENCE NOW THAT WE'RE GONNA PICK AND CHOOSE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN AWFULLY HARD TIME, UH, WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO BRING BUSINESSES IN HERE TO THE CITY OF NEW BE, UM, AS WE ALL KNOW THAT COURT OR AS A HIGHWAY.
I RESIDE AT 2 0 1 ROCKY RUN ROAD.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE AREA.
[00:55:01]
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS MIXED.SO FOR SOMEONE TO SEE THAT, YOU SEE THE C3, YOU SEE THE, UM, OUR 10, A LOT OF THOSE THAT IS C3 ARE STILL HOMES.
THESE, THIS WAS A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF MOSTLY ELDERLY PEOPLE.
SO A LOT OF THE C3 GOT CHANGED WHEN THEY WERE APPROACHED TO SAY THAT THE, THEIR VALUE OF THE HOME WOULD GO UP IF IT WAS CHANGED TO C3.
SO I DO WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL, FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT RESIDE IN THAT AREA.
NOT BUSINESSES THAT'S TRYING TO COME IN THE AREA, BUT RESIDENTS, PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE THAT CAN COME OUT THEIR BACKYARD FRONT YARD AND FEEL COMFORTABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE AT HOME.
SO AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS MAY BE MARKED AS C3, THEY ARE HOMES THAT ARE ON THOSE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES THAT WERE RES RESIDED BY OLDER PEOPLE.
SO IT'S FUN AND, AND, AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW WE CAN BRING UP THAT POINT OF C3 AND R 10, BUT PLEASE KEEP IN MIND FROM THE RESIDENTS, NOT PEOPLE THAT'S JUST COMING IN, TRYING TO HAVE A BUSINESS, BUT FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT ACTUALLY RESIDE IN THAT AREA.
AREA FROM HIGHWAY 17 TO ROCKY RUN, BECAUSE IT'S STILL NOTED AS THE ROCKY RUN COMMUNITY OR THE ROCKY RUN AREA.
SO IT HAS TO STILL BE LOOKED AT AT SOME POINT AS A RESIDENTIAL.
NOW WE DO HAVE SOME BUSINESSES THAT DID COME IN BECAUSE PROPERTIES GOT GOT MIXED UP OR LOST OR, YOU KNOW, SOLD BLAH, BLAH BLAH.
BUT WE STILL HAVE HOMES THERE AND OLDER PEOPLE STILL RESIDE THERE.
AND THIS IS AGAIN, FROM A RESIDENCE OF ROCKY WHITE COMMUNITY.
UH, MY NAME'S COREY THOMAS, THE OWNER OF PROPERTY 44 16 US 17 SOUTH.
I LIVE AT, UH, 1 0 7 COLE PEPPER ROAD IN BERN.
I PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN AUGUST OF 2019 AND I SURVEYED IT, I CLEARED IT, I FENCED IT.
AND SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN, I'VE MAINTAINED IT.
I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, AND THESE ARE MY REASONS WHY I THINK IT SHOULD BE CHANGED TO COMMERCIAL.
UM, THE NEED, THE NEED FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES CUZ NEW BRUNS GROWING OUT IN THAT WAY.
UM, CONFORMITY, UH, ON MY WAY HERE, UH, I LIVE ON THE OPPOSITE RIVER BEND.
I COUNTED 16 PLUS BUSINESSES FROM, FROM RIVER BEND ALL THE WAY TO BEN QUINN GAS STATIONS, UH, THAT THERE'S, UH, CAROLINA EQUIPMENT FROM TRIPLE A LINEER, UH, AMERICAN MARINA, UH, UH, UH, BABY'S PLUMBING, MIKE'S TIRE.
IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
UM, AND, UH, I FEEL FOR THE COMMUNITY, I REALLY DO.
BUT IT IS ON A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, AND THAT IS, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING.
BUT, UM, UH, AND THE THIRD REASON IS DESIRABILITY AND DEMAND.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY'S GONNA BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON THAT CORRIDOR TO BUILD A HOUSE AT THIS TIME, IN MY OPINION, IT, IT THAT THAT PROPERTY WAS, UH, UP FOR SALE FOR A WHILE BEFORE I BOUGHT IT.
AND, UH, ANYWAY, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MY TAKE ON IT.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS OR I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, MAYOR SOME
A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IN DISCUSSION.
OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS? WELL, LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT, UM, I RECEIVED, UH, CONCERN FROM THE RESIDENTS IN THE ROCKY RUN COMMUNITY.
UH, I HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THEM, UM, THEY JUST REACHED OUT, UM, TO EXPRESS THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE REZONING.
AND I CERTAINLY DO UNDERSTAND AND SIMPLIFIES WITH THEM.
THEY ARE LIFELONG RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
[01:00:01]
THERE AND, UH, AT THE ROCKY ROLLIN COMMUNITY.SO I, I DO UNDERSTAND, UH, THEIR POSITION AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, WHEN I LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, IS THIS CONSISTENT OR INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS ALREADY, UH, UH, EXISTING THERE? AND, UM, AGAIN, IN MY OPINION, I FEEL THAT YES, ECONOMIC IMPACT IS ALWAYS WELCOME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND.
BUT THEN WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT THE TRADE OFF.
AND I'VE HEARD THE RESIDENTS EXPRESS, UM, THE TRADE OFF WOULD BE THEIR TRANQUILITY OR THEIR PEACE OR, UH, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ELDERLY WHO HAVE BEEN RESIDING THERE FOR YEARS.
UH, I KNOW PERSONALLY, UM, THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE BEING REFERRED TO IN THE ROCKY RUN COMMUNITY, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
AND, AND AGAIN, YES, ECONOMIC IMPACT, BUT YES, ALSO CITIZENS, UH, HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT THEY ARE WELL INVESTED IN WITHOUT IT BEING DISTURBED NECESSARILY BY BUSINESSES.
AND, AND I KNOW THE GROWTH AND, AND I KNOW THE TREND AS, UM, MR. THOMAS HAD MADE MENTION OF AND, AND THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BEING LOCATED THERE.
BUT AGAIN, I, I LOOK AT THE SITUATION WITH THE RESIDENTS AND WOULD WE SAY THAT THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA? THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA IS ONE OF PEACE AND IS ONE OF LONG TERM INVESTMENT.
IT'S ONE, UH, WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND, AND I WOULD HATE TO, UH, BE A PART OF, OF, OF DISTURBING THE TRANQUILITY AND THE PEACE THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ENJOYING FOR SUCH A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
AND, UH, AGAIN, TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THE ZONING IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE IS THE CONSISTENT WITH.
SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING, UH, THE RESIDENTS, THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS AND CERTAINLY YOUR VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HEAR FROM THE ROCK AND WHITE COMMUNITY.
UM, MY POSITION ON THIS REZONING, UM, HAS NOT CHANGED FROM WHEN WE FIRST, UM, WHEN I FIRST ADDRESSED IT, UM, BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2021.
UM, AND I THINK IT WAS MS. GRAY WHO ASKED US THE QUESTION OF WHO REPRESENTS THEM.
YOU HAVE NO ONE ON THE PLAN AND THE ZONING BOARD THAT REPRESENTS YOU, THAT COM, THAT AREA, NOT UNLESS THIS IS CHANGED AND I'M NOT AWARE OF OR REPRESENTS IT HAS CHANGED.
WHO IS REPRESENTING THEM NOW? THERE'S ONE APPOINTMENT ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD THAT REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE ETJ AREA.
SO THAT IS RECENTLY COME ABOUT SINCE THE ZONING SINCE NOVEMBER, YES.
ON NOVEMBER SINCE THE LAST REZONING.
MR. ATTORNEY, COULD YOU CLARIFY? CAUSE THERE WERE SOME CHANGES ON THAT BOARD SO THAT FULL BOARDS, THANK YOU.
THE LAW REQUIRES THAT, UM, UM, ONE SEAT, UM, BE, BE APPOINTED TO REPRESENT THE EJ.
AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADES.
THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ETJ REP ON THAT BOARD.
I THINK WE USED TO HAVE THREE ON THERE THAT REPRESENTED THE ETJ.
AND THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS IT, IT BECAME VERY DISPROPORTIONATE WHENEVER YOU LOOKED AT A CITYWIDE ISSUE.
YOU HAD THREE MEMBERS OF A PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD THAT DID NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN MAKING DECISIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
FOR THE MOST PART, THAT'S WHAT PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HERE.
SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UM, I TOO, AS, AS, UM, ALTMAN, UM, ROYAL, UM, MENTIONED, I'M ALL FOR OUR CITIZENS WHEN IT COMES TO A CITIZEN'S HOME.
I TRY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE, TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS AND LISTEN TO THE CITY AS WELL.
AND, AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINING FACT.
OR THERE IS WHAT IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT ARE CITIZENS, THEIR WAY OF LIFE, WHERE THEY LIVE, WHAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND, AND AS, UM, ALTMAN ROYAL SAID, THIS IS A LIFELONG INVESTMENT FOR CITIZENS OF THE R ROCKY RUN COMMUNITY.
I KNOW A LOT OF FINE PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUT IN ROCKY RUN.
AND TWO AGAIN, AS ONE OF THE, UM, WELL NO, TWO OF THE RESIDENTS MENTIONED.
I WOULD NOT WANT A BUSINESS TO COME IN BESIDE MY HOME.
I WOULD FIGHT IT TOOTH AND NAIL AS WELL.
[01:05:01]
I STILL HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS.UM, I I'M NOT GONNA BRING UP ANYTHING FROM THE NOVEMBER, 2021 MEETING, BUT, UM, MY POSITION ON THIS, I'M STILL GONNA VOTE THE SAME.
I'M GONNA VOTE NO FOR NOT REZONING THIS TO, UM, C3 FOUR.
SO JUST SO THE BOARD'S AWARE AS A REMINDER, CAUSE WE DON'T DO THESE EVERY, EVERY MEETING, UH, WE WOULD NEED TO EITHER CONSIDER ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF ZONING CONSISTENCY OR INCONSISTENCY.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, CONSISTENCY MEANS THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD, WHICH IS TO REZONE IT, WHICH WAS A UNANIMOUS DECISION BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THAT, WHICH IS WHAT I BELIEVE I HEARD FROM, UH, THE TWO OTTOMAN THAT HAVE SPOKEN, THEN THAT WOULD BE A STATEMENT OF INCONSISTENCY.
