May 10, 2023 Redevelopment Commission

UH, COMMISSIONER PROCTOR EXCUSED.

COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND ON ITS WAY.

COMMISSIONER POWER HERE.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE.

HERE.

CHAIR LEE.

HERE.

VICE CHAIR PARAGUAY IS HERE.

EX OFFICIARY MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE A QUO CHAIRMAN.

WE ARE GOING TO ITEM THREE.

THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH.

WE HAVE HAD, UM, A CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME OUR ROLL CALL.

AND

[3. Approve the Agenda.]

AND THAT IS TO APPROVE THE, UH, AGENDA WITH, UH, ONE CHANGE I WILL SAY.

AND THAT ONE CHANGE WOULD BE, WE WILL MAKE, WE WILL TAKE A 10 MINUTE, UH, BREAK, UH, DURING ITEM SIX.

AND THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE TO, UH, THE AGENDA OR THE ONLY CHANGE.

CHANGE IN THE ORDER OF WHICH WE, UH, WILL GO THIS EVENING.

SO COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[4. Guiding Principles]

GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE ON THE NEXT PAGE.

IF WE COULD STORE IT WITH COMMISSIONER BRYANT FOR OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES TONIGHT.

PASS PAST THE PRESENT FUTURE EQUAL TIME.

MR. BECK LEATHER'S OPINION.

LISTEN TO BILL CONSENSUS, SHARE ACCURATE INFORMATION, PUBLIC PERCEPTION.

STAY FOCUSED.

BE ACTION ORIENTED.

BELIEVE YES.

BELIEVE ENDS WITH THE PERFECT PERSON.

[5. Public Comments (limit of 4 minutes)]

APPRECIATE IT.

UM, NOW WE HAVE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT AND THAT IS LIMITED TO 40, UH, FOUR MINUTES.

I HAVE ONE, UH, REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS TO SIGN IN, UH, SHEET.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHERS, UH, TONIGHT? DID ANYONE WANT TO SPEAK THAT HAD NOT SIGNED IN? OKAY.

WE WILL HAVE MS. RUTH, UH, COOPER COMING TO SPEAK TO US AGAIN, ISSUE CONCERN, HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER ON BLOOMFIELD STREET, LITTER AND DUMPING IN THE DUFFY FUEL COMMUNITY.

MS. COOPER.

THANK YOU FOR MY FOUR MINUTES.

UH, IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE ME, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT I WEAR THAT GREEN T-SHIRT A LOT AND, UH, THE CITY SAYS WE'RE GONNA DO AN ANTI-LITTER CAMPAIGN AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE COUNTY.

UM, I DO APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL, UH, PRINTED OUT THE FLYERS ABOUT THE DUFFY FIELD CLEANUP AND THAT THE, UH, CITY PROVIDED THE DRIVERS AND STUFF.

I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT, UM, NOT MANY PEOPLE CAME.

YOU KNOW, I AND TERRY HOLLOWAY AND OTHERS FROM THE PHOENIX PROJECT WERE THERE.

MY HUSBAND, UM, ALDERMAN BRINSON WAS THERE, TWO INMATES AND A DEPUTY FROM THE COUNTY.

UM, TWO PEOPLE FROM THE Y TWO WOMEN FROM MY CHURCH.

AND NO ONE ELSE.

YOU KNOW, THESE OTHER SPONSORS, UH, DEPUTY PHIL RESIDENCE COUNCIL, PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY, AND EVEN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, NOBODY WAS ABLE TO COME HELP US.

SO I NEED YOUR HELP IN KNOWING WHAT I CAN DO FOR THE NEXT CLEANUP TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED.

I DON'T THINK ALL THESE FLYERS THAT I PASSED OUT AND POSTED DOWNTOWN AND THEN PICKED UP AFTER THE CLEANUP DID A BIT OF GOOD.

AND WHY WOULD ANYBODY IN NEWBURN WANT TO COME TO CLEAN UP DUFFY FIELD? AND THEY COULD GO TO THE VANS MYRO STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL OR THE KINSTON BARBECUE FESTIVAL.

YOU KNOW, WHY DO IT? AND I THINK EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO CLEAN SWEEP ARE GETTING KIND OF TIRED OF PEEPING PICKING UP OTHER PEOPLE'S TRASH.

SO I REALLY THINK WE NEED A, A PLAN TO REALLY HAVE PEOPLE HAVE A COME TO JESUS MOMENT WHEN THEY STOP LITTERING SO MUCH.

I'VE BEEN AN RN SINCE 84.

AND, UH, ANYWAY, THAT'S MY THING, .

UM, SO ANYTHING Y'ALL CAN DO TO HELP ME, YOU KNOW, YOU, I THINK YOU'VE ALL GOT MY PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL AND STUFF BECAUSE I REALLY WANNA WORK WITH PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU KNOW, GIVE OUT MORE T-SHIRTS, GIVE OUT GRABBERS, DO WHATEVER I CAN, AND MAYBE GET THE CITY TO PUT SOME MORE WASTE CANS IN THESE VACANT LOTS THAT PEOPLE TRASH PRETTY WELL.

CUZ I KNOW, YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES IS TO TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO ELIMINATE BLIGHT AND STOP FURTHER DEGRADATION OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TRY TO CLEAN UP THESE LITTERED LOTS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

UM, MY OTHER BIG CONCERN IS THE, UM, HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER.

[00:05:01]

I GOT MY MASTER'S IN NURSING EDUCATION AND I'M A LICENSED NURSE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

I MIGHT LIKE TO PRACTICE AT THIS HEALTH CENTER, BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN ANYTHING RECENTLY ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE.

MAYBE, UH, MR. WALLACE CAN TELL ME ABOUT THAT OR ANYBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, UH, I SOMETIMES AM JUST REAL IMPATIENT, AS YOU MAY KNOW.

AND THE ALDERMAN KNOW, I JUST KEEP KIND OF HARPING ON THINGS THAT I WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THINKING ABOUT.

SO I COME AND TALK ABOUT 'EM AND THIS ISN'T WORKING.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY TIME LEFT OR NOT , BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO DO MORE TO PREVENT, UH, LITTERING IN DUFFY FIELD AND MAKE IT A NICER PLACE.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE, I KNOW YOU HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.

UH, I DON'T THINK MR, I THINK MAYBE MR. MORGAN IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING.

HE'S NOT HERE.

AND YOU HAVE THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS GROUP.

UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING, UM, I FORGET WHAT IT WAS.

BUT ANYWAY, UH, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME, YOU KNOW, GET PEOPLE INVOLVED.

I MEAN, I WOULD BUY THE GRABBERS, I WOULD MEET WITH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BLOCK CAPTAINS.

I KNOW TERRY'S GONNA TRY TO GET ME, UH, TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE RESIDENCE COUNCIL MM-HMM.

BECAUSE, UH, I'M JUST AN OLD RETIRED WOMAN WHO HAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH TIME TO DO THINGS THAT I WANNA DO, BUT I JUST NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP ME CUZ UH, SOMETIMES PEOP I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I SHOULDN'T JUST APPEAR IN DUFFY FIELD THAT ARE, PEOPLE ARE GONNA WONDER WHAT THIS OLD WHITE WOMAN IS DOING THERE, YOU KNOW? SO NO, THEY WON'T.

PARDON? THEY WON'T, THEY WON'T.

THEY'VE SEEN YOU ENOUGH, SO.

WELL, I MEAN, I'M, I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE AND I'M USUALLY NOT AFRAID OF THE DOGS, BUT I MEAN, I DON'T LIKE SEEING AN UNDER UNDERFED DOG ROAMING AROUND LOOKING FOR FOOD, YOU KNOW, THAT BOTHERS ME.

SO, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN TELL ME OR HELP ME TO HELP THE RESIDENTS OF DUFFY FIELD AND TO HELP THE LITTER PROBLEM THERE, BECAUSE, UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, TERRY KNOWS TERRY BLAMES IT A LOT ON THE WIND BLOWING LITTER AROUND.

BUT I FIGURE PEOPLE HAVE TO PUT THOSE, UH, CORONA BOTTLES AND POP CANS AND DORITO WRAPPERS SOMEWHERE.

THE WIND DOESN'T CREATE ALL THAT.

SO ANYWAY.

THANKS.

THANK YOU MS. COOPER.

AND THANK YOU FOR CARING.

THANK YOU FOR CARING.

SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN SOME OF THE, UH, UPDATES AND WE ARE CERTAINLY GLAD TO HAVE, UH, A CONVERSATION WITH YOU.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UM, ALSO REGARDING THE, UM, FLYERS, THERE MAY BE ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

CAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHERS, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAD COPIES, UM, OF IT.

DID YOU, DID ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION? I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T THINK SO.

BUT ANYWAY, LET'S, UH, LET'S JUST WORK ON COMMUNICATION.

WE GO FROM THERE.

YOU OKAY? THAT'S, I GOT SOME WATER HERE IF YOU NEED IT.

BOSS.

SHE NEED SOME WATER? SHE HAS SOME SHE GOT TOMORROW, SHE GOT A OBTAIN.

RIGHT.

I JUST INHALE SOME WATER.

JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU OKAY.

UH, THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, WE ARE MOVING ON TO ITEM UH, SIX.

UM, SO BEING,

[6. Consider Adopting a Resolution requesting the Board of Aldermen allocate funds appropriated for the Executive Director’s salary to the Redevelopment Commission.]

CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF AUTUMN ALLOCATE FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S SALARY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMISSION.

