[1 . Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Royal. Pledge of Allegiance.]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL 25TH, 2023 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.
THE PRAYER THIS EVENING WILL BE COORDINATED BY ALDERMAN ROYAL.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES, WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO PRAY FOR ALL WHO ARE, ARE IN AUTHORITY AND INFLUENCE, SO THAT WE CAN LIVE PEACEABLE AND QUIET LIVES MARKED BY GODLINESS AND DIGNITY.
FATHER, I PRAY THAT THIS GOVERNING BOARD, BE HONEST TO OUR CONVICTIONS.
BE HONEST IN WORD AND BE HONEST.
INDEED, I PRAY THAT OUR DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS WILL BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL RESIDENTS IN OUR GREAT CITY OF NEWBURN.
GOD, I PRAY THAT ABOVE ALL, WE WOULD FEAR YOU, LOVE YOU, SERVE YOU, AND BE MINDFUL THAT WE ARE MINISTERS OF YOUR JUSTICE.
I PRAY TOO, THAT OUR CITY WILL EXPERIENCE A REVIVAL THAT WILL CHARTER A NEW COURSE, A COURSE THAT WILL GIVE HOPE TO THE HOPELESS, COURAGE TO THE FAINTHEARTED AND SHARED RESOURCES AND PROVISIONS TO THE HELPLESS.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND AS WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, ROUTINE JUSTICE FOR OFFER.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA? SO I WOULD ENTERTAINED A MOTION TO APPROVE.HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IN THE DISCUSSION.
[Consent Agenda]
UH, MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? AND MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS HE IS.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION.
TO, UH, I THINK PER OUR DISCUSSION BEFORE THIS, I REALLY THINK THAT EITHER THE BOARD OR PARKS AND REC, HOWEVER WE WANT TO DECIDE, ESSENTIALLY COME UP WITH A POLICY FOR OUR STREET CLOSURES.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER MEETING WE, WE HAVE A STREET CLOSURE, BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY A STANDARD OF HOW WE DO THAT.
WHETHER THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING NO TO THE STREET CLOSURES THAT ARE PRE IN OUR CURRENT.
AND I, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE WERE, THERE WAS A NO ON THIS ONE.
SO I THINK, UH, WE AT LEAST NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A POLICY OR COME UP WITH ONE, EITHER AS A BOARD OR EITHER AS SPARKS AND REC OR WHATNOT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[7. Conduct a Public Hearing on the 2023 Community Development Block Grant ("CDBG") Program Annual Action Plan.]
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 2023 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, ALSO KNOWN AS C D B G PROGRAM.I BELIEVE, UH, CHRIS SEABERG AND DEJA FULMAR WILL BE MAKING THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PROGRAM YEAR 2023, C D B G ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
AND I WILL PASS IT TO OUR COORDINATING COORDINATOR.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN IS A CONCISE SUMMARY OF THE ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES AND SPECIFIC FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT WILL BE USED TO ADDRESS PRIORITY NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN OUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN EACH YEAR.
HUD REQUIRES THAT WE SUBMIT THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AS AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDING FOR OUR PROGRAM.
HUD REQUIRES THAT CDBG FUNDS BE USED IN LOW TO MODERATE INCOME AREAS.
THIS IS DEFINED BY THE US CENSUS BUREAU
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THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK GROUPS.I HAVE ATTACHED AN AERIAL MAP SHOWING THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS IN YELLOW.
UM, IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED LOW TO MODERATE INCOME COMMUNITY, 51% OR MORE OF THE HOUSEHOLDS MUST LEARN, MUST EARN LESS THAN 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
TO PROVIDE A CLOSER VIEW OF THE MAP, EVERYTHING HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW HERE IS CONSIDERED LOW TO MODERATE INCOME.
AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING EAST OF TATUM DRIVE IS CONSIDERED LOW TO MODERATE INCOME, WITH AN EXCEPTION OF THE RIM AVENUE COMMUNITY, TRENT BOULEVARD AND SPENCER AVENUE COMMUNITY.
THIS MAP IS, UM, NEAR THE HIGHWAY 55 AREA NEAR BOSCH AND LAKE TYLER.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW AS WELL.
IT IS CONSIDERED LOW TO MODERATE INCOME.
THESE DO CHANGE ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
SO AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, WE CAN BE GIVEN AN UPDATE AND SOMETHING COULD CHANGE.
WITH THESE MAPS FOR THIS YEAR'S ALLOCATION, HUD IS ALLOCATING $294,122 FOR THE CITY, AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 24,000 FROM LAST YEAR'S ALLOCATION.
WE EXPECT MORE INCREASES AS LOBBYING CONTINUES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR'S PLAN, THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAS AN OVERALL LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERCENTAGE OF 40.67%.
ON FEBRUARY THE 20TH, WE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
FROM THAT MEETING, YOUTH SERVICES WAS LISTED AS A TOP COMMUNITY NEED.
THE APPOINTED TIME SURVEY REVEALS THERE ARE 26 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY RESIDING IN OUR COUNTY.
WE PULL THESE SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PLAN BECAUSE THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED PLAN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THESE HIGHLIGHTS HOMELESS STRATEGY IN OUR, IN OUR PROPOSED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WE HAVE A GOAL, SORRY, TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL LIVING CONDITIONS AND SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
WITH AN OBJECTIVE TO PROMOTE AND ASSIST IN PROGRAM SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO IMPROVE, PRESERVE, AND CREATE NEW PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURES AND PUBLIC SERVICES FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, WITH AN OBJECTIVE TO IMPROVE OUR PARKS, RECREATIONAL CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES.
AS STATED ON THE FIRST SLIDE, CDBG MUST PROVIDE A BENEFIT TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, PERSONS, AND COMMUNITIES.
WE RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FROM NONPROFITS THIS YEAR.
I'LL PAUSE FOR A MINUTE FOR YOU TO REVIEW THE CRITERIA BY WHICH THEY WERE EVALUATED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU MUST BE 5 0 1
YOU MUST HAVE TWO YEARS OF OPERATING EXPERIENCE AND DEMONSTRATE A CAPACITY TO PROPERLY MANAGE THESE FEDERAL FUNDS.
WE THEN TAKE THE APPLICATIONS AND THEY ARE REVIEWED UNDER THE ADVISEMENT OF OUR CDBG CONSULTANTS AND OUR HUD REPRESENTATIVES PROPOSED PROJECTS.
WE HAVE SEVEN PROPOSED PROJECTS FOR THIS 2023 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE, BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST ONE.
THE PLAN PROPOSES $58,824 BE ALLOCATED FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
I'LL PAUSE AND GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO REVIEW THIS SLIDE.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS THE YEAR THE CITY MUST SUBMIT.
ITS FIVE YEAR, ITS FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS MUST BE DONE.
THE 2024 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN MUST BE, MUST BE SUBMITTED, AND ALL OF THESE PLANS WILL BE DEVELOPED USING THIS FUNDING THE CITY PRO.
THE PLAN PROPOSES $70,500 BE ALLOCATED FOR DEMOLITION OF SUBSTANDARD STRUCTURES.
THE PLAN CURRENTLY CALLS FOR THREE STRUCTURES TO BE DEMOLISHED THIS YEAR.
AT THIS TIME, STAFF HAS A LIST OF POTENTIAL PROPERTIES.
UPON APPROVAL OF THE PLAN, WE WILL REVIEW THE LIST TO MAKE FINAL DETERMINATIONS.
THE PLAN PROPOSES $24,000 BE ALLOCATED FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES.
THIS IS TO PAY FOR RENT AND UTILITY
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ASSISTANCE TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAS BEEN A SUB-RECIPIENT IN THE PAST.
THEY HAVE DONE EXTREMELY WELL WITH MANAGING THE CDBG FUNDS.
THE PLAN CURRENTLY PROPOSES THAT APPROXIMATELY 32 HOUSEHOLDS WILL RECEIVE ASSISTANCE.
MY SISTER'S HOUSE LOCATED AT 5 24 ROUNDTREE STREET.
THE PLAN PROPOSES $20,000 BE ALLOCATED TO BE USED AS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS TO PAY FOR TWO RESIDENTIAL AIDS TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENCY.
THE OMEGA CENTER LOCATED AT 800 CEDAR STREET.
THE PLAN PROPOSES $35,000 BE ALLOCATED TO PAY FOR ADA COMPLIANT BATHROOM STALLS AND TO SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FIRE SUPPRESSANT SYSTEM.
THE VILLAGE IS LOCATED AT 10 46 BROAD STREET.
THE PLAN PROPOSES $50,000 BE ALLOCATED TO PAY FOR ACQUISITION OF TWO ADJACENT PROPERTIES TO EXPAND THE FACILITY'S OUTDOOR PLAY SPACE BY INSTALLING A PL A PLAYGROUND AND FENCING IN THE PROPERTY.
OUR LAST PROPOSED PROJECT IS FOR THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE $35,798 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN OUTDOOR HALF COURT BASKETBALL COURT LOCATED AT 1805 NATIONAL AVENUE.
THIS IS A PROPOSED SUMMARY OF WHAT I HAVE PRESENTED HERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS YEAR, WE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SPREAD THE MONEY MORE BROAD AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US DURING OUR PUBLIC NEEDS HEARING AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
58,000 FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION, 70,500 FOR DEMOLITION, 24,000 FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES, 20,000 FOR MY SISTER'S HOUSE, OMEGA CENTER, 35,000, THE VILLAGE 50,000 IN SUNNYSIDE, 35,000 FOR A TOTAL BUDGET OF $294,122.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME, MY SUPERVISOR, CHRISTIE BERG, WILL COME FORTH TO RECEIVE YOUR QUESTIONS.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ALL MCKENZIE, WHEN I FIRST COME ON THE BOARD, UM, THIS ORGANIZATION WAS HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO REHAB AT HOME, BUT NOW I SEE THAT IT HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY.
I HEARD NOTHING ABOUT HELPING ANYONE TO REHAB THE HOME.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
SO UNDER THE PREVIOUS ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WE DO HAVE $200,000 THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON REHAB PROJECTS.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING, THE PROPOSED GOAL IS 15 HOMES ON THAT.
UM, DURING THIS APPLICATION PERIOD, WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR SUCH WORK.
WHICH AREA DID YOU ADVERTISE IT IN AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT ADVERTISING? YES, SIR.
SO OUR ADVERTISING WERE, UH, WE DID ADVERTISE IT DURING THE PUBLIC NEEDS MEETING.
UH, THERE WAS VERY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT WE PUT OUT THERE.
UM, AND THEN THE APPLICATION PERIOD WAS, UM, UH, PUT OUT THERE IN AN EMAIL, UH, POST IN SPECIFIC, UH, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE ON LIST.
I'M JUST A LITTLE, UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S A LOT OF HOMES OUT THERE THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS REPAIR WITH THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S SET UP THAT, UM, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT BECAUSE IT WAS SO EXTENSIVE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
IT'S, I UNDERSTAND THAT IS FOR A PERSON THAT OWNS THEIR HOME, BUT IT WAS JUST SO, UH, EXTENSIVE THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO QUALIFY.
SO NOW YOU HAVE CHANGED IT TO SOMETHING THAT I I I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S GOING TO DIFFERENT PLACES.
I, I GUESS THAT FROM THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SPENT AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU WOULD LOOK TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SHE DID MENTION ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE, BUT WE'RE USING OTHER, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO COME IN TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
UH, I, I, I JUST DON'T GET IT MYSELF FROM WHAT I'M SEEING.
I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR 15 YEARS AND,
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UH, I'VE SEEN WHERE, UH, IT WAS FIXING UP HOMES AND DUFFY FIELD.UH, MR. MEADOWS WAS HERE AT THAT TIME WHEN I CAME ON THE BOARD, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE DOING.
UH, DANNY, DO YOU HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE, UH, ANY TIME THAT YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THAT FOR ME, PLEASE? I MEAN, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, SO WHENEVER WE OPEN IT UP, IF, IF HE WANTS TO COME UPKEEPING.
AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A DRAFT PLAN FOR YOU GUYS TO REVIEW BASED OFF OF THE INFORMATION STAFF IS GATHERED TO PRESENT TO YOU.
UH, IF DIRECTION IS TO ADJUST, WE CAN DO SO.
O OT MCKENZIE AND I DO WANNA ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, AS MR. SEABERG STATED, CURRENTLY THERE'S 200,000 IN THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR FOR, FOR HOUSING REHAB.
UM, AND, AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE RCS AND THE DUFFY FIELD PHOENIX PROJECT ON THAT.
I THINK THEY'RE ABOUT READY, AREN'T YOU ABOUT READY TO UNVEIL THAT, THAT PROCESS? SO, SO THERE IS A PROGRAM FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR.
THIS ONE IS, IT WILL BE STARTING IN THE FY 24 BUDGET YEAR.
SO WE DO HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON WHERE THOSE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE VETTING, UH, POTENTIAL HOMEOWNERS, UH, FOR HOME REPAIRS.
SO THEY WILL BE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD TO SHARE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
THEY SURELY COULD YES, ABSOLUTELY.
TO GIVE A, AN UPDATE ON HOW SUCCESSFUL THE PROGRAM WAS.
UM, YES TO, UM, ADD TO WHAT, UH, OT MCKENZIE WAS SAYING.
I DO KNOW THAT WE, UH, THERE WAS, UM, I THINK IT WAS LIKE FIVE OR SIX APPLICANTS THAT I KNOW I SUBMITTED THEIR NAMES IN FOR, UM, THE 2223 FUNDING, UM, FOR HOME REPAIRS.
BUT, UH, AS IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THIS MONEY THAT THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF APPLICANTS COME FORTH.
THEY WEREN'T COMING FORTH APPLYING FOR THIS MONEY TO GET THEIR HOME SPECS.
UM, I KNOW I HAD TO TALK TO A LOT OF N A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO TELL THEM, COME ON, APPLY FOR THIS MONEY.
IF YOU GOT SOME MINOR REPAIRS, ROOF, WINDOWS, DOORS, FLOORS, YOU KNOW, APPLY FOR THIS MONEY.
BUT MOVING FORWARD TO, AND THIS IS JUST YOUR FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN, CORRECT? THIS JUST FOR THE ONE YEAR.
SO NOW, NEXT YEAR IT COULD BE MAYBE 10 PEOPLE MAY APPLY FOR ABSOLUTELY.
