[Board of Aldermen Retreat on November 3, 2022.]
[00:00:03]
BOARD.I KNOW WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF MEMBERS THAT'S, UM, ON THE WAY UP, BUT, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF BEING TIMELY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
I KNOW IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT I'D LIKE, LIKE TO ASK ALTMAN ROYAL IF SHE WOULD START US OFF IN A PRAYER.
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TOGETHER TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS.
WE PRAY THAT OUR DECISIONS AND OUR DELIBERATIONS WILL BE INCLUSIVE.
WE PRAY THAT WE WILL MAKE DECISIONS AND POLICIES ACCORDING TO WHAT IS THE GOOD OF THE ENTIRE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY.
WE ASK FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ALONG WITH YOUR GUIDANCE.
SO TODAY IS NOVEMBER THE THIRD, 2022.
THIS IS OUR, UM, SPECIAL MEETING.
UH, WE'RE CALLING IT A RETREAT.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE A HALF A DAY RETREAT.
UM, SO WE WILL DO A ROLL CALL.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE OUR, OUR FIRST, UH, TOPIC IS GONNA BE A GENERAL DISCUSSION AND OVERVIEW, OVERVIEW OF RETREAT.
SO, MR. HUGHES, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR OTTERMAN.
SO I'M, I'M GLAD WE'RE ALL ABLE TO JOIN TOGETHER AT THIS RETREAT TO TALK ABOUT A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
UM, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
WE CHOSE THE, THE MOST TIMELY.
WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT, THAT SOME OF THE ALDERMAN WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND SO BASED ON TIME CONSTRAINTS THAT WE ARE THINKING FOR SOME OF THOSE ITEMS SUCH AS A STRATEGIC PLAN, WE'RE GONNA, UH, OPT TO HAVE THAT AT ANOTHER MEETING.
UM, BUT UNDER THE, UM, THE GENERAL DISCUSSION, WE DO HAVE A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
SO WE ARE, WE DO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE ON THIS.
UM, THE GOAL IS TO, UH, GET OUT BEFORE FIVE.
IF IT GOES LONGER, THEN IT WILL GO LONGER.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU.
AND SO DURING THIS, UH, MEETING STAFF IS GONNA BE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION ON A VARIETY OF THESE THINGS.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE TAKING ACTION THAT YOU'LL BE GIVING DIRECTION, UH, TO THE MANAGER.
ON OF THESE, UH, THE FIRST ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AND GET, JUST GET YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ARE ON THE WEEKLY AND MONTHLY REPORTS THAT YOU ALL RECEIVE.
UH, I'VE GOT REPORTS THAT, UH, SOME OF THE INFORMATION, TOO MUCH INFORMATION, SOME MAY BE TOO LITTLE OF INFORMATION.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM, FROM YOU WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE REPORTS.
ARE THEY MEANINGFUL? IS THERE A BENEFIT FOR YOU TO GET THOSE AND, AND JUST HEAR HOW YOU'D LIKE FOR THAT TO EVOLVE? FOR AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL.
BEING NEW TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, IT GIVES ME OPPORTUNITY TO GET A BETTER SCOPE AS TO WHAT, UH, IS GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY.
SO DEFINITELY I APPRECIATE RECEIVING THOSE REPORTS.
I LIKE TO SEE IT SHORTEN A LITTLE BIT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NORMALLY DO.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO SHARE THAT PART BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO, BUT PERTAINING TO THE CITY BUSINESS ITSELF, I LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THE THINGS THAT INVOLVE THE CITY ITSELF.
KEY TOPICS IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, KEY TOPICS CORRECTLY.
I GUESS I WOULD, WOULD KIND OF REITERATE THAT A LITTLE BIT ALSO IS, UM, I, I GET TO SEE WHAT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING AND THAT IS GREAT AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HELPFUL.
BUT I THINK BY, BY A TOPIC, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR HOT TOPICS, YOU KNOW, LIKE STANLEY WHITE, SOME OF OUR, UH, CAD, A FEMA, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE TARGETED I GUESS IN SOME AREAS THAT WE TYPICALLY GET QUESTIONS ABOUT.
UM, SO THAT'S, SO I GUESS THAT'S MORE OF AN ADDITION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE IT SHORTER, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST KEEPING US UPDATE ON THAT.
AND I, I, AND I THINK IT'S, RIGHT NOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE GIVEN US BY EXCEPTION.
AND UH, I THINK ON THOSE SPECIAL TOPICS, IF YOU JUST KEEP A RUNNING, HEY, HERE'S, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE KIND OF THING.
AND THEN THAT, I THINK THAT'D BE BENEFICIAL.
BOBBY? RICK? I THINK IT CAN BE CONDENSED DOWN QUITE A BIT.
THIS WAS, IT'S MIGHTY, IT'S MIGHTY LONG AND IT TAKES UP A LOT OF TIME TO WRITE SUCH A REPORT UP.
I THINK IT JUST BULLET AND I DON'T NEED TO KNOW.
I, MAYBE SOME OF US DO, BUT I DON'T REALLY NEED TO KNOW HOW MANY PERMITS WERE ISSUED, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND
[00:05:01]
OF STUFF.JUST, YOU KNOW, HOT, LIKE I SAID, HOT TOPICS.
I MEAN, NO OFFENSE TO KIM, YOU KNOW, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN MUCH TO ME HOW MANY ENTRIES WERE KEYED, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, IT'S OKAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT DOESN'T GIMME, THERE'S NO CONTEXT, YOU KNOW, SO IT DOESN'T MEAN MUCH.
AND, UM, I I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS TOO, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE MONTHLY REPORT THE MONTH AFTER, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER LOOK AT THE WEEKLY REPORTS THAN, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST GOT SEPTEMBER'S REPORT, SO OKAY.
I, I KIND OF THOUGHT I'D BE GETTING OCTOBER'S REPORT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH THE MONTHLY REPORT IS VERY TIMELY.
UM, AND, AND I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT STREET LEAKS.
I MEAN, AT ONE TIME WE WERE HAVING A WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEM WITH LEAKS AND THE BOARD REQUESTED THAT, BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, YOU CAN DO AWAY WITH SENDING ME A MEMO WITH THREE STREET LEAKS ON IT.
I MEAN, I AGREE WITH THAT ONE.
IT'S JUST, THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA HEAR.
CAUSE WE WANNA WANT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE MEANINGFUL AND, AND, AND KNOW WE DON'T WANNA TAKE A ADDITIONAL, IF YOU HAVE A MAJOR, I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE GOOD AT THAT ANYWAY.
IF YOU HAVE A MAJOR, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON SIMMONS STREET, IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A BIG ROAD CLOSURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SHOOT ME, SHOOT ME IN TEXT OR AN EMAIL OR SOMETHING.
BUT JUST THAT YOU HAD A METER LEAK OR SUCH, SUCH A ADDRESS, IT'S JUST NOT MEANINGFUL TO ME, IS JUST NOT BOARD IT USED TO BE.
ALTMAN BEST WE'RE JUST, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WEEKLY AND MONTHLY REPORTS MM-HMM.
OH, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE WEEKLY AND MONTHLY REPORT TO CONTINUE.
BUT I AGREE WITH Y'ALL ON THAT LEAK REPORT.
CITYWIDE LEAK REPORT, NOT UNLESS IT IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN, IN MY WARD OR SOMETHING.
AND FOSTER AGAIN, AS, UM, TUM ODUM STATED, YOU'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT GETTING US OUT, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION AND STUFF AND SO, YEAH.
1, 1, 1 SUGGESTION THAT I WOULD MAKE, UM, I THINK I WAS ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT RECOMMENDED THIS WEEKLY REPORT, MIGHT HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY TWO BOARDS AGO NOW, UH, WAS TO HELP IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE WOULD GET ASKED WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PARTICULAR TOPIC AND WE WOULD NOT KNOW.
AND THE, THE CONCEPT WAS TO HAVE EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD PUT THEIR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK TO SEND IT TO THE MANAGER.
SO THE MANAGER WAS ALSO IN THE LOOP WITH THOSE ITEMS. AND THEN SORT OF PULL THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FROM EACH DEPARTMENT AND THEN SEND US WHAT YOU FELT AS A MANAGER WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE GRANULAR LEVEL OF WANTING TO KNOW HOW LONG WE EXPECT THE REPORT TO BE, BUT IN MY MIND, I THINK YOU COULD HAVE A ONE PAGE REPORT WITH EACH DEPARTMENT LISTED WITH THE TOP ONE OR TWO BULLET POINTS FOR THE WEEK FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I LIKE TO HAVE AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE
UM, BUT IT'S, THAT'S JUST MY PREFERENCE.
BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED ME FROM ASKING FOR MORE DETAIL.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY, AND A LOT OF YOU DO REACH OUT ONCE WE SEND SOMETHING OUT AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL DETAIL.
AND THAT'S WHEN SOME OTHER MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WITH CITIZENS, UH, EVOLVE.
AND SO ALWAYS HAPPY TO SHARE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW.
MAYBE THE MONTHLY REPORT COULD BE THE ROBUST ONE WITH MORE DETAIL IN IT.
AND TO ALTMAN BRENTON'S POINT, IS THERE A CLOSING OF BOOKS OR SOMETHING THAT CAUSES THAT REPORT TO BE ON THE TIMELINE? THAT IT IS? I I THINK THAT'S KIND OF EVOLVED.
THERE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT STAFF WAITS ON AND THAT'S WHY, UH, THAT'S WHY IT TAKES THAT TIME.
NORMALLY, UH, THEY'RE GIVEN TILL THE 10TH OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH TO PROVIDE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
AND SOME THINGS ARE IN THE WEEKLY REPORTS, SOME THINGS ARE NOT, THAT ARE COMPILED IN THAT MONTHLY REPORT.
AND THEN JUST THE TIME IT TAKES TO COMPILE ALL THOSE, THAT'S NORMALLY WHY IT'S A, A MONTHLY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? ALL RIGHT.
NEXT ITEM IS, UM, THE TOPIC HAS COME UP ABOUT MONTHLY WORK SESSIONS FOR THE BOARD, UH, TO DISCUSS TOPICS AS THEY COME UP BE AND, AND MOST LIKELY TO VET SOME THINGS OUT BEFORE IT ACTUALLY COMES TO A BOARD MEETING TO DISCUSS.
I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ON THAT IN ANY DIRECTION YOU WANTED TO PROVIDE
[00:10:01]
I THINK THAT WAS WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP WELL, IT IS, UH, I, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE AND I, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE FACT THAT SOME BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT NOT WANT TO BE LOOKING AT ADDING ANOTHER MEETING PER MONTH.
UM, HOWEVER, I THINK TO HAVE A, A MONTHLY WORK SESSION MEETING GIVES US THE ABILITY AS A GROUP TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE ANTICIPATED THAT THEY WILL BE COMING BEFORE US FOR SOME DECISION TO BE MADE AT THE PRESENT TIME.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY OTHER THAN AT OUR OFFICIAL MEETINGS.
AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE A BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATION, UM, WHEN WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE AND EVERYBODY'S KIND OF WAITING FOR A FINAL DECISION TO BE MADE.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT COULD BE SHARED AMONGST THE BOARD AT A WORK SESSION MEETING.
NO DECISION BEING MADE, IT'S JUST A GIVE AND TAKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, UM, WHERE EACH OF US ARE AT WITH REGARDS TO ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE.
UM, I I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S A VALUABLE TOOL THAT IS NOT BEING UTILIZED, UM, BY THE BOARD RIGHT NOW AND, AND COULD BE VERY VALUABLE MOVING FORWARD BOARD.
WELL,
UM, BECAUSE, UM, BUT WITH ME, I, IF I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN MY WARD, IF I HAVE QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER, I REACH OUT TO FOSTER STORE, I REACH OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT, HEAD, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO FIND OUT TO GET MORE DETAIL INFORMATION AND GET UPDATES OR WHATEVER.
AND I KNOW FOSTER'S VERY GOOD ABOUT ACTUALLY CONTACTING YOU AND LETTING YOU KNOW ABOUT CERTAIN PROJECTS AND GIVE YOU INFORMATION.
SO, UM, I, ME PERSONALLY, I I I DO NOT PREFER AN ADDITIONAL MEETING PER MONTH.
I DON'T THINK WARD ISSUES IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CROSS CITY ISSUES.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE ALDERMAN ARE WORKING INITIATIVES, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE I AM.
UH, AND SO I'D KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, AND THE TUESDAY NIGHT MEETINGS IS NOT REALLY THE MEETING TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS OR TO, IT DOESN'T REALLY FACILITATE ITSELF FOR A LEVEL OF DISCUSSION, UH, LIKE WE DO HERE.
SO, OR FROM ONE POINT, FROM ONE MEETING TO THE NEXT, YOU HAVE A TWO WEEK PERIOD.
THIS IS JUST MY
YOU HAVE A TWO WEEK PERIOD THERE.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S C THAT YOU HAVE READ OR COME ACROSS OR EMAIL OR PROJECTS GOING ON, I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD, THAT'S ADEQUATE TIME FOR ME.
UM, SPEAKING FOR ME TO GET WITH THE CITY, WITH THE MAYOR OR ANOTHER ALDERMAN OR THE CITY MANAGER.
I, I'M JUST, UM, ALDERMAN PR BROUGHT UP A POINT THAT, UM, A REGULAR BOARD MEETING IS NOT REALLY CONDUCIVE TO A BACK AND FORTH TYPE GENERAL CONVERSATION.
IT'S, IT'S MORE FORMAL I THINK IS WHAT YOU WERE WERE SAYING.
UM, JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT IF, IF WE HAVE A THIRD MEETING AND IT'S THE FULL BOARD, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
I MEAN, THE PUBLIC'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE OPEN MEETING, UH, THE PUBLIC'S INVITED TO COME, WHETHER OR NOT THEY DO OR NOT, THAT'LL BE UP TO THEM BE TELEVISED.
IF WE DON'T TELEVIS WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO TELEVISE IT, BUT IF, YEAH.
BUT IF WE DON'T, WE KNOW WHAT WE'LL HEAR THEN, THEN WE'RE GONNA HEAR THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, OPERATING WITH A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE TRANSPARENCY.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE WANNA KEEP IN MIND.
UM, PERSONALLY, UH, I, I STATED DURING THE CAMPAIGN THAT, UH, I WOULDN'T BE OPPOSED TO HAVING A THIRD MEETING OF, OF THE MONTH, UM, IF WE ROTATED IT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE HAD OUR PETITION OF CITIZENS.
CAUSE I THINK OFTENTIMES I HEARD TWO THINGS, UM, DURING THE CAMPAIGN.
PEOPLE COME HERE FOR THE NOTORIETY AND THEIR FOUR MINUTES OF
[00:15:01]
FAME.UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY CAN SAY ANYTHING THEY WANNA SAY WHETHER OR NOT IT'S TRUTHFUL OR FACTUAL OR NOT, IT'S TELEVISED AND PEOPLE HEAR THINGS.
AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT'S SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE A BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION DURING PETITION OF CITIZENS.
THE OTHER THING I HEARD IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO COME TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ISSUES AND CONCERNS, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO COME HERE AND GET IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY IN FRONT OF A CAMERA.
SO BY ROTATING IT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, IT WOULD BE, UM, MORE AMENABLE TO THEM TO APPROACH THE BOARD.
SO, UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR STAFF OR OR ALDERMAN DRESEN OR PRIL, WHAT, WHAT WOULD A, JUST MAYBE SHARE WITH US A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF A TOPIC THAT YOU WOULD ENVISION WOULD BE ON ONE OF THESE WORK SESSIONS THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE THEY RESPOND.
UM, AGAIN, BEING NEW ON THE BOARD, UM, SOMETIMES, UM, I GET THE FEELING THAT WE SHOULD KNOW CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
AND BEING PRESUMPTUOUS TO THINK THAT WE'RE COMING IN, UH, WE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS, UH, AGAIN, CITY ISSUES AND BUSINESS.
I WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SETTING WHEREIN WE CAN BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED.
I AM A PERSON THAT DO MY DUE DILIGENCE.
BUT YET AT THE SAME TOKEN, IN THE MEETING SETTING, AGAIN, AS IT WAS EXPRESSED, THERE ARE NOT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE GOOD OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN REALLY ENGAGE.
SO AT SOME POINT, UM, BEING NEW TO THE BOARD, WE DO NEED SPACE AND TIME.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONTINUOUS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
IT COULD BE QUARTERLY, IT COULD BE SOMETHING, UM, A AGAIN, THAT JUST ALLOWS US TO DISCUSS PROJECTS, PLANS, CITY, BUSINESS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
THAT WOULD BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER.
ONE THING WE HAVE TO MAKE NOTE OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE ARE MAKING NO MATTER WHAT THE WARD IS, IT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE SHOULD HAVE THAT OVERALL VIEW IN MIND.
THAT IS NOT JUST WARD TWO THAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR, BUT WHATEVER I VOTE TOWARDS IMPACTS US ALL.
SO I WANT TO BE INFORMED AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION AND SOMETIMES SPUR THE MOMENT.
I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE, THE, UH, INFORMATION YOU HAVE ACCESS TO.
I'M NOT PRIVY TO PERHAPS SOME MEETING THAT WERE, THAT IT WAS DISCUSSED.
I WASN'T ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME.
SO THERE'S SO MANY VARYING ISSUES THAT THAT INTERPLAY HERE.
BUT AGAIN, I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, IF NOT MONTHLY, THEN QUARTERLY OR BI-MONTHLY OR HOWEVER WE CAN MAKE THE ARRANGEMENT.
I FEEL THAT IT WOULD GIVE US OPPORTUNITY TO GET A BETTER INSIGHT INTO BEING ABLE TO GOVERN THE CITY AND MAKE APPROPRIATE DECISIONS.
FOR ME, UM, I'LL DO RESPECT TO YOU ALL.
UM, ALTMAN ROYAL, UH, I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISUNDERSTOOD, MISUNDERSTAND WHAT THE STATEMENT I JUST MADE WHEN I USED PREFERENCE TO MY WARD.
I DIDN'T MEAN JUST SPECIFICALLY MY AWARD, BUT I WAS SPEAKING WHEN I WAS SPEAKING OR SPEAKING OF MY WARD.
BUT AGAIN, I REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO I GUESS MORE OF WHAT I'M THINKING IS, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE NEED ANOTHER BOARD MEETING.
UM, IF WE CAN MAKE NEW BUSINESS A LITTLE MORE ROBUST, IT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE, WHEN THE MEETING IS, BY THE TIME WE GET TO DO BUSINESS, IT'S 8 39, 9 30.
YOU KNOW, THE INCENTIVE IS TO SAY NOTHING.
BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I THINK WE CAN TAKE THAT OUT AND IF, IF THE DECISION IS NOT TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY DURING NEW BUSINESS TO SAY, HEY, HERE'S THE MEETINGS I'VE HAD IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
HERE'S THE INITIATIVES I'M WORKING ON IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
AND THAT KIND OF STARTS THE DISCUSSION.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU START HAVING THOSE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS AT 8 39, 9 30, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING, BUT YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF US ARE READY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS? THAT'S TIME OF NIGHT AFTER A LONG MEETING.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
[00:20:02]
WELL, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I, NEW BUSINESS WAS ACTUALLY ADDED TO THE AGENDA.SO WE COULD ADD, YOU KNOW, BRING OUT THAT AND DISCUSS THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALL HAVE GOING ON IN OUR AWARD OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
SO, UM, YEAH, I I'M, I'M IN FAVOR.
IF YOU'VE GOT, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS OR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, NEW BUSINESSES AT THE TIME TO DO IT EVER, HOW LONG IT TAKES.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A MEETING, IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME TIMEFRAME AS IF YOU WERE DOING IT HERE WHILE WE WERE SITTING HERE.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING SAT THROUGH THESE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND NOW FROM HERE FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS, THAT'S NOT HAVE BEEN THE PRACTICE.
MISS CITY CLERK, CAN YOU REMIND US, WE USED TO HAVE WORK SESSIONS BUILT INTO OUR CALENDAR AND A PREVIOUS BOARD DID AWAY WITH THAT AND DECIDED WE WOULD CALL 'EM WHEN WE NEEDED THEM.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW OFTEN WE WOULD HAVE THOSE? EVERY OTHER MONTH.
I, I PERSONALLY, UM, SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, DISSENSION HERE.
I IF, IF WE FEEL LIKE WE WANT TO HAVE MORE, UM, I THINK BI-MONTHLY WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE THAN MONTHLY.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA STRUGGLE TO FIND TOPICS TO DISCUSS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
AND THE OTHER SUGGESTION I WOULD MAKE IS KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH WHAT, UH, ALMAN BEST SAID WAS THREE BOARD MEMBERS AT ANY POINT IN TIME CAN HAVE A MEETING WITH THE STAFF.
UM, SO IF THE THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, CAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD, I WAS PART OF THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAD A LOT OF ONE-OFF MEETINGS WITH STAFF TO DISCUSS THINGS, GET UP TO SPEED, AND THEN WE DID HAVE WORK SESSIONS WHEN THEY WERE APPROPRIATE.
SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST DOING, UH, IS EVERYBODY KIND OF THINK ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION AND THEN WHEN WE COME TO OUR MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT, UM, UNDER NEW BUSINESS, SOMEBODY CAN MAKE A DECISION ON HOW YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
IS THAT GOOD? IT'S, IT'S GOOD.
AND, AND ALSO JUST WANT TO ADD THIS, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WORK HARD.
THEY HAVE A, A HEAVY WORKLOAD, A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, AND IT'S JUST LIKE PUTTING THEM THROUGH ANOTHER MEETING PER MONTH OR BIWEEKLY, UH, HOWEVER, QUARTERLY.
I JUST THINK THAT'S JUST AN ADDED, ADDED TO THEIR WORKLOAD.
AND I JUST, I I I I DON'T LIKE THAT.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY TO REALLY HANDLE A LOT OF THE, THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, SO DO Y'ALL AGREE WITH ME,
UM, JUST JUST TO REMIND YOU, I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU ONE ON ONE AT ANY TIME YOU'D LIKE TO.
IF, IF, UH, THE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH SOME OF THE EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS IS FINE, JUST LET ME KNOW CUZ HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU ALL HERE AT THE, UH, CITY HALL OR, OR ON YOUR SITE, UH, TO DISCUSS ANY TOPICS THAT MAY COME UP.
AND I'VE MET WITH SEVERAL OF YOU IN CITIZENS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AS WELL TO DISCUSS ISSUES.
SO JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, GENERAL UPDATE ON THE TABLET LOT THAT FOR SALE SIGN GOES UP TOMORROW.
UM, WE DID NOT GET DIRECTION ON A MINIMUM PRICE, SO AS, UNLESS THE BOARD TELLS ME OTHERWISE, IT'S WHATEVER OFFER ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE, THE, THE CLERK WILL COLLECT THAT AND WE'LL REPORT IT TO THE BOARD AS WE GET THAT.
DOES THE BOARD WANNA SET A MINIMUM PRICE FOR THE TOSS SLOT? IF NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME FOR SOME RIDICULOUS, WELL, I THINK THE MINIMUM SHOULD BE THE APPRAISED VALUE, RIGHT? NO, I, I THOUGHT THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING TOO.
I, I'D RE I'D RECOMMEND THAT YOU SET THE MINIMUM PRICE FOR 750,000.
WHAT IS THE APPRAISED VALUE WAS APPROXIMATELY 500 AND 500 OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE APPRAIS VALUE IS THAT WAS ONE APPRAISER'S THOUGHT WHEN HE DID THAT APPRAISAL.
WE COULD GO GET ANOTHER APPRAISAL DONE BY A DIFFERENT APPRAISER NOW AND IT COULD BE A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT I DON'T PUT AS MUCH FAITH IN THAT PARTICULAR APPRAISAL.
UM, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.
I I WOULD NOT SELL THAT LOT FOR THE APPRAIS VALUE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE THAN THAT.
I WOULD, UM, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE GIVE THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTION AS A $750,000 MINIMUM PRICE.
BUT WHAT, HOW OLD IS THAT APPRAISAL RECENT? WE JUST, WE JUST RECEIVED IT.
THE LOT WAS UNDER CONTRACT MANY YEARS AGO FOR I THINK A MILLION $50,000 WHEN IT WAS, WHEN IT BECAME THE TAT
[00:25:01]
SLOT AT THE TIME.SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SEVEN 50? I KNOW RICK DOESN'T WANT TO.
YEAH, I'M, I'M STILL OPPOSED TO THE CONCEPT OF SELLING IT, BUT, SO I WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION.
AND YOU SAID THAT'S MINIMAL AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO SELL IT.
SO IF WE GET AN OFFER FOR SEVEN 50 AND WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF TRACTION AND THERE COULD BE SOME BETTER OFFERS, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT.
AND I BELIEVE IF WE DID DECIDE TO ACCEPT A MINIMUM OFFER FOR SEVEN 50, THAT TRIGGERS AN UPSET BID PROCESS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO IT'S A LONG PROCESS BEFORE WE WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE THAT DECISION TO SELL IT.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION.
THEY RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TO 10 APPLICATIONS FOR THE HOUSE.
NOW, WHEN WE HAD THE HOUSE ADVERTISED OVER A PERIOD OF A MONTH THAT WE HAD HAD AN OPEN HOUSE EACH WEEK, WE PROBABLY HAD 75 OR 80 FOLKS THAT CAME THROUGH THE HOUSE TO LOOK AT IT.
THEY HAVE TWO SERIOUS APPLICANTS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, THIS BOARD DID GIVE DIRECTION, I'M SORRY, THE PREVIOUS BOARD DID GIVE DIRECTION TO GET AN APPRAISAL ON THE RIM AVENUE PROPERTY TO THE CITY OWNS THAT PROPERTY APPRAISED AT $45,000, UM, TO SELL TO THE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION.
UH, AS A PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE HAD TO GET A RECOMBINATION PLAT ON THAT, AND THERE WAS A COST, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE GOTTEN THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER 8TH.
OUR ATTORNEY IS, WAS ON VACATION LAST WEEK, SO HE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET ANYTHING, ANYTHING DONE WITH THAT.
SO, UH, OUR NEW GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS BEFORE THE BOARD ON NOVEMBER 22ND.
SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE THINGS STAND ON THAT.
UM, AND NOW I THINK AT THIS TIME FOR OUR UPDATE ON OUR CITY PROJECT CITYWIDE PROJECTS WITH COLLEEN, IF YOU WOULD COME OUT, SO STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PROJECT DASHBOARD, UH, FOR THE LAST, UH, MONTH OR SO.
OUR, OUR ALICE, OUR GIS MANAGER, HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
SO WE'RE GONNA KINDA WALK YOU THROUGH THIS.
UH, IT'S NOT READY TO TO GO LIVE, BUT IT WILL BE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, ONCE WE HAVE ALL THE PROJECTS IN PLACES.
AND THIS IS JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A, A GOOD IDEA OF HOW MANY PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY.
SO AT THE TOP LEFT, YOU'LL SEE PERCENTAGE OF PROJECTS BY DEPARTMENT.
NOW THIS IS NOT UP TO DATE CAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE INCLUDED IN THE FULL, UH, ELECTRIC UTILITY YET.
THE WATER RESOURCES, BIG PROJECTS WERE RECENTLY ADDED, BUT IT GIVES YOU A PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN OF PROJECTS THAT THE, THAT THE CITY IS DOING.
AND A LOT OF THESE, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS MAY BE 10 OR $15,000 ITEMS. THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE, ARE, ARE LARGER, A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR MORE.
COLLEEN, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT OR SO BELOW, YOU'LL SEE AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT ESTIMATED COST OF CITY PROJECTS IS APPROXIMATELY 35 MILLION OF PROJECTS.
NOW, THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, FUNDING FROM GRANTS, ARPA FUNDS, AND A VARIETY OF SOURCES.
CAN, CAN WE GET THAT TO SHOW THE ACTUAL MILLION AND NOT IN YEAH, IT, IT SHOULD BE, UM, PULL PULLOUT AGAIN.
I THINK YOU HAVE ONE PROJECT SELECTED.
YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE ON ONE PROJECT.
SO THIS INFORMATION, ALL RIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 30, $30 MILLION IN PROJECTS.
AND THAT'S A TOTAL OF 58 PROJECTS OVERALL THAT EACH DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON.
ON THE FAR RIGHT, YOU WILL SEE THE PROJECT LISTING, THE DEPARTMENT THAT, UH, IS COORDINATING THOSE PROJECTS.
UH, THE FUNDING MECHANISM THAT'S IN PLACE FOR THAT AND THE STATUS, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE PLANNING PHASE.
UH, IT, IT'S, UH, UM, UNDER REVIEW OR IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO THIS'LL BE A GOOD IDEA FOR CITIZENS TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE DO HAVE QUITE A LOT OF PROJECTS.
THEN YOU'LL SEE THE MAP, UH, IN THE CENTER.
AND COLLEEN CLICK ON ONE OF THE ITEMS. SO IF YOU CLICK ON A CERTAIN ITEM, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A WATER SEWER REHAB, UH, PROJECT THAT WATER RESOURCE IS DOING.
IT HAS SOME GENERAL INFORMATION, A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF, OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS WHILE WE'RE DOING IT, ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT, HOW IT'S BEING FUNDED.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING STAGES.
JORDAN USES THE CONTACT FOR THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE WARDS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY IT.
SO, UH, UH, I THINK IT'S A NICE TRANSPARENT WAY TO LET FOLKS KNOW, HEY, YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
[00:30:01]
A LIST OF, OF, UM, STORM WATER PROJECTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, TO LET YOU KNOW BY WARD WHERE WE STAND, HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPEND IN EACH WARD, TO GIVE YOU AN ON THAT AS WELL.SO PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING ON THAT.
UH, ANY ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON, ON THE DASHBOARD? WHERE'S THIS? UM, IT, IT WILL, IT WILL BE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
MOST LIKELY BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE STILL WANTING TO UPDATE SOME THINGS, BUT WE'LL SEND SOMETHING OUT OKAY.
TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ALSO, UH, LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT IT AS WELL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GONNA SEGUE INTO PUBLIC UTILITIES.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, MR. ARD TO COME UP AND MAKE HIS PRESENTATION ON THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.
JUST A QUICK REVIEW OF THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.
I THINK MR. HUGHES HAS SOMETHING PLANNED ON WATER.
THE WASTEWATER AFTER I FINISH UP.
UM, ABOUT A 55 MILLION BUDGET, SIX DIVISIONS, STAFF OF 88 PERSONNEL.
WE REORGANIZED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS MERGING, METERING, BILLING, CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND PAYMENTS FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THOSE RESULTS.
COORDINATION, UH, BETWEEN THOSE GROUPS IS, IS WORKING A LOT BETTER QUALITY CONTROL AND EFFICIENCIES AMONGST OUR OPERATIONS.
SO, UM, APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT ON, ON THAT REORGANIZATION.
CAUSE I THINK IT IS BENEFITING THE UTILITY AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, ELECTRIC DEPARTMENTS, UH, HAS BEEN SUPPORTING OUR FIBER, THE CITY'S FIBER SYSTEM SINCE ITS INFANCY.
AND I'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR HOW WE CAN SHARE THESE COSTS WITH THE CITY GOING FORWARD.
UM, IT IS AGING AND WE DO INVEST QUITE A BIT INTO OUR FIBER SYSTEM, OTHERWISE WE PURCHASE AND DELIVER POWER.
WE MEET HER AND BILL SALES FOR ALL OF OUR ENTERPRISE SERVICE FUNDS, COLLECT REVENUES FOR ALL OF OUR ENTERPRISE SERVICE FUNDS, PROVIDE CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND SERVICE FOR ALL OUR ENTERPRISE SERVICE FUNDS.
AND THEN WE OPERATE AND MAINTAIN SUPPORT OUR SYSTEMS, UM, UTILITY CHALLENGES, PRESSURES THAT I'M FEELING, PRESSURES THAT THE INDUSTRY IS FEELING PRESSURES ON THIS UTILITY.
UM, OF COURSE WE'RE ANTICIPATING RISING POWER SUPPLY COSTS THAT ALWAYS KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.
UM, IN RESPONSE, WE NEED TO OPTIMIZE AND LEVERAGE THE COST AVOIDANCE COMPONENTS AND OUR POWER SUPPLY CONTRACT.
UM, I'M WORKING VERY HARD TO LEVERAGE THAT.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS PRESSURE ON US TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE RETAIL RATES AND TO KEEP THOSE RATES AS LEVEL AS POSSIBLE.
SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES ON, ON MINIMIZING THE IMPACT ON OUR RATES.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT AND BUILD A RESILIENT AND RELIABLE SYSTEM FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR OUR CURRENT CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS, UM, THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING.
UM, THEY'RE SHOWING SIGNS OF RAPID INFLATION, UH, FOR THE COST OF ALL GOODS AND ALL SERVICES.
THERE'S ALSO UNCERTAINTY WITH AVAILABILITY AND DELIVERY OF MANY GOODS AND SERVICES.
IT'S PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON US, UM, AND HOW WE OPERATE THE DENSITY, UH, OUR CUSTOMERS IS STARTING TO FILL IN WITHIN OUR TERRITORIAL LIMITS AS WELL AS OUR TERRITORY BOUNDARIES HAVE GROWN OVER THE, THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORTING RESOURCES AND SKILLS HAVE CHANGED OVER THAT, THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THAT'S, THAT PUTS PRESSURE ON US TO, TO MAINTAIN A LARGER SYSTEM WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF STAFF, WITH THE SAME TYPE OF BUDGET.
UM, SO, SO IT IS PRESSURING US.
THE LABOR MARKET IS STILL VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE.
UM, WE'RE ALWAYS, FIRST, WE ALWAYS TRY TO DEVELOP FROM WITHIN AND BUILD THAT TALENT FROM WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION.
BUT THERE IS A GROWING NEED FOR MORE ADVANCED SKILL SETS AND MORE EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE UTILITY EFFORTS THAT I THINK ARE EMERGING THAT I MAY BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU TALKING ABOUT ASKING FOR, UM, YOUR SUPPORT ON, UM, THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO BE AWARE OF NATIONAL, ON A NATIONAL BASIS.
THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF TRANSFORMERS.
UM, WE'VE SEEN TYPICAL DELIVERY TIMES ON TRANSFORMERS FOR ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS THAT'S NOT NOW GONE OUT TO TWO YEARS.
I RECEIVED A QUOTE THE OTHER DAY FOR FOUR YEARS, DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING OFF OF IT, BUT I WAS QUOTED FOUR YEARS.
UM, IF YOU CAN GET A QUOTE FROM A, A SERVICE PER OR A VENDOR, UM, OUR COSTS ON SOME OF THIS EQUIPMENT, TRANSFORMERS HAS ESCALATED, UH, 900%.
UM, SO IT'S VERY UNPRECEDENTED AND WE NEED TO BALANCE OUR NEW GROWTH AND THE AMOUNT OF INVENTORY
[00:35:01]
THAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE'RE BUYING THE LEAD TIMES ON THOSE WITH, WITH THE GROWTH, WITH REQUEST FROM NEW CUSTOMERS AS WELL, ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICE FOR OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS.UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A REAL ISSUE THAT I'M TRYING TO MANAGE.
AND YOU MAY HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE NEWS IN THE MEDIA, BUT THAT TRANSFORMER SHORTAGE IS REAL.
UH, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS PUTTING SOME PRESSURE, UM, TO, ON THE SUPPLY CHAINS, TO, TO HELP THAT ALONG.
THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PUTTING ARPA MONEY INTO THAT.
UM, SO IT'S, UH, IT, IT'S REAL AND IT'S, IT'S, I'M BEING REDUNDANT, BUT, UH, IT'S A VERY REAL CONCERN.
CHARLIE, CAN, MAY I INTERJECT? PARDON ME? MAY I INTERJECT?
UM, CAN YOU GIVE ME, WHAT WAS THE PRICE OF A TRANSFORMER BEFORE? AND NOW I THINK YOU TOLD US BEFORE IT WAS $9,000.
I'LL USE A, UH, A 50 KVA TRANSFORMER SERVES TYPICALLY ON A ROUTINE BASIS, MAYBE SIX HOUSES, SIX CUSTOMERS.
UM, THAT WAS ABOUT A EIGHT TO 12 LEAD LEAD TIME AT ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND NOW IT'S A TWO YEAR LEAD TIME AND ABOUT $9,000 IF YOU CAN GET A QUOTE.
I'VE GOT A BUNCH ON ORDER, HAVEN'T SEEN 'EM GO
AND THEN WHEN, WHEN THEY GET HERE, I GOTTA GET 'EM OFF THE TRUCK AND SEE IF THEY WORK.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.
THE SOUTHEAST SUBSTATION, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
UM, MOST RECENTLY OUR COST ESTIMATES HAVE DOUBLED.
I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, IT'S ABOUT A 10 MILLION PROJECT.
I'M NOW ESTIMATING ABOUT $20 MILLION.
SO I'M GOING BACK INTO THAT SCOPE OF WORK AND I'M TRIMMING IT DOWN AND TRYING TO REALLY TIGHTEN THAT UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT, WE'RE FINALIZING, UM, OUR LAND PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS THAT WOULD BOTH BE FOR THE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY AS WELL AS EASEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO, TO, UH, BUILD POWER LINES THAT COME OUT OF THAT SUBSTATION.
AND I'LL BE BRINGING THOSE CONTRACTS TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHERE IS THIS SOUTHEAST SUBSTATION? WHERE IS IT LOCATED? ON COUNTYLINE ROAD.
OKAY, CHARLIE, WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE SUBSTATION? UH, CAPACITY.
WE, WE NEED CAPACITY RIGHT NOW, UM, TO ADD TO, UM, UH, RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY AND AS WELL AS FUTURE GROWTH.
UM, THIS LOCATION IS STRATEGIC IN POINT OF DELIVERY FROM WHERE I CAN RECEIVE POWER FROM THE BULK ELECTRIC SYSTEM.
I CAN'T JUST PICK IT OUTTA THE AIR ANYWHERE.
UM, SO IT'S VERY STRATEGIC WITH RE RESPECT TO WHERE I DUKE CAN DELIVER IT TO US.
UM, BUT ALSO IF WE CITE IT IN THAT LOCATION, WE CAN MOVE A LOT OF LOAD OFF OF OUR OTHER TWO SUBSTATIONS IN TOWN.
THE TRENT ROAD SUBSTATION AND THE GLEN BURNIE SUBSTATION, THAT'LL SHIFT SOME CAPACITY OVER TO THAT NEW SUBSTATION AND GIVING YOU MORE CAPACITY IN THOSE SUBSTATIONS TO SERVE GOING WEST.
SO WE'RE KIND OF COUNTING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE THERE.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
UM, GENERATION, GENERATION PROVIDES US A, A REAL COST AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITY IN OUR POWER SUPPLY.
UM, OUR FLEET IS NEAR AN END OF LIFE.
UM, I WOULD PROBABLY AVERAGE IT AT OVER 20 YEARS, 20, 25 YEARS.
AND THAT FLEET IS SCATTERED AROUND AT LEAST 30 LOCATIONS.
SOME OF IT'S CUSTOMER OWNED, SOME OF IT WE OWN VERY, VERY HARD TO MAINTAIN THAT MANY UNITS DISPATCH THEM.
UM, SO I'M WORKING ON A PLAN, UH, TO, TO MIGRATE ALL OF OUR GENERATION CAPACITY INTO A SINGLE LOCATION AND A SINGLE POINT OF DISPATCH.
GOTTA LINE THAT UP WITH OUR POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF FRONT END, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE WORK THAT, THAT I'M WORKING THROUGH BEFORE I CAN BRING ANYTHING BEFORE YOU, BUT THAT'S, IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY AND, AND, UH, I HOPE TO BE BACK WITH YOU, UM, WANTING TO SOME GENERATION IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
CHARLIE, YOU TOP GENERATION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GENERATORS THAT WE HAVE AT THE LARGER BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT TOWN.
YOU MIGHT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS, EXPLAIN THE REASON WHY WE HAVE GENERATORS OUT THERE.
THE, THE, THE GENERATORS ARE DISPATCHED IN ATTEMPT TO LOWER OUR PEAK DEMAND AND WE GET BILLED ON OUR PEAK DEMAND IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN LOWER OUR PEAK DEMAND, WHICH OCCURS ONE HOUR A MONTH.
AND WE NEVER KNOW WHEN THAT ONE HOUR A MONTH IS GONNA BE UNTIL THE MONTH HAS PASSED.
SO WE'RE CHASING THIS PEAK EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, AND IT'S ALL BASED ON WEATHER.
IF WE CAN SHAVE THAT PEAK, WE REDUCE OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS.
[00:40:01]
THE COST OF GENERATION VERSUS THE COST OF THAT PEAK.IS THERE COST AVOIDANCE THERE? AND THERE IS REAL COST AVOIDANCE THERE.
UM, AND WE, WE, I'M PROBABLY THREE TO $400,000 A MONTH A SHAVE OFF OUR POWER SUPPLY BILL EVERY MONTH.
AND I'M NOT, WE'RE NOT MAXIMIZING IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH GENERATION.
IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT'S COMMON TO MOST MUNICIPALITIES? IT'S COMMON TO MUNICIPALITIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA THAT ARE PART OF OUR, OUR POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENT.
SO IT'S VERY COMMON IN THIS REGION.
IF YOU GO TO OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE PUBLIC POWER, UM, THEY'RE UNDER THE SAME POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENT.
SOME OF THEM ARE SHAVING THE PEAK, SOME OF 'EM HAS SAID IT'S NOT WORTH THE COST.
WE'RE TOO SMALL, WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THAT INVESTMENT, AND THEY JUST LET IT RIDE.
UM, BUT IT'S REAL MONEY, IT, IT, IT'S WORTH GOING AFTER.
AND AND WE DO THAT IN OTHER WAYS TOO.
WE ALSO, WE HAVE LOAD MANAGEMENT SWITCHES YOU'LL HEAR US TALK ABOUT.
THEY GO, THEY AFFECT THE CUSTOMER.
THEY GO ON AIR CONDITIONING, THEY GO ON HOT WATER TANKS, THEY GO ON HEAT STRIPS, AND WE CAN OPERATE THEM REMOTELY.
AND WHEN, WHEN WE GET INTO THOSE PEAK TIMES, WE SHUT THEM OFF.
WE INCENTIVIZE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH A, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A REBATE ON THEIR MONTHLY BILL AND IT ADDING ALL THAT UP LOWERS THE PEAK.
SO WE'RE TRYING EVERY, EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO LOWER OUR PEAK GENERATION, UM, IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT WITHOUT WHILE THEY'RE GONNA CUSTOMERS.
AND, AND DOES THIS DOVETAIL OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOUR BATTERY INITIATIVE OR, OR NO? YES.
UM, THE CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE CONTRACT RIGHT NOW, I MIGHT GET, UM, WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE CONTRACTUAL AUTHORITY TO CHOOSE EITHER GENERATION OR BATTERIES.
UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND GENERATION OVER BATTERIES ANY DAY OF THE WEEK FOR THIS APPLICATION.
BUT WHEN BATTERIES FIRST EMERGED, IT WAS AT THAT TIME IT WAS IN ADDITION TO GENERATION.
UM, NOW I THINK WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, IT'S EITHER OR.
CHARLIE, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT DO YOU HAVE SOME DATA THAT SHOWS AT THE END OF THE MONTH WHETHER OR NOT OUR EFFORTS WITH LOAD MANAGEMENT MATCHED UP WITH THE PETE FOR THAT PARTICULAR MONTH? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I'M A MONTH BEHIND BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T TRUE AT MY COST UNTIL THE LAST HOUR OF THE LAST DAY OF THE MONTH.
SO YOUR POINT ABOUT SEEING SOME OF THESE REPORTS COME A MONTH LATER, IT'S BECAUSE OF IT.
UM, I DON'T, I CAN'T FIND OUT AS MY POWER SUPPLY INFORMATION UNTIL TYPICALLY THE 15TH OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
BUT YES, I, I DO HAVE THAT I CAN SHARE, I CAN SEND OUT LAST YEAR'S HISTORY AND WE LOOK AT IT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PAYMENTS, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THEY WERE RES WERE RECENTLY ROBBED.
UM, SINCE REORGANIZE REORGANIZING THAT I MENTIONED, WE'VE ADDED VIDEO MONITORING SYSTEM TO THE, UM, TO THE FACILITY THAT WAS KEY IN, IN RECOVERING, UM, ALL OF OUR LOSSES.
WE ALSO ADDED A SAFE POINT HANDLING CASH SYSTEM AND ARMORED CASH PICKUP THERE THAT WAS ADDED PROBABLY LAST FALL OR LAST SPRING.
AND WE'RE HAVING CASH PICKUPS THREE TIMES A WEEK.
SO A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
SAFETY WISE, SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD CONSIDER, AND IT'S A VERY BRAVE CONVERSATION TO HAVE, UM, IT IMPACTS OUR BRAND, IS SHOULD WE CONSIDER CLOSING THAT OPERATION TO WALK-IN PAYMENTS? I, I KNOW I CAN PROBABLY VERY EASILY EXPAND THE DRIVE THROUGH AND ADD MORE LANES THERE.
I CAN ADD A FEW MORE DROP BOXES, FORCE CUSTOMERS TO PAY OTHER WAYS THAN BY WALKING IN THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH, THROUGH ELECTRONIC, THROUGH DROP BOXES, ALL THE METHODS THAT WE HAVE.
LEAVE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, LEAVE THE BUILDING OPEN FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, WORK ON AN APPOINTMENT ONLY BASIS AND NOT RECEIVE CASH AS A WALK-IN TOUGH CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING IT NOW TO WALK IN AND PAY THEIR BILLS? A LOT, A LOT.
CHARLIE, HOW WAS IT DURING COVID? THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED, CORRECT? UM, OPERATIONALLY WE THOUGHT IT THERE WAS A LOT MORE EFFICIENT.
WE, THERE WERE SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT STACKING OF CARS, UM, IN THE PARKING LOT, UM, BECAUSE THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED.
I, I WOULD THINK THAT ADDING MORE LANES TO THE, TO THE DRIVE THROUGH WOULD EASE THAT.
[00:45:01]
BUT THAT, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST FOR US.IT WORKED REALLY WELL DURING COVID.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT.
THE, THERE WAS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT COMPLAINED BECAUSE THE PARKING LOT IS FULL CHARLIE.
OUTSIDE OF GOING IN AND MAKING A PAYMENT OR GOING THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH THE ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM OR THE DROPBOX AT, AT THE, UH, CAP BUILDING, ARE THERE ANY OTHER OPTIONS FOR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE THEIR PAYMENT? THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, I CAN'T QUOTE 'EM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THEY CAN GO TO, UM, I THINK WALMART.
PIGGLY WIGLEY AS WELL MIGHT BE PIG DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT.
I DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF ME.
I DON'T HAVE IT MEMORIZED, BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES, LOCATIONS, PARTNERS IN TOWN THAT THEY CAN DROP IT OFF WITH.
IS THERE A CONVENIENCE FEE WHEN PEOPLE PAY OUTSIDE OF CAPS CENTER? I KNOW THERE IS ONLINE FOR CREDIT CARD PAYMENT.
WE'RE ABSORBING, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU PAY, WE'RE ABSORBING SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
I HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU TO VERIFY.
I THINK THERE IS AN EXTRA FEE IF YOU DROP IT OFF AT, AT WALMART.
BUT LET ME, I NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK.
I THINK THAT'LL BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO KNOW.
CAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION FOR SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT, UM, I DO WE HAVE A KIOSK INSIDE THE CAP CENTER IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET, DO WE? NO, BUT YOU CAN PAY WITH CREDIT CARD INSIDE THERE.
BUT, BUT IT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE HELP YOU DO THAT.
SO MY ARGUMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT WHO'S GONNA PAY FOR THIS CONVENIENCE FEE, BUT THE CONVENIENCE FEE, IT, THAT PAYMENT ASPECT IS THE LEAST LABOR INTENSIVE FOR THIS CITY.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING THAT BURDEN AND FEE ON THE PAYER.
THE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE PAYING THE FEE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE WALKING IN AND PAYING IT WITH CASH THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BUILDING OPEN FOR 'EM.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A CASH PICKUP.
THOSE ARE WHERE THE FEE SHOULD COME IN.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MUCH BIGGER CONVERSATION OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TODAY, BUT IT, GETTING THAT INFORMATION ACROSS AL PR AND I HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION ABOUT IT LAST WEEK AS WELL, BUT, BUT EVEN EVEN TAKING PAYMENTS CASHIER AND ELECTRONICALLY, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF LABOR INVOLVED WITH RECONCILING THAT AND, UM, WITH OUR, WITH OUR COLLECTION SYSTEM AS WELL AS AS FINANCE.
SO IT, IT'S LABOR CASHIER IS LABOR INTENSIVE NO MATTER HOW YOU DO IT.
SO IF YOU STOP, IF YOU STOP WALK-INS, WOULD YOU REDUCE STAFF? NO SIR.
SO WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF STOPPING WALK-INS? I'M, I'M, DID I MISS SOMETHING THAT, THAT THERE'S NOBODY WALKING IN WITH CASH.
CASH IS NOT BEING HANDLED ACROSS THE COUNTER AND THE BILLING WOULD BE MY, I WOULD SUGGEST THE BILLING IS OPEN FOR APPOINTMENTS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE WORK.
SO IF YOU CAN'T DO YOUR PAPER PAPERWORK ELECTRONICALLY, YOU CAN SET AN APPOINTMENT WITH US, COME IN, WE'LL GET YOU YOUR APPLICATION SQUARED AWAY.
BUT I'M PROPOSING WE CONSIDER YOU DON'T WALK IN TO PAY YOUR BILL WITH CASH.
WE TAKE THE CASH, PUT IT IN THE DRAWER AND SEND IT TO THE BANK.
WELL CHARLIE AND THIS
WHAT ABOUT IF YOU HAVE A WINDOW SET UP FOR CASH PAYMENTS? SO A PERSON, BUT THE BUILDING IS LOCKED, BUT THEY HAVE THAT WINDOW THERE AND IF YOU, YOU DON'T GO THROUGH THE DRIVE-IN CUZ YOU DON'T HAVE A CAR OR WHATEVER.
YOU CAN WALK UP TO THAT WINDOW, MAKE A PAYMENT WITH CASH.
OH, YOU DO HAVE THAT? THAT'S WHERE WE WERE.
THEY CAN WALK UP TO A WINDOW THERE AND PAY WITH CASH.
IS THAT IN THE DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW? NO, THAT'S INSIDE.
YES, BUT I'M SAYING LIKE, MAKE IT TO WHERE, HOW YOU GOT THE DRIVE THROUGH WINDED OR YOU CAN WALK UP TO THE DRIVE THROUGH.
WE WERE NOT GONNA TURN YOU DOWN BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN A CAR.
YOU CAN, WHAT ABOUT AN OUTSIDE DROPBOX? WE DO HAVE AN OUTSIDE DROPBOX.
WE CAN, WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE ADD TO OUR OUTSIDE DROP POINTS.
UM, SO MY POINT IS, IS IT SAFETY'S FIRST? SAFETY'S ALWAYS RIGHT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE CONSIDERING.
AGAIN, IT'S IT'S BRAVE CONVERSATION TO HAVE IT, IT'S, IT IMPACTS OUR BRAND, HOMETOWN SERVICE.
PICK UP THE PHONE, YOU CAN GET US.
I'M THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE DON'T COME IN AND MAKE A CASH PAYMENT.
NOW WHERE IS THIS WINDOW AT? UM, LOCATED ON THE UBO OFFICE THAT YOU CAN COME WALK UP TO AND MAKE A CA NOT THE DRIVE THROUGH, BUT THE JUST AT THE DRIVE THROUGH.
JUST, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WAS, MAYBE I DIDN'T, I MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD.
YEAH, MAYBE I DIDN'T EXPRESS MYSELF CLEARLY ENOUGH.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING IS LIKE IF YOU PUT, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE A WINDOW THERE FOR THE DRIVE-THROUGH.
YOU HAVE A, A WINDOW SET UP WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK UP
[00:50:01]
TO AND MAKE THEIR CASH PAYMENTS AND THEY CAN'T COME INTO THE BUILDING.WE'D HAVE TO MODIFY THE BUILDING SOMEHOW TO DO THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY COULD WALK UP TO THE DRIVE THROUGH MM-HMM.
WELL SEE, I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF ELDERLY CITIZENS.
I KNOW THEY WANT TO GET OUT, YOU KNOW, WALK UP TO THAT DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW WITH CARS COMING, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTOOD.
I KNOW, BUT ALANA ELDERLY LIKED THE CASH I KNOW TO MAKE THEIR PAYMENTS WITH CASH.
AND SO CHARLIE, WHEN YOU COME BACK WITH SOME OF THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF, IF YOU DON'T SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON IT, BUT MAYBE PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH WHAT OTHER UTILITY PROVIDERS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN TAKE PAYMENTS THE WAY WE DO.
OH, AND NOT, NOT OF, THERE'S NOBODY, YOU CAN ONLY IN THE MUNICIPAL WORLD.
I MEAN THERE'S PAYMENTS BEING TAKEN AT PWI RIGHT.
CUSTOMERS CASH PAYMENTS, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S KIND OF MY POINT IS THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB AT EXPLORING IN THE PAST.
YEAH, WE MARKET THEM AT JUST THAT OPTION CONTINUES TO EXIST FOR, FOR SOME FOLKS TO WALK IN AND MAKE A PAYMENT AND THERE'S SOME RISK IN THAT AND, AND THERE'S A SAFETY FACTOR IN THAT.
WHAT'S THE MONEY RECOVERED? YES, MA'AM.
NC D O T, THEY CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON US, UM, BOTH THE ENTIRE UTILITY, UM, ELECTRIC WATER, WASTE WATER AND FIBER.
UM, THE NEXT PHASE WILL BE EMERGING, UM, PROBABLY FIRST OR SECOND QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT WOULD BE FROM JAMES CITY TO HAVELOCK FROM THURMOND ROAD TO HAVELOCK.
AND NC D O T WILL BE ASKING FOR ALL OUR UTILITIES TO BE RELOCATED.
UM, WHEN THOSE DESIGNS COME OUT, WE WILL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE WE NEED TO RELOCATE 'EM TOO.
SO, UM, WE DON'T, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, BUT I'M GUESSING AT SOME POINT IN TIME I'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH A UTILITY RELOCATION AGREEMENT WITH NC D O T, UM, JUST LIKE WE DID ON THE FIRST PHASE.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY BE COMING BACK AT SOME POINT IN TIME WITH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO MOVE THE SHARED FIBER.
UM, SO THAT THAT'S, THAT PROJECT'S LONG FROM BEING OVER AND PROBABLY BE MORE WORK WITHIN WITH THE 43 CONNECTOR.
UM, THAT'S STARTING TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO THEY PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON US.
UM, WE BE CHARGING, WE PUT IN FOR ANOTHER DEQ GRANT, UM, DOWN IN HAVELOCK WE HAD A LOCATION CITED.
UH, RUMOR MILL AS OF THIS WEEK IS THAT GRANT IS GONNA BE AWARDED TO CIRCLE K AS THE OWNER.
UM, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL, UM, WORD FROM DE Q YET.
UM, BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF CIRCLE K ACTUALLY GETS IT AND WHAT THE PRICE POINT IS.
SO EITHER WAY WE'LL BE WATCHING IT.
UM, ADVANCED RATE STRUCTURES, UH, YOU MIGHT HEAR ME TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S A TIME OF USE COMPONENT TO OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS AND, UM, GOING FORWARD WE'LL NEED TO START OFFERING TIME OF USE RATES TO OUR RETAIL CUSTOMERS.
WE'LL GIVE THEM MORE CHOICE, MORE OPPORTUNITY ON, ON HOW TO CONSUME THEIR, THEIR POWER AND HOW TO, UM, HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO PAY FOR IT.
SO, UM, THERE'S SOME BACK END OFFICE THINGS THAT I NEED TO DO, UM, BE BEFORE WE'RE READY TO, TO OFFER THOSE ADVANCED RATES.
THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY IS HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION AS WELL.
STREET LIGHTING, UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CLEAN UP, UM, DO BETTER HOUSEKEEPING ON OUR STREET LIGHTING RECORDS AND MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS EACH YEAR.
SO I'M PLANNING ON POSSIBLY COMING BACK AROUND BUDGET TIME WITH, WITH SOME MORE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR ELECTRIC STREET LIGHTS, TRYING TO GET IT IN BETTER POSITION TO, UH, EASILY ADMINISTER BETTER AND, AND MAKE SURE ALL THE RATES ARE IN LINE WITH THE TYPE OF LAMPS THAT WE'RE OFFERING.
I THINK THAT, OKAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE PLANNED.
CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS CHARLIE? THE NUMBER OF TRANSFORMERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN INVENTORY VERSUS THE, UH, SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGE ARE, ARE WE GONNA BE IN ANY TROUBLE THERE? I GOTTA KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
NOT ALL TRANSFORMERS ARE EQUAL AND THEY'RE ALL SIZE THE SAME.
SOME ARE OVERHEAD, SOME ARE UNDERGROUND, SOME ARE BIG, SOME ARE SMALL, SOME HAVE DIFFERENT VOLTAGES.
UM, WE HAD MINIMUM STOCKING LEVELS ESTABLISHED BASED ON WHAT
[00:55:01]
OUR SUPPLY CHAINS WERE AND THAT CHANGED OVER NIGHT.UM, DO WE, DID WE EVER STOCK A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR INSTALLED INVENTORY? NO.
UM, WHAT IS THE RIGHT INVENTORY LEVEL NOW TO STOCK? UH, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
UM, THIS HAS A POTENTIAL OF ACTUALLY SLOWING DOWN HOME BUILDING, RIGHT? I MEAN, AND IT ABSOLUTELY, WELL, IF WE CAN'T GET TRANSFORMERS, THEY CERTAINLY CAN'T.
THAT'S JUST TRANS HOUSE THERE.
AND I THINK OUR PRIORITY IS TO SERVE OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS AND IF THEY HAVE A FAILURE ON THEIR, THEIR TRANSFORMER RIGHT NOW THAT'S 20 YEARS OLD, UH, THAT'S BEEN IN SERVICE FOR THAT LONG AND IT FAILS, THEY EXPECT ME TO HAVE A REPLACEMENT FORM AND I EXPECT TO HAVE A REPLACEMENT FORM
CHARLIE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
CHARLIE, DO YOU AND YOUR STAFF? I ALL RIGHT, IF MR. HUGHES WILL COME UP AND MAKE HIS PRESENTATION ON THE WATER RESOURCES.
I'M ME TO GET A QUICK HAND CALLING IN HERE.
WHILE COLLEEN'S GETTING THIS, UH, UP TO DATE ON THE, THE SLIDE, I'LL REAL QUICKLY JUST ECHO SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT CHARLIE, UH, CHARLIE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED ABOUT GOING A LOT OF DETAIL.
AS FAR AS THE, THE STRAIN ON RESOURCE, WE'RE RECEIVING THE EXACT SAME THING, THE WATER RESOURCE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WHETHER IT BE, UM, MATERIALS, LABOR CONTRACTORS, UH, EVERYTHING IS BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO GET OUR HANDS ON AND HAVE THAT RESOURCE WE NEED TO COMPLETE THE WORK WE'RE DOING, WHETHER THAT BE DAY TO DAY WORK OR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO, LIKE TROY SAID, SOMETHING WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT'S CHALLENGES.
WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH IT SEEMS LIKE NEW CHALLENGES EVERY WEEK.
UH, WE ARE NOTICING IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND I ANTICIPATE JUST TO PICK UP PACE IN THE MONTHS TO COME, HAS A LOT OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL A R P MONEY IS WORKING ITS WAY DOWN TO RECIPIENTS AND GETTING INTO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE AND MORE DEMAND ON THOSE RESOURCES.
SO THERE'S ALREADY A HIGH LEVEL OF DEMAND ON THE CONTRACTORS, ON THE MATERIAL, ON THE EQUIPMENT.
AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN VERY MUCH OF THE A R P MONEY HIT THE STREET YET.
THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED FEDERALLY AND THROUGH STATE A R P ALLOCATIONS REALLY HAVEN'T EVEN GONE OUT FOR BIDS YET.
SO I ANTICIPATE THE FIRST AND SECOND QUARTER OF 23 TO START SEEING SOME AS BIDS COME OUT.
AND THAT'S REALLY GOING TO REALLY PUT A STRAIN ON THAT RESOURCE LEVEL.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BECOME MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET, ESPECIALLY THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET THOSE, UH, COMPETITIVELY PRICED AND GET THOSE IMPLEMENTED PROBABLY IN THE NEXT 24, 36 MONTHS.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE, I THINK AHEAD OF THE, THE LARGE RUSH ON THOSE RESOURCES.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THOSE OUT THE DOOR FOR, FOR BIDDING.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET CONTRACTORS HERE TRYING TO GET MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT HERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET ABOUT 12 TO HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROJECTS, UM, UNDER CONSTRUCTION BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SOME OF THOSE ARE ALREADY IN CONSTRUCTION, SOME OF THOSE ARE IN A BIDDING PHASE.
WE HAVE A VERY LARGE PROJECT WITH BIDS TOMORROW AND THE OTHERS ARE, WE'RE WRAPPING UP THE PERMITTING PHASE AND HOPE, WE HOPE TO HAVE OUT BID IN, IN EARLY 23.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO STAY, GET AHEAD OF THE RUSH AND GET CONTRACTORS HERE, GET MATERIALS HERE WHILE WE STILL CAN GET SOME OF THAT WORK DONE, UH, WITH ANTICIPATION THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS, THOSE PROJECTS ARE GONNA GET VERY DIFFICULT TO GET.
UH, WHAT I, IN THE PACKET, THERE ARE SIX PROJECTS THAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT ARE WATER RESOURCE PROJECTS.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE.
THESE ARE PROJECTS WE HAVE EITHER, UH, GONE OUT FOR BIDS AND CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION OR PROJECTS THAT YOU'LL SEE COME BACK BEFORE YOU, WE'LL TALK ABOUT EITHER FOR CONTRACT PROCUREMENT OR FOR THE BIDDING PROCESS IN THE MONKS TO COME.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS NC D O T PROJECT IN JAMES CITY.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE RELOCATING A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE OR ACCOMMODATE THE NC D O T HIGHWAYS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, EXCUSE ME.
THAT PROJECT, UH, THE WORK'S ABOUT $10 MILLION WORTH OF NEW BERN'S WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IS GETTING RELOCATED.
OUR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THAT WORK IS 2.3 MILLION.
SO WE, WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED THAT MONEY OUT TO FUND.
THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY UNCONSTRUCTED OF THAT AND THIS POINT GOT ABOUT 20% OF THE WORK COMPLETE.
[01:00:01]
UM, RUN INTO SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT.WE'VE PROBABLY GOT ANOTHER 18 MONTHS WORTH OF CHURNING THROUGH THAT RELOCATION WORK.
AND AS CHARLIE HINTED TO A FEW MOMENTS AGO, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST PHASE OF THE JAMES CITY OR HIGHWAY 70 RELOCATION WORK.
AS THIS IS WRAPPING UP, WE WILL START GETTING, WE START TO GET INTO THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH IS THURMAN ROAD TABLO, UH, SO WE'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN PROBABLY 24 MONTHS FROM NOW, ANTICIPATE WE'LL HAVE A, ANOTHER ROUND OF, UH, UTILITY AGREEMENTS WITHIN NC D O T FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE RELOCATIONS AND THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECTS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE WORKED WITH NC D O T ON THAT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 70 WITH UTILITY RELOCATIONS FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
UM, THE SECOND ONE ON THE LIST IS OUR TOWNSHIP SEVEN SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
THIS IS ONE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, FOR MANY YEARS.
THIS ULTIMATELY PROVIDES, UH, ALL THE CAPACITY WE NEED TO TRANSMIT ALL THE SEWER.
THIS PRODUCED IN THE, THE TOWNSHIP SEVEN AREA ACROSS THE TRENT RIVER INTO MAIN NEW AND BACK TO OUR MAIN TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS INCLUDES, UH, PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS, EQUALIZATION BASED IMPROVEMENTS, A LOT OF FORCE MADE.
IT'S A VERY LARGE PROJECT, UH, VERY COMPLEX PROJECT.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT THE BIDS ARE ACTUALLY OPENING FOR TOMORROW AT 11 O'CLOCK.
FINGERS CROSSED, WE, WE GET A LOT OF PARTICIPATION.
THIS IS WHY WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TO REBID AND, AND RE ADVERTISE BECAUSE WE HAD, WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PARTICIPATION FROM BIDDERS THE FIRST GO ROUND.
SO WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE THE LACK OF INTEREST FROM CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THEY'VE ALL GOT SO MUCH WORK.
IT'S KINDA THE STORY I GOT IN TALKING TO CONTRACTORS IN THE LAST MONTH.
THEY'RE ALREADY BOOKED FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON ANY MORE WORK.
SO I THINK THIS WILL BE A, A PROBLEM.
THE NEXT ONE LIST IS OUR NORTHWEST INTERCEPTOR, UH, IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
THIS IS A LINING OF A VERY LARGE, UH, SEWER OUTFALL LINE.
UH, THIS IS A PHASE TWO OF A THREE PHAGE APPROACH TO, UH, TO REHABILITATE THE ENTIRE OUTFALL.
UH, THE TOTAL ANTICIPATED COST FOR THIS ONE'S ABOUT $615,000, AND WE DO HAVE A $230,000 GRANT FROM THE DIVISION OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, THE HEALTH FUND PORTION OF THAT CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE FOURTH ONE YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR PACKING LIST IS BASICALLY THE, UH, INVESTMENT AND REHABILITATION OF, OF AGE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, AND WASTEWATER THAT WAS INSTALLED, WE'LL SAY PRE 1960.
UH, SO GEOGRAPHICALLY, THIS IS BASICALLY ANYTHING FROM SIMMONS STREET BACK EAST, BACK TOWARDS DOWNTOWN, BACK TOWARDS DUFFY FIELD AND TOWARDS THE RIVERS.
UH, EVERYTHING IN IN THOSE AREAS WAS BASICALLY INSTALLED PRIOR TO 1960.
UH, OVER THE LAST 20, 30 YEARS, WE HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY IN REHABILITATING AND REPLACING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THOSE AREAS, AND WE CONTINUE TO INVEST ABOUT A MILLION AND MILLION HALF DOLLARS A YEAR.
AND WE KINDA DO IT ON A BLOCK BY BLOCK BASIS.
AND WE WORK THOSE PROJECTS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE REPLACING INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACES THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THE NEED TO DO STREET REHABILITATION.
SO THE GENERAL IDEAS, WE CAN COME TO AN AREA, FIX THE AGING WATER, UH, WATER AND SEWER LINES, AND THEN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAN COME RIGHT BEHIND US WITH THE PAVING PROGRAM AND RESURFACE THE STREET.
IT, IT'S, IT'S A KIND OF A, A ONE TWO PUNCH THAT WORKS VERY WELL.
UH, THE FIFTH ONE ON THE LIST IS OUR WEST NEW BRUNS WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
UH, THIS ESSENTIALLY IS, UH, CONNECTING TWO DEAD ENDS OF OUR WATER SYSTEM ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF TOWN.
SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPING CAPACITY, SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN STORAGE CAPACITY WITH AN ELEVATED STORAGE TANK, AND ULTIMATELY MEETS THE WATER NEEDS FOR OUR GROWING, UH, WEST NEW BERN AREA.
THIS IS EVERYTHING FROM, UH, THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY BACK DOWN THE HIGHWAY 3 43 CORRIDOR, UM, AND DOWN THE FUTURE HIGHWAY 43 CORRIDOR TO, UH, THE AREA HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH, UH, TRENT CREEK ROAD.
AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY BACK DOWN TO GLEN BURN.
SO FROM, YOU KNOW, THE ACADEMY SHOPPING CENTER OVER TO BRINSON SCHOOL, BACK ALONG WHAT WILL BE HIGHWAY 43 INTO PLEASANT FIELD, THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WILL, UH, GET THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, FROM THIS PROJECT.