YOU KNOW, THIS ITEM WAS, WE HAD A SPECIAL CALL MEETING FOR, UH, THIS ITEM.

AND SO THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT, UM, ITEM.

BUT I ASKED THAT THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, UH, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD, UM, SO THAT THEY COULD FULLY MAKE A DECISION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

AND THERE WERE QUESTIONS SUBMITTED.

AND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER HAS ANSWERED, UH, THOSE, UM, QUESTIONS.

UM, AND SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AT THIS TIME, ARE WE GONNA GET THE ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS? THEY'RE HARD OFF THE PRESS, AND SO WE'RE GONNA GET THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO WE ARE GONNA TAKE 10 MINUTES TO REVIEW THEM, AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS, UM, ITEM.

ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE REGARDING, OKAY, THAT'S MA'AM.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.

AGAIN, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, UM, SO MUCH.

WE ARE AT ADAM, UH, SIX.

YOU HAVE, UM, SEEN THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWER TO, UM, THOSE

[00:10:01]

QUESTIONS.

SO HERE IS, UM, THE WAY IN WHICH WE WILL HANDLE THAT.

UH, ITEM SIX SAYS TO US, CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF ORDER AND ALLOCATE FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S SALARY TO THE, UM, REDEVELOPMENT COM, UH, COMMISSION.

AND WE HAVE, UH, THE RESOLUTION, UM, ATTACHED.

BUT AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS ASKED THAT COULD NOT BE ANSWERED AT OUR LAST MEETING.

AND SO THERE WERE QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY, UH, MANAGER, AND HE HAS ANSWERED THOSE, UH, TO THE BEST OF HIS, UM, ABILITY.

SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, THE CONSIDERATION.

WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION, DISCUSSION ABOUT THE QUESTIONS.

AND, UM, I'M SURE QUESTIONS USUALLY BRING MORE QUESTIONS.

, THAT'S USUALLY THE WAY, UM, THAT IT IS.

SO I'M GONNA START, UM, WITH COMMISSIONER, UH, WALLACE, UH, THIS EVENING, , AND HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS IT WAS READY.

IT STARTED .

I WAS GONNA GO AFTERS, , I DEFER TOS.

OH, NO, YOU CANNOT DO THAT.

WE HAD A SPECIAL CALL MEETING AND IT WAS NAMED.

UM, YES, SIR.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE .

YOU CAN CERT AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY PASS AND WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.

UM, UH, THE QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED, UM, AND THEY, IT WASN'T ANSWERED SAYING THAT THE POSITION HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE 2024 BUDGET.

UH, BUT MY QUESTION WAS, WOULD THAT BE RECURRING? UM, AND THAT, THAT'S KIND OF A HALF A ANSWER.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS POSITION'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS WHILE WE DO OUR, IS WHAT I WAS ASKING, SO MAYBE I CAN GET THAT AT A LATER DATE.

BUT I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS ONE, THAT WAS MY BIGGEST THING.

ASSISTANT MANAGER.

CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE? I CAN BASICALLY JUST TELL YOU THAT THE POSITIONS, UH, THE ALLOCATION OF THE BUDGET IS DONE, UH, EVERY FISCAL YEAR.

SO RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T SAY WHAT THE NEXT BOARD MIGHT WANT, UH, FOR THAT POSITION.

SO THE CURRENT BOARD, THE LAST DECISION WAS THAT FOR THIS NEXT BUDGET, IT'S, IT'S IN THERE.

SO I CAN'T SAY THAT THE NEXT BOARD MAY NOT CHANGE THAT FOR, UH, 2025.

AND BEFORE I PASS IT, DID YOU RESERVE THE RIGHT CHAIR TO COME BACK TO? BASED ON WHAT JU SAID, BUT, UM, THIS, UH, AN ANSWER THAT WAS GIVEN THAT ME SERVING ON SEVERAL BOARDS, BEING IN THE PROFESSION THAT I'M IN, REALLY STOPS ME, CONCERNS ME.

, BECAUSE IT, IT IS A LOT OF LIABILITY WITH THIS PARTICULAR PHRASE IN THIS PARAGRAPH.

, UM, SAYING THAT WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM BENCHMARKING WITH TDA.

THEY USE IT AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, PERSONNEL POLICIES THAT THE EMPLOYEES MUST ADHERE TO, AND THAT'S A TWO-WAY STREET IN HR.

, UH, YOU CAN GET IN TROUBLE JUST AS BAD AS THE EMPLOYEE.

UM, AND I THINK, I THINK THERE'S NOBODY UP HERE, HR DIRECTOR WITH THIS PARTICULAR GROUP.

SO THAT JUST, THAT CONCERNS ME, THAT BEING THE RIGHT, RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME LIKE THAT, JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT TO THE COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT I BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THAT PARTICULAR FOUR PARAGRAPH LAST SENTENCE.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE? UH, COMMISSIONER WALKER.

UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY LIKE THE QUESTION, JUST KIND OF A SUMMARY.

UM, MS. BOWMAN WAS WITH US FOR SIX MONTHS AND SHE RESIGNED FROM THE POSITION.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE, WE DESPERATELY, WE DEFINITELY NEED ANOTHER PERSON TO, UM, BE A LIAISON AND DO SOME WORK.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF PEOPLE.

WE, THIS ISN'T OUR EIGHT TO FIVE JOB AND, AND WE GET CRITICISM FOR NOT GETTING THINGS DONE, BUT WE, WE BRING THE SKILLSETS THAT WE HAVE AND WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO, WHO'S DOING THE WORK DURING THE DAY.

UM, THE CONSIDERATION OF, OF US HIRING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD.

, THAT WAS WHAT THAT POSITION WAS FOR.

SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, MS. BOWMAN RESIGNED WITH THE CITY, HIRE ANOTHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR US.

UM, WE STILL NEED THAT PERSON.

AND UNDERSTANDING IT TOOK HER SIX MONTHS TO GET UP TO SPEED AND UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF THE JOB.

AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER AMOUNT OF TIME.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE, UM, ARE GETTING THE BURDEN FROM, UH, BEING BLAMED FOR NOT GETTING THINGS DONE WHEN IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET THINGS DONE AND, AND HAVE, EVEN WHEN SOMEBODY'S IN THAT POSITION.

[00:15:02]

THIS, THIS COMMISSION.

I, I JUST, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT , UH, YOU KNOW, ASKING, ASKING THE ALDERMAN FOR THE SALARY IS ONE THING, BUT THE, ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT, THE OFFICE, THE EQUIPMENT, THE, THE BENEFITS AND SO FORTH, SALARY, THIS ONE PART, AND IN TODAY'S WORLD, PROBABLY 75% OF THE TOTAL COST OF EMPLOYMENT, LET ALONE THE OFFICE AND THE EQUIPMENT AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF.

SO I, I, I JUST REALLY DON'T SEE THAT AT ALL.

I DO AGREE WITH YOU AND, AND BETH IN THAT I WOULD WANT TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN TO IMMEDIATELY BEGIN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING AND HIRING A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND THAT'S, YEAH.

THE, THE RESOLUTION I, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ULTIMATELY GET BACK DOWN TO THE RESOLUTION YES.

UH, ITSELF, THE RESOLUTION THAT MADE IT CLEAR AT SPECIAL MEETING THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, UH, UM, IF I, IF I WERE AN ALDERMAN, LIKE, LIKE MR. PEARL OUT THERE, I, I WOULDN'T VOTE FOR THIS CUZ IT HAS NO IDENTIFICATION OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THE MONEY RIGHT.

SAID GIMME THE MONEY, A BLANK CHECK.

AND THAT, THAT, SO THE, THE RESOLUTION HAS, IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, I CANNOT SUPPORT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE AMBIGUITY ASSOCIATED WITH IT MM-HMM.

, BUT THE CONCEPT THAT WE'RE REALLY DISCUSSING IS, DO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY AS A CITY EMPLOYEE TO HIRE, LOCATE, AND HIRE A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? AND THAT I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH AND SUPPORT.

CAN WE GO TO YOU? COMMISSIONER PARHAM? UH, YEAH.

UM, I GUESS I CAN MAKE IT SIMPLE.

I WOULD VOTE AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION.

WHAT, I MEAN, I GOT, SEE I ASKED FIVE, I ASKED FIVE QUESTIONS.

UH, I GOT ANSWERS TO THREE.

THE OTHER TWO I DIDN'T GET BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER SAID IT WAS A PERSONNEL ISSUE.

AND I DON'T, UH, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO, TO KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE, THE ANSWERS TO THOSE TWO QUESTIONS WERE.

UM, AND THE QUESTION WAS, DID A PREVIOUS DIRECTOR DO IN AN EXIT INTERVIEW, AND DID ANYONE KNOW THE PROBLEM THAT THE DIRECTOR WAS FACED WITH? THOSE ARE MY TWO QUESTIONS I WOULD LOVE TO GET AN ANSWER TO BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DID SHE GO? BUT THIS RESOLUTION HERE TO ASK TO SEND THE MONEY HERE, I THINK THE CITY SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PUSH FORWARD AS SOMEONE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PARKER.

NOW THE QUESTION, IS THAT CORRECT? I CAN'T ANSWER, I CAN'T GET ANSWERS TO THOSE TWO QUESTIONS BECAUSE THERE'S A PERSONNEL ISSUE.

WHICH QUESTIONS ARE YOU REFERRING TO, MR. PARM? DID THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR DO AN EXIT INTERVIEW AND DID ANYONE KNOW THE PROBLEMS THAT THE DIRECTOR WAS FACED WITH? I THINK THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION IS, THOSE TWO QUESTIONS WOULD FALL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF HIM HAVING TO DISCLOSE PERSONNEL INFORMATION AND WITHOUT A WAIVER TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.