THAT WAS ALL I HAD SAY, OUR MASTER ACTUALLY.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU HAVE TO APPLY? WE HAD, UM, I THINK ALL THE APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED, WE, WE MADE SURE THAT WE, UH, ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR, SO WAS IT SEVEN, FIVE TO SIX, FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE? YES, SIR.
THAT'S THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT APPLIED FOR THIS? YES, SIR.
I I MEAN, I, I THINK YOU, WE PROBABLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND GETTING THE WORD OUT.
UM, HOW DID THESE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT IT? WAS THERE WAS ANYBODY GO DIRECTLY TO THEM AND ASK 'EM TO APPLY OR ANY DIRECT EMAILS TO THEM ASKING THEM TO APPLY? WE, I MEAN, WE DID SEND A BLANKET EMAIL OUT.
UH, WE DID DO THE SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, CAMPAIGN.
WE ALSO HAD OUR, UH, PUBLIC NEEDS MEETING.
IT WAS PRETTY WELL, UH, ATTENDED.
UH, FOR THESE TYPICAL MEETINGS.
I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 20 ON THE SIGN IN SHEET, PLUS PROBABLY ADDITIONAL 50.
UH, BUT YEAH, WE DID ATTEMPT TO GET THE WORD OUT, UM, TO GET SOME MORE INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM.
UH, THE $58,000 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, HOW MUCH IS THAT MOST OF THAT CONSULTANT FEES? UH, IT'S, IT'S A CONSULTANT STAFF FEES.
UH, IT'S JUST ALL COM COMBINED INTO ONE, UH, NUMBER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH OF IT WAS CONSULTANT FEES? I DO NOT AT THIS TIME, SIR.
AND WAS THIS, UM, AND ONLY BEEN ASKED, UM, TO YOUR POINT YOU ABOUT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE INFR THAT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND MS. FULK AND HER, HER STAFF AND THIS GENTLEMAN HERE, I MEAN, THEY HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, NOT PUBLIC.
THEY HAVE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AT THE OMEGA CENTER.
THEY HAD DIFFERENT AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, IT WAS OUT TO THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST THE PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING OUT AND APPLYING FOR THIS MONEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I JUST THINK THAT ME BA BASICALLY MINE WAS BASICALLY WORD OF MOUTH THAT I SPOKE WITH A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT DID APPLY.
UM, SO IT'S, THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, YOU KNOW,
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FOR AS ADVERTISING AND GETTING THE WORD OUT AND, AND, AND HAVING THESE PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS AND TRYING TO REACH THE CITIZENS.I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LONGEVITY, UH, IN THIS DEPARTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TOPIC.
BUT SOMEONE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK IN THE PAST, SEEMS LIKE TO ME, WE WOULD OFTENTIMES RECEIVE COMMUNICATION FROM HUD THAT WE HAD EXPENSES THAT, OR REVENUES THAT HAD NOT BEEN EXPENDED YET.
AND THERE WAS LIMITATIONS ON THAT.
AND WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT INDIVIDUALS APPLYING FOR THESE, WE WERE TOLD NUMBER ONE, LIKE YOU SAID, IT HAD TO BE OWNER-OCCUPIED.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 87% IS RENTAL IN THESE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES.
SO FINDING PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY OWNED AND OCCUPIED THE PROPERTY WAS A CHALLENGE.
AND THEN THERE WERE SOME THRESHOLD CHALLENGES WITH THE INCOME.
I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU LIVE IN THE CENSUS TRACT, YOU ACTUALLY COULD MAKE MORE THAN WHAT THE ALLOWABLE AMOUNT IS.
SO JUST CAUSE YOU LIVE THERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY GUARANTEED.
YOUR INCOME COULD ACTUALLY MAKE YOU INELIGIBLE FOR IT.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE TO ME, FOR MANY YEARS, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH OVER THIS AND WE ALWAYS HAD TO COME BACK AND TRY TO FIND A PROJECT THAT WE COULD EXPEND THE FUNDS FOR.
CAUSE IF YOU DON'T SPEND IT, YOU LOSE IT.
AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE WHERE MAYBE THE BUS SHELTERS ACTUALLY CAME INTO PLAY AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
AND OUR, UM, MAYOR ALSO, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THE PROJECTS THAT, THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS, UH, IS, UH, APPROXIMATELY $70,000 TO REMOVE SOME DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES AND THEN, UH, PARK PROJECTS.
BUT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN THOSE AREAS QUALIFY, AND THOSE ARE QUICK PROJECTS THAT WE COULD SPEND THOSE FUNDS.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES, ESPECIALLY ON THE HOME REHAB, IS, UH, THIS IS A HUD PROGRAM, SO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE HUD GUIDELINES AND THE APPLICATION THAT THE HOMEOWNERS HAVE TO HAVE TO FILL OUT.
IT'S DETAILED AND IT'S LENGTHY.
AND, AND THAT CAN BE FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO LOOK AT, AT, AT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GOTTA PROVIDE FOR STAFF TO VET, UH, OR, OR WHOEVER OUR SEPARATE S ARE TO VET THAT.
JUST ONE MORE QUESTION ON THE, ON THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE DEMOLITION, IT WAS AROUND $70,000, AND I THINK IT SAID THAT WAS GONNA BE FOR THREE STRUCTURES SEEM TO BE VERY LOW ON THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES.
TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE A DEMOLITION ORDER, IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN EIGHT AND $15,000.
IS THERE A REASON WHY THOSE PARTICULAR ONES WE THINK ARE GONNA BE SO MUCH HIGHER? JUST LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY, IF THERE'S ASBESTOS IN THE STRUCTURE, WE WOULD'VE TO ABATE THAT PRIOR TO DEMOING OR ANY, ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE D SO WE, WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO GET CAUGHT UP ON THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES.
THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION OR A POTENTIAL.
IF WE HAVE MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE, WE CAN USE IT ASSUMING THEY MEET THE QUALIFICATION.
UM, MS. FULLER, COULD YOU ANSWER A QUESTION FOR ME PLEASE? OR THIS GENTLEMAN, EITHER ONE OF YOU, WITHIN THE, UM, WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, ARE THE PERMITS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND ALL THAT STUFF INCLUDED IN THOSE FEES? YES, MA'AM.
ALL OF THAT IS PAID FROM THAT LINE? YES, MA'AM.
HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UH, LET'S OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CD BG 2023 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
IF ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, JUST COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
GOOD EVENING BOARD JAMIA HARRIS, 2 22 MONTEREY CIRCLE.
SO WE'LL ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
WE KNOW THAT THIS PROGRAM IS UNDERUTILIZED.
AND AGAIN, THE SOLUTIONS MARKETING OR MAYBE EVEN HOLDING THE CLASS WHERE PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT IS LENGTHY, WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU MAY BE IN THE CENSUS TRACK, BUT YOU DON'T QUALIFY.
AND I THINK THAT IS A A GOOD WORD, BECAUSE WHEN YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE PRO, THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE, OR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE DONE, MY SISTER'S HOUSE, THAT'S REHAB, WE'RE REHABBING SO THAT THOSE WOMEN ARE ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
YOU HAVE THE OMEGA CENTER, THE COMMUNITY USES THE OMEGA CENTER ALL THE TIME.
SO TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN ADA ACCESSIBLE IS A REHAB THAT WE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE VILLAGE IS A CLUTCH FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO THE YOUTH PROGRAM.
UM, AFTER SCHOOL, ANY TYPE OF SUSPENSIONS WITH THE KIDS, THEY'RE ABLE TO GO THERE AND GET ASSISTANCE, GET HELP.
THEY NEED A PLAYGROUND OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY ONE IN THE AREA.
WE KNOW THAT STANLEY WHITE IS KIND OF HELD UP RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS PROTECTED WITHIN THERE.
ANY OF ANY OF THE PROJECTS ARE, ARE AMAZING PROJECTS.
AND I HOPE TONIGHT THAT Y'ALL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE THEY DO HARD WORK.
THEY OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE IS GONNA COME.
BUT THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THESE PROJECTS ARE KEY.
AND THAT'S PROGRESSION AND PU PUSHING OUR CITY FORWARD.
MAY IF THERE'S NO OTHERS, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
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DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING, SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? UM, MR. MANAGER, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S NO BOARD ACTION ON THIS ONE, BUT, UM, I'LL JUST, UM, SORT OF REITERATE SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT, UH, FORMER T WOMAN HARRIS MENTIONED.
I, FOR ONE, IF YOU GO BACK AND CHECK THE RECORD, I'VE ALWAYS SORT OF QUESTIONED HOW WE'VE EXPENDED THESE FUNDS.
UM, IT'S FOR, IT'S CALLED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.
AND WHEN WE DO PICK OUT INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS, SOMETIMES IT BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING.
YOU CAN HAVE SOME THAT MEET THE CRITERIA AND THE NEIGHBOR MAY NOT, THE NEIGHBOR DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DIDN'T GET THE FUNDING WHEN THEIR NEIGHBOR DID.
UH, I, I, I SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE TO ME, IT AFFECTS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
NOW, I'M SURE WE CAN HAVE THE DEBATE ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT WERE PICKED AND CHOSEN.
SO WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB IN THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING THIS, ALTHOUGH I THINK WE DO.
UM, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER.
AND THAT'S A TAKEAWAY FOR US FOR NEXT YEAR.
THIS WILL COME BACK UNLESS WE RECEIVE ANY OTHER INPUT FOR US TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS.
THIS WILL COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
[8. City Manager's Overview of the Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 Budget.]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OVERVIEW OF THE PHYSICAL YEAR 2324 BUDGET, MR. HUGHES.OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF OVERVIEW OF, OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET, WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE PLAN ON GOING.
SO THE BUDGET PROCESS NORMALLY STARTS IN JANUARY OF EACH YEAR.
AND SO THIS YEAR, FINANCE DEPARTMENT REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENTS.
DO YOU GET CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REQUESTS FROM EACH DEPARTMENT? WE ALSO LOOKED AT BUILDING MAINTENANCE REQUESTS, UH, THAT ANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAD.
WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S OWN PERSONNEL REQUESTS.
ANY, ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS.
UM, BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS WERE COMPLETED.
AND, AND WHEN WE TURN, GIVE YOU THE BUDGET, UH, IN A FEW DAYS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.
UM, THEN WE LOOKED AT PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE, THE FEE SCHEDULE.
CONTINUING ON WITH OUR TIMELINE IN MARCH, WE HAVE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TO REVIEW THE BUDGET, UH, SUBMISSIONS.
WE ASKED A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO, TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT, WHAT WAS REASONABLE, WHAT WE COULD THOUGHT WE COULD SUPPORT.
UM, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE CONSISTED OF MYSELF, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, THE HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR, AND, AND THE SENIOR ACCOUNTANT OVER OVER BUDGETING.
SO HERE WE ARE NOW IN, IN APRIL, WHERE I'M JUST GIVING YOU A GENERAL REVIEW.
AND SO, AS WE WERE LOOKING AT BUDGETS, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, A VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING THIS YEAR.
AND THE FIRST, UH, BIGGEST THING WE WERE LOOKING AT IS INFLATIONARY ITEMS. AND SO, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS ARE THE PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE.
OVER THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THE INCREASES ON THE PREMIUMS, UH, CONTINUE TO RISE.
AND IN FY 23, THERE WAS A 25% INCREASE.
WE'RE PROJECTING AN 18% INCREASE FOR FY 24.
UM, AND SO IF YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT GRAPH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT RISING UP TO 1.1 MILLION.
THEN FOR OUR, OUR EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND DENTAL INSURANCE AND FY 23, UH, WE SAW A SLIGHT DECREASE CAUSE WE CHANGED PLANS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE AN 8% INCREASE THIS YEAR IN FY 24.
AND SO ANNUALLY WE BUDGET, UH, AROUND, UM, THIS COMING YEAR, IT'LL BE APPROXIMATELY 6.4 MILLION CHEMICALS.
AND THIS ACCOUNTS FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S WATER RESOURCES OR PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE'VE SEEN DRASTIC IN INCREASES IN THIS.
IN FY 23, WE SAW 39% INCREASE IN CHEMICALS.
AND FY 24, WHERE IT ESTIMATED A 19% INCREASE.
AND JUST GENERAL THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN, JUST LIKE, UH, WHAT EVERY ONE OF, UH, YOU HAVE SEEN IN, IN, IN YOUR HOUSEHOLDS, CLEANING SUPPLIES AND AVERAGE INCREASE OF 16% FUEL ON AVERAGE OF 23%.
UNIFORMS, POLICE 13%, FIRE 20% INCREASE.
POLICE CRUISERS, WE'VE SEEN APPROXIMATELY A 16% INCREASE.
TRUCKS, 15%, THEY HAD THE EQUIPMENT LIKE BACKHOES OF 33% INCREASE.
AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT LIKE DUMP TRUCKS, OVER 20% INCREASE TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THAT CONTINUES TO BE A BIG ISSUE THAT WE DEAL WITH.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE DAYS OF THE PEN AND PAPER ARE, ARE SLOWLY LEAVING US BY WITH TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO GOING PAPERLESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
[00:30:01]
HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY DAY.EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAVE A SMARTPHONE, UH, AND A, AND A COMPUTER.
AND OUR CITY STAFF DOES AS WELL.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY SAFE AND, AND PREVENT IT FROM CYBER ATTACKS, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL OF OUR, OUR INFORMATION IS SAFE COMES WITH COST.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A 7% INCREASE IN THAT AREA.
OUR RETIREMENT RATES CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
SO, UH, WE DO FUND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
EVERY YEAR WE SEE AT LEAST A PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN AN FY 24.
FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES, IT'S THREE QUARTERS OF A PERCENT.
AND FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, WE'RE SEEING A 1% INCREASE.
SO BACK IN, UH, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, WE LOOKED AT IMPLEMENTING THE SALARY SURVEY, THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT.
AND SO WE FA WE, WE BASICALLY FUNDED SIX MONTHS OF THIS, AND THAT CAME INTO THE COST OF 1.2 MILLION.
WELL, ON A FULL YEAR BASIS, THAT'S GONNA BE A 2.4 MILLION INCREASE THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE MOVING FORWARD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT DURING THIS WAS TO LOOK AT, UH, FUNDING THE SECOND PART OF THE SALARY INCREASE, UH, OF THE SALARY STUDY.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT, AND THAT'S GONNA COME WITH A 1.2 MILLION ANNUAL COST MOVING FORWARD.