AND MR. MAYOR, DID THE OTHER NEW BOARD MEMBERS UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ETJ AND THE CITY LIMITS, OR DO WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT? MR. DAVIS, COULD YOU GIVE US A 32ND SUMMARY ABOUT THE ETJ, UH, MAY MEMBERS, THE BOARD, UM, THE EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION IS AN AREA WITHIN A MILE OF THE EXISTING CITY BOUNDARY THAT THE CITY HAS LAND USE REGULATION AUTHORITY OVER JUST LAND USE AUTHORITY.
UM, THESE TERRITORIES ARE NOT IN THE CITY PROPERTY.
THEY DON'T PAY CITY TAXES, BUT THEY ARE SUBJECT TO OUR LAND USE RULES.
UM, TYPICALLY THESE WERE DONE DECADES AGO TO PROTECT THESE COMMUNITIES FROM HIGHWAY BILLBOARDS, UM, AND PUBLIC NUISANCES, UM, MANY YEARS AGO.
UH, AND AGAIN, THE CITY IS NOT FORCIBLY ANNEXED PROPERTY SINCE 1992.
BUT BACK IN THOSE DAYS, THE, THE LEGAL THEORY WAS THAT YOU WOULD EXTEND YOUR ETJ, YOUR EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION WITHIN A DECADE OR TWO.
YOU WOULD FOLLOW THAT UP WITH A FORCED AND ATION AND YOU WOULD ALWAYS KEEP MOVING OUT YOUR ETJ TO ACCLIMATE THAT TERRITORY TO YOUR LAND USE REGULATION.
BUT AS THE DECADES HAVE GONE BY IN NORTH CAROLINA, FORCED AND ATIONS HAVE BECOME LEGALLY AND POLITICALLY VERY DIFFICULT.
AND THE BOARDS BACK IN THE NINETIES AFTER THE PAINFUL ANNEXATION IN 1992, DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO ANY MORE FORCED ANNEXATIONS.
SO THAT LEAVES YOU WITH AN ETJ THAT LARGELY SURROUNDS THE CITY WITHOUT REALLY A LEGAL THEORY BEHIND IT ANYMORE, BECAUSE AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THERE REALLY AREN'T FORCED ANNEXATIONS.
THAT'S THE, A LONGER ANSWER THAN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
ON ITEM NUMBER 10, WHAT IF THERE'S NORMAL QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD? UM, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A STATEMENT OF ZONING INCONSISTENCY.
ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH OTTERMAN ROYAL.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, IF YOU VOTE YES, YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T AGREE WITH REZONING.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANYONE IN THE CONTRARY INTERESTED IN MAKING A MOTION TO ADOPT A ZONING CONSISTENCY? MAY I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A STATEMENT OF ZONING CONSISTENCY FOR 44 16 US HIGHWAY 17, SOUTH SECOND.
HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION.
SO THIS MOTION WILL BE, OR THIS VOTE WILL BE TO SUPPORT THE REZONING FROM THE RESIDENTIAL R 10 TO C3.
SO LET'S HAVE A ROLE CALL VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASER.
AND THEN MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE 44 16 US 17 SOUTH FROM R 10 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO A C3 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
ANY DISCUSSION? NOT, NOT SEVERAL CALLS STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.
[01:10:01]
ALDERMAN VEST? NO.ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 10? STAFF? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT EJS? I MEAN, THIS IS, WE'VE GOT A LIST IN FRONT OF US OF PROPOSED WORK SESSION ITEMS AND WE COULD CERTAINLY PROBABLY ADD THAT TO IT.
I THINK STAFF HAS BEEN PREPARED TO DISCUSS THAT FOR A WHILE NOW.
[11. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Section Five — Electric Line Extension Policy of the City of New Bern Electric Department's Customer Service Policies.]
NUMBER 11, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION FIVE ELECTRIC LINE EXTENSION POLICY OF CITY NEW BRUN ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY.MAYOR, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. BAARD COMING UP TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, BEFORE YOU, TONIGHT YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION TO UPDATE THE ELECTRIC LINE EXTENSION POLICY.
THE POLICY WAS LAST UPDATED AROUND 1999.
AS BEST AS I CAN TELL, TELL, UM, THESE UPDATES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING FUNCTION VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY THE POLICY IN 1990 FUNCTIONED, UH, SUCH AS IT RECOVERS COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EXTENDING THE PUBLIC ELECTRIC SYSTEM.
IT POSITIONS THE UTILITY TO BE COMPETITIVE IN AREAS OF CUSTOMER CHOICE.
IT BRINGS THE POLICY UP TO DATE WITH OUR PURCHASE POWER COSTS.
IT ELIMINATES STREET LIGHTING TRANSFORMERS FROM THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION AS THESE COSTS ARE RECOVERED THROUGH OUR OTHER RATE DESIGNS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THE POLICY NARRATIVE HAS BEEN REFORMATTED TO BRING IT UP TO CURRENT TIMES.
AND WE ADDED SOME, UH, BETTER DEFINITIONS FOR CLARITY.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
MR. CHARLIE, WE HAVE ADDED A, AN EXTRA YEAR INSTEAD OF THE, IN TWO YEARS IS THREE YEARS NOW, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
WHICH GIVES THE CONTRACTOR A LITTLE LONGER TO RECOUP HIS DOWN PAYMENT.
IT ALSO MAKES US MORE COMPETITIVE WITH THE COMPETITION IN THE AREA.
THOSE POLICIES ARE IN A THREE YEAR RANGE AS WELL.
OUT OF THE NEARBY, UM, U UTILITY COMPANIES, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE, ARE, HAVE THE SAME TYPE POLICY? IT'S UH, IT'S A MIXED BAG.
UM, EVERYTHING FROM GIVE IT ALL AWAY TO, UH, RECOVER IT ALL.
HOW? WELL OUR BIGGEST COMPETITOR IS DUKE.
HAS DUKE HAVE SUCH A POLICY? YES.
EVERYBODY ELSE, THAT WAS THE INTENT.
THAT WAS TO TRY TO, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF CHANGING THE POLICY TO BE IN LINE WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
SO CHARLIE, IN THE STREET LIGHT, THE STREET LIGHTS WILL BE INCLUDED NOW WE WILL, THE CITY WOULD NOT ACTUALLY BE THE ONE PAYING THE TOTAL COST OF INSTALLING STREET LIGHTS.
THE COST IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE, THE COST OF INSTALLING THE STREETLIGHT IS NOT PART OF THE COST THAT WE PASS ON TO THE DEVELOPER.
THE COST OF THE STREET LIGHT IS INCLUDED IN OUR RATES FOR STREET LIGHTING.
SO I'D BE, I'D BE DOUBLE DIPPING, I'D BE DOUBLE CHARGING FOR THAT, WHICH IS NOT FAIR.
BUT WE DON'T INSTALL STREET LIGHTS, DO WE? OR DOES THE CONTRACTOR INSTALL THE STREETLIGHTS? WE'LL INSTALL STREET LIGHTS.
I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY ON STREETS.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.
THAT THE CHARGE WILL GO TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE'LL PUT 'EM IN, WE'LL PUT THEM IN AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION.
BUT THE COST OF THOSE IS BUILT INTO OUR MONTHLY RATES.
BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CHARLIE? I KNOW THIS WAS A, UM, A LONG ARDUOUS PROCESS FOR YOU AND STAFF.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF US HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS, UM, TOLD THE NEW 1 0 1 CLASS THIS EVENING WHEN WE SPOKE THAT THIS IS REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
THINGS ARE SKYROCKETING, UH, FROM TRANSFORMERS TO COPPER, UM, TO GARAGE DOORS TO WINDOWS, EVERYTHING'S GOING UP.
SO THE, THE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS WE SPOKE WITH, THEY WERE REALLY EXPECTING THIS WAS NOT A SURPRISE TO THEM.
I THINK WHEN THEY FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MUCH IT COULD BE, UH, IT WAS A SURPRISE.
BUT, UH, I WANNA GIVE, UM, STAFF CREDIT FOR ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT YOU ALL PUT INTO THIS, WORKING WITH THOSE DEVELOPERS TO FIND SOMETHING THAT'S AMENABLE AS OUR ATTORNEY, UH, HAS COINED THE PHRASE, FIND SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS EQUALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED ON THIS ONE.
ON ITEM NUMBER 11, DO WE HAVE TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARING? OH, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, WE GOTTA DO A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 11.
[01:15:01]
ANTICIPATING THIS IS WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, WHEN YOU JUST SAID THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON RATE INCREASE, I MEAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RATES.
WE'RE NOT RAISING ELECTRIC, ELECTRIC RATES FOR ANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE'RE NOT, THIS DOES NOT RAISE THE, THIS IS FOR A DEVELOPER THAT IS PUTTING IN A BRAND NEW SUBDIVISION THAT WILL HAVE TO PAY HIS PART ON COPPER LINES AND TRANSFORMERS.
AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW, TRANSFORMERS USED TO COST US, WHAT, 900 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND NOW THEY'RE IN THE $9,000 RANGE WITH A THREE YEAR WEIGHT.
SO, UM, BUT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ELECTRIC RATES AT ALL.
SO WE GOT A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED, SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 11.
AND MAYOR, JUST FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A, A REVISED ORDINANCE.
UM, THAT, UM, WE FINALIZED ABOUT THREE 30 TODAY.
OVER THE WEEKEND, OUR GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS WERE CONTINUALLY WORKING THROUGH OUR DRAFT, AND, UH, PROVIDED ME SOME STYLISTIC PROPOSED CHANGES THAT WE MADE OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY.
NOTHING MATERIAL, BUT SIMPLY TO MAKE THE, UH, ORDINANCE HOPEFULLY READ A LITTLE MORE SIMPLY AND BETTER.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU RATHER THAN THE ONE IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE.
SO, MAYOR, IF THERE'S NO OTHER CONVERSATIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE SECTION FIVE OR THE REVISED SECTION FIVE.
IS THAT WHAT I SHOULD SAY? YES, SIR.
REVISED SECTION FIVE, ELECTRIC LINE EXTENSION POLICY OF THE CITY OF NEWBURN ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH OTTERMAN BEST? OTTERMAN BEST, YES.
[12. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Grant Agreement with Golden LEAF Foundation.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH GOLDEN LEAD FOUNDATION.MAYOR, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. SHS TO COME UP AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THIS GRANT.
WE CAN ALL USE SOME GOOD NEWS.
UM, ON OCTOBER 10TH, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE CITY WAS AWARDED THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT FOR RETROFIT OF THE EXISTING EAST ROAD STORMWATER, UH, PUMP STATION.