THERE'S NOTHING WITHOUT ONE NOW WITHOUT A WAIVER ALLOWING HIM TO DO SO, OR A RELEASE OF INFORMATION ALLOWING HIM TO DO SO.

I DON'T THINK HE HAS ANY OTHER LEGAL BASIS TO DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION.

NOW WHO WOULD THE WAIVER COME FROM? AN EMPLOYEE ALWAYS HAS THE ABILITY TO, UM, SIGN A RELEASE OF INFORMATION, ALLOWING A PERSON OR ENTITY TO REVIEW THEIR PERSONNEL INFORMATION OR SHARE PERSONNEL INFORMATION.

IS THAT YES, SIR.

IS THAT A SIMPLE FORM OR IS THAT JUST A SIMPLE HANDWRITTEN NOTE? NOTARIZED STATING THAT THEY TAKE MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. VERY OFTEN, UM, SUBSEQUENT EMPLOYERS WILL WANT VARIOUS DIFFERENT INFORMATION, BACKGROUND CHECKS, THAT TYPE OF THING.

SO SOME ENTITIES WILL HAVE FORMS, UM, BUT A WRITTEN COMMUNICATION INDICATING THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DISCLOSE CONFIDENTIAL PERSONNEL INFORMATION TO A PARTICULAR PERSON OR ENTITY IS GENERALLY SUFFICIENT.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TERMS OF, UH, OF THE COMMISSION.

YOUR HONOR, AND I, AND I KNOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, POLICY THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THOSE THINGS.

UH, BUT WITH US AND HER BEING IN THAT POSITION OR ANYONE BEING IN THAT POSITION, IT WOULD'VE DEFINITELY BEEN A PLUS IF SHE HAD TO REMAIN TWO TO THREE MORE WEEKS TO TIE SOME LOOSE INS TO DIRECT US WHERE SHE IS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND JUST INFORM US OF

[00:20:01]

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY LEAVE, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WHERE DID THEY PUT THE PENCIL? WHERE DID THEY DO THIS? WHERE THEY, SOME THINGS I THINK WE MIGHT NOT BE IN PLACE TO PUSH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SHE JUST LEFT.

SO SOMETIMES WE JUST, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO, UH, FIGURE OURSELVES OF WHAT'S GOING TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, OKAY, GO NOT SEE YOU LATER.

THAT'S JUST MY FEELING.

UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, UPON HIM.

OKAY, COMMISSIONER BRYANT.

I HAVE TO AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER PARHAM FOR ONE REASON, I AM NEW ON THIS BOARD ONLY BEING HERE FOR FOUR MONTHS.

THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED WAS ABOUT 15 QUESTIONS.

I DON'T THINK THEY WERE PERSONAL.

I THINK I NEEDED THE, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT TO KNOW SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED BEING A NEW PERSON UP HERE.

AND I MEAN, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THIS BOARD HAD BEEN GOING ON AND IT SEEMED LIKE NOTHING WAS GETTING DONE.

COMMUNICATION IS NOT THERE.

I MEAN, THINGS WERE SENT OUT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

UM, LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN SAID THAT MS. BOWMAN DID, I MEAN, IF YOU GO BACK FIVE YEARS, THERE WAS A LOT OF MISTAKES IN THE MINUTES.

AND SO BEING THE NEW PER, WELL, NOT ONLY THE NEW PERSON, SARAH, I, SHE COULD SPEAK FOR HERSELF, BUT FOR ME, I NEEDED A LOT OF CLARIFICATION.

THAT'S WHY I ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO I AGREED WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER PARHAM THAT THE RESOLUTION, I WOULD NOT VOTE ON IT.

AND I STILL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO ASK .

COMMISSIONER BRYANT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND.

WELL, I GUESS WHENEVER EVERYTHING'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, THERE'S NOT A REASON TO SAY A WHOLE LOT MORE.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE UNIVERSALLY THERE'S A BELIEF THAT THE, UH, THE MOTION IS PRESENTED OR THE, THE, THE, THE GUIDANCE HAS, HAS BEEN PRESENTED IS PRETTY MUCH A NON-STARTER.

SO I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO SHIFT THE CONVERSATION TO OUR ASK OF THE CITY GOING FORWARD WITH THE HIRE.

UM, SHOULD THAT DECISION BE FORMALLY ENTERED INTO, UM, I WOULD ASK THAT THE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, THE BOARD HAVE AN INCREASED ROLE IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE SELECTION.

UH, IF THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE, I WOULD KINDLY REQUEST THAT MAYBE THE COLLECTIVE BOARD OR BOARD CHAIR, BOARD BOARD VICE CHAIR BE, UH, GRANTED SOME LEVEL OF, UH, VETO OVER ANY DECISION THAT MAY COME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE THAT'S PUT TOGETHER, IF THAT'S FEASIBLE.

UM, ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, UH, I THINK THE, THE INTENT OF THE IDEA OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REDEVELOPMENT, COMMISSION EMPLOYING AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS TO PROVIDE A GREATER LEVEL OF AUTONOMY AND KIND OF MAKE, MAKE THE LINES A LITTLE CLEARER AS TO WHAT THE MARCHING ORDERS WERE FOR THE PERSON IN THAT ROLE.

UM, UH, MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT.

WHENEVER YOU'RE SERVING MULTIPLE MASTERS, YOU'RE NOT SERVING ANY OF THEM VERY WELL.

AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, THE, THE PERSON IN THAT ROLE PREVIOUSLY HAD A CONSTANT BATTLE OF, OKAY, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH PERSON DO I ANSWER WHENEVER QUESTIONS COME ABOUT? WHO, WHO, WHO DO I SATISFY? UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, AND THIS IS THIS ONE COMMISSIONER TALKING, I WOULD BE INCLINED TO MAKE THE ASK OF THE CITY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER AN ARRANGEMENT AKIN TO THAT WHICH THE CITY MANAGER HAS, WHERE THEY SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, AND THEY ANSWER TO THAT BOARD WITH, INSTEAD OF THE BOARD BEING THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, THE BOARD BEING THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, AND US TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY AND POWER THAT COMES WITH THAT.

JUST ONE PERSON TALKING, NOT DISCUSS THAT WITH ANYBODY HERE.

THAT'S JUST ME KIND OF THINKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHAT WOULD MAKE IT CLEAR, WHERE THE LINES ARE DRAWN.

SO SOMEONE IN THAT ROLE IS NOT DIRECTLY REPORTING TO ONE POSITION, ULTIMATELY ANSWERING TO A MANAGER OF THAT POSITION WITH A GROUP OF CITY LEADERSHIP ASKING QUESTIONS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY ALL THE TIME.

AND THEN HAVING ANOTHER BOARD THAT YOU'RE OFFICIALLY WORKING FOR.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER OF THOSE REQUESTS ARE POSSIBLE, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO ADD.

MOVING ON FROM THE CONSIDERATION OF US DIRECTLY EMPLOYING THE INDIVIDUAL.

THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND TWEAK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO SO WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND, AND, AND ATTAIN OUR GOALS.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE? MM-HMM.

UM, JUST TO FIGURE BACK OFF OF, UH, WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE JUST SAID.

UM, I WORK AT RALEIGH, I WORK WITH A LOT OF LAW, SO I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION.

UH, WE'VE BEEN TOLD A LOT OF WHAT WE CAN'T DO, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT.

THEN SOMETIMES THAT'S SWEET AND THEN WE CAN'T DO IT.

OUR CHARGE CHANGED FROM WHEN WE FIRST TOOK OVER, TOOK, TOOK THESE POSITIONS, UM, AND WE ANSWER TO THE LAW MAKING BODY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK.

SO BEING THAT WE'VE IN BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS JOURNEY, AND WE'VE LEARNED FROM THIS JOURNEY, UM, WE JUST ASKED, UM, POSSIBLY IF THE ALDERMAN WOULD, UH, TAKE

[00:25:01]

UM, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS.

WE, WE, I DON'T EVEN THINK WE COULD SAY SOME OF THE THINGS WE SET UP HERE RIGHT NOW, UM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE OF PERSONNEL.

BUT, UM, WE SERVE THE LAWMAKERS OF THE CITY OF, SO ANYTHING CAN BE TWEAKED, ANYTHING CAN BE, YOU KNOW, WITH A VOTE FROM THE ORDINARY.

I JUST ASK THAT WE LOOK AT THIS, UM, INTENTLY.

UM, AND THEN WE REFLECT ON OUR EXPERIENCES AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, WE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

WHEREAS WHEN WE DO GET THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THEN WHAT MR. STRICKLAND, COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND JUST DESCRIBED, UM, AS WELL TAKEN CARE OF PRIOR TO THE NEW PERSON STARTING AND HUMAN.

ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.

UM, I WOULD SAY I, I CERTAINLY AGREE.

I THINK, UM, WE DO NEED TO PUT IN A LETTER, A REQUEST TO THE CITY OF NEWBURN TO, UM, BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HIRING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT JOB DESCRIPTION.

AGAIN, I THINK THE COMMISSION NEED TO BE, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, IN INVOLVED AND REALLY, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ROLE IS SO THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND GOING FORWARD, UM, FROM THAT.

AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY, UM, CAN DISCUSS.

