[00:00:03]
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WORK SESSION THAT STARTED ON MAY THE SECOND.
WE ARE NOW IN OUR THIRD DAY OF DELIBERATION.
SO I WILL TURN OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER, MR. HUGHES.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE WERE BASED ON, UH, THE WORK SESSIONS WE HAD LAST WEEK.
UM, KIM'S GONNA BRIEFLY GO OVER, UH, HOW WE, UH, MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE, TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND KIM, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD SURE.
IF YOU OPEN UP YOUR BINDER THERE, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THERE'S A SHEET THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
AFTER WE REVIEWED THE, UM, DRAFT BUDGET, WE WENT BACK AND WE HEARD SOME OF THE, UM, YOUR CONCERNS.
WE WENT BACK AND JUST KIND OF, UM, LOOKED WHERE WE COULD SEE WHERE THERE WAS MAYBE A HOSPITAL PADDING IN SOME AREAS.
AND, UM, SOME THINGS THAT, UH, WERE SUGGESTED WERE MAYBE TOO HIGH IN, LIKE TRAVEL AND TRAINING AND FOUND SOME AREAS TO, TO REDUCE.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS THE TOP SECTION, WE REDUCED THAT SECTION, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD ADMINISTRATION, SPECIAL PREPARATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, $525,155, WHICH WAS ALMOST A 3% DECREASE.
WE HAVE, UM, THE, SOME IT, WE HAVE THE LIBRARY REDUCTION.
SO, UM, KEEPING THE LIBRARY REQUEST AT 75,000 INSTEAD OF 90,000 THAT, UM, DROPPED THAT DOWN BY 15,000.
WE HAD SOME TRAVEL AND TRAINING REDUCTION, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REDUCTION IN SOME, UM, CONTRACTS BECAUSE, OR SOME, I'M SORRY, IT EQUIPMENT, THE IT EQUIPMENT, UM, FOR THE BOARD, YOU GUYS, UM, MENTIONED THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE IPADS INSTEAD OF THE LAPTOP.
SO THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY $10,000 REDUCTION WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN JUST SOME BASIC OTHER IT SUPPLIES IN FINANCE, WE REDUCED IT BY $9,103.
AND IT WAS MOSTLY IN TRAVEL AND TRAINING IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
WE REDUCED IT BY $2,600 AND THAT WAS THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND SOME OFFICE SUPPLIES, OH, I'M SORRY, WE REDUCED OFFICE SUPPLIES AND MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES AND WE INCREASED THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
BUT THE TOTAL NET AMOUNT WAS 2,600 IN POLICE.
UH, WE REDUCED ABOUT $7,000 IN TRAVEL AND TRAINING, UM, TO OVERTIME CFI AND CALLBACK WAGES.
UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE HISTORY, THEY MAY NOT IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THERE'S WAGES, THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH THAT, UH, THEY HAD BUDGETED AT THAT TIME SPENT.
SO WE FELT COMFORTABLE REDUCING THAT.
AND WE REDUCED, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FUEL.
THEIR TOTAL WAS $93,955 AND FIRE.
WE REDUCED, UM, TRAVEL AND TRAINING, UH, SOME EDUCATION ASSISTANCE AND SOME REQUESTS FOR, UH, REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE WITH THEIR, THEIR BUILDINGS.
AND THEN, UM, SOME OTHER EQUIPMENT WAS REDUCED BY $10,000.
SO THAT WAS 444,500 PARKED SOME RAPIDLY REDUCED.
SOME DUES WERE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT.
UM, RECREATIONAL SUPPLIES WERE REDUCED.
OUR AGRICULTURAL SUPPLIES, FUEL SOME IT SUPPLIES.
AND THEN, UM, THE SKATE PARK WAS REDUCED OF $150,000, UM, IN SOME REPAIR MOVEMENTS EQUIPMENT.
AND, UM, MAYOR, I DID ALSO WANNA SAY ON THE SKATE PARK, WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY THIS WEEK AND, UM, THEY'RE FINALIZING THE PARTS OF THEIR BUDGET AS WELL.
AND SO THEIR REQUEST IS THAT WE GET TOGETHER AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE NEW YEAR TO DISCUSS PARTNERSHIP.
THEY'RE STILL INTERESTED, I BELIEVE WE ARE STILL INTERESTED, BUT WE WOULD JUST REVISIT THIS AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR A CLOSED ESCAPE PARTY.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WAS REDUCED BY $27,075.
AND THAT WAS MOSTLY WITHIN THEIR, UM, TEMPORARY HEALTH SERVICES, SOME TRAVEL AND TRAINING.
AND, UM, SOME IT, UH, SUPPLIES.
PUBLIC WORKS WAS REDUCED BY 149,800.
UM, THEY HAVE SOME SALARY AND WAGES OF $10,000.
THAT WAS, UM, SET ASIDE FOR POSSIBLE VACATION PAYOUT.
THERE WAS SOME GRA GARAGE SUPPLIES THAT
[00:05:01]
WAS, UM, NON-INVENTORY THAT WERE REDUCED BY 20,000, CLEANING SERVICES BY 25,000.SOME, UM, SALARIES AND WAGES FOR SEASONAL STAFF BY $20,000.
UM, ELECTRICITY STREET LIGHTS, BASED ON WHAT, UM, WE'RE WE, WE SAW THIS YEAR, WE'RE THINKING THAT THAT WAS JUST MAYBE A LITTLE BIT, UH, TOO HIGH.
UM, CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR SUPPLIES BY 20,000 IN FUEL.
WE DID, UM, REDUCE THAT AS WELL.
THE WATER FUND, UH, WAS REDUCED BY 8,500 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FUEL ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THEN WE HAD, UH, ELECTRIC FUND HAD ADJUSTMENTS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IT SUPPLIES AND PUBLIC WORKS RESTRICTED FOR THEIR BUILDINGS.
AND THAT WAS A 26,500 REDUCTION SOLID WASTE WAS, UM, ACTUALLY INCREASED BY 13,000 FOR OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, UM, WHICH WAS 10,000 AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY 2,500.
THEY ALSO HAVE UTILITIES BY 500.
SO THEY TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE WHEN WE WERE TAKING A LOOK AT THEIRS.
AND WE HAD SOME UPDATED NUMBERS.
UM, THE TOTAL OF ALL FUNDS WAS $658,463 OF A REDUCTION.
UM, THAT LAST SECTION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE WAS A TRANSFER.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE M THE PARKING, WE WERE, WE IDENTIFIED THAT WE, THE GENERAL FUND WAS COVERING APPROXIMATELY $8,000 OF THE, OF THE PARKING EXPENSES.
AND SO WE BUDGETED IN THE TRANSFER FROM MSD TO GENERAL FUND FOR THAT, THE REMAINDER OF THE PARKING.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE ALSO, UM, BUDGETED $297,537 FROM FUND BAIL.
HOW MUCH IS THAT AMOUNT AGAIN? $297,537.
AND THAT AMOUNT WAS FOR WHAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY, 2 97.
5 37 FOR WHAT? FROM FUND BALANCE.
I DUNNO IF IT'S NEW TODAY OR NOT.
IT'S, IT'S HARD WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION BEHIND US TO HERE FROM FUND BALANCE, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YES.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT YOU HAVE THIS, I MEANT TO SEND YOU A HEADS UP CAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK, BUT I'VE BEEN BUSY TODAY.
UM, WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU HAVE SET ASIDE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE COLA AND THEN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE MERIT INCREASE, REALLY FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS THE MAIN THING I'M LOOKING FOR.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT FOR THE OTHER ONES, IT'S FINE.
AND IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK THAT LATER, CAN I COME BACK? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TANYA TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND THEN WE'LL, OKAY.
DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE CHANGES THAT KIM JUST REVIEWED WITH US? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UNDER THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT LINE ITEM, SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS LIBRARY, IS THAT SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS THE SAME AS IT IS UNDER SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? IS THAT ONE AND THE SAME OR TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR THE LIBRARY? IT SHOULD BE ONE AND THE SAME.
TRADITIONALLY WE, WE FUND THE LIBRARY IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000 ANNUALLY THIS YEAR.
THEY MADE A REQUEST TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT TO $90,000.
SO THAT SHOULD BE REFLECTED APPROPRIATELY.
SO IT IS THE THIRD LINE ON PAGE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THE SAME PAGE NUMBER I BOOK, BUT 46 ON THE BOOK THAT WE GAVE YOU.
SO AGAIN, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THIS ON PAGE 46, SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHAT IS THAT FUND? SO WE, WE TRADITIONALLY SET ASIDE APPROXIMATELY $25,000 FOR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WHETHER THE BOARD ASKS US TO GET AN APPRAISAL ON PROPERTY OR IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER, WE, WE USE THAT TRADITIONAL 25,000 WITH THAT.
UH, DURING THE WORKSHOP, I TALKED ABOUT INCREASING THAT AMOUNT FROM 25,000 TO $100,000 FOR ANY OTHER POTENTIAL PLANNING THAT THE GOVERNING BOARD WANTED TO ADDRESS DURING THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD AND ALDERMAN ROYAL THAT THAT FUND, I KNOW HISTORICALLY HAS DONE
[00:10:01]
THINGS LIKE THE LUNCH THAT WE GAVE, THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM, THE PARADE, THINGS LIKE THAT IS WHAT THAT'S BEEN USED FOR IN THE PAST.AND I THINK WHAT FOSTER MENTIONED DURING THE WORK SESSION WAS IF WE WANTED TO DO A STRATEGIC PLAN AND BRING IN OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS, THAT'S WHERE YOU PUT THAT FUND UNDER MM-HMM.
SO ALL OF THOSE LINE ITEMS ARE DIFFERENT.
WHEN IT SAYS SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS, THEY'RE FOR VARIOUS FUNDING PROJECTS.
ONE IS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THIS ONE IS FOR LIBRARY.
IS THERE ANOTHER ONE OR THAT'S IT FOR SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS? SO PAGE 46 IS YOUR SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS BUDGET.
IN, WITHIN THAT DIVISION, YOU'LL HAVE ALSO YOUR, YOUR WARD APPROPRIATION, THE AMOUNT THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOUR, EACH WARD OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS, UM, AND THEN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND, UM, ALLIANCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MAYOR, IF I COULD, SINCE I MISSED THE, THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
UM, AND, UM, I AM THE, THE BOARD'S LIAISON TO THE LIBRARY.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST, UM, ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF.
I MEAN, THEY ARE AN ENTITY AND NOT UNLIKE OURSELVES, WHERE THEY ARE FEELING THE, THE SAME, THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, UM, THAT EVERYBODY IS.
AND THE REQUEST THAT THEY HAVE MADE, UM, FROM 75 TO 90 IS REFLECTIVE OF THE, UH, ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT THEY ARE INCURRING, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD.
FOSTER, DO YOU RECALL, I MEAN, YOU INDICATED THAT THE, THE CITY TRADITIONALLY, UH, APPROVES AN APPROPRIATION OF 75, BUT IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UM, AND SOME OF THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS I THINK WILL RECALL THIS, THAT AMOUNT USED TO BE 90,000.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I'M GONNA DEFER THAT TO THE CLERK.
BRENDA, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT IS, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK IF IT WAS 90,000.
IT WAS MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
I, I, UM, NOT SURE HOW LONG AGO THAT WAS.
SO, I MEAN, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THE AMOUNT OF THE APPROPRIATION THAT WAS APPROVED WAS DECREASED BY THIS BOARD OR PREVIOUS BOARD.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS FROM 90 DOWN TO 75.
AND THEN IT HAS REMAINED AT 75.