OUR CPI FOR THE ENDING DECEMBER, 2222 WAS AT 6.5%.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER THAT AS WE LOOK AT POSSIBLE COLA AND MERITS AS AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT THROUGH THE BUDGET IS BUDGET GOALS.
AND SO WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE GOVERNING BOARD, PREVIOUSLY CITYWIDE PLANNING, UPDATING OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, NUISANCE ABATEMENT ISSUES SUCH AS DEMOLITIONS, UH, REPLACING POLICE CRUISERS ON OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE, REPLACING, UH, A 2006 PUMPER FIRE TRUCK WITH A NEW ONE.
AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WHEN WE DO A REPLACEMENT ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE, THE WAITING TIME IS TWO TO FOUR YEARS AND $800,000.
WE'RE REFURBISHING TWO FIRE TRUCKS REPLACING THE EXISTING STREET SWEEPER SIDEWALK AND CURB IMPROVEMENTS, WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, BIO SOLID SOLIDS PROCESSING, AND SLUDGE BUILDING REHABILITATION.
THAT BUILDING'S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
AND, AND WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT STAYS IN GOOD SHAPE.
LIFT STATION, REHAB, KELL ROAD EXPANSION, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY IS RUNNING OUT OF ROOM.
AND SO WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT WHAT THEY NEED, REPLACING LINE TRUCKS AND THEN ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES IN GREENBRIER AND OLD TOWN RIVER CROSSING COMMUNITIES.
FOSTER, DO YOU HAVE THAT ON THE SLIDE? WE'RE WE'RE, YEAH, WE'RE ON.
WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BEHIND BEHIND YOU.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF THE PUBLIC'S FALLING ALONG.
SO YES, MY, MY FINANCE DIRECTOR HERE SHOULD BE ON TOP OF THAT, SO, ALRIGHT.
ARE YOU AWARE YOU NEED TO BE? YES.
UPDATING, UM, THE METER DATA MANAGEMENT TO HELP US HAVE, KEEP BETTER TRACK OF, OF THINGS IN THE ELECTRIC AND WATER RESOURCES, AND AGAIN, TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO SOME OF THE GOALS FOR TECHNOLOGY IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE BE DATA DRIVEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT BUDGETS MOVING FORWARD, HAVING THAT DATA TO, TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
AND SO, UH, YES, OUR GOAL IS TO GO PAPERLESS ON SOME THINGS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HEAR INPUT FROM OUR CITIZENS.
AND, AND DOING A VARIETY OF SURVEYS IS GONNA HELP US DOING A, UH, AN ONGOING CITIZEN, UH, SURVEY TO FIND OUT FROM THE CITIZENS ON A REGULAR BASIS, HOW ARE WE DOING IN OUR, IN OUR DELIVERY OF OUR ELECTRIC UTILITIES AND OUR WATER RESOURCES WHEN YOU CALL THE CITY TO, TO, TO GET HELP, ARE WE RESPONDING IN A TIMELY MANNER? WE WANT TO GET, HAVE THAT DATA THAT WE CAN PASS ON TO, TO YOU AS WELL AS OUR DEPARTMENTS AND THE CITIZENS AS WELL.
UM, IF WE HAVE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST STARTING TO USE A CITIZEN REPORTER, UH, PROGRAM TO, SO WE CAN, WE CAN TRACK AREAS THAT WE HAVE, UH, ISSUES AND WE CAN FIND, UH, YOU KNOW, USE THAT TO DETERMINE EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE SPENDING ON REPAIRS AND, AND BUDGET APPROPRIATELY AS WE MOVED FORWARD.
SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT IN OUR UPCOMING BUDGET WORKSHOP.
NOW, THE, THE BIG THING THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING AS WELL IS THE IMPACT OF THE REEVALUATION.
SO ON APRIL 6TH, UH, CRAVEN COUNTY RELEASED THE MOST RECENT VALUATION STATEMENT.
AND, AND THE VALUATION IS AT 4.7 BILLION.
THE REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX CALCULATION IS 0.37 CENTS.
OKAY? SO JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, 1 CENT OF AN INCREASE IS $472,000.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BE DOING A DEEP DIVE ON AT OUR BUDGET MEETINGS.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE ON MAY 2ND AND MAY 3RD IF WE NEED THEM.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA START AT 1:00 PM RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS, THIS, UH, UH, UH, PRESENTATION.
SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT AND TAKE THAT AND LOOK AT THAT.
[00:35:01]
WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT FEES AND CHARGES, UH, A LOT OF CAPITAL INFORMATION, WE'RE GONNA GO DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT REVENUES AS WELL.THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON, ON THE BUDGET ON MAY 9TH.
AND, UH, THEN THE, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GONNA DO A PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET ON MAY 9TH AND THEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 23RD WITH THE GOAL TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ON JUNE 13TH.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR A LOT OF INPUT FOR THEM, THE GOVERNING BOARD.
THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT WE ADJUST BASED ON YOUR COMMENT.
SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO WORK THROUGH THIS.
SO THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE GOING OVER THE NEXT, UH, UH, MONTH AND A HALF.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR HAVE QUESTIONS.
YOU MADE MENTION OF, UM, THE FIRE PUMPER AND YOU SAID IT WAS MAYBE A TWO TO FOUR YEAR WAIT, FOR EXAMPLE MM-HMM.
ONCE WE PLACE THE ORDER, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
UNLIKE TRANSFORMERS IN THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET? NO, NO.
YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON THIS.
YOU'LL GET IT, YOU'LL GET IT IN OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP TO WHERE YOU'LL HAVE THAT TO LOOK AT.
DO YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATIONS FOR THE BOARD? MM-HMM.
AND WE WILL, UM, BUDGET WORKSHOPS ARE GONNA BE HELD HERE.
THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS WILL BE HELD HERE AT CITY HALL STARTING AT 1:00 PM ON THE SECOND AND 3RD OF MAY.
WHY, WHY ARE WE GETTING A BUDGET BOOKS BEFORE? OKAY.
WE USED TO GET 'EM BEFORE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW FOR QUESTIONING WHEN WE AT THE MEETING.
SO SAYING LIKE, WE ARE GETTING THEM DOING THE MEETING SO WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW.
WHY IS IT THAT? SO YOU'RE GONNA BE GETTING THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON SOME THINGS WITH THE BUDGET.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND SWITCH OUT.
THIS, THIS HAS BEEN A FLUID PROCESS WITH, WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE BUDGET, UH, HAD A LOT OF UPDATES AND CHANGES THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO DETAIL INTO THE BUDGET AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU'VE GOT ANY CONCERNS ON ANYTHING, WE'RE GONNA REVIEW THAT.
UM, AFTER WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS ON THE WORKSHOP, YOU'VE GOT SOME TIME TO REVIEW THAT AS WELL.
BEFORE I DO THE FORMAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, FOSTER, I BELIEVE THAT WE GOT AN INITIAL NUMBER ON THE CITY VALUATION FROM THE COUNTY, AND THEN THEY CAME BACK WITH AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER THAT HAPPENED NOT TO INCLUDE ANY OF THE MS. D CAUSE IT, THE MSD WAS NOT AFFECTED.
DO WE, DID WE EVER FIND OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS AND WHY WE RECEIVED THOSE TWO NUMBERS? DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION, KIM? UM, OR WAS IT JUST AN UPDATE TO THEIR CALCULATION? IT WAS AN UPDATE TO THEIR CALCULATIONS.
YES, IT WAS AN UPDATE WITH THEIR CALCULATION.
THAT'S WHY WE GOT THAT NEW REVISED NUMBER.
SO MSD STAYED THE SAME WITH THEIRS WITH, WITH WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY HAD.
I, I CAN FOR THAT EMAIL TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS IF YOU'D LIKE.
I GUESS TO ARM MCKENZIE'S POINT, HAD YOU PUT IT TOGETHER BASED OFF OF THAT INITIAL EVALUATION AND THE COUNTY CAME BACK AND CHANGED IT, THAT WOULD'VE GREATLY IMPACTED BECAUSE IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
IT WASN'T, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
AND, AND AS WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO CHANGE WHEN WE WERE STARTED TO WORK ON THOSE FIRST NUMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ALRIGHT, I GUESS WE WILL.
UM, THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE EMAILED TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
AND I CAN PRINT IT BEFORE I LEAVE IF YOU NEED A PRINTED COPY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT NEXT WEEK.
[9. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with TRC Engineers, Inc. for Environmental Consulting Services to be Performed Under the Brownfields Assessment Grant Program.]
ITEM NUMBER NINE, CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH TRC ENGINEERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANT PROGRAM.I BELIEVE MR. SEABERG IS GONNA MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, IN AUGUST OF 2022, THE EPA DID SELECT THE CITY OF NEWBURN TO RECEIVE, UH, $500,000 IN BROWNFIELD FUNDING.
WHAT THIS DOES IS ALLOW US TO CON, UH, HIRE A CONSULTANT TO PERFORM PHASE ONE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS.
[00:40:01]
JUST TAKING A LOOK AT HISTORY OF THE SITE.IF THERE'S ANY INDICATION THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONTAMINATION IN THE SOIL, UH, THERE CAN BE A MORE IN DEPTH PHASE TWO ENVIRONMENTAL SET SITE ASSESSMENT PERFORMED ON VARIOUS PROPERTIES.
WE ARE, WE, WE DID PUT THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS OUT ON FEBRUARY 23RD AND ENDED RECEIPT ON MARCH 23RD.
WE DID RECEIVE, UH, UH, PROPOSALS FROM SIX VERY QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS AND HAD FOUR MEMBERS OF CITY STAFF AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS REVIEW THESE, UH, PROPOSALS.
AND OUT OF A TOTAL OF 400 POTENTIAL POINT VALUE TCR OR TRC ENGINEERS INCORPORATED, UH, CAME OUT ON TOP AT 3 85 OUT OF 400.
SO STAFF RECOMMENDS BOARD CONSIDER APPROVING RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH TRC ENGINEERS INCORPORATED BOARD.
UM, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE, UM, WELL, THE NEW, NEW MEMBERS THAT MAY NOT UNDERSTAND, COULD YOU EXPLAIN BASICALLY WHAT BROWNSFIELD SURE IS FOR WHAT? SO IT COULD BE VARIOUS THINGS.
IF THERE'S A, A, A SITE THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A GAS STATION ON WHERE THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK MIGHT HAVE LEAKED.
UM, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME DRY CLEANING, UH, EVENTS THAT TEND TO SOMEHOW SEEP INTO THE GROUND.
SO THE INTENT IS TO GO IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PROPERTIES THAT COULD BE USED FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU COVER ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ON THERE AND MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO REDEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT FOR ECONOMIC PURPOSES.
SO THIS, THIS PAY, IT IS AN EPA FUNDED PROJECT.
IT PAID FOR THOSE INITIAL REVIEWS ON WHAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN ON THAT LOT.
AND THEN IF THERE'S A NEED, THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, TEST CORES, SOIL SAMPLES, WATER TABLE SAMPLES, UH, AND WHATNOT JUST TO COVER ANY BASIS AND ENSURE THAT IT'S A SAFE PROPERTY TO REDEVELOPMENT.
SO I GUESS TO, UH, ASKED THE, THE FOLLOWING QUESTION, SO THESE ARE PUBLIC PROPER, I MEAN, THESE ARE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES? NO, SIR.
OR THESE ARE POTENTIALLY COMMERCIAL PRIVATE PROPERTIES.
OR EVEN RESIDENTIAL PRIVATE PROPERTIES.
SO IT WOULD BE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THE INTENT IS TO MAKE IT VIABLE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UH, IT WOULD LOOK AT ANY, ANY HISTORIC PROPERTY COULD BE REDEVELOPED, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO CONTAMINANTS THAT WOULD AFFECT THAT REDEVELOPMENT EITHER CURRENTLY OR IN THE FUTURE.
SO I GUESS THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS HOW DO, HOW ARE WE SELECTING THESE SITES TO DO THESE ASSESSMENTS? SO WE'VE, WE'VE DONE SOME, UM, SIMILAR PROJECTS IN THE PAST, SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO SOME OF THE INVENTORIES THAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT, AND IF THERE WAS ANY PHASE ONES THAT WEREN'T PERFORMED IN THOSE PREVIOUS INVENTORIES.
UH, THE ONE SPECIFIC ON, WELL, ACTUALLY I THINK THERE'S TWO SPECIFIC PROJECTS WE'RE FOCUSING ON AT DAY'S END.
THE OLD DAY'S INSIGHT IS, UH, TOP ON THE, ON THE LIST THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A GOOD LONG LI UH, LOOK AT THAT.
I BELIEVE THERE'S CONCERNS ON THE POTENTIAL DRAG CLEANERS AT THAT SITE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO MENTIONED IN, UH, GRANT APPLICATION ON MAIN STREET AND DUFFY FIELD.
SO THERE'S A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THERE THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO.
BUT BEYOND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS $70 MILLION.
UH, NOW KEEP IN MIND WE GET IN THE PHASE TWO, IT, IT DOES COST EXTENSIVE AMOUNTS, SO WE HAD TO BE VERY STRATEGIC ON WHAT WE COULD GO FOR, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENT ON LISA'S TWO PROPERTIES UP FRONT.
BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, DATA FROM PREVIOUS REVIEWS THAT WE COULD CAPTURE SOME MORE AND NOT DUPLICATE EFFORTS.
DISCLOSURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH THE TRC ENGINEERS IN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE BROWNSFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NOW LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[00:45:01]
ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES.[10. Consider Adopting a Resolution to Approve a Consolidated Lease with Craven Community College for the VOLT Center.]
10, CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A CONSOLIDATED LEASE WITH CRA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE VOLT CENTER.SO MAYOR, BACK IN 2017, WE ENTERED INTO OUR FIRST AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE ON THE VOLT CENTER FOR THE, FOR THE MAIN BUILDING AND SOME PARKING.
AND THAT PROGRAM WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THEN WE GOT TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AGAIN, SUBSEQUENTLY IN 2020, SIGNED ANOTHER LEASE ON ANOTHER PROPERTY.
THEN IN 2021, WE ACTUALLY SIGNED TWO ADDITIONAL LEASES.
UH, OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND, AND THE TWO ATTORNEYS, UM, WE DECIDED THE BEST THING TO DO WOULD BE TO WRAP UP THAT ENTIRE PARTIAL IN ONE LEASE.