BUT I THINK, UH, AT THIS POINT WE, WE NEED TO PUT THAT INTO, UM, A LETTER AND PROBABLY WE'LL TASK A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WITH, UH, WITH, UM, THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, FURTHER QUESTIONS.

UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE RECEIVED THE ANSWER TO, TO, UH, THE QUESTIONS, UM, THE ANSWERS WERE, WERE GIVEN, AND SO THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE.

AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER CERTAIN YOU, YOU ARE, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO, UH, EMAIL, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, UH, MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND CAN, UM, GO FROM THERE.

BUT AT THIS TIME, WE NEED TO, UM, ACT ON ITEM SIX.

AND I DON'T WANNA MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS, UM, BASED ON WHAT EVERYONE SAID, BUT I DON'T WANNA MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS.

AND SO WE WILL NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND OR YES, OR, OR NO.

IS THAT CORRECT? ATTORNEY? IF A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION AS IT'S BEEN PRINTED OR MODIFIED, A PERSON CAN MAKE A MOTION.

IF THERE'S A SECOND, YOU'D CALL FOR A VOTE.

IF THERE IS NO MOTION, YOU CAN PROCEED TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

OR ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IS IF THERE'S NO MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION, BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GET SOME DIRECTION ABOUT DRAFTING A LETTER TO THE CITY MANAGER ARTICULATING YOUR REQUEST THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN MOVE FORWARD WITH HIRING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOU CERTAINLY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DIRECTION.

REGARDING THE RESOLUTION? YES MA'AM.

NO DENY.

NOPE.

UNANIMOUSLY WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION.

ITEM SIX, ALL DOES HAVE TO BE FORMAL ABOUT THE CITY MOVING FORWARD.

DO WE NEED TO DO THAT NOW? OR IF, IF, IF IT'S THE CONSENSUS OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THE CITY MANAGER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HIRING, I'M AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ARTICULATE WHAT TYPE OF ROLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY IN THAT SELECTION PROCESS, THEN YOU CERTAINLY CAN, UM, HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO DRAFT THAT LETTER OR ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS.

IF, IF THAT'S YOUR INCLINATION.

STEVE, STEVE, STEVE, STEVE, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, DRAFT LETTER.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

WHICH, UM, WOULD THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BE, BE THE PER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BE THE, THE LEAD ON DIRECTING A LETTER TO THE CITY MANAGER TO DO WHAT WE ARE ASKING? UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH, WE DON'T HAVE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE AN EXECUTIVE.

DO IS, UM, THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED.

UM, COMMITTEE, UM, WHAT I WOULD PUT PUT, GO AHEAD.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD, UH, THAT WE, UH, ASK, UH, MR. STRICKLAND, WHO I THOUGHT MADE A GREAT PRESENTATION ABOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE BOARD IN THE HIRING PROCESS AND THE FINDING OF ROLES AND MANAGEMENT GOING FORWARD, UH, IF HE WOULD BE WILLING TO ARTICULATE THAT IN A DRAFT LETTER FOR ALL THE REST OF THE COMMISSION TO LOOK AT BEFORE WE FORWARD TO THE, THE BOARD MENT GOOD.

I DO, I, I TAKE NO ISSUE WITH DOING THAT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT VIOLATING ANY RULES BY CIRCULATING EMAILS AND COMMUNICATING OFFLINE.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE, WOULD I CREATE SOME SUNSHINE ISSUES? IF THERE'S A, A GROUP EMAIL, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A QUO ISSUE.

WHAT YOU MIGHT

[00:30:01]

SO IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION THAT THE CITY MANAGER MOVED FORWARD WITH THE SELECTION PROCESS, UM, THAT INFORMATION IS BEING ABSORBED BY THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND HE CAN RELAY THAT INFORMATION.

IF YOU ALL WANT TO THINK ABOUT LANGUAGE, ABOUT HOW YOU ARTICULATE YOUR ROLE GOING FORWARD IN THE SELECTION PROCESS, UM, THEN CERTAINLY IF YOU WANT TO HAVE TELEPHONE CALLS IN LESS THAN A QUORUM, UM, WE CAN GET CREATIVE ABOUT HOW IT IS THAT YOU CAN SATISFY ALL THE OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND STILL GET THE INPUT FROM EVERYBODY ABOUT WHAT THAT LANGUAGE SHOULD BE.

WELL, IF, IF, IF MR. STRICKLAND, WERE COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND WERE TO CREATE THIS DRAFT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND JUST EMAIL IT TO THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME, WOULD THAT WE CAN GET, WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO SATISFY THE OPEN MEETINGS LAWS AND ALSO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT MR. STRICKLAND DRAFTS IS REFLECTIVE OF EVERYBODY'S COLLECTIVE THINKING.

SO ONCE YOU GET THE LETTER, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.

YOU CAN GIVE ME A CALL AND, AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO GET EVERYBODY'S INPUT AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.

IF I MAY, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF KNOWING WHAT THE BOARD'S TEMPERATURE IS, IS THERE A UNIVERSAL AGREEMENT WITH THE TWO THINGS THAT I THREW OUT WITH, UH, GREATER BOARD INVOLVEMENT OR, AND OR, UH, AND AN ABILITY TO, TO OVERRULE OR GIVE A THUMBS DOWN ON THE DECISION AND OR INCLUDED IN THE DECISION? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED.

AND OR A DIRECT REPORT TO THIS BOARD AS OPPOSED TO CITY OFFICIALS? MM-HMM.

, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S DOABLE, BUT NO, I, I I THINK THAT'S BLURRING THE LINE.

I, I, LET ME SAY THIS.

UM, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE FACT THAT IT WILL BE A CITY IN PLO, YOU CANNOT DICTATE TO THEIR, THEIR RULES.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, STICKING, UM, GOING WITH THE LETTER, UM, SAYING, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR WISHES THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND HIRE ONE, AND THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF STIPULATIONS AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE I, I, UM, WE TRY, WE NEED A COLLABORATION AND WE, YOU DON'T GET COLLABORATION PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEMANDS, CONSTANT DE DEMANDS.

I THINK LOOKING AND REVIEWING THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND LOOKING AT SOME OTHER THINGS, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH MANY OF US MAY NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, SOMETHING, SOMETHING DID, THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO IF YOU JUST SAY, WOULD YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD AND HIRE, HIRE, HIRE SOMEONE ELSE, GO AHEAD AND START THE SEARCH PROCESS, YOU GONNA END UP RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU WERE.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE PERSON SITTING IN THEIR SEAT, AND, AND I'LL TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY RIGHT NOW, IS WE GET DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL.

UM, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO DEMAND ANYTHING OF THE CITY MANAGER, BUT WE DO WANT TO BE THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE ENTITY NEW TO THE CITY.

WELL, MAYBE NOT BE NEW , BUT IT'S NOT AFTER FIVE YEARS, NOT NEW, IT'S NEW AS CHARGE 2018, UM, 2019.

BUT, UH, JUST, WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE STARTED ALREADY, IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN FROM WHAT WE, THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AS OFFICE SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO DEMAND ANYTHING OF THE CITY, CITY MANAGER IS THE CITY MANAGER MM-HMM.

, BUT WE DO WANT TO BE INCLUDED IN DECISIONS MM-HMM.

SO WE'RE AWARE MORE QUESTIONS COOPER AS MANAGEMENT.

AND SO A SITU LIKE THAT HAPPENED AGAIN, WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE HAND, AND THAT'S WHERE THE MISCOMMUNICATION COMES IN.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M NOT COMFORTABLE BEING ON THIS BOARD, BECAUSE AGAIN, FIVE YEARS AGO THEY DIDN'T MOVE ANYWHERE, AND NOW YOU ARE AT A STANDPOINT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO MOVE YOU FORWARD.

AND SO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NOW, SIX MONTHS, WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED, AND I'VE ONLY BEEN UP HERE FOUR MONTHS, SO WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED AGAIN.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE IN HERE SO THAT THAT WON'T OCCUR AGAIN.

SO YOU GOT YOUR LETTER GO FIRST ROOM.

CAN, CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? UM, YES, SIR.

I, I THINK THE, UH, CHAIR CHAIRMAN MADE A GOOD POINT IS THAT, UM, WE, WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, HAS A POSITION DESCRIPTION AND THEY WILL BE WORKING FOR THE CITY.

SO WITH THAT BEING IN THE MIND, THEY, THAT PERSON HAS TO GO BY CITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH MAY DIFFER WITH WHAT YOU ALL'S OPINIONS MAY BE.

[00:35:01]

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AT A STANDSTILL RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU ALL HAVE A DIRECTION THAT YOU WANT TO GO INTO, ALL YOU, YOU CAN CONTINUE WITH THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING AND JUST GIVE US DIRECTION AS TO HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU ALL WITH WHAT, WHEREVER YOU ARE WITH, WITH THE PROCESSES YOU'RE IN.

UH, THINK YOU'RE IN A GOOD PLACE.

YOU GOT SEVERAL THINGS ALREADY IN THE WORKS, AND AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD AND GIVE US DIRECTION, WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SUPPORT, UH, YOU ALL IN THOSE ENDEAVORS.

THANK YOU, MR. IT MAY BE HELPFUL, UM, FOR THESE MEMBERS TO CONTEMPLATE WHAT EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF ROLE YOU WOULD LIKE IN THE SELECTION PROCESS.