WHAT THE, THE LIBRARY WAS REALLY ASKING FOR WAS CONSIDERATION THAT THAT, UM, APPROVAL OF 75 BE INCREASED BY SOME AMOUNT.
I MEAN, THE REQUEST WAS FOR 15,000 TO GET IT BACK UP TO WHERE IT WAS YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M SURE THEY WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INCREASE IN THAT APPROPRIATION, UH, AGAIN, JUST TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR BUDGETARY PRESSURES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO URGE THE BOARD TO AT LEAST CONSIDER MAYBE CHANGING THE, YOUR MIND AND NOT REDUCE, UM, THEIR REQUEST TOTALLY DOWN TO ZERO, BUT MAYBE, UH, APPROVE SOME, SOME INCREASE IN THE APPROPRIATION THAT IS MADE TO THEM.
A PER, I THINK, UM, WHENEVER CITY ATTORNEY DAVIS GETS HERE FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING, WE COULD ASK HIM, I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE IS A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS, THAT WAS SIGNED AT SOME POINT IN TIME LONG BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASONS WERE AND HOW THEY DERIVED AT THAT NUMBER, BUT I, I'M PRETTY SURE MR. DAVIS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP PROVIDE SOME CLARITY AROUND THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO PULL UP.
IT, IT DATES BACK, UM, LIKE MAYBE THE SEVENTIES OR EIGHTIES WHEN THE AGREEMENT WAS PUT INTO PLACE FOR 75,000 A YEAR.
I THINK IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN THE CITY AND IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE CITY AND COUNTY SORT OF THINGS.
AND, UM, THAT WAS HOW THE CITY, I THINK GOT OUT OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY.
SO WE'LL SEE IF MR. DAVIS CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON IT.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT HOW LONG, I'M LOOKING AT HISTORY BACK TO 2017 AND WE'VE BEEN SET AT 75,000 EVERY YEAR.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYONE? YES.
UM, FOSTER YOU, COULD YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS, THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? SO
[00:15:02]
IF I HAVE A, IF I HAVE A PROJECT THAT I WANT TO PUT FORTHSO IS IS IT FOR PERSONAL OR IS IT BUSINESS ONLY? NO, IT'S FOR BUSINESS.
THE INTENT, THE INTENTION OF THIS WAS FOR ANY, ANY OTHER PLANNING THAT THE BOARD WANTED TO SEE.
WE'RE ABOUT READY TO UNDERTAKE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ADDRESSED IN THIS YEAR'S CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET.
ANY OTHER PLANNING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE, THAT'S THE INTENT OF THAT 75,000.
AND, AND CAN I REMIND US THAT ALL I HEAR BEHIND ME IS, IS, UM, I'M SORRY, MACHINERY.
EITHER THAT OR WE CAN TURN, CAN, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT CAN TURN THE MICS UP JUST A LITTLE BIT? ARE EITHER SPEAKING THE MIC? I, IT IS TOUGH OVER HERE.
DID YOU NOT HEAR ME? WE'RE YEAH, I DID.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THEM TO CUT OFF EARLY TODAY AND BEAR WITH US FOR A FEW MINUTES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MARY, DO YOU HAVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR FULL MERIT FOR GENERAL FUND? THE COLA IS APPROXIMATELY $730,000 AND THE MERIT IS APPROXIMATELY 485,000 TOTAL, 1.2 MILLION.
THAT DOES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYER BENEFITS THAT ARE APPLIED TOWARDS THEIR SALARY.
THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS, UM, THE COLA AT 3% IS 385,000, AND THE MERIT AT 2%, UP TO 2% IS APPROXIMATELY 255,000, TOTALING 640,000.
AND THAT IS ASIDE FROM THE SECOND HALF OF THE SALARY STUDY RECOMMENDATION.
SO THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THAT.
AND I'D LIKE AT THIS TIME, IF I COULD HAVE A SECOND TO, UM, BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, SOME OF THE RESPONSES THAT I HAVE FOR YOU IN THE MANILA FOLDER.
IF WE COULD GO THROUGH THAT REALLY QUICK.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE TO FIND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU REQUESTED FROM THE WORKSHOP.
SO THE, UM, FIRST PAGE IS THE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS ANNUAL PAY, UM, COMPARISON THAT BRENDA JUST PASSED OUT.
THE SECOND PAGE IS THE VEHICLE SALES, UM, THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT HOW MUCH DID I THINK ALDERMAN BIRTH AND YOU ASKED, UM, WITH ABOUT THIS, AND THIS IS, UM, FY 22 AND FY 23.
UM, OUR TOTAL REVENUE RECEIVED BASED ON UH, GOV GOV DEALS.COM WHERE WE SOLD OUR VEHICLES FY 23 SO FAR IS $86,890.
THE THIRD PAGE IS THE PROPERTY SALES FOR FY 22 AND FY 23 AS WELL.
FY 23 PROPERTY SALES IS 116,889.
THE NEXT PACKET IS THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS, UM, THAT SHOWS YOUR REMAINING BALANCES FOR EACH OF YOUR, IT ACTUALLY HAS THE WHOLE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THEN IT SHOWS REMAINING BALANCES THERE ON YOUR HIGHLIGHTED LINES.
AND ATTACHED TO THAT IS THE, UM, THE SPENDING POLICY FOR THOSE FUNDS.
THE NE NEXT PACKET IS OUR DEBT SERVICE, UM, SCHEDULES.
AND I PRINTED THEM FOR EACH FUND.
THE CASH RESERVE POLICY WAS REQUESTED AS WELL.
AND THE VERY LAST PAGE IS YOUR, OUR FUNDING PROJECT VAL, UM, PROJECT ALLOCATIONS AND, UH, BALANCES BY WARD.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE A R P FORM.
UM, THE TWO, 2023 ENCUMBRANCES, THAT'S WHAT'S ALREADY SPENT OR DESIGNATED FOR THIS YEAR, THE 2023 ENCUMBRANCES.
THAT IS, UM, OPEN PURCHASE ORDERS.
SO THEY ARE IN, THEY'VE ENCUMBERED THE FUNDS, THEY'VE GOT A CONTRACT IN PLACE, OR THEY'RE ORDERING THE SUPPLIES, WHATEVER THAT IS.
AND, UM, JUST WAITING FOR THE SERVICES TO BE
[00:20:01]
PERFORMED AND, UM, PAY THAT OUT.ONCE THEY PAY IT OUT, THEN THAT REDUCES THE ENCUMBRANCE.
AND IT GOES OVER TO THE ACTUAL LINE.
SO REALLY THE 2023 AVAILABLE IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT'S AVAILABLE CAUSE IT'S ALREADY SORT OF BEEN ALLOCATED.
IS THAT FAIR? UM, IT IS A AVAIL.
BASICALLY, IF WE GO THROUGH, LET'S SAY, WE'LL PICK THAT HANCOCK STREET, THAT THIRD LINE YEP.
SO WE HAVE A BUDGET OF $500,000.
THAT'S HOW MUCH WAS ALLOCATED FOR WARD ONE FOR THAT PROJECT.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONLY APPEAL FOR $10,773.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN SPENT.
SO OF THAT ALLOCATED $500,000, WE STILL NEED TO SPEND DOWN 489,000 TO HUNDRED 20, ALMOST $7.
BUT WE, WE, THE PROJECT IS STILL VALID.
SO THE AVAILABLE LINE JUST MEANS THAT'S HOW MUCH IS UNSPENT? I SHOULD, OR YEAH.
IT HAS NOT BEEN ENCUMBERED OR NOT HAD BEEN PAID OUT.
BOARD, JUST JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THESE.
THE A R P FUNDING, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE DEADLINE THAT ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE OPERATING UNDER? WHERE THIS MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT? SO, UM, THERE IS NO DEADLINE.
WHEN WE SELECTED THE STANDARD DEDUCTION AND, UM, TRANSFERRED THESE FUNDS BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, THEY'LL JUST ROLL FORWARD TO THE NEXT YEAR, UM, AFTER CLOSE OUT OF THE, THE FISCAL YEAR AND, AND UNTIL THEY'RE SPENT DOWN, WE'LL BE GOOD.
SO FOR THE BIGGER PROJECTS, AND AGAIN, I JUST, UH, TRAFFIC LIGHT ON MIDDLE BROAD, THE, THE HA HANCOCK STREET CULVERT, I'M JUST LOOKING AT ONE ONE RIGHT NOW.
COULD BE A YEAR OUT, COULD BE TWO YEARS OUT.
THE, THE NEXT ITEM WE TALK ABOUT IS GONNA BE GEORGE CHOW'S GONNA GIVE SOME, UH, AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND ON ALL THE RRP PROJECTS.
AND LIKE THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ON THE MCCOTTER HOUSE, UH, GOD KNOWS
I I, ON THAT ONE, I SENT, UH, THE CHAIR AN EMAIL LAST WEEK AND REMINDED HER THAT WE'RE COMING UP ON A YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF WHEN THE GOVERNING BOARD ALLOCATED $350,000 FOR THAT.
AND I IMPLORED THEM TO LET'S HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.
THE RESPONSE WAS, THEY THINK THAT'S DOABLE.
SO I'M, I'M TRYING TO PUSH AND PROD ON THIS END AS MUCH AS I CAN.
SO, SO THE REALITY IS, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THIS SPREADSHEET, UH, FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND IT'LL, IT'LL BE CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
POTENTIAL, POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER AT LEAST POSSIBLY TWO YEARS DEPENDING ON CERTAIN PROJECTS WITH I THINK THAT'S REALISTIC.
SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS, UM, ONCE THEY'RE DONE, THEY'RE DONE.
ONCE THE TRAFFIC LIGHT'S DONE, IT'S COMPLETED.
SO ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SO FOSTER, DOES THAT CONCLUDE NUMBER ONE? THAT CONCLUDES NUMBER ONE.
[2. Update on ARP Projects. ]
ALL RIGHT, SO NUMBER TWO IS UPDATE ON A R P PROJECTS.AND I GUESS MR. CHILDS IS GOING TO COME FORWARD.
AND SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE SO WE CAN ALL HEAR HIM.
HOPEFULLY MY MESSAGE GOT THROUGH TO THE, TO THE MAN LIFT AND THE BACKUP ALARM.
I THOUGHT WE HAD THAT COVERED EARLIER IN EARLIER MEETING.
CAN YOU PULL IT DOWN SOME CUZ IT'S KINDA, MAYBE IT'LL GET YOUR VOICE A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS GO THROUGH THE ARFA FUNDED PROJECTS BY A BOARD THAT MAY NOT ALIGN EXACTLY WITH THE SPREADSHEET YOU HAVE, BUT I THOUGHT IT'D BE BEST TO GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF YOUR AWARDS TO SEE HOW THAT WAS AFFECTED.
UM, THE, THE FIRST ITEM, WHICH COVERED MULTIPLE WARDS, WHICH IS COMPLETED RIGHT NOW, IS ELECTRONIC SPEED LIMIT SIGN.
UM, THEY WERE INSTALLED RIGHT AT THE END OF 2022, BEGINNING OF 2023 INWARDS 13 AND SIX.
AND THE FUNDS BUDGET AT THAT TIME WERE $28,000.
THE HANCOCK STREET CULVERT, WHICH WAS MENTIONED, UH, PRIOR IN WARD THAN ONE.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE, THE ENCUMBRANCE FUNDS RIGHT NOW, THIS IS IN A RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY AREA, WHICH MAKES THE, THE PROJECT A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED WHEN WE'RE DEALING WORKING IN THE RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY, WE OPTED TO FIRST HAVE A SUBCONTRACTOR CAMERA, THE LINES, THEN EVALUATE THE LINE TO SEE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY LINE IT.