UM, THE INTENT OF THIS PROJECT IS TO LOWER THE INTAKE ON THAT PUMP.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE PUMP ONCE WE ACHIEVE HIGH WATERS IN THE AREA.
UH, BY LOWERING THIS PUMP, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BETTER HANDLE THE WATER BEFORE HE GETS OUT OF THE DITCH BAGS ON HEAVY RAIN AND INTENSE RAIN BINS.
WHAT'S THE GRANT FOR GEORGE? THE AMOUNT? YES.
UM, GEORGE, TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, AND TO OUR GRANT WRITER AND ALL THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH CH UM, GETTING THIS, THIS GRANT MONEY IN HERE.
IT'S, IT'S A DIRE NEED, ESPECIALLY FOR THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY.
UM, I WAS ECSTATIC WHEN I HEARD THAT, WHEN I GOT THE GOOD NEWS FROM MR. FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MR. WILLIAMS. AND WE WERE IN A MEETING, YOU AND I, AND HE AND I GOT THE NEWS, AND IT'S A LONG TIME COMING.
AND I, I'M JUST SO GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE FINALLY PUTTING SOME MONEY IN A POT SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME OF THE WATER ISSUES.
THE, AND NOT HURRICANE RELATED, BASICALLY RIGHT.
BUT JUST STORM WATER RELIEF OVER INTO THE DUFFY FIELD COM COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZE IN THE EXECUTION OF A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE GOLD LEAF FOUNDATION.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND IN DISCUSSION.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRINSON.
[13. Consider Adopting a Resolution Accepting the FY2022 Bureau of Justice Assistance Bulletproof Vest Program Grant.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION.ACCEPTING THE FY 22 BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANT BULLETPROOF VEST PROGRAM GRANT.
SO, SO, MR. MAYOR, WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, CHIEF GALLAGHER TO COME UP AND SHARE SOME
[01:20:01]
ADDITIONAL GOOD NEWS ABOUT ANOTHER GRANT WE RECEIVED THAT'LL HELP THAT DEPARTMENT OUT.CITY MANAGER MAYOR, BOARD OF ALDERMAN, WE'RE EXCITED THAT, UH, WE WERE GRANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFSET OUR COSTS TO, UM, REPLACE 19 BALLISTIC, UM, VESTS FOR OUR, UH, STAFF.
AND TO ALSO EQUIPPED, UH, NEW OFFICERS COMING ON BOARD.
WE ANTICIPATE PURCHASING 30, UH, BALLISTIC VESTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE, UH, UM, OF THIS GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH WILL LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE THIS LEVEL OF SECURITY FOR OUR OFFICERS.
AND, UM, WE, WE ARE HAPPILY, UH, WILLING TO MATCH THE, UH, THE OTHER PICTURES SENT TO ENSURE THAT OUR STAFF IS PROTECTED.
IS EVERYBODY ON YOUR STAFF HAVE A UP TO DATE NICE.
TOP OF LINE, WHATEVER IT, WHATEVER THE PURPOSE WOULD BE.
THE, UH, THE BALLISTIC, UH, MATERIAL USED FOR THE, UH, BULLETPROOF VEST HAS A FIVE YEAR, UH, WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY AND 19 OF OUR STAFF WILL, UH, TRANSITION OUT OF THAT FIVE YEAR WINDOW.
SO WE WILL REPLACE, UH, UH, THEIR EQUIPMENT.
AND WHEN YOU SAY FIVE YEAR WINDOW, IS THAT CONSIDERED A WARRANTY THAT COMES WITH EACH VEST OR, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPLACEMENT, IS THAT JUST ASSESSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR? UH, BOTH ALDERMAN, UH, THE WARRANTY ONLY LASTS FIVE YEARS.
THAT FIVE YEAR WINDOW IS BASED ON A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS, BUT ONE OF WHICH IS WEAR AND TEAR.
RESOLUTION AND ACCEPTING OF THE FY 2022 VIEW OF A JUSTICE ASSISTANCE BULLETPROOF VEST PROGRAM.
GRANT, I HAVE A MOTION IN TWO SECONDS, SO YOU CAN CHOOSE WHICHEVER ONE YOU WANT.
ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH OTTERMAN PR.
[14. Consider Adopting an Ordinance for the Demolition of 1607 High Street.]
CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 1607 HIGH STREET MAYOR.THIS AFTERNOON I RECEIVED A CALL FROM REBUILD NC.
UH, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD RECEIVED AN AWARD TO, TO REBUILD A HOUSE.
UM, THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS IS COMING UP ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, AND THEY'RE AWARE THAT THE CITY WANTS TO TEAR THIS BUILDING DOWN CAUSE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WITH THAT, THEY MADE THE REQUEST, UH, THEY WANT TO TEAR THE HOUSE DOWN THEMSELVES.
UH, DOING THAT WILL PREVENT A LIEN BEING PLACED ON THE HOUSE.
IF THE LIEN IS PLACED, THEN THE AWARD IS, GOES AWAY BECAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNERS DO NOT HAVE, UH, THE, THE FUNDS OR THE MEANS RIGHT NOW TO PAY OFF A LIEN.
SO, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH REBUILD NC, THEIR PLAN IS TO HAVE A CONTRACTOR IN PLACE IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS TO START THE ABATEMENT.
THERE IS LEAD IN THE HOUSE THAT HAS TO BE ABATED, AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEONE COME AND TEAR THE HOUSE DOWN AT REBUILD NCS EXPENSE.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M REQUESTING THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MONITOR THIS OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS.
MAKE SURE THAT REBUILD NC IS DOING WHAT THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE GONNA DO.
UH, AND IF THEY DON'T, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND, AND WE'LL ADDRESS THIS SITUATION.
THANK YOU MR. HUGHES VERY MUCH.
UM, TO KNOW THAT REBUILD IS GONNA TAKE THIS CHARGE OF DEMOLITION ON THAT PROPERTY, THAT'S A PLUS FOR THAT HOMEOWNER, CUZ I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYONE THAT LOSE THEIR HOME.
AND FOR THEM TO JUST HAVE A CLEAN SLATE AND DEMOLISH THAT PROPERTY, UM, AND THEN REBUILD A NEW HOME.
SO, I MAKE, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO, I, IS THIS COLBERG? IS SHE IN THE AUDIENCE? UM, AND, AND AGAIN, I'VE ALREADY COMMUNICATED, UH, WITH CHRISTIE VIA EMAIL.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALL THE EFFORT AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS.
UM, I, I THINK IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, YOU PROVIDED THE, THE INCENTIVE, UM, FOR REBUILD TO MOVE THIS ALONG, PROBABLY FASTER THAN THEY WOULD EVER HAVE DONE, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY.
[01:25:01]
PRESSURE ON THEM AS YOU CAN, AS THE CITY WILL TO GET THAT DECISION MADE AND A CONTRACTOR IN PLACE AND THE DEMOLITION DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.DO YOU NEED A MOTION ON THIS OR JUST DIRECTION? MOTION TABLE.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT ITEM 14 BE TABLED FOR DECEMBER 13TH.
WANT, DO WE NEED TO SPECIFY A DATE, 30 DAYS OR THE SECOND MEETING? NOVEMBER, WHATEVER THE, THE DATE OF THAT IS, OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE.
DECEMBER 13TH, WE GIVE AN UPDATE.
THE FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER.
I HAVE A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND TABLE.
ITEM NUMBER 14 UNTIL DECEMBER THE 13TH, 2022.
ANY DISCUSSION? UM, WE'LL JUST DO A, UH, VOICE VOTE ON THIS.
[15. Consider Adopting an Ordinance for the Demolition of 423 ( 501) Sandy Point Road.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 4 23 PARENTHESES 5 0 1 SANDY POINT ROAD.I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. SHELLY TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
I'M GUESSING WE DON'T HAVE ANY SLIDES FOR THIS.
SO WE'LL BE USING THEN THE PACKET MATERIALS.
UH, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, UH, MAYOR AND, UH, ALDERMAN.
UH, SO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS, UM, HAS BEEN, UH, ON OUR, UH, MINIMUM HOUSING WORK LIST FOR A WHILE.
AND, UH, THIS IS AT THE POINT WHERE, UH, THE, UH, THE OWNERS HAVE BEEN, UM, UH, NOT, NOT AS COOPERATIVE AS MOST.
AND SO WE ARE AT THE POINT AFTER MANY DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS, UH, TO ACTUALLY DEMOLISH THIS BUILDING.
UM, PATRICK, DO YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD PLEASE? YOU'LL SEE IN THE PACKET THERE'S ALSO A WHOLE CHRON CHRONOLOGY OF THE, ALL THE ATTEMPTS AND, UH, CONTACTS WITH THE, UH, WITH THE OWNER.
WHO DID YOU JUST POINTS OF INTEREST THAT ARE IN THIS PACK.
ONE IS THESE PROPERTIES THAT ARE HERE COME UP IN THE SAME IMPORTANT AREA.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH DEALING WITH THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA AND GETTING 'EM TO UNDERSTAND THAT IS IT'S CITY PROPERTY, BUT NOT CITY PROPERTY.
THE SAME TIME THE CITIZEN OWNS THESE PROPERTIES.
I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH HIM OVER THE LAST MONTH AND REALLY HITTING HARD AND HEAVY THIS WEEK AND LAST WEEK HE HAS AN INTEREST TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE PROPERTY.
THREE WEEKS GO BY, NOTHING'S BEEN DONE.
OKAY, I'M GONNA COME DO IT TOMORROW.
BY THE TIME FRAME GOES BY, NOTHING IS DONE.
THIS IS WHY I HAVE PUSHED TO PUT THIS ON THIS AGENDA FOR THIS ONE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
CUZ OUT OF THE FIVE THAT ARE IN THAT AREA, THIS ONE PARCEL OF PROPERTY, YOU COULD TURN TO THE AERIAL MAP.
GIS HAS TWO BUILDINGS THAT ARE ON IT.
AND THE CONTENTS OF THESE BUILDINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN SPRAWLED OUT THROUGHOUT THAT PROPERTY BY PEOPLE GOING IN THERE USING IT FOR WHATEVER THE AFFAIRS NEEDS.
AND MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA GO OUT THERE AND PICK UP THIS JUNK CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE IT.
I'VE TALKED TO MR. UH, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IN, UH, THE COURSE OF TODAY AND TOLD THEM THAT I'M STILL GONNA PUSH FOR THIS TO BE ON THE AGENDA FOR YOU GUYS TO APPROVE IT OR NOT APPROVE.