IT MIGHT ALSO BE HELPFUL FOR MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST SELECTION PROCESS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS, SO THAT IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR GREATER INVOLVEMENT, YOU CAN BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THAT INVOLVEMENT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

WOULD YOU, LIKE, IF THERE'S A NATIONWIDE SEARCH, SHOULD THERE BE A NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? SHOULD THERE BE, UM, VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE SELECTION PROCESS? WHO SHOULD THOSE STAKEHOLDERS BE? HOW MANY OF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS LESS THAN A QUARTER AT ANY ONE MOMENT? THOSE ARE SOME OF THE TYPES OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL.

UM, AND FORWARDING TO THE CITY MANAGER AS HE CONTEMPLATES HOW TO MOVE FORWARD TO FILL THE POSITION THAT IS RESPONSIBLE ULTIMATELY TO HIM BECAUSE THEY'RE A CITY EMPLOYEE, YES.

ARE MOVING ON TO ITEM SEVEN, UNLESS THERE'S ANY, ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM.

, UM, BUT TO ALSO MEET YOUR NEEDS IN, IN AS MUCH AS YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN MOVING YOUR, YOUR OBJECTIVES FORWARD.

[7. Discussion on 203 and 207 Jones Street, which are also proposed parcel Lots A, B & C fronting on Walt Bellamy Drive.]

DISCUSSION ON 2 0 3 AND 2 0 7 JONES STREET, WHICH ARE ALSO PROPOSED, UH, PARCEL SLOTS, A, B, AND C FRONTING ON WALT BELLAMY, UH, DRIVE VO CHAIR.

UH, I DON'T KNOW.

THERE'S NOT A LOT TO DISCUSS.

THE BOARD, THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE, THE, THE PLATS AT, AT THE LAST MEETING.

AND HERE THEY ARE RIGHT HERE, READY, INFORMED, AND STYLED TO BE RECORDED.

UH, THE CHAIRMAN SIGNED THEM THIS EVENING, AND SO THEY'LL BE RECORDED BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.

UH, SO THAT WILL PUT ALL THAT IN PLAY AND READY TO GO.

UM, WE HAVE, THAT'S JUST A MINOR PART OF THE SURVEYING PROCESS.

WE HAVE, UM, HAVE CONTRACT PROPOSALS ON BIDDING A, A BID TO BUILD THE HOUSES.

AND WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET AND WE HAVE SECURED THE FINANCING FOR THE THREE HOUSES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO BUILD, UH, ON THESE LOTS.

SO, I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS NOT NEW.

THIS IS ALL KIND THIS SALE? YES.

THE HOUSING WILL BE FOR SALE.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH.

NO, NO.

THEY'LL BECOME, UM, GIVE, UH, SOME, UH, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE HOUSING REPORT.

DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE ADDRESS CHANGE? OR DID THEY STAY THE SAME ADDRESSES? STAYED THE SAME.

OH, OKAY.

WE HAD A LITTLE, UH, LITTLE BURP IN THE PROCESS THROUGH, THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND, BUT IT WAS ALL RESOLVED AND THEY STAYED THE SAME.

EVERYONE, IS THERE ONE ADDITIONAL ONE THERE? I MEAN, THERE'S THREE LOTS.

IT ADDED AN ADDITIONAL LOT.

2 0 3, 2 0 7.

IS THERE NOW A 2 0 5? NO.

TAKE, GOT IT.

IT WAS, IT WAS IN THE, IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS IS WHEN YOU DO A NEW PLAT, YOU GO TO THE CITY, UH, TO A DESIGNATED INDIVIDUAL IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO ASSIGNS EVERY, EVERY ADDRESS IN THE CITY OF NEWBURG.

UH, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT, DISCUSSION ON THE STATUS OF NINE 11 HUGHBANKS STREET, COMMISSIONER WALKER.

AND SO WE DID THAT AND WE HAVE THE LETTERS FROM THAT INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNING THAT, AND THEY CAME UP, THEY CAME INTO QUESTION BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT OF SEQUENCE WITH THE NEIGHBORS DOWN THE STREET.

OH, OKAY.

THERE WAS A BIG GAP OKAY.

IN IN OKAY.

FROM WHERE WE ARE.

AND SO THAT GOT CHALLENGED, UH, AND IT GOT RESOLVED AND IT STAYED THE SAME CUZ WE HAD THE LETTERS AND EVERYTHING FROM THE CITY, UH, ABOUT WHERE THEY WOULD, HOW THEY WOULD BE ADDRESSED.

AND SO IT'S ALL THE SAME.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE DEALS WHERE YOU HAVE A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND YOU GOTTA SPEND SOME TIME GETTING IT ALL IRONED DOWN.

SO I THEY A PERSONAL GETTING TWO THREE B? NO, THEY'RE, THE ADDRESSES ARE 1,002, 1,004,

[00:40:01]

SO THEY'RE NOT, I WAS CONFUSED.

I THOUGHT THEY WERE, WHEN YOU SAID THEY'RE STAYING THE SAME UP, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW LOSS.

SO THEY WILL HAVE THEIR OWN MAILBOX.

[8. Discussion on the status of 911 Eubanks Street.]

UM, NINE 11 UBANK STREET IS, IS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.

CAUSE WE'VE HAD A GOOD CONTRACTOR WHO'S GOTTEN THAT WORK DONE QUICKLY.

AND REALLY WHAT I NEED TO, TO HAVE, UM, THE COMMISSION CONSIDERED TONIGHT IS THERE WAS A CHANGE ORDER THAT THE CONTRACTOR DEVELOPED, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,500.

AND THIS MONEY REPRESENTS, UM, ITEMS THAT THE CITY IDENTIFIED WHEN THEY DID THE INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY.

UM, AND ALL THREE OF THESE ITEMS WERE PART OF THE HOUSE BEING MOVED THERE AND THE FOUNDATION BEING BUILT.

AND THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTRACTOR'S CONTRACT.

SO IT WAS ASSUMED THAT THOSE WERE COMPLETED CORRECTLY, AND THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN OUR CONTACT DOCUMENTS.

SO THE CONTRACTOR HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THEM.

HOWEVER, WHEN THE INSPECTIONS OFFICE CAME AND INSPECTED HIS WORK, THEY WERE IDENTIFIED AS, UM, DEFICIENCIES.

AND IN ORDER TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, THEY WOULD NEED TO BE CORRECTED.

SO HE PUT PEN TO PAPER TO DO THESE THINGS, AND IT, THE TOTAL IS $8,500.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE GRAVING, THE SITE, UM, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE FOR THE FOUNDATION TO BE, UM, UM, THE WATER TO FLOAT, UH, CORRECTLY.

AND HE HAD TO FILL A HOLE UNDERNEATH THE HOUSE THAT WAS LEFT THAT WOULD CAUSE WATER TO P TO POND.

UM, TO BRACE THE FRAME TO THE FOUNDATION FROM THE WORK.

UM, THEY PUT THE FOUNDATION STRAPS IN PLACE OR SET THEM, BUT THEY DID NOT CONNECT THEM TO THE HOUSE WHEN THE HOUSE WAS MOVED THERE.

SO THAT WAS NOT COMPLETED.

SO THAT'S WHAT HE WOULD ALSO DO.

AND THEN INSTALL THE VAPOR BARRIER UNDER THE HOUSE.

UM, I WILL SAY THAT EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN COMPLETED WITH THE HOUSE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, UM, THE LAST TIME I SPOKE WITH MR. MUMFORD, THAT HE WAS WAITING FOR THE DOOR, THE FRONT DOOR TO BE, UM, ARRIVED.

AND I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW HE'S IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.

HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.

AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S BEEN REAL EASY TO WORK WITH.

UM, SO I, I'M PROPOSING THAT WE APPROVE THIS CHANGE ORDER OUT OF OUR FUNDS SO THAT WE, HE CAN FINISH THE PROJECT AND HE'S STILL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

THE SCHEDULE WE GAVE HIM TO BE COMPLETED BY WAS JUNE 8TH.

UM, YOU HAVE THAT, UH, INVOICE THERE THAT PROPOSED IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET.

UM, THERE, UH, AND I HAVE, I CHECKED WITH, UH, JENNIFER, AND, UH, THERE IS FUNDS IN THE, UM, ACCOUNT FOR THIS.

IT WOULD NOT COME OUT, UH, FROM CDBG.

YOU WILL COME DIRECTLY FROM REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS.

YOU NEED A MOTION? YES.

SOME OF SECOND QUESTION.

WHO MADE THE MOTION? MR. PAR, JULIUS JU, JUST TO CLARIFY, MS. WALKER, I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST PART OF WHAT'S BEING DONE WAS NOT, CLEARLY NOT IN THE SCOPE OF THE, THE PRIOR CONTRACTOR THAT IS IN CHARGE OF MOVING THE HOUSE.

IS THERE THERE ANY PIECE OF WHAT'S BEING DONE ON THIS, THAT THERE'S ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM WHATSOEVER THAT WE COULD HOLD? THE INITIAL CONTRACTOR THAT MOVED THE HOUSE RESPONSIBLE, OR IS THAT SHIP SAILED? THAT SHIP SAILED.

UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CONTRACTOR, WE, THE CITY HIRED SOMEONE TO DO THE FOUNDATION WORK AND THEN A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR SET THE HOUSE ON THE FOUNDATION WORK.

SO I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER, WAS NEVER, UM, CONSIDERED TO BE COMPLETED THAT TIME AND INSPECTED AS SUCH.

UM, SO THAT WAS REALLY OUTSIDE OF OUR, THE COMMISSION DIDN'T DO THAT.

CITY DID THAT.

NOW, IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, SORRY.

YOU DID OKAY.

AND I THINK THAT YOU REMEMBER THE HOUSE WAS LEFT IN THE AREA.