AND LAST ON THE LIST IS OUR SOUTHEAST WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THIS IS ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY IN CONSTRUCTION AND ABOUT 60% COMPLETE.
AND THIS IS A VERY SIMILAR PROJECT TO THE WEST NEWBURN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WHERE WE CAN CONNECTING TWO DEAD ENDS OF THE WATER SYSTEM TO IMPROVE FIRE FLOW AND DOMESTIC, UH, UH, CAPABILITIES IN THOSE AREAS.
THIS IS ONE THAT WE WENT OUT, UH, FOR BIDS FOR A FEW MONTHS BACK AT A CONTRACT HERE.
LIKE I SAID, ABOUT HALFWAY DONE AT THIS POINT, THE ESTIMATED COST TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT IS ABOUT $800,000.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF SCRATCHING THE SURFACE ON, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS THAT EITHER WE HAVE IN CONSTRUCTION NOW, OR WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN THE MONTHS TO COME.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE CONTINUING TO KIND OF RUN IT CAPACITY WITH OUR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, JUST DOING THE STUFF WE, WE DO EVERY DAY, UH, WORKING WITH THE CHALLENGES WE'RE HAVING WITH RESOURCES, WHETHER THAT BE PERSONNEL, MATERIAL, EQUIPMENT.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A VERY BUSY TIME FOR OUR WATER RESOURCE TEAM.
UM, I THINK IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, AS WE CLOSE OUT CALENDAR YEAR 22 AND WE CLOSE OUT, UH, FISCAL YEAR 23, UM, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FACE THOSE CHALLENGES AND, AND WORK THROUGH THEM.
SO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAS
[01:05:01]
ON THE, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WE PRESENTED, OR JUST ABOUT THE WATER RESOURCE OPERATIONS AS A WHOLE.THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. CHILD TO COME UP TO GIVE UPDATE ON PUBLIC REPORTS PROJECTS BOARD WHILE HE'S COMING UP.
UM, JUST TO POINT OUT, WE GOT THROUGH THE FIRST BULLET POINT UNDER THIS SECTION AND WE'RE OUT OF TIME, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND IF THE DATE PROGRESSES, IN CASE YOU WANNA MOVE ANYTHING AROUND WITH MY POINT WAS SAYING THAT, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR BOARD.
UM, WHAT I'VE GOT IS JUST GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ALLOCATED FOR A R P FUNDING FROM THE BOARD'S ALLOCATION, AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT WE'VE GOT FOR, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE PAVING AND SIDEWALKS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, BY BY CHARLIE AND JORDAN, UM, ALL OF OUR PROJECTS ARE SEEING SIMILAR EFFECTS FROM, UM, SUPPLY ISSUES, UH, CONSULTANT STAFFING ISSUES, AND WE ARE SEEING SOME, SOME BACK END ON CONTRACTOR AVAILABILITY TO, TO GET PRICING.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ISOLATED HERE.
IT'S, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A CROSS COUNTRY ISSUE, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING SLIGHTLY AS THE PROJECT STARTS TO SPEED UP WITH ALL THE FUNDING.
SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS BROKEN DOWN BY WARD, HOW THE, HOW YOUR ALLOCATIONS HAVE GONE NOW.
JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THEM.
UM, WARD ONE, UM, WE'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGE TO ADDRESS THE, UH, FAILING HANCOCK STREET CULVERT, WHICH IS STORMWATER DRAIN ON INSIDE THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
I WILL SAY THAT, UH, SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE ORDERED, UH, OR REQUESTED THE ELECTRONIC SPEED LIMIT SIGNS.
UH, WE RECEIVED THE LAST ONE MONDAY, SO THEY'RE ALL IN, IN HOUSE.
AND WE'LL BE, UH, WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU, DEPENDING ON LOCATIONS THAT YOU REQUESTED AND HAVE THOSE INSTALLED THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OUT THE MIDDLE AND P*****K STREET TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAL.
SO THAT WOULD BE FOR A SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION OF PEDESTRIAN CONTROL.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, CONTRACTED A CONSULTANT TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS OF EVALUATION AND DESIGN ON THAT INTERSECTION.
AND AS THAT PROGRESSES, I'LL UPDATE YOU WITH THOSE, WITH THAT PROGRESSION ON, ON THE DESIGN WORK.
UH, TWO, UM, WE HAVE THE, UH, RED ROBIN TRENT ROAD INTERSECTION DITCH, UH, THAT IT, UM, HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND BID, AND WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS DONE HERE SHORTLY WITH A START DATE, UH, JANUARY OF, OF NEXT YEAR, THE TRENT ROAD BANK STABILIZATION, WHICH IS, UM, CLOSE TO FLIS BIKE SHOP WHERE THE, A LARGE OUTFALL GOES THROUGH THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING GOING TO ADVERTISEMENT.
UM, THIS MONTH IS WHEN WE'RE GONNA ADVERTISE FOR, FOR BIDS ON THAT, THAT PROJECT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO AWARD AWARD BIDS FROM TOP 1ST OF JANUARY AND SET A START DATE ON THAT PROJECT.
GEORGE, JUST, UM, YES, BACK TO WARD ONE AUTO MASTER POINTED OUT.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE MIDDLE AND BROAD STREET TRAFFIC.
I DON'T ANYBODY THINK WE'RE PUTTING A STOPLIGHT UP AT MIDDLE AND MIDDLE.
MIDDLE AND BROAD, MIDDLE AND BROAD.
THE, UM, THE SIDEWALKS FOR PEMBROKE, WE'VE HAD, I'VE HAD SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH ALTMAN ROYAL, AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP TO GET TO GET THAT SET SO WE CAN GET SOME DESIGN WORK DONE ON THOSE, THOSE PROJECTS.
UH, MOVING TOWARD THREE, UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, I HAVE ALL OF ALDERMAN ASHER SIGNS IN, SO, UM, IF SOMEBODY HADN'T ALREADY REACHED OUT TO YOU, WE'LL SET A TIME TO LOOK AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
WARD FOUR, UM, RACE TRACK ROAD, WHICH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DESIGNED FOR IMPROVEMENTS, UM, WAS FUNDED THROUGH, UH, THE WARD FOUR ALLOCATION THAT WILL INCLUDE WIDENING OF A SECTION OF RACETRACK ROAD FROM ELIZABETH TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS, AND THEN RESURFACING FROM THE RAILROAD TRACKS TO DE BOULEVARD.
UM, THAT WILL ALSO INCLUDE AN UPGRADE TO THE PIPES CROSSING RACETRACK ROAD.
IT'LL IDENTIFY THERE'S A 36 INCH STORM CULVER IDENTIFIED IN A PRIOR RANGE STUDY, UM, WHICH WAS SHOWN TO BE UNDERSIZED, UM, INCLUDED IN THIS PROJECT.
WE'LL BE UPGRADING THAT TO A DOUBLE 36, UH, WARD FIVE, THE EAST ROSE CULVERT IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE'S BEEN SOME PRELIMINARY WORK DONE ON THIS, AND THIS IS A, THIS WHOLE AREA IN THE NORTH HILLS EAST ROSE AREA IS A COMPLEX ISSUE
[01:10:01]
WHERE MANY PROJECTS, MANY FUNDING SOURCES ARE TIED TOGETHER.WE RECEIVED THE INITIAL NORTH HILLS DRAINAGE STUDY ON 31ST OF OCTOBER.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT, HAD SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, AND AS WE WORK TOWARDS A FINAL GAME PLAN ON HOW WE'LL HAVE THAT DONE AND WHERE THE ALLOCATIONS WILL COME FROM, WE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR THE CULVERT IMPROVEMENT.
WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION FOR THAT WARD FOR THE NORTH HILL STORMWATER RELATED PROJECTS.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT THAT WE JUST RECEIVED TO LOWER THESE LIFT STATIONS.
SO WE HAVE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT ARE ALL TIED TOGETHER THAT AFFECT HOW THIS ULTIMATE DESIGN WORKS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE CAN START GETTING SOME REAL DESIGN IDEAS ON COST OF, OF HOW WE'RE GONNA ONE PAY FOR IT AND, AND THE STAGES OF THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD SIX, UM, SET OF ELECTRONICS SPEED LIMIT SIGNS ARE IN, OR WE'LL HAVE THOSE INSTALLED.
UH, THERE'S MONEY ALLOCATED FOR NEW POINT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT IS FOR THE PIPE AND STORM GRAIN BOX IMPROVEMENTS IN THERE.
AND THAT WE, WE HAVE A CONTRACT ALLOCATED, UH, AWARDED FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE PLANNING TO START AFTER THE FIRST YEAR ONCE ALL OF THE FESTIVALS AND HOLIDAY EVENTS END IN AT UNION POINT.
WE HAVE ALSO GONE THROUGH WITH OTTERMAN BRISSON, UM, AND HAVE DISCUSSED THE SIDEWALK GAPS.
UH, WE HAVE RETAINED A CONSULTANT WITH THE DESIGN WORK FOR MORTON TWO GLEN BURNIE TO, TO ACCOMMODATE SOME GAP FILL-INS IN THAT AREA.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN REPLACEMENT OR IMPROVEMENT, UH, PUBLIC WORK STAFF HAS FINISHED THOSE THAT WERE REQUESTED AN AWARD, BUT THEY HAVE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND KEEP WORKING THROUGHOUT THE CITY ON ALL THE WARD SIGNS THAT THEY SEE THAT ARE DEFICIENT AND WORK ON IMPROVING EACH ONE OF 'EM AS TIME ALLOWS.
SO YOU'LL SEE, SEE ADDITIONAL SIGNS COME OUT OF ADDITIONAL AWARDS, UM, GET REPAYED AND RESET.
SO, UH, DON'T WORRY IF YOUR RESIDENTS CALL IN AND SAY THEY'RE STOLEN.
OUR DEPARTMENT USUALLY TOOK THEM AND WE'LL PUT 'EM BACK IN AS SOON AS WE GET 'EM.
UM, THE LAST BIT OF THE WARD SIX IS A DRAIN IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS, UH, WITH CONSULTANTS AND, AND ALDERMAN BRINSON ABOUT THAT.
AND WE HAVE NARROWED IT DOWN TO WHERE WE BELIEVE WILL BE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND BENEFICIAL FOR THAT WARD.
AND ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, UM, SET, WE'LL, ALDERMAN AND BRISSON WILL ALLOCATE THE FUNDS TO THOSE, THOSE PROJECTS.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL BE COMING TO THE BOARD, OF COURSE, FOR APPROVAL, BUT LOOKING AT, UH, IMPROVING THE COLLEGE PARK DRAINAGE AND THE, UH, PIONEERS DRIVE PUMP STATION AS FAR THE TWO THAT I'LL RECOMMEND FOR, UH, FUNDING RIGHT THEN OUR, OUR, OUR COUNCIL PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR, USUALLY OUR, OUR ANNUAL FUNDING FOR RESURFACING AND SIDEWALKS.
UM, FOLLOWING UP ON, UH, WHAT MR. HUGHES HAD HAD MENTIONED, WE ARE DOING A FOLLOWER PROJECT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION THAT, THAT HE'S DOING IN, UH, DUFFY FIELD AREA.
UM, SO WE'LL BE PAVING, UM, A PORTION OF WASHINGTON RILEY MYRTLE AND MAIN STREET, UM, TO FOLLOW UP BEHIND HIS REHABILITATION WORK ON THE UTILITY SERVICES IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE SECOND PHASE OF OUR RESURFACING WILL BE LOWE'S BOULEVARD, UH, BOSCH BOULEVARD.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO ABOUT 1500 FEET THIS YEAR.
WE'LL HAVE TO DO IT IN PHASES.
UM, THE ROAD, THE SURFACE IS DEGRADING WITH THE TRUCK TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON THAT STAGES.
THE SIDEWALK, UH, CONCRETE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE, UM, HIRED A CONSULT FOR DESIGN WORK TO TIE IN A PORTION OF LOWS BOULEVARD.
SO WE'RE GONNA COME OUT, WE'RE PLANNING TO COME OUT OF THE UNAPPROVED RIGHT OF WAY OF MADISON, WHICH IS, IS IN THE SOUTH GATE COMMUNITY, AND THEN RUN TOWARDS THE GARDEN CENTER LANE INTERSECTION.
SO WE CAN TIE THOSE AREAS AND THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEX ACROSS LAKES RAR THAT UTILIZES THAT ROAD FOR PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE IN OUR PLANS TO DO A PORTION OF, UH, K STREET FROM MAINE TO PAVY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED, UM, STANLEY WHITE REC CENTER.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DOING A PORTION OF THE NORTH END OF HENDERSON PARK TO TIE IN THE MAIN STREET FOR FUTURE PLANS AS WE LOOKED AT FOR SUTTON AND GARDEN STREET CONNECTIONS.
[01:15:03]
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY GENERAL QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECTS OR THE STATUS RIGHT NOW, BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ONE QUESTION.UM, GEORGE, UM, THE RACETRACK ROAD, UH, PROJECT, HOW SOON WOULD THAT PROJECT, UH, START? WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THE BIG DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE TO, TO BID OUT IN JANUARY.
GEORGE, YOU HAVE, UM, A LOT OF THE, THE, A RPA A MONEY GOING TOWARDS, UM, STORM WATER AND DRAINAGE, UM, PROJECTS.
LOOKING AT JUST THE, THE BIG PICTURE OF DRAINAGE ISSUES FOR THE CITY.
WHAT PERCENT OF THAT BIG PICTURE IS BEING ADDRESSED WITH THIS MONEY? UH, IT'S KIND OF AN UNFAIR QUESTION.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR EXACTS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT, AND IT, AND IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT.
UM, WE HAVE THE, THE BACKSIDE OF COLLEGE PARK AND, AND OMAN BRITON'S WARD.
THAT WAS A STRUCTURAL ISSUE WITH HOW THE GREATS WERE SET ON SOME OF THAT DRAINAGE THAT WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS NO DEFICIENCIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED.
UM, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TACKLE, UM, HISTORIC DRAINAGE AREAS AS LARGE WITH THOSE PROJECTS OTHER THAN THE, THE WORKING DUFFY FIELD.
YOU'VE GOT OTHER FUNDING ALLOCATED TO THAT AREA THAT THAT'LL ALLOW US TO DO BROADER RANGE PROJECTS.
BUT IN GENERAL, THESE HAVE BEEN, UM, THE, THE RED ROBIN INTERSECTION BANK WITH TRENT ROAD, UM, HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY DEGRADED AND SLOUGHING OFF IN THE DITCH.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE EASILY IDENTIFIABLE.
WE CAN ADDRESS 'EM WITH THIS MONEY.
AND THAT WAS WHERE OUR AIM WAS TO, TO ADDRESS A LARGER REGIONAL PROBLEM.
UM, WE DID NOT FOCUS ON THAT TYPE OF, OF PLANNING IT WITH THIS FUNDING.
IF THAT AN AND I'M NOT SURE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT WELL, I, I GUESS THE, THE, THE, THE POINT, THE UNDERLYING POINT IS THAT, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING A LOT OF MONEY GOING OUT IN THE FUTURE FOR DRAINAGE STORM WATER PROJECTS.
AND THE, REALISTICALLY, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL THAT WE'RE SEEING AT THIS POINT.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR DRAINAGE IN OUR AREA, AND, AND THIS IS AN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA PROBLEM, IT'S ELEVATION.
UM, AND THAT, THAT IS NOTHING THAT WE CAN FIX WITH PIPES.
UM, WE JUST CAN'T MAKE UP GRADE IN THE EXISTING DEVELOPED AREAS.
SO, SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU ALREADY HAVE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ADDRESS IT THE BEST WAY WE CAN.
WILL WE PREVENT FLOODING IN SOME AREAS? NO.
UH, WILL WE BE ABLE TO FACILITATE REMOVING THAT WATER FASTER ONCE WHATEVER EVENT IS, IS OVER? I BELIEVE SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE OUR AIM WOULD BE.
UM, MR. CHILDS THE NORTH HILLS, UM, UH, DRAINAGE STUDY? YES, MA'AM.
SO THERE IS, YOU HAVE WHAT, TWO OPTIONS? ONE OPTION,
WE HAVE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A FULL SIT DOWN WITH THEM TO, TO GET, UH, SOME KIND OF PHASING, UM, RECOGNIZED THAT THERE MAY NEED TO BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SALT FOR SOME OF IT, UM, TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES OF LIFTING WATER AT LIFT STATIONS.
UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, INCREASED COST MM-HMM.
SO, SO THOSE ARE ALL CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE OF, OF HOW WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE LIGHTED END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THAT AREA.
JUST KIND LIKE TO ASK MS. WARREN TO COME FORWARD AND GET AN UPDATE ON PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS.
UM, I'M GONNA GIVE THAT OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS GOING ON, BUT, UM, I'M JUST GONNA REVIEW SOME OF OUR MAJOR ONES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
SO THE FIRST ONE I HAVE IS HENDERSON PARK.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE REDEVELOPING THAT PARK, UM, WITH THE USE OF FEMA FUNDS.
WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO EXPAND ON THE PLAYGROUND, UM, INSTALL A NEW
[01:20:01]
FITNESS COURSE, ADD LIGHTS TO THE NEW BASKETBALL COURT THAT WE RECENTLY INSTALLED, UM, ADD SOME BLACKTOP GAMES SUCH AS HOPSCOTCH, FOURSQUARE, ET CETERA, FOR SOME OF THE YOUNGER KIDS.UM, INSTALL A 30 BY 65 OPEN SHELTER THAT CAN BE USED FOR RESERVATIONS AS WELL AS A FARMER'S MARKET.
AND, UM, THE BUILDING OF NEW RESTROOMS THAT'LL BE LOCATED CLOSER TOWARDS THE FRONT CENTER AREA OF THE PARK VERSUS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY IN THE BACK OF THE PARK.
NEXT PROJECTS WILL BE, UM, ONES THAT ARE OCCURRING AT LAWSON CREEK PARK.
UM, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, THE F 11 JET RESTORATION, UM, HAS BEEN OCCURRING, AND I'M GONNA LET FOSTER SPEAK TO THAT SINCE HE'S BEEN DEALING PRIMARILY WITH THAT.
SO, AS, AS, UM, SOME OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THIS, BUT WE CONTRACTED WITH NEW ROOTS RESTORATION BACK IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR.
THEY CAME IN, THEY PAINTED THE JET, UM, IN, AND IT WAS COMPLETED IN LATE JUNE, THE 1ST OF JULY.
WE HAD TWO DAYS OF, OF VERY BAD RAIN.
AND AS WE'RE DRIVING BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND LOOKING AT JET, WE THINK
AND, AND, UM, PAINT HAD BASICALLY COME OFF WITH THE RAIN IS BASICALLY WHAT IT WAS.
AND SO AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THEM PUTTING TOO MUCH PRIMER ON THE JET, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PAINT NOT ADHERING.
SO WE SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
THEY, THEY ACTUALLY CAME BACK ON SITE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO TO START PREPPING THE JET AGAIN.
THEY HAVE GOT ONE FULL COAT OF PAINT ON, I THINK THEY'RE FINISHING UP THEIR SECOND COAT THIS WEEK, AND THEY MAY HAVE ANOTHER DAY OR TWO LEFT OF THAT, BUT I THINK THEY RESOLVED THE ISSUES, SO WE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AT LAWSON CREEK PARK.
WE HAVE THE EXTENSION OF THE MARSH WALK.
UM, LAST YEAR WE, UM, COMPLETED REBUILDING THE MARSH WALK THAT WAS OUT AT LOSS CREEK PARK THAT WENT TO JACK'S ISLAND.
AND, UM, THE BEGINNING OR THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE APPLIED FOR A CABIN GRANT TO HELP US EXTEND THAT MARSH WALK 300 FEET AROUND JACKS ISLAND TO GIVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FISHING OFF THAT END OF THE ISLAND AND THE WATER AREA OVER THERE.
UM, SO WE ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON, UM, ADDING THAT, UM, 300 FOOT ADDITION TO THE MARSH WALK, TOTAL COST OF THAT CENTER AND 47,000.
AND MOST OF THAT IS COVERED BY THE CAN GRANT.
ONE OF OUR NEXT PROJECTS, WHICH IS BEING FUNDED THANKS TO ARPA FUNDS, IS A NEW SHELTER OUT AT NEWBURN MEMORIAL CEMETERY.
IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT A $75,000 PROJECT WHERE WE WILL REPLACE THE SHELTER THAT'S CURRENTLY OUT THERE TO BE ABLE, UM, TO BE USED FOR ONSITE SERVICES WHEN NEEDED IN THAT CEMETERY.
AND ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS THE PLEASANT HILL PARK, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT DILIGENTLY.
UM, THEY HAVE COMPLETED ABOUT 50, 60% OF THE WORK THEY COULD DO SO FAR.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE THE, UM, CONTRACTOR IN THERE DOING DRYWALL INSTALLATION.
HE'S BEEN WORKING OUT THERE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS NOW.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION, ONCE HE'S COMPLETED, STAFF CAN GET BACK IN THERE AND FINISH UP SOME OF THE BATHROOM ITEMS, INSTALLING, UM, THE STALLS AND OTHER FIXTURES IN THE RESTROOMS, UM, GETTING INTO FLOOR TILES, CEILING TILES, CABINETS.
STAFF WILL BE MAKING THE CABINETS TO INSTALL THEIR, UM, AND THEN FINISHING UP THE GENERAL SITE WORK ON THE OUTSIDE LANDSCAPING AND COMPLETION OF ELECTRICAL AND SEWER.
OUR NEXT, UM, PROJECT IS ALONG RIVER WALK.
UM, THIS IS ALSO BEING FUNDED BY ARPA FUNDS.
UM, BACK SOMETIME AFTER HURRICANE FLORENCE, WE REPLACED, UM, PART OF THE RIVER WALK FENCE THAT WAS FROM UNION POINT PARK AND WENT UNDER THE FRIDGE UP TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND SO NOW WE'RE GONNA BE REPLACING FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER ON BACK AROUND THE RIVER WALK BY, UM, THE GRAND MARINA UP TO THE RAILROAD TRACK.
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE STARTED SOON ONCE WE GET THROUGH ALL THE QUOTE AND APPROVAL TO USE, UM, THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT USING FOR THAT.
[01:25:01]
AND THAT FENCE AND I THINK HAS BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.I'M NOT SURE ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE REPLACED BADLY.
AND THEN ONE OF OUR BIGGEST AND FAVORITES IS THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANTS, CP AND L FOSTER AND I, UM, VARIOUS MEETINGS.
THEY ARE, UH, WRAPPING UP THEIR PORTION AND GETTING READY FOR THE BIDDEN PROCESS.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THE BIDDEN OPEN UP IN JANUARY.
UM, FINGERS CROSSED, CONSTRUCTION WILL BE ABLE TO BEGIN IN MARCH OF 2023, AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING A 15 MONTH CONSTRUCTION TIME.
UM, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW, APPLYING FOR PERMITS AND OTHER THINGS.
THEY SUBMITTED THE DESIGN TO THE CITY FOR REVIEW, AND, UM, SO THEY'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE THEM COMING TO DO A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD SOMETIME TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS GENERAL SITE WORK? GENERAL SITE WORK? MM-HMM.
AFTER WORK COMPLETED WITH THE BUILDING, GETTING OUTSIDE, CLEARING UP THE SITE AROUND THE BUILDING, INSTALLING ANY, UH, LANDSCAPING GRASS THAT WE NEED TO INSTALL, TYING INTO ELECTRICAL, THE SEWER, WATER, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED ON THE OUTSIDE.
SIDEWALK AS THEY'LL BE, THEY'LL BE CONCRETE TO IT FOR ACCESSIBILITY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON CITY HALL PROJECTS.
UH, UM, SPOKE WITH THE, THE PROJECT MANAGER THIS MORNING ON THE ELEVATOR.
UH, ADDITION, CURRENTLY THEY'RE AT 45% COMPLETION.
UH, THEY ARE WORKING NOW ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING WHILE THEY'RE WAITING ON THE PRECAST, UH, STONE TO BE, TO BE MANUFACTURED.
UH, SO THEY ARE FRAMING UP THE RESTROOMS AND THE WALLS INSIDE, AND THEY'RE ALSO WORKING TO DRY IN THE ROOF AREA.
UH, THEY ANTICIPATE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THE PRECAST ARRIVING.
SO THEN YOU'RE REALLY GONNA SEE A CHANGE IN THE BUILDING AS, AS THAT PROGRESSES, UM, THE, THE, UM, MAY, UH, COMPLETION DATE IS STILL HOLDING WITH THEM.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO WE ALSO HAVE A STAIRCASE REINFORCEMENT PROJECT, AND SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WE STARTED HAVING AN ISSUE ON THE, UH, FROM THE SECOND FLOOR GOING UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR WHERE THE STAIRWELL WAS PULLING APART FROM THE, FROM THE EXTERIOR WALL.
SO CREWS CAME IN SEVERAL WEEKS AGO AND STARTED WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS SECURE.
AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS, THE PLASTER RULE WILL BE HERE TO COMPLETE THAT PART OF IT, AND THAT PROJECT WOULD BE COMPLETE.
AND WE RECEIVED SOME FUNDING FROM FEMA, ABOUT 200,000 FOR A BRICK REPOINTING PROJECT ON THE EXTERIOR OF CITY HALL.
FUNDING, UH, WILL GO TO COVER AT LEAST TWO SIDES.
SO IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $200,000 OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER THE OTHER TWO SIDES.
WE DID HAVE A SUCCESSFUL BIDDER.
OUR, UM, ARCHITECT OAKLEY COLLIER OUTTA ROCKY MOUNT IS, IS, UH, WORKING ON THE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW.
AND WE PLAN ON BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD BY THE DECEMBER MEETING.
UM, UH, FOR YOUR REVIEW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CONTRACTOR DID NOTE, AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN A LOT OF THE AREAS, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF BROKEN COPING AND PRECAST THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.
AND SO THERE IS GONNA BE AN OPTION FOR THE BOARD TO, UM, LOOK AT ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO FIX THOSE WHILE THEY ARE HERE DOING THAT WORK.
AND ANTICIPATE THE TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THE REPOINTING PROJECT OF THE BUILDING WILL BE ABOUT SIX MONTHS FROM THE TIME THEY START THIS PROJECT.
AND ONE LAST THING TO TELL YOU, UM, WITH THE CITY THREE TV, UH, STARTING ON DECEMBER 1ST, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT CHANNEL BY A ROKU DEVICE.
SO FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO STREAM, UH, THEIR TELEVISION AND THINGS, YOU CAN GO ONTO ROKU, CLICK ON THE CITY OF NEW BRUN APP, AND YOU CAN WATCH THAT, THAT CHANNEL.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S AN EXCITING THING WHERE A LOT MORE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT, THAT CHANNEL.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? FOSTER, REAL QUICK, IS THE, THE STAIRCASE REINFORCEMENT ISSUE, UM, IS THAT A, WAS THAT A PREEXISTING CONDITION BEFORE THE ELEVATOR, UM, ADDITION WAS BEING PUT ON? OR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT WAS EXACERBATED OR CREATED BY THE NEW CONSTRUCTION? IT WASN'T CREATED BY, IT MAY HAVE, AND I MAY HAVE TO LET JORDAN OR GEORGE, THEY MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY ON THAT.
DO YOU, GEORGE WAS PREEXISTING.
[01:30:04]
SO IT WAS NOT AS A, AS A RESULT OF THE NEW PROJECT.THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND IT JUST BEGAN, YOU KNOW, IN MY, IN MY, IT MIGHT BEEN ON BOARD THAT IT WAS BEGINNING TO COME APART MORE AND MORE AND MORE.
WELL, I'M JUST THANKFUL TO MEMBERS OF THE PRIOR BOARD AND, UH, SOME OF US, UM, UM, WE REALLY HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS CITY HALL ELEVATOR AND, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE CREDIT WITH CREDIT IS DUE.
UM, ALG BENGAL WAS ONE OF THE MAIN ONES, UH, REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS ELEVATOR.
AND I THINK IT, IT'S A PROJECT THAT'S LONG OVERDUE AND I JUST THINK, THINK EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN AGREEING TO HAVE TO MAKING THIS COME TO FRUITION.
THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. OSTROM TO GIVE A FINANCE UPDATE.
SO THE, UM, REPORT THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, IS THE, UH, MONTH THAT YOU, OR THE REPORT THAT YOU SEE EACH MONTH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER THAT WITH YOU.
THIS IS THE MOST JERUSALEM REPORT REPORT IN SEPTEMBER, JUST SO THAT WHEN YOU DO RECEIVE THIS, YOU UM, YOU'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT INFORMATION IT HAS, UM, THAT WE'RE REPORTING TO YOU.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE ENTERPRISE, UM, FUNDS, THE CASH ON HAND.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS? MM-HMM.
UM, THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS CASH ON HAND.
UH, THE FIRST CHART HERE IS IN, UM, IT CAPTURES HOW MUCH CASH WE HAVE ON HAND AND THEN DIVIDES IT, OR HOW MUCH CASH IS IN THE BANKING AND DIVIDES IT BASED ON HOW MUCH OUR EXPENDITURES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE, AND THEN HOW FAR WE CAN GET ON THAT CASH, BASICALLY IS WHAT IT'S REPORTING.
AND UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR SEPTEMBER 30TH, OUR WATER FUND HAD 11.5 MILLION.
THE SEWER FUND HAD 5.7 MILLION, AND THE ELECTRIC FUND HAD A 15 MILLION, 15.2 MILLION.
AND THEN THAT BAR THAT RUNS UNDERNEATH EACH OF THOSE TELLS YOU HOW MANY DAYS, UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ON THAT, ON THAT AMOUNT.
SO, UM, WATER FUND BEING 331 DAYS, THE, UM, SEWER FUND, 144 DAYS, AND THEN ELECTRIC FUND 94 DAYS.
THE PAUL, I THINK, I THINK THE DROP.
COULD YOU LET THE, THE NEW MEMBERS KNOW THE DROP IN ELECTRIC WAS BECAUSE OF THE METRONET? THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, THE REASON YOU SEE 94 DAYS, UH, NOW AS OPPOSED TO 135 BACK IN 2021, WAS WE FUNDED THE METRO HEAD PROJECT.
HOW, HOW MUCH MONEY? 3 MILLION.
$3 MILLION WE PULLED OUT OF FUND BALANCE TO FUND THE EXPENSES RELATED TO THE METRO NET INSTALLATION.
AND THAT ALSO INCLUDED, UM, HIRING SOME STAFF, UH, AS PROJECT COORDINATORS TO WORK WITH METRO NET, ALONG WITH CITY STAFF.
SO THE, UM, BAR CHARTS BELOW THAT IS JUST A, A PICTURE OF YOU, WHICH INCLUDES THAT ORANGE LINE, WHICH IS THE BENCHMARK FOR THE, UM, THE MINIMUM DAYS CASH ON HAND PER HOUR POLICY THAT THE BOARD ADOPTED BACK IN DECEMBER.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ORANGE BAR FOR WATER FUND, IT SITS AT 240 DAYS AND WE'RE ABOVE THAT.
THE, UM, ELECTRIC FUND IS 90 DAYS MINIMUM, AND WE'RE RIDING THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN THE SEWER FUND IS 175 DAYS MINIMUM.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE CONSISTENTLY BELOW THE POLICY, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN.
SO SINCE WE'RE CONSISTENTLY BELOW, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO JUST CONTINUE AS IS.
AND THEN IF YOU START TO SEE IT DROP, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UM, OR IF WE'RE CONCERNED, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BRING UP THAT CASH, WHICH WOULD BE REDUCING EXPENSES OR INCREASING RATES.
UM, IF WE GO, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS FIRST REPORT? THE CASH ON HAND REPORT FOR UTILITIES? THE, THE BENCHMARK THAT WE, OBVIOUSLY WE CREATED THAT BENCHMARK.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE JORDAN MAYBE, DO YOU REMEMBER? THE CRITERIA THAT WE USED FOR THE SEWER BENCHMARK? UH, ALL THREE OF THE UTILITY FUNDS, THE BENCHMARKS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2014 WERE PART OF A VERY COMPLEX CALCULATION, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THAT HAD TO DO WITH REVENUE BOND FINANCING, UM, OR MAINTAINING A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CASH ON HAND.
SO, AND, AND ONE THING TO NOTE, YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE, IN THE CHART THERE, UH, THIS FINDS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
UM, THE CASH IS ACTUALLY BUILT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
[01:35:01]
THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS EVERY DAY HAS GONE UP.SO HOW MANY, HOW MANY DAYS COULD WE FUND THE OPERATION WITH THAT CASH GOES DOWN? SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ADDING MONEY TO THE BANK, OUR DAYS OF CASH ON HAND IS DECREASING CUZ IT'S JUST GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE.
SO, SO MAYBE AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE SHOULD REVISIT THE BENCHMARKS WE CREATED.
CAUSE THAT WAS BASED OFF OF REVENUE BONDS.
AND IF THAT'S BEEN SATISFIED AND WE'RE NO LONGER UTILIZING THAT FORM OF FINANCING, MAYBE TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I THINK THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE EXISTED SINCE 2014.
WE'VE JUST CARRIED THOSE THROUGH, UH, AS, AS BENCHMARKS AS ITS BEEN MOVE MOVES PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE AT SOME POINT IN NEAR FUTURE.
OKAY, SO THE SECOND PAGE IS THE GENERAL FUND CASH ON HAND.
THIS REPORT, UM, TELLS YOU WHERE, WHAT WE HAVE IN CASH FOR GENERAL FUNDS, AND THAT ALSO SHOWS YOU THE, UM, IMPACT OF THE HURRICANE FUNDS AND HOW THOSE UPSTANDING EXPENDITURES NEGATIVELY, NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR OVERALL GENERAL FUND CASH ON HAND.
UM, THIS FIRST CHART UP HERE WILL SHOW YOU THAT, UM, WE HAVE NINE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, $19.8 MILLION FOR GENERAL FUNDS.
AND THEN ONCE YOU REDUCE, UM, THE OUTSTANDING EXPENDITURES FOR THE THREE HURRICANE FUNDS THERE, OR IT'S 14.9 MILLION IS OUR NET AMOUNT.