WE THINK IN THE END THAT WOULD BE
[00:25:01]
LESS EXPENSIVE THAN TRYING TO DIG RIGHT BESIDE THE RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY, WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SHORE AND, AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL BRACING TO, TO REMOVE THAT LINE.SO WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO GET THEIR RIGHT OF WAY CLEARANCE FROM THE RAILROAD TO PERFORM THE CAMERA WORK.
BUT THAT, THAT IS IN THE WORKS.
UM, UNION POINT, UH, PARK, WE HAVE DONE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF, UH, STORM DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED THE BACKFLOW PREVENTER, WHICH IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO STOP THE RIVER FROM BACKING INTO THE PARK AT CERTAIN HEIGHT DURING FESTIVALS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA WORK ON INSTALLING THAT BOX IN THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS THAT'LL HAVE THE BACKFLOW PREVENTER AND THEN AN ELECTRIC PUMP THAT ALLOW US TO PUMP THE PARK OUT.
UH, WHILE WE HAVE THE BACKFLOW PREVENTER CLOSED THE MIDDLE AND BROAD TRAFFIC SIGNAL, WE HAVE JUST REVIEWED THE 30% COMPLETE PLANS WITH THE ENGINEERS, AND WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR DELIVERY ON THE FINAL PLANS JUNE 16TH.
SO ONCE WE HAVE THOSE FINAL PLANS FOR REVIEW, WE'LL TURN 'EM BACK AROUND AND THEY'LL WORK TO GET THE BIG BID DOCUMENTS OUT SO THAT, THAT IS ACT ACTIVELY UNDER DESIGN WORK.
UM, THE RED ROBIN, UH, TRENT ROAD PROJECT WAR II, UM, THIS HAS BEEN AWARDED.
UM, JIM CO CONSTRUCTION HAS THIS AND A WAR II PROJECT, UM, FOR THE TR ROAD BANK STABILIZATION SIDE, FLE BIKES.
UM, JIM CODE WILL BE PERFORMING THAT WORK TOO, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT STARTED IN THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS.
SO THOSE TWO PROJECTS WILL START SIMULTANEOUS.
THE PENBROOK, UH, SIDEWALKS AND THE IMPROVEMENTS IN PEMBROKE, UH, WERE STILL IN THE CONCEPT PLANNING PHASE OF THAT PROJECT.
UM, THE RACETRACK ROAD CULVERT IN WARD FOUR THAT WAS ADDITIONALLY SINGLED OUT AT THE TIME, THAT CAME FROM A NEED, UM, ADDRESSED IN A 2018 DRAINAGE STUDY FOR THAT AREA.
IT'S GONNA BE UPGRADED TO DOUBLE 36.
UM, BUT THAT PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN COOPERATION WITH THE RACETRACK ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH I'LL SPEAK ABOUT NEXT.
UM, SO, SO THE RACETRACK RATE IMPROVEMENTS, WE HAVE PLANS TO WIDEN FROM ELIZABETH GOING NORTH TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
WE'RE GONNA GO FROM 22 FEET TO 26.
UM, IT'LL WIDEN THE SHOULDERS, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR, UH, ICS AND PEDESTRIANS ON THAT RIGHT OF WAY WITHOUT TRYING TO GET INTO THE DITCH LINES FROM THE RAILROAD TRACKS NORTH TO TOWARDS NEW BOULEVARD, WE'LL DO A RESURFACING AND ADDRESS THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE CONCRETE PLANT WITH A THICKER PROFILE OF ASPHALT.
HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM D O T ABOUT THE INTERSECTION THERE? NOT YET.
I'VE SEEN IT IN SOME OF THE STEP PLANNING, BUT IT IS NOT A FUNDED PROJECT CURRENTLY.
SO THAT PROJECT FOR, UH, RACETRACK ROAD, UM, WE'RE LIKELY SCHEDULED TO, UH, PUT THAT OUT IN THE BID AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
THE NORTH HILLS DRAINAGE STUDY.
SO THE NORTH HILLS DRAINAGE STUDY, UM, AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT ENCOMPASSES TWO THINGS.
SO WE'VE GOT ON HERE, WE HAVE, UM, ALREADY RECEIVED A $75,000 GRANT FROM DEQ, UM, FROM, FROM THE STATE THAT IS DOING THIS STUDY.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE FINDINGS OF THOSE STUDIES IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS THAT WILL HELP US TO, TO DIRECT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO UTILIZE THE $500,000 FROM THOSE FINDINGS IN THE NORTH HILLS SIMMONS STREET CULVERT AREA.
SO YOU'RE, SO, YOU'RE, SO THAT'S WHY, UM, I'M NOT SEEING ANY, UM, ANY ACTUAL, UM, SPENDING HEARINGS.
WE'RE WAITING THAT STUDY TO, TO COME IN TO SHOW US WHERE WE NEED TO DO THE WORK.
AND YOU'VE ALSO GOTTEN TO REALIZE WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER GRANTS IN THAT AREA INVOLVING THE EAST ROSE LIFT STATION.
SO WE'VE GOT, UM, EAST ROSE LIFT STATION, WE ALSO HAVE THE POND EXPANSION IN THE EAST ROSE BASIN.
WE HAVE IMPROVEMENTS TO UPGRADE THE LIFT STATION ITSELF BY LOWERING THE, UH, PUMP INVERT SO WE CAN DRAW DOWN THE WATER A LITTLE BETTER THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE KIND OF RESULTS WE WANT RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE GRANTS INVOLVED, AND THE STUDY IS KIND OF THE LEADING INDICATOR ON SOME OF THE BIGGER ITEMS FOR, FOR THE NORTHFIELD AREA.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU.
THE REASON WHY I'M NOT SEEING THE $75,000 HERE, BECAUSE THAT WAS THROUGH A GRANT, THAT WAS THROUGH A SEPARATE GRANT NOT FUND THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE STATE.
THAT WAS NOT A AWARD ALLOCATED OUR ITEM.
I JUST WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT SO YOU WOULD KNOW WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION TO DIRECT US FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS IN
[00:30:01]
THAT AREA.NOW WHAT ABOUT THE EAST ROSE CULVERT? THE EAST ROSE CULVERT'S ALSO PART OF THAT.
SO THAT IS, YOU'VE GOT THE ORDER COMING FROM SIMMONS STREET.
YOU'VE GOT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EAST ROSE LIFT STATION, WHICH DISCHARGES THROUGH THE CULVERTS OKAY.
SO, SO WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE GRANTS, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT FUNDING AGENCIES, SOME OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY WAITING ON THE STUDY NOW.
THE EAST ROW, UH, LIFT STATION ITSELF IS FUNDED OUTSIDE OF WHAT WAS DIRECTED BY THE BOARD.
AND THAT DESIGN WORK IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
THEY ARE COMPLETING THE, UH, DESIGN WORK FOR THE POND EXPANSION.
UM, THAT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF MAY.
SO THEN THAT WILL ALSO, THEY ALL TIE TOGETHER AND, AND WE CAN'T LEAD, WE CAN'T LEAD THE, THE DOWNSTREAM IN UNTIL WE HAVE THE UPSTREAM IN FIGURED OUT.
SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF, KIND OF WORKING IN CONJUNCTION, UH, WITH ALL OF THOSE.
BUT I, I FEEL THAT ONCE WE GET THE STUDY DONE AND WE DECIDE ON THE DIRECTION, WE'LL EASILY RUN THROUGH THIS MONEY QUICKLY ONCE WE KNOW WHAT DIRECTION THAT'S GONNA BE AND WHAT'S RECOMMENDED TO US, THE COLLEGE PARK.
UM, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, WERE AWAITING PROPOSALS FROM, UH, CONSULTANTS ON THAT TO DO THE DESIGN WORK FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PINEHURST PUMP STATION, WHICH IS WARD SIX, UM, TRC HAS COMPLETED THE PHASE ONE WITH ALL THE SURVEY SURVEYING AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS COMPLETE AND PHASE TWO, UM, IT'S IN THE REQUISITION PHASE AND ACTUALLY RECEIVED IT TODAY, UM, FOR THE DESIGN BID SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO UPGRADE THAT LIFT STATION.
THE SIDEWALK GAPS IN WARD SIX.
UM, I HAVE RECEIVED THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN WORK FOR THAT, AND THAT IS, UM, EXTENDING THE SIDEWALKS OF WARD SIX FROM CYPRESS SHORES, WHERE ABOUT
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSE TO FINISHING REVIEW ON THOSE TO GET THOSE OUT THE BID.
ALSO, THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN REPLACEMENT THAT WAS WARD SIX, IT WAS A REQUEST FOR US TO, TO REPAIR SOME SIGNS.
UM, OUR PUBLIC BUILDINGS CREWS TOOK CARE OF THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY CONTINUED THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT TOWN ON THE SIMILAR SIGNS THAT THE CITY HAD HISTORICALLY INSTALLED AND REWORKING THEM, UM, AS WE CAN HAVE TIME TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'LL BE A ONGOING ITEM THROUGH THE CITY THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY FUNDED BY THIS, BUT IT STARTED, STARTED OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THOSE SIGNS.
THE NEWBURN, UH, MEMORIAL, UH, CEMETERY SHELTER WARD SIX, UM, THAT HAS, UH, BEEN ORDERED AND WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE DELIVERED IN THE FALL OF INSTALLATION TO, TO OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY RIGHT AFTER THE, UH, DELIVERIES COME IN ON THERE.
AND, UM, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE PROJECTS, UM, I'LL CERTAINLY DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THEM FOR YOU.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO ASK YOU.
NUMBER ONE, IN WARD TWO, THE RED ROBIN, UM, PROJECT YOU SAID IS GONNA RUN CONCURRENT WITH WHAT OTHER PROJECT? WE SAY THE, THE NORTH HILLS DRAINAGE? NO, RED ROBIN.
AND THE, UM, TRENT ROAD BANK STABILIZATION.
SO THE SAME CONTRACTOR'S GONNA BE DOING BOTH.
THEY'RE GONNA START BOTH OF 'EM AT THE SAME TIME.
SO DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOBILIZE ONES.
IS TRENT ROAD, IS THAT WHERE THE FLIGHT SPIKE IS? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S BIG CANAL ON RIGHT SIDE, UH, FLASHLIGHT.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU, UH, WHEN WE GET OPPORTUNITY, I WANTED TO REVIEW THAT SIDEWALK DESIGN IN THE PEMBROKE COMMUNITY.
DID, DID YOU NOT HAVE A DESIGN OR WE WE HAVE SOME CONCEPT PLANS YES, MAAM.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THAT WITH YOU.
AND, AND THEN LASTLY, I KNOW ALDERMAN BEST BROUGHT THIS UP, UH, UH, UM, NOT LONG AGO, UH, UH, REGARDING RESURFACING THE STREETS IN THE DUFFER FIELD COMMUNITY.
I WAS TALKING WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS YESTERDAY IN A MEETING THAT WE HAD.
WHAT IS THE PLAN AS FAR AS RESURFACING ONE RESIDENT WAS SAYING THAT THERE WAS SOME, SOME HOLE OR SOME ISSUE THAT THAT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAD TO COME BACK AND READDRESS IT? NO, MA'AM.
THEY, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSING RIGHT NOW IS JUST REFILLING ANY OF THE, UH, SUBGRADE THAT'S WASHED OUT THERE IN THE RAIN.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSING.
AND WE'VE HAD 'EM IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, ESPECIALLY AFTER RAIN EVENT.
UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE ASPHALT CONTRACTORS DOING THEIR WALKTHROUGHS
[00:35:01]
THE END OF LAST WEEK AND THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, SO THAT THEY CAN THEN RETURN THE, UM, BID DOCUMENTS TO US SO WE CAN SELECT LOW BIDDER AND, AND TURN 'EM LOOSE AS SOON AS THE LOW BIDDER CAN MOBILIZE THEM.DO YOU HAVE A PROJECTED TIMELINE THAT, UM, WHEN I GET THOSE NUMBERS BACK AND ONCE I SPEAK TO THEM, I I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A, A GOOD IDEA OF WHEN THEY'LL MOBILIZE? OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND GEORGE, UM, THE, UH, TRENT ROAD BANK STABILIZATION, I, I THOUGHT WE HAD DETERMINED THAT THAT WAS NOT A CITY PROBLEM, BUT, UH, AND IT WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WELL, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE IS WE'VE GOT THE, WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF DOWNSTREAM CITY WATER FROM RIGHT OF WAYS AND CITY PROPERTY COMING DOWN THAT THOSE CULVERTS THAT CROSS UNDER TURN ROAD.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THE, THE VOLUME AND VELOCITY OF THAT WATER, UH, IS, IS AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE SEEING BANK EROSION, WHICH THEN PUTS THE SEDIMENT RIGHT IN, IN THE HEAD OF THOSE PIPES.
SO WITHOUT DOING THIS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONGOING ISSUES WITH, WITH EROSION AND SEDIMENT BEING DEPOSITED AT THE HEAD OF THE PIPES, WHICH THEN BLOCKS ALL THE WAY UPSTREAM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT DITCH CARRIES THE WATER FROM ALL THE WAY UP WEST OF, UH, GREENBRIER.
SO, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN FROM, UM, MCCARTHY THROUGH THE BACKSIDE OF, UM, MONTEREY CIRCLE, THOSE AREAS, THERE'S A LOT OF DRAINAGE THAT COMES THROUGH THAT AREA AND WITHOUT IT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, WE'RE GONNA PUT EVERYBODY UPSTREAM AT A DEFICIT.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR YEAH, THIS, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, OUR FOSTER OR WHOMEVER, UM, THE MCCARTER HOUSE, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, CAN YOU GIMME AN UPDATE ON THAT OR WHAT, WHAT, HOW'S THAT STANDING AT THIS POINT? UM, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? THAT IS, THAT IS IN THE HANDS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
AND SO THE MAYOR MADE COMMENT A FEW MINUTES AGO, EMAILED TO THEM ASKING THEM TO QUICKLY HAVE GROUNDBREAKING ON THAT.
SO IT'S REALLY GONNA BE TO THAT, THAT ENTITY TO DETERMINE THEIR TIMELINE WHEN THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED THAT SO THAT THEY DIDN'T, THEY DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE AT THIS POINT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT MERTA, I'M NOT MYRTA, BUT THE WELLNESS CENTER, WELL, I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I KNOW.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S PROBABLY THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY TORE DOWN THE MCCARTER HOUSE TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLINIC.
UM, THEY HAVE GOT SOME PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN PLEDGED FROM, I THINK IT WAS NORTH CAROLINA, CENTRAL DUKE UNIVERSITY, AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE MORE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS AT ONE.
I THINK THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WOULD CERTAINLY PARTNER.
THE ISSUE THERE, I THINK FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG SITUATION.
SO ALL THOSE PARTNERS ARE SAYING, WHERE'S YOUR BUILDING? WHERE'S YOUR FACILITY? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? HOW CAN WE HELP? AND THEN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS WAITING TO GET SOMETHING IN WRITING AS FAR AS AN AGREEMENT FROM ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PARTNERS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH BUILDING THIS BUILDING.
MY DIRECTION OR SUGGESTION I SHOULD SAY TO THEM WAS, YOU'VE GOT THE FUNDING, YOU'VE HAD IT FOR ALMOST A YEAR, GO GET A BUILDING BUILT.
SO THAT'S HOPEFULLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
SO, UM, AND CITY ATTORNEY DAVIS, OR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY MOSLEY COULD PROBABLY SHARE SOME LIGHT IN THIS, BUT THEY'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THEY CAN'T, AND MR. WILLIAMS MAY BE ABLE TO HELP TOO.
THEY CAN'T OPERATE A HEALTH CLINIC, JUST LIKE THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CAN'T OWN PROPERTY AND RENT IT OUT THAT THEY FOUND DURING ALDERMAN MASTERS PROJECT.
THEY ALSO CAN'T RUN A HEALTH CLINIC.
SO THEY CAN BUILD IT WITH THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED, BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND A PARTNER THAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA RUN THE FACILITY.
SO A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THERE.
LAST QUESTION, STAN WHITE, WHERE ARE WE TIMELINE MOVING OF THE HOUSE? SO I THINK MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO GIVE THAT DURING THE BOARD MEETING TONIGHT.
CAUSE THAT THOSE ARE SOME AGENDA ITEMS THAT, THAT WE'LL BE COVERING DURING THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AND THANK YOU MR. CHOWS, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON A R P? OKAY.
[3. Discussion of 408 Hancock Street and Property at the Corner of Pine tree Drive and Laura Lane. ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.DISCUSSION OF 4 0 8 HANCOCK STREET AND PROPERTY AT THE CORNER OF PINE TREE DRIVE AND LAURA BANK.
UH, WE'RE PASSING OUT SOME INFORMATION SO YOU CAN GET AN IDEA OF, OF PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[00:40:01]
MUSEUM.IT'S LOCATED ON HANCOCK STREET.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE, UH, RENTED THE FACILITY OUT FOR EVENTS OCCASIONS.
WE'VE DONE A FEW LONG-TERM RENTALS FOR ENTITIES THAT, THAT HAVE REQUESTED THAT THROUGH THE BOARD.
CURRENTLY THERE IS A SHORT TERM RENTAL FOR, UM, ONE OF THE NON-PROFITS WHO DOES PLAYS.
UM, RECENTLY WE'VE HAD A RE A MINIATURE RAILROAD MUSEUM THAT HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN, IN THE PROPERTY FOR A POTENTIAL MUSEUM.
WE HAVE HAD, UM, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE AND CULTURAL CENTER REACH OUT ON MULTIPL OCCASIONS REGARDING, UH, THE FACILITY FOR, UH, UH, A MUSEUM AND, AND HERITAGE CENTER.
WE HAVE HAD A BREWERY TO REACH OUT, UH, TO, TO DETERMINE IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN SELLING THE PROPERTY.
AND SO THIS IS GONNA COME UP AT LEAST EVERY, AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GET THE BOARD'S OPINION ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PROCEED WITH THIS PROPERTY.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE WAY THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING IT, WE'RE BY RENTALS, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT AS WELL.
FOSTER, COULD YOU OR EVEN, UH, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO, UM, RECALL WHEN THE PROPERTY WAS PREVIOUSLY PUT ON THE MARKET? UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE, THERE WAS INTEREST ON AT LEAST ONE ENTITY'S PART TO PURCHASE IT, BUT THAT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION.
I THINK PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF A PARKING ISSUE.
I MEAN, CAN YOU JUST RECAP FOR ALL OF US WHAT THE SPECIFIC ISSUE IS REGARDING THIS PROPERTY, THIS STRUCTURE? BECAUSE THERE'S NO NEED FOR US TO SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT SELLING IT IF SELLING IT TO AN ENTITY IS NOT GONNA BE A VIABLE OPTION BECAUSE OF, UH, OF A PARKING ISSUE OR WHATEVER ELSE MAY BE INVOLVED.
SO I'M SURE THE MAYOR IS GONNA CHIME IN ON THIS IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE HAS BEEN A, UH, TRADITIONALLY A, AN ISSUE WITH PARKING ATTACHED TO THAT, THAT BUILDING BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND THE USE OF THAT STRUCTURE, UM, WITH ANY STRUCTURES IN CERTAIN AREAS OF DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT YOU, YOU RELY ON.
THERE IS AN AREA ON MIDDLE STREET WHERE THE PARKING REQUIREMENT IS WAIVED BASED ON, BASED ON AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED MANY YEARS AGO.
AND THERE ARE DOWNTOWN PARKING ISSUES, UH, WITH, WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE ATTORNEYS HAVE, HAVE LOOKED AT THIS AND, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, AT THE PARKING ISSUE.
AND THEY'RE GETTING READY TO, UM, MEET WITH THEIR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD REGARDING ADDRESSING SOME PARKING ISSUES DOWNTOWN.
THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COME UP AND EVENTUALLY, WE'LL, WE'LL REACH BACK TO THE BOARD, BUT I THINK THE THING THAT, UM, DID IN A PREVIOUS SALE WAS THE LACK OF PARKING DEDICATED FOR THAT, THAT BUILDING ITSELF.
THERE'S A PARKING LOT RIGHT BESIDE IT.
THERE IS A PUBLIC PARKING LOT RIGHT BESIDE IT.
I I THINK ALDER MCKENZIE, I THINK YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE ON THE BOARD WITH ME WHEN WE DID THIS.
UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER NOW CAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG AGO.
I BELIEVE WE, WE MARKETED IT FOR SALE AND WE HAD SOME INTEREST, BUT EVERYONE WHO HAD INTEREST IN IT NEEDED DEDICATED PARKING AND LEGALLY THEY CAN'T USE THE PUBLIC PARKING LOT AS THE REQUIREMENT TO MEET WHATEVER THEY WANTED TO DO THERE.
SO THEN WE DECIDED TO SELL THE PARKING LOT WITH THE BUILDING AND THEN THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS THAT THE CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET WAS GOING TO BUY ALL OF IT AND IT WOULD ALL BE TAX EXEMPT.
AND THERE WAS REALLY NO ADVANTAGE IN DOING THAT.
CAUSE THEN THE CITY WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO HAVE PUBLIC PARKING.
SO NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED SINCE THEN.
UM, THERE IS SOME PARKING SPACES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THAT.
WELL, ACTUALLY ON THE SIDE BEHIND IT, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT LITTLE YELLOW AREA JUTS OUT.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE GRANTED AN EASEMENT TO GET TO IT, TO GET, AND THAT WAS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT CAME UP WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT.
IT'S VERY LIMITED USE IN WHAT COULD BE DONE THERE WITHOUT SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING WITH THAT.
WELL, AND, AND SO WE'D BE LOOKING AT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS CONTACTED YOU AND TALKED TO YOU ABOUT SETTING UP A BREWERY THERE.
I MEAN, THERE WOULD BE REQUIRED PARKING, UM, WHICH THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, AND PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER PRIVATE ENTITY THAT IS LOOKING TO
[00:45:01]
PUT AN OPERATION THERE IS GONNA BE FACING THAT SAME ISSUE.SO IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE FOR US TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT SELLING IT, GIVEN THAT VERY SERIOUS LIMITATION.
NOW FOLLOW UP, I MEAN THE, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN, I FORGET THE, THE NAME OF THE GROUP, UM, WHO I'VE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY DONATE THE BUILDING TO THEM.
UM, I'M SURE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ENTITIES THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD WELCOME THE DONATION OF A BUILDING TO THEM.
ARE WE ALSO FACING THE SAME ISSUE WITH AN ENTITY LIKE A MUSEUM OR CULTURAL CENTER OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES AS OPPOSED TO A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE FOR PROFIT? I, I DON'T THINK THAT THE, THE, UM, ORGANIZATION IS GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S A, AN LLC OR A NOT NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
THAT, UM, THAT WHETHER THEY LEASE IT OR, OR, OR, OR OWN IT, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE A PARKING ISSUE UNTIL THAT PARKING ISSUE IS ADDRESSED.