INSTEAD OF HAVING FOUR OR POSSIBLY FIVE INDIVIDUAL LEASES OUT THERE AND EXTEND THE TERM TO 20 YEARS, UH, WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE VOLT CENTER HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY POPULAR PROJECT, AND IT HAS, UH, EXTREMELY BENEFITED THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENCE.
AND THIS IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT CINDY HAS ENTERED INTO WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS JUST COMBINING THEM ALL TOGETHER COM COMBINING THEM ALL INTO ONE LEASE.
UH, AND IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT LANDSCAPING AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
SO YOU SAID EXTEND TO A 20 YEAR LEASE? THAT'S CORRECT, MM-HMM.
SO EACH LEASE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY HAS ITS OWN TIME LIMITS ON IT.
THOSE LEASES DID HAVE THEIR OWN TIME LIMITS.
ONCE THIS ONE LEASE IS, IS, IS, IS, IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD, THEN THAT WOULD BE ROLLED INTO THIS ONE LEASE.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, PROBABLY FOR SCOTT.
IS THERE AN OUT CLAUSE, IF YOU WILL, FOR BOTH PARTIES IN CASE FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE DYNAMICS CAN OCCUR? I DON'T WANT THE COLLEGE TO BE STUCK IN SOMETHING FOR 20 YEARS IF THEY DON'T NEED IT AFTER 10 OR IF THE CITY HAS A DIFFERENT NEED FOR IT.
IF THERE'S, IS THERE A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TYPE OP OUT OPTION? YES, SIR.
THERE'S ALWAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS, UM, AN AMENDMENT THAT CAN BE DONE BY AGREEMENT WITH THE PARTIES.
AND, AND I BELIEVE THIS ONE ALSO HAS AN OUT FOR THE COLLEGE TO TERMINATE SOONER IF IT'S NOT SUITING THEIR NEEDS.
AND RAY STAT WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS ALSO HERE.
IF, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR YOU'D LIKE TO ASK HIM ANY QUESTIONS, DR.
STAT, YOU WANNA COME UP AND, UH, TOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT YOU'VE SEEN THERE? CERTAINLY.
WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND, AND ALDERMAN.
OUR COLLEGE HAS BEEN BLESSED FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS TO HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
WE OPENED OUR FIRST BUILDING IN 2019 FROM THAT ORIGINAL GRANT, WHICH THE CITY APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED AND MANAGED ALONG WITH A, A GOLDEN LEAF GRANT.
UH, SINCE THEN WE'VE OPENED THREE NEW BUILDINGS.
THE MOST, UH, RECENT ONE, FOUR NEW BUILDINGS, EXCUSE ME, THE MOST RECENT ONE BEING THE KITCHEN.
UM, PART OF THIS CONSOLIDATED LEASE IS TO, TO ACQUIRE THE REMAINING BUILDINGS.
ONE, WHICH WAS NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT, WHICH HAS A REM STREET ADDRESS TO INAUGURATE A NEW PROGRAM, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS, WHICH WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ALL AROUND US.
MOST NOTABLY, UH, THE I 70 PROJECT.
UH, THE SUCCESS HAS BEEN UNQUALIFIED.
MORE THAN 3000 STUDENTS HAVE PASSED OUR DOORS AT FOUR YEARS.
AND AS OF THIS MORNING, 765 HAVE RECEIVED IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT AS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR TIME AT THE VOL CENTER.
UH, I WAS, UH, RECENTLY AT A MEETING, I BELIEVE WITH A COUPLE OF THE ALDERMAN LAST FRIDAY.
AND I ASKED MR. DYSINGER IF I COULD, IF I COULD QUOTE HIM, AND HE SAID YES.
AND HIS QUOTE WAS, BSH WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE PIPELINE THAT THE BOLT CENTER, UH, HAS PRODUCED.
UH, I'M HEADED TO RALEIGH, UH, TO BRIEF THE STATE BOARD OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES ON THE SUCCESS OF THE VOL CENTER AS A STATE LEVEL BENCHMARK.
THEY'RE NOT ONLY INTERESTED IN IT FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO INTERESTED IN THE WAY IT CAME ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE DEVELOPED AT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT.
UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE VOLT CENTER, BUT WE'RE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE BOTH IN TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE, UH, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE THE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP.
UH, MS. ROYAL, THE ORIGINAL REESES, WERE ALL 10 YEARS.
UH, SO IN THE CASE OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, WE ARE NOW FOUR YEARS INTO A 10 YEAR LEASE.
UH, WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR FINISHED WITH OUR WORK THERE.
UM, SO WE ASKED THE CITY FOR THEIR BLESSING, UH, TO COME FORWARD WITH A 20 YEAR LEASE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT OUR OPERATIONS HAVE CONTINUITY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENTRY, ENTRY LEVEL WORKFORCE.
STAS? I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A TRUE PARTNERSHIP, IT TAKES ALL PARTIES.
SO THIS WAS, UM, I'VE, I'VE TOUTED THIS MANY TIMES.
THIS WAS A FEDERAL STATE, COUNTY, CITY PROJECT THAT WE ALL CAME TOGETHER AND WE CAN SEE HOW BENEFICIAL IT WAS.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID AS WELL.
BOARD, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 10.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A CONSOLIDATED LEASE WITH CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE VAULT CENTER.
[00:50:01]
SECOND.I HAVE A MOTION IN A COUPLE SECONDS.
LET HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KINZIE.
[11. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Section 66- 85 City- Sponsored Events.]
NUMBER 11, CONSIDER DOCUMENTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 66 85 CITY SPONSORED EVENTS.SO MAYOR, AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM JUNETEENTH OF NEWBURN TO, UH, CONSIDER THAT JUNETEENTH EVENT THAT IS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT.
UM, WE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE THE, THE ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATION IN THE DETAILED REQUEST OF THE SERVICES THEY WERE REQUESTING.
THEY PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION AND IT'S BASICALLY IN-KIND SERVICES AND STAFFING NEEDS.
AND, AND THAT COMES TO, BASED ON OUR FEES AND CHARGES SCHEDULE, THAT COMES TO APPROXIMATELY $6,943 FOR THIS EVENT.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THIS REQUEST TO ADD THIS TO OUR CITY SPONSORED EVENT LIST BOARD.
IF NOBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 66 85 OF THE CITY'S SPONSORED EVENTS, INCLUDING JUNETEENTH.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
LET ME ADD MAYOR BEFORE THEY LEAVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE LEAVING EARLY, BUT I DO HAVE A CHECK.
COLLECT YOUR MONEY BEFORE YOU GO
[12. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for FY 2022- 23.]
12, CONSIDERED ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2223.MS. OSTROM, UM, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROPRIATES $30,000 IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE OF A FIRE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S LADDER ONE TRUCK, THE COST OF WHICH EXCEEDED AVAILABLE FUNDS IN THE DEPARTMENT'S GARAGE REPAIR MAINTENANCE BUDGETED LINE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE GENERAL FUND IS ALSO AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE $31,577 TO PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES DIVISION TO COVER PROJECT EXPENSES FOR THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, FOR THEMORE AMENDMENTS, UM, ARE NEEDED TO COVER INCREASED COSTS FOR FUEL UTILITIES AND THE CORRECTION OF A BILLING FOR STREET LIGHTS.
THOSE AMENDMENTS WILL INCLUDE TRANSFERS FROM THE RESPECTIVE FUND BALANCES AND THE FOLLOWING AMOUNTS.
THE GENERAL FUND FOR 273,000 WATER FUND FOR 50,700 SEWER FOW FUND FOR 308,200 ELECTRIC FUND FOR 73,400 AND SOLID WASTE FUND FOR 19,700 BOARD.
HOW DID YOU NOT CATCH THAT? HOW DID I NOT CATCH WHAT THIS, THIS, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT HERE.
EXPLAIN THAT TO ME AGAIN PLEASE.
SO THE, IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE CORRECTION OF THE BILLING, THE, THE STREETLIGHT BUILDING, SO YOU, UH, SO YOU'RE SAYING IT WAS A CORRECTION.
UM, FOR THE STREETLIGHTS SPECIFICALLY, UM, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, WE RECEIVED A BILL FROM THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT MM-HMM.
UM, THEY DID AN INTERNAL AUDIT AND HAD IDENTIFIED, UH, SOME STREETLIGHTS THAT WERE NOT BILLED, UM, TO THE CITY.
AND, UM, SOME THAT WERE BILLED AT, UH, THE INCORRECT RATE MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND PER THEIR POLICY, THEY'RE ABLE TO GO BACK TO JULY 1ST.
UM, AND THEY ADJUSTED THAT BILL.
THE OTHERS, UM, WHEN WE GOT THAT, WE WENT AHEAD AND LOOKED AT THE OTHER UTILITY ACCOUNTS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTMENTS, I ASKED IF THERE'S ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE DONE, UM, ON OTHERS AND, AND PERIODICALLY THEY DO FIND THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR.
SO WE, UM, REVIEWED ALL OF THE UTILITY ACCOUNTS AND MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, ACCORDINGLY, JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
MR. FROM JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, ON THE SEWER FUND, THAT'S A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT AFFECTS OUR DAY'S? CASH ON HAND FOR OUR FUND BALANCE? UM, I DID NOT RUN THAT.
UM, YET, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT OUT WHEN WE DO OUR MONTHLY AND I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH TO TRIGGER ANYTHING, BUT IT'S, IT'S A, I DON'T THINK SO.
FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR THE SEWER FUND.
SO, BOARD, HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER
[00:55:01]
12, WE HONOR MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.ANY MORE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRESSON.
[13. Discussion of Redevelopment Commission' s Recommendation to Accept ARP Funds to Develop Affordable Housing at 203 and 207 Jones Street.]
NUMBER 13, DISCUSSION OF REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION'S.RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT A R P FUNDS TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT 2 0 3 AND 2 0 7 JONES STREET.
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, KIP AND BETH ARE GOING TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE THAT PRESENTATION.
MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SEVERAL, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, UH, WE MADE A PRESENTATION TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION PROPOSED USE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN OF 2 0 3 AND 2 0 7 JONES STREET.
UH, AFTER THAT PRESENTATION, UH, WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR PLAN TO CREATE RENTAL PROPERTIES ON THAT PROPERTY, UH, WAS INVALID THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WAS NOT ALLOWED TO OWN RENTAL PROPERTY.
SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND REGROUP AND REASSESS OUR PLANS AND UTILIZATION OF THAT PROPERTY.
WE HAVE DONE SO, AND WE HAVE HAD A PLAN, PLAN CREATED AND REVIEWED BY THE ENTIRE COMMISSION THAT TAKES THE TWO PROPERTIES.
TWO, UH, 2 0 3 AND 2 0 7 JONES STREET COMBINES THEM INTO A SINGLE LOT.
WE'VE HAD THE SURVEY DONE, WORK DONE ON THAT, THAT IDENTIFIES ALL THE BOUNDARIES, ALL THE UTILITY EASEMENTS, AND ALL THE, UH, VEGETATION ON THE LOT AND EVERYTHING AS WELL AS, UH, THE TOPOGRAPHY ELEVATIONS TO ENSURE, UH, THAT THE PROPERTY IS NOT IN ANY FLOOD ZONES.
SO FROM THE RECOMBINED LOT THEN WE HAVE PROPOSED A SUBDIVISION OF THAT SINGLE PARCEL INTO THREE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WORKED ON, WHICH WE WILL BUILD THREE HOMES FOR SALE TO LOW OR MODERN INCOME FAMILIES.
THE, ALL THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE, THE SURVEY WORK, THE PLATS HAVE BEEN CREATED.
THEY WERE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL TO THE ENTIRE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND THEY WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
AND WE ALSO PRESENTED AT THAT TIME, UH, PLANS FOR THE HOUSES THAT WE INTENDED TO BUILD THERE.
AND I'LL LET MS. WALKER, OUR LICENSED ARCHITECT, UH, TO REVIEW THE HOUSING COMPONENT OF THE PLAN.
UM, THE HOUSING THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, WE JUST FOUND SOME SAMPLE PLANS.
ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT FINAL DESIGNS, BUT THEY'RE SAMPLE PLANS OF TWO BEDROOM HOMES.
SO EACH ONE OF THE THREE HOUSES WOULD HAVE TWO BEDROOMS. THEY RANGED BETWEEN EIGHT AND 900 SQUARE FEET.
UM, AND AS KIPP SAID, THEY WOULD BE SOLD TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE PUT TOGETHER, UM, A, UH, COST ESTIMATE AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH SOME LOCAL BUILDERS TO VERIFY THE AMOUNTS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR COST ESTIMATE.
AND WE FEEL THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALL THREE OF THESE HOMES WOULD FALL WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY WORKING WITH.
ALSO IN YOUR PACKET, YOU SEE A COMPLETE BUDGET, DETAILED BUDGET FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY FROM THE INITIAL SURVEY ON DOWN THROUGH CARRYING COSTS AFTER THE HOMES ARE COMPLETED, INCLUDING SALES COMMISSIONS, UH, FOR ANY OUTSIDE REALTOR, THEY MAY BRING CUSTOMERS TO US.
SO IT'S COMPLETE BUDGET, UH, IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
THE SUBDIVIDING OF THE PROPERTY HAS, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE $547,000? YES, IT IS.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS IF, I KNOW THAT YOU SAID YOU HAVE NOT CHOSEN THE SPECIFIC DESIGN OF EACH HOME, UH, OR WHAT THE HOMES WILL BE DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR A POTENTIAL SALE PRICE FOR EACH OF THE HOMES? NO.
WE WILL, AFTER WE BUILD THE HOMES, WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE THEM APPRAISED MM-HMM.
UH, AND THAT WILL BE BASED ON MARKET VALUE, AND THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE WILL LOSE MONEY ON SELLING THOSE HOMES.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE, OF THE MISSION OF A REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, IS TO DO THINGS THAT, UH, PRIVATE INDUSTRY, PRIVATE BUSINESSES WILL NOT DO TO PROVIDE THE PROPER ASSETS FOR THE PEOPLE
[01:00:01]
IN THE COMMUNITY.AND THERE IS A, THAT THAT IS THE HOME THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT USING THERE.
UH, AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF ALL THOSE PLANS, UH, FITS WELL IN, IN THE HARMONIOUS WITH THE REST OF THE, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LONG WALK ABOUT WHEN WE DRIVE.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD, WE, WE CHOSE FOUR PLANS AND EVEN THOUGH THERE'S THREE LOTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A, UM, VARIETY, THAT IT WILL NOT BE ONE COOKIE CUTTER HOME THAT LOOKS THE SAME AS THE NEXT DOOR, AS THE NEXT DOOR.