SO, UM, THEN THE SECOND CHART, UM, SHOWS THE FUN BALANCE, WHICH THESE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE, UM, FUND BALANCE TAKES YOUR, UM, ALL OF YOUR ASSETS AND LIABILITIES INTO CONSIDERATION AND YOUR, YOU KNOW, REVENUES OVER EXPENSES OR UNDER EXPENSES.
AND THAT SHOWS YOU WHERE WE SIT AS A WHOLE.
AND THEN, UM, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE THESE, THE FIRST THREE COLUMNS HERE WITH THE 2019 2020 AND 2021 ARE, ARE AUDITED FUND BALANCES AND THE FUND BALANCE, UM, PERCENTAGES WE, UM, ESTIMATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ONCE WE GET THE 2022 AUDIT FINISH, WE'LL HAVE A, A GOOD NUMBER TO START AT AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO CALCULATE IN ESTIMATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE TRY TO PROVIDE.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A COMPLEX, UM, CALCULATION WITH DIFFERENT RESTRICT WITH RESTRICTED, UM, REVENUES THAT WE DIDN'T, IT'S TOO CLOSE TO THE AUDIT REPORT.
WE DIDN'T REPORT THAT YET FOR SIX 30.
UM, HOWEVER, SO WHEN WE GO AND LOOK AT THE, UM, UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OVER TO THE LEFT THERE, UM, AND THEN THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, EXCLUDING THE HURRICANE FUNDS, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE HURRICANE FUNDS AFFECT US THERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S AUDITED NUMBERS, WE HAD 30%, UM, FUND BALANCE AND THEN, UM, THAT WAS INCLUDING THE HURRICANE FUNDS AND THEN EXCLUDING THEM IT WAS ALMOST 47%.
THE, UM, KIM, COULD YOU, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NET GENERAL FUND ESTIMATE OF 14 NINE AND THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE NET OF HURRICANE FUND AT 18 SIX? YES.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CASH VERSUS THE FUND BALANCE? CORRECT.
UP AT THE TOP YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT CASH WE HAVE ON HAND.
THE FUND BALANCE INCLUDES ALL OF OUR ASSETS AND LIABILITY, SO IT MAY BE REVENUES WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED.
SO FOR THIS ONE, UM, WE HAVE A LOT BUILT OUT TO FEMA FOR REVENUE OR FOR REIMBURSEMENTS, AND WE'VE NOT RECEIVED IT YET.
SO THAT TAKES THAT AND INCLUDES IT AS AN ASSET FOR US BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE ON RECEIVING IT, WE BUILD IT OUT.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THOSE CHANGES IS IT'S GOT OUR REVENUE THAT'S DUE IN AND OUR EXPENSES THAT ARE DUE OUT, THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.
KIM, DOES THIS INCLUDE THE 1.1 MILLION THAT HAS JUST BEEN OBLIGATED? THE, THE ONE THAT THEY JUST PAID, THE 1.8 JUST BEEN PAID IN? UM, THE CASH DOES NOT BECAUSE WE HADN'T RECEIVED IT YET.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BILLING THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN PART OF THE, IN THAT SECOND CHART THAT WOULD'VE BEEN INCLUDED IN THERE.
THAT'S WHY THAT'S IN ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU SEE THAT DIFFERENCE.
AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE THAT FUNDING OR THAT CHECK BY CHRISTMAS.
I THINK IT USUALLY TAKES THEM ABOUT SIX WEEKS AFTER THEY SEND THAT NOTIFICATION.
YEAH, I THINK THEY SAY 45 DAYS.
AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THOUGH THAT, UM, WE HAVE REALLY WORKED HARD TO, UM, REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENTS TIMELY REGULARLY AND THEN CLOSE OUT THOSE PROJECTS
[01:40:01]
THAT WE CAN CLOSE OUT.SO THERE IS QUITE A BIT THAT WE'RE WAITING ON FEMA TO REIMBURSE US FOR, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT CHART.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE THIRD BAR, YOU KNOW, THE BAR GRAPHS ON AT THE BOTTOM, THAT GIVES YOU A PICTURE VIEW THE OF WHERE WE ARE AT AS WELL AS THAT, UM, THE MARKERS, THE, THE, UM, THRESHOLDS.
SO THE ORANGE THRESHOLD IS THE LOWEST, UM, PER OUR POLICY, WHICH IS 25%.
AND UM, THE BLUE ONE IS THE, UH, WE WOULD KIND OF WANT TO BE LGC IS AT 8% MINIMUM, WHICH WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT BENCHMARK THERE, BUT I DID WANNA NOTE THAT.
AND ON THAT BAR GRAPH TO THE LEFT, THE BLUE BAR GRAPH IS THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE AND THEN THE GREEN NEXT TO IT IS, IS, UM, IMPACTED BY THE, THE HURRICANE FUNDS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PAGE? OKAY, SO MOVING ON TO THE THIRD PAGE IS THE, UM, FEMA RECONCILIATION.
THIS ISN'T, UM, EVERY SINGLE FEMA PROJECT, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH, UM, THE PROJECTS ARE LISTED TO THE LEFT OF THE CHART.
IT SHOWS HOW MUCH FEMA HAS OBLIGATED FOR THAT PROJECT.
SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE INCLUDED TOGETHER BASED ON FUNDS SUCH AS SEWER AND ELECTRIC, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEEN PAID BY THE CITY SO FAR, HOW MUCH WE'VE RECEIVED FROM FEMA, AND THEN THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEEN REIMBURSED FOR EACH OF THOSE.
THEN WE HAVE PAYMENTS AT OUR PROCESS.
THESE ARE PAYMENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THEY'RE ISSUING THAT PAYMENT.
SO AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, THAT'S, THEY HAD ONLY NOTIFIED US THAT WE WERE RECEIVING THAT $39,800 THERE.
AND THEN WE BILLED OUT AND ARE WAITING ON REIMBURSEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 6 MILLION THAT'S DUE FROM FEMA.
SO THAT'S, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY BILLED OUT.
THERE'S SOME THAT THEY CAN'T PAY US QUITE YET BECAUSE, UM, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, PAY THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE, UM, PROJECT EXPENSES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET THE ADDITIONAL ADMIN PAY.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF THOSE THAT ARE PENDING CLOSEOUT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE A NUMBER TWO IN THE NOTES, THE ONES THAT ARE PENDING CLOTHES OUT.
SO WE'VE SPENT ALL OF THAT AND, AND BUILD FOR ALL OF IT.
SO THE DUE FROM FEMA ON SEWER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 4 85 MM-HMM.
ELECTRIC FOR EXAMPLE, THE 6 43 WILL THEN BE ADDED TO THE ELECTRIC FUNDS CASH ON HAND, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE ADDED TO THE JOURNAL FUND BECAUSE IT'S ALL NETTED AGAINST THE JOURNAL FUND.
THOSE ONES ARE ON THAT REPORT.
WILL IT GO BACK TO APPLY FOR DAYS OF CASH ON THE YES.
SO IT'LL COME BACK IN AND THEN IT WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE NEGATIVE IMPACT FROM BASICALLY THE NEGATIVE IMPACT FROM HURRICANE FUNDS WILL BE REDUCED.
IT'LL INCREASE OUR CASH ON HAND.
I'M SORRY, I, I'M JUST, UM, UNDER POLICE AND FIRE AND THEN UNDER SEWER.
UM, FOOTNOTE NUMBER ONE, ADMIN PAY HIGHER THAN AMOUNT OBLIGATED.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT JUST TO BE SURE, BUT FROM WHAT I RECALL, I THINK THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAD, UM, A MORE ADMINISTRATIVE PAY THAN WHAT THEY HAD, GREATER THAN 5% OF THE PROJECT.
AND SO THEY WE CAN GET SOME OF THAT BACK IF, YEAH.
AND, AND YOU'LL GET QUITE A BIT ABOUT THAT BACK AS WELL.
WHEN YOU RECEIVED THAT $1.1 MILLION IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, DOESN'T THAT COUNT TOWARDS CAT Z? UM, I'M NOT SURE ON THAT.
THAT SHOULD ADD 5% OF THAT 1.1.
I THINK THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WE CLOSED OUT.
BUT I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE ON THAT.
[01:45:01]
YOU DON'T HAVE, I'M SORRY TO KEEP ASKING THIS QUESTION, BUT YOU, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CURRENT CAT Z ESTIMATE, DO YOU? UM, IS I, I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH KEN ROSE, BUT I THINK THAT'S UNDER THAT MANAGEMENT COST.I MEAN, I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN.
THE LINE THAT SAYS MANAGEMENT COSTS? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE'S, SHE'S LUMPED THAT TOGETHER THERE, BUT I WILL CHECK WITH HER.
I WHERE IS THAT? WHEN I, IN, UM, TO TROY FIFTH ONE DOWN.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT PART OF THE, UM, THE ADMIN PAY WAS HIGHER.
SO, BUT WE'RE GONNA ONLY DO BACK ALMOST 600,000 FROM FEMA AND IT WAS BECAUSE YOU HAD MORE MANAGEMENT COSTS INVOLVED.
I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DETAIL OF THE GRANT OR OF THE, UM, PROJECT, BUT THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE WHERE THE, UM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE, YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO, TO RECEIVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE BACK ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE CARD.
SO, SO SOME OF THAT HAS EXCEEDED, OKAY, NOW WHEN YOU SEND CLOSE OUT THE AWARD, ALL OF THAT GOES IN AND THEY WILL REIMBURSE YOU UP TO THAT FULL AMOUNT IF, IF THEY ALLOW IT, IF THEY OKAY IT.
SO THAT'S ONE ISSUE WITH SOME OF THEM.
SO THEY'LL GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ALLOCATED.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT WE'VE CALCULATED THAN, UM, WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DRAW DOWN ON JUST YET BECAUSE WE NEED THOSE BASE EXPENDITURES TO BE SUBMITTED.
SO IF THE PROJECT IS, UM, A PROJECT EXPENDITURES OUTSIDE OF THE ADMINIS, THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE ISN'T UP AT THAT 75% AMOUNT YET, THEN WE CAN'T DRAW DOWN ON THAT.
AM I MAKING IT MORE CONFUSING? NO.
BASICALLY WE HAVE TO GET THE MONEY BEFORE WE CAN GET THE ADMIN, I MEAN THE MANAGEMENT PAY MM-HMM.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT BASIC EXPENDITURES FIRST.
SO AS WE RECEIVE, WHEN WE CLOSE OUT A PROJECT, AS WE RECEIVE FUNDING, WE WILL RECEIVE FUNDING FOR THE ADMIN PAY AS WELL, RIGHT? YEAH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN REQUEST SOME OF THE ADMIN PAY, BUT YOU CAN'T REQUEST ALL OF IT UNTIL THE PROJECT.
YOU HAVE MORE OF THOSE PROJECT COSTS.
IT WOULD BE LIKE SOMEBODY DOING WORK AT YOUR HOUSE AND THEY WANNA PUT A NEW ROOF ON IT, IT'S GONNA BE $10,000 AND THEY'VE ONLY DONE A QUARTER OF THE ROOF AND THEY WANT YOU TO PAY 'EM FOR HALF OF IT.
IS THAT, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT EXACTLY SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME OF THOSE CASES TOO WHERE WE SPENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME FIGHTING FOR A CAUSE THAT FEMA DECIDED WASN'T WORTHY.
SO THE NEXT CHART IS THE CIRCLE CHART WHERE IT SAYS AT THE TOP THE DOT MIX AGGREGATE FOR SUMMARY BY FUNDS.
SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK PICTURE OF, UM, OUR DEBT BASED ON THE FUNDS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WATER, UM, FUND WITH 37.09% OF THIS, UM, IS AT, THAT'S 16.5 MILLION.
THE ELECTRIC IS THE BLUE, THE 15.06%, THAT'S 3.8, ALMOST 3.9 MILLION OF DEBT.
AND THEN SEWER IS THE 16.84% AND THAT'S TWO POINT ALMOST 2.5 MILLION.
AND THEN GENERAL FUND IS THE RED.
THAT'S ABOUT 13.9 MILLION WITH 29%.
SO THAT WAS JUST A QUICK PICTURE TO SHOW YOU WHERE, WHAT FUNDS HAVE, UM, CONSIST OF WHAT DEBT OF THE AMOUNT OF DEBT.
THE SECOND CHART IS UM, A BAR CHART THAT SHOWS YOU OUR PAY, OUR DEBT SERVICE OVER TIME.
WE DROPPED DOWN, UM, AN F, WHICH IS THE FIRST BAR.
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE FAR LEFT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT, 8.6 MILLION?
[01:50:03]
YEP.I'M WONDERING IF IT'S OFF EVEN MORE THOUGH BECAUSE IT SAYS 2024, SO FISCAL YEAR 23 IS 8.6 MILLION.
SO WE HAVE A REDUCTION THERE, A 3.2 AND THEN AN FY 25, IT'S 4.5 MILLION.
UM, Y 26 YOU'RE LOOKING AT 4.3 MILLION.
KIM DOES THIS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DEBT SERVICE FOR CITY HALL AND STANLEY WHITE CITY HALL, BUT IT DOES NOT TAKE IN CONSIDERATION STANLEY WHITE.
NOT, NOT UNTIL WE GO OUT TO SECURE THAT DEBT.
AND THAT WON'T BE UNTIL WE RECEIVE OUR BIDDING BACK AND THE BOARD TAKES THAT UP FIRST OF THE YEAR.
I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT ALL FUNDS, OUR TOTAL DEBT IS ALMOST, UM, 37.4 MILLION AND THEN GENERAL FUND WAS IS SITTING AT 13.9 MILLION.
THE NEXT UM, REPORT IS OUR, OUR FUNDS REPORT, WHICH YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE WITH THE, UM, WITH THE BOARD MEETINGS WHEN WE SUBMITTED THESE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, ALL THE PROJECTS ON THE TOP HERE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, APPROVED BY THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AND, UM, IN THEIR, IN THE CORRESPONDING WARD.
AND THEN THE SECOND SECTION THERE UNDER THE PEACH IS THE ONES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE NEED TO SEEK SOME MORE ESTIMATES.
THEY'RE JUST, UM, IDEAS AND, AND THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD DISCUSSION ABOUT.
UM, AND THEN THE ONLY TWO WORDS THAT HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW BASED ON THAT IS, UH, WORD THREE WITH 1 MILLION AND WARD SIX WITH 720 2008 92.
UM, I WENT TO THE, UH, SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT, UM, AND THE LEAD OF MUNICIPALITIES HEAD A, UH, ARPA PRESENTATION.
I MET WITH THE ATTORNEY THAT'S HANDLING, UM, SOME OF THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING THE MUNICIPALITIES AND WE HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, UM, AS SOON AS THE 10 MILLION STANDARD ALLOCATION WAS ISSUED, UM, FOR REVENUE REPLACEMENT, UM, ANYBODY THAT HAD RECEIVED UP TO THAT AMOUNT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SELECT THAT.
UM, BUT WE'VE RECEIVED MORE GUIDANCE FROM THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND SHE HAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT WE DO AN AMENDMENT TO OUR, UM, PROJECT FUND SO THAT WE INDICATE THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING NOVEMBER 22ND.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, SPEND DOWN THOSE FUNDS ON SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UM, AND THEN CLOSE THAT PROJECT FUND OUT.
AND WHAT YOU DO IS YOU TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND THEN NOW THEY ARE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND YOU COMMIT THEM FOR YOUR ART PROJECTS.
WHAT THAT DOES IS IT LISTS ALL THE RESTRICTIONS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN AND ALLOWS YOU TO SPEND THE FUNDS ON ANYTHING THAT IS, UM, THAT YOU HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DURING THE ART PRESENTATION.
UM, GOSH, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A YEAR NOW.
UM, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO, WE HAVE MORE, UH, GUIDELINES AND, AND HAVE GOT SOME SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AND I WILL BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU AT THE NOVEMBER 22ND MEETING.
SO YOUR PROJECT WILL ALL BE THE SAME, ALL OF THAT.
NOTHING CHANGES THERE, IT'S JUST THAT, AND THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE IT IS REFERENCED AS APEN ABLED FUNDS.
SO BASICALLY WITH THAT, OUR MONEY THAT'S ALLOWED YOU TO OFFSET EXPENDITURES AND THEN SPEND YOUR, UM, THAT MONEY WHAT YOU WOULD'VE, WHAT YOU WOULD'VE RECEIVED AS, UM, YOUR PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE LISTED HERE AND ANY A LITTLE CONFUSED AND, AND BRINGS THIS TO THE BOARD, BUT IT'S BASICALLY SOME PLANNING THAT THOSE FUNDS TO PAY FOR ONE OTHER THING THAT QUALIFIES THE MAJORITY OF, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE RECEIVED UNDER 10 MILLION TO DO SO.
WE CAN FREE UP LITERALLY GENERAL FUNDING MONEY TO, TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS THAT CURRENTLY APPROVED BOARD.
UM, YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KIM? I THINK KIM RIGHT THIS TIME MAYOR, IF YOU'D LIKE US HAVING A BREAK AND I THINK BACK
[01:55:02]
ITEMS DISCUSS PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU WANNA SKIP THAT? WE DO.I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE THE TIME SHRINK.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND DO BREAKDOWN, THAT'LL COME BACK AND, ALL RIGHT, LORD, WE'LL TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS.
CAN YOU POSE RECESS? RIGHT? WE ARE BACK ON SCHEDULE.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO DISCUSS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK CHIEF GALLER TO COME UP AND GIVE A, A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON, ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH SOME CURRENT IMPLANTS.
POSTURE IT FIRE WAS GONNA GO FIRST.
CHIEF, CHIEF LLOYD, THEN BOY, I'M SORRY, I HEAD DOWN HERE.
HE DID FIRE FIRST CAUSE HE GET THE MAN WITH THE GUN TO GET YOU OUT OF THERE IF YOU'RE NOT DONE IN TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND BOARD.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE CONFIDENCE OF ME TO LEAVE WHAT I CONSIDER ONE OF THE PREMIER FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
IN INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING TO JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS VERY QUICKLY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO COME BY OFFICE AND TALK TO US AND LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR FIREPOINT.
SO ON PAGE ONE YOU'LL SEE SOME VISION AND GOALS.
UH, THERE'S SELF EXPLANATORY IF YOU JUST READ TO THEM.
I'VE GOT SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDERNEATH THAT THAT, THAT WE FEEL LIKE ARE SOME MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THE BIGGEST ONE THAT STICKS OUT TO ME TO OUT OF THOSE IS OUR, THE FEMA GRANT THAT WE RECEIVE FOR OUR SELF DETAINED BREATHING APPARATUS.
AND UNDER ONGOING PROJECTS YOU'LL SEE I THINK THE BIGGEST ONE ON THAT ONE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME WAS WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY FIRE CHIEF TO IMPROVE OUR MUTUAL AID AND OUR INTEROPERABILITY.
THEN YOU'LL HAVE SOME WHAT I CONSIDER OR WE CONSIDER FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT A COUPLE MAJOR NEEDS.
THE FIRST ONE IS A NEED OF SOME A FIRE STATION AND 12 TO 15 PERSONNEL IN THE HIGHWAY 43 QUARTER RESPONSE AREA.
AND I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT IF YOU'LL LOOK THROUGH THAT, UH, BASICALLY WHAT IT'S GONNA DO IS HELP US WITH THAT AREA ON OUR RESPONSE TIMES.
AND THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME GAPS.
OUR SIMULTANEOUS CALLS HAVE INCREASED BY 30% AND THAT AREA AND THE NUMBER OF CALLS HAVE INCREASED AND WE WERE CURRENTLY HAVING ISSUES OF MEETING THE NFPA 1710, WHICH REQUIRES US TO BE THERE IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
CAN CHIEF, DID WE EVER GET, I KNOW WE HAD A VERBAL COMMITMENT FROM WAREHOUSER.
DID WE EVER GET ANYTHING FORMAL FROM THEM? NOTHING FORMAL.
WE JUST HAD THE VERBAL AT THIS POINT WHERE JORDAN GOT OFF OF YES.
HOW CAN WE WORK ON GETTING THAT FINALIZED? I THOUGHT THAT WAS FINALIZED IN IN MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH JORDAN HUGHES.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION BUT NOTHING IN WRITING.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY JUST WORK ON GETTING THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
YEAH, I THINK PROBABLY CAUSE OF SURVEY FOR THE NEW ROAD AND ALL THAT BEING NOT, NOT DETERMINED, THEY GIVE US A NICE PLOT PLAN WITH ALL EVERYTHING ON, BUT IT'S JUST VERBAL AT THIS POINT.
HOW MANY MILES IS IT NOW, BOB? FROM THE UH, OUR CHIEF FROM THE UM, STATION FOUR TO YOUR FIRST FIVE STORY BUILDING OR FOUR STORY BUILDING, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ELIZABETH OR THURMAN? ELIZABETH, WHAT DID I SAY? I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S WHY I, ELIZABETH LI AVENUE THE FIRST DO IT, IT'S, IT IS LITTLE OVER FIVE MILES OUT TO THE, TO WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THE FIREPLACE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT BOTHERS US AS MOST AS THE RESPONSE TIMES THAT WE HAVE OF GETTING TO THERE IN THE SIMULTANEOUS CALLS.
UH, THE NEXT ONE WAS WOULD BE TO DETERMINE WEST THERMOND ROAD FIRE STATION.
CURRENTLY WE ARE STAFF OF SIX PERSONNEL OUT THERE.
UH, WE HAVE AN ENGINE IN A TRUCK.
UH, WE NEED ADDITIONAL SIX MORE PERSONNEL IN THERE.
AND WITH HIGHWAY 70 CONSTRUCTION IS ANYBODY GETTING RIDDEN THROUGH JAMES CITY LATELY YOU NOTICES A HINDRANCE TO OUR PERSON FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT OF OUR HEADQUARTERS STATION TO RESPOND OVER THERE.
SO THE ADDITIONAL SIX PERSONNEL IN THAT FIREHOUSE WILL ALLOW US TO KEEP OUR TOWER IN OUR HEADQUARTERS STATION AND NOT HAVE TO RESPOND.
NEXT YOU SEE US SOME STATISTICS I HAVE BROUGHT TO YOU.
BASICALLY THE ISSUE IS JUST COMPARING JANUARY TO OCTOBER, 2021 THROUGH 2022 AND IT IS GIVING YOU THE PERCENTAGES AND THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, THIS IS A ONE THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE AT.
SO BASICALLY YOU'VE GOT A COMPARISON BETWEEN 20 21, 20 22 ON THE, THE MUTUAL AID RECEIVED MUTUAL AID GIVEN AUTOMATIC AID RECEIVED AND AUTOMATIC AID GIVEN.
UH, WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH THE CRAVEN COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS DEVELOPING MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND IT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS AND INTEROPERABILITY.
[02:00:01]
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED SIMILARITIES IN OUR APPARATUS OF IDENTIFICATION AND PROVIDING METHODS OF INTEROPERABILITY WITH OUR RADIO IS THIS HAS ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED WITH THAT WAS A RESPONSE PLAN.
WHAT THAT RESPONSE PLAN DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY DISPATCH IS DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE DISTANCE OF HAVING TO DRIVE THROUGH JAMES CITY AND RESPOND TO THAT.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS IDENTIFIED VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT SURROUND THAT AREA AND WE HAVE PUT 'EM ON AUTOMATIC DISPATCH ANYTIME THE CALL COMES IN FOR A FIRE CALL.
SO THEY'RE COMING AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE COMING SO HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET AIR QUICKER.
BUT UNDERSTAND THEY'RE, WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AND TRAVEL THROUGH THERE, BUT WE'RE TRYING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE THINGS BETTER WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
NEXT ONE YOU'LL SEE IS OUR RESPONSE BY STATIONS.
COMPARING AGAIN, 2021 THROUGH 2022 REPRESENTS THE 20% INCREASE.
UH, BASICALLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TODAY AND MAKE IT, AND IT KIND OF TIES INTO MY NEEDS WITH GROWTH IN OUR CITY, COMES ACCOUNTABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS.
WE ARE KNOWN FOR BEING CREATIVE AND MAKING THINGS WORK SUCH AS OUR COLLABORATION EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THE COUNTY'S VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
EVENTUALLY WE RUN OUTTA OPTIONS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO GROW TO MATCH THE CITY'S GROWTH.
MY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIRE CHIEF IS TO LOOK FORWARD AND TO JUSTIFY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE NEXT.
YOU'LL SEE A GRAPH FOR OUR FIRE PREVENTION.
YOU ONLY WILL SEE A COMPARISON OF THIS YEAR CAUSE WE JUST RECENTLY STARTED TRACKING FIRE PREVENTION TO DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GRAPH IN TRACK, WE TRACK AND EVALUATE EVERYTHING OUR FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU PROVIDES.
JUST ASSIST US AND DETERMINE THAT WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I WANT MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY NEW MEMBERS ON THE BOARD.
SURE THE ELEMENTS HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS OVER THE YEARS.
PREVENTION IS OUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF WE CAN PREVENT SOMETHING FROM OCCURRING OR EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY HOW TO DO OUR TIED TO REDUCE RISK, LIES ARE SAVED.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE UNATTENDED CUSHION FIRES OF OUR NUMBER ONE CAUSE.
SO IF WE'RE TRACKING THE EDUCATION PIECE OF THIS AND RISK PIECE OF THIS, WE CAN IDENTIFY CERTAIN AREAS OF TOWN THAT WE MAY BE HAVING ISSUE WITH.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT? LET'S GO DO SOME EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. LET'S GO DO SOME, MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING LIKE THIS SO WE CAN EDUCATE THEM TO DO NUMBER ONE.
HOPEFULLY PREVENT IT FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND ALSO IF IT DOES OCCUR, WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP MITIGATE AND SAVE THEMSELVES.
WHENEVER I HIRE A NEW FIRE PERSON, FIREFIGHTER AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S THE FIRST THING I ASK THEM.
WHAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE JOB? TYPICALLY YOU HEAR FIGHT FIRES RED.
PREVENTION IS OUR NUMBER ONE JOB IF WE CAN PREVENT IT FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU'LL SEE THE HEAT MAP JUST FOR YOUR EDUCATION PIECE.
BASICALLY WHAT IT DOES IS ALL THE CALLS THAT HAVE OCCURRED FROM JANUARY OF THIS YEAR THROUGH OCTOBER AND IN THE DIFFERENT TYPES AND WE'RE THEY LOCATED.
AND IT HELPS US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HEY, THIS PART OF TOWN IS STARTING TO HEAT UP.
ARE WE HAVING PROPER COVERAGE? WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT STATISTICS AGAIN.
THIS IS VERY FAST, VERY BRIEF.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
PLEASE, PLEASE COME BY THE FIRE STATION AND TALK TO US.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THESE GUYS DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON DOESN'T KNOW.
SOME HELP YOU GET YOURSELF EDUCATED ON WHAT WE DO.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, FEEL FREE TO CALL ME.
I'M ALWAYS THERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR TODAY? CHIEF, ARE YOU STILL PUTTING IN, UH, FREE FIREARMS FOR HOMES? YOU EVER STILL DOING SOME SMU DETECTOR, YOUR CAMPUSES? THE PROGRAM, EDUCATION PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, TO PREPARE FOR THIS YEAR'S UPCOMING BUDGET, WE PROBABLY NEED TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS NOW, AND NOW THAT THERE'S ALL TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION TAKING PLACE ON A STATION ON THE 43 CORRIDOR NOW, WHICH IS GOING TO BUILDING.
WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S MANNING AND BUYING THE APPARATUS IS THE HARD PART, BUT WE MIGHT AS WELL PREPARE OURSELVES.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE WITH A FIVE MILE, OVER FIVE MILE RESPONSE TIME TO GET SOME OF THESE MULTI-STORY STRUCTURES THAT ARE OUT IN THE WEST NEW BERN SUBDIVISION.
I I I THINK THIS BOARD NEEDS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
CAUSE HE'S GOT A LOT OF NEEDS.
[02:05:01]
STILL A NEED ON, ON THURMOND ROAD.I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY APARTMENTS DID THEY JUST BUILD ACROSS STREET FROM, UH, FROM HARRIS TEETER OUT THERE.
MULTI-STORY APARTMENTS OUT THERE.
THE SYSTEM LIVE 96 UNITS THERE.
AND HOW MANY, WHAT ABOUT THE APARTMENTS THOUGH? APARTMENTS, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT'S, THERE'S GOT BE GEORGE, WOULD YOU KNOW BY ANY CHANCE HOW MANY OUT THERE? WE'VE GOT SOME YARD GOING IN.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THEY'RE GETTING READY TO BUILD A BIG MEDICAL COMPLEX OUT THERE.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, CREEK AND ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS. SO WE KNOW THERE'S A DEFINITE NEED IN BARBARA'S BOARD AND WE KNOW THERE'S A, A NEED IN, UM, ON THE, AT THE THURMAN ROAD HOUSE AS WELL.
UH, AND, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT WE CAN'T DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME.
SO WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE WHETHER USS WHENEVER WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE IT.
BUT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF PRIORITIES FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT TO, TO GET IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST NEW BERN AND, AND THE THURMAN ROAD AREA.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS FIRE CHIEF, WE WERE EXPERIENCING EIGHT 10 CALLS A WEEK.
NOW YOU'RE, WHAT'S YOUR AVERAGE DAILY CALL? 15.
IT VARIES ABOUT YOU CAN TODAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A FIRE TRUCK AT 20 YEARS OLD WITH 60 OR 70,000 MILES WAS JUST ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT WITH WAY THEY'RE RUNNING NOW.
THESE FIRE TRUCKS AREN'T GONNA LAST 20 YEARS ANYMORE.
HE'S ALREADY GOT ONE THAT WAS FLOODED DURING THE HURRICANE THAT'S BEEN OUTTA COMMISSION MORE THAT'S BEEN IN COMMISSION AS A RESULT OF THAT FLOOD.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S SOME BIG NEEDS IN THIS DEPARTMENT THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT? SO SOUNDS LIKE A WORK SESSION DISCUSSION ITEM.
WE, WE CAN OBVIOUSLY TAKE IT UP AS A WORK SESSION, OF COURSE, AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
WE'VE GOT THE BUDGET RETREAT WHERE, WHERE EACH DEPARTMENT WILL COME BACK AND, AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT PROPOSED NEEDS THAT ARE COMING UP FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT ALSO WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS, THERE IS MONEY IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT BUDGET FOR THEM TO DO SOME PLANNING FOR A PROPOSED FIRE STATION.
UH, AND SO I'LL, I'LL TALK WITH THE CHIEF TO SEE WHERE THEY STAND ON THAT.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, I RECKON IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DO PLANNING THOUGH, UNTIL YOU GET A PIECE OF PROPERTY IDENTIFIED, ISN'T IT? I MEAN, DON'T YOU KIND OF HAVE TO BUILD THE FIRE STATION TO FIT THE PROPERTY? WELL, THE FUNDS, THE FUNDS WERE DESIGNED FOR US TO START PROCESS, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF PUT A THOUGHT FOR IT TEMPORARILY UNTIL WE DETERMINE WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THE LOCATION, THE LOCATIONS THERE.
IT'S JUST GOTTA GET FINALIZED OF HAVING IT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT $65,000 THAT'S IN THE BUDGET THERE, UM, THAT'S BEEN PUT ON HOLD FOR THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY WITH WAREHOUSER FOR THE I'M TALKING ABOUT WEST NEW BERN.
SO I, I'M, I READ SOMEWHERE ON, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS FINALIZED WITH THE WAREHOUSER PROPERTY.
WE'LL GET AN UPDATE AND I MAY BE ABLE TO UPDATE YOU AT THE, AT THE MEETING ON TUESDAY.
AND, AND BOBBY, I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH YOU.
ALTMAN, UM, ASKED HER, I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH YOU AND WITH THE INFORMATION THAT CHIEF IS GIVING HER US HERE TODAY WITH THE, WITH THE 30% INCREASE IN AND CALL VOLUME AND THEN THAT GAP IN RESPONSE TIME, WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS A PRIORITY ISSUE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAVING LIVES AND SOMEBODY'S SOME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES.
AND THEN YOU GOT ALL OF THIS CONSTRUCTION, ALL OF THE APARTMENTS THAT'S GOING UP, HOMES THAT'S GOING UP, UM, IN THE AREA.
I JUST, THE, LIKE YOU SAID, CHIEF, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN BRINGING TO THIS PRIOR, THE PRIOR BOARD, AND NOW YOU'RE BRINGING IT TO US ABOUT THE NEED FOR THESE TWO FIRE STATIONS.
AND, AND I AGREE, AND I KNOW ALTMAN ASHER IN HIS WARD, I'M NOT GONNA CATEGORIZE IT, BUT DUE TO ALL OF THAT 42 INTERSTATE CONSTRUCTION AND STUFF, THAT'S GONNA BE A ISSUE.
AND, AND, AND WE REALLY DO NEED TO, I THINK NOW THIS IS ONE OF THE TIMES WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A MEETING AND DISCUSS THIS.
IT'S SOMETHING, SOMETHING, I MEAN, WE JUST NEED TO BE PREPARED TO, WHEN CHIEF COMES TO BUDGET SESSION AND SAYS, THIS IS WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
WE DON'T SAY, OH MY GOD, YOU KNOW,
WELL, I MEAN, ALREADY IN THE BUDGET YOU HAVE $65,500 FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE WEST NEW BERN.
[02:10:01]
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET FOR YOU.I DIDN'T, UM, FOR YOUR AREA, BUT, UH, NOTHING.
OKAY, WELL, I, I KNOW I SAW THAT.
SO THAT RIGHT THERE IS A START.
THAT MONEY CAN START THAT STUDY.
BUT LIKE SAY WE GOTTA HAVE A PROPERTY AND GEORGE WORKING ON THAT FOR US.
BUT HE'S A BIG PART OF THAT NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE THERE'S ORDER TANKS FROM BE THERE, THERE SOME, ALL THINGS HAPPEN.
AND ONE THING I'LL SAY, THE CHIEF DOES ALWAYS DOES A GREAT JOB EACH YEAR ABOUT, ABOUT LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE EXACTLY.
BUT HE LETS US KNOW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE.