CHANGE OF USE AT THE LAST CHAIN, THE LAST USE OF THAT WAS A MUSEUM, WHICH WAS MANY YEARS AGO THAN IT'S TURNED INTO.
MORE OF A JUST AN EVENT VENUE.
UM, AS THE, AS THE CITY IS THE OWNER OF IT, IF WE HAVE RENTED THAT FACILITY OUT, THERE'S BEEN THE PUBLIC PARKING BESIDE IT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH, WITH THAT WHEN WE'VE HAD RENTALS THERE.
SO CURRENTLY IT'S JUST BEING USED FOR EVENTS.
EVENTS CURRENTLY THERE'S A, UH, A LOCAL, UM, A LOCAL GROUP THAT, THAT IS BILLY'S REHEARSALS THERE FOR AN UPCOMING PLAY.
UM, YES, WE, IT HAS BEEN, IT HAS BEEN USED.
WHEN HURRICANE FLORES CAME THROUGH, WE, WE DID A ONE YEAR LEASE TO, TO TWO DIFFERENT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEM TO STORE GOODS AND SERVICES TO DISTRIBUTE OUT.
SINCE THAT TIME, UM, WE'VE JUST HAD A VARIETY OF USES FOR IT AND WE CONTINUE THAT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP TO THE BOARD, SEE IF THERE WERE ANY, I I WOULD MAYBE MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT NOW THAT YOU BROUGHT IT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION, UM, WE ALL JUST KIND OF MARINATE ON A LITTLE BIT.
MAYBE AT A FUTURE WORK SESSION WE DISCUSS WHAT SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES ARE.
I KNOW LAST TIME WHEN WE RAN INTO THE PARKING ISSUE, THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT ABOUT REDESIGNING THE PARKING LOT AND SUBDIVIDING PART OF THAT OFF TO PROVIDE SOME PARKING TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK THERE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT EVER THAT EVER CAME TO FRUITION AS LONG AS IT REMAINS UNDER OUR CONTROL AND PURVIEW.
PARKING'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE.
CAUSE WE HAVE A PUBLIC PARKING LOT NEXT TO IT.
BUT ONCE ANOTHER ENTITY SORT OF TAKES CONTROL, THEN I THINK THAT'S WHEN IT TRIGGERS THEIR REQUIREMENT FOR PARKING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, I HAVE THIS, THIS IS PROBABLY A
SO THE CITY OWNS THIS BUILDING.
IF WE SELL THIS BUILDING WHEN, AND THE CITY OWNS THE PARKING LOT BEHIND IT.
SO IF WE SELL THIS BUILDING, WE CAN'T TO ANOTHER ENTITY, A PRIVATE ENTITY OR WHATEVER.
SO WE CAN'T ACTUALLY LEASE THE PARKING LOT TO THIS LEASE, THE PARKING LOT TO THIS NEW OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY.
I THINK, I THINK WE CAN, AND THIS IS, THIS IS ANOTHER REASON WHY ATTORNEY DAVIS SHOULD BE HERE.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU CAN, BUT THEY BECOME DEDICATED FOR THEM.
SO LIKE, LET'S JUST SAY THAT X Y Z PURCHASED IT OR LEASED IT FROM US AND THEY SAID, HEY LOOK, WE NEED 12 SPACES BASED OFF OF OUR USE.
SO IT TAKES AWAY 12 PARKING SPACES FROM THE PUBLIC PARKING THAT'S NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
BUT I WOULD DEFER THE SPECIFICS TO THE ATTORNEY, BUT I DO REMEMBER HEARING THAT.
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TRACK? OKAY, THE OTHER TRACK IS LOCATED ON, UH, BASICALLY PINE TREE DRIVE IS AT THE CORNER OF PINE TREE DRIVE IN LAUREL LANE.
IT'S LOCATED ALMOST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE AQUATIC CENTER AND THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
UH, THE CURRENT ASSESSED VALUE ON THE PROPERTY IS $210,000.
AND THE CITY HAS HAD THIS FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THE CITY DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A NEED FOR THIS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA USE IT FOR A PARK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
[00:50:03]
PROBABLY THAT'S PRIME FOR, FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.DO YOU KNOW HOW WE ACQUIRED THIS? I REMEMBER LOOKING A FEW WEEKS AGO.
I'LL HAVE TO PULL IT UP AND CHECK AGAIN.
ONLY REASON I ASK IS, CAUSE OFTENTIMES THE CITY GETS THINGS AND THERE'S ALL KIND OF RESTRICTIONS ON IT, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE OF THAT BEFORE WE DECIDED TO DO ANYTHING.
DOES EVERYBODY KNOW WHERE THIS IS? NO.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK THAT QUESTION.
SO, SO YOU, YOU'RE HEADING DOWN PINE TREE DRIVE, YOU PASSED THE COOKOUT MM-HMM.
IT'S REALLY THE FIRST ROAD ON THE LEFT, RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF THE FIRST ROAD ON THE LEFT HEIGHT OF COLUMBUS.
SO IT'S BACK THERE WHERE THE, WHERE IS, UH, THE POOL SWIMMING? YES.
TAKE WOODLAND CROSSING APARTMENTS.
UM, IS, IS OBJECTION TO THAT PROPERTY.
SO FOSTER, IN THIS PICTURE, THE BOTTOM LEFT WHERE YOU SEE THAT CORNER OF A PARKING LOT IS THAT THE AQUATIC CENTER PARKING LOT BOTTOM LEFT ACROSS THE STREET IS THE AQUATIC CENTER ON THE, ON THE LOWER PART OF THAT, THAT IS, UH, WOODLAND CROSSING APARTMENTS TO THE RIGHT OF THE PROPERTY ON PINE TREE DRIVE IS A, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S A, UH, UH, AFTERSCHOOL CARE OR DAYCARE FACILITY.
THE CITY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 98 FOR $45,000 FROM PALM TREE OB GYN.
FOSTER, THIS INDICATES THAT PART OF THE THE ROADWAY IS ON THE, IS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
DO WE KNOW IF IN FACT THAT'S ACCURATE? WE DO NOT KNOW IF THAT IS ACCURATE OR NOT.
WE WOULD'VE TO DO A, A SURVEY ON THAT.
SHOULD WE GET IT APPRAISED AND PUT IT ON THE MARK? I MEAN, IT'S NOT ADJACENT TO ANYTHING WE OWN.
IF IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE REC CENTER OR THE AQUATIC CENTER, THEN I WOULD PROBABLY SAY HOLD ONTO IT FOR FUTURE USE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT ADJACENT TO IT.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO PLAN OF DOING ANYTHING DRY.
I BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF IT IS DRY.
THERE'S ONLY THREE GREEN VALLEY TRUCK.
SO IT'S ONLY 3.24 ACRES, HUH? YEAH.
GEORGE AND I WALKED IT ONE DAY.
IT'S IT'S A NICE PIECE PROPERTY.
LET'S TRY, SHOULD WE GET AN APPRAISED AND PUT HIM ON THE MARK? I'D, I'D BE IN FAVOR OF KNOWING WHAT IT'S WORTH.
I DON'T, I MEAN, YOU NEVER KNOW.
WE CAN TELL THAT FROM THE LAST APPRAISAL WE JUST GOT.
SO, SO, UM, BEFORE YOU CAN ERECT A FOR SALE SIGN ON THE PROPERTY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT APPRAISED SINCE WE'RE CITY GOVERNMENT.
WELL, I THINK PUT SOME SIGNS OUT THERE FOR SALE AND SEE IF WE GET SOME BITES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AND THEN, AND THEN OF, UM, WELL, I MEAN THE, IT'S RIGHT HERE IS, WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS PROBABLY UP TO DATE.
UM, THIS DOESN'T, IT'S A TRACK.
GEORGE, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO GET IT APPRAISED YOU? ANY IDEA? COST WE'RE SEEING ON AVERAGE, WE'RE SEEING THE APPRAISALS THAT WE'VE GOT 1500 TO $2,000.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT.
YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAVE SOME REMAINING FUNDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT.
I SAW LINE ITEMS. SO YOU GOT ENOUGH TO COVER THAT IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD LIKED TO DO.
DO YOU NEED A MOTION OR JUST A DIRECTION? DIRECTION? WELL, I, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE IT APPRAISED AND THEN WE'LL DETERMINE WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH HOW ABOUT THAT? WE'LL ALSO, WE'LL ALSO VERIFY WHERE THE CORNERS OF THE PROPERTY ARE.
SO ALDERMAN ASTRONAUT BRESSON'S IN FAVOR OF AN APPRAISAL.
ALTMAN, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
ALDERMAN VEST
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO JUMP IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT GO AHEAD.
THE, I'M NOT SURE THE COUNTY ASSESSED OUR PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD NOT BE HIGH ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO DURING REASSESSMENT TO ASSESS PROPERTIES THAT
[00:55:01]
DON'T PAY TAXES.AND SO I'M NOT SURE IN MY MIND THAT THAT PRICE ON THERE IS MARKET VALUE EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTY JUST WENT THROUGH A REASSESSMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TRUST YOU.
UH, IT IS PROBABLY MUCH MORE THAN THAT NOW SINCE HIS PURCHASED.
I MEAN, IT WAS PURCHASED IN 1998.
YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY MORE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HAVING AN APPRAISED.
UM, AL MCKENZIE? I HAVE NO PROBLEM.
WHAT, FIRST, I'M GONNA ANSWER A QUESTION.
HOW, HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT AS EVEN A PIECE OF PROPERTY BRINGING FORTH TO US
OH, WE DID HAVE SOMEONE TO REACH OUT.
AND KNOWING THAT IT WAS ON THIS WORK SESSION AGENDA, THEY EVEN FOLLOWED UP AT THE END OF LAST WEEK TO SEE IF YOU'D GIVEN DIRECTION.
IS IT LISTED ON OUR SURPLUS PROPERTY LIST? IT'S NOT.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THEY ASKED.
IF NOT, THEY WOULD'VE JUST MADE A BID FOR IT.
WHAT ABOUT THE, UM, BP PROPERTY? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO THERE? BP PROPERTY? WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT UNDER THE BUDGET FOR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, WITH THE BP PROPERTY, WE RECENTLY, UH, HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FUNDING TO REPLACE THAT BUILDING AND JUST UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS, I THINK IT WAS 980 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REBUILD THAT BUILDING OR REQUEST A CHANGE OF SCOPE OF WORK THROUGH FEMA.
UH, THAT WOULD'VE INVOLVE GOING THROUGH NOT AS ROBUST OF A PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH WITH, UH, RELOCATING THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, BUT IT WOULD INCLUDE A PROCESS.
AND SO, UM, YEARS AGO WHEN HURRICANE FLORENCE CAME, WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.
ONE WAS, WOULD BE TO, UM, BUILD ADDITIONAL FACILITIES FOR PUBLIC WORKS CUZ THEY'RE ALWAYS TAXED OUT.
MOST RECENTLY WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF RELOCATING THE PARKS AND RECREATION GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND BUILDING, UH, SOME BUILDINGS WITH POTENTIAL FUNDS FROM THAT.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS RECENTLY ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN AMPHITHEATER AT MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.
UM, HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, SEE WHAT ALL, UH, THOSE FUNDS COULD QUALIFY FOR.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT WE COULD USE IT FOR.
AND REALLY IF THIS BOARD WERE TO BRING UP SOME THINGS, WE'D HAVE TO RUN IT THROUGH THE CONSULTANT JUST TO VERIFY THESE ARE FEDERAL FUNDS.