THEY, BUT THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME FEATURES OR NICE FEATURES LIKE KIPP SAID, FRONT PORCHES, UM, CHARACTER TO THE HOME, TWO BEDROOMS, UH, LAUNDRY ROOM, BATHROOM, UM, A VERY NICE SOUND HOME.
BRI, AS IT'S KIND OF A FOLLOW ON QUESTION, UM, I'M ASSUMING SINCE YOU'RE BUILDING THREE HOMES AND THEY AS ASSUMEDLY IS GONNA BE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR A CERTAIN INCOME LEVEL, WHAT'S HAVE YOU DECIDED ON YOUR PROCESS TO SCREEN THOSE APPLICANTS? I MEAN, I COULD PRETTY MUCH SEE YOU'RE GONNA GET ABOUT 50, 60 APPLICANTS FOR THESE THREE HOMES.
HOW ARE YOU GONNA END UP DECIDING WHO TO SELL IT TO? GOOD QUESTION.
YOU, YOU GO INTO REAL ESTATE MARKETING 1 0 1 IN, IN THAT, THAT SITUATION, FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED THROUGH AS LOWER MONITORED INCOME THROUGH, THROUGH A CITY PROCESS, WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO HELP US IN THAT PROCESS.
UH, THEN WE GET DOWN TO THE OFFERS AND THE FINANCING PACKAGES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT, THAT PEOPLE CAN QUALIFY FOR AND THAT WILL SHRINK SIGNIFICANTLY.
UH, THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS, BELIEVE ME, THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED TO ME AS WELL, AND, AND I THINK THEREA IS, IS THE EXPERT IN THIS AREA.
HOW WILL YOU BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THE FINANCES, HELP WALK, UH, A POTENTIAL HOMEOWNER THROUGH GETTING THE FINANCES? EXCUSE ME.
UH, MS. LEE, IF YOU, YOU MIGHT AS WELL CAN HEAR YOU.
WE'LL BRING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION UP HERE AND LET, RELIEVE US.
DID YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION? NO, I DID NOT.
I'M RAMBLING BUTTON BACK HERE.
UM, WILL THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BE ABLE TO HELP OR DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT COULD HELP A POTENTIAL HOMEOWNER OR BUYER TO GET AND RECEIVE PROPER FINANCING? WELCOME THROUGH THE, THE PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED TO ME, BUT BY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHICH ONE IT WAS.
BUT, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, THAT Y'ALL WOULD DO AS WELL? UH, SURELY FOR 25 YEARS.
I DID THAT FOR THE CITY AND Y'ALL TRAINED ME WELL
BUT YES, UH, NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY, TWIN RIVERS OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNCILS OF WHICH I AM ONE.
AND THEN THE GREAT STAFF AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, WE CERTAINLY CAN USE THEM.
THERE IS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, UH, OUT THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THESE DAYS FOR LOW TO MODERATE, UH, INCOME.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, LIKE WE DID WHEN WE DID FOR NEW RIVER, IS THAT REALLY IS TO GET A PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL BANKS OR, UH, SELF-HELP CREDIT UNION OR ONE OF THEM.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES OUT THERE.
YES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD SOME HANDS AND, YOU KNOW, DO SOME PRAYING AND ALL OF THAT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
SO YES, WE ARE THERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.
SO, IS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OR STAFF GONNA TAKE OVER AGAIN, ADMINISTRATION FOR THE, UH, REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SEEN AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS DEPARTING? SO WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THAT YET.
UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS LEAVING ON FRIDAY, SO, UM, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILL BE WORKING WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION UNTIL WE WORK A WAY FORWARD WITH THAT.
I'M, I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT TO LEAVE.
ALL OF US IS CONCERNED THAT WE'VE HAD BACK AND FORTH.
WOULD THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER BE THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THIS PROJECT FOR THE CITY UNTIL SOMEONE IS HIRED? YOU ARE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
HE, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILL BE WORKING WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ON THIS.
AND SO WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THE VETTING THAT,
[01:05:01]
UH, THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS JUST MENTIONED.SO WE'LL BE HAVING SOME MEETINGS WITH THEM FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THAT.
QUESTION, UM, ON YOUR, YOUR COST, UM, THE 554,000, THAT'S ALL IN OBVIOUSLY, DIRT SURVEYS, PERMITS, THAT'S EVERYTHING.
UM, THAT'S ABOUT $228 A SQUARE FOOT.
IS THAT NOT IN CAROLINA COLORS, BUT IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON A AVERAGE IN THE MARKET NOW FOR NEW HOME RESIDENTIAL? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION, AND I DON'T WANNA GET TOO DEEP INTO THE WEEDS ON THIS, BUT THE PROCESS IS A POTENTIAL PROCESS TO DISPOSE OF THESE, TO GET ALL OF THE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TOGETHER.
AND LET'S JUST SAY THAT THERE ARE 50 OF 'EM AND GO THROUGH AN UPSET BID PROCESS WITH THIS THAT MIGHT BE CUMBERSOME WITH THE FINANCING, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LENDERS THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO APPROVE ALL OF THAT, THAT THAT'S AN OPTION TO CONSIDER.
A LOTTERY IS ANOTHER OPTION TO CONSIDER.
AND I'M SURE IF WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR LONGER, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME MORE OPTIONS.
IT'D BE A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE.
AND THEN, UM, I'LL SAY IT, UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO, I'LL TRY TO DO THIS AS BEST AS I CAN.
UH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT ALDERMAN ASTRA ON THIS.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S SORT OF MORPHED A LITTLE BIT.
YOU STARTED OUT WITH VETERAN HOUSES AND THEN IT WAS HOMELESS, AND THEN WE MOVED ON TO THIS.
UM, HAVE WE HAD ANY DISCUSSION WITH HABITAT ON HOW THEY MIGHT COULD HELP WITH THIS PROCESS? SINCE THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME? BETH AND I ARE PRETTY WELL FOCUSED ON THIS, RIGHT? UH, YES.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH HABITAT, THE HUMANITY, AND, UH, PATRICIA, UH, BEFORE, UM, SHE LEFT, SHE, UH, ALSO HAVE HAD COURTS WITH HIM.
WE'VE MET WITH THEM SEVERAL, UH, SEVERAL, UH, SEVERAL TIMES.
THEY DO THEIR OWN, UH, FINANCING, YOU KNOW, UH, IN, IN HOUSE.
AND SO, UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM, BUT WE GONNA DO THE BEST PROCESS.
SO REALLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE IT CUMBER.
SO OUR CITY NEEDS, UH, HOUSING FOR EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL OR, OR WHAT.
SO WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, AND I KNOW IT CAN BE CUMBERSOME WORKING, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, MORTGAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'LL DO WHATEVER, UH, WE CAN, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HABITAT, UM, A FOUNDATION OR WHATEVER, BUT WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE IT WORK.
MY LAST COMMENT, UM, AS MR. PARAGUAY LOADED TO, WHEN, WHEN THIS ORIGINALLY CAME TO FRUITION, THE INTENT WAS TO BUILD THESE HOUSES TO RENT 'EM OUT AND HAVE A PERPETUAL REVENUE STREAM.
YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT BASED OFF THE STATUTE.
SO WE'VE GONE FROM, OR YOU ALL HAVE GONE FROM DOING SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU MONEY, TO NOW YOU'RE TAKING THIS GRANT FUNDING AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA LOSE MONEY.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE SO EVERYONE IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE GOALS AND THE PURPOSES ARE.
YOU WENT FROM DIGITAL REVENUE STREAM TO AN EXPENSE MM-HMM.
BUT THE GOOD THING IS WE'RE GONNA TO HAVE THREE NICE HOUSES SITTING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO LOW INCOME.
AND MAYOR, JUST TO ADD TO THAT TOO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROCEEDS FROM THOSE SALES CAN BE REDEPLOYED INTO FURTHER HOUSING PROJECTS.
IT MAY BE A SMALLER BALANCE THE NEXT GO AROUND, BUT, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME RESOURCES THERE.
AND THREE NEW HOUSES ON THE CLARK WOULD HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU A RIPPLE EFFECT.
AND SO WE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BEING BUILT UP AS WELL AS ALL THE ELDER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HOPE THAT THE VISION OF 50 PEOPLE BEING IN A POOL THAT WE HAVE TO VET WILL DEMONSTRATE TO YOU THE NEED FOR HOUSING IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA.
THAT WOULD BE THE, THE REAL LEARNING FROM THIS PROCESS.
SO IS THIS PROJECT READY TO GO ONCE PROOF PROVE AFTER WE GET DONE JUMPING THROUGH CITY S AND SETTLEMENT ISSUES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? YES.
WHAT TIME, WHAT WE, YOU LOOKING AT? ANOTHER MONTH? TWO, THREE.
IT, IT COULD BE THAT THE SURVEYS ARE ALL DONE.
THEY'RE BE HANDLED ADMINISTRATIVELY AND RECORDED.
UH, WE HAVE THE PROCESS OF, OF, UH, SELECTING A CONTRACTOR AND THE BID BIDDING PROCESS AND SO FORTH.
WE ARE WORKING ON WITH, UH, CITY LEGAL STAFF.
AND SO WE WILL BE READY TO GO.
LIKE SAY WE'VE BEEN MEET, MEETING WITH ACTUAL CONTRACTOR HOME BUILDERS.
UH, THEY'VE REVIEWED THE PLANS AND GIVEN US DETAILED BUDGETS FOR BUILDING THEM.
[01:10:01]
GET THROUGH THE LEGAL HOOPS AND, AND ALL THE DURATIONS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOR THIS PROCESS, WE'LL BE READY TO GO.SO KITTEN, I LIKE TO SAY THIS.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANOTHER 40 YEARS
ANY ACTION THAT YOU NEED FROM BOARD, YES, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE $547,000, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
THREE, ESPECIALLY THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED THAT THIS THING HAS BEEN A PROJECT SINCE LAST AUGUST.
UH, MEETINGS, AFTER MEETINGS, UM, THE, THE, IT CHANGED, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, IT CHANGED FROM HOMELESS TO VETERANS TO RENT FROM RENTALS TO HOME OWNERSHIPS NOW.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND KIP ALL THE MEETINGS THAT YOU AND I HAVE HAD OVER THIS THING, OVER THIS PROJECT, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, I WANTED TO, TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE, UH, UM, HOUSING IN, IN THE AREA.
AND I HOPE THIS PROJECT WILL GIVE A GOOD KICKSTART, UH, FOR OTHER, UM, PROJECTS LIKE IT IN THE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY FIND ANOTHER LOT, BUILD ANOTHER ONE OVER THERE AND WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW, HOW MUCH MONEY WE WANT TO END UP SPENDING ON THESE.
IF WE SAVE A LITTLE MONEY, WE MIGHT BUILD ANOTHER HOUSE OVER THERE SOMEWHERE.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE UTILIZE A R P FUNDS OF 540, NOT TO EXCEED $547,000 TO BUILD THREE NEW SMALL HOMES ON THE PROPERTIES AT 2 0 3 AND 2 0 7 JONES STREET.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[14. Discussion of Potential Location for Pepsi Museum.]
14, DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL LOCATION FOR PEPSI MUSEUM.UH, I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS TO, TO GET THIS ONE STARTED.
UM, I HAVE, I HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A STRONG PROPONENT OF THE PEPSI MUSEUM.
I THINK IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE SAID ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT YOU HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC THAT CHOICES AND DECISIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE ON WHERE THIS IS GOING, WHICH WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE.
WHENEVER THE GROUP PRESENTED TWO WEEKS AGO TO ASK US TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT, IT WAS NOT KNOWN AT THAT TIME THAT WE NEEDED A LOCATION TO PUT ON THE GRANT APPLICATION.
SINCE THEN, I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING A SPECIFIC ADDRESS TO PUT ON THE GRANT APPLICATION.
UM, I'M STILL SUPPORTIVE OF THE PEPSI MUSEUM, HOWEVER, I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF RUSHING TO MAKE DECISIONS AND I AM NOT PREPARED TONIGHT, UH, TO VOTE ON A LOCATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN VETTED, THAT HAS NOT HAD ENOUGH INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A GRANT APPLICATION.
WE'VE ALSO SINCE LEARNED THAT THE GRANT APPLICATION IS PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE THE $950,000 THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE ORIGINALLY.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE SOMEWHERE AROUND HALF OF THAT BASED OFF OF SOME FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM RALEIGH.
SO THE PHRASE THAT I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE, UH, SINCE THE WEEKEND IS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR A GRANT FOR A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THAT COULD BE A MILLION DOLLAR MISTAKE DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MY STATEMENT.
CERTAINLY OPENING UP TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR DISCUSSION IS ISN'T ANYONE THAT CAN COME FORWARD TO CLARIFY WHAT THE GRANT WOULD BE WRITTEN FOR TONIGHT AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OR THE ADDRESS? THE AMOUNT, I THINK THE AMOUNT IS STILL GONNA BE REQUESTED OF $950,000.
BUT THE FEEDBACK IS THAT THE AWARD WOULD LIKELY NOT BE THAT MUCH.
IS THAT TRUE, JOHN? IS THAT TRUE? THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE, UH, WOMAN WHO ADMINISTERS THE PROGRAM IN ROBIN.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD FROM THE LADY DOCUMENTS, THAT THEY, THEIR OBJECTIVE IS TO SPREAD THE MONEY AS FAR AS THEY CAN, AND THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED 26 APPLICATIONS.
AND SO SHE THOUGHT AT BEST IT WOULD BE ABOUT, THEY ABOUT HALF.
COULD YOU COME TO THE SPEAKER POLICE, JOHN? I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST GONNA GIVE US A QUICK ONE, BUT HE, HE WENT A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH.
THE, THE WOMAN WHO ADMINISTERS THE GRANT PROGRAM IN RALEIGH, THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
[01:15:01]
RULE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HAS SPOKEN WITH US AND TOLD US THAT BASED ON A NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED, THEY ANTICIPATE THESE GRANTS WOULD BE ABOUT HALF THE SIZE OF WHAT WERE GIVEN IN THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS.THEY HAVE LIMITED, UH, FUNDS LEFT.