BUT I'VE ALSO PUT A DEADLINE ON THE HOMEOWNER THAT HE HAS TILL FRIDAY TO COME BACK TO US TO GIVE US A DEMOLITION PERMIT TO DO IT HIMSELF.
IF YOU APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AND HE STILL COMES WITH A DEMOLITION PERMIT, THE ORDINANCE WILL SIT THERE AND NOT DO ANYTHING.
HE CAN CARRY ON DOING WHAT HE'S DOING AND SHOW HIS GOOD FAITH EFFORT IN ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WITH HIS PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE FOR SO LONG.
IF HE DOESN'T, THEN YOU HAVE YOUR ORDINANCE THAT IS IN PLACE AND THEN WILL IMPLEMENT THE STANDARD PROCEDURES THAT I USE AFTER YOU APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF STARTING THE PROCESS THROUGH THE MO STEP UP.
UM, CAN YOU ALSO, UH, DESCRIBE, UH, THE, UM, LEVEL OF DETERIORATION ON THIS AND, AND DILAPIDATED ALL THESE PROPERTIES, THERE'S SIX OF THEM, SIX STRUCTURES IN TOTAL, FIVE PROPERTIES IN A HOLE.
SO ONE, ONE PARCEL HAS TWO PROPERTIES AND EACH OF THEM HAVE BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED BY THE HURRICANE AND LEFT AFTER THE HURRICANE.
THE HOMEOWNER DID COME IN AFTER THE HURRICANE AND DID HIS STANDARD CONSTRUCTION.
CUT, CUT OUT THE FOUR FEET OF DRYWALL, PULL OUT ALL THE INSULATION, BUT THEN HE JUST LET THE PROPERTY SIT THERE OVER TIME AND NOT PAID UTILITY BILLS
[01:30:01]
THAT LETS THE PROPERTIES BECOME ACCLIMATED TO WHATEVER SEASON THAT'S IN.THE MORE HUMIDITY THE MOISTURE GETS IN THE PROPERTY, THE MORE THE BUILDING DETERIORATES.
AS THE BUILDING DETERIORATES, IT CREATES HOLES SO THAT RAINWATER PEOPLE COME IN THERE, LEAVE THE DOORS OPEN, THE SAME PROCESS.
SO OVER TIME THESE BILLS JUST SAT THERE AND DETERIORATED OVER TIME WHERE SOME OF 'EM ARE CLOSED BEING USED AS STORAGE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME PROP.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POWER IN ACCLIMATE THAT BUILDING CAUSING WHATEVER YOUR CURATION WAS THERE AFTER THE STORM TO JUST SIT THERE.
IS IS THIS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF BRIDGETON? IT'S IN BRIDGETON AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZONING MAP OF HOW LAID OUT IT'S, SOME ARE ACTUALLY CITY PROPERTIES AND SOME ARE IN THE UJ, BUT THAT WHOLE AREA OF SANDY POINT, MAJORITY OF IT IS IN OUR UT J AND I SEE FROM THE PHOTOS THAT IT LOOKS LIKE SOME MITIGATION HAS TAKEN PLACE.
DO YOU KNOW IF IF HE'S RECEIVED FEMA FUNDS OR WAITING ON FEMA FUNDS? I DO NOT.
AND I DON'T, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM, THESE PROPERTIES WERE VACANT AT THE TIME OF FLORENCE.
SO THERE WERE NO HOMEOWNERS IN THEM, WHICH WOULD USUALLY EXCLUDE ANY OF THE HOMEWORKS FROM GETTING ANY OF THOSE GRANT FUNDS CUZ IT DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY IN THE HOME AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
UH, SO I, I THINK TO BE CLEAR, THEY'RE NOT IN THE BRIDGETON CITY LIMITS.
UH, THEY'RE IN THE COUNTY AREA.
UM, THAT'S, IT'S IN COUNTY AREA.
IT'S NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS EITHER, BUT IT'S IN OUR CITY, EJ, WHICH IS OUR EXTRA CHURCH.
HAVE WE EVER DEMOLISHED A HOUSE THAT'S IN THE EJ BEFORE WE ACTUALLY, WE HAVE, WE DID ONE OVER ON ROCK AND RUN ROAD.
THERE WAS A TRAILER THAT WAS ABANDONED BY THE TRAILER OWNER OF THE PROPERTY NO LONGER WANTED THAT TRAILER ON THERE.
THE TRAILER OWNER REFUSED TO MOVE IT, BUT WE ABOLISHED IT.
THE PROPERTY ORDER ENDED UP SUING THE TRAVEL AND GETTING THEIR MONEY BACK IN THE PROCESS.
MR. DAVIS, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S NEVER THE DESIRE OF THE CITY TO TAKE ANYBODY'S PROPERTY.
WE WANT, WE WANT THEM TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
UM, SO I, I'M GONNA ASK THIS QUESTION.
I DON'T MEAN IT IN A DISHEARTENING MANNER, BUT HOW DO WE, DO WE STILL GET OWNERSHIP OF THIS WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEING THAT IT'S NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS? UH, YES, SIR.
UM, IF IT COMES TO THAT, AND AGAIN, JUST, JUST TO ELABORATE ON YOUR POINT.
WE, WE OFFER PROPERTY OWNERS EVERY SOLUTION POSSIBLE BEFORE WE GET TO THIS POINT.
WE WORK WITH THEM CAUSE WE, WE PREFER THAT THEY FIX UP THEIR OWN PROPERTY, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO SELL THE PROPERTY, UM, TO, TO RECOVER WHATEVER EQUITY THEY HAVE IN THE PROPERTY.
AND THE CITY WILL WORK WITH THE NEW OWNER WITHOUT PENALTY TO EITHER PARTY.
IF THEY CAN'T SELL IT, WE ASK THEM TO GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, HABITAT, ANYBODY THAT CAN FIX IT UP.
AND WE WILL WORK WITH THAT ENTITY ON THE PROPERTY TO AVOID PENALTIES.
IF ALL OF THOSE FAIL, UM, WE WILL OFFER TO ACCEPT THE PROPERTY FROM THEM, UM, AND WAIVE ANY PENALTIES.
SO WE, WE GO TO EVERY EXTENT POSSIBLE NOT TO TAKE PROPERTY, NOT TO PENALIZE PEOPLE, BUT TO, TO INCREASE THE HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE IN THE AREA AND THE ETJ.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO THIS THAT THERE ARE SIMPLY, WE'RE OUT OF TOOLS AND THIS IS THE LAST TOOL.
UM, WHAT WE DON'T LIKE ABOUT THAT IS THE DEMOLITION COSTS ON THESE PROPERTIES TYPICALLY EXCEEDS THE VALUE OF THE VACANT LOT WHEN THE PROP, WHEN THE PROPERTY IS DEMOLISHED.
SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE CITY FILES WILL LEAN AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY IS THEN SOLD AT A TAX FORECLOSURE SALE, AND THE CITY AND COUNTY WILL JOINTLY OWN THE PROPERTY THEREAFTER.
UM, SO NOT ONLY DO YOU PAY THE DEMOLITION EXPENSES, BUT YOU PAY THE ATTORNEY'S FEES ON PUBLICATION COSTS, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE ON YOUR AGENDA, UH, PROPERTIES, UH, VACANT LOTS THAT MIGHT SELL FOR $2,000 WHERE THE CITY IS OWED EIGHT OR $10,000.
IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THESE EXPENSES.
DOES THE COUNTY HAVE ANY, UH, DO THEY DO ANY DEMO IN A NO SIR.
WELL, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT, THEY HAVE A NUISANCE STATUTE.
THEY DON'T HAVE A MINIMUM HOUSING CODE, BUT THEY DO HAVE A NUISANCE STATUTE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A BIT NARROW THAN, THAN THIS.
SO WHO, WHO WOULD HAVE, JUST TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHO WOULD HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THIS? THE COUNTY OR THE CITY? CAUSE IT'S IN OUR EJ OR BOTH FOR THE TAX FORECLOSURE? NO, FOR DEMOLITION.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT HAVE AN ETJ INTO ANOTHER CITY.
RIGHT? RIVER BEND IS RIVER BEND, RIGHT.
NEW BERN CAN'T GO INTO IT OR BEND WITH AN ETJ.
[01:35:01]
OF THUMB, YOU TYPICALLY SPLIT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO JURISDICTIONS, AND IF YOU WANT TO ENCROACH FURTHER THAN A HALF, YOU HAVE TO GET THEIR PERMISSION.SO YOU NEVER HAVE A SCENARIO WHERE ONE ETJ IS INTO ANOTHER CITY.
UM, ETJ BY DEFINITION IS THE COUNTY THEN, RIGHT? IT'S, YOU'RE EITHER IN THE CITY OR YOU'RE IN THE COUNTY.
SO OUR EJ IS ALWAYS OVER COUNTY PROPERTY.
HAS ANYBODY HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT THIS HOUSE? I HAVE NOT, NO.
WHO'S THE GENTLEMAN? MAYOR, MAY I APPROACH THIS? IT'S UP TO THE BOARD IF YOU WANT.
SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALLOW SOMEONE TO SPEAK.
WHO IS THE GENTLEMEN? WHO ARE YOU, SIR?
UH, I'M REPRESENTATIVE WITH
DOES THE BOARD BOARD WANT TO ALLOW 'EM TO SPEAK? ABSOLUTELY.
IS THAT A MOTION, SIR? YES, SIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I, I, I, SIR, YOU CAN COME UP AND MAYOR WHAT HE APPROACHES.
JUST TO BE CLEAR TOO, THE COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO EXERCISE ITS JURISDICTION WITHIN AN ETJ AREA THAT'S GONNA BE EXCLUSIVE TO THE CITY, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE THINKING.
LET, LET ME ASK THIS ONE QUESTION, UM, TO THE STAFF.
DID YOU SAY THERE WAS MULTIPLE, UM, STRUCTURES ON THE PROPERTY? IT HAS TWO ADDRESSES.
THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY ON BY GIS MAP, IT IS GOING TO COVER 4 23 SANDY POINT, WHICH WOULD BE THE STRUCTURE CLOSEST TO THE ROAD.
ACTUALLY, SORRY, TAKE THAT BACK.
THE STRUCTURE ON THE BACK IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE 5 0 1 SANDY POINT THIS, I'D CONFIRM THAT WITH THE, UH, TAX OFFICER.
THIS PARTS THE LAND ACTUALLY HAS TWO STRUCTURES ON IT.
TWO WITH TWO, SORRY, WITH TWO DIFFERENT S AS WELL.