BUT WE KIND OF LET THE NEEDS ROLL OFF OUR SHOULDERS.
IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE ACTION.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE KIND OF PUTTING OFF THE 43 STUFF UNTIL WEST NEWBURN WAS STARTED TO DEVELOP OR IF IT WAS GONNA HAVE BE DEVELOPED.
YOU GO OUT THERE NOW AND IT'S, IT'S HUGE.
YOU KNOW, WITH THE NUMBER OF APARTMENTS AND STUFF THAT'S GOING OUT THERE, IT'S TIME TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE.
MANY OF US REMEMBER THE RESPONSE TIME IT TOOK TO GET SOME EMERGENCY PERSONNEL TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND WE JUST DON'T NEED THAT KIND OF STUFF TO HAPPEN ANYMORE.
I I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT TODAY BUYING THREE QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLES TO PUT ONE IN EACH ONE AT EACH STATION THAT HELPS WITH THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ENGINE THAT OTTOMAN ASTOR MENTIONED.
AND IT WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME IF YOU GET A MEDICAL CALL THAT, UH, FOUR DOOR JEEP OR A BRONCO OR SOMETHING'S GOING TO GET THERE QUICKER THAN AN ENGINE WOULD, BUT THE PROBLEM ARE YOU GONNA HIRE THE PERSONNEL TO GO ALONG WITH IT? WELL NOW SEE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
YOU CAN'T SPLIT THESE CREWS UP.
YOU CAN'T SEND A FOUR MAN ENGINE COMPANY AND TAKE TWO OF 'EM OFF AND SEND THEM TO ONE SIDE OF TOWN AND THEN HAVE, AND THEY'D BE TIED UP AND THE ENGINE GET CALLED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN AND NOW THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED OSHA REGULATION.
ALL RIGHT, SO LEMME ASK YOU THIS.
SO LET'S SAY THAT WE, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION EVERY YEAR, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
SO YOU PUT YOUR 6 MILLION CREW ON THE ENGINE AND YOU GO TO SOMEBODY THAT'S HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND A CALL COMES IN FOR A FIRE.
WHAT DO YOU DO? THEN THERE'S A CHIEF ASKING, DON'T WE HAVE MUTUAL AID IN PLACE FOR THAT? HOPEFULLY MUTUAL AID.
WELL, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE THERE TO ASSIST EMS CAUSE SO IF WE'RE THERE, EMS IS THERE AND WE ALSO HAVE BACKUP APPARATUS THAT COVER CALLS.
BUT IF, IF WE'RE ABLE TO BE RELEASED, WE'RE GONNA BE RELEASED.
SO, SO MY POINT WITH THAT IS, IF YOU SEND TWO PEOPLE ON A MEDICAL CALL AND FOUR STAY AT THE STATION AND YOU JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A STRUCTURE FIRE CALL WHILE TWO PEOPLE ARE TENDING TO A HEART ATTACK VICTIM, EMS GETS THERE, RELEASE THE TWO, THEY HOP IN THEIR QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLE AND THEY GO MEET THE ENGINE AT THE FIRE.
IS THAT WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF PERSONNEL YOU HAVE NOW? THAT'S, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S SMART.
AND THE REASON IT'S NOT SMART IS BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, YOU'RE SPLITTING UP AN APPARATUS THAT NOW YOU'RE HAVING TO DRIVE TWO VEHICLES THAT NOW I WOULD TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLES.
I, I THINK THAT'S A SMART THING TO DO.
BUT I THINK YOU NEED, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE BIG PICTURE.
IT MIGHT NEED NOT HAVE TO HAVE TWO.
WE MIGHT BE ABLE LIVE AROUND SOME PERSONNEL TO GET ONE ON THERE AND THEN HIRE ONE MORE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT FEASIBLE TO LOOK AT OTHER THINGS, BUT FOR US TO SPLIT UP, I THINK YOU'RE, NOW, YOU'RE MAKING TWO APPARATUS TO GO TO ALARM ACTIVATIONS.
YOU'RE MAKING TWO VEHICLES TO GO TO THESE CALLS, BUT ONE'S TAKING THEM BEFORE.
WELL, AND THE OTHER ONLY BE IF YOU HAD OVERLAPPING CALLS.
I'M SORRY, THAT WOULD ONLY BE IF YOU HAD OVERLAPPING CALLS.
ONLY IF YOU'RE SAYING IF WE GOT ANOTHER CALL COMING IN.
SO YOU GOT, YOU GOT, YOU GOT SIX GUYS.
I FEEL WHAT YOU'RE GOING AT, I SAY ALL APPARATUS.
OUR FIRST DO IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE AND ONE APPARATUS IS OUR FIRST DO THAT'S DOI REQUIRED.
SO BASICALLY TO GET THOSE FOUR PEOPLE, YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE TWO APP, TWO VEHICLES TO GET TO THAT SCENE TO GET THOSE FOUR PEOPLE.
THAT'S, THAT'S IF YOU'RE HAVING AN OVERLAPPING HOW MANY, LET ME ASK YOU, HOW MANY, HOW MANY GUYS ARE ON SHIFT ALARM MAT ACTIVATION COMES IN HERE TODAY, RIGHT? ONE APPARATUS REQUIRED TO COME.
IT'S ALARM MAT ACTIVATION, IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE ON.
DON'T CARE HOW I GET THOSE FOUR PEOPLE THERE.
IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE AND ONE PUMPER AS PART OF THIS ALARM MAT ACTIVATION.
AND MY ARGUMENT TO USE, WHY WOULD YOU TAKE TWO VEHICLES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN WHEN I GOT ONE? I'M NOT SAYING WE CAN'T REVAMP AND LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND TRY TO MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND.
SO THAT STILL HAPPENS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE SOME ACCESS HERE, BUT I, BUT I I AGREE WITH YOU.
IT'S PROBABLY AS SMART CAUSE YOU'VE TAKEN WEAR AND TEAR OFF AN APPARATUS ON WELL, LET'S, LET'S DO THAT FIRST.
LET'S, LET'S GO TO THE AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED A QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLE AT ALL THREE FIRE STATIONS.
CAN WE ALL AGREE WITH, WELL, WAIT, LET ME ANOTHER ISSUE, ANOTHER ISSUE IS THIS.
[02:15:01]
DRIVE WITHIN 25 MILES OF NEW BERN AND FIND OUT WHERE THIS JUST HAPPENED.ONCE THOSE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THAT SQUAD START RECEIVING, START ATTENDING ENOUGH MEDICAL COSTS, THEY ARE NO LONGER FIREMAN MR. MAY.
I DID NOT MEAN FOR IT TO GO DOWN THIS PATH.
IT'S THE THING TALK ABOUT, BUT WE NEED TIME.
I KNOW TODAY A WORK DAYS IS SHORT.
I TRIED THE SPEED THIS THING UP, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK, I THINK IT, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO.
WELL, HERE, HERE'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A REPORT WITH OVERLAPPING CALLS BY STATION.
FREQUENCY, DURATION, WHAT TYPE OF CALLS THEY WORK? IT'S, IT'S ANY REPORT, I THINK NOT PER PER STATION, BUT THEY ARE IN THERE IN A, IN WHAT TYPE OF CALLS? IT IS IN A MONTH REPORT.
AND IT SHOWS OVERLAPPING TWO CALLS AT THE SAME TIME? YES.
SO CHI, I I WAS COMING IN WHEN I HEARD, UM, YOUR SPEAKING OF, UM, BEING AT RISK OF NOT MEETING THE 1710 REQUIREMENT.
WHAT, CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY THAT WHAT THAT END OF WHAT MAYOR O WAS TALKING ABOUT IS HAVING THAT APPARATUS WITH FOUR PEOPLE BEING ON SCENE WITHIN FOUR MINUTES.
SO AS, AS YOU, AS YOUR AREA GROWS OUT AND YOU START HAVING CALL VOLUME IN THESE AREAS, YOU'RE NOT MEETING THOSE FOUR MINUTES WITH ONE APPARATUS AND FOUR PEOPLE.
SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT RISK IS THAT TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM WELL, WE ADOPTED IN FPA 1710 AS A CITY.
SO I MEAN, WHAT KIND OF VIOLATION? WE'RE BASICALLY BREAKING POLICY.
WE A RECOMMENDATION WE'RE BREAKING WHAT N FPA HAS RECOMMENDED TO US.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
I THINK THIS WOULD A COUPLE HOURS SIT DOWN WORK SESSION PRIOR TO BUDGET, WHETHER IT'S DURING THE BUDGET RETREAT OR NOT, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND GIVE CHIEF BOYD SOME GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT HE CAN AND SHOULDN'T BE ASKING FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND THEN MAYBE EVEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S BUDGET.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS HERE.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN BREWING FOR MANY YEARS AND IT'S TIME TO START RESOLVING SOME OF 'EM.
I KNEW MAYOR HELPED RESOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUES A FEW YEARS BACK, BUT WE, WE, WE GOT UP, LIKE I SAID, WE GOT A QUINT THAT'S ALMOST COMPLETELY OUTTA SERVICE.
IT IS A QUINT, RIGHT? BOBBY QUIN WAS FLOOD.
YEAH, BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING.
AND IT SPENDS MORE TIME IN THE SHOP THAN IT DOES IN THE FIELD RIGHT NOW.
IS IT IN THE SHOP NOW? IT'S IN THE SHOP NOW.
SO WE GOT TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
WELL, I, I, YOU SAID GIVE THE CHIEF WHAT HE NEEDS AND HE'S GIVEN US RIGHT HERE ON THIS PAPERWORK WE NEED FOR YOUR AREA AND MY AREA OF TWO FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A NO-BRAINER TO ME.
I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS AND, AND I KNOW SINCE I, MY FIRST INITIAL DAY SITTING UPON THIS BOARD, UM, THE CHIEF HAS COME TO US EVERY YEAR TALKING ABOUT THE NEED AND, AND, AND WE SEE RIGHT NOW THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING.
SO EACH YEAR'S GONNA GROW EVEN MORE BECAUSE OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENT, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
SO, UM, IF WE, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE CHIEF CAN HAVE FOR US AND AT OUR, UM, UPCOMING, UM, RETREAT, AND THAT'D BE GREAT.
I WOULD ALSO COVER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT WOULD HELP ANSWER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT WOULD LOOK FOR IN THAT MEETING.
ALSO, I CAN MAKE SURE I HAVE THAT DATA AND THAT INFORMATION PREPARED FOR THANK YOU.
IT'S JUST TO HAVE, HAVE QUICK ACCESS TO THAT.
UM, THE REASON WHY I WAS SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE, WELL, I'LL DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU LATER.
NOW WE'VE GOT CHIEF GALLAGHER TO GIVE THE POLICE UPDATE.
UM, I WILL ATTEMPT TO BE, UH, BRIEF AND INFORMATIVE WITH, UH, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT I AM AVAILABLE TO ANY OF THE MEMBERS THAT WISH TO HAVE, UH, FURTHER CONVERSATION.
[02:20:01]
BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.THE, UH, FIRST SLIDE I WANT TO, UH, UH, UH, PROVIDE IS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR COMMUNITY POLICE AND DISTRICTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR COMMUNITY POLICE AND DISTRICTS DO NOT MARRY WITH THE, UM, WITH THE WAR.
SO MANY OF OUR, MANY OF THE WARDS THAT YOU REPRESENT, UH, CROSSOVER INTO MULTIPLE, UH, COMMUNITY POLICE AND DISTRICTS.
WHAT I'VE PROVIDED ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE IS THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED OVER THE COURSE OF 2022.
AND THE RESPONSE TIMES THE OUTLIER IN THIS IS, UM, THE BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT, WHICH IS, UM, THE TONA AND CAROLINA COLORS AREA.
BUT WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN TERMS OF SHEER NUMBERS IS IT HAS BY FAR THE FEWEST NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE.
UM, AND ITS PROXIMITY TO THE REST OF THE CITY DOES CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO CALLS, UH, THE RESPONSE TIMES.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FOR THE, UH, FOR THE REST OF THE, UH, CITY, OUR RESPONSE TIME IS, UM, UM, ADEQUATE ENOUGH.
UM, SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A PATROL CAR, UH, DISPATCHED AND ON SCENE, UM, IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.
UM, THE POINTS OF CONTACT WHEN I TALK ABOUT WANTING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, EACH OF YOU WITH, UH, INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY NEED OR REQUESTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE INTERNALLY IS ASSIGN, UM, OUR EXECUTIVE STAFF TO ONE OF YOU.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS SLIDE, UM, I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MAYOR IF HE HAS, UH, OR NEED TO REACH ME FOR QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, CAPTAIN DANIEL FULLER AND MARK BROWN, UM, IS THERE TO, UH, ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
OFTENTIMES WHAT YOU MAY SEE IS, UM, YOU MAY HAVE A QUESTION AND THEY WILL RESPOND, I WILL GET BACK TO YOU.
AND PART OF, UH, MY EXPECTATIONS TO STAFF IS THAT THEY ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS IMMEDIATELY AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION THAT, THAT YOU REQUESTED.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SOME COMPETING INTERESTS.
UM, IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT CON, IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT, THERE ARE CERTAIN INFORMATION WE JUST SIMPLY CANNOT, UM, PROVIDE.
BUT OFTENTIMES WHAT I'VE SEEN THAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR IS, IS NOT CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
AND WE WILL SEEK TO GET YOU THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT CUZ WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CITIZENS, UM, UH, ELECTED YOU, YOU REPRESENT THEM.
AND WE WANT TO BE RESPONSIVE, NOT JUST TO YOU, BUT TO THE MEN AND WOMEN, A A AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT EITHER LIVE WORK OR VACATION HERE IN NEW BERN.
WHAT THIS SLIDE PROVIDES IS SPECIFIC TO GUN VIOLENCE ONLY.
AND I, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST, UH, FOUR, FOUR WEEKS.
WHAT I'VE DONE HERE IS TO SIMPLIFY THIS DATA SO THAT IT'S AN APPLE TO APPLE COMPARISON, IS THIS IS GUN VIOLENCE THAT RESULTED IN ONE OF THREE CATEGORIES.
EITHER IT'S VERIFIED GUN VIOLENCE WHERE THERE'S NO INJURY, NO DEBT, BUT WE HAVE VERIFIED, UH, PROPERTY DAMAGE.
ANOTHER CATEGORY IS WHERE WE HAVE AN INJURY.
AND THEN THE THIRD CATEGORY IS THE WORST OF THAT IS A, A HOMICIDE.
WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAS LOST THEIR LIVES IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE.
IT IS YEAR TO DATE INFORMATION FOR ALL THREE, ALL FIVE YEARS FROM, UM, JANUARY ONE TO OCTOBER 17TH.
SO THIS DATA IS SPECIFIC TO EACH ONE OF THOSE YEARS, SPECIFIC TO THOSE, UH, 10 MONTHS AND 17 DAYS.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE FROM THIS IS 2022, THE DATA DOES NOT SHOW A SPIKE.
THE DATA ACTUALLY SHOWS THAT WE ARE WELL WITHIN THE NORM FOR, FOR A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
IN FACT, UH, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LESS, BUT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT SPIKE.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN THIS GUN VIOLENCE ERUPT TOWARDS THE END OF, OF THIS, UM, EVALUATION PERIOD.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR CONTEXT.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS WE HAVE HAD THREE HOMICIDES IN 2022.
AND KNOCK ON WOOD, THAT WILL BE IT.
OF THOSE THREE, ONE OF THOSE HOMICIDES WAS NOT ILLEGAL.
HOMICIDE IS NOT NECESSARILY LEGAL.
SO WE'VE HAD TWO, UH, MURDERS THAT, UM, ARE REFLECTED IN THIS DATA, BUT IT, BUT WE HAD THREE HOMICIDES.
THIS SLIDE IS THE SAME FIVE YEAR COMPARISON.
[02:25:02]
UM, BUT WITH RESPECT TO ALL PART ONE CRIMES, SO A A AS YOU SEE, WE GO FROM HOMICIDE, RAPE, ACTIVATE, ASSAULT, ROBBERY, BURGLARY, LARCENY, UM, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, THEFT FROM A MOTOR VEHICLE IN ARSON.THIS SLIDE ALSO PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT IN TERMS OF WHAT I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND IN TERMS OF WHAT THE STATS ARE, UM, ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA AND LIKELY ACROSS THE NATION.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO HOMICIDES, WE, WE'VE SEEN A, A DECREASE IN HOMICIDES, BUT AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN IS LIKELY GOING TO BE UP CUZ WE STILL HAVE THE BALANCE OF, OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE IS YEAR TO DATE DATA FOR A FULL 12 MONTH PERIOD IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
AND FOR THAT DATA, WE CAN ONLY EXTRAPOLATE 2020 DATA.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS, UH, MURDER AND, UH, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
UM, AND WE'RE SEEING, UM, THAT NEW BERN IS, IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND MOST OTHER CATEGORIES LIKE IT IS IN NEW BERN.
UH, PROPERTY CRIMES, UM, HAVE BEEN REDUCED.
UM, SO WE'RE MIRRORING WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
THIS SLIDE IS IMPORTANT AND IT WILL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOMETHING I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.
THIS IS A SCATTER PLOT, UH, HEAT MAP, WHICH REFLECTS THE LIKELIHOOD OF GUN VIOLENCE BASED ON THE, UM, AMOUNT OF GUN VIOLENCE WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR.
SO THE, UH, THE, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS BASED ON THAT DATA, WE CAN PREDICT WHERE FUTURE GUN VIOLENCE WILL OCCUR.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, UM, THE DUFFY FIELD AREA HAS THE GREATEST LIKELIHOOD OF GUN VIOLENCE.
THE REASON WHY I WANT TO SHOW THIS MAP SPEAKS TO, UM, OUR DEPLOYMENT STRATEGY.
BASED ON THIS, UM, WE, WE SEEK TO USE EVIDENCE BASED INTELLIGENCE LED POLICING STRATEGIES TO DEPLOY OUR RESOURCES.
LAST NIGHT WE HAD OUR STAFF, UM, UM, CONCENTRATING ON THIS AREA AND JUST NORTH OF THAT, UH, HEAT MAP.
UH, ONE OF OUR OFFICERS THAT WAS PATROLLING HER GUNFIRE OBSERVED A VEHICLE FLEEING THE SCENE AT A HIGH RATE SPEED.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE HOURS, THE INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF THREE ADULTS.
WE ARE LIKELY ARRESTING A 17 YEAR OLD AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ADULT THAT WILL BE FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES, UM, INVOLVED IN THAT SHOOTING.
SO THE DEPLOYMENT STRATEGY IS WORKING, PLACING STAFF IN THOSE LOCATIONS, UM, THAT HAS A MORE LIKELY PROPENSITY FOR VIOLENCE IN ONE WAY, UH, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS, UM, UH, THESE, UH, THESE VIOLENT CRIMES.
THIS, I'LL GO OVER THIS RELATIVELY QUICKLY, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SPOKE TO AT THE LAST BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.
OF THE MAJOR INCIDENCES THAT WE HAD IN OCTOBER.
WE HAVE SOLVED THREE OF, UH, OF THE FIVE.
WE STILL HAVE A SHOOTING ON NEW BERN AVENUE.
WE STILL HAVE A HOMICIDE, UH, ON, UH, NOVEMBER 8TH.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SOLVE BOTH OF THOSE.
I WILL SAY SINCE THE ARREST ON OCTOBER 17TH, WE HAVE NOT SEEN, UM, THE SAME, UM, OUTCOME OF VIOLENCE THAT, THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE, UH, INCIDENT AT FORT TOTON WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE NOT ONLY WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID, BUT WHAT THE STAFF AT, UH, CAP BUILDING WAS ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF PROVIDING VERY QUICK INFORMATION AND, UH, SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS TO OUR STAFF THAT AS THEY RESPONDED, ONE OFFICER RESPONDS TO THE LOCATION OF THE CRIME AND THE OTHER OFFICERS ARE PATROLLING THE IMMEDIATE AREA LOOKING FOR OUR SUSPECT.
AND WITHIN MINUTES OF THIS, UM, A SUBJECT WAS, UH, IDENTIFIED, WAS STOPPED.
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PREREQUISITE PROBABLE CAUSE FOR HIS ARREST OCCURRED.
AND WE RECOVERED NOT ONLY THE WEAPON THAT HE USED, BUT ALL THE MONEY THAT WAS TAKEN.
SO THERE'S A CELEBRATION IN TERMS OF, UM, OF THE COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND THE VICTIMS AT THAT SCENE.
I ALSO STATE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, CONDUCTED A SAFETY AUDIT
[02:30:01]
OF FORT TOTON, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, CITY LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW BEST TO MOVE FORWARD AT THAT FACILITY.UH, THE ACTION PLANS THAT WE TOOK IMMEDIATELY AFTER OCTOBER 17TH, UM, WAS TO, TO INCREASE OUR PRESENCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AS I INDICATED AT THE LAST BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING, WE PARTNERED WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND, UM, WE COORDINATED, UM, OUR INVESTIGATIVE STAFF AND THE INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE WE HAD GATHERED TO HELP, UH, FORMULATE OUR, UH, DEPLOYMENT STRATEGY.
UM, I CAN SAY AGAIN, I WILL, I WILL REPEAT THIS.
UM, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE SAME LEVEL OF VIOLENCE, UM, SINCE THAT ARREST ON THE 17TH.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
UM, THE TIP FOUR 11 IS, UM, A PROGRAM THAT HAS, UH, BECOME VERY HELPFUL TO US.
IT HAS, UH, RESULTED IN, UH, MANY TIPS THAT ARE COMING IN.
UM, HOPEFULLY OUR COMMUNITY WILL UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, OUR ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IS RELIANT ON THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE US WITH THE NEEDED INFORMATION, UH, TO MAKE A CASE.
ONE OF THE, UH, UH, REALITIES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS THAT HAVING A THEORY AND KNOWING, UM, UH, INFORMATION RELATING TO A CRIMINAL EVENT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN WE WILL HAVE THE PREREQUISITE PROBABLE CAUSE TO MAKE AN ARREST.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION.
WE KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT IN, UH, WHAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT THE CASE.
AND, UH, WE NEED WITNESSES THAT ARE WILLING TO COME FORWARD TO HELP US, UM, TO HELP THE COMMUNITY MAKE IT SAFE.
UM, SO WE CONTINUE TO, UH, UH, LEVERAGE WHAT WE CAN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE HOPES THAT, UH, UH, UH, THESE ACTS OF VIOLENCE, UH, WILL BE REDUCED.
MY LAST COMMENT WILL BE THIS, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST 18 MONTHS AND THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THOUGHT THAT WE HAVE PUT INTO, UM, ADDRESSING VIOLENT CRIMES, SPECIFICALLY DRUG DEALING AND, UH, GUN VIOLENCE IS PAYING OFF.
IT IS RECOGNIZED WITHIN THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT WITHIN NEW BURN AND CRAVEN COUNTY THAT THIS AREA IS, IS NOT A PLACE THAT IS CONDUCIVE WITH, UM, WITH, WITH CRIMINALITY.
UM, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, UH, IF IT BECOMES WELL KNOWN THAT IF YOU CAN COMMIT A CRIME, DON'T DO IT IN NEW BE AND DON'T DO IT IN BRAVE COUNTY.
SO, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND I HOPE I WAS AS BRIEF AS I COULD BE AND INFORMATIVE AS I COULD BE.
BUT CHIEF, I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I'VE SEE THE PRESENCE IS VERY, VERY STRONG.
I SEE THAT THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS NOT GONNA BE TALL AND MAYBE HERE IN THE CITY, AND I AM SO THANKFUL TO, TO SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING JUST THAT AND CONTINUE.
AND WHAT IS IT THAT THE BOARD CAN DO TO HELP YOU? WHAT DO YOU NEED? WELL, UM, IN, IN WORKING WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN TERMS OF STRATEGIZING, UH, OUR RESOURCES, UM, YOU ARE FUNDING MY DEPARTMENT AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, SOME OF THE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE, ARE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF, OF MAKING RETENTION, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS FEASIBLE WITH MY, WITHIN MY DEPARTMENT.
UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT PAY AND BENEFITS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
I FEEL WE'RE GONNA TAKE GOOD CARE OF THAT.
UM, SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS MOMENT THAT WE CAN DO BESIDES THE PAY, THE PAY RAISE AND, UM, I, I GUESS A FEW OTHER THINGS.
WELL, I'M, I'M PREPARED TO PRESENT THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT GO OVER THE HEADS OF MY BOSSES.
IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT TO BE CANDID WITH YOU.
EVERY DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BLANK CHECK.
AND IF YOU WANT TO GIVE FIVE BLANK CHECKS, I WILL, I WILL CERTAINLY FILL IN THE, UH, THE FIGURES.
BUT, UM, I WILL WORK WITH THE CITY LEADERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE THINGS THAT, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL DO.
BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE BEHAVIOR IS NOT TOLERATED HERE IN THE CITY.
ANOTHER QUESTION, CHIEF, IF YOU CAN ADDRESS IT WAS THE MO WHAT WAS THIS GANG RELATED, THIS RASH OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WE'VE
[02:35:01]
SEEN? I WOULD PREFER NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AT THIS POINT UNTIL WE HAVE MADE ARRESTS ON ALL OF THE UNSOLVED CASES.I DON'T WANT TO INSERT MOTIVE, UM, AT THIS POINT.
WE DO HAVE A GANG UNIT, GANG POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE AN UNDERCOVER UNIT WITHIN THAT.
I WANNA BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT CHIEF.
UM, I GUESS THAT'S JUST A CHALLENGE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOUR, YOUR KIND OF CLOSING STATEMENT, UM, ABOUT SORT OF THE, A MESSAGE GOING OUT, UM, THAT NEW BURDEN AND CRAVEN COUNTY WAS NOT AN AREA, UM, THAT THE CRIMINAL BAD ACTORS, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT THEY MAY NEED TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS AREA.
BASED ON WHAT I AM HEARING FROM RESIDENTS IN, IN WARD ONE, THERE IS CERTAINLY A, A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF INSECURITY.
SO I GUESS THE QUESTION AND, AND A CHALLENGE, UM, THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS HOW CAN THE DEPARTMENT ADDRESS THAT HEIGHTENED SENSE OF INSECURITY THAT A, A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS ARE FEELING? THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO REDUCE CRIME.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO REDUCE THE FEAR OF CRIME.
AND WHEN WE HAVE INCIDENCES SUCH AS WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST MONTH, THAT CREATES THAT FEAR OF CRIME, AND WE HAVE TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT THE BEST WE CAN, WE HAVE TO BE TRANSPARENT AND WE HAVE TO BE SEEN AND VI AND VISIBLE.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE IMPLEMENTED, UM, UH, OVERTIME FOR OFFICERS TO COME IN AND FILL THAT GAP WAS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZED THAT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, THE THE COMMUNITY IS IN FEAR AND THEY'RE, UH, UM, WHEN THEY SEE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN PATROLLING THEIR COMMUNITY, THAT THAT LOWERS THE TEMPERATURE DOWN.
UM, THAT'S THE BEST WAY THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, BRINGING CLOSURE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND ALSO, UM, WHEN A CITIZEN, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS, UH, UH, UH, WITHIN THE PAST WEEK OR TWO, UM, WHEN A CITIZEN SAYS, I'M IN FEAR, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT CITIZEN AND, AND COME UP WITH A STRATEGY SPECIFIC TO THEIR NEEDS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT.
WELL, AND I THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT I'M GOING IN, UM, THAT IT'S AN ISSUE OF HOW, HOW TO BEST COMMUNICATE TO SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, OR AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE, UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE THIS, THIS HEIGHTENED SENSE OF INSECURITY.
AND SO IT'S JUST MUCH A PUBLIC EDUCATION PIECE OR COMPONENT AS IT IS SEEING MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET PATROLLING.
SO AT THE LAST BOARD OF ALDEN MEETING, I'VE COMMITTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE A STRATEGY FOR EITHER A WORKSHOP OR THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AWARENESS AND TRAINING FOR CITIZENS.
WE ARE MEETING NEXT WEEK TO, UM, TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO DELIVER THAT, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I HEARD THIS BOARD LOUD AND CLEAR LAST WEEK, AND WE WILL HAVE A STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU CHIEF.
LOOKS LIKE WE ARE ABOUT 30 SOME ODD MINUTES OVER.
JUST, I THINK, I THINK YOU, YOU'RE DEALING WITH ME ON THE LAST THREE, SO, OKAY.
SO I THINK WE CAN WORK THIS OUT.
SO, UM, THE FIRST ITEM THAT I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IS DOWNTOWN PARKING.
THERE TWO ITEMS WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS.
ONE, UH, THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP A RECOMMENDATION TO, TO DISCUSS HANDICAP PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN SECTION.
SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE PARALLEL PARKING ON THE STREETS.
AND SO I ASKED GEORGE TO DO SOME, UH, SOME, UH, INVESTIGATIONS, SEE WHAT WE COULD REALISTICALLY DO.
AND FOR A NARROW STREET THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE INTERNATIONAL CODE THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE PARALLEL PARKING AS LONG AS IT'S STRIPE, BUT IT HAS TO BE ON THE END OF A BLOCKS.
THE EXAMPLE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL OR AT THE CORNER OF CHRIST CHURCH.
[02:40:01]
WE CAN GET BY WITH SOME OF THE CROSSWALK AREAS LIKE ON MIDDLE END AND AT P*****K AS WELL.UM, WE MAY END UP TAKING UP A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A REGULAR SPACE.
UM, THERE'S ALREADY CURB CUTS FOR THE HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY.
WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE SIGN THAT HAD THAT STATES THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO ALLOW THE SWORN OFFICERS TO TICKET THOSE VIOLATIONS.
UH, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH GEORGE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL COST US ABOUT $300 PER SPACE TO PROPERLY SIGN AND, AND PAINT THOSE SPACES.
UH, SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER, WE WOULD COME BACK, UH, WITH A, A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE MSD TO DO THAT.
UM, THE CONVERSATION, UH, THAT I HAD WITH THE MAYOR WAS POSSIBILITY OF LOOKING AT AT LEAST PUTTING A HANDICAP SPACE ONE ON THE EACH BLOCK TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
AND WE COULD LOOK AT PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR IN A STRATEGIC AREA TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
AND IF IT ENDS UP BEING POPULAR, THEN WE COULD ADD SOME SOME MORE.
BUT ONCE WE PUT 'EM IN, THERE'S, THERE'S NO GOING BACK ON THAT.
I THOUGHT IF A PERSON HAD A HANDICAP PLACARD ACCORDING TO THE PARKING PLAN, THEY COULD PARK ANYWHERE THEY WANTED TO.
IS THAT, OH, THEY CAN, THEY CAN BEHIND THERE IS NO DESIGNATED ON STREET PARKING.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE ISSUE WHEN YOU COME DOWNTOWN, A LOT OF TIMES PARKING IS TAKEN UP AND SO OH, THAT, THAT'S THE ISSUE.
SO HAVING DESIGNATED HANDICAP PARKING, WELL, I THINK WE CERTAINLY NEED TO HAVE HANDICAP PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT FOR SURE.
I MEAN, RICK, I I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, WITH PURSUING DOG.
SO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, PUT A BUDGET AMENDMENT OR SOMETHING TO GET IN FRONT OF US.
IS ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THAT? NOT AT ALL.
ONE, ONE PER BLOCK AS A START.
SO YOU'RE SAYING TO HAVE A HANDICAP PARKING SPACE, ONE ON EACH BLOCK DOWNTOWN, BUT IF YOU HAVE A HANDICAP STICKER, YOU CAN PARK IT ANY PARKING SPACE ANYWAY, RIGHT? SURE.
SO WHAT'S THE NEED OF DESIGNATED IN A PARKING SPACE? SO IT'S HANDICAP.
SO PARKING SPACE, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE.
SO WE'VE GOT A $4 MILLION HANDICAP, A ACCESSIBLE ELEVATOR THAT'S BEING ADDED TO THIS BUILDING.
AND IF SOMEBODY THAT IS IN A WHEELCHAIR WANTS TO COME TO A BOARD MEETING, THERE'S NO ON STREET PARKING THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
BUT THEY CAN PARK IT BE, IT COULD BE FULL, ALL THE ON STREET PARKING COULD BE FULL AND THERE'S NOWHERE FOR TO PARK.
SO THAT WOULD GIVE SOMEONE A DESIGNATED PARKING SPACE THAT WOULD BE OPEN FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S HANDICAPPED.
THERE'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LICENSE TAG AND JUST HAVING THE PLY HANGING IN YOUR CAR, I GUESS WITH THE TAG YOU CAN PARK.
YEAH, WELL YOU CAN, I THINK THEY'RE THE SAME.
THEY GIVE YOU THE SAME ONE'S A PERMANENT DISABILITY.
I THINK THE OTHER ONE'S KIND OF A AN ANNUAL THING OR TEMPORARY THING OR SOMETHING, BUT BUT IT GIVES YOU ACCESS WHEN YOU HAVE THE PARKING SPACES.
I THINK THE ISSUE COMES UP AND, AND, UM, I HEARD THIS, ANYONE CAN PARK IN ANY PARKING SPOT DOWNTOWN.
ANYONE, IF YOU MAKE A HANDICAP SPOT, ONLY THE HANDICAP CAN PARK THERE.
RIGHT? SO IF I COME DOWNTOWN AND I SEE AN OPENING AND I SEE, OH, IT'S HANDICAPPED, I CAN'T PARK THERE, THAT RESERVES IT FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS HANDICAPPED.
WE ALREADY, WE ONLY HAVE ONE, IS THAT CORRECT? ON MIDDLE STREET IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH? I THINK IT'S ONLY ON SUNDAY TOO.
I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PUTTING IT AROUND CITY HALL BECAUSE THAT'S ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT.
UM, I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE A CONVERSATION WITH THIS OFF STREET PARKING RATHER THAN, UM, AUTOMATICALLY DESIGNATING ON STREET PARKING FOR HANDICAP THAT MAYBE SOME OF THIS OFF STREET PARKING BE HANDICAP.
SO BEFORE WE JUMP TO A DECISION, I, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T NEED HANDICAP PARKING.
MY DISCUSSION POINT IS WHERE ITS MR. MANAGER, YOU WANNA BRING, BRING SOME OPTIONS BACK TO US.