SO THAT WOULD PUT IT PROBABLY IN ABOUT THE 400,000 OPTIMISTICALLY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IS IT ANYTHING FUNDRAISERS THAT YOU CAN DO ALONG WITH WAITING FOR THAT TO MATCH WHAT YOU NEED, THAT THAT, THAT YOU WILL BE SHORT OF MONEY WISE? I, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
SO YOU MENTIONED EARLY ON, UH, FUNDRAISING, SOME FUNDRAISING TAKING PLACE, IS WHAT I'M SEEING TO HELP TO, UH, MATCH WHAT YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING? YEAH, I THINK WE REMAIN VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS IS A POPULAR PROGRAM, A POPULAR PROJECT, AND THAT THERE WILL BE, UH, FUNDRAISING SUCCESS IN FUNDING THE MUSEUM.
I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL INDIVIDUALS, WE THINK THAT PERHAPS, UH, EXECUTIVES FROM THE PEPSI CO AND WE THINK BOTTLERS FROM PEPSI, UH, COLLECTORS THERE, THERE'S A LARGE AUDIENCE OUT THERE THAT'S EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND WE THINK WE CAN RAISE THE FUNDS.
SO IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH WITH, WITH THE GRANT? GO FORWARD WITH IT.
IF WE GIVE YOU AN ADDRESS, THEN, IF WE VOTE TONIGHT, IF EVERYONE AGREED TO USE THE FARMER MARKET.
I MEAN, UH, I MEAN THE, UM, FARM OH, FOREIGN MUSEUM.
I THINK THAT IF THE BOARD WERE TO SELECT A PROPERTY THAT WE WOULD PURSUE THE GRANT, YES.
BUT, UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE PRESUMPTIVE TO TELL THE BOARD WHICH PROPERTY TO CHOOSE, BUT YES.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
TWO WEEKS AGO, THIS ROOM WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE AND OF COURSE PROPONENTS ALONG WITH US OF THE PEPSI MUSEUM.
UM, HOW DID WE MISS THIS? WHO, HOW NO ONE READ THE GRANT OR THAT RESPONSIBILITY WAS, UH, DELEGATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE GRANT WRITER? HOW, HOW DID WE MISS THIS? I, I MEAN, I THINK THE ONLY, THE LOCATION OF, I THINK WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT HAD TO BE CITY OWNED PROPERTY IN ORDER FOR THE GRANT TO BE GIVEN.
WE WERE NOT MADE CLEAR THAT IT HAD TO BE IDENTIFIED AT THE TIME OF THE GRANT APPLICATION.
SO PRIOR TO THE GRANT WRITER DELVING INTO THE GRANT, NO ONE READ THE SPECIFICS OF THE GRANT.
IT'S, IT'S RATHER FOGGY LANGUAGE IN THE GRANT.
AND, AND SO THAT CLARIFICATION CAME FROM THE WOMAN WHO ADMINISTERS THE PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU READ THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRANT, IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT THAT IS THE CASE.
IT'S CLEAR THE CITY NEEDS TO OWN THE PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT IT NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A SPECIFIC SITE.
YOU, MR. HUGHES, THIS GRANT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS NOW SINCE COVID.
AND WE HAD DISCUSSED, EVEN THE PREVIOUS BOARD HAD DISCUSSED POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT COULD BE USED FOR THIS GRANT.
DO WE HAVE ANY THAT COULD BE USED IN LIEU OF US APPLYING FOR THIS PEPSI GRANT? SO WITH THIS GRANT, IT'S GOTTA BE SHOVEL READY AND READY TO GO.
AND IT HAS TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT WOULD QUALIFY FOR IS THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.
IMMEDIATELY YOU WANT TO, I GUESS YOU, WE CAN SHARE, YOU CAN SHARE WITH THE BOARD NOW THE BID OPENING THAT YOU AND I ATTENDED TODAY.
AND I WAS GONNA COVER THIS AS PART OF THE MANAGER'S REPORT, BUT WE DID OPEN, UH, THE BIDS.
THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.
UM, OUR, OUR, UM, CO UH, ARCHITECT CPL KIND OF TOLD US THIS, THAT THE BID WOULD PROBABLY COME IN AROUND 14 MILLION, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, WE RECEIVED FIVE BIDS AND THE LOW BID RANGE FROM 12.9 MILLION TO 13.3 MILLION.
SO THE ARCHITECTS TAKING THAT, THE DOCUMENTATION BACK, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT, UH, THEY'RE GONNA SEND IT TO US, WE'RE GONNA VET IT, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY COME BACK TO THE BOARD IN OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.
[01:20:01]
WE'RE EXCITED WHERE, WHERE THAT THOSE NUMBERS DID TURN OUT TO BE.WE DO HAVE, UH, A GRANT FROM FEMA, IT'S GONNA BE 7 MILLION IN CHANGE.
WE HAVE HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN INSURANCE PROCEEDS.
WE HAVE FUNDS FROM, FROM THE STATE AS WELL TO GO TOWARD THIS.
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE UP THE REST OF THAT MONEY.
WE'VE ALWAYS KIND OF USED 8 MILLION AS THE NUMBER CORRECT.
SO ANYTHING ABOVE AND BEYOND EIGHT, EIGHT, 8 MILLION MINUS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO SPEND TO TAKE DOWN THE STANDING WHITE RECREATION CENTER PREVIOUSLY TO DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO HOW WOULD THIS, UM, $950,000 BE USED APPLICABLE TO STANLEY WHITE? WELL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 8 MILLION AND 13 MILLION.
SO THAT WOULD JUST HELP US PAY A LITTLE BIT LESS.
WE'RE GONNA END UP GETTING A LOAN FOR, FOR THE BALANCE OF THE, OF THE 13 MILLION IN, IN A, SO IT'S ABOUT 5 MILLION WE'RE GONNA GET IN A LOAN.
AND SO THAT WOULD JUST GO TOWARD THAT REDUCING OUR, OUR DEBT FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO
THE, THE BOARD CAN DO WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE TO DO.
WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO DO WHATEVER YOU HOLD.
I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST WATCHING THE GEARS CHANGING HERE.
LET ME, CAN I SAY SOMETHING BEFORE YOU DO THAT? GO AHEAD.
THERE'S, I, I THINK THERE WAS A WHILE I, I, YOU KNOW, WAS ON THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND, UM, WE'VE OPERATED THAT BUILDING AS A MUSEUM.
THE HVAC SYSTEM IS IN GOOD WORKING SHAPE.
THE, THE STRUCTURE ITSELF AS WELL IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF ROTTING IN SOME OF THE, THE, THE ENTRY DOORS.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE STRUCTURE IS SO, SO, I, I, I WAS TOLD THAT SOMEBODY SAID THAT WE HAD TO REMOVE ALL THE STUCCO.
IS THERE ANY ANY TRUTH TO THAT? WELL, THERE IS STUCCO ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY, ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.
AND AS THE BUILDING, UH, IS IT BIG ENOUGH, I MEAN, THEY WANTED 8,000.
THEY WERE LOOKING AT, HAVE AN 8,000 SQUARE FEET.
IT WAS FIVE, FIVE TO 6,000 I THINK IS WHAT THE NUMBER WAS.
THAT, THAT BUILDING IS NOT THAT SIZE.
THEY, THEY WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IF, IF THE BOARD WANTED TO PICK THAT ADDRESS, THEY'D HAVE TO EXPAND THAT FOOTPRINT AT SOME POINT TO GET THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT BUILDING DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE MSD, DOES IT? CORRECT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WE CAN'T USE ANY M S D MONEY TO HELP BUILD THE MUSEUM.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION THAT THERE U M S D FUNDS COULD BE USED TO, UH, TO HELP BUILD THIS BUILDING.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IF IT'S IN THE DISTRICT, YES, IT'S IN THE DISTRICT.
SO I, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, CUZ IT WAS TALKED ABOUT BEFORE OF PUTTING THE PEPSI, UH, MUSEUM DOWNTOWN HERE ON THE CORNER OF SOUTH FRONT AND HANCOCK STREET.
WHAT, WHAT COME WITH THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT LOT WAS PURCHASED WITH MSD MONEY, $227,000.
SO HOW DID THAT CHANGE, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS BEING TALKED ABOUT INITIALLY.
HOW DID THAT CHANGE IN WE COME UP WITH THESE OTHER TWO LOCATIONS OR I'LL, UM, THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE, WELL, THE HANCOCK STREET SURE.
BUT I THINK, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE HANCOCK STREET LOT THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM THE RAILROAD HAD BEEN DISCUSSED MM-HMM.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THINK IT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE REASON OF A PEPSI MUSEUM, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
CAUSE THAT GOES BACK MANY, MANY YEARS.
THAT WAS A SITE THAT WAS DISCUSSED.
AND I BELIEVE ALDERMAN PRI, HE, AND I THINK HE SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERYONE ON THE BOARD THIS WEEKEND, UM, EXPRESSING SOME OF HIS DESIRES.
HE HAD, UH, LOOKED AT IT AND THE ELEVATION, IT'S IN THE FLOOD ZONE OR VERY CLOSE TO IT IF IT'S NOT.
AND THE BUILDING WOULD HAVE TO BE ELEVATED, WHICH WOULD ADD TO THE COST
[01:25:01]
OF IT.WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A VALID OPTION, UM, IF THE BOARD DECIDED THEY WANTED TO PUT IT THERE.
I JUST KNOW THAT AFTER THE POLL THIS, AND DO YOU HAVE THE SURVEY RESULTS? MAYBE? SO INFORMAL SURVEY ONE, ONE THING WE DID IS AN INFORMAL SURVEY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OVER THE WEEKEND.
UH, WE PUT THAT OUT ON FACEBOOK AND ON INSTAGRAM.
AND, AND WE LISTED THE THREE PROPERTIES IN QUESTION.
SOUTH, SOUTH FRONT AND HANCOCK STREET, 4 0 8 HANCOCK, WHICH IS THE OLD FIREMAN'S MUSEUM AND THE BROAD STREET PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE OLD DAYS SITE, JUST TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THE PUBLIC WOULD'VE TO SAY.
75% OF THE VOTES CAME BACK THAT FOLKS PREFERRED THE OLD DAYS' INSIGHT FOR THIS.
UM, AND THEN IT WAS SPLIT PRETTY MUCH EVENLY AT 12 AND A HALF PERCENT, UH, 4 0 8 HANCOCK AND, UH, SOUTH FRONT AND HANCOCK STREET.
AND LET'S, LET'S ADD A LITTLE COMMENTARY TO THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS'S A VERY INFORMAL UNSCIENTIFIC SURVEY THAT WAS DONE ON FACEBOOK THAT ANYONE THAT HAS A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT COULD HAVE MADE THE SUGGESTION FOR THAT.
SECONDLY, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS, IF NEWBURN WERE TO SOMEHOW RECRUIT A CRACKER BARREL IN A OLIVE GARDEN, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD CARE WHERE THIS MUSEUM WENT AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST, BECAUSE LITERALLY THAT WAS SOME OF THE COMMENTS.
UM, I, I RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE SOME GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM A ENTERTAINMENT STANDPOINT, A BOWLING ALLEY.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT FOLKS WERE SCANNING SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAW THREE PICTURES AND SAID, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE? AND THEY JUST SAID, WELL, LET'S DO SOME OF THE DAY'S IN.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE REASON THAT SORT OF CEMENTS MY POINT TO BEGIN WITH, THAT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO RUSH TO MAKE ANY DECISION.
BUT IF HONOR MCKENZIE, I KNOW HE IS ANXIOUS TO MAKE A MOTION HERE, BUT IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO AS A BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT THE GRANT IF IT'S GIVEN TO US.
SO YEAH, I JUST, I JUST FEEL THAT THE MUSEUM, THE PEPSI MUSEUM, IF, IF WE DECIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, IT NEEDS TO BE IN WALKING DISTANCE AND CLOSE BY THE TRIUM PALACE, THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM, THE CIVIL WAR MUSEUM, UH, PEOPLE CAN PARK AND, AND JUST WALK AND VISIT ALL THREE MUSEUMS. UH, AND I, AND I PERSONALLY THINK IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE M S D DISTRICT SO WE CAN U UTILIZE M S D FUNDS.
BUT SINCE I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT HADN'T SPOKEN YET, UM, I, I HAVE A AGREED WITH THE MAYOR SINCE, UH, LAST WEEK WHEN WE GOT NOTIFIED THAT I, I REALLY FELT LIKE THIS WAS A RUSH TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHERE THIS THING IS GONNA GO.
AND IN ALL HONESTY, THE ONLY REASON WE HAVE THESE THREE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CHOOSE FROM IS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THREE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES.
UM, I I THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND BETTER LOCATIONS THAT THE MUSEUM COULD GO THAT THE CURRENT, THE CITY CURRENTLY DOESN'T OWN OR MAYBE IT DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO OWN TO BUILD A PEPSI MUSEUM.
AND SO, UM, I'D RATHER BE ABLE TO PUT IN FOR A GRANT FOR MONEY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA USE IN A WISE MANNER, UH, IF WE'RE ABLE TO PUT IN FOR STANDING WHITE.
SO, UM, MY THOUGHT TONIGHT IS NOT TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I AGREE WITH YOU.
I I WOULD RATHER, I'D RATHER GET THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING.
BUT FOR US TO TRY TO SIT HERE TONIGHT AND DECIDE, AND I UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM THE ADDRESS TO EVEN APPLY FOR THE GRANT, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I WOULD RATHER, I WOULD RATHER FOR THIS THING TO BE TABLED AND LET THE MAYOR, IF HE WANTS TO FORM A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE THAT CAN INVESTIGATE DIFFERENT LOTS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY, WE ALREADY HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT'S BRAD'S LEGACY.
UM, WELL YOU, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT ABOUT THIS VOCATION TO PUT THIS PEPSI MUSEUM, BUT SINCE WE GOT THIS GRANT RIGHT HERE AND THE TIME IS OF ESSENCE HERE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET AND UTILIZE THIS GRANT FOR THE STANDING WHITE REC CENTER.
UH, THAT MIGHT BE A THING, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT I CAUSE YOU SAID THEY HAVE TO BE SHOVEL READY.
WELL, WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR CIVIL READY FOR THIS MUSEUM.
THE, UM, AND, AND BRAD'S LEGACY HAD BEEN WORKING ON SOME CONCEPT PLANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IF THE BOARD CHOOSES NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE PEPSI MUSEUM, THE STANLEY WHITE WOULD BE THE, THE ALTERNATIVE TO
[01:30:01]
GO WITH BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THE RESEARCH, WE'VE DONE THE VETTING, WE'VE GOT THE, THE PLANS IN PLACE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE BOARD'S OPTIONS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO DO.