SIR, IF YOU WOULD JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
UH, I'M THE SITE COORDINATOR OF THE BAPTIST MISSION REBUILD CENTER IN OLD CHERRY POINT ROAD, UH, JAMES CITY AREA.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO INTERRUPT.
I I WANTED TO INTERJECT JUST BRIEFLY.
UH, I ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY FRIDAY MORNING, UH, SPEAKING WITH THEM ABOUT PROJECTS THAT WE ARE DOING.
UH, WE ARE HERE, OUR OUR MAIN FOCUS IS HURRICANE FLORENCE REBUILD WORK.
UH, WE WORK THREE DIFFERENT COUNTIES, PAMELA, CODE, CRAVEN, AND JONES.
UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT MULTIPLE OTHER POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
UH, SEVERAL OF THOSE ARE, UH, PROPERTIES THAT HAVE STRUCTURES ON THEM THAT NEED TO BE, UH, DEMOLISHED FOR, UH, VIOLATIONS SAKE.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, 100% CLEAR DEFINITIONS OF HOW THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD WORK.
UM, BUT I AT LEAST WANTED TO EXPRESS TO YOU ALL THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT SOME, SOME ISSUES.
I AM NOT PERSONALLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY, BUT I DID AT LEAST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN GOING ON ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF OUR ORGANIZATION MAY BE BEING ABLE TO BE A SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS, UH, AND, AND OWNERS, UH, OF COUNTY AND THE CITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD NECESSARILY HAVE AN ABSOLUTE ANSWER, BUT I WOULD PROPOSE TO YOU ALL IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT OUR ORGANIZATION COULD BE OF ASSISTANCE, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
I KNOW YOU, YOU ALL DO SOME GREAT WORK.
I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK SINCE HURRICANE FLORENCE.
DO YOU, DON'T YOU TYPICALLY FOCUS ON OWNER OCCUPIED STRUCTURES OR STRUCTURES THAT HAVE HABITANTS? UH, WE DO.
OUR, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS, UM, PRIMARY HOMEOWNERS AND THE PRIMARY RESIDENT.
UH, THAT, THAT IS OUR FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, MISSION.
UH, THAT IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY GRANT FUNDING THAT WE USE.
UH, THE, WE, WE PRIMARILY RELY ON GRANT MONIES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE MONEY TO PURCHASE MATERIALS OR, OR COSTS FOR, UH, INCURRED IN, IN REBUILDING.
AND YOU ALL DON'T TAKE OWNERSHIP, YOU JUST HELP FIX THE PROPERTY UP FOR THE EXISTING OWNER, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO OWNERSHIP REQUIREMENT.
UH, IT IS SIMPLY A MINISTRY THAT WE DO TO SERVE, UH, PEOPLE
[01:40:01]
THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, AFFECTED BY STORMS AND DAMAGE.UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH SOME HOMEOWNERS, UH, THAT DON'T QUALIFY FOR OUR GRANT PROGRAMS, UH, BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO PUT FORTH MONEY FOR THEIR OWN PROJECTS.
UH, AND WE WORK WITH THEM ON THOSE SEVERAL HERE IN THE, IN THE CITY, MULTIPLE IN, IN THE COUNTY AT LARGE.
SO JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU HAVEN'T, YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS ADDIE CONTACT OR COMMUNICATION ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, CORRECT? WE HAVE NOT.
THE PARTICULAR PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE, UH, FOCUSED ON TO WRITE, WE DO NOT, BUT, UM, I KNEW IN, IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, WE WEREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY THAT WAS, UH, JUST ADDRESSED.
UM, WE HAD, WE HAD BEEN MADE PRIVY TO THAT, UH, ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF GETTING INVOLVED IN THAT PROPERTY.
UM, SO I, I FELT THE NEED TO AT LEAST SPEAK UP AND TRY TO, UM, EXPRESS, UH, TO YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER? DID YOU SPECIFICALLY COME HERE TONIGHT TO JUST TO TALK ABOUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY? IS THAT REASON I DID NOT COME TONIGHT TO, TO SPECIFICALLY SPEAK AT ALL?
UM, AND, AND, BUT YOU D YOUR YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS HAD CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY ON SANDY POINT.
IS THAT THE WAY OF MY UNDERSTANDING? NOT, NOT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UH, WE ARE, WE'RE TALKING WITH THE COUNTY.
UH, THEY, I THINK THEY HAVE TWO DISTRICTS THAT, UH, THEY HAVE DONE SOME EVALUATIONS ON AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT A THIRD DISTRICT, UH, THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, UM, HOMEOWNER PROPERTIES THAT, UM, HAVE NEEDS FOR OR ISSUES.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMPILING THOSE TO PRESENT TO US TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY HELP WITH.
I WOULD, I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THIS WOULD PROBABLY, SINCE IT'S NOT, IT WASN'T OCCUPIED DURING WHEN THE HURRICANE CAME, I, I WOULD SUSPECT THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE A PRETTY LOW PRIORITY FOR ANY OF THESE GROUPS THAT WOULD BE LOOKING TO HELP FOLKS.
YOU WANNA GET PEOPLE BACK IN THEIR HOMES THAT WERE LIVING THERE, NOT A VACANT PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, IT, IT IS OUR, IT IS OUR MINISTRY TO HELP HOMEOWNERS ANY WAY THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UH, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY HELP IN THIS CASE.
UH, I, I KIND OF PUT IN THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE A LITTLE BIT, UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, BUT I, I DID, I DID FEEL THE NEED THAT IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE THAT WE WOULD, MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP A HOMEOWNER, UH, WE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THAT.
UH, AS AGAIN, AS A LAST RESORT, UH, AS A ATTORNEY'S REFERRING TO, THEY DO WONDERFUL WORK.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD STEP IN AND REBUILD THE PROPERTY.
HAVE YOU SEEN PHOTOS OF IT? I AM TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PROPERTY.
HOW, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT, I MEAN, COULD YOU START TOMORROW MORNING WITH WORKING WITH SOMEBODY ABOUT SEEING IF THIS ORG IF YOUR ORGANIZATION COULD DO SOMETHING WITH THIS PROPERTY? UH, I MEAN, IF, IF WE GIVE YOU, IF WE GIVE HIM 30 DAYS TO SEE IF IT'S, UH, IF IT QUALIFIES TO BE REHABILITATED, GO AHEAD.
ANOTHER PART TO SERGEANT MARK, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION LATER, IS NOT TO SAY THAT WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.
THESE FIVE PARTICULAR PARCELS IN SANDY PORT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS PARTICULAR ONE RIGHT HERE IS ACTUALLY IN THE FLOOD ZONE AS WELL.
SO PART OF THE PROCESS THAT IS GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH IS IF YOU WERE TO REBUILD THAT PARTICULAR STRUCTURE IS GONNA EITHER HAVE TO BE RAISED OR TORN DOWN AND BUILT BRAND NEW.
AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME PROCESS OF WHAT THE WINTERS IS DOING.
THE HOMEOWNER, THE PROPERTY OWNER SAYS, IS GONNA DEMOLISH THE PROPERTY HIMSELF JUST CAUSE THE VALUE OF THE STRUCTURES ARE SO LOW AND THE COST OF REBUILD BEING SO HIGH, HE'D RATHER JUST HAVE IT SIT THERE AS BAKING LAND.
HOW, WHAT'S THE COST OF THE DEMOLITION ON THESE PROPERTIES? THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS 16 $800 PER PROP, PER STRUCTURE ON THE PROPERTY.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT OVER, OVER 12, 1300, $13,000, $13,000.
AND WHAT WOULD IT, WE WOULD TAKE POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY AT THAT POINT.
WELL, WHAT DO WE DO AT THAT POINT? NO, SIR.
WE GO THROUGH THE TAX FORECLOSURE PROCESS WITH THE COUNTY AND THAT THAT WOULD TAKE SIX
[01:45:01]
TO 12 MONTHS, UM, INCUR THOSE LEGAL FEES.AND THEN WHAT'S THE TAX VALUE OF THE PROPERTY? I DUNNO.
WELL, I HAVE, AND THEN WE HAVE TO SPLIT THAT WITH THE COUNTY PROPORTIONATELY WITH THE TAXES, NOT WITH AR LIE, ARLENE DOESN'T COUNT AS AN UNELECTED TAX.
SO IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING CLOSE TO 50 50.
I JUST HATE TO SPEND 13, $14,000 FOR A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S NOT EVEN, SO THE DEMOLISHED, IT'S NOT EVEN SIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND IN THE FLOOD ZONE PART.
I I WOULD RATHER SEE THE COUNTY STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF IT IF IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I DON'T THINK THEY WILL THOUGH.
WELL, IF I MAY, UM, MS. COLBERG ALSO HAS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE, UH, THEY, UM, HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS PROPERTY AS WELL.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO WHAT HAS TO SAY OR DO YOU WANT TO HEAR SOMEBODY ELSE? IF SO, I NEED A MOTION TO ALLOW HER TO SPEAK.
I, I, I'M THE OPPOSED THE MIC IS YOURS.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT CRAVEN COUNTY DISASTER RECOVERY ALLIANCE.
UM, AS I'M HEARING THIS CONVERSATION, I'M ACTUALLY WORKING WITH MY RECOVERY DIRECTOR TO, UM, RESEARCH THIS PROPERTY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS, UM, DISCUSSION COULD BE SOMEWHAT, UM, OMITTED IF YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE ARE THE LONG TERM RECOVERY GROUP.
WE WORK WITH, UH, HURRICANE FLORENCE AND HURRICANE MATTHEW CLIENTS, UM, HOMEOWNERS AS WE PREFER.
UM, WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN SAID PROPERTY.
WE DON'T GET OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY.
WE DON'T TAKE PAYBACK FROM THE CLIENTS.
UM, WE'RE NOT PAID BY CITY, COUNTY STATE.
SO, UM, WE, WITH WHAT WE DO, WE DO, UM, PRETTY DILIGENT CASE MANAGEMENT INTO EACH OF THESE HOMES AS THEY'RE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE OR AS WE ARE REACHING OUT TO FIND IF THEY HAVE, UH, RECOVERY EFFORTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
SO, UM, AS WE LOOK AT THIS HOME, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE WAS A RENTER THAT FILED FOR FEMA, NOT THE HOMEOWNER.
UM, I CAN ALSO TELL YOU THAT THE HOMEOWNER OWNS MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AND IS LIKELY A LANDLORD, UM, IN THIS AREA.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE TYPE OF DILIGENCE THAT WE DO IN THESE CASES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HELPING THOSE WHO REALLY NEED THAT ASSISTANCE.