AND SO THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD END UP COMING INTO PLAY.
AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD, THE OLD BP STATION HAVE NF SIMMONS STREET ON OAKS ROAD WAS FLOODED DURING FLORENCE AND IT WAS HISTORICALLY USED AS STORAGE.
STORAGE AND, AND MORE OR LESS A MACHINE SHOP FOR THE BUILDING'S DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT HAPPENED WITH FLORENCE, WHICH WAS ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY FOUND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO OPERATE.
SO THE NEED FOR THAT SAME SPACE TO BE REPLICATED AS NOT NECESSARILY PRESENT TODAY, IS THAT FAIR? THAT'S FAIR.
WELL, THE MONEY HAS TO BE USED FOR THE BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I, I'VE, I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE BEEN IN FAVOR THE WHOLE TIME OF TRYING TO FIND FUNDS TO BUILD THE AMPHITHEATER THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS.
UH, YOU BRING AN AMPUTATE TO MARTIN MAR AT A PARK AND YOU CONTRACTED OUT TO RUN IT TO THE RIGHT GROUP OF PEOPLE AND IT WILL BRING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INCOME TO THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD GET A PORTION OF TICKET SALES.
WE REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE TO HIRE ANYBODY AS FAR AS I KNOW FOSTER.
HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, THAT, THAT'S A TYPE OF THING WHERE I'M NOT GONNA MENTION ANY ENTITIES, BUT THERE'S, THERE ARE SEVERAL NATIONWIDE GROUPS THAT DO, UM, BASICALLY RUN VENUES SUCH AS AN AMPUTATE OR INDOOR THEATERS AND THINGS, AND THEY BOOK THOSE WITH A VARIETY OF ACTS IN EXCHANGE, YOU'RE GETTING, YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A, A RETURN ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THEY'RE BASICALLY COVERING THE MAJORITY OF THE, THE COST OF OPERATING.
[01:00:02]
UH, THEY'RE BOOKING THE ACTS, THEY'RE PAYING THE AX, AND THAT'S HOW THAT OPERATES.AND I WAS TALKING TO ALDERMAN BRISSON THE OTHER DAY AND HE HAD JUST BEEN TO A, A MEETING IN CONCORD AND WHAT WERE THEY TALKING ABOUT? THE MONEY THAT THE RACETRACK BRINGS IN? YEAH, IT, IT WAS RATHER SHOCKING THAT THE, UH, UH, CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY, WHEN THEY DO THEIR COCA-COLA COLA 600, UH, THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT THE SALES TAX JUST FOR THAT WEEKEND WAS MORE THAN THEIR ENTIRE CHRISTMAS SEASON.
SO THAT WAS THE TYPE OF REVENUES THEY WERE BRINGING IN.
AND THAT WAS JUST ONE, ONE BIG WEEKEND AND TAKING CONSIDERATION.
THERE'S NOTHING EAST OF, OF 95, CORRECT? I MEAN, WALNUT CREEK'S THE CLOSEST THING TO US.
IS THAT RIGHT? FOSTER THAT YOU, YOU GOT THE AMPHITHEATER ON WILMINGTON WALNUT CREEKS.
I THINK WILMINGTON IS THE, PROBABLY GONNA BE THE REALISTIC CLOSEST THING.
I DIDN'T KNOW WILMINGTON HAD COMPARABLE.
SO ANYWAY, WE, WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK FOR A SCOPE CHANGE WORK UTILIZING THESE FUNDS TO BUILD AN AMPUTEE, UH, GIVE, GO OUT FOR BIDS FOR NAMING RIGHTS, THEN, UH, GET SOMEONE IN HERE TO OPERATE IT AND GENERATE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, OF TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
I'M, I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET YOU IT WOULDN'T BE LONG IF SOMEBODY THERE ON THE OAKS ROAD OR SOUTHLAND VERNE ROAD AREA WOULD BE WANTING TO, TO PUT A HOTEL UP, YOU KNOW, TO ACCOMMODATE THE PEOPLE COMING IN FOR THE CONCERTS.
SO WHAT AM WHAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, AGAIN, FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT KNOW JUST UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS, JUST, JUST UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS AND OF COURSE WITH CAT A, CAT Z IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE, BUT WE CAN'T SPEND THAT.
WE HAVE, I THINK IT WAS $955,000.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE EXACT NUMBERS IN FRONT OF IT, BUT, UM, THERE WOULD ALSO BE SOME PLANNING THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
AND THAT MAY BE ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER FOR THEIR SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR SOME PLANNING AS WELL AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS, IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO DO.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOMETHING SAID.
YOU FINISHED, UH, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK FOSTER, HAVE YOU EVER WORKED IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAD AN AMPHITHEATER OR HAD MUCH DAMAGE? I I HAVE NOT.
UH, I'VE WORKED ADJACENT TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAD THEM.
WELL, I'M, I'M ALL FOR AMPHITHEATER.
I SAID THAT WHEN IT WAS FIRST DISCUSSED, BUT I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT WE AS A CITY WAS AT THAT POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, AMPL THEATER WOULD TAKE PRESIDENTS OVER.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES AND PROBLEMS WE HAVE.
AND I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, WITH THAT MONIES THAT PARKS AND RECS NEED A LARGER FACILITY, SO DO PUBLIC WORKS.
SO I MEAN, I I JUST SEE UTILIZING THAT MONEY FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S MY STANCE ON IT NOW.
I MEAN, WITH THE, WITH THE AMPHITHEATER, UM, FOSTER, THERE'S NUMEROUS GRANTS AND STUFF THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR.
SO THERE ARE GRANTS THAT DO COME UP.
THE THE BIGGEST GRANT WE SEE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION IS PARKS AND RECREATION TRUST FUND.
THAT'S NORMALLY ABOUT A HALF MILLION DOLLAR GRANT THAT COMES WITH A 50% MATCH ON THAT.
THOSE ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST WE SEE.
WE DON'T REALLY SEE A LOT OF, UH, WELL, UNLESS SOMETHING WOULD APPLY WITH, WITH SOME OF THE A R P UH, FUNDING.
SO THE PAR F IS IS NOT A GRANT THAT YOU CAN APPLY PART OF PAR F IS SOMETHING WE CAN APPLY FOR IF IT MEETS THE CRITERIA.
HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN, CERTAIN CRITERIA AND AMENITIES WITH THESE THINGS ALL.
MACKENZIE, IT'S SOMETHING I HAVE ALWAYS SHARED WITH THE BOARD THAT, UH, THE PROPERTY THAT'S ON, UH, BROAD STREET, THAT THE DAY'S END PROPERTY THAT, UH, THE CITY COULD, UH, BUILD SOME RETAIL ON ONE FLOOR THERE AND PUT EVERYTHING IN ONE BUILDING AND, UM, BY THAT PARKING, BY THE BUILDING THAT, UH, HABITAT IS IN.
AND THAT WOULD SERVE AS PARKING AND THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE CAN SELL OFF ALL THE BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE.
WHAT WOULD YOU PUT THERE, JOHNNY? RETAIL ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR.
YOU GONNA SELL THE RETAILS? UH, WE CAN RENT OUT.
NO, WE CAN'T RENT AND WE CAN'T SELL USING THESE
[01:05:01]
FUNDS.IF YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK.
NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT USING THESE FUNDS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT USING THE FUNDS FROM THE SELL OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE OWN BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL SO VERY SMALL AND THAT WE CAN BUILD OUR OWN BUILDING AND PUT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING.
AM I CORRECT? ARE INCORRECT? SO YOU REFERRED TO CONSOLIDATING DEPARTMENTS IN, INTO SEVERAL DEPART INTO ONE, ONE LARGE BUILDING.
THE SMALL BUILDINGS THAT THEY'RE IN NOW, AND THEN THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WILL HOUSE THEM FOR MAYBE FIVE OR 10 YEARS, DEPENDING UPON WHAT TYPE OF GROWTH WE ARE LOOKING AT DOWN THE ROAD.
SO IS THAT A POSSIBILITY FOR THESE FUNDS OR IS IT A POSSIBILITY? NO, NO, NOT FOR THOSE FUNDS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT SELLING THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE AND TAKE THAT MONEY AND BUILD A BUILDING THAT IS POSSIBLE IF THAT'S THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD TO DO, YES.
BUT THAT WAS JUST A THOUGHT THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD.
IF WE ARE LOOKING AT GROWING, YOU KNOW, TO EXTEND OUR HORIZON, THAT'S ONE WAY OF DOING THAT.
BUT I'M JUST, I'M JUST, UH, SPEAKING IN THE TERM OF SHARING INFORMATION THAT I FEEL THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE BOARD.
WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT? WHAT'S UP? ABOUT WHAT
HOW, HOW WE WANT TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS, I BELIEVE IS WHAT, CORRECT.
AND THEN I WENT ON SAYING THAT WE CAN, WHEN I HEARD MENTION OVER THERE THAT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE SMALL, AND I, IT'S SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS SHARED.
I WOULD JUST SAY FOR, FOR WHAT ALDERMAN MCKENZIE'S MENTIONING, IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT.
UM, BUT IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT A MAP, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS HAS THIS, OR MAYBE ALICE COULD GET THIS FOR THE BOARD, IS, IS TO LOOK AT A MAP OF THE CITY AT WHERE ALL OF OUR CITY OFFICES AND FACILITIES ARE LOCATED.
THERE'S SOME THAT, THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH CALE ROAD FOR THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT WITH THE WAREHOUSE.
CAUSE THAT'S A NEW WATER PLANT THAT WAS JUST BUILT WITH JORDAN'S NEW FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT OUT THERE.
UM, I GUESS PARTS AND RECREATION COULD BE LOCATED IN A CENTRAL OFFICE IF IT'S NOT ON SITE SOMEWHERE, BUT TYPICALLY I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE LOCATED ON A A, YOUR MAJOR PARK OR FACILITY, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND FINANCE.
AM I MISSING ANYTHING? OF COURSE, POLICE AND FIRE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA PUT A POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT THERE.
SO THAT'S A STORM WARNING, BY THE WAY, FOR ANYBODY THAT'S WONDERING.
SO I GUESS, UH, MAYBE WHAT WE COULD DO IS HAVE STAFF PRESENT SOME OPTIONS TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER FOR HOW WE COULD USE A R P FUNDING.
I THINK YOU'VE HEARD A COUPLE IDEAS HERE AND YOU COULD RUN BY THE CONSULTANT.
IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY OTHER IDEAS YOU WANT TO ADD, YOUR STAFF'S WILLING TO LISTEN WHILE WE'RE COMPILING SOME INFORMATION IS IF ANY OF YOU DO HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE LET MYSELF OR THE CLERK KNOW.
WE'LL DO SOME RESEARCH WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, SEE WHAT QUALIFIES AND WHAT WE CAN COME BACK IN ANOTHER MEETING AND DISCUSS THIS.
ARE YOU FULLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT? MM-HMM.
I DIDN'T KNOW SINCE THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE YOU AND OTTMAN PREK ABOUT UTILIZING THOSE FEMA FUNDS, UM, FROM THAT BP STATION.
DO WE, DO WE KNOW IF AN AMPHITHEATER WOULD QUALIFY? YES.
IN FACT, IT WOULD BE FAIRLY EASY TO MAKE IT QUALIFIED.
I GUESS, I GUESS MY, MY COMMENT ON THAT WOULD BE IS THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS THAT WE CAN FIND TO SPEND MONEY ON WITHIN NEEDS WITHIN THE CITY.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY PRODUCES REVENUE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR YEARS.