UM, SO, UH, BEING CHAP READY AND, UM, UH, UH, WELL, I'M TELLING IT'S A LOT OF GEARS CHANGING TONIGHT.
I'M TELLING YOU WHAT TO GET IN FIRST GEAR.
IT'S VERY EASY TO GET IN FIRST GEAR, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET IN FOURTH GEAR, BOY, YOU GO AROUND AND AROUND.
UM, SO USING, UH, A CH READY PLACE, IS IT ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN CHANGE THE GRANT, MARTHA? IS IT ANY WAY YOU CAN CHANGE THE GRANT, THE ADDRESS, ONCE YOU GET IT, IT HAS TO REMAIN THE SAME.
CAN YOU CHANGE IT? SO COME ON, COME ON UP.
WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO GO BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IF THE LOCATION CHANGES MM-HMM.
WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL ACCEPT THAT AFTER AWARDING GRANT FUNDS IS NOT KNOWN.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE, UH, REVIEWERS.
SO ANY CHANGE WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED.
NOW GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING, IT ISN'T THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO CHOOSE.
IT DOESN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE FROM WHAT I JUST HEARD FROM ONE OF THE MEMBERS.
IS THAT CORRECT, BOBBY? RIGHT.
IT DOES NOT MEET THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
I, I DON'T, DO YOU KNOW THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THAT BUILDING? A 4 0 8 HANCOCK? IT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY AROUND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
YOU THINK IT'S THAT? I'M TALKING ABOUT JUST THE MUSEUM PART? YEAH.
WELL THE, THE ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE IS ABOUT 5,000.
AND WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? SIZE TO PUT THE MUSEUM IN? WHAT'S, WHAT IS THAT SIZE? I THINK THAT THERE IS A PLAN THAT, UH, MBF ARCHITECTS HAS DONE FOR THAT BUILDING.
JOHN, DO YOU KNOW WHAT SIZE YOU NEED? I THINK WE'VE GOT FIVE TO 7,005 TO WAS CONSIDERED TO BE AN APPROPRIATE SIZE FOR THE BUILDING.
NOW, UM, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE BUILDING.
THEY HAD LOOKED AT DOING SOME WORKS AND REPAIRS ON IT PREVIOUSLY, I BELIEVE.
AND, UM, WE ENDED UP STOPPING ON THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE COST OF THE UPFIT.
UM, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE THERE WAS ANY GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE ALSO.
SO, UM, I I I THINK THERE WAS A SENSE THAT THAT BUILDING COULD WORK.
UM, I THINK THERE ALSO WAS A SENSE THAT BUILDING A NEW BUILDING WOULD PROBABLY END UP BEING COMPARABLY PRICED TO THE RENOVATION AND UPFITTING OF THAT BUILDING.
THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF CHANGES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE ON THAT STRUCTURE, INCLUDING PROBABLY RELOCATING THE ENTRANCE AND SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO, UM, THAT, UM, WAS NOT A PRIORITY LOCATION UNTIL WE WERE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL FOR $950,000 GRANT MONEY ON A CITY OWNED PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD GIVE YOU THE FUNDS TO DO QUITE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? YEAH, IT DOES.
SO, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I LIKE TO ENTERTAIN AND, UH, EVERYBODY YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN OR YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION, UH, MAKE A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE USED A FIREMAN MUSEUM FOR THE ADDRESS FOR THE GRANT.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT USING 4 0 8 HANCOCK STREET AS THE ADDRESS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? HEARING NONE THAT DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND, MR. BOARD LIKE TO TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION? YES, I'D LIKE TO
[01:35:01]
TAKE AN, UM, ANOTHER STEP FORWARD AND ASK THAT DIRECTION BE GIVEN TO, UM, SINCE WE, IT'S NOT READY FOR A MOTION TO BE MADE, BUT DIRECTION BE GIVEN TO THE CITY, UH, MANAGER OR TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD OR THE GRANT WRITER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS GRANT SO THAT THOSE, UH, THE GRANT CAN BE AWARDED FOR THE STANDING WHITE REC CENTER.WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPLY FOR THE RURAL TRANSFORMATION GRANT USING THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER AS THE PROJECT.
IS THAT CORRECT, MA'AM? THAT IS CORRECT.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND NOW SECOND.
LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS APPOINTMENTS.
I DO NOT SHOW ANYONE WITH ANY APPOINTMENTS UNLESS
[15. Appointment(s).]
I MISSED SOMETHING.THE FARMER MUSEUM, RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT'S NOT IN OUR PACKAGE, BUT OUR, IF YOU'RE READY TO MAKE A MOTION, I'M SURE WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, YEAH, I HAD HAVE HAD CONVERSATION WITH GARY CLEMONS AND HE IS WILLING TO PERFORM THE, UM, TERM THAT WAS VACATED BY BILL FREDERICK, CORRECT? NO, UM, PICKENS.
OH YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT MR. PICKENS.
I HAVE A MOTION MY ALTMAN ASK HER TO APPOINT MR. GARY CLEMONS TO THE FIREMAN MUSEUM BOARD.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? IS THAT GOOD? HAVE A SECOND ALDERMAN.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, THERE WERE, YEAH, TWO MORE.
UM, IT WAS, THE EMAIL WAS SAYING THAT, UM, MR. HENRY WATSON WANTS TO REMAIN ON, UM, THE FIREMAN'S REEM BOARD BOARD.
SO I'D LIKE TO, FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE MR. WATSON TO REMAIN ANOTHER TERM ON THE FIREMAN'S REEM BOARD.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND TO REAPPOINT MR. HENRY WATSON TO THE FIREMAN MUSEUM BOARD.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, HE IS REAPPOINTED.
I'VE NOT SPOKEN TO MINE YET, SO DEFER TO THE NEXT MEETING.
WAS IT WAS, IS THERE TWO MORE MEMBERS THAT CURRENTLY SERVED THAT WANTED TO BE REAPPOINTED? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT WAS THE WARD SIX APPOINTMENT THAT I MADE.
I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO HER BEFORE I RENO.
I'M LOOKING TOO TO SEE WHO COULD FIND IT.
SO YOU DID GARY CLEMONS AND ALDER MCKENZIE, YOU HAVE AN OPENING AND BETTY BLACK SERVED CURRENTLY SERVING AND SAYS SHE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE ALMAN HENSLEY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OR YOU CAN WAIT TILL NEXT MEETING LIKE ARNOLD, I'LL WAIT TILL NEXT MEETING.
ANY MORE APPOINTMENTS? ALRIGHT, ATTORNEY'S REPORT.
NOTHING IMPORTANT TO THAT MATTER.
[17. City Manager's Report.]
MANAGER'S REPORT.UH, FIRST THING IS, UH, IF THE APRIL 11TH BOARD AND WE DISCUSSED THE PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAY THAT THE BOARD APPROVED OF, UH, ONE THING WE DID NOT HEAR IS WHEN YOU WANT TO ENACT THAT.
SO WE CAN ENACT THAT NOW OR WE CAN, UH, DO THAT IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF DIRECTION ON, ON WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT SINCE I MADE THE MOTION.
I'LL, UH, I'D LIKE TO IMPLEMENT IT THE FISCAL YEAR, THIS 20 23, 20 24 FISCAL YEAR.
SO OUR, OUR CALENDAR, I KNOW YOU YEAH, WE, OUR CALENDAR IS, WE ASKED THAT QUESTION, YOU SAID IT COULD BE BASED ON CALENDAR YEAR, IT COULD BE BASED ON FISCAL YEAR.
WELL, IT, IT'LL BE EASY FOR US TO DO IT THE CALENDAR YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT THE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE IS.
UM, WE COULD, WE COULD ADJUST THE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE IT COMING MEETING TO REFLECT THROUGH THE END OF THE, OF THE FIFTH OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
OR WE COULD JUST COME BACK IN OCTOBER WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 2024 HOLIDAY DATES AND
[01:40:01]
IMPLEMENT IT IN EFFECTIVE NEXT YEAR.AND THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING TO WHEN WE MADE TO ALL THIS BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT JUNETEENTH? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
WE, WE PROVED THE HOLIDAY, BUT WE DIDN'T SAY WHEN IT WAS EFFECTIVE.
WE DIDN'T SAY WHEN IT WAS EFFECTIVE.
AND I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T SAY WHEN IT WAS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE, UM, THE FLOOR'S OPEN.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WASN'T IMPOSED, UM, ON YOUR TIME.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY, IT WAS BROUGHT UP FOR DISCUSSION AND I JUST FELT THAT THE WAY THAT IT WAS BROUGHT FORTH, IT DID NOT RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH AS A PAID CITY PAID HOLIDAY WHERE ALL CITY EMPLOYEES, REGARDLESS OF WHAT COLOR, WHAT ETHNIC GROUP OR WHATEVER THAT YOU COULD OBSERVE JUNE 13TH, JUST LIKE WE A CITY, WE CLOSED THIS FOR THE 4TH OF JULY.
THE CITY IS CLOSED, ALL EMPLOYEES ARE OFF.
WE OBSERVED THE 4TH OF JULY, I THINK IT WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE BLACK AND BROWN CITIZENS OF EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THIS CITY.
I THINK IT WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE.
I WAS, I WAS VERY UPSET, UM, AT THE TIME.
AND I JUST THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD, I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GONNA GO TONIGHT, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, TO, UM, DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH.
I, I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMENTS MADE FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.
I'VE HAD SOME COMMENTS, I'VE HAD SOME CITIZENS REACH OUT TO ME.
I'VE HAD EMPLOYEES REACH OUT TO ME AND I JUST THINK WE NEED TO REVISIT THIS AND MAKE THIS A HOLIDAY, A CITY PAID CLOSE HOLIDAY, JUST LIKE WE OBSERVED JULY 4TH.
SO MS. CLERK OR SOMEONE, YOU'LL HAVE TO REFRESH MY MEMORY, I BELIEVE IT WAS A SIX ONE VOTE TO ADD A 13TH FLOATING HOLIDAY THAT THE STAFF MEMBER COULD CHOOSE WHEN THEY WOULD WANT TO USE THAT DATE IF IT WAS JUNETEENTH OR IF IT WAS ANOTHER DATE.
IT WAS UP TO MANAGEMENT DISCRETION.
AND THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT WAS CORRECT, YES.
AND I WANTED TO JUST BECOME A, A A, A PAID HALL DAY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND I VOTED YES TO THAT.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND IT REALLY, IT REALLY MADE ME, I WAS VERY UPSET THAT
Y Y'ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FEEL ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT I JUST THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CITYWIDE PAID HOLIDAY FOR ALL CITIZENS, FOR ALL EMPLOYEES TO OBSERVE ON THE SAME DAY.
UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE BOARD COULD DO ANYTHING THEY WANT.
DO YOU HAVE FOUR THAT AGREE TO IT? YES, SIR.
SO I THINK THE QUESTION ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW IS, DID WE WANT THE PREVIOUS MOTION THAT WAS ADOPTED TO START THIS CALENDAR YEAR OR WAIT UNTIL NEXT PHYSICAL YEAR? IS THAT THE QUESTION? THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
EITHER THIS CALENDAR YEAR OR NEXT CALENDAR.
I THINK STAFF'S LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION BOARD.
WELL, I MEAN, I, I HAVE NO PROBLEM STARTING AT THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE OFF THIS JUNETEENTH COULD DO SO I AGREE.
IS THAT A MOTION? THAT'S A MOTION.
IS THAT A SECOND? NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL HOLIDAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN DOES IT START? CORRECT.
BECAUSE YEAH, IF, IF YOU GIVE US DIRECTION ON ONE OR THE OTHER, IF YOU GIVE US DIRECTION ON THIS YEAR, WE'LL COME BACK WITH, UH, ON THE NEXT AGENDA AND UPDATE THE HOLIDAY CALENDAR TO REFLECT THIS.
REFLECT THE 13TH OBSERVANCE STATEMENT, 13TH OF THE EMPLOYEE'S CHIEF.
ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S GET CLARITY AGAIN.
THE MOTION IS WHAT? THE MOTION IS TO START THE PREVIOUS APPROVED ACTION OF ADDING A 13TH PAID HOLIDAY THAT COULD BE USED ANYTIME DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR AT THE EMPLOYEE AND MANAGEMENT DISCRETION.
STARTING IT NOW INSTEAD OF IN 2024.
[01:45:01]
THANK YOU.IS THAT, DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? YES.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE.
STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KINZIE? YES.
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION CAUSE I WANT SOME CLARITY ON THIS.
I KNOW WE WERE, YOU KNOW, VOTING HERE TO MAKE THIS, TO DECIDE WHEN THIS HOLIDAY IS GONNA START, BUT AT ANY POINT IN TIME I CAN BRING THIS BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION TO, TO, TO MAKE SOME REVISIONS OR ACTUALLY CHANGED THIS WHOLE HOLIDAY PERIOD.
AND IF YOU CAN, CAN RERA THE ISSUE WHENEVER YOU'D LIKE.
AND THE, UH, TWO, TWO MORE THINGS.
ONE IS, UH, MR YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE HAD THE GRAND OPENING OF THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CENTER YESTERDAY AND WE HAD A VERY GOOD TURNOUT FOR THAT.
UH, THE FACILITY IS VERY NICE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC BEING ABLE TO ENJOY THAT.
UH, I THINK THAT PARK AND RECREATION PLANS ON OPENING THAT UP AND IT BEING OPERATED MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM THERE WILL BE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE HELD DURING THE EVENING, UH, AND ALL WEEKENDS AS WELL.
THEY'RE WORKING ON SUMMER CAMPS AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS TO TAKE PLACE UP THERE.
AND IT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR RENTALS.
SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO PARKS AND RECREATION.
UH, THE FINAL THING I HAVE IS, AS WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE GREAT FIRE, THE GREAT LAKE FIRE, UH, UM, REALLY AFFECTED A LOT OF OUR CITIZENS OVER THE WEEKEND.
UM, WE WERE FRUSTRATED JUST LIKE THE CITIZENS WERE AT THE LACK OF INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED.
UM, THE ONLY WAY WE REALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT SOME INFORMATION WAS IFI RESCUE STAFF REACHING OUT TO EMERGENCY SERVICES WHO HAD TO REALLY BUG, UH, THE FIREFIGHTERS ON THIS.
AND SO YESTERDAY MORNING, UM, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTHERN AREA RED INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM.