WE DON'T WANNA FIX LANDLORD HOUSES.
UM, WE WANNA FIX THOSE HOMES WHERE THE, THE HOMEOWNERS HAVE NO OTHER OPTION FOR RECOVERY.
UM, I HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING WITH MR. SHELLY AND, UM, MR. PATRICK TODAY AND, YOU KNOW, EXPLAINED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND HOW I THINK WE COULD REALLY BENEFIT THE CITY WITH PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS ONE.
AND, UM, THE PREVIOUS ONE THAT WAS JUST TABLED, UM, AT HIGH STREET, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS FOR 26 DAYS WITH THAT CASE AND WE'VE SEEN MORE ACTIVITIES THAN WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN TWO YEARS.
SO WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH REBUILD WITH BAPTIST, UM, WITH THE COUNTY, AND HOPEFULLY NOW THE CITY, UM, I REALLY THINK THAT WE COULD START CHANGING, UM, THE HURRICANE OF HURRICANE EFFORTS IN OUR COUNTY AND CITY.
UM, IF WE ALL JUST WORK TOGETHER ON THESE CASES.
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY? THAT IS YOUR DECISION, BUT I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE DATA THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED AND YOU CAN USE THAT KNOWING THAT IT HAS BEEN COLLECTED.
SO, SO WITH WHAT YOU SAID, YOU SAID THAT THIS WAS A MOST LIKELY A LANDLORD OWNED HOME, BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE YOU, THE HOMEOWNER DID NOT FILE FOR FEMA FOR THAT HOME.
SO IF THIS IS NOT A PROPERTY THAT YOUR GROUP WOULD TYPICALLY HELP WITH, IT WOULD NOT.
AND THE HOMEOWNER, THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTS IT DEMOLISH BECAUSE THE VALUE OF FIXING IT IS TOO MUCH.
UM, I, I GUESS THE ONLY ISSUE, AND THE ONLY QUESTION WE HAVE HERE IS DOES THE CITY WANT TO TAKE ON THE BURDEN OF THE EXPENSE OF THIS DEMOLITION OR NOT? NO.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO GIVE ANSWERS.
WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPER DATA IS GIVEN FOR THE BOARD, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE HOMEOWNERS, TO MAKE THE BEST EDUCATED DECISION IN THE FUTURE OF THESE HOMES.
BUT THIS SUSPENSE WOULD GO TO THE HOMEOWNER EVENTUALLY.
SO THIS IS, YOU'VE HAD, I'M LOOKING AT THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF EVENTS HERE AND IT DOESN'T SEEM, APPEAR TO ME THAT THIS HOMEOWNER HAS ACTUALLY BEEN STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND, AND
[01:50:01]
GETTING YOU THE NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT Y'ALL NEEDED FOR PERMITS AND WHAT, WHATEVER.SO YOU'VE NOT HAD ANY CONTACT WITH HIM WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS? WE'VE HAD.
WHEN HE TURNED IN, HE ORIGINALLY TURNED IN PERMITS TO REPAIR THE PROPERTIES AND THE PERMITS DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE ADEQUATE INFORMATION FILLED OUT.
SO WE DIDN'T ACCEPT THE PERMITS, GAVE 'EM BACK TO THEM.
I EVEN DETAILED IN EMAIL EXPLAINING WHAT WAS NEEDED TO BE DONE ON EACH PARTICULAR PROPERTY IN ORDER TO TAKE, BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THE PERMITS.
NEVER RETURNED ANY OF THE PERMITS TO US.
CHUNK OF TIME WENT BY TWO, THREE MONTHS, CALLED HIM AGAIN, HEY, ARE YOU GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH AN EMAIL I SENT YOU? UH, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? SENT UP TO HIM AGAIN? AND HE'S LIKE, OKAY, I'LL JUST DEMOLISH 'EM.
NEVER BROUGHT ANY DEMOLITION PERMITS.
THEY SENT 'EM TWO DIFFERENT EMAILS WITH BLANK DEMOLITION PERMITS IN THEM TO FILL OUT AND BRING BACK TO US TO SAY, GIVE US SOME TYPE OF GOOD FAITH EVIDENCE.
YOU ARE ACTUALLY GONNA DO SOMETHING WITH THESE PROPERTIES AND WE WON'T HAVE TO COME TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND THEY ARE RENTAL PROPERTIES.
DO YOU KNOW, AT TIME OF THE STORM? YES.
THEY BEEN, ANYBODY LIVING IN ANY OF THOSE STUFF.
SO ATTORNEY DAVIS
IT'S NOT A CITY PARCEL, IT'S A COUNTY PARCEL.
SO HOW WOULD THAT, HOW WOULD THAT CHARGE BE IMPOSED ON THAT PARCEL OF LAND? IT WOULD GO ON THE COUNTY TAX BILL AND IT BECOMES A COUNTY ISSUE.
WELL, IT WOULD GO ON THE COUNTY TAX BILL, BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD, UM, REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY INITIATE THE FORECLOSURE AND AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT OUR LIEN.
AND, AND THEY, THEY ARE, THEY ARE ALWAYS A GOOD PARTNER WITH US AND I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO BE HELPFUL TO US.
THE MATH PROBLEM THOUGH IS THAT THE COUNTY IS GONNA SPEND 700 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO COLLECT, UM, WHAT MAY BE NO BACK TAXES FOR THEM.
TAXES MAY BE CURRENT ON THAT PARCEL, BUT TO COLLECT OUR $13,500, IF IT'S NOT PAID, THE PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD AT AUCTION.
UM, AND WE MAY BE THE HIGHEST BIDDER OF THE CITY WITH OUR $13,500 LIEN, WHICH MEANS YOU GET THE PROPERTY BACK.
AND WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT'S THE REAL VALUE OF A VACANT LOT IN THE FLOOD ZONE IN THAT AREA? I SIMPLY DON'T KNOW.
I WOULD EXPECT, UM, MY EXPECTATION IS LOW THAT WE WOULD RECOVER OUR MONEY.
UM, I SAY THAT BECAUSE MOST PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, ARE PRETTY GOOD AT MATH WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR OWN PROPERTY.
AND IF HE COULD DEMOLISH IT AND STILL HAVE EQUITY IN HIS LOT, I WOULD EXPECT HIM TO DO THAT.
SO THE TAX VALUE, THE LAND VALUE IS $15,000 OFTENTIMES TOO.
UM, OUR ASSISTANCE TO THE ATTORNEY HAS SPENT TIME SPEAKING WITH THIS GENTLEMAN AS WELL.
AGAIN, WE, WE DO OUR BEST TO EDUCATE AND CAJOLE PEOPLE INTO HELPING THEMSELVES.
UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO GROUPS OF FOLKS.
SOME FOLKS SIMPLY HA DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO HELP THEMSELVES.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT PROBLEM THERE.
THERE'S JUST HOPES AND DREAMS AND NO MONEY TO BACK UP THE PROBLEM.
IN THIS CASE, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THERE ARE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE ABILITY TO GENERATE ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK AND TO FOLLOW UP WITH MEETINGS AND TO TAKE THEM TO THE STEPS NECESSARY.
SO IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IN A LOT OF THESE CASES, WE WILL WORK OUT PAYMENT AGREEMENTS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS WHERE, UM, WE AGREE BY CONTRACT TO THE DEMOLITION AND THEY AGREED TO PAY US BACK ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS FOR US TO RECOVER OUR DEMOLITION COST.
UM, SO THAT'S, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S BEEN OFFERED TO THIS JOB THAT WAS DIRECTLY OFFERED TO 'EM IN THE PHONE CALL TO REFUSED THAT FOR THE SIMPLE FACT HE DOESN'T LIKE MAKING PAYMENTS.
WHAT WAS THE LAST, WHAT DID YOU SAY, SIR? HE REFUSED WHAT THAT QUESTION PROPOSED BY MR. DAVIS OF WE'LL DO THE DEMOLITION, YOU PAY THE CITY BACK OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, POSED DIRECTLY TO THE HOMEOWNER AND HE REFUSED TO TAKE THAT OFFER FOR THE FACT THAT HE DOESN'T LIKE TO MAKE PAYMENTS.
DOES ANYBODY EVER SUGGESTED THAT HE GIVE IT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BURN DOWN FOR TRAINING? I, I'M NOT THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BUT THEN COMES INTO THE AREA OF, IS THAT IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S JURISDICTION TO GO DO THAT? YEAH.
WELL, IT'S NOT IN THE CITIES, BUT IT SOME, IT'S IN, IT'S IN, UH, LITTLE SMITH CREEKS.
THE, THE FINANCIAL CONUNDRUM HERE IS WHAT'S SO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OF THE OTHER ONES THAT WE DO IS OUR GOAL IS TO GET THIS PROPERTY BACK ON THE TAX ROLL.
THIS IS NEVER GONNA HAPPEN FOR THE CITY.
SO WHILE WE MAY RECOUP OUR DEMOLITION COST, BEST CASE, BEST CASE, IT'S NEVER GONNA GET BACK ON THE
[01:55:01]
TAX ROLL.SO A AGREE WITH MASTER, I THINK YOU CONTACT EM, GIVE EM SOME MATCHES AND SOME GAS AND TELL 'EM TO GO AT IT, DO IT, AND ASK WHAT THE TAX VALUE OF THE LAND WAS IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
THE PLAN LOAN VALUE OF $15,000.
SO, SO MAYBE WHAT I'M HEARING IS MAYBE WE TABLE THIS FOR 30 DAYS, UM, OR THE OTHER OPTION IS TO ADOPT THE DEMOLITION ORDINANCE AND INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER NOT TO SCHEDULE THE DEMOLITION FOR 30 DAYS AND REPORT BACK ON ANY PROGRESS THAT HE'S MADE WITH THE OWNER.
SOMETIMES IT, IT, IT TAKES NO, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE'S GOING TO GET IT.
WELL, I RECOMMEND WHAT MR. DAVIDSON SAID IN THE LAST PART.
ADOPT THE MEASURE AND LET IT, LET IT SIT THERE.
GIVE HIM TILL FRIDAY AND LET HIM SEE IF HE'S GONNA ACTUALLY HOLD UP TO HIS DEGREE AND SAY, HEY LOOK, I WILL BRING YOU A DEMOLITION PERMIT, LIKE I SAID BY FRIDAY AND START SHOWING SOME TYPE OF GOOD FAITH EFFORT.
IF NOT, THEN WE'LL WAIT 30, 30 MORE DAYS TO SEE WHAT HE DOES FROM THERE.