I KNOW THAT TWO OR THREE BOARDS AGO WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE CITY GETTING INTO THE INTERNET BUSINESS AND WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE FORMER MAYOR SAID, THAT'S A WAY TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE, IS TO GET INTO THE BROADBAND.
BUT THAT WAS RESTRICTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
[01:10:01]
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY LIMITED IN HOW THE CITY CAN GENERATE FUNDS AND I GUESS THAT OUR REGULAR MEETING HERE IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE, MANAGER'S GONNA PRESENT THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME, SOME TAX INCREASES, MOST LIKELY GONNA BE COMING THERE TO HELP FUND SOME OF THESE THINGS.
SO I ALWAYS LOOK FOR WAYS TO HELP OFFSET THAT COST.
AND I THINK AN AMPHITHEATER WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, WE'RE A LONG WAYS FROM, AND I THINK IF THE BOARD DECIDED UNANIMOUSLY TODAY WE WANNA SPEND A MILLION DOLLARS ON THIS AMPHITHEATER, IT'LL PROBABLY BE TWO OR THREE YEARS BEFORE IT ACTUALLY CAME TO FRUITION.
WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT FOSTER AND I AND THE CONSULTANTS HAD CONVERSATIONS AND, UM, THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDS THAT WE MOVE ON THE CHANGE OF SCOPE OF WORK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE THE ATTENTION THAT WE NEED.
CAN WE GET SOMETHING ON THE NEXT AGENDA? IS THAT FEASIBLE WITH SOME? IT'S POSSIBLE ON THERE.
UM, AND DO REMIND YOU, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FEMA IN THIS PROCESS FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS.
SO THAT'S HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN TO GET TO THE POINT WE'RE AT.
AND THE FUNDS ARE NOW OBLIGATED.
SO IT'S, IT'S TIME TO TIME TO MOVE IT.
AND I AGREE WITH JEFF USING IT TO BUILD AN THEATER, UM, WOULD CERTAINLY GENERATE AN INCOME FOR THE CITY, UH, IN, IN TAX REVENUE.
AND WOULD ALSO, I'M TELLING YOU, I GUARANTEE YOU SOMEBODY WOULD, UH, WOULD BE LOOKING AT BUILDING A HOTEL SOMEWHERE OUT IN THAT AREA.
UM, OLIVER MASTER, CAN YOU, UM, OR, OR FOSTER, CAN YOU, UH, GIVE ME A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU MEAN BY WHEN YOU SAY, UH, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, BUT SCOPE OF WORK CHANGE? IT JUST, IT JUST MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BUILD THE BUILDING BACK IN ITS LOCATION AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO FEMA THAT WE UTILIZE THE FUNDS IN ANOTHER WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
FOSTER THE, THE, THE, THE PLANS THAT WERE PREPARED FOR MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.
I MEAN, IT INCLUDED THE POTENTIAL OF AN AMPHITHEATER OUT THERE.
IT WAS THERE EVER A, A ROUGH BALLPARK COST ESTIMATE PUT TOGETHER FOR WHAT AN AMPHITHEATER WOULD ACTUALLY COST TO DEVELOP THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE ROUGH ESTIMATE, I BELIEVE WAS AROUND SEVEN 50 TO A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THAT? YES.
AND THAT WAS AT, AND THAT WAS AT, UM, 2018 WHEN WE DID THAT.
NOW FOSTER, IF WE GO OUT, I RECKON WE, I ASSUME WE GO OUT FOR BIDS FOR NAMING RIGHTS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF, LOT OF STEPS TO GO BEFORE WHERE WE GET TO THE DAM.
RIGHT? WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE DESIGN OF THE, OF THE FACILITY COULD LOOK LIKE.
WOULD YOU HAVE SEATS, WOULD YOU NOT, A LOT OF, A LOT OF AMPH NOW ARE NOT DOING SEATS.
SOME THAT YOU HAVE THAT ARE, ARE BEING BUILT ONLY HAVE LIKE A THOUSAND SEATS FOR THE PREMIUM PRICES THAT YOU WOULD PAY.
UH, SO IS THERE A NAMING RIGHT, FOR FOR A STATION ITSELF? YES.
IT'S USUALLY FOR A DURATION OF ANYWHERE FROM 5, 10, 15 YEARS TO, TO MAXIMIZE THAT, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THEY'RE ALSO NAMING RIGHTS FOR, UM, RESTROOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANY OTHER FACILITIES THAT ARE LOCATED AROUND THAT.
SO NAMING RIGHTS ARE GOOD, A GOOD WAY TO, TO GENERATE SOME REVENUE.
BUT YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A FULL PLAN IN PLACE.
WE, WE BUILD IT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT? OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH, WITH A PROMOTER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE EVENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING ON THERE, THERE IN A REGULAR BASIS.
OR WE LOOKING FIVE TIMES A YEAR, GOTTA PUT SOME, GOTTA PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT.
THE COMPANY THAT WOULD OVERSEE EVERYTHING, WOULD THEY ALSO OVERSEE THE SALE OF CONCESSIONS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH? OR IS THAT ADDITIONAL? IN MOST CASES, YES.
THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD MAKE ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
AND DID, DID THE CITY NOT ONLY GET A PORTION OF THE TAXES THAT'S CHARGED THERE, BUT WOULD WE ALSO GET A, A PORTION OF TICKET SALES? WHAT WE WOULD'VE TO DO IS SOME RESEARCH WITH SOME RECENT DEALS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THERE'S SOME NEW AMERS THAT ARE GOING UP REALLY ALL OVER THE STATE.
WE'D HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THOSE ENTITIES.
MAJORITY OF 'EM ARE CITIES THAT ARE FUNDING THESE THINGS.
SO WE'LL REACH OUT TO OUR COUNTERPARTS, FIND OUT WHAT KINDA DEALS THEY, THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE.
GET A BETTER IDEA OF, OF WHAT THAT CURRENT TREND IS.
[Additional Item]
TO KNOW IF THIS[01:15:01]
IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DISCUSS IT.I WANT TO REVISIT THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE RACE FOR THE BOARD OF MORGAN.
I THINK NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC.
I ALMOST FELT LIKE THE, UH, TELEPHONE COMMERCIAL.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
UH, IF HE'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON IT AS, AS WELL AS OTHERS, I KNOW WE, UH, DEADLOCKED IN OUR VOTE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO REVISIT IT.
I, I THINK THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE RAISE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, THAT, UH, WE FELT THAT THEY WERE SO DESERVING AND THEY ARE, WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR WORK ETHIC.
WE MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THEY ARE WORK SO MUCH OVERTIME, THEY ARE THERE DOING STORMS, WHATEVER THE CASE IS.
AND, UH, THAT SORT OF DESCRIBES US AS ALDERMAN THAT WE WORK OVERTIME WITH THERE.
I I HAD NO CLUE, UH, AS BEING AN ALDERMAN WHAT IT ENTAILED.
NO ONE FOOLED ME, BUT I FOUND OUT ON, ON THE JOB TRAINING THAT IT IS VERY DEMANDING.
AND, AND, UM, AND I KNOW IT'S MAYOR IS VERY DEMANDING.
I SEE THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, UH, AS, UM, THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN THAT WE DISCUSS AGAIN ABOUT THE RACE AND, UH, SEE WHERE WE'LL GO FROM HERE.
IF WE WANT TO MAKE IT A MUTE ISSUE GOING FORWARD, THEN UH, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE THE DISCUSSION AGAIN.
I'LL JUST, UH, FOR ALTMAN PRE'S BENEFIT, UM, LAST WEEK DURING THE BUDGET WORK SESSION, I BELIEVE TTO MCKENZIE MADE THE MOTION TO RAISE THE ALDERMAN SALARY TO EQUAL WHAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE.
SO THE CURRENT ALDERMAN SALARY IS $11,098 AND 88 CENT, AND THE COMMISSIONERS ARE AT $13,718 AND 38 CENTS.
UH, SO THERE WAS A MOTION OF SECOND AND IT WAS A THREE TO THREE VOTE ON NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RAISE.
AND I MENTIONED THAT, UH, WITH YOU NOT BEING HERE, OBVIOUSLY THAT COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, UH, THAT IT COULD BE BROUGHT BACK UP TODAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT ALTMAN ROYAL'S DOING NOW.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD DISCUSSION? OR YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A VOTE? I SAID MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A VOTE WAS ANYTHING, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ABOUT A VOTE? WELL, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF I, I GUESS OF THE BOARD, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I, I OBVIOUSLY MISSED THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAD AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE, THE, THE CITY'S VIDEO.
SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ISSUES, CONCERNS, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.
BUT IN, IN, IN MY, MY EXPERIENCE HAVING WORKED IN A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS, I MEAN, THERE WERE, UH, SUB-COMMUNITIES WHERE ELECTED OFFICIALS DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMPENSATION AT ALL OTHER THAN JUST REIMBURSEMENT OF, OF EXPENSES.
UH, AND THERE WERE OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, DID RECEIVE COMPENSATION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY NEWBURN HAS ESTABLISHED A PRECEDENT AND A POLICY SOME YEARS AGO THAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD BE COMPENSATED.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, UM, A FURTHER PRECEDENT POLICY WAS ESTABLISHED TO INCREASE THAT COMPENSATION PERIODICALLY, UM, I'M, I'M SURE THAT THERE WERE YEARS WHERE NO INCREASES WERE APPROVED BY THE SITTING BOARD AT THAT TIME, WHICH IS CERTAINLY VERY, UH, UH, A NORMAL PROCESS THAT HAPPENS.
BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE HAS, THERE IS A LONGSTANDING PRECEDENT IN PLACE, UM, WHERE, UM, WE AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS DO RECEIVE COMPENSATION, UM, AND AGAIN, PERIODICALLY THAT COMPENSATION DOES GET CHANGED.
[01:20:01]
LIKE TO SEE A, A POLICY ESTABLISHED THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR, I GUESS, SOME KIND OF INCREASE TO BE MADE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS SO THAT THIS DISCUSSION CAN BE AVOIDED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS DURING BUDGET DELIBERATIONS? UM, I GUESS MY THOUGHT IS, WELL, THIS IS MY, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IF A, A POLICY WERE ESTABLISHED WHEREBY THE THE BOARD WOULD RECEIVE AN ANNUAL INCREASE, WHAT THAT ANNUAL INCREASE WOULD BE IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED AND DECIDED ON, UH, JUST AS A SUGGESTION.UM, FOSTER BOOKS AT THE, THE COST OF LIVING EVERY YEAR TO KIND OF HELP GUIDE WHERE, UM, OR WHAT LEVEL OF INCREASE IS GOING TO BE GIVEN TO THE, THE STAFF MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO THERE'S NO REASON WHY THAT SAME STANDARD COULD NOT BE APPLIED TO THIS BOARD, ALTHOUGH I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH IT BEING SOMETHING LESS THAN THE ANNUAL COST OF LIVING COULD BE 50% OF THE COST OF LIVING COULD BE 75%.
UH, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXACTLY WHAT THE COST OF LIVING STANDS FOR.
UM, AGAIN, I WOULD PERSONALLY JUST BE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT HAPPENING, HAVING IT VOTED ON AS A, AS AN ONGOING POLICY.
SO FOSTER KNOWS EVERY YEAR, UM, WHAT THE BUDGET FOR, AND IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THIS BOARD OR ANY FUTURE BOARD FROM CHANGING THAT POLICY.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHO WOULD CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO ACCEPT THAT INCREASE, THAT IS AN OPTION THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
UM, SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH TAKING A VOTE TO ESTABLISH A POLICY FOR THIS BOARD TO HAVE OR TO ESTABLISH SOME KIND OF ANNUAL INCREASE.