THEY TOOK OVER THE, THE FIRE SERVICES OPERATION SUNDAY AND THEIR GOAL WAS TO COME IN AND, AND, AND, AND BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WITH THE CITIZENS.
SO THERE WAS A MEETING THAT WAS HELD TODAY, WE SENT, UH, SEVERAL CITY STAFF OVER THERE AND THEY COVERED A VARIETY OF THINGS.
SO I WANNA COVER SOME OF THOSE THINGS WITH YOU.
UM, 245 PERSONNEL ARE WORKING ON MITIGATING THE FIRE AND ADDITIONAL TEAMS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN THE COMING DAYS TO ASSIST.
TEAMS ARE WORKING 13 HOUR SHIFTS.
THE FIRE CURRENTLY SPANS 32,400 ACRES AND IS 30% CONTAINED.
THE GOAL IS TO KEEP THE FIRE CONTAINED IN THE FOREST TO PROTECT NEARBY HOMES, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE.
RIGHT NOW, CREWS ARE WORKING WITH WAREHOUSER TO DIG TRENCHES ALONG ROADWAYS AND SET, UH, SET, UH, BACKFIRES TO PREVENT THE FIRE FROM SPREADING.
THEY'RE ALSO USING AIR TANKERS TO DROP WATER ON THE FIRE.
THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE HAVING TO DROP THE FIRE RETARDANT.
THEY'RE USING HELICOPTERS AND DRONES TO MONITOR THE FIRE FROM ABOVE AND ATTACK SPOT FIRES.
THIS WILDFIRE WILL BURN FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIC MATERIAL DEEP IN THE SOIL SO THE FIRE IS BURNING NOT JUST LATERALLY, BUT DEEPLY INTO THE GROUND.
OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, EXPECT CHANGING WINDS, WHICH WILL MEAN NEWBURN COULD EXPERIENCE MORE SMOKEY DAYS.
THE FOREST SERVICE AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM EXPECT TO BE HERE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND POSSIBLY MONTHS BEFORE THE ENTIRETY OF THE FIRE IS EXTINGUISHED.
AT THIS POINT, THEY DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY EVACUATIONS WITH THIS WILDFIRE.
IF THAT SHOULD CHANGE, EFFECTIVE MUNICIPALITIES AND LOCAL MEDIA WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY AND THE CITY OF NEWBURN, OUR PRACTICES TO SEND PERSONNEL INTO THE FIELD TO GO DOOR TO DOOR TO ALERT RESIDENTS THAT THEY NEED TO EVACUATE.
WE WILL ALSO USE SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR WEBSITE, AND NEW NEWBORN ALERTS TO NOTIFY AFFECTED RESIDENTS.
AND YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR NEWBORN ALERTS ON OUR WEBSITE@NEWBURNNC.GOV.
UPDATES TO THE PUBLIC WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR APPROXIMATELY TWICE DAILY, ONCE IN THE MORNING, ONCE AT NIGHT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRESS RELEASES.
THEY'RE ALSO WORKING TO INCORPORATE VIDEO UPDATES WITH INFORMATION ON WEATHER IMPACTS AND FIREFIGHTING PROGRESS.
SO STAY TUNED TO THE US AND NORTH CAROLINA FOREST SERVICE FACEBOOK PAGES AND YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR UPDATES.
AS FAR AS FOOD OR SUPPLIES FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, WE DID RECEIVE WORD THAT A LOT OF CITIZENS WERE DROPPING GATORADE, THINGS LIKE THAT OFF THEY'VE ASKED THAT YOU DON'T PROVIDE THEM WITH ANY INFORM, ANY, ANY SUPPLIES.
THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AND THEY DON'T ACCEPT THAT.
AND IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO BE RUDE, BUT THAT'S JUST THE, THE FOREST SERVICES PROTOCOL.
UM, AND THEY DID WANT US TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, UM, THEY WILL HAVE A WILDFIRE MEETING AT A COMMUNITY MEETING THURSDAY, APRIL 27TH AT 6:00 PM
[01:50:01]
AT CREEKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT'S LOCATED AT 27 90 LANDSCAPE DRIVE.THIS IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO IF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO GO AND THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE WILDLIFE, UH, UH, THE US FORESTRY REPRESENTATIVES, THEY'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM AT THAT TIME.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT, SIR.
PFIZER, CAN WE POST THAT DATE AND TIME OF THIS MEETING ON OUR SO I CAN FORWARD IT TO YOU A ABSOLUTELY.
AND COLLEEN PROBABLY HAS ALREADY POSTED THAT.
[18. New Business.]
STARTING WITH ALTMAN BRINSON.I HAVE NOTHING RIGHT, SIR ALTMAN BEST.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MAYBE FOSTER, YOU CAN GIVE ME A LITTLE UPDATE.
UM, I REACHED OUT TO GEORGE, UM, MR. CHILDS, UM, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND, UM, PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GET THE MAIN STREET AND RALEIGH STREET AND WASHINGTON STREET PAV, BECAUSE IT'S CREATED A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH, UM, CITIZENS, UH, DAMAGE TO THEIR VEHICLES AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE POT HOSE.
AND DO YOU KNOW, WHEN HAS A, HAS GEORGE ALREADY, UM, SENT A BIG PACKET DOWN OR HAS HE WE'LL, WE'LL FIND THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL LET THE BOARD KNOW AND WE'LL ALSO, UH, SEND SOMETHING OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO LET THE CITIZENS KNOW AS WELL ON THAT.
SO CAN ALSO, IF, UM, THE STREET, THE PAVING, IF THE POT HOSE AND STUFF UNTIL THIS, YOU KNOW, PAVING PROJECT STARTS, IF THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE STREET IS MAINTAINED IN THESE POTHOLES OR FILLED AND ABSOLUTELY.
THE CITIZENS WILL AS, UH, ALSO, UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING I HAD.
OH YEAH, MISSY, UM, MS. COOPER, WHICH WE ALL GOT A LITTLE REMINDER HERE AT OUR STATION HERE ABOUT THE DUFFY FIELD CLEANUP, WHICH IS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, MAY 5TH AND SIXTH AT 20 20 23.
AND IT'S TO MEET AT THE LORD'S SHELTER AT THE HENDERSON PARK FOR THOSE THAT WANT THE VOLUNTEER TO CLEAN UP.
UM, 9:00 AM BOTH DAYS FOR THE CLEANUP ASSIGNMENTS.
UM, JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR THE CITIZENS, THOSE THAT MAY WANNA VOLUNTEER AND THAT THERE WILL BE A DUFFY FIELD CLEANUP.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK, UM, ALL THOSE THAT YOU, MR. UM, HUGHES AND MAYOR AND MS. UH, ROYAL AND MR. BRISSON HERE FOR, UM, COMING OUT TO HELP, UH, CELEBRATE THE GRAND OPENING OF THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CENTER.
IT WAS REALLY NICE, THE CITIZENS, A LOT OF CITIZENS SHOWED UP.
UM, WE DID HAVE THREE ELDERS THERE THAT WAS REALLY PUSHING FOR YEARS, FOR OVER 20 SOME YEARS, PUSHING TO GET A CENTER THERE.
SO THEY WERE, THEY SAID, I KNOW ONE GENTLEMAN COME UP TO ME AND SAY, WELL, HOW I LIVE TO SEE IT HAPPEN? I CAN'T BELIEVE
SO THEY WAS, EVERYBODY ONE WAS REALLY ENJOYED AND THEY HAD FUN.
AND THE FOOD, THE HOTDOGS AND HAMBURGERS WAS REALLY GOOD.
AND I'M NOT EVEN KING ON HOTDOGS AND HAMBURGERS, BUT THEY WERE REALLY GOOD
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, TO ALL THE CITY STAFF THAT CAME OUT AND MADE THAT DAY POSSIBLE WHEN WE HAD FUN SUCH, JUST THANK YOU.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
ALDERMAN ASER, NATHAN KNIGHT, SIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MENTION FIRST OF THE RETIREMENT OF PASTOR ROBERT JOHNSON AS PASTOR FOR 43 YEARS AND THAT RETIREMENT IS COMING UP ON, UH, SUNDAY, MAY THE SEVENTH WITH A FLOATING RECEPTION.
UH, PASTOR JOHNSON HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, HE'S WORKED VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY FOR 40 SOME YEARS AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THAT.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS THE SECOND CHANCE PROCLAMATION.
I'M SO THANKFUL THAT WE, UH, DID THAT AND APPROVED IT.
SECOND CHANCE, THE SECOND CHANCE, CHANCE ACT SUPPORT STATE, LOCAL AND GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR WORK TO REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM AND TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE RETURNING FROM STATE AND FEDERAL PRISONS.
AND I'M JUST GLAD THAT WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PROCLAIM APRIL AS SECOND CHANCE MONTH AND, UH, TO ADDRESS THE BARRIERS THAT ARE CREATED FOR, UM, THAT NEED TO BE CREATED SO WE CAN HAVE SUCCESSFUL RE-ENTRY.
SO I APPRECIATE, UM, US FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THAT.
LASTLY, VERY BRIEFLY, UH, I WANT TO ADDRESS SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE APRIL 11TH MEETING.
[01:55:01]
AND ALDERMAN ASKED TO EXPRESSED THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE MAJORITY VOTE TO TABLE THE DECISION REGARDING THE GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE PEP AND MUSEUM.AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT AS THEY EXPRESSED IT.
UH, THE ISSUE WAS TABLED AGAIN TO ALLOW OPPORTUNITY TO ADEQUATELY RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OF THE BOARD THAT WERE IN PART GENERATED BY THE CITIZENS AND TO GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE UPDATED INFORMATION.
I THINK THE THING THAT WAS MOST CONCERNING TO ME WAS THE STATEMENT, UH, THAT THE TIME TAKEN TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, UH, RESULTED IN A WASTED TWO WEEKS.
I TALKED TO ALDERMAN BRINSON ABOUT THIS AND I EXPRESSED MY OPINION TO HIM.
AND I FELT THAT THIS STATEMENT WAS DISRESPECTFUL TO OUR COLLEAGUES AND, UH, TO MYSELF AS WELL.
UH, LISTENING TO THE PROPOSAL PROJECT FOR MR. HARRISON, HE ADVISED US THAT THERE WERE ERRORS AND MISCALCULATIONS IN THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT.
AND BECAUSE WE HAD AN UPDATED DOCUMENT HERE FOR US, I DID NOT HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT.
AND SO, AGAIN, TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INFORMATION AS ALDERMAN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY NEEDS THAT REQUIRE OUR ATTENTION, BUT AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO IS THE NEED TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF NEWBURN CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD AND ACKNOWLEDGED, AND WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT THOSE CITIZENS AND THEIR CONCERNS.
IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, CALLING IT A WASTE OF TIME IS BOTH ING AND IT IS THAT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND A DISREGARD, TO MY OPINION, OUR PRIMARY DUTIES.
CITIZENS HAVE QUESTIONS AND IT IS IN THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN'S MEETINGS THAT WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEND OUR VOICE TO THEIR QUESTIONS IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
THIS ISSUE IS TRANSPARENCY AND IT ENSURES ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO DUE TO ALL THE CURRENT RACIAL CLIMATE IN CITIES ACROSS THE NATION, WE HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE WITH OUR WORDS AND WITH OUR DELIVERY.
AND THAT WOULD MAKE US PRUDENT IN WHATEVER WE DO.
WE HAVE TO LEARN TO WORK IN UNITY AND EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO BE HEARD.
IF WE WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER HERE, WHICH IS OUR SLOGAN, THEN WE NEED TO OPERATE IN A WAY THAT MAKES EVERY CITIZEN FEEL INCLUDED AND TREATED WITH RESPECT.
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS BY ALLOWING EACH ALDERMAN TO MAKE EDUCATED AND SOUND DECISIONS BASED ON ACCURATE INFORMATION AND TO HEAR AND RESPECT THE WISHES AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ITS CITIZENS WITHOUT EXTRANEOUS DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTS.
WHETHER WE AGREE OR DISAGREE, WHICH EVERY ONE OF US HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO, WE MUST BE INCLUSIVE AND BE MINDFUL THAT EVERY VOICE HAS VALUE.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH ALL MCKENZIE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? OH YEAH.
IF THIS IS A SEVEN DAY EVENT IS CHURCH ACCORDINGLY INVITE THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND THE MAYOR TO CELEBRATE WITH THEM ON, UM, APRIL THE 29TH ON COLONY DRIVE.
THIS SERVICE, THE CELEBRATION STARTS AT NINE 15.
SO, AND THE PUBLIC IS QUARTERLY INVITED AS WELL.
UM, COLONY DRIVE 1120 COLONY DRIVE.
THAT'S SATURDAY, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
YES, I'VE, UM, I ACTUALLY SAW, UM, IT'S INTERESTING HOW THINGS HAPPENED.
I SAW ON AN ONLINE ARTICLE IN SUN JOURNAL THAT I WAS GONNA BE AT THIS EVENT MM-HMM.
UM, I WILL BE AT A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR MY SON ON SATURDAY.
SO, AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE AS WELL.
UM, THE ONLY THING IS THAT ALL YOU HAD, I'M SORRY.
THE ONLY THING I HAD, I, I WANT TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL AND INCLUSIVE
[02:00:01]
OF ALDERMAN PRE'S COMMENTS THAT HE SHARED WITH THE FULL BOARD IN AN EMAIL OVER THE WEEKEND.ABOUT HIS SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PEPSI MUSEUM.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN, I KNOW THIS IS NOT CONGRESS, BUT IS THERE A WAY WE CAN ENTER THAT EMAIL INTO THE MINUTES OR THE RECORD SO THAT CAN BE PART OF THE RECORD? YES, SIR.
UM, I THINK WHAT I WOULD DO, AND I CAN TALK TO THE CLERK ABOUT THIS, CERTAINLY THESE COMMENTS, UM, CAN INCORPORATE THAT BY REFERENCE.
UM, SECOND THING IS TO CIRCULATE IT AMONG THE BOARD AND MAKE SURE THE BOARD HAS THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT THAT TO LITERALLY APPEAR WORD FOR WORD IN THE RECORD OR NOT.
I, I WANT TO GO ON RECORD, UM, AND BE VERY CLEAR THAT I, IN NO FORM OR FASHION, WANT TO SEE CITY HALL TURN INTO THE PEPSI MUSEUM.
SO I WANNA BE ON RECORD FOR THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? DO WE NEED A CLOSE SESSION TONIGHT? NO, SIR.
ANYTHING ELSE COME BEFORE THE CITY OF THE BOARD? IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.