WHAT IT SO WE CAN DELIBERATE AND JUST SET UP THAT TIME.
WHICH TAKES US INTO OFF STREET PARKING.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE HAVE THREE OFF STREET PARKING LOTS THAT, THAT WE LEASE SPACES OUT TO, TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE P*****K LOT, WHICH IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM US.
UH, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA THAT HAS 37 SPOTS IN IT.
THE CRAVEN LOT IS RIGHT BESIDE MORGAN'S RESTAURANT THAT HAS 41 SPACES.
AND THEN THE HANCOCK LOT, WHICH IS BASICALLY BEHIND THE CHELSEA
[02:45:01]
THAT HAS 49 PARKING SPACES, UM, OCCUPANCY FOR THOSE SPACES.OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN 100% OCCUPANCY ON THE CRAVEN LOT.
100% OCCUPANCY ON THE HANCOCK.
WELL THIS YEAR IT'S 74% AT THE BEST, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 93% OCCUPIED.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE GENERATE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS ON ALL THREE OF THOSE? LOTS? ABOUT 25,000.
25,000 THIS YEAR FOR THOSE SPACES.
AND SO WHAT DO WE CHARGE? SO IT, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TIERS FOR THIS.
SO IF YOU WANNA PARK THERE FROM 7:30 AM TO 5:30 PM THAT'S $20 A MONTH.
OR $240 A YEAR IF YOU WANT IT FOR 24 HOURS, WHICH A LOT OF RESIDENTS WILL, WILL PAY FOR THAT.
THAT'S $30 A MONTH OR $360 A YEAR.
SO THAT'S HOW WE ARRIVE AT, AT THAT AMOUNT.
THE P*****K STREET LOT ITSELF GENERATED THIS YEAR.
SO WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING AN OFF STREET PARKING KIOSK.
WHEN I WAS AT THE ICMA MEETING, I SAW ONE OF THE KIOSKS AND WAS ABLE TO TALK TO REPRESENTATIVES THERE AND, AND WE'RE SEEING THIS TREND, UH, ALL OVER.
BUT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT HERE IN NEW BERN YET.
THIS WOULD ALLOW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A KIOSK IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE LOTS AND DO A TEST, HAVE IT OPEN FOR PARKING, WHERE YOU COULD LIMIT THAT PARKING TO ONE HOUR, DETERMINE WHATEVER FEE WE WANTED TO.
IT COULD BE HALF A DAY, IT COULD BE FULL DAY, IT COULD BE 24 HOURS, UH, WHATEVER THAT FEE IS.
BASICALLY, SOMEONE WOULD GO UP TO THE KIOSK, THEY COULD PAY WITH THEIR CREDIT CARD.
THEY COULD PAY WITH CASH AS WELL IF THEY WANTED TO.
UM, IF SOMEONE STAYS IN THAT PARKING SPACE AFTER HOURS, UH, THE, THE SYSTEMS WE'VE SEEN OUT THERE ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE PARKING CONTROL SOFTWARE THAT THEY USED A TICKET TO WHERE THEY LOOKED AT THE MACHINE, IT COULD GIVE THEM A READOUT ON WHO HAS EXPIRED AND OFFICERS CAN ISSUE A TICKET FOR THAT.
NOW, I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER UPDATE.
SO, SO FAR THIS YEAR, $29,472 IN PARKING TICKETS IN 20 21, 20 $2,000 IN PARKING TICKETS.
AND IN 20 20, 20 $1,000 IN PARKING TICKETS.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING MORE PARKING TICKETS THAN WE ARE ON, ON LEASED PARKING.
UM, IF WE WENT WITH THE KIOS, BASICALLY SIX TO $8,000 IS WHAT IT COSTS FOR THE UNIT.
AND THEN APPROXIMATELY 12 TO $1,500 A YEAR FOR, FOR THE, UH, THE ONGOING SERVICE, THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR, FOR THAT SYSTEM TO TALK BACK TO THE PARENT COMPANY, WHOEVER, WHOEVER THE MONITORING GROUP IS FOR THIS.
UM, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO LOOK AT AND SEE IF WE COULD, UH, GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
ANY REVENUES THAT THAT ARE RECEIVED GO BACK INTO THE MSD.
IF THIS IS FUNDED, THE MSD WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.
SO HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THIS, GET YOUR THOUGHTS, SEE WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO.
UM, REGARDLESS THE, THE PRICE FOR THE DOWNTOWN PARKING IS, IS VERY, IS VERY LOW.
AND SO AT A MINIMUM WE DEFINITELY NEED TO LOOK AT INCREASING THAT.
WHAT THOUGHTS DO YOU HAVE? DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE A, JUST SO, UH, UM, AN ESTIMATED COST PER CU WHAT IT WOULD COST THE CUSTOMER?
HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO WHAT, WHAT AREA CITIES HAVE DONE AND I CAN, I COULD, THERE ARE CASE STUDIES THAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT I DIDN'T LOOK AT TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN NORTH CAROLINA IN COMPARABLE CITIES TO OURS.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE PEOPLE PARK FOR A DOLLAR OR $2 FOR AN HOUR AND THEN IT JUST GOES UP FROM THERE.
SO WE WOULD, FOR A TRIAL BASIS TO SEE HOW THE KIOSH WOULD WORK, WOULD SUSPEND THE LEASE PARKING WHEREVER PARKING LOT WE CHOOSE AND GO WITH THIS FOR A TRIAL.
AND IT REQUIRES ONLY ONE MACHINE THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO YOU'D NEED, IF, IF WE DID THIS EVENTUALLY IN THREE LOCATIONS, IT WOULD BE ONE MACHINE PER LOCATION FOR ACCESSIBILITY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE PARKING INTO A LOT, YOU CAN JUST WALK UP TO THE MACHINE, FILL OUT YOUR INFORMATION AND, AND, AND PAY AND GO FROM THERE.
OR YOU CAN ALSO USE YOUR SMARTPHONE IF YOU WANTED TO.
ONCE YOU PULL IN, YOU DO IT FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE BOARD.
I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU, UM, I WAS ON THE PARKING COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, AND THAT PARKING COMMITTEE WAS MADE UP OF DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS, DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY AGREED EXCEPT FOR THE ONES THAT WERE RENTING A SPACE, AGREED THAT THE PRICE WAS TOO LOW.
AND WE HAD MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
[02:50:01]
TO INCREASE IT.AND WHAT, WHAT MY GOAL AS BEING A MEMBER OF THAT GROUP WAS, WAS TO ALWAYS PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT WANNA COME DOWNTOWN.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHEN SOMEBODY COMES DOWNTOWN, THEY CAN PARK ON THE STREET FOR TWO HOURS WITHIN THAT BLOCK.
THEN THEY HAVE TO MOVE THEIR CAR TO ANOTHER BLOCK, NOT JUST UP A SPACE OR TWO.
OR THEY CAN GO TO ONE OF OUR OUTER LINE, RED, YELLOW AND BLACK BEAR.
AND THEY ARE FREE ALL DAY PARKING.
YOU CAN PARK THERE ALL DAY LONG, BUT YOU HAVE TO WALK JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
THEN WE HAVE THESE, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A PREMIUM PARKING LOT, WHICH IS ONE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
AND THE ONE BY MORGAN'S, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH ALL LEASED MORGAN'S LEASES A LOT OF 'EM.
SO THEIR CUSTOMERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE IT.
BUT THE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME WAS TO TAKE ONE OF THOSE LOTS, PROBABLY THE ONE RIGHT ACROSS FROM CITY HALL AND PUT THIS KIOSK THERE AND DO A MEASUREMENT OF IT.
I, I WILL GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE REVENUES WILL BE HIGHER.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
BUT WHAT THAT DOES THAT GIVES SOMEBODY VISITING DOWNTOWN AN OPTION IF YOU WANT TO PARK ALL DAY LONG OR FOR LONGER THAN TWO HOURS, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT, BUT YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA PAY FOR IT, THEN YOU CAN PARK ON THE STREET FOR TWO HOURS AND MOVE YOUR CAR.
OR YOU CAN GO TO ONE OF THE HOURLY LIGHTS.
BUT BY US LEASING THESE PARKING SPACES FOR THIS MINIMUM COST, IT TAKES A PREMIUM PARKING LOT BASICALLY OUTTA THE INVENTORY OTHER THAN THOSE THAT ARE LEASING A LOT.
SO THIS OPENS IT UP AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE FOLKS ARE GONNA HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO GO AND FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE COURTEOUS AND GIVE 'EM A, A TIMEFRAME.
AND I, I WOULDN'T ADVOCATE US STARTING THIS DECEMBER ONE.
UH, BUT I THINK THE LEASES COME UP JANUARY ONE, SO WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT ADJUSTING THAT IF WE DECIDED TO GO IN THIS DIRECTION.
THE LEASE, THE LEASES EXPIRED DECEMBER 31ST AND, AND THEY ARE ON THE ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, ALSO IF, IF A KIO LIKE THIS WAS USED, I THINK SEVERAL OF YOU MAY HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES TODAY ON, ON WHERE AM I GONNA PARK? DO I NEED TO GET A, A PARKING PASS OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS? UH, THESE SYSTEMS HAVE THE ABILITY TO WHERE WE CAN ISSUE PASSES OR, OR CODES.
IF YOU'VE GOT A MEETING, WE CAN SEND THAT TO YOU AND ALL YOU DO IS ENTER THAT IN THERE AND, AND YOUR COVERED.
SO IT, THEY'VE, THEY'VE PRETTY MUCH FIGURED IT OUT HOW TO, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, HOW TO DO THESE THINGS.
SO I IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIMME DIRECTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, JUST, JUST, JUST LET US KNOW.
WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO WHATEVER THE BOARD WOULD LIKE.
ANOTHER QUESTION, PARKING AFTER FIVE WHERE THERE WAS NO ISSUE, LET'S SAY ACROSS THE STREET.
SO WITH THE KIOSH AFTER 5, 6, 7 AND STILL BE AN HOURLY RATE ACCORDING TO CITY OF WILTON STILL.
SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S THIS 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WE DECIDE THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, AND ANY, ANY WEEKEND IN DOWNTOWN NEW ROOM PARKING IS ALWAYS AT, AT A PREMIUM.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENINGS.
CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
FOSTER, CAN YOU PROVIDE, UM, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION? NOT, NOT TODAY, BUT MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST TO SEE HOW THAT MIX IS COMING INTO PLAY ON EACH OF THE LOTS.
AND THAT MAY HELP US DECIDE WHICH LOT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO USE AS A TEST CASE.
AND WOULD YOU EXCUSE ME AND WOULD YOU INCLUDE THOSE STATS THAT YOU GAVE US AS FAR AS DOLLARS? WE SURE WILL LOT PLEASE.
AND TO ALTMAN ROYAL'S POINT, IF WE DECIDED TO ENFORCE THIS AFTER HOURS ON THE WEEKEND, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE, RIGHT NOW WE ONLY ENFORCE IT.
IS IT EIGHT TO FIVE? IT'S EIGHT, IT'S EIGHT TO 4:00 PM EIGHT TO FOUR.
SO YOU, WE WOULD HAVE TO, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMEBODY HERE TO ENFORCE IT OR IT WOULD BE THE HONOR SYSTEM
WE'LL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU ON THAT.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON DOWNTOWN PARKING? ALL RIGHT.
NEXT ITEM IS, UH, REVIEW OF PROPOSED MEMORIAL MARKER POLICY.
THIS IS MORE TO HELP HELP STAFF GIVE STAFF DIRECTION ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS IN, IN THE CITY WITH I, I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET SOME DIRECTION.
CAUSE PREVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD ISSUES WHERE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO APPROVE CERTAIN THINGS, UM, WHETHER IT BE A
[02:55:01]
BEAR PLACED IN A, IN A PARK OR, OR A HISTORICAL MARKETPLACE IN A PARK OR, UM, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.AND WE JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO, UM, UM, UM, NO CROSS SIGNALS OR ANYTHING.
WE STAFF KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO.
AND SO I JUST WANNA GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS WITH A POLICY.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH NEW BEARS, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE ANYONE THAT WANTED TO PLACE A NEW BEM BEAR ON, ON CITY PROPERTY, THE MANAGER WOULD HAVE THE, THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE OR DENY THAT THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN THE CASE TODAY.
WE DON'T PUT 'EM ON SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ESPECIALLY WHERE, WHERE, WHERE IT BREAKS IT DOWN TO WHERE THE SIDEWALK IS NOT ACC ACCESSIBLE.
UH, CONSTRUCTION AND DEDICATION, PLAQUES THAT MAY PLACED ON BE PLACED ON CITY HALL.
THE ELEVATOR, THE MANAGER WOULD COORDINATE THAT.
LIKE, LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAVE, UM, USE OF PUBLIC SPACES.
SO FOR MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS, MARKERS, UM, IN PLAQUES, CEMETERY MARKERS, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY VETTED THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION.
THERE ARE CERTAIN GUIDELINES THAT, THAT ARE ALREADY SPELLED OUT IN THE ORDINANCE ON WHAT CAN AND CAN OCCUR THERE.
BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH A MARKER THAT WAS PLACED AT, UM, UNION POINT PARK THIS PAST YEAR.
THERE WERE CONS, SOME CONCERNS WITH THAT, SO THAT THAT WAS TAKEN OUT.
BUT WE DO HAVE HISTORICAL MARKERS, UM, CIVIL WAR MARKERS THAT ARE IN, ONE IS IN, UH, UNION POINT PARK, THE OTHER IS AT GLEN BURNIE PARK.
UH, SIGNIFYING THAT, THAT WAS A CIVIL WAR CAMP.
WE'VE GOT SOME PIECES THAT ARE LOCATED AT LAWSON CREEK PARK THAT KIND OF GIVE A, AN INDICATION OF HOW THE SHIPYARD WORKED.
AND I THINK THAT WAS BROADER FROM SOMEWHERE ON LAWSON CREEK AND, AND REBUILT OVER THERE.
WE'VE GOT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL TOUR SIGNS THAT WERE PUT OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO.
NO APPROVAL WAS EVEN GOTTEN FROM THAT.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BASICALLY HAD A LEAD IN THAT.
AND SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO WAS WITH ANY HISTORICAL MARKERS, UM, THAT WOULD GO INTO A, A PUBLIC SPACE, WE'D LIKE THE BOARD TO REVIEW THAT.
NEITHER APPROVE OR DENY THAT IF, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ADDRESS THIS POLICY, IF WE GET THESE REQUESTS, WE'RE STILL GONNA BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
BUT THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT KIND OF SETS THINGS OUT, SETS CRITERIA.
SO STAFF CAN THESE THINGS PROPERLY AND GET IT TO YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HISTORICAL, HISTORICAL MARKER GOING IN A PUBLIC PLACE, THERE'S CERTAIN CRITERIA WE LOOK AT SUCH AS TIMELESSNESS OF, OF THE WHATEVER'S GONNA BE, UM, MEMORIALIZED, COMMUNITY SIGNIFICANCE, PAST HONORS MAINTENANCE PLANNING, THE SIZE OF THE MARKER, IS IT, IS IT TOO BIG? IS IT SUITABLE? IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR WHERE THE SPACE IS GONNA BE A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY? WHO'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF IT, MAINTAIN IT MOVING FORWARD, OWNERSHIP? WOULD IT STAY THE PROPERTY OF THE CITY OR WOULD IT, WOULD IT BE THE, THE PROPERTY OF A NON-PROFIT OR WHOEVER BROUGHT THIS INFORMATION TO US? AND THEN IT BASICALLY SPELLS OUT THAT THE REVIEW AND APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO FOR, FOR ANYTHING WE'D HAVE, THEY'D HAVE TO GO OUT AN APPLICATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT.
IT WOULD GO THROUGH ITS TODAY, AND THEN ULTIMATELY IF IT REQUIRED BOARD APPROVAL, THE BOARD WOULD REVIEW THIS AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER THIS IS SUITABLE OR NOT TO BE PLACED IN PUBLIC PROPERTY.
SO I'D LOVE TO, I'D LOVE TO HAVE YOUR COMMENTS, UH, AND DIRECTION ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
OFFICER, I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
MY CONCERN IS THE, THE PARK THAT THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM MAINTAINS MM-HMM.
UM, EVEN THE SIGN OUT FRONT MONEY WAS RAISED.
I MEAN, IS THAT ALL GONNA BE HANDLED NOW THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION? NO, THAT WAS NOT ALL NECESSARILY HANDLE THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS BASICALLY THE DESK FOR DEALING WITH THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM.
SO BASICALLY IT WOULD, IT WOULD RUN THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH EXEMPT FROM THIS POLICY.
NOT NECESSARILY EXEMPT, BUT IF WHAT THEY'VE GOT OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD NEVER VOTED ON ANY OF THAT STUFF THAT IS ON CITY PROPERTY.
BUT IF THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, THEY, THEY JUST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BOBBY, CHIEF AT CHIEF NOW, OR CHIEF AT THE TIME, WOULD, WOULD VET THROUGH IT AND HE'D BRING IT TO THE BOARD FOR, FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
SO IT, THAT'S HOW IT WOULD WORK.
AND THEN I, I SEE WHERE HIS NAMING OF STREETS, FACILITIES, PUBLIC SPACES SHOULD BE ALL APPROVED BY THE BOARD ALDERMAN.
BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT MENTIONS ROOMS. AND I, AN EXAMPLE IS WE HAD PEOPLE TO PAY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HAVE THEIR NAME PUT ON A ROOM AT THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM.
THE SAME FOR THE TRAIAN PALACE.
[03:00:02]
SO I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT TYPE POLICY SHOULD CONTINUE ON.I MEAN, WE HAD PEOPLE THAT PAID $10,000 TO NAME, UH, OF 15 BY 15 ROOM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THAT MONEY WAS USED TO DESIGN THAT ROOM AND BUILD THAT ROOM AND PUT THE, UH, THE ARTIFACTS IN THAT ROOM.
AND THE SAME THING, LIKE I SAID, TOOK PLACE AT THE PALACE.
SO WE NEEDED TO DETERMINE HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO ROOMS. SO, I MEAN, ONE THING, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS STREETS, FACILITIES, AND PUBLIC SPACES AND IT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, CAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE, WE MAY HAVE THIS COMING UP WITH THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, WE COULD HAVE THIS COMING UP WITH THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CENTER AND SOME OTHER BUILDINGS THAT WE MAY ACQUIRE OVER TIME.
AND SO WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT A SEPARATE STANDALONE POLICY, WHICH JUST ADDRESSES THAT.
BECAUSE IF THE BOARD WOULD, WOULD NEED TO APPROVE IT.
AND THEN WE NEED TO DETERMINE, DO YOU WANT TO PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT TOWARDS, TOWARD THE, THE NAMING OF A DOOR OR A ROOM AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND HOW LONG THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR? THAT'S CORRECT.
BASICALLY LIKE AN AMATOR MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN MY THIRD WAS, I THINK THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS, BUT SHOULD WE PUT A, FOR PLAQUES LIKE DOWN AT UNION POINT PARK, SHOULD THERE BE A MAXIMUM SIZE OR ARE YOU GOING THERE? YES, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A MAXIMUM AND A MINIMUM SIZE.
I THINK IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON, ON WHAT IS PRESENTED.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'VE GOT A NICE HISTORICAL MARKER DOWN THERE NOW, UM, RIGHT WHERE THE, WHERE THE, UM, BIRD FEEDING AREA IS.
UM, AND MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY THAT SIZE FOR, FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
IT'S REALLY GONNA DEPEND ON WHAT, WHAT IS PRESENTED.
WELL, I'D BE QUITE INTERESTED IN SEEING A POLICY FOR ROOMS NAMING THE ROOMS. I DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS ABOUT IT.
IT ARE YOU TIMELESS
AND THAT CAN OPEN UP A CAN OF WORMS THAT YOU WILL SAY, WOW, WHY DID I DO THAT? YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE DON'T NEED TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT COMMERCIALS ON TV, YOU KNOW, AND THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE DONE TODAY, IT IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TO ME.
I'M NOT AS YOUNG AS YOU GUYS ARE OR OLDER THAN YOU GUYS, BUT SOME THINGS JUST DON'T SET RIGHT.
AND, UM, IT CAN COME BACK TO REALLY BITE YOU REAL BAD THAT YOU WISH THAT YOU WASN'T BORN.
SO I, I JUST, I CAN'T AGREE TO THAT PUTTING A PLAQUE IN APART BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING AT YOU.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S COMING AT YOU.
SO, SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE'RE WANTING TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE POLICY IN PLACE FOR GUIDANCE.
OR YOU COULD SAY, WE DON'T WANT ANY TYPE OF PLAQUES AND MARKETS IN ANY OF THE PARKS, AND WE COULD CREATE A POLICY FOR THAT.
UM, BUT THEN YOU'D HAVE TO REALIZE WE'VE ALREADY GOT A, A BRICK PAPER PROGRAM THAT'S AT UNION POINT PARK AND THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE AS, AS THAT PARK EXPANDS.
WE HAVE THAT AT OTHER, OTHER PARKS AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT THOUGH, YOU KNOW? WELL THAT, AND THAT, THAT RIGHT THERE IS WHY WE NEED A POLICY TO DIFFERENTIATE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SO WE'RE CLEAR, BUT HAPPY TO DO WHATEVER THE BOARD WOULD LIKE, LIKE FOR US THE BEST.
UM, I SOMEWHAT AGREE WITH, UH, OTTOMAN.
UM, KENZIE, I THINK IT, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE MONUMENTS, THE PLAQUES OR THE MARKERS BEING IN THE PARTS, BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO SPECIFY, OR A PARTICULAR PART THAT WE WILL ALLOW SUCH MARKERS AND STUFF.
CUZ I LOOK AT UNION POINT PARK, THAT'S A SMALL PART.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT IT LIKE THIS.
IF PEOPLE WANT FREE ADVERTISEMENT, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
AND I, AND IF, IF WE GONNA GO WITH THIS, WITH, WITH THIS POLICY, I THINK WE NEED TO DESIGNATE, JUST
[03:05:01]
LIKE WITH, UM, LAWSON CREEK PARK.SO I, I JUST, I, I, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS BEFORE BY THE MARKER THAT WAS PUT DOWN THERE.
UM, AND I DON'T WANT THAT ISSUE TO SURFACE AGAIN.
AND, YOU KNOW, I I JUST, WHEN YOU SAY VETTING TO ME, WHO'S GONNA TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO VET? I'LL JUST SAY, I'LL USE MY GRAND PAPI AS AN EXAMPLE.
I WANT TO PUT A STATUTE OF, UH, PLAQUE OR SOMETHING DOWN THERE IN THE PARK FOR HIM WHO'S GONNA GO IN AND VET TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE, WHERE THIS MAN STOOD IN SOCIETY, WHAT THIS MAN DID IN SOCIETY.
WAS HE RACIST? DID HE CREATE ANY, ANY PROBLEMS? YOU KNOW, WHO'S GONNA VET ALL THAT AND TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND WE'RE PRESENTED WITH, WITH, UH, A APPLICATION OF SOMEONE WANTING TO PUT WHATEVER, WHOMEVER, WHATEVER, WHATEVER PERSON INTO PARK.
AND, AND NOW ONE THING, IF YOU, IF YOU START LOOKING AT INDIVIDUALS MM-HMM.
THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT.
CAUSE YEAH, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE SOME CRITERIA IN PLACE FOR, ARE YOU GONNA DO LITERALLY BACKGROUND SEARCH TO EXACTLY.
TO SEE IF THAT BOARD WOULD TO DO IT? IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT HISTORICAL EVENT OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME IN OUR, IN OUR HISTORY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ADD ADDITIONAL CRITERIA.
AND OF COURSE, IF, IF, IF YOU WANT TO ADOPT THIS POLICY WITH, WITH WHATEVER CAVEATS ARE PUT INTO IT, STAFF WOULD HAVE SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT.
THEY'D BRING IT TO ME IF, AND PRETTY MUCH LITERALLY WE WOULD SHARE IT WITH ALL THE BOARD BEFORE IT'S ON THE AGENDA TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEFORE IT WOULD COME UP.
I TO DO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE PARKS HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE THEY, ANYBODY CAN PUT A, A MONUMENT OR SOMETHING DOWN IN ONE OF THE PARKS.
SO WE DID, THIS POLICY WAS MIRRORED OFF OF SEVERAL CITIES THAT HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE THAT THAT'S WHY WE, WE, WE COPIED THIS AND MADE SOME CHANGES IN, IN TERMS OF ANY CITY THAT JUST LETS ANYONE PUT ANYTHING IN ANY PARK.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I WOULD SAY KIND OF TO ALDER, MCKENZIE'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GETTING INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THIS COMMUNITY, SIGNIFICANCE, YOU KNOW, I THINK AN EVENT NEEDS TO BE WELL PAST A YEAR OR A PERSON WELL PAST A YEAR POSTHUMOUSLY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE MORE LIKE FIVE TO 10 YEARS SO THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING A REACTION TO SOME OF THIS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF UNION POINT PARK, I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS, AS A BOARD SET ASIDE A PARK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE GIVE, SAY PARKS AND REC OR THE CITY MANAGER THE AUTHORITY TO PUT SOMETHING IN PARK, WE CAN SAY, HEY, NOT UNION POINT.
I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS CARVE THAT OUT AS A CAVEAT.
SO, AND YOU HAVE ADDRESSED MY CONCERN.
UM, AGAIN, WE, I I BELIEVE IT WAS EXPRESSED HERE, WE DON'T WANT TO FIND OURSELVES ERECTING ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE DOWN.
AND SO OF COURSE, THE BACKGROUND, YOU SAID, UM, VETTING ALL OF THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE OUR CITY, UM, HAVING TO, UH, ENCOUNTER WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE WITH THEIR MONUMENTS.
AND, AND AGAIN, MY ADMIRATION OR HONOR FOR A PERSON MIGHT NOT BE WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR OUR CITY.
SO YES, AS LONG AS WE CAN VET IT, LONG AS WE CAN EVALUATE, AS LONG AS WE CAN BRING IT BEFORE THE BOARD AND, UH, HAVE THOSE FINAL DECISIONS, I THINK THAT'LL WORK WELL.
AND, AND UNION POINT PART, AND I DO HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR ON THAT, I MEAN, THAT THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE, AND THAT THAT DOES NOT BE THE, THE CATCHALL FOR, FOR ALL PLAQUES AND MONUMENTS.
I MEAN, FOR YEARS AND YEARS, PARKS RECREATION HAD, HAS HAD AN HONOR TREE PROGRAM.
SO IF YOU GO DOWN THERE, SOME OF THE ESTABLISHED TREES, YOU'LL SEE SOME, SOME MARKERS DOWN THERE IN, IN MEMORY OR HONOR OF, OF WHOEVER.
AND THAT, THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT STARTED WAY BEFORE MY TIME BEING HERE.
UM, THEN YOU SEE ONE HISTORICAL MARKER AND YOU SEE SOME BEARS AT THE FRONT.
UM, AND REALLY, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE FOR LITERALLY A FEW MORE THINGS THAT COULD GO IN THERE.
AND THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER PARKS THAT THAT COULD, AND PUBLIC SPACES WHERE, WHERE, WHERE MARKERS CAN BE PLACED.
IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WANTED TO LOOK AT DOING.
WELL, WE MAY WANT TO SAY THOSE FEW THINGS THAT WE HAVE LEFT DOWN THERE FOR WHAT THE CITY WANTS TO PUT IN THERE.
[03:10:01]
SURE.AND WITH THE POLICY, THE BOARD WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO DESIGNATE THAT IF YOU WANTED TO, IF YOU WANTED TO, UH, LOOK AT A CERTAIN, IF, IF WE HAD AN APPLICATION CAME IN, YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT THAT DESIGNATE WHEREVER YOU WANTED IT TO GO.
AND I, AND I THINK JUST FOR ME TO EXPRESS A PERSONAL OPINION, SINCE I HAVE A PRETTY HIGH STANDARD FOR MONUMENTS AND MARKERS MM-HMM.
ANYONE ELSE? SO WHAT DIRECTION ARE WE GIVING THE CITY MANAGER IF ANY OR MORE REVIEW NEEDS TO BE DONE? SO WE CURRENTLY POLICY, WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A POLICY.
IS THAT WHAT I'M SAYING? AND THERE'S NO POLICY.
THE QUESTION'S GONNA BE IS WHAT DOES POLICY LOOK LIKE? YOU'VE GOT A DRAFT, I GUESS THIS IS A DRAFT IN FRONT OF US.
UM, MAYBE WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS FOR EACH OF US TO TAKE THIS BACK WITH US, MAKE SOME NOTES, SEND THOSE TO THE CITY MANAGER, LET HIM COMPILE EVERYBODY'S FEEDBACK AND ADJUST THE PILOT, THE RECOMMENDED POLICY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND IF THERE'S CONFLICTING ISSUES, THEN YOU PUT IN HERE, I HAD THREE OTTERMAN SAY THEY WANTED THIS.
I HAD THREE SAY THEY WANTED THIS.
SO Y'ALL NEED TO DECIDE WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
THAT WE, YOU'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE A REQUEST.
SO THAT, WHAT WAS THAT? WHAT'D YOU SAY? YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE A REQUEST.
WELL, WE HAD, AND, AND JUST TO BE, WE, I KNOW WE'VE GOT AT LEAST THREE REQUESTS.
SOMETHING, THERE'S ONE GROUP THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BEAR.
THERE'S ONE GROUP THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, UH, AN HISTORICAL MARKER IN HONOR OF ONE OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS.
UM, AND, AND THEN WE, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MARKER OF THE, UH, MARKER THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS BOOK WORLD RECORD MARK.
SO WE KNOW THAT, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THREE REQUESTS.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US SOME DEADLINE? IF WE GET, IF WE GET INFORMATION BACK TO YOU, HOW LONG WOULD YOU NEED TO BRING BACK A DRAFT POLICY TO US? JUST A FEW DAYS.
SO IF WE GOT IT TO YOU BY THE END OF NOVEMBER, YOU COULD HAVE GO AHEAD AND PUT A PLACEHOLDER ON FOR THE DECEMBER AGENDA.
WE COULD, WHAT WAS THE BOARD THING? LET BEFORE WE, IF BEFORE WE MAKE A AGREE, A VOTE, WHATEVER ON THIS, UM,
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO INVOLVE THE PUBLIC WITH? I, I, I GET THAT ARGUMENT, BUT EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW HAS NEVER HAD THAT.
SO, I MEAN, IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT, SAY, YEAH, WE WANT TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
I THINK THAT WE, ME PERSONALLY, I THINK WE SHOULD, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT, I DON'T, AS LONG AS THIS IS VETTED PROPERLY, FINE.
BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO COME BACK AS TO US AS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEALING WITH ALL ETHNIC GROUPS HERE IN THIS CITY AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME REMINDERS OF PAST EXPERIENCE THAT A PERSON THAT WE CHOOSE, A MARKER WE PUT OUT THERE THAT MY ETHNIC GROUP MIGHT NOT HAVE A PROBLEM IF, BUT YOURS MAY OR VICE VERSA.
SO I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF RACISM MAY BE INVOLVED.
AND, AND WE HAVE THIS ALL THE TIME.
UH, SO I, I JUST FEEL THAT WE NEED TO GET THE PUBLIC'S OPINION ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS THEIR PARTS.
OR YOU COULD JUST HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS, POLICY SAYS NO, IT ONLY REQUIRES BOARD OF ALTMAN APPROVAL.
BUT THEN THERE AGAIN, YOU'RE SAYING THE BOARD OF OTTOMAN'S APPROVAL, BUT YOU GOT LOOK DEEPER AND DIVE DEEPER INTO THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY ENCOUNTERS WITH ANY TYPE OF DEHUMANIZATION.
PEOPLE GONNA LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT AND THAT HONOR AUTUM INVEST.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO HAVE SOME GUIDELINES IN PLACE.
BECAUSE REGARDLESS, SOMEONE COMES TO ME AND SAYS, WE WANT THIS.
WELL, MOST LIKELY THEY'RE GONNA REQUEST THAT TO BE PUT ON AN AGENDA.
IF THEY DON'T HEAR FROM CITY MANAGERS, MY VOTE, MY VOTE WOULD BE TO NOT DO ANYTHING.
DID THAT SAVE YOU ON A POLICY? SAVE YOU.
I AGREE WITH, IF THE BOARD HAS GIVING ME THE DIRECTION TO, TO HELP THIS ON, WE STILL GOT OTHER ISSUES OTHER THAN MEMORIALS AND PLA STUFF.
[03:15:01]
TO NAMING BUILDINGS.WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE PAST, THE CITY'S STANCE.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE BUILT THE FIRE HEADQUARTERS FIRE STATION OUT THERE, IT WAS A BIG PUSH TO NAME THAT BUILDING AFTER A LOCAL PERSON.
AND THE BOARD SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET INTO NAMING BUILDINGS.
YOU KNOW? UM, AND FROM THE PUBLIC'S, I I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S A CITY WANTS TO HONOR SOMEBODY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
BUT, UM, NAMING BUILDINGS AND NAMING ROOMS CAN OPEN UP A BIG CAN OF WORMS. UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA NAME A ROOM AND WE'LL JUST USE THE STANLEY WHITE CENTER.
CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE THE BIGGEST BUILDING WE GOT COMING UP.
IF YOU'RE GONNA NAME A ROOM, YOU SHOULD PAY TO HAVE YOUR NAME PUT ON THAT ROOM.
ROOM, JUST LIKE WE DID OVER AT THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE IN THE CITY I DID THE HOSPITAL, DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, I SAID, OH, YEAH, YEAH, THEY, YEAH.
SOLD ROOMS. THEY HAD NAMING SOME ROOM.
SO YEAH, I DIDN'T JUST, UNLESS IT'S THE BOARD INITIATES IT AND THEY WANT TO HONOR SOMETHING, A, A WORKER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND DO SOMETHING, A PLAQUE OR WHATEVER, THEN SO IS THE AGREEMENT NO.
IT IS CO CONSIST THE MAJORITY.
I THINK THAT'S THE EASIEST SURPRISE TO THE SAFEST.