UM, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO DECIDE WHAT THAT INCREASE WOULD BE ON AN EVERY GIVEN YEAR.
I DO WANT TO ADD THAT HISTORICALLY, UM, THIS BOARD HAS NOT RECEIVED COLAS.
UH, IT'S NORMALLY COME UP DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND THERE'S NOT BEEN A MAJORITY TO, TO VOTE ON THAT.
UM, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY, WE DID FIND OUT THAT THE COUNTY DOES, UH, APPLY COLA TO THEIR GOVERNING BOARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND THE, UM, PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER WOULD PUT THE COLA, WHATEVER THE COLA WAS FOR STAFF, HE WOULD INCLUDE THAT FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD.
AND THEN EVERY BUDGET YEAR THERE WAS A VOTE AND IT WAS ALWAYS TAKEN OUT.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE CLERK MIGHT CAN, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? SO IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, I, I DON'T WANT TO, UM, CAUSE ANYBODY TO NOT HAVE DISCUSSION, BUT I, I'M LISTENING TO ALL THE PRI I'M, IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, YOU ARE ASKING THAT WE DEVELOP A POLICY, UH, WHEREIN WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE INCREASE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WHATEVER PERCENTAGE IS, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? WELL, THE, I I GUESS IT'S, IT'S REALLY TWO, TWO PIECES TOO.
ONE IS, AGAIN, THE BASIS OF IT IS THAT WE ALREADY RECEIVED COMPENSATION.
SO THAT PRECEDENT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
THAT COMPENSATION HAS BEEN INCREASED OVER THE YEARS.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY EVERY YEAR, BUT PERIODICALLY A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE BY PREVIOUS BOARDS TO INCREASE THAT COMPENSATION THAT IT HAD.
THAT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN INCREASED IN 20 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THE, IT, THE COMPENSATION THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY IS NOT THE COMPENSATION THAT WAS RECEIVED WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PAY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR BACK THAT GOES.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THE PRECEDENT IS THERE.
UM, NO NEED TO SHY AWAY FROM IT.
WE ALL, IT'S, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, WE ALL RE RECEIVED.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS OPTED
[01:25:01]
NOT TO RECEIVE THE COMPENSATION THAT IT'S OFFERED.UH, I COULD BE WRONG THAN THAT.
UM, THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION TENDS TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR GOVERNING BODIES TO ADDRESS IN, IN, IN EVERY JURISDICTION.
UM, THE FACT THAT IF THE COMPENSATION IS INCREASED EACH YEAR DOES NOT PRECLUDE ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD TO HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.
THEY CAN OPT NOT TO ACCEPT ACCEPTED, UM, AND FOR WHATEVER REASONS, AND THAT'S FINE.
IT GIVES THEM THAT, THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WHAT I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH SEEING IS A VOTE TAKEN, UM, AND SEE IF A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD SUPPORTS ESTABLISHING A PRECEDENT OF POLICY WHEREBY THIS BOARD RECEIVES AN ANNUAL INCREASE.
STEP TWO, A DECISION'S GONNA HAVE TO BE MADE AS TO WHAT THAT INCREASE IS.
AND ALL I'M JUST SUGGESTING IS IT COULD BE A FIXED PERCENTAGE EACH YEAR.
UM, IT COULD BE LOOKING AT THE ANNUAL COST OF LIVING INCREASE AND THEN EITHER USING THAT PERCENTAGE OR A PORTION OF THAT PERCENTAGE AS THE STANDARD FOR THE INCREASE.
I DON'T NEED NO ONE TO DECIDE FOR ME.
I DON'T NEED TO DECIDE FOR NO ONE ELSE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT NO ONE ELSE'S NEEDS ARE.
AND IT'S NOT A CONCERN OF MINE.
UH, THE THINGS THAT IT IS, IT'S CALLED RESPECT.
AND YOU VOTE TOGETHER AS A BOARD.
UH, I DON'T NEED NO ONE TO HOLD THE CARE OVER MY HEAD DANGLING TELLING ME WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
I DON'T NEED NO ONE TO HOLD ME HOSTAGE.
THAT'S JUST HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
I THINK IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CLEARLY, JOHNNY'S MADE A, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE MADE A MOTION YET OR NOT, BUT JOHNNY'S RECOMMENDED THAT WE MATCH THE COWY SALARY.
AND YOU'RE JUST SAYING PLUS ANNUAL KOHL.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY? I'M SAYING TO, TO DO IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, MAKE A DECISION TO APPROVE AN INCREASE EACH YEAR FOR THIS BOARD, BUT THE DECISION AS TO WHAT THAT INCREASE REPRESENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE DECIDED ON.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT SHOULD BE WHATEVER THE, THE ANNUAL COST OF LIVING IS, IS I, I, I ACTUALLY WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE IT LESS THAN THAT.
SO IT COULD BE 50% OF THE COST OF LIVING, OR IT COULD BE 75% OF THE, THE ANNUAL COST OF LIVING.
SO IT'S GONNA, IT WOULD CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR DEPENDING ON WHAT THE, THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
SO, UM, MACKENZIE, ME PERSONALLY ARE MY VOTE IS TO STAY WHERE I AM.
AS YOU HEARD, THE MANAGER AND THE MAYOR SAY THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OVER 20 YEARS, MAYBE LONGER.
I WAS JUST LOOKING TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN OR YOU CAN'T, IT'S JUST CALLED MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
UH, UM, YOU HAVE THE HASS AND THE HAVES, THE HAS NOTS.
WOULD IT ALWAYS SHOW UP HOW EACH INDIVIDUAL FEEL AND THEY THINK AND, UH, THERE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN THIS WAY AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M TRYING TO BE A BROKEN BAIL VIOLIN.
IT'S NOT THAT NO ONE WORKS HARD.
UH, IT'S NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT BEING COMPENSATED, BUT, UM, EVERYONE WORKS AND THEY FEEL THAT THEY TIME IS WORTH SOMETHING NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.
IT MAY NOT BE WORTH NOTHING TO YOU.
YOU MAY FEEL THAT, HEY, I DON'T NEED IT.
SO WHAT I'LL DO, WE'LL VOTE IT DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE TERM.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M COOL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LETS YOU KNOW
[01:30:01]
WHAT THE WORLD DOES HAS NOT CHANGED AND IT'S NEVER GONNA CHANGE.IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE SAME WAY.
SO WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOU ARE WANTING IS FOR THE, THIS BOARD, THE ALDERMAN SALARY TO CHANGE TO WHAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE BEING PAID AT 13,718? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND IF YOU DON'T WANT IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT.
NOBODY MAKING YOU TAKE ANYTHING, RIGHT? YEAH.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UM, EVERYBODY HAS A WAY OF DOING THINGS THAT PLEASES THEM, BUT THEY DON'T CARE AND THINK ABOUT NO ONE ELSE.
BUT LIKE I SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M COOL AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT, UM, ALDERMAN CRI IS, UM, ASKING FOR AS WELL.
I THINK A POLICY SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE, UM, AND IT BASED ON ANNUALLY, UM, WHAT THE COLA INCREASE MAY BE, WHICH WILL, WHICH WILL BE APPLIED TO THE ARGUMENT, UM, ENDING OUT SOMETHING THAT YOU VOTE ON.
WHAT, WHAT'S, BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON NOTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
WE CAN SIT HERE TONIGHT AND WE CAN VOTE AND I'LL JUST, IF IT'S APPROVED OR NOT APPROVED, IF IT'S APPROVED, WE CAN VOTE AND BE, AND THE SA THE ALDERMAN WILL, UM, GET THE SALARY THAT A COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS, HAS AT THIS PRESENT TIME.
BUT NOW, NEXT YEAR OR TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WE MAY BRING THIS BACK UP AGAIN.
THERE'S NO POLICY IN PLACE, SO IT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME UP EACH YEAR THAT A BOARD MEMBER FEELS THAT WE WANT TO ASK FOR A RAISE.
WITHOUT THAT POLICY BEING IN PLACE, YOU DON'T NEED A POLICY IN PLACE.
THE RULES IS MADE BY THE GOVERNING BOARD.
IS THAT CORRECT? I KNOW, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU GOOD WITH EACH YEAR, VOTING ON IT, DISCUSSING IT AND VOTING ON IT? ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNING BOARD DOES.
AND WE ALSO MAKE POLICIES TOO NOW.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN VOTE ON EVERY YEAR, WE FEEL, I DON'T THINK BEING NECESSARY.
I I DON'T THINK YOU NEED A POLICY FOR THAT.
SO AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION FOR THE SALARIES TO INCREASE TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S SALARIES? YES, MA'AM.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYBODY ELSE HAD ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.
WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AFTER.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GET THE SAME THING, THE SAME PAY THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GET, NOT ASKING FOR THE $500 THAT THEY GET A MONTH.
ANY DISCUSSION? UM, I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT THAT IS A 24% INCREASE TO OUR CURRENT SALARY.
MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME DO THE MATH ON THIS ONE.
IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RAISE AND YOU SAID MAYBE 20 YEARS.
MAY, MAY A MAY MAKE DIFFERENCE.
I'VE REALLY HAVE TO RESEARCH IT, BUT IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
WELL, LET'S JUST SAY 20 YEARS.
SO IF WE ARE TALKING, UH, A $2,000 RAISE, BASICALLY, THEN SOMEBODY DO THE MATH WITH ME, THEN WE'RE TALKING HOW MUCH RAISE PER YEAR FOR THESE 20 YEARS?
GOSH, NOW ALL YOU BRILLIANT PEOPLE.
ABOUT 1% HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR.
I'VE ONLY DONE ALMAN FOR EIGHT MONTHS.
WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT.
YOU, THAT'S YOUR DESIRE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OR, OR DENY IT.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THE INSURANCE IS.
NOT EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD TAKES INSURANCE.
I SAID IT'S SORT OF THE WAY INSURANCE IS.
IT'S OFFERED TO ALL THE GOVERNING BOARD, BUT NOT EVERYONE TAKES THAT.
SO THAT'S A, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE.
I'M SURE YOU COULD PROBABLY GO BACK AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
BUT, SO GOING BACK TO THE MATH GENIUSES, I BELIEVE WE SAID IT TRANSLATES TO MAYBE $100.
SO OVER THE 20 YEAR SPAN, IF WE MATCH THE, THE, UM, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, IT WOULD TRANSLATE TO A 1% PER YEAR, JUST HYPOTHETICALLY OVER 20 YEARS.
[01:35:03]
ARE YOU CALCULATING MR. HUGHES? I'VE GOT ONE OF OUR ACCOUNTANTS DOING THAT FOR US.I'M NOT EVEN BRINGING OUT MY CALCULATOR, YOUR BATTERY LOAN IN, IN THE MEANTIME, TO QUESTION THAT I CAN'T PROVIDE FOR YOU QUICKLY.
THE, THE AVERAGE COST TO PROVIDE INSURANCE IS APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH? THAT'S CORRECT.
OF PROVIDING INSURANCE, YOU SAID? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO ANSWER HERE SO WE CAN TAKE A VOTE.
I'M JUST GONNA GO WITH THE 1%.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY CLOSE ESTIMATE.
OKAY, SO THAT'S A 1% PER YEAR OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION NOW? NOT, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRI.
ALDERMAN PRI UH, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH USING THE BORDER COMMISSIONER, THE ACCOUNTING BOARD COMMISSIONERS AS THE STANDARD.
SO I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE TO VOTE NO ON THAT.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO ADJOURN.