IT WASN'T SIT DOWN FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO CONTINUALLY PAY THOSE FUNDS, WHICH ATE UP SOME, UH, SOME FUNDS.

SO I, I AGREE WITH HER THAT SHE HAS SETTLED, SO WE NEED TO GET IT DONE.

I, I WILL SAY ONE THING, UH, UNFORTUNATELY THIS PROJECT WAS GOING GREAT.

I DO.

AND

[00:45:01]

AND, UM, THE HOUSE IS BROKEN INTO, AND BRAND NEW APPLIANCES THAT MR. MUNFORD HAD INSTALLED WERE STOLEN.

AND, AND THE BACK WINDOW BRAND, THE ONLY BRAND NEW WINDOW IN THE HOUSE WAS BROKEN OUT AS WELL.

BRAND NEW.

SO, LIKE I SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO GET HIM COMPLETE.

I KNOW HE WOULD LIKE TO BE COMPLETE AND IT'D BE OUR PROPERTY , BUT NOT HIS PROPERTY.

SO WE'VE HAD, UH, A MOTION AND A SECOND AND A QUESTION AND THE QUESTION, UH, ANSWERED.

SO, UH, ALL IN FAVOR.

RIGHT CALL PLEASE.

WE NEED A ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER WALKER? YES.

COMMISSIONER BRYANT.

OH, YOU DIDN'T COME TO ME FIRST.

YOU WERE SECOND.

COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND.

COMMISSIONER PYRON.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE.

[9. Working Group Report.]

, UH, AGENDA ITEM NINE.

WORKING GROUP, UH, REPORTS HEALTH AND WELLNESS, UH, CENTER.

YOU SHOULD HAVE RE UH, RECEIVED THAT, UH, REPORT.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE IS HERE, UM, TONIGHT FOR FURTHER ELABORATION.

UH, ALL RIGHT.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

I CAN HELP HIM FILE MY DOCUMENT Y I'M SORRY, THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.

HADN'T EVEN BEGUN MY PRESENTATION YET.

I'M STILL SURFING FOR IT.

, SO, UM, BUT THERE WE GO.

WITH THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS, UM, UPDATE, HEALTH AND WELLNESS WORK GROUP UPDATE, UM, IN THIS COMING WEEK, UM, WE WILL MEET WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, TWO, MAINLY TO FINALIZE THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER.

WE'VE PAST CONVERSATIONS AND, UH, WANTED TO TALK TO SOME PEOPLE AND, AND VISUALIZE EXACTLY WHAT IT NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE AND KIND OF FINALIZE IT, THE INTERIOR OF IT.

UM, I THINK, UH, HOUSING DOES, DID A GREAT JOB WITH THE SCHEMATICS.

UM, BUT THEN THE QUESTION CAME UP, DO WE WANT TO HAVE IT AS AN OPEN BAY? LIKE THE EMERGENCY ROOM IS WITH THE CURTAIN, SO WE CAN BE MORE FLEXIBLE IN, IN WHAT WE DO IN OUR PROGRAMMING APPROACH.

OR DO WE WANT TO HAVE THE HARD DRYWALL, WHICH YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH UNTIL IT'S IN, I MEAN, WHEN IT'S IN, IT'S, IT'S IN, YOU CAN'T ALTER, YOU CAN'T ALTER THAT.

SO I HAVE A MEETING WITH, UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DR.

FISHER AND SOME OTHERS ON THURSDAY.

SO WE CAN BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION.

ONCE I GET THOSE SPECS.

I PLAN TO MEET WITH, UH, MR. WILLIAMS AND MAYBE, UM, LEGAL, JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BEFORE WE SECURE THE BUILDING CONTRACTOR.

UM, WE ARE WORKING TO BREAK GROUND BY JUNE 30TH, 2023.

THE BEST WAY TO, TO GET THINGS DONE IS TO GO AHEAD AND STATE IT, STATE YOUR GOAL AND REVERSE ENGINEER ON HOW YOU GONNA GET THERE.

SO I'M GONNA STATE IT RIGHT NOW AND SAY JUNE 30TH, 2023 IS WHEN WE'RE HOPING TO BREAK GROUND.

AND WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH ALL DELIBERATE SPEEDS AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

WE HAVE THE SPECS, WE HAVE THE SCHEMATICS, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THE, UM, PROFESSIONAL INPUT THAT WE NEED, UM, ON THE INTERIOR OF THE STRUCTURE.

AND THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO IN FRONT OF A CONTRACT, DEPENDING ON THE FEEDBACK I GET FROM THE TWO ENTITIES I NEED TO MEET WITH THIS WEEK.

WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BENCHMARK AND NETWORK WITH EXISTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTERS.

WE HAVE A, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNER, UH, POSSIBLY A BLOCK, A BLOCK CAPTAIN IS IN DURHAM RIGHT NOW, UM, WORKING WITH DUKE IN NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL.

AND, UH, WITH THE DEPARTURE OF THE, THE FORMER ED, I'M STILL TRYING TO RECONNECT WITH MY, WITH OUR CONTACTS FROM THE MICHAEL JORDAN FOUNDATION IN WILMINGTON, UM, JUST TO, SO WE CAN CAST A WIDE NET ON THE ASSISTANCE.

ONCE THAT SHOVEL HITS THE GROUND, WE'LL BE READY TO GO ONCE IT'S COMPLETED.

UM, AND THAT'S MY SHORT.

UM, COMMISSIONER WALLACE, THE, THE LINCOLN UH, CENTER IS THE ONE THAT WE ALL VISITED, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.

DID WE TELL THEM THAT SHE'S FROM, UH, NEWBURN? WE DID NOT.

THE, UH, ACTUAL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, I DON'T EVEN HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.

I HAD IT THE LAST TWO MEETING.

YOU DID.

DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT SHE IS FROM NEW BERN.

SHE HAS EXTENSIVE FAMILY HERE.

UM, DEFINITELY.

AND SHE PRETTY MUCH IS PART OF THE TEAM NOW.

SHE SAID THAT WE CAN CALL IT ANY TIME FOR ANY GUIDANCE THAT, THAT WE WOULD NEED.

AND SHE'S BEEN VERY PROACTIVE IN LETTING US KNOW THE BARRIERS WE PROBABLY ENCOUNTER.

TOUR IN MY NEXT UPDATE, SO MAKE SURE WE, WE LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT WE LEARNED WHILE WE WERE DOWN.

ONCE WE GET ROLLING.

BUT, UH, I'LL HAVE ALL THAT.

AND ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA GO OVER THE

[00:50:01]

FAR.

I WANNA BRING A QUESTION TO YOUR ATTENTION, UHOH.

WELL, NO, IT'S GOOD.

BUT YOU, WE JUST NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT, YOU SAY YOU WANT TO SECURE A BUILDING CONTRACTOR, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING A CONTRACT, A DESIGN BUILD, UM, ARRANGEMENT WHERE THE CONTRACTOR HIRES A DESIGNER TO ACTUALLY DO THAT.

THAT IS A VERY BIG PART OF THAT PROJECT.

IT WILL HAVE TO HAVE A SET OF DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE APPROVED BY THE CITY.

AND I, OUR CONCEPT PLAN IS REALLY JUST THAT, JUST A CONCEPT TO GET YOU STARTED MM-HMM.

AND THERE'S TWO WAYS TO DO IT.

YOU CAN EITHER DESIGN IT AND THEN HIRE CON BID THE CONTRACTORS TO BID IT OR BID FOR THE CONTRACTORS.

AND THEY EACH BRING A DESIGN PERSON WITH THEM AS PART OF THEIR TEAM.

UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, BUT THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A DESIGN COMPONENT IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

, I AM SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT.

MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER, NOTICE IN MY, UH, DIALOGUE, I SAID TWO ENTITIES.

UH, ONE WAS MR. WILLIAMS AND THE NEXT ONE WAS THE HOUSING WORK GROUP.

SOMETHING.

SO , I HAVE GUIDANCE ALREADY.

SO WHAT YOU MEAN IS THE ARCHITECT AND THE DEVELOPERS THAT HOUSING WORKING GROUP, THE ARCHITECT, AND FOR THAT GUIDANCE CERTAINLY GIVE YOU GUIDANCE AS AS TO WHO, WHERE TO TURN TO FOR THAT.

AND FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE, THE FIRST THING IS, THERE'S STILL THREE SEPARATE LOTS THERE.

YOU NEED TO GET THEM COMBINED INTO ONE.

RIGHT? LIKE, UH, WE GOT RIGHT HERE FOR JONES STREET.

RIGHT.

GET A SURVEYOR TO DO THAT WORK.

AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN HAVING LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LEGAL STAFF ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS OF HIRING CONTRACTORS.

AND JAMIE, YOU WANT TO REVIEW THAT FOR US AGAIN, BECAUSE IT, IT, IT APPLIES TO A BIG PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING WITH THE, GETTING THE THREE HOUSES BUILT AS WELL AS ANYTHING ELSE.

AND, AND PROBABLY IMPACT WHAT YOU'RE DOING ALSO.

THERE VARIES DIFFERENT BENCHMARKS.

SO JUST TO GIVE A, AN OVERALL VIEW, UM, WHENEVER PUBLIC FUNDS ARE BEING USED TO CONSTRUCT THINGS, BUILDING STRUCTURES, THERE'S A PROCESS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN MM-HMM.

IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT THE PUBLIC BODY'S BEING A GOOD STEWARD OVER THOSE FUNDS.

SO A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS IS GENERALLY UTILIZED.