IF YOU TRY, IF YOU TRY TO ESTABLISH A POLICY THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN EXCEPTION, THAT WILL FIND ITS WAY INTO IT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE SOME ISSUES AT THAT TIME.
THE EASIEST APPROACH THAT'S NOT HARMFUL TO ANYBODY IS JUST TO SAY NO WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH PUBLIC PROPERTY.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUT A, A MARKER OR MONUMENT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, WE HAVE NO SAY IN THAT.
I LIKE SIMPLE, I LIKE EASY, BUT I WANNA MAKE IT COMPLICATED FOR A MINUTE.
SO SWISS BEAR DONATED THE SHIP HAULING MACHINE TO THE CITY OF NEWBURN TO PUT IT LAWSON CREEK PARK.
WHERE WOULD THAT HAVE FALLEN ON THIS, THIS, THIS CURRENT NO POLICY OR WHAT YOUR PROPOSED POLICY WOULD BE? NO, IT WOULD BE A, NO, IT WOULD BE IN A, THE HISTORICAL MARKER THAT'S CURRENTLY DOWN THE STATE HISTORICAL MARKET THAT'S CURRENTLY DOWN AT UNION POINT PARK WOULD BE IN, UH, THE ONE AT, UM, I CAN'T RE MAYBE IT WAS CAMP, CAMP VALLEY.
SO HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT THE SIGN THAT WE JUST PUT UP HERE THAT, UM, AL BARFIELD WAS HERE ABOUT THE SIT IN.
WOULD THAT BE A NOTE? IS IT ON CITY PROPERTY? IT'S ON THE RIGHT OF AWAY.
IT WOULD BE A, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL TRAIL WOULD BE A NAME.
I I JUST BRING THAT UP AT FORT TITAN PARK.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU GOT TO AREAS USED TO BE FENCED, WAS FENCED OFF.
THAT HAD A TREE THERE IN HONOR OF ROGER HECKMAN.
UH, ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTED TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A NO.
SO WE'RE SAYING, SO MOVING FORWARD, FORWARD, IT WOULD BE A NO.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS GRANDFATHERED IN.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MITIGATE THEM FROM COMING TO THE BOARD FOR AN EXCEPTION.
AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
OUR POLICY IS NO, IF YOU WANT AN EXCEPTION, YOU HAVE TO PETITION THE BOARD.
SO NEXT, DO WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA TO HAVE A FORMAL VOTE TAKEN TO ESTABLISH THIS POLICY THAT'S DIRECTION FOR THE MANAGER? WELL, YOU CAN GIVE ME DIRECTION AND WE'LL PROBABLY LOOK AT PUTTING, WE'LL PROBABLY END UP UPDATING ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING, JUST SO IT'S SOMEWHERE.
BUT YES, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO SOMETHING ON THAT.
IS EVERYONE READY FOR THE, FOR THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA? YES SIR, WE ARE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LAST ITEM.
I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
SONYA IS GOING BEYA MIGHT AS COME DESK.
WE HAVE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME.
I'D GIVE SONYA AND SHARON THE REST OF THE STAFF AT, AT, UM, HR AND KIM OSTROM.
UM, MARVIN AND MYSELF, WE'VE BEEN WORKING QUITE A BIT ON, ON THIS.
SO IN FEBRUARY OF 2022, THE CITY ENGAGE WITH THE PIEDMONT TRIAD REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS TO PERFORM THE SALARY STUDY.
UM, THEY MOST RECENTLY DID A STUDY FOR US BACK IN 2017.
ON AVERAGE, THE, THE PIEDMONT TRIBE COG DOES ABOUT 70 STUDIES A YEAR.
[03:20:03]
THE STUDY STARTED IN FEBRUARY.UH, WE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION BACK MID TO LATE SUMMER.
AND BY THE TIME WE GOT THAT INFORMATION BACK, WHAT WE HAD SEEN IS SEVERAL COUNTIES AND CITIES AROUND US HAD ALREADY MADE ADDITIONAL UPGRADES.
AND SO WHAT WE HAD RECEIVED WAS ALREADY OUTDATED.
SO WE HAD TO GET THE CONSULTANT GO BACK OUT AND GET MORE, UH, COMPARISONS FOR US.
AND SO THE STUDY COMPARED OUR PAY SCALE, OUR COMPENSATION PLAN, TO OTHER BENCHMARK CITIES.
AND SO THOSE BENCHMARK CITIES ARE CLAYTON, CRAVEN, COUNTY, GOLDSBOROUGH, GREENVILLE, GREENVILLE, UTILITIES COMMISSION, HAVELOCK, JACKSONVILLE, KINSTON, MOREHEAD CITY, PIT COUNTY, ROCKY MOUNT, STATESVILLE, LAKE FOREST, WASHINGTON, WILMINGTON, AND WILSON.
SO, AS I SAID, THE LAST STUDY WAS IN 2017, AND WITH THIS STUDY, OUR POSITION CLASSIFICATIONS ARE ON AVERAGE 10% BELOW THE MARKET AVERAGE.
WHICH MEANS WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR COMPENSATION PLAN AND YOU COMPARE IT TO THESE OTHER CITIES ON AVERAGE OR 10% LOWER, JUST ON THE, THE MINIMUM MAXIMUM SCALE, WHICH EQUATES TO THOSE POSITIONS.
SO THERE ARE SOME OUTLIER POSITIONS, AND THOSE OUTLIERS ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE MORE OUT OF WHACK THAN THAT, THAT AVERAGE 10%.
THOSE POSITIONS INCLUDE SWORN POLICE OFFICERS, SOME ELECTRIC UTILITY POSITIONS, AND BUILDING INSPECTORS AMONG A FEW OTHERS.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THOSE, UM, TO GET US BACK IN ALIGNMENT AND BACK IN THE MARKET.
ON AVERAGE, WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION, $3.6 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
AND SO WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.
UH, SO IF WE IMPLEMENTED THE FULL PLAN, AND THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED AS OF JANUARY 1ST, THROUGH THE END OF THIS BUDGET YEAR, BREAKING IT DOWN BY THE FUNDS, THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ENTERPRISE FUND, UM, FULL IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS WILL BE $1.2 MILLION.
GENERAL FUND 584,000 FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
THAT INCLUDES BENEFITS AS WELL.
SO TOTAL OF 1.7 MILLION OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 3.6 MILLION.
WE COULD ALSO LOOK AT AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT DOING 5% OR SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO IF WE DID AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, IT WOULD OVERALL BE ABOUT $827,000 FOR THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
IT WOULD BE JUST UNDER $1.7 MILLION WITH A SEVEN AND A 5% INCREASE.
THAT WOULD BE WITH BOTH FUNDS COMBINED FOR SIX MONTHS, $1.2 MILLION FOR THE COURSE OF A YEAR, JUST UNDER 2.5 MILLION.
EVEN IF WE DID THE 5%, THE SEVEN AND HALF PERCENT WERE STILL BEHIND IN THE MARKET.
SO THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE PLAYING CATCH UP.
UH, BUT THE THING WE'VE GOTTA THINK ABOUT IS WE'VE GOTTA START DOING SOMETHING.
WHEN WE SEE OUR, OUR, OUR COMPARABLE CITIES THAT ARE PAYING, THERE'S SWORN OFFICERS, SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE THAN WE ARE, AND WE SEE OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE AS LOW AS WE ARE, WE'VE GOT TO RESPOND.
AND THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HAD AMONG OTHERS WITH, WITH RECRUITING, UH, AND KEEPING CERTAIN STAFF.
CAUSE YOU KNOW, SONNY AND I WERE TALKING THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, UM, CHICK-FIL-A IS PAYING $15 AN HOUR, AS THE MAYOR POINTED THAT TO ME YESTERDAY, THEY HAD A THREE DAY, 14 HOUR WORK WEEK.
THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO DO A LOT OF FLEX TIME.
THEY'RE HAVING TO DO WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO DO TO, TO GET STAFF.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, ON AVERAGE OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR, OUR STARTING EMPLOYEE MAKES RIGHT UP 29,000, 29 TO 30,000 A YEAR FOR FULL TIME.
THE AVERAGE SALARIES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL 460 EMPLOYEES, YOU CAN PUT THAT AVERAGE TOGETHER.
OUR, THE AVERAGE PAY IS RIGHT AT $50,000 FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
UH, IF, IF THE BOARD WANTED TO, TO LOOK AT DOING ANY PORTION OF THIS, UH, FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS BUDGET YEAR, IT WOULD COME FROM GENERAL FUND AND ENTERPRISE FUND FUND BALANCES TO, TO, UH, FUND THIS.
THEN MOVING FORWARD, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ABSORBED.
AND AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, NOW WE KNOW WE'VE GOT THE PROPERTY TAX REVALUATION COMING UP.
I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNTY MANAGER.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA KNOW SPECIFICALLY AFTER JANUARY 31ST EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S GONNA BE IN TERMS OF REVENUES.
WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR STATE SALES TAXES, OUR STATE SALES TAXES HAVE STILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG.
UH, AND THE PROJECTIONS ARE STILL STRONG ACCORDING TO MY CONVERSATIONS AND HER
[03:25:01]
RESEARCH WITH HIM.BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND, AND MOVING FORWARD IN FUTURE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDING THINGS.
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS NEED THINGS.
AND MAYBE IT'S GONNA BE THAT WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN THE BELT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND LOOK AT, LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS AND DO SOME CUTTING.
AND WE MAY HAVE TO CUT SOME CAPITAL THINGS, BUT THAT HUMAN LABOR, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR STAFF, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T OPERATE THOSE, THAT EQUIPMENT.
WE CAN'T HOUSE THOSE FACILITIES THAT, THAT, UH, FOR THOSE PRIMARY SERVICES.
SO IT'S, THIS IS A TOUGH SITUATION AND WE'RE IN NO DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN ANYONE ELSE.
AND, AND I THINK WHATEVER THIS BOARD DECIDES TO DO OR NOT DO, OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE LOOKING AT US AND THEY'RE GONNA TURN AROUND AND PROBABLY TRY TO FOLLOW SUIT.
IT'S BEEN A LEAP FROG FOR ALL OF US OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, AS YOU FULL WELL KNOW, UM, THIS CURRENT BUDGET, WE DID A 5% COST OF LIVING INCREASE AND UP TO 2% MERIT INCREASE.
UM, AS SOON AS WE DID THAT, OTHERS WERE DOING EVEN MORE THAN WHAT WE RECOMMENDED.
NOW, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE ECONOMY IS GONNA BE LIKE MOVING FORWARD NEXT YEAR.
I'M SURE THAT THE ELECTION WILL HAVE, UH, WILL OPEN OUR EYES AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT TO DO WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S UNKNOWN.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TAKE OUR BUDGET PROCESS AS WE NORMALLY DO, UM, AND GO FROM THERE.
SO I, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS.
AND WE'RE HERE TO HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DOES THIS ACTUALLY AFFECT? HOW MANY OF AND NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WERE FOUND TO BE UNDERPAID ACCORDING TO OUR BENCHMARK CITIES? 460 EMPLOYEES.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE? 460.
ALL, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, EVERY ONE OF 'EM WERE BEING UNDERPAID.
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING RIGHT THERE.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE LOSING POLICE OFFICERS TO GO FOR HIGHER SALARIES 30 MILES DOWN THE ROAD.
CAN'T CON AND I'M, YOU KNOW, EVERY EVERYBODY ELSE LINEMAN, ESPECIALLY HOW MANY LINEMEN HAVE WE LOST IN THE PAST FEW YEARS SO THEY CAN GET UP THE FIVE TO NEWPORT AND GET A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY? WELL, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A GREAT EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, WE WERE AT THE PROCESS.
WE WERE, WE WERE REALLY AT THE TIPPING POINT WITH LINEMAN AND, AND CHARLIE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
WE HAD TO DO AN INCREASE, UH, MIDDLE OF THE YEAR TO KEEP THEM.
UH, AND THAT, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
I MEAN, WE, THOSE KEY POSITIONS WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE, UM, FOSTER.
CAN YOU EX, UM, EXPLAIN TO ME, UM, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAVE THE FIVE NOW WHEN YOU'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 5% INCREASE NOW THAT'S JUST STRICTLY, UM, MERIT INCREASE, RIGHT? NO, NOT INCLUDING COLA NO.
THAT WOULD BE COLA THAT, THAT MEANS THAT EVERYONE WOULD GET THAT.
AND THAT ALSO MEANS THAT ON OUR COMPENSATION PLAN, THAT THAT MINIMUM WOULD GO UP 5% AS WELL.
SO THAT WE, SO THAT WE DON'T CONTINUE TO BE BEHIND OUR MARKETPLACE.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WOULD, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WOULD BE CAUGHT UP WITH WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP.
ARE WE OUTTA WHACK MORE SO IN THE UPPER MANAGEMENT SALARY RANGE THAN WE ARE IN THE, THE LOWER MANAGE THE LOWER SALARY RANGES? I'M GONNA LET UH, SONYA ANSWER THAT.
NO, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST, UH, THOSE POSITIONS LIKE FOSTER IDENTIFIED SWORN POLICE OFFICERS, SOME OF THE, UH, PUBLIC UTILITIES POSITIONS, THE BUILDING INSPECTORS WERE IDENTIFIED.
SO, AND THEN FEW OTHERS, BUT NO, NOT SPECIFICALLY UPPER LEVEL POSITIONS.
BUT ONE THING I DO WANT TO ADD TO THAT, WE TALKED ABOUT THE 5% ACROSS THE BOARD, IF YOU MOVE THAT PAY PLAN UP BY 5%, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES WHO ARE BELOW THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE.
AND, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, IN IN KIM'S CALCULATIONS, WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUTLIERS AND PUTS THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
AND, AND SONYA, WHAT IS THE RANGE? WHAT'S THE LOWEST 5% AND THE, THE TOP OF OF THE SCALE IS, IS 10% OR SO? AS FAR AS THEM BEING OUT OF OUTTA WHACK, I RECKON, I DON'T KNOW.
OUT OF, OFF THE SCALE, NOT, NOT REAL.
SO, SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE WAY OUR PAY PLAN IS STRUCTURED RIGHT NOW, OUR MINIMUMS, MID POINTS AND MAXES ARE ON THE AVERAGE 10% BELOW WHAT THE MARKET SAYS THEY NEED TO BE.
SO THERE ARE SOME POSITIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THAT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THEY MOVE UP BY ONE GRADE, WHICH EQUATES TO A 5% INCREASE IF YOU WILL.
THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE, UM,
[03:30:01]
RECOMMENDED TO MOVE UP BY TWO GRADES.SOME BY THAT WOULD BE 10%, SOME BY THREE GRADES, WHICH IS 15%.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE STILL GOT SOME SCRUBBING TO DO OF THAT SPREADSHEET JUST TO LOOK, NOT SPECIFICALLY ONLY AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONSULTANT, BUT WE ALSO WANNA LOOK AT, HEY, LET'S LOOK INTERNALLY AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THESE POSITIONS NEED TO BE.
SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS AND HOW IS THAT GOING? HOW'S THAT GONNA AFFECT COMPRESSION? THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
SO JUST DEPENDING UPON WHERE YOU MOVE EVERYONE, IF EVERYONE GETS THE SAME, YOU KNOW, IT MAY CREATE SOME COMPRESSION ISSUES AND WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AND DRILL DOWN AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN IF THE MANAGER WANTED TO SET SOME CRITERIA TO SAY, OKAY, WE'LL USE A A FIVE YEAR BENCHMARK, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU'VE BEEN IN YOUR POSITION FOR FIVE YEARS, WE WANT TO CREATE DISPARITY, WE MAY HAVE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO THERE'S STILL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND, AND, AND OTTERMAN NATIONAL, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH COMPRESSION ISSUE IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
OH, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LITERALLY FOR THE PAST YEAR.
AS SOON AS, AS SOON AS REALLY AS SOON AS WE HAVE A A HIGHER, WE SEE THAT, THAT THAT AFFECTS THE WHOLE APPLE CARD IN CERTAIN POSITIONS OUT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE.
YEAH, WE ADDRESS ADDRESSED IT BEFORE, BUT AS SOON AS YOU ADDRESS IT AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME, SOMETIMES A LITTLE MORE DRASTIC MEASURES THAN NOT IN HIRING FOLKS, THEN THAT CREATES A FEW ISSUES.
SO I RECKON TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS, AND I'M JUST GOING TO CALL SOME JOB POSITIONS OUT THERE, WHAT COMES TO MY MIND, A FIRE SPECIALIST ONE.
BUT, AND THEN YOU HAVE A, A, A POLICE OFFICER, MASTER POLICE OFFICER, 10 OR WHATEVER THEY ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST, HE COULD ACTUALLY BE 10% OR 8%.
SO YOU WOULD ADJUST ACCORDINGLY, ROD? CORRECT.
I MEAN NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET A 5% ACROSS THE BOARD RAISE SOME FIREMEN MIGHT GET A 5%, A POLICEMAN MIGHT GET 10%.
A PARK RECREATION PERSON MIGHT GET 15% TO BRING 'EM UP TO, AT AT LEAST THE MINIMUM OF THE NEW PAY SCALE.
I MEAN, CERTAIN POSITION CLASSES, LIKE WE WERE SAYING, WE'RE CALLING THEM OUTLIERS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LAGGING BEHIND WHERE THE MARKET SAYS WE SHOULD BE.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO IDENTIFY THOSE PARTICULAR POSITIONS AND SOME MAY END UP BEING PLUCKED OUT AND THEY MAY END UP NEEDING MORE OF A PERCENTAGE THAN OTHER PHYSICIANS.
SO WITHOUT KNOWING ALL THAT, HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THE $3.6 MILLION FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION? WE, WE LOOKED AT THE SPREADSHEET.
SO WE DO HAVE A SPREADSHEET WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT AGAIN, IT, IT'S, I WOULDN'T CALL IT PRELIMINARY BECAUSE WE STILL NEED TO GO BACK AND SCRUB THAT AND, AND ANALYZE IT.
BUT THIS IS JUST KIND OF A PRELIMINARY FIGURE, IF THAT'S A GOOD WORD FOR ME TO USE, UM, AS TO WHAT THE, WHAT THE COST WOULD BE.
BUT WE DO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS WHICH JOB CLASSES SHOULD MOVE FROM ONE GRADE TO ANOTHER AND WHICH SHOULD MOVE TWO GRADES.
SOME MAY NEED TO MOVE THREE GRADES.
SO THE 1.7 MILLION WILL GIVE US FULL IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH JULY 1ST, IS THAT CORRECT? SEE WHAT THAT'S CORRECT, CORRECT.
WELL I'M IN FAVOR OF FULL IMPLEMENTATION AT LEAST THROUGH JULY 1ST.
AND THEN, THEN LET US LOOK AT IT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS TO FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET THE REST OF THE FUNDING FROM.
UM, WE'VE GOT OUR EMPLOYEES AS OUR NUMBER ONE ASSET AND WE CAN'T KEEP SENDING THEM TO BLE E T SCHOOL AND TRAINING THEM AND THEY COME OUT AND TAKE A JOB RIGHT OVER IN GREENVILLE MAKING, HOW MUCH MORE GREENVILLE WAS THE POLICE OFFICERS GETTING PAID IN GREENVILLE CHIEF, YOU KNOW, UH, WHATEVER.
THEY MUST BE GETTING PAID MORE.
CAUSE AREN'T YOU LOSING OFFICERS OVER THERE? I KNOW YOU HAD ONE NOT TOO LONG AGO TO GO TO RALEIGH, BUT WE'VE GOT THE, WE'VE GOT TO QUIT PAYING STAFF, TRAINING STAFF.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET A FIREFIGHTER CERTIFIED TO A LEVEL, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE WHATEVER THEY ARE NOWADAYS.
FIRE, FIRE SPECIALIST AND THEN HE CAN GO TO WORK AT HAVELOCK.
I THINK HAVELOCK IS PAYING MORE THAN THE CITY OF NEWBURN FOR, YOU KNOW, STARTING FIREFIGHTERS POSITIONS NOW.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION, I DON'T CARE WHAT THE OTHER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER BOARD, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT LOOK AT FULL IMPLEMENTATION.
THAT'S WHAT THE CONSULTANT SAYS.
IT'S WHAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE WE SHORT NOW? I THINK WE'VE GOT ABOUT 40 RIGHT NOW, NOW HAVE ABOUT 470.
[03:35:02]
UM, FULL-TIME BUDGETED POSITIONS.SO, AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST CHIEF HOW MANY ARE YOU SHORT THAT JUST MORE, IS THAT JUST WARM? YOU KNOW, WE, AND THAT'S BUDGETED POSITIONS, CORRECT? YES.
YOUR I THERE SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS WOULD BE A BIG BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF NEWMAN RIGHT NOW.
SO I, I'M, I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF FULL IMPLEMENTATION AND BUDGET TIME.
WE'LL DISCUSS HOW THE REST OF IT'S GONNA BE PAID FOR.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO RAISE SOMETHING TO PAY FOR IT, BUT, SO, SO JUST, JUST MS. OSTROM, CAN YOU CHECK MY MATH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF 3.6 MILLION FOR A FISCAL YEAR WOULD BE 10 CENTS ON OUR TAX RATE.
IS THAT CORRECT? CAUSE IT'S ABOUT 350, 300 $60 PER PENNY.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING OUR TAX RATE.
IF YOU HAD TO DO THAT FROM 48 CENT TO 58 CENT BASED OFF CURRENT DAYS EVALUATION, YOU, YOU'RE PRETTY CLOSE.
THREE, I BELIEVE IT'S 330,000 PER PENNY.
BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A REEVALUATION WHERE THE PROPERTY EVALUATION ACCORDING TO YESTERDAY'S CONVERSATION IS NOT GONNA CHANGE THAT MUCH.
THE HOUSING IS GOING TO GO UP QUITE A BIT.
THE VALUE OF THE HOUSES IN IN, IN THE CRAVEN COUNTY IS GOING TO GO UP QUITE A BIT.
SO THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR US TO PAY FOR IT.
YEAH, AND JUST REMEMBER, REMEMBER ON THIS PIE, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH OF THAT PIE THAT THAT GOES AROUND AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT PIE.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY THAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL.
SHOULD I TAKING IT OUTSIDE, RAISING, RAISING TAXES, UH, SHY OF OH, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE DO TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES HERE? I WANNA DO ALL WE CAN, BUT I'VE GOTTA BE REALISTIC ABOUT, ABOUT THE COST AND, AND THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION IS TOUGH.
AND, AND I THINK OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO AT LEAST DO A FIVE OR SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT INCREMENTAL INCREASE ONCE WE KNOW WHAT THE FINANCIAL SITUATION'S GONNA BE LIKE AS WE'RE GOING TO THE BUDGET COME BACK WITH, WITH ANOTHER INCREASE THAT'S AT.
SO ARE, ARE THE EMPLOYEES GONNA BE PRIVY TO THIS INFORMATION THEY'RE WATCHING RIGHT NOW? I GUARANTEE I'M TALKING ABOUT IF I WAS A, A LEVEL ONE POLICE OFFICER AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT MY SALARY IS CURRENTLY AND WHAT IT'S RECOMMENDED BY THE CONSULTANT, ARE THEY GONNA BE HA ABLE TO TO FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT? YEAH.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE, THEY'LL KNOW CUZ WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK.
SO HOW DO AND GET A PAY PLAN APPROVED? SO THEY'LL KNOW THEIR POSITION IS MOVING.
SO WHAT DO WE TELL 'EM WHEN THEY SAY, WELL IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU HAVE A 10% TO KEEP YOU IN LINE WITH REST OF THE COMMUNITIES, BUT WE'RE GONNA ONLY GIVE YOU 5% CAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
I I, I THINK I'LL INTERJECT SOMETHING HERE.
I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH QUALITY OF LIFE.
IF I WAS A POLICE OFFICER, I'D MUCH RATHER BE A POLICE OFFICER IN NEW BERN THAN I WOULD KENSTON NORTH CAROLINA.
SO I MEANT THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I KNOW, MAN, SOME POLICE OFFICERS LIKE THE ACTION, YOU KNOW, WELL, WELL IF THEY DO, MAYBE KENSTON IS MORE SUITED FOR THEM.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC HERE.
AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU, SONYA, I KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE PAY FOR BLE E T, THERE'S SOME SORT OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT OR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION AND THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND THEN THERE'S SOME CAVEATS BUILT IN.
IF YOU DON'T THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU OWE US BACK.
AND MY, MY QUESTION IS, CAN THAT BE BROADEN ACROSS ALL EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY? AN AGREEMENT LIKE THAT? THAT WOULD BE A SCOTT QUESTION.
CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO ENTER INTO ANY KIND OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES AS FAR AS EMPLOYMENT.
I DON'T, THAT WOULD BE A SCOTT QUESTION OFF THE CUFF.
I WOULD SAY DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT.
SO THERE MIGHT BE OTHER MEASURES THAT YOU COULD TAKE OUTSIDE OF CALLING IT AN AGREEMENT LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME MEASURES THAT ARE TAKEN FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
THEY'RE DOING A SIGN ON BONUS AND THEY ARE SAYING WE'LL PAY YOU INCREMENTALLY, YOU KNOW, A THIRD, A THIRD, A THIRD.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO, UM, PERHAPS IF YOU WANTED TO IMPLEMENT OTHER MEASURES AND, AND LIKE I'M, I'M LOOKING AT A RECRUITMENT FLYER FOR ROCKY MOUNT RIGHT NOW.
SO I CAN ONLY BASE IT OFF OF WHAT I CAN SEE FOR WHAT POSITION FOR A POLICE OFFICER AND 11 PAID HOLIDAYS.
WE DIDN'T, I'M NOT NITPICKING, I'M JUST SAYING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING DECISIONS LIKE THIS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THINK THIS THROUGH CAUSE AN EXTRA VACATION DAY HAS A VALUE TO IT.
NOW WHAT THAT VALUE IS, YOU COULD TELL ME PROBABLY WHAT THAT IS WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN THE, THE SALARY.
BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT I WAS GONNA SUGGEST, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE OR NOT, BUT I DO THE 5% INCREMENTAL INCREASE RIGHT NOW AND I DO A 5% ONE TIME BONUS.
AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MARKET.
[03:40:01]
CONTINUE THIS WAY.IT CAN'T BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S GONNA RAISE TAXES.
IF FOOD SUPPLIES GO UP, WE'RE ALL DEALING WITH INFLATION AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
A A YOU'RE NOT GONNA PAY $12 FOR A BIG MAN, IT'S GOING TO CAP OFF AT EIGHT BUCKS.
AND WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THAT IS.
WE COULD BUY OURSELVES SOME TIME.
WE COULD GIVE 'EM A 5% ONE TIME BONUS, THEY'D GET IT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
I'M SURE A LOT OF 'EM WOULD ENJOY THAT.
THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THIS.
BUT TO, FOR US TO, CAUSE IF YOU COMMIT RIGHT NOW TO DO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION, YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT AWAY.
SO COME BUDGET TIME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FIND THAT 10 CENTS ON OUR TAX RATE.
SO, SO ONE THING I MIGHT ADD AS WELL, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER DOING THE 5%, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD, WE STILL I THINK NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PAY PLAN BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T MOVE THE PAY PLAN, THEN YOU'RE STILL, YOUR SALARIES ARE STILL BELOW THE MARKET AVERAGE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO HURT US FROM A RECRUITMENT PERSPECTIVE.
NOW THE 5% WOULD OF COURSE BE, YOU KNOW, UH, HELP TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES HOPEFULLY.
BUT FROM A RECRUITMENT PERSPECTIVE, WE STILL, I THINK NEED TO DO SOMETHING TODAY.
WELL I WOULD THINK THESE, THESE MUNICIPALITIES IS DOING THESE SIGN ON BONUSES.
THEY'VE GOTTA BE GETTING SOME SORT OF LEGAL COMMITMENT FROM AN EMPLOYEE.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA GIVE 'EM $5,000 COME BE A POLICE OFFICER IN 30 DAYS.
THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME SORT OF TIME.
I DON'T THINK THEY GIVE IT TO 'EM ALL AT ONE TIME.
SOMETIMES THAT MAY SAY, OKAY, YOU'VE GOT, WE WILL GIVE YOU X WHEN YOU START, BUT THEN WHEN YOU COMPLETE SIX MONTHS, YOU KNOW, FOR SIX MONTHS AND THEN AFTER A YEAR.
BUT AGAIN, I'M, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY SO I WOULD DEFER TO TO SCOTT AS TO WHAT WE COULD DO IN REGARDS TO THAT.
BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THEY'RE NOT GIVING IT CAUSE THEY'D WALK AWAY.
SO SONYA, WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR US TO DO? UH, MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR YOU, FOR US TO DO WHAT WE CAN, WHAT WE CAN DO THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
AND I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT GOING FORWARD CUZ IT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, AND SO YOU, WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER? WELL, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER.
THE NUMBERS PEOPLE ARE OVER THERE AT THAT TIME
SO, SO I, I GUESS I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING TO NEED, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL ITEMS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND LIKE FOSTER SAID, WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE PAY STUDY TO BE COMPLETE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE DIFFICULTY RECRUITING FOR SOME OF THE POSITIONS.
SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT PAY PLAN TO GET IN LINE WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OR EVEN PUT OURSELVES OUT THERE A HAIR AHEAD OF SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO TO BE A A, YOU KNOW, A PREMIER EMPLOYER.
YOU KNOW? SO I I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING SO FALSE.
SHE POINTED HER FINGER AT YOU TOO AND SAID, WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND? I I, I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH EITHER A FIVE OR SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH KIM.
I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN WORK THAT OUT.
I, I AGREE WITH THE SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT MYSELF.
UM, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 5% ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S MAKING $30,000 VERSUS SOMEONE THAT'S MAKING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THERE'S GONNA BE A, A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THERE.
SO IF, IF YOU LOOK AT WANTING TO DO A ONE TIME THING, I'D RECOMMEND JUST DOING A FLAT, A FLAT AMOUNT.
THAT'S WHAT CRAGAN COUNTY IS DOING.
SO THEIR EMPLOYEES JUST DO A FLAT AMOUNT THAT WAY IT'S CONSISTENT WITH EVERYONE.
NOW, OF COURSE, ANY, ANYTIME YOU DO A ONE TIME BONUS, YOU STILL GOT TAXES, RETIREMENT, 401K AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT COME OUT.
THE THING, THE THING THAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THIS IS THAT YOU MAY GIVE SOMEBODY A 5% INCREASE IN SALARY AND THEN WHEN THEY FIND OUT, WELL, EVEN WITH THE 5% INCREASE IN SALARY, I'M STILL 7.5% BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE OR THE BENCHMARK CITIES AVERAGES.
THAT, THAT, THAT PERSON'S STILL GONNA START LOOKING, I MEAN YOU.
WELL, AND THE ONE OF THE, THEN ONE OF THE THINGS ON THAT IS YEAH, THEY CAN LOOK AND IF THEY GO TO WORK FOR ANOTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WOULD, THAT THEY WOULD BE HIRED AT THE SAME OR, OR GREATER AMOUNT OF MONEY.
REALLY ALL DEPENDS ON THE, THE SCALE WHERE THEY CURRENTLY ARE WITH THAT.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOSING ALL THAT MANY EMPLOYEES TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
YES, OF COURSE, POLICE, FIRE AND, AND DEPARTMENT HEADS WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT.
BUT REGULAR EMPLOYEES, I THINK WE'RE LOSING THOSE MORE OF PRIVATE INDUSTRY THAN ANYTHING.
WE'VE LOST SOME FROM PUBLIC WORKS TOO.
WELL, I'M GONNA BE EXCUSED FOR A MINUTE.
MY, MY VOTE IS 7.5% I SHALL RETURN.
I THINK TOO, ONE THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SALARY STUDY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RETENTION RECRUITING, BUT THERE'S A MUCH BIGGER, YOUR BIGGER PICTURE WE'VE GOTTA TALK ABOUT FOR POLICE.
WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT TAKE HOME CAR, THAT THAT'S ALSO ON THIS RECRUITMENT FLYER.
[03:45:01]
YOU KNOW, TAKE HOME CAR POLICY.I THINK IT'S WITHIN 50 MILES OF THE CITY BORDER.
UM, THERE'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT COME INTO PLAY AS A BENEFIT FOR INDIVIDUALS MORE SO THAN JUST THROWING MONEY OUT.
UM, THAT'S WHY I WAS MAKING A SUGGESTION TO DO A GRADUATE INCREASE TO ALLOW US SOME TIME TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE AND THOUGHTFUL PLAN VERSUS JUST THROWING THE MONEY OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE OBLIGATED FOR FOREVER.
AND, AND IN MAY OR WE, WE ARE, ARE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THE TAKE HOME PAY FOR, FOR, FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES IN CERTAIN POSITIONS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF OF OF A FLEX TIME.
DOES IT WORK OR DOES IT NOT WORK? AND OF COURSE NOW WE'RE MUNICIPALITY OVERALL, OUR HOURS OF OPERATION ARE EIGHT IP.
AND SO IF SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR SOMEONE OVER UTILITY BILLING OR CITY HALL, SOMEONE'S GOTTA BE HERE.
BUT THERE ARE SOME, SOME OFFICES THAT MAYBE, MAYBE WE CAN DO FOR FOUR DAYS A WEEK, 10 HOURS A DAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA BET THAT, AND SOME DEPARTMENTS CURRENTLY DO THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL TO SEE WHAT IS REALISTIC AND WHAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, WE, WE WANTED, THIS IS A CHANGING WORKFORCE.
UH, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT AND HAVE SEEN THAT.
I MEAN THE, UH, I REMEMBER GOING TO COLLEGE, UH, 30 YEARS AGO AND THEY WERE TELLING ME THAT THE AVERAGE WORK WEEK WAS GOING DOWN TO 37.5 HOURS A WEEK.
AND, AND IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, I'VE NEVER WORKED 37 AND A HALF HOURS A WEEK.
UH, BUT, BUT FOLKS TODAY THAT ARE COMING OUTTA COLLEGE, THEY'VE GOT A DIFFERENT EXPECTATION.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO GET A, A NICE BIG HOUSE.
YOU, YOU KNOW, A TINY HOME AND JUST ENOUGH TO, TO WHERE THEY CAN HAVE FUN AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO.