WELL, MY CONCERN IS WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY WAS, WHATEVER SOLUTION WE COME UP WITH THIS ONE, THERE'S FOUR MORE PROPERTIES COMING BEHIND IT.
SO THIS PROBLEM'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
ALL RIGHT, MR. DAVIS, I GONNA FURTHER COMPLICATE THIS.
UM, PREFERABLE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CONTIGUOUS.
IT WILL BE BEST IF IT IS CONTIGUOUS TO AN EXISTING CITY BORDER.
UM, EVEN IF NOT, WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
I'M JUST SAYING THE OTHER FOUR PARCELS, ARE THEY NEAR THIS ONE? THEY'RE ALL IN THE GENERAL BRIDGE AREA? YES.
YOU CAN WALK FIVE MINUTES EACH ONE.
NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S TWO THAT ARE ACTUALLY ADJACENT.
BUT, BUT IS ALL FIVE OF THESE FOUR OF THESE PROPERTIES IN THE FLOOD ZONE, THE FIVE PARCELS, FOUR OF THEM ARE IN THE FLOOD ZONE.
WHAT'S PLEASURE OF THE BOARD GETTING TIRED OF THIS ONE? HOW ABOUT Y'ALL? YEAH, I'M TIRED OF IT TOO.
JUST TO BE CLEAR TOO, THE DEMOLITION ORDINANCE DOES NOT MANDATE THAT THE CITY MANAGER ACT ON IT.
IT CAN SIT THERE FOREVER OR WE CAN BRING IT BACK FOR US.
SO YOU CAN USE THIS AS, AS LEVERAGE, THAT'S WHAT STAFF IS ASKING FOR.
THEN THAT BEING SAID, AND WITH THAT BEING THE UNDERSTANDING, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE ORDINANCE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 4 23 AND 5 0 1 SANDY POINT ROAD.
DO I NEED TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT, SCOTT? TO, FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO HOLD? IF LET'S, LET'S DO IT.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD, UM, ADOPT THAT AND THEN THE BOARD CAN GIVE US ANY MANAGER DIRECTION AS TO SCHEDULING ANY DE ANY, UH, DEMO.
ANY DISCUSSION OR WANNA UNDERSTAND THE MOTION? LET'S HAVE A ROLE CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
NOW, MS. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO HOLD THIS DEMOLITION, UM, ORDINANCE UNTIL, UH, ENOUGH TIME FOR MISS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE IS GOING TO DEMOLISH IT HIMSELF.
IS THAT CORRECT, SCOTT? YES, SIR.
LET'S, IN OTHER WORDS, DELAY THE DEMOLITION, UM, UM, MAYBE FOR 30 DAYS AND REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD.
AND I, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE INFORMATION ON THE OTHER FOUR PROPERTIES AS WELL TO START LOOKING AT THAT.
AND I CAN PUT THE ON THE NOTE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING UP TONIGHT.
[16. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for FY 2022- 23.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2223.MR. HUGHES MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ASK MS. OMAN TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT RECOGNIZES GRANTS OF $249,760 FROM THE GOLDEN LEAF FOUNDATION, WHICH WAS NU ITEM NUMBER 12.
UM, THE FROM EARLIER, UH, IT'S FOR THE ROSE STREET PUMP RE AND $45,000 FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA RESILIENT COASTAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM FOR THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IMPROVEMENT.
THE BASIN RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECT, NEITHER GRANT REQUIRES A MATCH.
THE AMENDMENT LOCAL REC ACKNOWLEDGES A GRANT OF 14,891
[02:00:01]
FROM THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE.UM, IT'S THE BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT, WHICH WAS ITEM NUMBER 13.
MATCHING FUNDS OF 14,891 ARE REQUIRED AND HAVE BEEN BUDGETED IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S UNIFORM EXPENSE ACCOUNT OR HAVE QUESTIONS? NONE.
SARAH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR THE FY 2223.
SECOND, HAVE MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? NOT LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN AS ALDERMAN ASER.
[17. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the Township 7 Sewer Improvements Project Fund.]
17, CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE TOWNSHIP SEVEN SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND MR. HUGHES.I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. HOUSTON, I GIVE, GIVE A BRIEF, UH, DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWNSHIP SEVEN SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT AND ITS TIMELINE.
JORDAN, WHO DID YOU MAKE MAD TO BE ITEM NUMBER 17 ON THIS AGENDA.
UH, MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A, A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO TRANSFER MONEY FROM THE SEWER FUND INTO THE TOWNSHIP SEVEN PROJECT FUND.
UH, THIS IS A PROJECT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH A NUMBER OF YEARS, KIND OF OFF AND ON AGAIN, UH, COURT DATE WITH SOME OF THE D O T WORK IN JAMES CITY.
UH, BIDS FOR THE PROJECT WILL ACTUALLY BE OPEN, WILL BE RECEIVED, AND HOPEFULLY OPENED, UH, THIS THURSDAY.
UH, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, WE GET, UH, THE CONTRACTOR HERE GET UNDER CONTRACT.
WE, WE ANTICIPATE BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH THIS PROJECT IN EARLY, UH, CALENDAR YEAR 23.
SO JUST AFTER, UH, THE NEW YEAR, WE HOPEFULLY BE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT AND, AND ACTUALLY GET SOME PIPE IN THE GROUND.
UH, A FEW OF THE COMPONENTS FOR THE PROJECT, MAINLY THE PUMP STATION COMPONENTS HAVE AN EXTREMELY LONG LEAD TIME.
UH, WE TYPICALLY ACTUALLY PROVIDE THESE TO THE CONTRACTOR.
THAT WAY WE GET EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD WANT IS THAT EXACT EXACTLY THE EQUIPMENT WE WANT INTO THE PUMP STATION.
UM, SO WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE ORDERED EVEN BEFORE WE KNOW WHO THE CONTRACTOR IS.
IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
THE SAME EQUIPMENT GOING INTO THE PUMP STATION.
UH, SO THE BUDGET AMENDMENT TRANSFERS, THE FUNDS NEEDED TO GO AHEAD AND ISSUE THE POS FOR THAT EQUIPMENT.
IT'S THE PUMPS, THE CONTROL PANELS, THE TELEMETRY EQUIPMENT, THE BACKUP GENERATOR, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH, UH, THE THINGS THAT ESSENTIALLY ALL THE MOVING COMPONENTS IN THE PUMP STATION BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? YES.
I HEARD YOU MENTION JAMES CITY.
ARE THERE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT COMPRISE TOWNSHIPS? NUMBER SEVEN? YE YES, MA'AM.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART, THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT ALL OF OUR SEWER CUSTOMERS THAT ARE ON THE JAMES CITY SIDE OF THE TRENT RIVER.
SO ANYBODY THAT'S IN NEW BERN PROPER, AS WELL AS THE, THE AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES THAT WE SERVE WITH OUR, OUR, OUR STEPS WHO ARE SYSTEM MOVING THERE WILL ALSO BENEFIT FOR THIS PROJECT.
MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DOCUMENT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ABSENT SEVEN SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUND.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND INTO DISCUSSION.
HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH OTTERMAN KINZIE.
[18. Appointment(s).]
UM, OTTERMAN BRISSON, ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? UH, YES SIR.I HAVE UH, I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE ERIC THOMPSON TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
HE SUBMITTED HIS APPLICATION, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN FOUR TO ALL OF YOU, AND, UH, HE'S EXPRESSED HIS INTEREST TO ME.
I HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. THOMPSON.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY MORE? IS THAT ALL SIR? THAT'S ALL AUTUMN BEST.
ANY APPOINTMENTS? I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, OTTOMAN BRENSON.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF MY APPOINTMENT.
UM, LOOKS LIKE THE BOARD IS BEING ASKED TO APPOINT TO, UH, DAVID COX TO THE OSAMA BOARD.
THAT'S TYPICALLY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY, UH, FOR THE SOLID WASTE INDUSTRIAL COLLECTION SITE.
THE LANDFILL, ESSENTIALLY IT'S TYPICALLY BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS OVER THE YEARS.
UH, WITH THAT POSITION BEING VACANT, I THINK THE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF WAS DAVID COX, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY, OR IF YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN MIND.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF DAVID COX AS
[02:05:01]
NEW BERN'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COASTAL REGIONAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT MAJORITY.ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED, RIGHT? ME? YES, WE, WHO WILL YOU GO ON? CAN I ASK A QUESTION PLEASE? UM, MAYBE I NEED TO DIRECT THIS QUESTION.
MAYBE I NEED TO DIRECT IT TO THE CITY CLERK CUZ SHE USUALLY HANDLES THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE DIFFERENT BOARDS.
IS THERE A PROCESS IN PLACE? CAUSE I KNOW IT'S KIND OF TAXING TO ME TO TRY TO FIND PEOPLE TO SERVE ON THESE BOARDS AND
THERE'S A LINK FOR THEM TO EMAIL ME DIRECTLY THEIR RESUME, OKAY.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY SOURCE THAT WE HAVE FOR IS OUR CITIZENS BEING INFORMED AND THEY CAN GO TO THAT WEBSITE.
THERE'S NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OR ANYTHING THAT'S MAYBE POSSIBLY DONE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR OR SOMETHING TO HIGHLIGHT INDIVIDUALS.
I KNOW THESE BOARDS ARE TIME, ARE TERM PERIODS, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY SOURCE THAT WE HAVE.
WE DO MENTION IT DURING NEW BERN 1 0 1.
WHICH IS A GREAT RESOURCE WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INVOLVED.
SO IT'S ANNOUNCED DURING THOSE SESSIONS.
I BEST WE CAN CERTAINLY RELEASE THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND, AND PRESS RELEASES AS WELL, JUST TO LET THE CITIZENS KNOW, UM, THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SERVE ANY CAPACITY OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR THAT.
JUST, UH, JUST WANNA BE CLEAR POINT CLARIFICATION.
SO THE APPOINTMENT THAT OTTERMAN BRISSON MADE TONIGHT WAS TO FILL THE OPEN VACANT POSITION THAT ALTMAN BEST HAS.
SO THE BOARD, WE STILL HAVE TWO OPENINGS FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE ALL ALT ALT MCKENZIE.
ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? NOT TONIGHT, SIR.
[19. Attorney's Report]
ATTORNEY'S REPORT, NOTHING REPORT TONIGHT.[20. City Manager' s Report.]
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TWO THINGS, SIR.UH, ONE DOWNTOWN SATURDAY, UH, UH, DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES ARE GONNA BE OFFERING TRICK OR TREATING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE GIVING OUT CANDY HERE AT CITY HALL FROM FOUR TO SIX.
IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO BRENDA AND, AND LET HER KNOW.
ALSO, PARKS AND RECREATION WILL HAVE SOME GAMES AND ACTIVITIES DOWNTOWN, AND THEY WILL BE DOING A HALLOWEEN MOVIE AT UNION POINT PARK SATURDAY EVENING.
ALSO, OUR WORK SESSION IS COMING UP ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD FROM 1230 TO 5:00 PM SO YOU HAVE A LIST OF PROPOSED, UH, TOPICS TO DISCUSS, AND YOU CAN ADD TO THAT LIST, THE SALARY STUDY IN THE ETJ.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR LIST, IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT, UH, ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE, UH, TO HAVE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AND WE WILL, UH, GET THE PREPARATIONS DONE.
IF THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU PREFER NOT TO TALK ABOUT AT THIS TIME, LET ME KNOW AS WELL, AND WE WILL GO FROM THERE.
MR. HUGHES, THE, THE DATE AND THE TIME, IF YOU COULD JUST REMIND THE BOARD ON OUR WORK SESSION, THAT IS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 1230 PM TO 5:00 PM SO BOARD I, I'M JUST GONNA THROW THIS OUT THERE.
THIS IS, THERE'S A LOT OF TOPICS HERE.
UM, I HAD PROJECTED THIS MEETING TO THE NEWBURN 1 0 1 GROUP.
THEY ASKED ME HOW LONG IT'S GONNA LAST.
I WAS OFF A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT.
SO WE NEVER KNOW HOW LONG THESE ARE GONNA LAST.
SO JUST WANT TO THROW THESE OPTIONS OUT THERE TO YOU.
UH, IF COME THE END OF THIS WORK SESSION THAT DAY, IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES, WE COULD CONTINUE THAT WORK SESSION TO A LATER DATE OR TIME.
COULD BE THE NEXT DAY, IT COULD BE THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE MAY WANNA KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE COME TO THAT EVENT THAT DAY.
UH, IN CASE WE DON'T GET THROUGH ALL THESE AGENDA ITEMS, WE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
[21. New Business.]
NEW BUSINESS? WE'LL START WITH OTTERMAN PR.OTTERMAN ROYAL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE MENTION OF THE FLYER THAT WE HAVE BEFORE, SAVE THE DATE FOR THE MEDICAL FUNDRAISER FOR OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATE, ALFRED BARFIELD ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2020 11 TO 3:00 PM AT THE OMEGA CENTER.
THAT'S NICE, HUH? ALDERMAN BEST? YES, I DO.
I JUST NEED AN UPDATE FROM, UM, I GUESS SHE'S ALREADY LEFT
THE, THE SHEETROCK SUBCONTRACTOR STARTED
[02:10:01]
TO WORK AT SOME POINT LAST WEEK, SO THEY ARE BUSY DOING THAT.ONCE THEY FINISH, THE TILE FLOORS WILL BE GOING IN AND THEN KITCHEN CABINETS WILL BE GOING IN.
AND THEN WE SHOULD BE ABOUT READY TO, UH, HAVE OUR GRAND OPENING.
SO I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A DATE AND TIME CAUSE IT'S BEEN EVERY TIME WE'VE GOTTEN TO A SUB TO DO THEIR WORK, THERE'S BEEN SOME TYPE DELAY IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
I, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE, OUR GRAND OPENING WAS GONNA BE THIS SUMMER, AND THAT'S ORIGINALLY WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, BUT WE'RE AT THE MERCY OF OUR, OUR SUBSTANCE AND THE SUPPLIES.
WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.
UM, ALSO ANOTHER, ANOTHER COMPLAINT THAT I HAD, UM, WHICH I TALKED WITH YOU EARLIER ABOUT THIS, UM, IS THE SHELTER AT EVERGREEN CEMETERY.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN, IF THAT SHELTER WOULD BE PAINTED, UPGRADED? UH, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO, SO IT CAN NOT BE AN EYESORE FOR OUR, FOR OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEY COME TO THE, TO THE CEMETERY TO VISIT OR TO BURY THEIR LOVED ONES, THAT THEY HAVE TO STAND OVER THERE ON THE SHELTER THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S 50 YEARS OLD.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO PLANS TO REPLACE THAT IN OUR BUDGET, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE STAFF GO AHEAD AND, UH, REPAINT THAT AS NEEDED AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT STRUCTURE LOOKS AS GOOD AS IT CAN POSSIBLY BE.
WE'LL GO OUT THERE TOMORROW AND CHECK IT OUT.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, BUT HE'S ALREADY LEFT, BUT I'VE FORGOTTEN TO THANK, UM, UM, MATH MATTHEW, UM, SHELLY AND HIS STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK, ALONG WITH, WITH MARGARET SHIELD FOR GETTING THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT.
ALL ROBERTS, I'M GONNA TRY AND, UH, KEEP THIS BRIEF AND, UH, MADAME CLERK, I CAN EMAIL THIS TO YOU LATER, BUT SINCE OUR NEXT MEETING IS NOT TILL NOVEMBER 8TH AND THERE'S A LOT OF VETERANS ACTIVITIES GOING ON DURING THAT WEEK, I WAS GONNA, UH, ANNOUNCE A FEW OF THEM THAT ARE GOING ON, UH, NOVEMBER 7TH AT NINE 30.
UH, AMERICAN LEGION POST 5 39, IF YOU REMEMBER, CLEANED UP, UH, THE VETERAN'S GRAVES IN, UH, GREENWOOD CEMETERY LAST YEAR, UH, AS A SERVICE PROJECT.
THEY'RE GONNA GO BACK THROUGH AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL CLEAN, UH, A YEAR LATER, UH, PRIOR TO VETERAN'S DAY AND ALSO REESE ACROSS AMERICA.
THEY ARE, UH, AN OFFICIAL DESIGNEE FOR REESE ACROSS AMERICA THIS YEAR, UH, IN GREENWOOD CEMETERY.
THEN ON NOVEMBER 8TH, THE NEXT DAY, I'M, I'M GLAD, UH, ALTMAN BEST BROUGHT UP EVERGREEN CEMETERY BECAUSE AT NINE 30 ON NOVEMBER 8TH, AMERICAN LEGION 5 39 AND THE MUNFORD POINT, MARINES ARE GOING TO DO AN INITIAL CLEANUP OF VETERANS HEADSTONES.
UH, SO IT'S A CONTINUATION OF THAT PROJECT IN OUR, OUR CITY CEMETERIES THAT CLEAN UP VETERANS HEADSTONES.
THEY BELIEVE THAT ONE, UH, MON FOR PORT MARINE IS BURIED IN GREENWOOD, AND WE THINK THAT THERE ARE EIGHT BURIED IN EVERGREEN, WHICH IS WHY, UH, THE MON FOR POINT MARINES WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
UH, THIS WILL BE A MULTI-DAY PROJECT AS THE GROUP, UH, ALSO BELIEVES WE'VE GOT TWICE AS MANY VETERANS IN GREENWOOD AS WE DID IN EVERGREEN.
UH, YOU CAN CONTACT AMERICAN LEGION POST 5 39 OR MYSELF WITH QUESTIONS, OR YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP TO, TO HELP.
UH, SO AGAIN, THAT'S NOVEMBER 7TH AND EIGHTH FOR, UH, CEMETERY CLEANUP.
THEN ON NOVEMBER 9TH FROM 10 TO 1:00 PM UH, THE CRAVEN COUNTY VETERANS STAND DOWN WILL BE AT THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY ON GLEN BURNIE DRIVE.
UH, THIS IS SPONSORED BY THE VETERANS ORGANIC GARDEN AND NCWORKS TO SUPPORT HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS IN NEED, UH, WITH FREE SERVICES AND FOOD.
AGAIN, NOVEMBER 9TH FROM 10 TO ONE AT THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY.
THEN ON NOVEMBER 11TH, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
UH, THERE'S THE MARCH FOR THE 22, WHICH IS A VET, A FUNDRAISER TO PREVENT VETERANS SUICIDES AND SUPPORT VETERANS IN NEED.
YOU CAN EITHER START IN MAYSVILLE OR OXVILLE OR FRESHWATER BREWERY, DEPENDING ON HOW FAR YOU WANNA WALK TO UNION POINT.
UM, FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO WWW.MARCHFORTHETWENTYTWO.US.
UH, FOUR IS F O U R IN THAT AND 22 IS THE NUMERALS.
UH, AND WHILE THIS FUNDRAISER IS ON AMERICAN UNDER AMERICAN LEGION 5 39, UH, THE MONEY RAISE GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE VETERANS FUNDS FOR VETERANS PROGRAMS AND VETERANS IN NEED.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S GOING ON NOVEMBER 11TH IS THE COUNTY VETERANS LUNCHEON SPONSORED BY THE CRAGAN COUNTY VETERANS COUNCIL.
DOORS WILL OPEN AT 11 WITH THE CEREMONY AND
[02:15:01]
A FREE LUNCH WILL START AT NOON FOR THE FIRST 250 VETERANS.AND THEY WILL ALSO PRESENT THE VETERAN OF THE YEAR AWARD AND THE VETERAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT, AT THAT CEREMONY.
UH, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'D LIKE TO ENTER INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT I'M CURRENTLY THE JUDGE ADVOCATE FOR AMERICAN LEGION POST 5 39, WHICH IS WHY I WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCING ANY FUNDRAISERS FOR ITS GENERAL FUND, UH, IN THE ALDERAN MEETINGS.
UH, I'M ALSO THE TREASURER FOR THE CRAVEN COUNTY VETERANS COUNCIL, BUT I, UM, EXPECT TO BE NOMINATED AS VICE CHAIRMAN THIS DECEMBER.
SINCE THE CITY OF NEW BERN DOES NOT APPROPRIATE ANY FUNDS TO OR DIRECTLY SUPPORT EITHER OF THESE NONPROFITS.
I DO NOT FORESEE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH MY DUTIES AS ALTMAN.
SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT CAVEAT AT THE END SINCE I AM MAKING ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THEIR BEHALF.
[22. Closed Session.]
MR. ATTORNEY.DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? YES, MAYOR.
UH, PURSUANT TO 1 43 13 11 A THREE TO MAINTAIN OUR ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE AND PURSUANT TO 1 43 13 11 A FOUR TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.
AND FINALLY, PURSUANT TO 1 43 3 13 11 85 TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF REAL PROXY, I HAVE A MOTION SNEAK DON'T MOVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.