YEP.

AND THERE'S SPECIAL RULES DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THE CONTRACT PRICE IS, IF IT'S $30,000 OR LESS, THERE'S A SET OF RULES.

IF IT'S BETWEEN $30,000 AND $300,000, THERE'S SOME RULES OVER $500,000.

THERE.

UM, SO ONCE YOU ASSESS WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU NEED, HOW MUCH IT MAY COST, THEN THAT WILL TRIGGER WHICH SET OF BIDDING REQUIREMENTS WILL BE APPLICABLE.

UM, AND THEN CITY STAFF CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ASSISTANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BIDDING PROPERLY.

UM, WHETHER THE BIDS HAVE TO BE INFORMAL OR FORMAL, WHETHER THEY HAVE TO BE SEALED OR UNSEALED TIMETABLES, YOU'LL HAVE SUPPORT IN TRACKING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROCESS THAT WAS UTILIZED FOR THE, UM, THE HOUSE COULD BE APPLICABLE TO THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER, JUST DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU MAY COST.

THANK ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

WHICH MAY I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THOSE VARIOUS DIFFERENT CHECKS BEFORE THE DATE THAT YOU JUST PRONOUNCED.

SO THAT DATE MAY NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE.

BE FLEXIBLE, BUT WE'RE GONNA SHOOT FOR IT .

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER WALLACE? NO.

THANK HOUSING AND WORKING GROUP VICE CHAIR.

AND YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT REPORT.

YEAH, THE REPORT IS IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, WE MET ON, UH, MAY 2ND AND DISCUSSED A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.

UM, GOING BACK TO THE EUBANKS HOUSE, UH, BETH HAS COVERED MOST ALL OF THAT.

UH, I DID WANT TO WANT TO EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'LL BE GETTING A, A QUOTE FROM A CERTIFIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISER TO APPRAISE THE HOUSE NOW THAT IT'S COMPLETE SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT ITS VALUE IS AND WE CAN USE THAT IN, IN SETTING OUR PRICING AND SALE.

EARLIER AT, UH, ON THE AGENDA ITEM.

SALE PROCESS.

AND WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALSO GETTING THE HOUSE MEASURED SO THAT WE CAN ACCURATELY, UH, PUBLICIZE THAT AND DO HAVE INFORMATION.

CURRENT, CURRENT, A LOT, SOME STUFF HAS CHANGED ON THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE, .

SO ALL, ALL THE ROOMS NEED TO BE MEASURED.

IT'S A, IT'S A STANDARD PROCESS IN, IN REAL ESTATE, UH, TO HAVE HOUSES MEASURED BEFORE YOU PUT 'EM IN S OR ANYWHERE ELSE SO THAT YOU DON'T GET SUED LATER ON.

CUZ THE HOUSE IS TWO FEET, TWO SQUARE FEET LESS THAN THAN YOU ADVERTISED.

RIGHT.

SO, UM, THAT PROCESS IS IN WAY I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, WITH AN APPRAISER WHO DOES THAT WORK AND, UH, I WILL BE GETTING A PRICE FROM THEM IN THE MORNING.

UH, JONES STREET, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT ALSO, UH,

[00:55:01]

, UH, LIKE I SAY, THE PLATS, WE'LL CREATING THE THREE LOTS FOR US TO BUILD ON WILL BE, UH, REGISTERED, UH, WITH THE REGISTERED DEEDS THIS WEEK.

UH, THE WEST A STREET PROPERTY.

OUR LEGAL STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TRYING TO MAKE ME HAPPY, WITH A SITUATION THERE.

UH, AND WHAT IT WAS WAS THAT THE GIS MAPS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT A THOUSAND PERCENT ACCURATE, THEY WERE ON A LARGE SCALE, HAD A PROPERTY LINE THAT KIND OF WENT THROUGH ONE OF THE HOUSES THAT SITS ON THAT PROPERTY.

AND SO IT BROUGHT INTO QUESTION THE PROPERTY LINE WHERE IT REALLY WAS, UH, THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN AND TAKE DOWN A HOUSE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAD A VESTS AN INTEREST IN.

UH, THAT'S USUALLY NOT A LOT OF FUN WORKING THROUGH THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, UM, WE INSTRUCTED, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING, I DO BELIEVE, OR MAYBE THE MEETING BEFORE FOR LEGAL STAFF TO, UH, PURSUE GETTING A LINE AGREEMENT TO SOLIDIFY THAT ONE PROPERTY LINE, UH, ON THAT WEST A STREET PROPERTY.

AND WHAT WE HAVE GOTTEN IS AN AFFIDAVIT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, FROM THE OWNER OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT THEY HAVE NO, NO INTEREST IN THE HOUSE AND GAVE THE ADDRESS AND THE PARTIAL NUMBER OF THE HOUSE WHATSOEVER.

IT WAS NOT ON THEIR PROPERTY.

AND THEY GAVE US AN INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AN OLD WIRE FENCE, UH, LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY THAT WAS THE PROPERTY LINE AND HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY BEEN THE PROPERTY LINE.

AND SO I WILL, I WILL ASK THE, UH, LEGAL STAFF IF THEY WILL COMMENT ON THAT AND, AND ALSO VALIDATE THAT WE HAVE GOOD TITLE AND PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ON THAT PROPERTY.

ABSOLUTELY.

MR. VICE CHAIR.

UM, SO THE INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY WITH TRYING TO UNTANGLE, UM, WHERE THAT HOUSE IS SITUATED AND WHO, WHO THE HOUSE BELONGS TO, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UM, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THAT HOUSE.

UM, THE AFFIDAVIT, AND I USE AIR QUOTES, UM, WITH THE WORD AFFIDAVIT THAT WE SENT ACTUALLY WAS SENT TO OUR BUILDING, OUR BUILDING INSPECTOR, UM, PATRICK ZEL.

THE LANGUAGE IN THAT LETTER, UM, REFERRED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MOVING PARTS.

AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL CLEAR AND ON THE SAME PAGE, UM, MY OFFICE SENT A LETTER TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WITH A PICTURE OF THE HOUSE THAT'S IN QUESTION AND SAID, DO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OWNS THIS HOUSE.

WE BELIEVE THAT IT ENCROACHES ON YOUR PROPERTY.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DEMOLISHING THIS HOUSE AT ITS OWN EXPENSE? AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, RESPONDENT RESOUNDINGLY THAT THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN THE HOUSE AND ARE EXCITED ABOUT YOU ALL DEMOLISHING THAT HOUSE AT YOUR COST.

UM, SO THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS TOGETHER, UM, MAKE ME FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT YOU ALL MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION OF THE HOUSE.

AND MINIMIZING OR MITIGATING ANY LIABILITY, UM, THAT MIGHT COME FORWARD WITH DESTROYING SOMEBODY'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S DILAPIDATED HOUSE.

UM, WE, AT OUR MEETING, UM, WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UH, AN ISSUE THAT I BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS, UH, TO, TO REVISIT AND TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT OUR MINIMUM PRICING POLICY FOR OUR PROPERTY THAT WE OWN IN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING WORK GROUP, UH, MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE LOOK AT, UH, THE 75% OF TAX VALUE, WHICH IS THE CURRENT POLICY BE BE CLARIFIED TO BE STRICTLY APPLICABLE TO PROPERTIES ON THE SURPLUS LIST THAT, THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.

AND THAT ALL OTHER REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION PROPERTY WILL BE VALUED BY THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME OF AN INQUIRY, UH, OF A BUYER.

WE PROBABLY WILL NEED TO GET A RESOLUTION CREATED WITH THAT.

UH, YEP.

CHANGING A LOT OF YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES MAY CREATE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO REFLECT UPON, BUT SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO, UM, I THINK SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT COMMISSIONER WALKER MADE ABOUT THE EUBANKS HOUSE, HOW IT'S JUST ABOUT READY FOR SALE.

UM, I THINK THE RESOLUTIONS SHOULD CERTAINLY INCORPORATE THE CURRENT SURPLUS PROPERTY LIST.

THAT WAY WE KNOW EXACTLY WHICH PROPERTIES ARE SUBJECT TO THAT 75% RULE.

UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOUR PREVIOUS PURCHASING POLICIES, INCLUDING THAT MINIMUM BID, UM, CONTEMPLATION WERE ADOPTED WHEN YOU HAD AN EXECUTIVE, WELL BEFORE YOU HAD AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MM-HMM.

AND NOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A, A DEDICATED PERSON

[01:00:01]

YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME.

CAUSE I, MR. VICE CHAIR, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HOUSE IS ON YOUR SURPLUS PROPERTY LIST.

I I IMAGINE IT'S NOT.

NO.

YOU CAN VOTE AS THIS BODY TO SAY, OKAY, THE MINIMUM BID PRICE FOR THAT STRUCTURE IS X.

YOU CAN DO THAT AT ANY TIME CONSIDERING IT'S UNIQUE DIFFERENCES FROM SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT YOU HAVE, UM, IN YOUR INVENTORY.

SO I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK IF YOU WANT TO DIRECT ME TO PRESENT A RESOLUTION, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT IN YOUR HEARING THAT TOO MANY OR SOME SIGNIFICANT ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES IN THIS PERIOD, UM, MAY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.