YOU, YOU DON'T SEE THAT WORK ETHIC THAT YOU THAT, THAT A LOT OF, UH, FOLKS HAVE GROWN UP WITH.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, AND I, AND I WILL SAY THIS, OUT OF OUR 470 EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE SOME HIGHLY DEDICATED EMPLOYEES WHO REALLY, OVERALL THEY DON'T COMPLAIN.
THEY SHOW UP TO WORK EVERY DAY, WEEKENDS, NIGHTS, THEY DO THEIR JOB.
UH, DO THEY GET SOME GRIEF FROM, FROM THE CITIZENS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE? YES.
BUT ALSO, DO THEY MAKE THOSE CITIZENS LIFE BETTER WHEN, WHEN THEY COME OUT AND FIX THOSE ISSUES? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO THANK 'EM AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THE SERVICE THAT THEY DO, BUT IT'S A THANKLESS JOB WORKING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WHAT WHAT I WHAT I HEARD YOU BOTH INDICATING IS THAT THESE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY NUMBERS THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF SCRUBBING TO DO, A LOT OF ANALYSIS STILL TO DO.
SO I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE MAKING A DECISION AT TODAY A WITHOUT STAFF DOING A MORE IN DEPTH ANALYSIS OF, OF WHAT YOU, OF THE, WHAT YOUR CONSULTANT HAS PROVIDED YOU TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE OR NEED TO BE AND TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS THAT, I MEAN, YOU, YOU IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AS BEING OUTLIERS.
I'M NOT SURE I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED WHEN FOSTER IS TALKING ABOUT, THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, RIGHT.
SO IF WE HAVE CLASSES OF STAFF THAT ARE JUST WAY OUT OF WHACK, THEN WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING MORE ATTENTION ON THEM AND NOT JUST DO ACROSS THE BOARD, BECAUSE THEN YOU JUST CARRY THAT PROBLEM FORWARD FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS.
SO I THINK FOR ME, I, I NEED TO SEE MORE INFORMATION BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE AND I WANT TO SEE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT.
AS TO WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE, IF ANYTHING, TO ADDRESS THIS.
SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, IS WE, WE HAVE VETTED THESE NUMBERS QUITE HEAVILY AND THESE NUMBERS DO INCLUDE, UM, BENEFITS AS WELL, 401K RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS AND THINGS.
AND IT, UH, DOES INCLUDE THOSE OUT.
EVERY OUTLIER WE'VE GOT, WE, WE HAVE MORE THAN THE THREE OR FOUR POSITIONS WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, I THINK THE UNKNOWN THAT WE DON'T KNOW IS ONCE, ONCE WE LOOK TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IS THERE GONNA BE A CERTAIN POSITION WHERE WE SAY, OH, OH YEAH, WE, WE HAD TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.
WE DIDN'T SEE THIS GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN OVERALL AND KIM AND SONYA, YOU CAN TELL ME, IS THIS OVERALL BASICALLY AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT? I, I THINK BASICALLY IT IS, BUT I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK IT IS READY TO GO.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BY THE TIME WE LOOK AT THE POSITIONS
[03:50:01]
AND WE GO BACK AND WE MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND WE LOOK AT INTERNAL, UM, PLACEMENT OF POSITIONS WITHIN THE, IN THE PAY PLAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO CHANGE DRASTICALLY BECAUSE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT AND WE'VE LOOKED AT IT.BUT WE DO NEED TO GET THE STAMP FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, AND EVEN ADDRESSING THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE, UH, THREE GRADES, UM, UH, BELOW WHERE, WHERE THEY NEED NEED TO BE.
WE'VE TAKEN THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A DRASTIC DIFFERENCE.
UM, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME, SO YOU MENTIONED COMPRESSION, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE TO THE TUNE OF A MILLION DOLLARS AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A DECISION FROM THIS BOARD.
SAY, YES, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT, BUT WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IS YOU GIVING ME AN IDEA, GIVE ME SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THIS IF WE WILL.
UH, OR IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A CERTAIN OPTION OR ANOTHER, WE'LL DEFINITELY GET MORE INFORMATION TO YOU AND GO FROM THERE.
DID, DID WE FULLY FUND IN THE BUDGET ALL THE POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS THIS YEAR? YES.
SO THAT'S ONE THING FOR THE BOARD TO KEEP IN MIND.
I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THIS FOR MANY YEARS IS WE WOULD SAY WE WOULD HAVE 90 SWORN OFFICERS, BUT WE WOULD ACTUALLY ONLY FINANCIALLY BUDGET FOR 80 OF THEM.
I ALWAYS QUESTION THAT, BUT THERE SEEMED TO BE A RESPONSE.
BUT AT LEAST NOW IF WE HAVE FULLY FUNDED IT IN THE BUDGET AND THEN THEN WE'VE HAD THE VACANCIES WE'VE HAD IN THE DEPARTMENT, THEN THE MONEY'S THERE, UM, TO, TO DO IT.
IT'S JUST ONCE WE GET 'EM FULL, YOU GOTTA DEAL WITH THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR AND IT'S GONNA BE THE FULL AMOUNT NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE, WHAT DID YOU WANT FROM US AS FAR AS DIRECTION? IF YOU, IF YOU CAN GIVE ANY DIRECTION ON WHAT, WHAT AREA YOU MAYBE LOOKING AT THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OR, OR WANT SOME MORE INFORMATION ON, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
UH, I, I MEAN I PERSONALLY HAVE A PROBLEM GIVING TRAIT 7.5% ACROSS THE BOARD.
I MEAN, AGAIN, YOU GIVE SOMEONE 7.5% OR EVEN 5% ACROSS THE BOARD AND WHEN HE PULLS HIS SALARY SURVEY UP AND SAYS, WELL DANG, THEY RIP ME OFF.
I'M SUPPOSED TO GET, I SHOULD BE UP 15%, THEN WHAT? I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA TELL 'EM THEN? I MEAN, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND MOVE THEM UP TO WHERE THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDS THEM TO BE, WERE THROUGH IT.
BUT DID THE CONSULTANT RECOMMEND EVERY JOB? THEY JUST DID, LIKE PAY CATEGORIES.
OKAY, SO, SO THEY DID, THEY DID BOTH.
UM, THEY, THEY LOOKED AT THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN AND THEY SAID, OKAY, THESE POSITIONS NEED TO BE INCREASED BY ONE GRADE, TWO GRADE THREE GRADES.
BUT THEY ALSO LOOKED AT EACH, UH, INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE, UM, THEY LOOKED AT THEIR SALARIES, THEY LOOKED AT WHERE THEY ARE IN THE MARKET, AND THEN THEY MADE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHERE SHOULD THEY BE IN RELATION TO THE MARKET.
SO THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BOTH SIDES.
IS THAT A PUBLIC RECORD? IS THERE SALARY CONTRIBUTION? CORRECT.
I'D LIKE A COPY OF THAT AND YOU CAN REDACT THE NAMES ON IT FOR ALL I CARE MM-HMM.
SO THIS FOR 460 PEOPLE, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF, BECAUSE IT'S A MOVING TARGET.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE, THAT WAS DATA AS OF I THINK SEPTEMBER 26TH, SO IT COULD BE A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT.
I, YEAH, THAT'S SOMEWHERE THERE.
AND SERIOUSLY, YOU CAN REDACT THE NAMES FROM, I DON'T CARE WHO'S, I JUST WANNA SEE THE POSITION AND I WANNA SEE THE VARIATION IN A, UH, A MASTER SERGEANT ONE AND IF THERE'S THREE OF 'EM IN THAT CATEGORY, I WANNA SEE WHAT THE VARIATION IS BETWEEN ALL THREE OF 'EM.
I'M HOPING THAT'S ON THE REPORT TOO.
WE PROVIDED THEM WITH CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH POSITION.
WE PROVIDED THEM WITH, UM, A SPREADSHEET TO INCLUDE THEIR SALARY, TO INCLUDE THEIR TIMING POSITION, THEIR DATE OF HIRE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION WE HAD TO PROVIDE, BUT THEN WHEN WE DID RECEIVE THOSE INCREASES BACK, I THINK EFFECTIVE JUNE 26TH, WE HAD TO GO BACK AND PROVIDE THAT DATA CUZ THAT WOULD IMPACT THE, THE, THE, UM, ANALYSIS.
SO LOOK, SO LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.
SO THE, THE RECOMMENDATION YOU'RE GIVING FOR FULL INVITATION, 5%, SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT THAT IF APPROVED WOULD GO TO COLA COST OF LIVING, RIGHT? CORRECT.
NOT THE SO, BUT YOU'RE TELLING US THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM IN OUR PAY CLASSIFICATIONS TO BEGIN WITH? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION TO FIX IT IS ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED AS COAL.
IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS COLA, BUT ALSO THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN WOULD MOVE UP BASED ON WHATEVER THAT
[03:55:01]
PERCENTAGE IS THAT YOU DO, EVEN THOUGH THAT PERCENTAGE IS NOT GONNA BE THE FULL WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, AT LEAST IT WOULD STILL BE MOVING UP AS WELL.FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF IF ONE POSITION WAS AT THAT MINIMUM WAS AT 30 AND AND THE 5% COST FOR IT TO BE 35,000, IT, IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY, THAT MINIMUM WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GO TO 35.
SO THE PLATE, SO THE PAY CLASSIFICATION WOULD GO UP 5%, BUT FOR THAT EMPLOYEE, WHEN THEY GET THEIR PAY STUB, IT WOULD SHOW 30 PLUS A 5% IN WHATEVER THEIR COLA WAS.
SO, SO I, I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING BACK TO IS, IS WHAT YOU SAID IS EVEN AFTER WE IMPLEMENT ANY OF THESE, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND FIX OUR PAY SCALE.
WELL I THINK WHAT I'M SAYING IS BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CONSULTANT, WE CAN SEE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE RELATIVE TO THE MARKET, WHAT SHOULD THEIR SALARY BE? BUT IF YOU LEAVE THAT PAY SCALE WHERE IT IS, RIGHT? WHEN YOU KNOW MR. JONES APPLIES FOR A POLICE OFFICER POSITION, THAT OUR MINIMUM, MY MINIMUM SALARY IS 10% BELOW THE MARKET, THAT WHAT THE AVERAGE IS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING MY OPINION IS THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO INCREASE THAT PAY PLAN BY SOMETHING GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE IF NOT, WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE ON STAFF AND TRYING TO GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE RELATIVE TO THE MARKET.
BUT FROM THE RECRUITMENT PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE STILL LAGGING BEHIND.
NO, I I, I'M AGREEING WITH IT.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, TO ME, THIS LOOKS LIKE A TWO STEP PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS FULL IMPLEMENTATION, SEVEN AND A HALF, 5% TAKES CARE OF OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
WE TAKE CARE OF CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UH, NOT THE ENTIRE, NOT ON THE ENTIRE RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE MOVING CLOSER TO THE GOAL.
ALSO WOULD ADDRESS NEW EMPLOYEES THAT COME, THAT COME IN, IT MOVES SCALE, THERE WOULD BE A MINIMUM THAT WOULD BE HIGHER AT, SO REALLY YOU'RE, YOU'RE SLIDING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN AS WELL AS THE SALARY THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE MAKING MINDS, THE OUTLIERS.
THOSE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE MOVING TO THE APPROPRIATE GRADE ON, ON WHERE THE PLAN SHOWS WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, AT LEAST TO THE MINIMUM.
SONYA, EVERY YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE AND EVERY SINGLE, UM, JOB FELL UNDER THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE, THE CONSULTANT'S RECOMMENDATION EVERY JOB.
SO IT'S BEEN SINCE 2017 THAT WE DID THIS AND AS FOSTER SAID, ALL THE MOVING PARTS AND PIECES AROUND US.
SO WE, WE DID HAVE, UM, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE POSITIONS WERE TWO GRADES BELOW WHERE THEY NEED TO BE OR 10% BELOW WHAT THE AVERAGE IS.
SO THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, 15, SOME THAT WERE FIVE.
BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POSITIONS AS WELL AND THE PEOPLE IN THE POSITIONS, SO THERE, THERE'S THE MIDPOINT.
SO YOU WANT TO TRY TO GET YOUR YOUR FOLKS TO, TO THE MIDPOINT WITHIN EIGHT TO 10 YEARS OF, OF EMPLOYMENT.
SO HE'S LOOKING AT EVERYONE AND BASED ON THE METHODOLOGY THAT THEY USE, IT IS, OKAY, THIS PERSON NEEDS TO BE HERE IN THE MARKET BASED ON THE COMPAR RATIO OR THE TIME AND POSITION OR WHATEVER METHOD YOU CHOOSE TO USE.
SO YES, EVERY POSITION IS BELOW.
AND THERE IS THERE A COUPLE OF METHODOLOGIES THAT WOULD SHOW THAT YOU CAN JUSTIFY GIVING AN INCREASE TO EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE? YES.
WHAT ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS WHOLE SALARY, WE PAY FOR THIS SALARY STUDY, WE SHOULD GO ALONG WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WAS GIVEN TO US BY THIS, THIS COMPANY.
AND WE HAVE OUR, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, IF SOYA SAID IS 10% BELOW THE MARKET VALUE, I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO GET EVERYONE UP TO THE MARKET VALUE.
AND THEN LATER ON WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR PAY SCALE AND INCREASE OUR PAY SCALE.
THAT THAT'S, I'M ALL FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE GOTTA DO WHAT WE GOTTA DO TO GET THEM UP TO THE MARKET VALUE TO THE AVERAGE MARKET.
AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SELECT ONE OF THESE TWO OPTIONS IF THAT'S THE WAY WE GO.
[04:00:01]
BUT WE, MS. HAYES, I'M GONNA HAVE TO DIRECT THIS QUESTION TO YOU SINCE I DON'T BELIEVE FOSTER WAS HERE FIVE YEARS AGO MM-HMM.SO FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, THE CITY HAD, I DON'T, WAS IT THE SAME CONSULTANT? YES.
SO BASICALLY, UM, WE, WE WERE REALLY CLOSE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE, OUR POSITIONS, NOT ALL THE POSITIONS MOVED.
SOME OF THE POSITIONS WERE WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE.
I DON'T RECALL ANY THAT WERE RECOMMENDED TO BE MOVED UP BY THREE GRADES.
SO IT WASN'T QUITE TO, IT WAS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THIS EXTENT IN 2017.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, THE, THE C P, IT HAD BEEN, IT HAD BASICALLY BEEN FLATS COST LIMIT HAD BEEN FLAT FOR YEARS LIT LITERALLY 1.2 TO 1.4% UP UNTIL 2021.
AND THAT'S WHEN IT WENT UP TO, I BELIEVE 7.4% THIS YEAR FOR THE YEAR FOR 12 MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 8.4, 8.7% SO FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND 15%, THAT'S WHAT IT'S DONE.
THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE THREE DAYS.
WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID IN 17, OR THE ONE PRIOR TO THAT WAS IF AN EMPLOYEE WAS AT A GRADE 12, STEP FIVE AND HIS RANGE WENT UP, THEY MOVED HIM TO A GRADE 13 STEP FOUR.
SO HIS, HIS OVERALL, HIS OVERALL RANGE IS HIGHER, BUT HE DIDN'T GET A RAISE.
CAUSE A, A STEP FIVE IN A GRADE 12 IS ABOUT THE SAME THING.
OR STEP FOUR IN GRADE 12 IS THE SAME THING AS THE STEP FIVE AND VICE VERSA.
BUT IT'S, UM, THAT'S SOUNDED LIKE NEVERMIND
SO, SO BASICALLY THAT EMPLOYEE STAYED WHERE THEY WERE IN THE MARKET, DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE OKAY WHERE THEY WERE, BUT YOU JUST MOVED THEM TO A HIGH GRADE.
AND THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN UNDER THIS YOUC THAT HAPPENING IN THIS STUDY.
WELL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE, THE METHODOLOGY I GUESS THAT YOU, THAT YOU WANT TO USE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A UH, PERCENT ABOVE MINIMUM.
THERE'S A TIME AND POSITION, THERE'S A COMP RATIO.
SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE, UM, METHODOLOGY THAT YOU WANT TO USE.
AND I THINK WE WERE REALLY FOCUSING AND LOOKING AT THE COMP RATIO BECAUSE KIM CORTON FROM WRONG.
BUT I THINK THAT EQUATED TO THAT WHOLE 10% BELOW THE MARKET.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU DO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION, NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO OF COURSE GET THE SAME THING.
THERE'LL BE SOME 5%, SOME 10%, SOME 15 PERCENTS.
SO AS A, AS AN OPTION, WOULD IT, MEG SENSE, SINCE WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE WHOLE PAY SCALE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND THEN YOU, AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUE IS JUST WHERE EACH INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO FALL OUT WITH, WITH THE ADJUSTMENTS BEING MADE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS ALL AT ONCE.
SUCH IT WOULD BE TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF A LONGER TERM APPROACH TO THIS, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT FIVE YEAR TIMEFRAME AND MAKE A COMMITMENT TO MAKING SOME VERY SERIOUS STRUCTURAL CHANGES OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS.
UM, AND YES, THEY WOULD NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE EVERY YEAR, BUT LAY IT OUT FOR A LONGER TERM AND YOU KNOW, THE STAFF MIGHT LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OH YEAH, BUT I WANT IT ALL TODAY.
WELL, NO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET IT ALL TODAY.
UM, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF X YEARS WE'RE GONNA GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A VIABLE OPTION.
I MEAN I, YOU KNOW, STAFF WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND SAY THAT YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT, OR, OR NO, IT'S JUST NOT WORKABLE.
WELL, IN MY EYES, I GUESS THE CON TO THAT WOULD BE AS THINGS KEEP SWIRLING AROUND US AND CHANGING AROUND US, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS, WE'RE GONNA BE BEHIND.
SO I, I KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO BITE THE BULLET.
I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT I THINK IF WE STRETCH IT OUT AND SAY, OKAY, LET'S DO THIS INCREMENTALLY OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, THEN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE BEING CREATED WITH THE TAKE HOME CARS AND THE OTHER THINGS AND INCREASING THEIR SALARIES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO, I THINK IN MY MIND WE MAY BE CONTINUE TO BE BEHIND IF WE DON'T AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, BITE MOST OF THE ELEPHANT NOW.
AND I TOTALLY GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT
[04:05:01]
IF WE AND I WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL, STRUCTURAL PIECE WITH REGARD TO THE PAY PLAN, I, I REALLY THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE THAT PAY PLAN UP OR IT'S GOING TO CREATE RECRUITMENT ISSUES.AND THEN WE'VE GIVEN THE EMPLOYEES WHAT THEY DESERVE, BUT WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO RECRUIT BECAUSE OUR MINIMUM SALARY IS BELOW WHAT A POLICE OFFICER I KEEP USING.
SO I THINK IN WHATEVER WE DO, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THAT PAY PLAN UP SO THAT WE CAN REMAIN COMPETITIVE.
SONYA QUESTION ON, ON THE, THE SCALE MM-HMM.
SO WHEN THE CHIEF IS HIRING AN ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICER, HE'S LOOKING AT A SCALE, WHAT, WHAT WITHIN THAT RANGE IS HIS PURVIEW TO MAKE AN OFFER? DOES HE AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE MINIMUM? NO, NOT, NOT FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS.
SO FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE STARTING SALARY DEPENDS ON THE EDUCATION THAT THAT POLICE OFFICER HAS.
SO THERE'S A STARTING SALARY FOR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS, ASSOCIATES DEGREE BACHELORS.
BUT FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS IT MAY BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY START 'EM CLOSER TO THE MINIMUM.
IT MIGHT BE WITHIN 10%, DEPENDING UPON THE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING.
IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSITION PEOPLE IN THAT CLASS, IF IT IS A ONE CLASS OR ONE PERSON POSITION IN THAT CLASS, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT, BIT MORE, UH, LATITUDE IN REGARDS TO HOW WE CAN NEGOTIATE.
BUT YEAH, WE'VE HAD TO DO SOME.
BUT IF, BUT IF THE CHIEF HAD SOMEBODY THAT CAME IN THAT, THAT MET THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICER MM-HMM.
DOES HE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY THEM MORE? WELL, WELL I WILL SAY, AND I MENTIONED THE EDUCATION, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE, UM, THE COMPONENT WHERE WE GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR THEIR YEARS EXPERIENCE.
AM I CORRECT CHIEF? THEY GET CREDIT, WHICH MEANS MONEY, ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THEIR YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS PARTICULARLY MILITARY, BUT FOR THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, IF THEY'VE GOT 10 YEARS WITH ANOTHER AGENCY PLUS AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, THEN THEY GET A LITTLE HIGHER SALARY X.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO PIECES THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE BRINGING IN POLICE OFFICERS.
ALSO, ALSO, UM, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE THE, HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
THEY CAN HIRE UP TO 15% ABOVE THE MINIMUM.
THAT'S WHY ANYTHING, ANYTHING ABOVE THAT, THEN IT WOULD TAKE MY APPROVAL.
BUT, BUT FOR SOME POSITIONS LIKE POLICE OFFICERS OR, OR WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN ONE CLASS, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO DEVIATE FROM THAT.
BUT FOR POLICE IT'S JUST, WE KINDA LOCKED INTO THAT CUZ YOU, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE BRINGING SOMEONE ON HERE AND SOMEONE ON HERE.
SO THERE IS SOME DISCRETION THAT THEY CAN, THAT THEY CAN USE.
WELL MY MY FINAL COMMENT IS GONNA BE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A PROBLEM, WE GOTTA FIX IT.
UM, IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER TO THROW MONEY AT IT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE EMPLOYEES PROBABLY DISAGREE WITH ME ON THAT, BUT I DEAL WITH EMPLOYEES THAT DISAGREE ME ON THAT EVERY DAY.
UM, I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH STAFF, GO AHEAD AND CARVE OUT TWO OR THREE HOURS AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL AND TWO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN ME IN THAT DISCUSSION.
AND IF MORE THAN THREE WANT TO DO IT, THEN YOU CAN HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I REALLY NEED TO SEE BECAUSE I WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND I WANT TO DO WHAT'S SUSTAINABLE.
AND WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS BITE THIS BULLET AND SAY, LET'S DO SOMETHING.
AND THEN WE'RE ALL SITTING UP HERE AT BUDGET SEASON AND EVERYBODY SAYS, WELL, I'M NOT RAISING TAXES THEN WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? YOU'RE GONNA BE LETTING SOME PEOPLE GO OR YOU'RE GONNA BE CUT SOME SERVICES.
AND THAT'S NOT THE DIRECTION THAT I WANT TO GO IN.
AND WE'RE WE'RE HAPPY TO SET THOSE MEETING.
YOU WEREN'T LOOKING FOR A WHOLE LOT OF DIRECTION ON THIS ONE RIGHT NOW, WERE YOU? NO, WE KNEW THIS WAS GONNA BE A BIG THING AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HAVE THIS, TO HAVE EVERYBODY HERE THAT WAY SEE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND, AND WE JUST NEED TO ASK.
AND I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE MESSAGE THAT AT LEAST I WANT OUR EMPLOYEES TO KNOW IS WE HEAR YOU, WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A PROBLEM.
WE KNOW WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING, BUT WE WANNA BE SMART ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA GO OUT AND JUST DO SOMETHING AND THEN COME BACK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER AND SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, BUT ALSO WE'RE GONNA TO RAISE YOUR HEALTH, UH, INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE UP BY 15 OR 20%, WHICH COULD BE AN OPTION THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO START LOOKING AT.
JUST LIKE I MENTIONED, THE VACATION, THE HOLIDAYS, 11 HOLIDAYS VERSUS 12.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF OUR DISCUSSION WHEN WE HAVE THAT AND ARE WE TRYING TO MAKE THIS DECISION BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR? THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE MY GOAL WOULD BE, YEAH, FOR OUR DECEMBER TO MEET OUR DECEMBER MEETING, WE WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF ACTION.
I I DON'T BE THE BOARD THAT KEEPS KICKING BEANS DOWN THE ROAD.
YEAH, WE WE CAN SET UP SMALL GROUP MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
SO WHAT I MISSED, WHAT WE GONNA DO? WE ALL GOT FIXED
[04:10:01]
THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE, IMPLEMENT THE ENTIRE POLICY FOR ALL THE STAFF? IT MEANS, IS THAT HOW YOU FIXED IT? IT IT MEANS WE'RE GETTING READY.THIS, I JUST GOT AN EMAIL JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO.
I, IT TOLD ME THAT THE TOWN OF BOTH FOR NORTH CAROLINA PAYS $9,000 A YEAR MORE FOR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE CITY OF NEWBURN, TOWN OF BEFOR AND FOSTER ON YOU, YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.
THE, THE CONSULTANT, DO THEY STRICTLY LOOK AT THE, THE SALARY OR DO THEY ALSO LOOK AT THE, THE BENEFIT SIDE OF WHAT MUNICIPALITIES ARE IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR STUDY WE JUST ASK THEM TO LOOK AT THE SALARIES AND I THINK OUR BENEFITS ARE COMPARABLE TO EVERY OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT REALLY IN THAT.
AND I THINK WE'RE, WE MAY BE AT A LITTLE BIT ABOVE SOME OF THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE AREA IN TERMS OF OUR INSURANCE.
UM, IT WAS INSURANCE, IT WAS, UH, ACCRUED DAYS OFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT FROM BASICALLY WHAT WE LOOKED AT WITH TIME OFF AND SICK TIME AS WELL.
ANYTHING ELSE? WHAT WE GONNA DO? WE'RE GONNA HAVE SMALL MEETING.
HE SCHEDULED MORE MEETINGS FOR YOU AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA FOR DECEMBER 6TH TO TAKE, I GUESS IT'S DECEMBER 6TH, WHATEVER THAT DATE IS.
FIRST, THE FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER TO MAKE A DECISION.
IT'S ONLY GONNA BE A MONTH DIFFERENT.
CAUSE IF WE'D HAVE TOLD YOU TODAY TO GIVE EVERYBODY 15%, YOU COULDN'T DO IT UNTIL PROBABLY DECEMBER ONE ANYWAY.
RIGHT? SO IT'S ONE MONTH PROBABLY THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON.
SO WE'LL TRY TO START SAYING THINGS UP RIGHT AT THE FIRST OF THE WEEK.
DO UH, YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING UP.
WE HADN'T REALLY PLANNED ON IT.
UM, BUT OH, I JUST WANT TO, I DIDN'T HEAR FROM CARRIE ABOUT THE AMPUTATE AND WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE PROCESS OF THAT.
IF THERE IS A UPDATE, THERE IS NO UPDATE ON THE AMATOR STAFF HAS BEEN TOO BUSY JUST TRYING TO GET, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS THE CEDAR GRO CEMETERY.
HAS THE CONSULTANT BEEN DOWN YET TO EVALUATE THE TOMBSTONES AND TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO START REPAIRING THEM? YES.
UM, WE ENDED UP WORKING WITH THE QUESTIONS ON THAT.
I, CARRIE MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING REPAIRS OR NOT.
UM, THEY GOT THE CLOTHES AND THEY'RE GONNA PAY PEOPLE THEY'RE GONNA WORK WITH BUT NOT HANDL.
ARE WE GOING, DO WE HAVE FUNDS FOR THAT? WE HAVE, WE HAVE ALLOCATED SOME FUNDS FOR, WE'LL JUST GO AROUND THE HORN REAL QUICK IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING ALLUM PROOF.
FOSTER ON THE, THE PRELIMINARY AGENDA, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS STARTED.
UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ITEMS, ONE MSD AND THE OTHER STRATEGIC PLAN MM-HMM
UM, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT THE PROPOSED DISCUSSION WAS ON BOTH OF THOSE? SO ON THE MSD REALLY WANTED TO HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY HERE WITH US WITH THAT.
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT ON TODAY.
THAT COULD LITERALLY BE A STANDALONE MEETING AS WELL.
SO WE'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE AN ADDITIONAL TIME TO TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
CAUSE JUST, JUST ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN ALONE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF A STRATEGIC PLAN PLAN IS TO, TO LOOK OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS ON WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CAUSE THIS BOARD, YOU'VE GOT THREE MORE YEARS THIS MONTH, THREE MORE YEARS IN YOUR TERM.
AND SO WE WANNA SEE WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE WANT TO BE, WHAT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
CAUSE IF YOU LOOK ON THE WEBSITE UNDER ADMINISTRATION, I THINK UNDERNEATH THE GOVERNING BOARD THERE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FROM, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2018, BRENDA, THAT ARE STILL STILL UP, UP THERE.
AND SO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT THIS BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID TODAY WAS SHOW YOU SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING UP.
AND NOT ONLY WILL THEY NOT BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE MULTIPLE YEARS TO DO THAT.
AND I'M SURE EACH OF YOU HAVE SOME GOALS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH, UH, DURING THIS TERM.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING NOW.
PARKS AND RECREATION, POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC UTILITIES, FOUR DEPARTMENTS, THEY HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SOME OF THOSE PLAN, I THINK UTILITIES, THEY, THEIR, THEIR, I THINK THEIR PLAN WAS DONE IN 2017.
SO IT'S, IT'S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE ON THAT.
OVERALL, THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ONE.
THEY'VE GOT A LAND USE PLAN THAT HELPS GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, OF THE CITY WITH PLANNING AND ZONING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
BUT IN TERMS OF A DEPARTMENT WIDE STRATEGIC, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT OVERALL WHAT, WHAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO DO.
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE SOME CONSIDERABLE CON
[04:15:01]
CONVERSATIONS, SOME INPUT FROM YOU ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH THAT.SO THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T REALLY TACKLE THAT TODAY.
UH, BUT WE DO DO NEED TO AND WITH MSD, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
I THINK IT'D BE MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO BE HERE.
CAUSE HE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE SOME, SOME MORE OF A HISTORICAL ASPECT OF THAT, UH, ON HOW THAT IS, HOW THAT HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME.
AND THEN, UH, WE'LL GET DIRECTION NOT FROM THE BOARD ON HOW, HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MSD.
WELL IT JUST, IT KIND OF CONFIRMS MY, MY EARLIER RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE MEETING MORE OFTEN TO ADDRESS, UH, A NUMBER OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, AGAIN, I I, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS MADE BY MORE BOARD MEMBERS OF NOT WANTING TO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS, BUT WE, WE'VE GOT ISSUES THAT, THAT HAVE YET TO BE DISCUSSED THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL.
SO WE NEED TO SET SOME MEETINGS UP TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
DO YOU ASKING ME FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
MOTION IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY BEFORE WE DID THAT, SIR.
FOR MASTER, NOT A OPINION ARM VEST.
NO, NO, I, I AGREE WITH ALTMAN PR.
I MEAN WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, UH, EGA OR ETHICS TRAINING EITHER.
SO WHAT I WAS REALLY GONNA ASK WAS WHEN'S OUR NEXT, UH, WORK SESSION? BUT YOU KNOW, YOU DECIDE THAT ANOTHER DAY.
BUT, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO DISCUSS, NOT JUST NEWBIES AND IMAN BRISSON.
THAT WAS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO DO THE, THE TRAINING.
I THINK THAT THE DIRECTION WE GOT ON THAT STRING WAS THAT THE GROUP WANTED TO DO IT TOGETHER WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY HERE WHO COULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSIGHT.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT TODAY, BUT I THINK THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR US TO DO THAT IN JANUARY.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, TO, TO DO.
UM, THAT'S WHAT STAFF WOULD LIKE TO DO AND WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON THE, THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE ON THAT AND COME BACK TO THE BOARD AT NEXT WEEK'S MEETING AND SEE WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD PREFER TO DO.
SO IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE? SO WE'VE GOT ONE MEETING IN DECEMBER AND I UNDERSTAND THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING UP.
UM, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING SOMETIME IN DECEMBER, UM, ANOTHER WORK SESSION, WHATEVER YOU WANT, RETREAT, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, UM, THEN THE CLERK COULD SEND OUT A LITTLE DOODLE POLL LIKE SHE DOES AND LET'S FIND OUT A DATE THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE AND WE CAN HAVE A SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE AND DO THE ETHICS TRAINING IN JANUARY.
ARE YOU BRADY? SO THAT'S, I KNOW THERE'S THREE, UH, WE HAVE A RETREAT COMING UP, CORRECT? WELL WE TYPICALLY DO THAT IN FEBRUARY.
SO THERE MIGHT NEED TO BE SOME THINGS DISCUSSED BEFORE THEN, BEFORE WE DO THE RETREAT.
SO, UM, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN WAITING FEBRUARY.
SO, SO HAVE WE PINPOINT WHAT IS THE MAJOR ISSUES OR CONCERNS OR PROJECTS THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FEEL THAT THEY NEED TO BE UPDATED ON? IS, IS HOW ABOUT IF WE DO THIS? I'LL JUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, EVERY BOARD MEMBER SEND THE MANAGER A LIST OF TOPICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS.
I THINK WE KIND OF DID IT WITH THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY TIME FRAME DIDN'T ALLOW EVERYTHING TO BE DISCUSSED.
SEND A LIST OF EVERYTHING YOU GOT ON YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND, AND THEN LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF TIME FRAME.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FULL DAY MEETING, UM, COULD HAVE STARTED THIS MORNING.
I HAD IT RUN ALL DAY AND DONE SOME MORE ITEMS. BUT, UM, LET'S GET OUR LIST TOGETHER.
UH, BOBBY WON'T SAY AMPHITHEATER AND THAT'S NOT ON MY LIST, THAT'S ON MINE.
AND WE'LL SEND THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THEN THE CLERK CAN SEND OUT A DOODLE POLL FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND I CAN GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU, UH, YOU CAN SKIP, UH, THE WEEK OF THE FIFTH AND START WITH THE WEEK OF THE 12TH FOR ME FIRST LEAVES OUT.
SO, AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE ON THE LIST ETHICS TRAINING, STRATEGIC PLAN, MSD, UM, AND ETJ.
THOSE ARE FOUR THINGS WE DEFINITELY HAVE ON THE LIST.
FOUR, THE UPCOMING FOUR ITEMS. FOUR ITEMS FOR A, FOR A FUTURE WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS.
OKAY, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURNS MOVED.