AND, AND THE, THE, THE CREATION OF THE SURPLUS PROPERTY LIST WAS DONE SO THAT WE COULD PROVIDE THE CITY CLERK THAT LIST SO THAT WHEN SOMEONE CAME IN TO INQUIRE ABOUT PROPERTY, SHE WOULD KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHO OWNED IT AND IF IT WERE EVEN AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

SO I, I MEAN, FROM ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, UH, IT, THAT, THAT HASN'T CHANGED.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE SURPLUS LIST WAS CREATED TO BENEFIT THE CITY CLERK IN DEALING WITH POTENTIAL PURCHASERS.

I, I AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT.

BUT IF THERE ARE NOW PROPERTIES THAT YOU WOULD ENTER, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ONLY PROPERTIES THAT WERE FOR SALE BY THE COMMISSION WERE THE PROPERTIES INDICATED ON THAT LIST.

CORRECT.

IF NOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT YOU WOULD ENTERTAIN SELLING THAT ARE NOT ON THAT LIST, THEN THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN POSITION.

SO IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN PERHAPS WE NEED TO REFLECT AND THINK THROUGH THAT TO SEE HOW WE CAN BEST IMPLEMENT THAT, THAT CHANGE.

SO THAT ONE, THE CITY CLERK CAN ACCEPT BIDS IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.

UM, THAT SATISFACTORY TO THE STANDARDS THAT YOU SET, THAT THE PUBLIC HAS A VERY CLEAR IDEA ABOUT WHAT'S FOR SALE AND WHAT'S NOT, AND THAT ALL OF THESE MEMBERS UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING GOING FORWARD.

I WOULD LIKE TO, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SO DIRECT THE CITY OF THE, OUR LEGAL STAFF TO CREATE THAT DOCUMENT, THAT RESOLUTION FOR OUR REVIEW, UH, FOR OUR NEXT MEETING IF, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

I'M SEEING SOME HEADS SHAKING.

IS THAT YEAH, GO FOR IT.

YEAH, THERE IS, IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING, UH, AS WE, THE C THE ALDERMAN RECENTLY, UH, APPROVED THE CB CBG BLOCK GRANT MONEY FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

AND ONE OF THE ALLOCATIONS IN THE PLAN WAS $70,000 FOR DEMOLITION OF THREE STRUCTURES.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT, UH, THAT THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR THREE STRUCTURES.

AND AS WE WERE WONDERING IF, IF THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT THIS COMMISSION TO COULD UTILIZE ANY OF THOSE FUNDS TO DEMOLISH SOME OF THE STRUCTURES IN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, UH, SUCH AS THE HOUSE THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT ON WEST A STREET, UH, THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO USE, UH, FOR SOME DEMOLITION WORK.

THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S A QUESTION.

CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NO IDEA MM-HMM.

, BUT THAT THIS, PUTTING TWO AND TWO AND TWO TOGETHER AND COMING UP WITH FOUR WITH WHAT OUR EXPERIENCE FOR DEMOLITION COSTS ARE, UH, VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES TO BE, UH, DEMOED.

LOOK LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA FUN LAYING AROUND.

AND IF SO, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT, IF THAT IS IT ALL POSSIBLE.

BUT WE WOULD, CAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE SOME READY TO GO.

UH, I DO, UH, WE JUST WANNA ADD THAT I WAS AT THE ALDERMAN'S MEETING TOO, AND THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO, IT WAS 70,000 DEDICATED FOR BLIGHTED STRUCTURES, WHICH WE HAVE.

WELL, UM, I THINK THE THING IS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF THAT IS IN CHARGE OF CDBG AT A, AT, UH, LATER TIME.

SHE'S JUST HEARD THAT, AND WE CAN TALK WITH HER AT A LATER TIME, GET SOME CLARIFICATION OKAY.

ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT CAN BE DONE, WHETHER IT'S EVEN WITHIN A PURVIEW OR IT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE ALDERMAN FOR AMENDMENTS AND ALL OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

AND LET ME ASK REAL QUICK, I'M SORRY.

DO WE HAVE A PRICE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF A NO, WE NEED TO OKAY.

WE, THAT'S ANOTHER, I KNOW WE HAD SOME OLD ONES, OTHER STUFF NEXT.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAD THAT ONE YET.

DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THAT ISSUE.

AND, AND PERHAPS THE INSPECTIONS

[01:05:01]

SO IF, IF YOU'D LIKED SOME, WHATEVER INFORMATION, IF ANY, EXISTS IN THE INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT, I'M SURE MR. WILLIAMS CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING.

I'M SURE IT'S ON THE, UM, IT'S ON THE, WE, UM, AS MATTER OF FACT, WE NEED A, A UPDATED MINIMUM HOUSING LIST.

IF WE COULD, WE COULD GET THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

WE CAN SEND IT OUT IN OUR PACKETS.

SO EVERY, UH, AUDIT COMMISSION CAN BE AWARE.

DO WE HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? COMMISSIONER WALLACE, ANYTHING ELSE? UH, YES.

UM, COMMISSIONER MORGAN IS, UH, IT'S NOT HERE WITH US.

HE IS EXCUSED.

SO THERE IS NO, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WORK, UH, GROUP, UH, REPORT TONIGHT.

[10. New Business.]

AND I HOPE THIS IS A CORRECT VENUE TO, UH, COMMENT ON, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, QUESTIONS EARLIER.

JUST WANTED TO REPLY.

CAN I DO THAT ? IT'S GOOD.

NO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FINE.

AS FAR AS, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP, I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M UPSET THAT I'M, I MISSED IT.

I MISSED MY PERFECT RECORD.

I'VE BEEN AT EVERY LAST ONE OF 'EM.

YES, YOU HAVE.

OH MAN.

I DIDN'T, DIDN'T KNOW FOR SOME REASON.

I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS ONE.

BUT I WOULD SAY ON THE NEXT ONE, UM, IF, IF I'M INVOLVED OR IF I'M CONTACTED, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, BARBERSHOPS BEAUTY SALONS, FRATERNITY SORORITIES, THEY ALREADY DO CLEANUP ON THEIR OWN.

WHY NOT COME TOGETHER UNDER THE ATLANTIC TO DO SOMETHING THIS BROAD FOR, UH, THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

DEFINITELY A RESIDENCE COUNCIL.

I HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING TO SEE WHY THEY WASN'T THERE.

CAUSE I'M SHOCKED THAT THEY WASN'T THERE, UM, IN THE PHOENIX GROUP.

AND WE ALSO HAD SUCCESS AT JT BARBER JUST LAST WEEK.

UM, GETTING, GETTING A WHOLE LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUT MM-HMM.

FOR A BIG CONCERN TO STAND IN, UM, A LOCKSTEP FOR A HISTORICAL SITE AND KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS, UM, OVER THERE AT JT BALDWIN.

SO I PLAN TO USE THAT SAME MECHANISM THAT WE USE TO GET ALL THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE TO JT BALDWIN TO GET THEM OVER TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP.

THERE'S A CONTACT PERSON FOR THAT.

AND THERE'S SOCIAL MEDIA.

I NEVER SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO SOCIAL MEDIA IS A WAY A LOTTED THAN YOUNG FOLKS.

AND PEOPLE UNDER 50 GET THEIR INFORMATION.

THEY DON'T GET IT FROM THE NEWS.

THEY DON'T SEE FLIES, THEY DON'T COME OUT MUCH AND DO IT THAT WAY.

UM, AND JUST LEARNING FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOLS, UM, THE BINS, ROBBY'S BEEN CRYING FOR THOSE BINS TO BE IN THOSE LOTS SINCE WE STARTED THIS, THIS, THIS COMMISSION.

AND I LEARNED, NOTICED FROM GRAFFITI SCHOOLS, IF THE GRAFFITI GOES UP IN THE BATHROOM AND IT'S DOWN THE NEXT DAY, YOUR WALLS WILL STAY WHITE.

BUT IF YOU ALLOW THAT GRAFFITI TO STAY UP THERE, OTHERS WILL COME IN.

OH, WELL THEY SIGNED IT.

I'M GONNA SIGN MY NAME WITH A SMILEY FACE.

YOU KNOW, AND THE KIDS JUST KEEP GOING AND GOING AND GOING.

LEARNING THE LESSON FROM DISNEY, DISNEY HAS PROVEN THAT IF YOU PUT TRASH CANS EVERY 10 FEET, YOU WON'T HAVE A LOT OF LITTER ON YOUR, UM, ON THE GROUNDS.

I'M NOT SAYING THE CITY CAN PUT TRASH CANS EVERY 10, BUT STILL THAT CONCEPT OF MORE BINS BEING THERE, THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN.

UM, AND THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS JOTTING DOWN, UM, THAT WAS SAID EARLIER THAT WE CAN HELP WITH MM-HMM.

, UM, ON THE NEXT ONE.

SO THE NEXT ONE WILL BE A SUCCESS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO, I WANT THAT SAME EFFORT THAT'S BEING, THAT'S HAPPENING, COMING OVER TO HELP US, HELP OURSELVES, KEEP THAT COMMUNITY, UH, KEEP OUR COMMUNITY, UM, CLEAN.

SO THAT WAS JUST SOME IDEAS I JOTTED DOWN AND I THOUGHT NEW BUSINESS WOULD BE THE RIGHT WAY.

THAT IS CORRECT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

COMMISSIONER WALKER, ANYTHING? NO, I'M GOOD.

COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND? NO, MA'AM.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER PR? NO, MA'AM.

VICE CHAIR? NOPE.

AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, WE HAVE NO BUSINESS FOR A CLOSED SESSION, UH, TONIGHT.

AND SO IF, WAIT, WELL, EXCUSE ME.

I AM SORRY.

ASSISTANT CENTER MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I, I DO NOT.

AUTMANN, PREO, YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO.