[1 . Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Aster. Pledge of Allegiance.]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE JUNE 13TH, 2023 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.
THE PRAYER TONIGHT IS GONNA BE COORDINATED BY ALDERMAN ASTOR.
UM, I'D LIKE TO CALL JONATHAN GASKINS, PLEASE.
HEY, JONATHAN MAYOR, BOARD ALDERMAN.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO JONATHAN GASKINS.
HE'S A THIRD GENERATION NEWBURN FIREFIGHTER.
UH, HIRED HIM IN 2001 AS A FIREFIGHTER, AND HE HAS BEEN PROMOTED, UH, MANY TIMES AND IS NOW HOLDS THE RANK AS OUR FIRE MARSHAL.
AND JONATHAN IS GONNA LEAD US IN PRAYER TONIGHT.
MAYOR, REMEMBER MR. BOARD, LET US PRAY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, I COME TO YOU THIS EVENING WITH A THANKFUL HEART.
LORD, I THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT.
I THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND THE GUIDANCE THAT GIVES THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
I THANK YOU FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY THAT PROTECT SAFETY AND SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND I THANK YOU FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT CITY WHO HAVE ENTRUSTED US WITH PROVIDING THESE SERVICES TO THEM.
BUT WHAT I ASK NOW THAT YOU BE WITH THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, LEAD THEM, GUIDE THEM, DIRECT THEM, AND GIVE THEM THE KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WILL PLEASE YOU.
ALL OF THESE THINGS I ASK IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.
IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE STAND AND WE PLEDGE OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE PHYSICAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE CROSS.
MADAME CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN FREE HERE.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, I BELIEVE THE CITY MANAGER HAS SOME COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE.
UM, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEWS DEPARTMENT HEAD.
ERNEST, YOU CAN COME UP IF YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE.
ERNEST SIMMONS HAS BEEN NAMED AS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
HE PREVIOUSLY SERVES AS ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES AT PITT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
HE HOLDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY FROM MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND A MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM GARDNER WEBB UNIVERSITY.
HE'S ALSO NATIONALLY CERTIFIED AS THE GOVERNMENT CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.
WE'RE PLEASED TO INTRODUCE ERNEST.
ERNEST, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING THE CITIZENS OF NEWBURN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER THREE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED.ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
IS REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS, MADAM CLERK.UH, THE FIRST ONE IS JOSH FORBIS OF 1 0 4 SARDIS LANE, MAYOR BOARD, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY INTRODUCING MYSELF.
MY NAME IS JOSH FORBIS, FIRE SPECIALIST WITH THE CITY OF NEWBURN FIRE RESCUE.
I'M ALSO A CURRENT RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF 1 0 4 SARDIS LANE.
I'VE BEEN EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY OF NEWBURN FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE AND A HALF YEARS NOW.
I STARTED MY JOURNEY WITH NEWBURN ON FEBRUARY 10TH, 2020.
SINCE STARTING MY CAREER, I'VE MARRIED MY BEAUTIFUL FULL WIFE, CASSIDY AND ADDED ON TO OUR FAMILY WITH OUR FIRST SON JAMES, AND OUR SECOND SON LIAM.
DURING MY INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH THE CITY, I TOLD THE PANEL THAT NEWBURN IS WHERE I WANTED TO WORK.
I APPLIED THREE SEPARATE TIMES.
I TOLD THE INTERVIEW BOARD ON THE THIRD TIME I WAS GOING TO KEEP APPLYING UNTIL I GOT THE JOB, OR THEY TOLD ME TO STOP.
THEN ONE DAY I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF BOYD.
TEARS FILLED MY EYES WITH JOINT EXCITEMENT.
THEN THE DAY COME FOR THE INTERVIEW.
AFTER AN INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF BOYD, I WAS MADE A CONDITIONAL OFFER THAT I GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED.
FOR THREE YEARS, I'VE GIVEN BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS TO THIS DEPARTMENT AND TO THIS CITY.
I'VE MISSED BIRTHDAYS, FUNERALS,
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EVENTS, FAMILY GATHERINGS, AND EVEN MORE SENTIMENTAL THAN ALL OF THOSE TIME AT HOME.WHAT DO I MEAN BY TIME AT HOME, YOU MAY ASK, HOW MUCH TIME DO I GET TO SPEND WITH MY WIFE, MY ONE YEAR OLD SON JAMES, OR MY NEWBORN LIAM? THAT IS A QUESTION FOR YOU TO ANSWER.
WHY DO I WORK THREE JOBS LIFE? HOW MANY FIREMEN IN THIS ROOM WORK MORE THAN ONE JOB? I CHALLENGE YOU TO ASK THEM FOR YOURSELF.
I PROMISE YOU IT'LL BE MORE THAN HALF.
WHY DO WE WORK MORE THAN MORE THAN ONE JOB? IS IT BECAUSE WE ONLY WORK NINE TO 11 DAYS A MONTH? IS IT BECAUSE WE ARE GREEDY INDIVIDUALS OR LOVE THE MONEY? OR IS IT BECAUSE WE MUST PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME FOR OUR FAMILY? I, FOR ONE, DO IT TO PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME FOR MY FAMILY.
SO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
A HOT MEAL TO EAT, A COOL PLACE IN THE SUMMER AND A WARMTH AND WINTER.
I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER.
SO HARD WORK AND DEDICATION IS NOTHING NEW TO ME.
BUT WHAT SHE ALSO TAUGHT ME IS THAT NOTHING IN THIS WORLD IS FREE.
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, THEN YOU MUST EARN IT AND WORK HARD FOR IT.
SO THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
I'M GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE I'M A WORKER, A PROVIDER, AND A FIGHTER FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
DURING MY INTERVIEW PROCESS, I WAS ASKED, WHAT IS INTEGRITY? INTEGRITY IS DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING, WATCHING, OR SEEKING PRAISE FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING.
A FEW PEOPLE KNOW, BUT I BELIEVE I'VE BEEN TRIALED BY FIRE DURING THAT STATEMENT.
DO WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE NO ONE IS WATCHING.
DO WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I KNOW MOST PEOPLE LIKE NUMBERS, SO I'LL PUT A FEW NUMBERS PER PERSPECTIVE ON A MONTHLY WORK.
NINE DAYS IS 216 HOURS A MONTH.
10 DAYS IS 240 HOURS A MONTH AND A MONTH WE WORK.
A MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EMPLOYEE WORKING 40 HOURS A WEEK FOR FOUR WEEKS, ONLY WORKS 160 HOURS A MONTH.
THAT'S ANYWHERE FROM 56 TO 104 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME.
MORE THAN A 40 HOUR WEEK EMPLOYEE.
SO YES, WE ONLY WORK NINE TO 11 DAYS A MONTH, BUT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME WE ARE AWAY FROM HOME.
MORE THAN A 40 HOUR WEEK EMPLOYEE.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL.
NOBODY IN THIS DEPARTMENT HAS A DEATH WISH.
EVERY ONE OF US WANTS TO MAKE IT HOME JUST LIKE THE NEXT PERSON TO SEE OUR CHILDREN, OUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER, OUR FRIENDS AND OUR FAMILY.
BUT WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO OUR JOB.
THAT OBLIGATION COMES WITH THIS JOB THAT VERY FEW OTHERS EVEN UNDERSTAND.
WE ARRIVE ON THE WORST DAY OF SOMEONE'S LIFE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE THROUGH LIFE SAFETY, INCIDENT STABILIZATION OF PROPERTY CONSERVATION.
LIFE SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL.
EVERY ONE OF US IS WILLING TO RISK OUR LIFE TO SAVE ANOTHER, EVEN IF THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT MAKING IT HOME THE NEXT DAY.
IT'S THE UGLY TRUTH THAT NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.
EVERY DAY I SHOW UP TO WORK IS ANOTHER DAY.
I MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME TO SEE MY WIFE OR MY CHILDREN.
WE CAN DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO PREPARE, BUT TOMORROW ISN'T PROMISED.
ALL THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A LITTLE EXTRA HELP.
THAT HELP ALLOWS US A LITTLE TIME AT HOME SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO PROVIDE THE SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME AND TO BE ABLE TO WATCH OUR CHILDREN GROW UP.
LEMME ASK, WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN SIR? WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN? JOSH FORBIS.
NEXT UP IS EDWIN VARGAS OF ONE 19 RANDOM WOODLAND.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ALDERMAN, UM, CITY MANAGER.
I HAVE FOUR ITEMS AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO GO THIS YEAR TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND DO MY NORMAL PRESENTATION, BUT THESE ARE THE FOUR ITEMS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN.
FIVE YEARS AGO, HURRICANE FLORENCE CAME TO NEWBURN, NORTH CAROLINA AND THE CITY RECEIVED FUNDS REQUESTING WHAT WAS THOSE FUNDS USED AND WHAT WAS RETURNED.
THE BUDGET SHOWS NO LINE ITEM FOR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT IN 2019 TO 2020.
IT WAS $752,400 PERCENTAGE AT THE TIME OF CITY RESIDENTS PAID INTO THIS PROGRAM WAS DUE.
HAS THIS GONE AWAY? WHERE IS THE REVENUE COLLECTED FOR THIS PROGRAM? NUMBER THREE, THE REEVALUATION OF PROPERTY.
THE CITY WILL TAKE IN 4.7 MILLION.
THE COUNTY WILL HAVE A SURPLUS FROM SALES TAX OF $4 MILLION.
WOULD THE CITY HAVE A SURPLUS ON SALES TAX? AND FINALLY, I WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET.
I NOTICED THIS ITEM, WHICH I PUT ON NUMBER FOUR.
THE CITY PAYS 308,822 IN LEGAL FEES FOR THIS DEPARTMENT.
IS THIS THE GOING RATE FOR THE TOWN OF NEW BERN? HOW MANY LAWYERS ASSISTANCE COVERED AS COSTS? IF IT'S TWO PEOPLE, THAT'S $154,411.
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NEXT IS PAUL FONVILLE OF FIVE 17 SECOND AVENUE.HOW YOU DOING SIR? AS YOU KNOW, MY NAME'S PAUL PK SEVEN SECOND AVENUE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN BEEN A TOUGH YEAR THIS YEAR FOR ME AND MY WIFE.
WE STARTED IN, IN THE HOSPITAL IN UH, JANUARY TO GET OUTTA THE HOSPITAL TO FIND OUT THAT, UM, MY POWER WAS CUT OFF FROM MY GO.
GOT WAS MISSION THAT WE DO WAS CUT OFF CAUSE THE CONTRACT IN THAT AREA HAD DAMAGED IT.
AND IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO EVEN GET THE POWER BACK ONTO IT, GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE CITY TO GET THIS DONE.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY, I'M NOT HERE FOR A HANDOUT.
I'M NOT HERE FOR, UH, SOMEBODY'S GIVE ME SOMETHING.
BUT I AM HERE FOR JUSTICE FOR A MORAL RIGHT, BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE A PROBLEM WITH LEGAL, RIGHT? BUT IT MIGHT BE A MORAL RIGHT THAT I CAN APPEAR TO YOU.
AND SO MY NAME IS BARBARA, MY WIFE, MY DAUGHTER WROTE THIS OUT.
SO I I JUST WANNA GIVE THAT BACK BEFORE I GET TO THE ACTUAL ISSUE ON SECOND AVENUE.
GETTING OUTTA THE HOSPITAL FIRST IT STARTED WITH MY BUILDING AND IT TOOK TWO OR THREE MONTHS, SUPPOSED TO GET POWER BACK TO IT.
BUT WE WAITED PATIENT KINDLY AND GENTLY.
AND I THANK GOD FOR THE CITY CLERK.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE GOT IT DONE FOR MY, MY MISSION.
AND SO, UH, ON MAY THE 10TH, 19 2003, APPROXIMATELY 2:00 AM IN THE MORNING, THIS, WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO US ON MY RESIDENCE, THE CITY OF NEWBURN UTILITY POLE FILLED WILL BE RIPPED OUT OF MY, MY POWER BOX, CAUSING MY WIFE AND I TO LOSE POWER.
IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE WORKERS THAT MY WIFE IS ON DIALYSIS AND STRONGLY CONVEYED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS NO SENSE OF PERJURY FROM THE CITY OF NEW.
UH, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I KNOW YOU NOT NOT MATTER TO YOU, BUT I LIKE TO LOST MY WIFE ON TWO OCCASIONS CAUSE OF DIALYSIS.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO KEEP THAT CURRENT GOING.
WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 45 YEARS AND WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEBODY, IT'S NOT EASY.
NOW I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
APPROXIMATELY 9:00 AM THAT MORNING WE CONTACTED THE CITY OF NEWBURY.
MY WIFE, MY DAUGHTER, DID INFORM THEM OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED REGARDING THE CHILI POLE.
THE FIRST REACTION WAS TO SOLVE, ASSAULT THEMSELVES BY SAYING NOT OUR FAULT.
CAUSE IT WAS DUE TO THE STORM.
I HAD TO CORRECT THEM AND REMIND THEM THAT THE STORM HAPPENED THAT AFTERNOON.
I WAS MAY THE NINTH, THE CITY OF CHILE PO FILLED MAY THE 10TH.
I ALSO WANTED THE CITY OF NEW DALE PO FIELD DUE TO SEVERE RO WHICH LIKELY OCCURRED FROM YEARS.
I DON'T WANT TO THINK IT WAS NEGLECT, BUT I WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
THE CITY HAVE TO GET THINGS DONE.
SHE HASN'T WORKED FOR THE CITY.
AND SO I AIN'T GONNA SAY IT WAS NEGLECT, YOU KNOW, BUT THINGS CHANGED.
IT WAS A VERY RIDING POLE, VERY RIDING POLE.
THE POLE WAS OUTSIDE BEYOND MY YARD.
AND IT FELL TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT WAS SO ROT AND IT WAS, IT WAS JUST PITIFUL.
I WISH I BROUGHT THE PICTURES CAUSE I GOT THE PICTURES IN MY PHONE.
BUT I HAPPEN TO LOSE THAT PHONE.
ALRIGHT? IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I WAS TOLD THAT IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT A POLL RIDER, I WOULD BE REIMBURSED THE MONEY SPENT TO HIRE AN ELECTRICIAN AFTER WE
I DON'T KNOW MR. FONVILLE, IF, IF YOU HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT, IF YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE CLERK, I CAN PROVIDE IT.
SHE, SHE, SHE CAN MAKE COPIES.
UM, SHE CAN MAKE COPIES AND SHARE IT WITH THE FULL BOARD.
THE WRONG IS, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I I, I HAD TO, I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT BECAUSE MY WIFE ON DIALYSIS, I CAN'T RESPOND ABOUT WHO'S LEGALLY RIGHT OR WHAT'S RIGHT.
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THE POLE WAS SO RIOTED THAT I COULD HAVE PUSHED IT DOWN ALMOST.AND IT, IT JUST FELL TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
MY WIFE, MY DAUGHTER WOKE ME UP AND SAID HE KILLED PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
I'M JUST ASKING THE CITY, YOU KNOW, UH, IF A POLE WAS STRONG AND THE STORM HAPPENED, I'M SURE I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
MR. VILLE POLE IS NOT IN MY YARD.
IT PULLED MY UTILITY STUFF DOWN.
I HAD TO GO AHEAD, RESPOND TO GO AHEAD AND GET ELECTRICITY THERE.
I DIDN'T EVEN, I, I HAVEN'T EVEN, I HAD TO, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE SHE, ON DIALYSIS, I HAD TO GET A GOOD GENERATOR SO THAT SHE COULD DO A DIALYSIS.
AND WE CAN'T WAIT TWO WEEKS OR TWO DAYS OF DIALYSIS.
I DON'T LIKE TO LOST MY WIFE TWO TWICE THIS YEAR.
AND SO, I, I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY, BUT I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO CONSCIENCE.
YOU GOT A CONSCIENCE? COME ON.
ACTUALLY, THIS POLE WAS STRONG, BUT YES, THE CITY, THEY REPLACED IT.
IT WAS IN THE BACK OF MY HOUSE.
MR. FONVILLE, I DON'T, I'M NOT TRYING TO CUT YOU OFF, SIR.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE A FOUR MINUTE RULE.
AND IF, IF YOU JUST, THAT'S GOOD.
I'M JUST HOPING THAT, I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN TO YOU THOUGH, I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH YOUR DAUGHTER A COUPLE TIMES.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE ATTORNEY AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY IS INVOLVED.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO, TO RECOMMEND IS FOR NUMBER ONE, THE CLERK TO SHARE YOUR WRITTEN STATEMENT WITH THE FULL BOARD SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S TAKING PLACE.
AND THEN IF THE MANAGER WOULD SEND AN EMAIL TOMORROW TO THE FULL BOARD AND UPDATE THEM ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE SITUATION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING LATE, SIR.
OH, MORALLY AND CONSCIOUSLY, CAUSE THIS IS WRONG.
I COULD SEE WAS THE STORM, BUT IT HAPPENED WELL AFTER THE STORM, ALMOST ANOTHER DAY.
[Consent Agenda]
MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRIL.
[9. Conduct a Public Hearing on the System Development Fee Evaluation and Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Evaluation.]
NINE, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE EVALUATION, AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE EVALUATION.I BELIEVE JORDAN HUGHES IS GONNA MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, FIRST SIDE WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS, UH, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APPROVAL OF THE, UH, UPDATED EVALUATION FOR OUR, OUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU CAN HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HUGHES BEFORE WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE EVALUATION.
IF ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SAY, IF YOU WOULD JUST PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
MAYOR, IF THERE'S NO ONE COMING FORTH, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SIR? HAVE A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED, MR. HUGHES.
NOW THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS CLOSED.
THE RESOLUTION YOU HAD BEFORE IS TO ADOPT THE SYSTEM, DEVELOP EVALUATION.
UM, BACK IN 2017, THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED SOME LAWS THAT UNI, UH, MADE, UH, SOME UNIFORM REGULATIONS TO HOW MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES IMPLEMENT, UH, WHAT USED TO BE CAP RECOVERY FEES.
THESE ARE BASICALLY UPFRONT FEES PAID FOR CONNECTING TO WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS. AFTER THOSE LAWS WERE PASSED, EVERYTHING ACROSS THE STATE WAS THEN A SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE.
AND THEIR RULES, UH, ON HOW THOSE COULD BE CALCULATED, HOW THEY WERE APPLIED.
UM, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION, AN ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE FEES ARE.
THE FEES HAVE TO BE BASED ON A PER UNIT ALLOCATION RATE.
THAT WAS DONE IN 2018, AND WE ADOPTED OUR FIRST SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES FOR ORDER AND WASTEWATER.
UH, ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE GENERAL STATUTE.
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EVALUATION, THOSE FEES HAVE TO BE UPDATED ON A, A PERIOD OF NO MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.SO WE'RE DUE FOR AN UPDATE THIS SPRING.
UM, WE HIRED RIVERS AND ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED TO, TO COMPLETE THE, UH, THE EVALUATION THAT, AND NOW THAT THAT IS COMPLETE, WE DID A 45 DAY PUBLIC HEARING ONLINE TO TAKE COMMENTS.
BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ADOPT THE, THE, UM, REVISED EVALUATIONS BEEN PREPARED BY REPRESENTATIVE ASSOCIATES INC.
ESSENTIALLY, IT'S JUST UPDATES OF THE, THE NUMBERS, THE ACCOUNTING DATA THAT GOES INTO THE FORMULA.
THE METHODOLOGY THAT WAS USED IN THE ORIGINAL EVALUATIONS ALL REMAINED THE SAME.
THE ONLY OTHER TWO ITEMS THAT WERE REVISIONS WERE ONE OF THE ALLOCATION RATES FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
WENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, MAKES THAT COST A LITTLE CHEAPER FOR OUR ACTUAL NEW NEWLY CONSTRUCTED RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
AND WE REMOVED A CAP THAT WE HAD OF $50,000 FOR ANY ONE PROJECT.
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE, THE, REALLY THE ONLY TWO REVISIONS TO THE, THE EVALUATION OTHER THAN THE UPDATED ACCOUNTING, UH, AND ASSET DATA THAT THAT'S USED FOR CALCULATING THE RATES.
YOU HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UM, SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE EVALUATION.
THANK, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONETHELESS, HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
JORDAN, YOU MIGHT AS WELL STAY THERE CAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A WHILE.
[10. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Restate the Schedule of System Development and Connections Fees Applicable to Water and Sewer Customers of the City of New Bern.]
AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTION FEES APPLICABLE TO WATER AND SEWER CUSTOMERS FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN.UH, BASICALLY IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE LAST AGENDA ITEM.
NOW THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED THE, THE EVALUATION REVISION TO THE EVALUATION, UM, WE, WE TAKE THOSE UPDATED RATES AND, AND LOOK AT CHANGES TO OUR ORDINANCE THAT ACTUALLY OUTLINES WHAT OUR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES ARE AND OUR CONNECTION FEES.
SO THE CHANGES IN THE ORDINANCE YOU SEE FOR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES ARE SIMPLY THE REVISIONS THAT WERE IN THE UPDATED ANALYSIS THAT WE JUST APPROVED.
AND THE CHANGES IN CONNECTION FEES ARE BASICALLY JUST THE INCREASE IN MATERIAL COSTS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE HAVE FROM MAKING THOSE VARIOUS CONNECTIONS.
OUR, OUR LAST, UH, OUR LAST ADOPTION OF THE CONNECTION FEES WAS, WAS ALONG WITH THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES IN 2018.
SO THOSE RATES HAVE REMAINED FLAT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND WE'VE SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE COST AND MATERIALS THAT WE UTILIZE TO MAKE THOSE WATER AND WASTEWATER CONNECTIONS, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO, ON BOTH OF THESE REAL QUICK, THE, THESE ARE MAINLY APPLICABLE, ALMOST ENTIRELY APPLICABLE TO NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, OUR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT INTERCONNECTION FEES ARE THE COST OF A BRAND NEW HOME COMING ON TO THE CITY'S WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM.
UM, SO YOU END UP ACTUALLY A LITTLE CHEAPER WITH THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES.
YOU UP ABOUT $60 CHEAPER WITH THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES THAN THE OLD RATES.
FOR A TYPICAL THREE BEDROOM HOME MANEUVERING END UP A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR A, WITH THE CONNECTION FEES.
ALL IN ALL, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE, THE TOTAL INCREASE FOR A BRAND NEW HOME IN NEWBURN IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 80 AND A HUNDRED BUCKS.
SO, JORDAN, THAT'S JUST ONLY FOR A BRAND NEW HOME? YES, SIR.
BRAND NEW HOME OR A HOME, WHICH IS VERY RARE.
A HOME THAT IS EXISTING THAT STILL NEEDS TO HOOK TO WATER WASTEWATER SERVICE.
BUT THERE ARE VERY FEW OF THOSE AROUND.
SO SAY IF YOU WERE MOVED TO A NEW HOME, WOULD YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER FEE? NO, SIR.
THESE ARE ONE TIME UPFRONT FEES PAID MOST, MOST OF THE TIME BY THE DEVELOPER, THE BUILDER AS THEY'RE CONSTRUCTING THE HOME.
UM, THEY'VE GOTTA BE PAID PRIOR TO THE BUILDING PERMITS BEING ISSUED.
SO THESE ARE ALWAYS PAID BY EITHER THE DEVELOPER OR THE BUILDER OR ON THE FRONT END OF THE PROJECT.
IT DOESN'T GET, YOU KNOW, REASSESSED EVERY TIME SOMEBODY MOVES IN OR OUT.
IT'S JUST TO RECAPTURE THAT INITIAL COST.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ALMOST PLEASURE.
MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE, ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTION FEES APPLICABLE TO WATER AND SEWER CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
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ASTOR.[Items 11 & 12]
NUMBER 11, CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF WATER RATES APPLICABLE TO CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN HUGHES.MAYOR, THE NEXT TWO ITEMS KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND.
I'LL TRY TO ADDRESS 'EM TOGETHER THE BEST I CAN.
UM, SAVE A LITTLE TIME IF WE CAN.
UM, FROM ABOUT 2010 TO 2015, WE MADE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURE, UH, WITHIN THE WATER RESOURCE DIVISION AIMED AT INCREASING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THOSE DIVISIONS.
AS A RESULT, WE WERE ABLE TO REALIZE SOME COST SAVINGS THAT WE PASSED ALONG TO OUR CUSTOMER BASE.
IN 2015, BY WAY OF WATER AND SEWER RATE REDUCTIONS, WE REDUCED THE SEWER RATE BY 6%.
I'M SORRY, THE WATER RATE BY 6% IN THE SEWER RATE BY FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT.
UM, AND FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING UP WITH INCREASING COSTS WITH INCREASED GROWTH.
OUR CUSTOMER BASE HAS GROWN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF TO 3% A YEAR.
OUR COST HAS GROWN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, 3% A YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THOSE RATES FLAT.
ALL THAT REALLY CHANGED ABOUT 2021 AS MUCH LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, GROCERIES, REGULAR CONSUMER GOODS, THE PRICE OF JUST PRICE OF EVERYTHING WENT THROUGH THE ROOF.
THAT IS THE WATER AND WASTEWATER OPERATIONS ARE, ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM THAT, ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THAT.
UH, AND IN MOST CASES, THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS. YOU GO THROUGH BRASS FITTINGS, YOU GO PIPE TREATMENT, CHEMICALS, EQUIPMENT, UH, THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU WOULD SEE FOR A REGULAR CONSUMER GOODS.
AND THE CPI, THE CPI INCREASE HAS BEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF, YOU KNOW, ON A, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY 10% OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF, UH, PRODUCTS WE USE DAY IN AND DAY OUT IN THE WATER.
WASTEWATER GO UP A HUNDRED, 150, 200% IN THAT SAME TIMEFRAME.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE BUILD A GAP BETWEEN THE REVENUE WE'RE BRINGING IN AND THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, THE MONEY WE NEED TO OPERATE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS YEAR IS LOOK AT SOME MINOR RATE INCREASES TO CLOSE THAT GAP AND HAVE ENOUGH OPERATIONAL REVENUE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WATER AND WASTEWATER DIVISIONS.
SO WHAT I'VE GOT IN THE NEXT TWO ITEMS, UM, ITEM NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER 11 IS A RESOLUTION TO, UH, RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF WATER RATES.
AND WHAT THIS IS, IS A, A SINGLE FLAT RATE CHARGE FOR ALL WATER CUSTOMERS.
UH, IT'S ADDITIONAL DOLLAR AND 67 CENTS FOR ON THE READINESS OF SERVE CHARGE FOR EVERY CUSTOMER.
SO WHETHER THIS IS A VERY LARGE CUSTOMER OR A VERY SMALL CUSTOMER, SO THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS BOSCH OR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, IT'S THE SAME DOLLAR AND 67 CENT THAT HELPS WITH SOME OF THE INCREASED METERING COSTS WE'VE GOT IN OUR WATER DIVISION.
IT HELPS OFFSET THAT EXPENSE ON THE WASTEWATER.
WE EVALUATED EVERYTHING AND CAME, CAME UP WITH A NEED OF A FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR ALL OF OUR SEWER RATES.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN, IN ITEM NUMBER 12.
AND RESTATING THE, THE SCHEDULE OF SEWER RATES FOR WATER AND SEWER FOR THE SEWER CUSTOMERS.
DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS MR. HUGHES? IS THERE AN AVERAGE WATER USAGE? YES, MA'AM.
FOR OUR AVERAGE CUSTOMER IN THE CITY LIMITS OF NEWBURN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $3 AND 37 CENT A MONTH IS YOUR TOTAL INCREASE, IS WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
AND THAT'S PER HOW MANY GALLONS? THAT'S, THAT'S BASED ON 4,000 GALLONS.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUR, OUR AVERAGE.
BUT JORDAN, WASN'T IT BEFORE THE CONSUMPTION WAS 3000 GALLONS MANY YEARS AGO.
MANY YEARS AGO WE HAD A, A, A KIND OF A FLAT FEE THAT INCLUDED THE FIR OUR, OUR BASE RATE INCLUDED THE FIRST 3000 GALLONS.
WE RESTRUCTURED OUR RATES IN 2012 THAT DID AWAY WITH THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, TWO PERSON HOUSEHOLDS, ONE PERSON HOUSEHOLDS WHERE THEY WERE ACTUALLY USING A LOT LESS AND STILL DO HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT USE A LOT LESS THAN THE 3000 GALLONS.
SO THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY PAYING FOR A PRODUCT THEY WEREN'T GETTING BACK THEN.
SO NOW YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET.
AND WITH SOME OF OUR NEWER AMI METER TECHNOLOGY, YOU REALLY PAY PER GALLON FOR WHAT YOU GET.
WE, WE HAVE A PER THOUSAND GALLON RATE, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY BREAK THAT DOWN TO THE GALLON.
SO YOU'RE PAYING FOR EXACTLY WHAT YOU USE.
MR. DAVIS, IF IT'S UNANIMOUS, CAN WE COMBINE 11 TO 12? YES, SIR.
IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE MAKE A MOTION SURE.
TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF WATER RATES APPLICABLE TO CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY OF NEWBURN, AND TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF SEWER RATES APPLICABLE TO CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ON ITEMS NUMBER 11 AND 12.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH
[00:30:01]
ALDERMAN KINZIE.[13. Consider Adopting a Resolution to Approve Amendments to the City of New Bern Water and Sewer Design Standards.]
CONSIDERED ADOPTING RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF NEWBURN WATER AND SEWER DESIGN STANDARDS.UH, BACK IN 2007, THE CITY PUT TOGETHER A GROUP OF DEVELOPMENT STAKEHOLDERS.
THESE WERE ENGINEERS, BUILDERS, BOTH COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND DEVELOPERS THAT, THAT WORK IN NEW NEWBURN ROUTINELY, UH, AND HELPED US FORM A WATER SET OF WATER AND SEWER DESIGN STANDARDS.
THIS IS BASICALLY A DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES, UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN, IN NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS. SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE ROUTINELY UPDATED THIS DOCUMENT.
UH, WE, WE HAVE, UM, VARIOUS REVISIONS TO CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS.
THE DETAILS IN THE DOCUMENT TO BE UPDATED FROM TIME TO TIME MANUFACTURE DATA.
WE MAY SPECIFY A PARTICULAR MAKE OR BRAND OF A, OF A PIPE OR FITTING OR PUMP THAT NO LONGER IS PRODUCED OR THE MODEL NUMBERS CHANGED.
SO WE HAVE SOME MINOR TECHNICAL AND GRAMMATICAL REVISIONS TO MAKE FROM TIME TO TIME.
LAST TIME IT WAS UPDATED WAS IN 2020.
I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET IS A RED LINE SHOWING OUR PROPOSED CHANGES AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL, THE, THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT FROM 2020.
I'VE PASSED THAT ALONG TO OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
THOSE MEMBERS ARE STILL INTACT AND STILL IN TOWN.
UH, THEIR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE REVISED DOCUMENT.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS HOPEFULLY OUR UPDATED 2023 WATER AND SEWER DESIGN STANDARDS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS, NOT I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ITEM NUMBER 13, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF NEWBURN WATER AND SEWER DESIGN STANDARDS.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
[14. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Classification Pay Plan for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.]
14 IS TO CONSIDER A DOCUMENT RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 23.AND MS. HAYES IS GOING TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR MEMBERS BOARD.
SO ANNUALLY WE COME BEFORE YOU TO REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
SO YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324.
AND THAT PROPOSED PLAN INCORPORATES THE, UH, PROPOSED CHANGES THAT WERE MADE, UM, IN LINE WITH THE BUDGET.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSITION CHANGES THAT WE HAVE.
THERE ARE TITLE CHANGES, THERE ARE SOME POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING RECLASSIFIED.
THERE IS ONE NEW POSITION, A HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC THAT WE'RE REQUESTING TO BE ADDED.
AND THEN THERE ARE, I THINK, FOUR POSITIONS THAT ARE RE WE ARE REQUESTING TO BE DELETED FROM THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE.
NOW BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? SIMON? I THOUGHT THERE WAS TWO POSITIONS.
ONE FOR YOUR OFFICE, IS THAT ALREADY CORRECT? YES.
SO THAT POSITION IS ALREADY ON THE FUNDING.
THAT, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THAT ACTUAL CLASSIFICATION.
SO THE NEW POSITION IS A BRAND NEW POSITION AS WELL.
ITS PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 14.
SO THIS, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS INCORPORATES THE PAY STUDY TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE 2024 BUDGET.
SO THIS HA ACTUALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, HAS NOTHING TO DO CASE STUDY.
SO THE MINIMUMS, THE MINIMUM MIDPOINTS AND THE MAXIMUMS ARE THE SAME AS THEY WERE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THESE ARE JUST NEW POSITION TITLES.
DELETED POSITIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PAY STUDY.
WERE THESE POSITIONS, ARE THESE NEW TITLES? WERE THEY, WELL, THEY WERE IN THE, THE CLASSIFICATION OR THE PAY STUDY PLAN? NO, THEY WERE NOT.
THEY WERE, WERE NOT, WERE POSITIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED DURING THE BUDGET MEETINGS AND SUBSEQUENTLY THESE WERE THE TITLES THAT WE LANDED ON.
WE FELT THAT THEY WERE APPROPRIATE, BUT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PAY STUDY.
SO WHY ARE THEY COMING UP NOW IF THEY WASN'T A PART OF THAT EARLY ON? WE DID THE PAY STUDY SOME MONTHS BACK.
UH, AND SO DURING THE BUDGET, UH, MEETING, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS PROPOSED, HEY, THESE POSITION TITLES REALLY WOULD BE MORE IN LINE.
SO THE PAY STUDY WASN'T NECESSARILY DESIGNED TO SAY YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR TITLES.
UM, BUT MORE SO WHERE POSITIONS
[00:35:01]
SHOULD BE GRADED, IF YOU WILL.SO THE DEPART, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED NEW TITLES, THEY WANTED POSITIONS TO BE RECLASSIFIED BECAUSE OF THE SCOPE OF THE FUNCTIONS, UM, HAD CHANGED.
SO THE PAY STUDY WOULD NOT HAVE INCORPORATED THAT ON THE LAST TWO DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES AND THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE A REVISED MEMO IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET.
SO THERE WOULD NOT BE A CHANGE TO THE DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES DIRECTOR.
WHICH ONE? THE DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES.
THERE WOULD NOT BE A CHANGE TO THAT POSITION.
WE REMOVED THAT AND WE PROVIDED YOU WITH A REVISED MEMO.
SO NOTHING REALLY CHANGED OTHER THAN THE TITLE ON THAT POSITION.
THE, THE TITLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR POSITION DID NOT CHANGE.
WE DECIDED TO LEAVE THAT POSITION AS IT WAS.
SO THAT WOULD THEN NOT CHANGE.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A REVISED MEMO, I THINK IN YOUR PACKET.
SO THAT POSITION WAS REMOVED ORIGINALLY? IT WAS IN THE MEMO, BUT WE REMOVED IT.
JUST A JOB CLASSIFICATION CHANGE? NO, NO, NO JOB CLASSIFICATION CHANGE ON THAT.
THAT POSITION IS GOING TO STAY JUST AS IT HAS BEEN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT'S A DEPARTMENT HEAD MOVE.
NO, THERE'S NO POSITION THAT IS MOVING.
IT WAS A PROPOSED TITLE CHANGE, BUT WE DECIDED TO NOT PROPOSE THAT TITLE CHANGE.
MY QUESTION IS, IS IT A DEPARTMENT HEAD? YES.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, NORMALLY WHEN A DEPARTMENT HEAD SITUATION COMES UP, IT'S BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT UNTIL JUST NOW.
SO WHY IS IT THAT WAY THEN? OKAY.
I'M, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE MANAGER ON THAT.
SO WE DID TALK ABOUT THIS DURING THE, THE WORKSHOPS AS THE BUDGET WAS COMING ALONG.
AND THEN THE, THE POSITION IN QUESTION WAS, UH, DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES IS WHAT WE WERE REFERRING TO.
UM, AS EVERYONE KNOWS JORDAN HUGHES HAS BEEN THE CITY ENGINEER.
UH, WHEN WE CHANGE THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS, THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT ACTUALLY CREATING THAT POSITION OF WATER RESOURCES DIRECTOR JORDAN HAS IS BASICALLY FILLING THAT POSITION.
IT'S JUST MAKING IT OFFICIAL ON THIS.
IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO DO THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GOT BY ME.
BUT NORMALLY, ANYTIME THAT WE HAVE THAT TYPE OF SITUATION, IT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD.
UH, CAN ANY OF YOU GUYS UH, REFRESH MY MEMORY PLEASE? IT WAS DISCUSSED.
IT'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND I'M TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING THE DIRECTION THAT WE ARE GOING.
FOR CLARITY, DID YOU SAY THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE CONSTANT FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET? THE NUMBERS, THE NUM THE INFORMATION HERE IS A CARRYOVER FROM LAST YEAR.
SO THE MINIMUMS, THE MIDPOINTS AND THE MAXIMUMS DID NOT CHANGE MM-HMM.
SO THERE ARE SOME POSITION TITLE CHANGES.
SO THERE ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO GO FOR ONE GRADE TO ANOTHER GRADE.
THERE'S THAT ONE POSITION THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE ADDED, THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC POSITION.
AND THEN THERE ARE FOUR POSITION TITLES THAT WE WON'T BE USING ANYMORE IF YOU APPROVE THIS, UH, CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN.
SO WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THOSE PHYSICIANS BE DELETED.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 3 24.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ON ITEM NUMBER 14.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRINSON.
[15. Consider Adopting an Ordinance Amending the Schedule of Fees and Charges.]
CONSIDERED DOMINANT ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES.MS. OSTROM, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE BOARD ANNUALLY ADOPTS AN AMENDED SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES.
THESE FEES AND CHARGES WERE DISCUSSED DURING THE BOARD WORK SESSIONS.
UM, THESE FEES IDENTIFIED IN THE SCHEDULE ARE INCLUDED IN THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324, AND WILL BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2023.
THERE'S ALSO A RED LINE VERSION OF THE SCHEDULE, UM,
[00:40:02]
TO HELP IDENTIFY THE, THE CHANGES OR HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 15.I THINK THAT, UM, THE FEE THAT'S IN HERE THAT IS MOST APPLICABLE TO OUR CITIZENS IS THE TRASH RATE.
SO MAYBE IF, UH, GEORGE, IF YOU CAN COME UP AND EXPLAIN THAT CHANGE PLEASE.
THE, UH, THE REFLECTION OF THE INCREASED RATES ARE, AS WE DISCUSSED IN THE WORK SESSION, ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WE HAVE WITH GFL WHERE THEY'RE, THEY HAVE CAP RATES, UM, DUE TO INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ON THEM AS WELL.
SO IT FOLLOWS THAT INCREASE THAT'S REQUIRED IN THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN NOW THAT WE HAVE CLARITY THAT THE TIPPING FEES ARE GOING UP $2 A TON, IT REFLECTS THAT.
AND THEN OPERATIONAL COST OF, OF UTILITY.
AND THAT STARTS, UH, JU UH, JULY THE FIRST? YES.
AND SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, AT LEAST WHAT I'M LOOKING AT, THE RESIDENTIAL RATE FOR TRASH IS $14 AND 93 CENTS RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT WILL GO UP TO $19 MONTHLY.
AND ALL WE'RE DOING IS JUST PASSING THAT ON.
THIS IS THE REASON FOR THIS INCREASE PASS, PASS THROUGH CALLS.
IT'S BECAUSE THE GFL RAISING RATES ARE EITHER THE LANDFILL RAISING, TIPPING BOTH, AND THEN INFLATIONARY OPERATING COSTS.
THAT, THAT, UH, UTILITY'S BEEN A GOOD PASSTHROUGH.
I JUST BRING IT UP TO BE TRANSPARENT.
YES, GEORGE, THE LAST TIME WE BID THIS, IT WAS BEFORE YOU WERE IN THE ROLE YOU'RE IN NOW.
BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I I DON'T THINK WE, DID WE GET ANYBODY ELSE TO BID IT OTHER THAN GFL? I DON'T RECALL ANOTHER BID OR ON I DON'T THINK WE DID EITHER.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? MAY I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PPRI.
[16. Consider Adopting the Budget Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2023- 2024.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING THE BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FY 2324.WE PRESENTED A, A PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE GOVERNING BOARD ON MAY 23RD.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD AT THAT TIME.
WE HAD FIVE INDIVIDUALS TO, TO VOICE COMMENTS ON THAT PROPOSED BUDGET.
SUBSEQUENTLY, A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD PROVIDED DIRECTION TO MAKE CUTS TO THE BUDGET AND REQUEST THAT THE BUDGET BE BALANCED AT THE PROPOSED NEW REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE OF 37 30 4 CENTS.
WE HAVE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
AS I I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU OVER THE LAST WEEK.
WE ALSO DID PROVIDE OPTIONS TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER IF THE BOARD WANTED TO LOOK AT ANY TYPE OF COLA FOR THE, FOR THIS COMING YEAR.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
MR. KINZIE? UM, I FEEL THAT TONIGHT THE BUDGET SHOULD NOT BE PASSED TONIGHT.
THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE CODE THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH.
HOW IN THE WORLD CAN A PERSON EXPECT TO LIVE AND MAKE IT ON 3% WHEN THEY HAVE THE, UM, 401K IN THEIR RETIREMENT? AND PLUS THEY ALREADY BEHIND.
SO WHEN ARE THEY GONNA CATCH UP? YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO CALL 'EM YOUR HEROES, YOUR BUDDY, YOUR FRIEND, AND ALL THIS HERE, BUT YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT WHAT THEY DO.
WE DON'T MAKE WHAT THEY MAKE AND THEY DON'T MAKE WHAT WE MAKE.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER TO GO AHEAD TONIGHT, MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DO.
UM, THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT AND THIS IS WHAT I SEE.
UM, THESE GUYS HAVE FAMILIES WHEN, WHEN THE STORM COME, WE EXPECT FOR THEM TO BE OUT THERE WORKING TO GET THE JOB DONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND, UH, WE AS A, THE MANAGER AND THE BOARD, THE DECISIONS IN THE BUCK STARTS HERE.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE THE DECISION.
AND I WANT TO SEE THE MANAGER PLAY HIS ROLE TO FIGHT FOR YOU GUYS JUST LIKE I AM.
SO I WANT TO SEE A 4% INCREASE FOR THEM.
I WANT TO SEE THE COLA AND THE RAISE THAT
[00:45:01]
IS MY VOTE FOR TONIGHT.AND, UM, IF YOU FEEL THAT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT AND TAKE CARE OF THIS CITY, WE NEED TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DO.
SOME GUYS HAVE FOUR AND FIVE KIDS.
SOME OF 'EM DON'T EVEN GO TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MEET A CERTAIN NUMBER TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COSTS THEM, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE NOT DOING THEM RIGHT.
WE ARE THE LOWEST ONES THAT'S PAYING OUT MONIES TO THESE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I I JUST DON'T GET IT.
I MEAN, UM, I I I TRULY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CANNOT BRING THE RAID UP TO BRING THE STANDARDS UP BECAUSE IT'S OTHER EMPLOYERS THAT'S LOOKING AT THESE SAME TALENTED PEOPLE THAT'S WILLING TO TAKE 'EM AWAY FROM THE CITY OF NEW BURN.
THAT IS MY SPEECH HONOR MCKENZIE.
SO FOR CLARIFICATION, WE'VE GOT AN EMAIL THAT WE GOT SENT TODAY BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
UM, ARE YOU ADVOCATING THAT THIS START ON JULY THE FIRST WITH ANYBODY? YES SIR.
THAT'S WHEN THE BUDGET STARTS.
SO MS. OSTROM, COULD YOU GIVE US THE, WE HAVE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR 3%.
DO YOU HAVE THAT AMOUNT FOR 4%? YES.
IF WE COULD PUT IN A $4 MILLION ELEVATOR, THAT DOESN'T WORK.
THE CITY, WE ONLY HAVE WHAT, 17 MEETINGS A YEAR? HOW MANY MEETINGS UP YEAR? 17, 18.
I'M JUST CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S ON WITH ME.
YEAH, I TO ENJOY THE PEOPLE WE HAVE TO COME UP ON THAT ELEVATOR VERSUS HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WE GOT THAT WE NEED TO PAY MONEY FIRST IT WAS, WHAT, 2 MILLION? THEN IT JUMPED UP TO 4 MILLION.
BUT THESE EMPLOYEES DON'T GET PAID NOWHERE NEAR THAT.
I THINK JORDAN SAID IT CORRECTLY WHEN HE MADE THE COMMENT TALK ABOUT WE'VE GOTTA RAISE OUR RATES BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S GONE UP.
YOU KNOW, THE EMPLOYEES ARE ARE SEEING THAT SAME, SAME THING.
I MEAN, WE, THE GROCERIES ARE GONE.
I MEAN, WHO WOULD EVER THOUGHT THAT YOU'D PAY SIX, $7 FOR A DOZEN EGGS? BUT THEY BOUGHT THEM.
I THINK, I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING THE COLA AS WELL AS THE MERIT INCREASE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD VOTE ON IT TONIGHT AND GET IT BEHIND US SO WE CAN GET THE BUDGET APPROVED.
OR MASTER, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF 3% OR 4%? WELL, I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT 4%, BUT UM, I THINK THE WHOLE TIME WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THREE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A LOW BALL IN THERE MAN.
MAN, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE 401K IN THE RETIREMENT, IF YOU GIVE THEM THREE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE NUMBER? DO THE MATH ON IT.
WELL, WE'RE ALREADY GIVING THEM, I I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR THEORY THERE.
I DON'T YOU DON'T MAKE WHAT THEY MAKE.
THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND MY THEORY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU MAKING $30,000 AND YOU GET A 3% HELLO, HOW MUCH ARE YOU GONNA TAKE HOME OUT OF THAT? WELL, I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE WHEN I'VE SAID IT BEFORE.
THEY'RE THE ONES OUT THERE WHILE WE'RE HOME IN BED, UH, FIXING OUR ELECTRIC UTILITIES FIGHTING FIRE DURING 110 MILE AN HOUR WINDS, UM, PATROLLING THE STREETS, KEEPING US SAFE WHEN THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE.
UH, I, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT IF WE DO NOT DO THIS, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE SAME POSITION THAT WE WERE BEFORE WE HAD THE SALARY SURVEY.
WE'RE JUST STARTING OFF THE YEAR.
HEY, ONE OF THE GUYS, I'M NOT GONNA EMBARRASSED EMBARRASS THEM.
UM, THEY ARE CUTTING TREE LIMBS OFF OF UTILITY POLES AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY A TREE ON THEIR HOUSE AT THEIR HOME.
BUT WE CALL THEM OUR HEROES BUT WE NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE TO PAY THEM.
AND I'M HOLDING THE MANAGER AND THE BOARD ACCOUNTABLE.
MS. O, WE ARE THE ONE THAT MAKES THE DECISION DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THESE GUYS.
MS. OSHU, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER FOR 4%? SO, UM, FOR THE TOTAL FOR 4% INCREASE OF THE 1 MILLION 8 76 44 CAN'T HEAR HER BUT PLEASE PRESENT IT TO YOU.
[00:50:02]
I'M SORRY.UM, FOR 4% IT'S ABOUT ONE 1,876,555 INCREASE FROM WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY.
ELEVATOR LIKE YOU THINKING AND WHAT, WHAT WOULD THAT, UM, WHAT WOULD THAT EQUATE TO IN, THIS IS A WORK SESSION TOPIC, BUT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO APPROVE THE CHARGES, SO WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT WOULD THAT EQUATE TO IN EITHER PULLING FROM FUND BALANCE OR EITHER INCREASING THE TAX RATE? UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO, YOU'D HAVE TO GIMME A SECOND, BUT SURE.
IF YOU WANNA WORK ON THAT BOARD.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE YES.
HAVE SOMETHING BALANCE? YES SIR.
UM, IF YOU WOULD, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? IF, YEAH.
SO LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S GOT FAIR, FAIR TIME.
SO, UM, OTTOMAN ASKED HER, YOU WERE SAYING 3%.
SO YOU'RE JUST SAYING, UH, WANTING TO APPROVE THE COLAS IN THE THE COLA OR ARE YOU INCLUDING THE 2% MERIT AS WELL? I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND OF WHAT WELL, I THINK WE SHOULD DO BOTH PERSONALLY.
AND THEN, UH, MCKENZIE, YOU'RE WANTING 4% PLUS THE 2% MERIT? BOTH.
I USED TO WORK OUT THERE WITH THESE GUYS WHEN THEY HAVE STORM UP JOY, EVERYBODY ELSE IS AT HOME, SO I KNOW THE DEAL.
DID YOU SAY THAT THIS IS THE 4% IS AN INCREASE OF 18 76, 555? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? AN INCREASE OVER THE, UH, 3%.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE TALKING TO ME.
DID YOU SAY THAT 1,876,555 IS AN INCREASE OVER THE 3%? THAT'S AN INCREASE OVER WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU WITH UM, JUST THE SALARY STUDY IMPLEMENTATION.
IS THAT 3%, 4% ON TOP OF JUST THEIR SECOND PHASE OF THE SALARY STUDY? OTTOMAN ROYAL, I THINK I'M TRYING TO ANSWER.
SO THE 1.8 MILLION THAT SHE'S SAYING, WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TONIGHT FOR US TO APPROVE HAS ON THE ONLY SALARY INCREASE IS THE SECOND HALF OF THE SALARY STUDY.
RIGHT? THERE'S NO 3% IN THAT NUMBER.
SO IF WE DID THE 4% THAT OTTOMAN KINZIE'S ADVOCATING FOR THAT WOULD COST 1.8 MILLION.
AND THEN YOU ASKED ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM.
WE CAN GO TO FUND BALANCE, RIGHT.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE IN FUND BALANCE? HOW MUCH ARE YOU TAKING FROM FUND BALANCE? HOW MUCH IS THERE AND HOW MUCH WILL BE TAKEN FROM THERE? CORRECT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING ON.
SHE'S GONNA TAKE HER A MINUTE AND FIGURE IT OUT.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.
SO WE'RE SAYING TUM AND KENZIE AGAIN TO RESTATE 4% COLA AND 3% MERIT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? NO MA'AM.
IT STARTED OUT AT TWO AND THEN WE, WE DID THIS COURTROOM AND THEN WE DIDN'T UH, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT.
WE HAD TO LEAK BACK HERE AFTER WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY.
THEN WE COME BACK AND UM, WHAT'D YOU CALL THAT STUFF WHEN YOU DO COMPANY? REPOINT REPOINT IT UP AFTER YOU SPENT ALL THAT MONEY AND YOU GONNA TELL ME THAT THE EMPLOYEES, IT'S NOT WORTH THAT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THE SALARY INCREASE 4% COLA AND 2% MERIT? YES, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY THAT IT'S DESIGNED, IT'S ONLY DESIGNED FOR SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GET A RAISE AND SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS NOT TO GET A RAISE.
IT'S, LET'S SAY IF YOU HAVE A LAZY GUY OUT OF FIVE GUYS, YOU GOT THREE THAT WANTS TO WORK AND TWO THAT WANTS TO WORK.
THEY DON'T GET A RAISE, THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING.
BUT THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO SAY, BUT I WAS JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GET A RAISE ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND IT'S UP FOR THEIR SUPERVISOR TO CHECK TO SEE WHO'S WORKING, WHO'S NOT WORKING.
SO T MACKENZIE, LET'S, LET'S LOCK IN YOUR ANSWER HERE.
SO CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA CHANGE ANYMORE.
NO, 4%, 4% COLA AND A 4% MERIT.
IS EVERYBODY CLEAR ON ALDERMAN MCKENZIE'S PROPOSAL? WELL, THIS VERSION OF IT, CORRECT.
[00:55:01]
WE ARE RIGHT NOW ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S GONE FROM FOUR TO FOUR, FOUR AND TWO TO FOUR AND FOUR.SO IT'S, IF IF THAT'S THE END OF IT, THEN I I UNDERSTAND THAT.
UH, WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ALDERMAN PER ALDERMAN BENSON YET.
UM, I'VE MADE IT, YOU KNOW, VERY CLEAR, UH, WHAT MY POSITION IS.
UM, THE, THE, THE REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX RATE I THINK IS A, A SIGNIFICANT MISTAKE IF THAT'S THE ULTIMATELY WHAT GETS APPROVED REVENUE NEUTRAL AS MAYOR, AS YOU POINTED OUT, DOES NOT INCLUDE COLA, NOR DOES IT INCLUDE, UH, MERIT.
SO I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT IS MOVING US FORWARD IN, IN, IN ANY WAY.
IN FACT, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY PUTTING US WELL BEHIND AND THAT IS ONLY GOING TO EXACERBATE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO A YEAR FROM NOW.
MY RECOMMENDATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WE LOOK AT TAKING AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH TO OUR TAX RATE.
WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT WE HAVE COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN INCREASING OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.
IF WE DON'T TRY TO KEEP PACE WITH THOSE INCREASING COSTS, WE'RE FALLING BEHIND AND THAT MEANS THAT NEXT YEAR THE TAX RATE INCREASE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE EVEN LARGER BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE PLAYING CATCH UP.
SO MY POSITION IS, AND IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT WE LOOK AT INCRE AN INCREMENTAL TAX RATE INCREASE THE CITY MANAGER'S ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION.
AND FOSTER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN BOUND, A LOT OF NUMBERS HAVE BEEN BOUNCED AROUND.
I BELIEVE THAT'S 43 AND THAT'S CORRECT CHANGE, YES.
YOU YOU, YOU MADE A STATEMENT THAT AT OUR LAST MEETING, A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD GAVE YOU DIRECTIONS TO GO TO REVENUE NEUTRAL.
BUT ACTUALLY THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD GAVE YOU THAT DIRECTION.
I TALKED ABOUT AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE AND THE OTHER THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DID NOT SAY ANYTHING.
SO THERE WAS NOT A MAJORITY TO GO TO REVENUE NEUTRAL.
WHAT I'M HEARING AT LEAST TONIGHT PRELIMINARILY, IS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A DESIRE TO PUT A COLA IN PLACE AND POSSIBLY A MERIT INCREASE AS WELL IN ORDER TO DO THAT WITH A REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX RATE.
WE'VE GOT TWO CHOICES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
THE MONEY THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR A COLO AND POSSIBLY A MERIT IS EITHER GONNA HAVE TO COME OUT OF FUND BALANCE OR YOU'RE GONNA BE GOING BACK INTO THE BUDGET TO MAKE ADDITIONAL CUTS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER OPTION.
RELYING ON FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR OPERATING EXPENSES IS POOR PLANNING AND IT'S BAD POLICY.
IF YOU LOOK AT EACH OF US WITHIN OUR OWN PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS, WHETHER YOU HAVE A A, A BUDGET PLAN IN PLACE OR YOU JUST KIND OF MANAGE TO GET BY MONTH TO MONTH, THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO BE DOING IS BORROWING MONEY FROM A SAVINGS ACCOUNT, FROM AN EMERGENCY FUND, FROM THE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION FUND TO PAY FOR DA DAILY OPERATING EXPENSES.
IT'S JUST BAD POLICY TO BE LOOKING AT THAT FUND BALANCE AS A PIGGY BANK TO COVER THESE INCREASING OPERATING EXPENSES AS OPPOSED TO BIDEN BULLET INCREASING OUR TAX RATE TO SOME LEVEL TO HELP COVER THESE COSTS.
SO MY POSITION WOULD BE TO LOOK AT INCREASING THE TAX RATE.
WHERE I'M GOING IS PROBABLY A PENNY AND A HALF ABOVE THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.
I THINK THAT MEETS IT UP TO LIKE 3.88 SOMETHING IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
I'D BE COMFORTABLE AT THAT RATE.
IT DOESN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, BUT IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY SO THAT WE'RE NOT PULLING AS MUCH OR ANY FUNDS
[01:00:01]
FROM THE FUND BALANCE, NOR ARE WE PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE TO GO BACK INTO THE OPERATING BUDGETS TO MAKE FURTHER CUTS.PRI UM, I HEAR 1.50 CENT ABOVE REVENUE NEUTRAL.
WHERE ARE YOU ON THE COLA AND THE MERIT? I HAD NO PROBLEM GOING WITH A 3% COLA EFFECTIVE JULY ONE AND THE 2% MERIT.
UM, PLEASE CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR ME.
THE MERIT, THE 2% MERIT WOULD BE WHAT, ALMOST $400,000.
IT'S MORE THAN THAT 2%, THE 2% MERIT FOR UM, ALL TIMES OR JUST GENERAL FUNDS FOR ALL SINCE THE 2% MERIT, CUZ I HAVE, I THOUGHT IT WAS 396,000 BUT THAT WAS BASED ON, UM, SO FOR UM, 2% IT WAS GOING BE FOUR 5,000.
GOT YOUR ATTORNEY MIKE ON AGAIN PLEASE FOR 2%.
IT WAS UM, 485,000 FOR GENERAL FUND AND 255,000 FOR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
255,000 FOR ENTERPRISE FUNDS? YES.
BUT SO WE'RE JUST BASICALLY LOOKING AT GENERAL FUNDS CUZ ENTERPRISE SUPPORTS ITSELF.
SO GENERAL FUND THAT 2% WILL BE 485,000.
AND MY COMPUTER FROZE UP SO I'M A LITTLE DELAYED ON CALCULATING THIS FOR YOU.
WELL, UM, WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, IF GOING ABOVE REVENUE NEUTRAL ESSENTIALLY IS OUR CITIZENS.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE TALK ABOUT THEM YET.
UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
I HAD A CONSTITUENT OF MINE FROM COLLEGE PARK CALL ME, UH, JUST ABOUT IN TEARS WHEN SHE RECEIVED HER REEVALUATION.
AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, HER UH, DUPLEX WAS $58,000 ORIGINALLY HER REVALUATION WENT UP TO A HUNDRED, $1,000, ALMOST DOUBLE.
SHE'S ON A FIXED INCOME AND SHE'S SAYING THERE IS NO WAY I CAN PAY THOSE TAXES.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 48 CENTS IF THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL.
AND I TOLD HER THAT WE WERE GONNA BRING THAT DOWN AND I WAS COMMITTED TO REVENUE NEUTRAL.
AND THAT SEEMED TO SATISFY HER.
AND AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BUDGET, I WENT BACK AND TOOK A LOOK, AND ESSENTIALLY AT $58,000 AND 48 CENTS FOR THE TAX RATE, SHE WAS PAYING $378, OR ACTUALLY $280 A YEAR TAXES, JUST THE CITY TAXES, NOT TALKING ABOUT COUNTY TAXES.
AND THEN AT A REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX RATE, HER TAX RATE IS GONNA GO UP $378.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I CAN AFFORD THAT, BUT THIS LADY CAN'T.
AND WE HAVE NOW RAISED HER WATER RATE $20 A YEAR, HER TRASH RATE $50 A YEAR, AND HER, UH, ACTUALLY THAT WAS A WATER METER WAS $20.
BUT HER WATER CONSUMPTION $40, WE'VE NOW RAISED PER ANNUAL EXPENSES, 220, $210 AT REVENUE NEUTRAL PER YEAR JUST BY TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING LEVEL HERE IN THE CITY.
SO MY POINT IS WITH REVALUATION, THOSE THAT HAD HOUSES OR DUPLEXES OR CONDOS THAT WERE UNDER $150,000 ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE MOST HID BY THE REVALUATION.
AND SO I AM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO REVENUE NEUTRAL BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO RAISE TAXES RIGHT NOW TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE GONNA PUSH OUR
[01:05:01]
MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS OUT OF THE CITY OF NEWBA.I HAVE AREAS AROUND THE HIGH SCHOOL, I HAVE COLLEGE PARK, I HAVE ACADIA VILLAGE, I HAVE TRENT CREEK THAT ALL OF THAT APPLIES TO.
AND YOU MAY SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE RENTERS, WELL LANDLORDS PASS ALL THAT RIGHT ON TO THE RENTERS AND THEY'RE GONNA PUSH THOSE PEOPLE OUT AS WELL.
SO YES, I WOULD LOVE TO PAY OUR EMPLOYEES MORE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DO IT.
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT BY RAISING TAXES.
SO I AM COMMITTED TO A REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX RATE, ALTHOUGH WE DID TALK ABOUT THE 38 CENTS AT ONE POINT, WHICH I'M OKAY WITH.
SO IF THERE'S ANY COLA OR MERIT TO BE DISCUSSED, WHILE IT MAY BE BAD POLICY, ALDERMAN PER, I DON'T INTEND TO DO IT FOREVER.
I DON'T INTEND TO DO IT FOR TWO YEARS, BUT I THINK FOR THIS YEAR, IT BEING A REEVALUATION YEAR THAT WE TAKE COLA AND MERIT OUT OF FUND BALANCE.
I BELIEVE, UH, I SAW $568,000 OUT OF FUND BALANCE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE, THE ZOOM MEETING YOU HAD WITH ME.
THAT WE TAKE THAT OUT OF FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR THE COLA AND THEN LOOK AT RAISING TAXES NEXT YEAR.
ONCE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE FIGURED OUT WHAT THIS REEVALUATION MEANS TO THEM, BECAUSE I GAVE YOU HER CITY TAXES.
BUT EVEN IF THE COUNTY GOES TO REVENUE NEUTRAL, SHE'S STILL PAYING TWICE AS MORE, UH, AT LEAST 35% MORE TAXES FOR THE COUNTY AS WELL.
SO I'M VOTING FOR REVENUE NEUTRAL.
AND IF WE'RE DOING COLA AND WE'RE DOING MERIT, I WANT IT OUT OF FUND BALANCE HOME AND BRINSON, DO YOU WANT COLA AND MERIT TO START JULY ONE OR JANUARY ONE? I DON'T MIND IT STARTING JULY ONE, BUT IF IT IS MORE PALATABLE FOR THOSE TO TAKE IT OUT OF FUND BALANCE, I DON'T MIND MOVING THAT TO JANUARY.
LET ME ASK YOU, WOULD YOU AGREE TO DO THE COLA JANUARY, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, JULY ONE, AND MAYBE START THE MERIT INCREASE LATER INTO THE YEAR? THAT'S FINE WITH ME TOO.
HANG, WE'VE HAD TO DO THAT IN THE PAST.
BUT MY, MY POINT IS REVENUE NEUTRAL FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS IN ORDER THEM TO AFFORD TO STAY IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND FIGURE OUT THEIR BUDGETING SO THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, WE PERHAPS RAISE TAXES WHEN WE HEAR FROM THEM THAT THEY CAN DO THAT, THAT WE CAN DO THAT ALDERMAN BEST.
UM, AS I STATED, UM, AT OUR MAY 23RD BOARD MEETING, UM, I TOO WANT TO GO WITH THE REVENUE NEUTRAL BECAUSE I JUST SEE IT AS, AS AN INCREASE ON OUR CITIZENS, UM, TAX WISE.
UM, AND BY NO MEANS DID I IMPLEMENT IN ANY FORM, SHAPE, OR FASHION NOT TO GIVE OUR OUR EMPLOYEES A RAISE AT THAT BATI PARTICULAR TIME.
I SAID, LET'S WAIT TO SEE WHAT OUR REVENUES WAS GONNA BE LIKE ONCE OUR REVENUES COME IN.
AND THEN WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A 3% COLA AND THE 2% MERIT.
AND IF, IF RAISE WE'RE RAISING THE TAXES SOMEWHAT, I THINK IT'S A HALF HER PERCENT GOING UP TO 38, NOT EVEN TO POINT 38, UM, CENTS PER A HUNDRED, WHICH IS NOT A, NOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT, BUT IT, IT WON'T AFFECT THE, THE CITIZENS AS IF WE GO RAISE A 4 CENTS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE AND, AND EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND.
WE ARE ALSO, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE SECOND PHASE OF THE SALARY STUDY, WHICH IS EFFECTIVE, UH, JULY ONE.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I SAID, WELL, LET'S WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE REVENUE'S GONNA BE LIKE AND THEN IMPLEMENT THE 3% COLA AND THE 2% MERIT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I WILL NEVER DENY YOU, YOU EMPLOYEES THAT FROM DAY ONE, I SIT UP HERE UPON THIS DIRE I WAS ALWAYS, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE SIT FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND FOR SOME OF YOU TO MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE YOU MADE, YOU KNOW, I I I, IT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING TO KNOW, BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED HARD FOR ALL OF YOU EMPLOYEES.
[01:10:01]
A PROBLEM WITH THE 3% COLA, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE 2% MERIT, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO RAISE TAXES IN ORDER FOR US TO REACH THIS GOAL OF GIVING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO OUR, TO OUR EMPLOYEES.BUT, BUT I JUST LOOK AT IT AS
WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE.
LET'S, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THOSE FUNDS IN GENERAL FUND FOR SUCH CATASTROPHIC STORMS THAT MAY COME THROUGH HERE.
SO WHATEVER THIS BOARD FEEL LIKE THAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND WE VOTE ON IT, I'M, I'M ALL FOR DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
IF IT'S THE 3%, 2%, BUT I JUST HAVE STRONG RESERVATIONS ON THIS, AND I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY ONE TO IMPLEMENT THE 3%.
AND AT THAT TIME, WE MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF REVENUES COMING IN.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU 4% AT THAT TIME.
SO I MEAN, WE, WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
UM, SO MAYOR, SO AL INVESTORS JUST WANT TO, I'M TRYING TO KEEP A TALLY HERE.
UM, 3% COLA, 2% MERIT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.
YOU WANNA STAY AT REVENUE NEUTRAL.
AND WHEN DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE INCREASES? THE SALARY INCREASES START? WELL, I JANUARY OR JULY.
I'M, I'M REALLY LOOKING AT THE POINT 38.
SO NOT REVENUE NEUTRAL, BUT POINT 38, THE POINT 38.
AS, AS THE CITY MANAGER HAS FIGURED INTO, ALREADY FIGURED INTO THIS BUDGET, IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THERE.
WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HE'S CALCULATED, BUT IT'S NOT CALCULATED TO BE WITHIN.
AND, UM, JANUARY, YOU SAID, UH, JULY ONE OR JANUARY ONE, CORRECT.
HEY, BARBARA, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? WOULD YOU BE OPPOSED IF WE SPLIT IT AND DID A COLA JULY ONE AND START THE MERIT PROCESS IN JANUARY? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT AT ALL.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST LOOKING, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE UP
AND THE ONLY ONE I DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW IS HONOR OIL.
SO IF YOU'RE OKAY, I'M GONNA GET HER.
YOU CAN START UP WITH HIM IF YOU LIKE.
WELL, WE KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD HERE.
WHY DON'T WE JUST, LORD, JUST, JUST STOP GIVING THE SERVICES THAT WE, WE GIVE, I MEAN, YOU'D RATHER TAKE AWAY FROM PEOPLE THAT WORK, PAY FOR YOUR SERVICES, PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET, YOU, YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM WHAT THEY'LL DO.
OKAY? THE MORE YOU PUT IT BACK, THE LONGER IT TAKES TO CATCH UP.
LET'S GIVE THE EMPLOYEES WHAT THEY ARE DUE.
UH, UH, CAN MAY I IMPLEMENT? SURE.
I'VE SAID, LET'S WAIT TO SEE WHAT OUR REVENUES WILL BE COMING IN.
I JU I JUST WANT TO CLEAR, CLEAR THAT UP.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, AGAIN, I, UM, PRETTY MUCH AGREE WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION, UH, I WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THE TAXES INCREASE.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR VERY, VERY VALUABLE EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE THAT A LABORER IS WORTHY OF IS HIGHER.
AND SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE, UH, OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, PAID, NEVER, NEVER COULD REPAY YOU YOUR WORTH.
AND SO AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT 3% COLA ALONG WITH THE SALARY INCREASE
[01:15:01]
AND THE 2% MERIT.SO IF I INTERPRET THAT CORRECTLY, YOU WANT TO DO THE 3% COLA, 2% MERIT MM-HMM.
SO WHATEVER IT WOULD COST, YOU'RE ADVOCATING TO PULL THAT FROM THE FUND BALANCE? YES, SIR.
UM, WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY.
UM, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU MY COMMENTS.
UH, I SENT FOSTER AN EMAIL A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND TOLD YOU THAT, UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DIRECTION AND SOMETIMES IT'S CHALLENGING WHEN YOU HAVE A BOARD WITH SEVEN PEOPLE WITH SEVEN DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND STYLES AND THOUGHTS.
UM, I GAVE YOU MINE, MINE WAS TO ROUND UP THE REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX RATE TO 38 CENT.
I THINK THAT PROVIDES YOU CLOSE TO ADDITIONAL $400,000 OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND.
AND I WOULD SUPPORT, EXCUSE ME, I WOULD SUPPORT A 3% MERIT INCREASE JANUARY ONE BASED OFF OF PERFORMANCE.
YOU SAID 3% MERIT, CORRECT? JANUARY ONE, CORRECT.
MAYOR, I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AND KOHLER NO KOHLER.
THERE, THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION THE BOARD MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IS GIVEN, GIVEN THAT THE, THE MERIT IS BASED ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MM-HMM.
THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WHETHER IT'S A JULY ONE OR A JANUARY ONE TIMEFRAME.
SO YOU'RE ADVOCATING DOING A BUDGET AMENDMENT NOW BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THIS MONTH FOR THE MERIT PIECE? IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FOR, WELL, FOR THE MERIT COMPONENT.
AND SO J WHATEVER THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY, WHEN, WHEN TRADITIONALLY, WHEN WE DO MERIT, THAT'S BASED ON AN EVALUATION, THE EVALUATIONS ALWAYS TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY.
THAT'S FOR THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT TIED TO, TO THE BUDGET YEAR, WHICH IS JULY THROUGH JUNE.
SO IF WE APPROVE THE COLA AND THE MERIT TONIGHT, THE MERIT'S STILL NOT GONNA START UNTIL JANUARY.
IS THAT CORRECT? IF, IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE A MERIT EFFECTIVE, AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS TONIGHT, SO I DEFINITELY HAVE TO DO IT.
BUT IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE A MERIT TONIGHT, EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, THEN THAT WOULD BE BASED OFF EMPLOYEE'S EVALUATIONS AS OF JANUARY OF 2023 FOR THE 2022 CALENDAR YEAR.
IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE A MERIT INCREASE IN JANUARY OF 2024, THAT WOULD BE BASED OFF THE EVALUATIONS THAT THE EMPLOYEES RECEIVED FOR THE CURRENT CALENDAR YEAR.
MAY I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
CAN I, CAN I ASK THE QUESTION FIRST? SURE.
JUST, UH, ALDERMAN PR BROUGHT SOMETHING UP, BUT IT ANY BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS YEAR THAT JUST COMES OUT OF FUND BALANCE ANYWAY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? YEAH, MAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A 3% COLA AND A 2% MERIT INCREASE WITH THE FUNDS COMING FROM FUND BALANCE WITH A 38 CENT TAX RATE EFFECTIVE JULY ONE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? LET ME RE WE RESTATE THAT PLEASE.
CAN YOU RESTATE THAT, PLEASE? STATE IT AGAIN? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GIVE 3% MERIT, 2%, EXCUSE ME, 3% COLA, 2% MERIT WITH THE FUNDS BEING REMOVED FROM FUND BALANCE, WHATEVER AMOUNT IS NECESSARY FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AT A 38 CENT TAX RATE AFFECTED JULY ONE.
AND AT 38 CENTS TAX RATE REALLY IS JUST FOR SIMPLICITY TO GET RID OF ALL THE, WHAT, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OR A HUNDRED? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN 38 AND WHAT REVENUE NEUTRAL IS? IT'S BASICALLY $311,000 IN AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE WE GO FURTHER.
I WANT TO DEFER BACK TO WHAT MR. HUGHES SAID.
THE MERIT TIMEFRAME IS WHAT AGAIN? SO IF IN TERMS OF WHEN THE EMPLOYEES WOULD YES.
BASED ON THE EVALUATION PERIOD MM-HMM.
[01:20:01]
NEXT MONTH MM-HMM.IF YOU DECIDED TO DO A MERIT INCREASE IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR OF 2024, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY AT THAT EVALUATION PERIOD, THE MERIT WOULD BE BASED ON THEIR MOST RECENT EVALUATION, WHICH THEY WOULD GO THROUGH IN JANUARY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE EVALUATIONS WERE COMPLETED BY THE END OF JANUARY, WHEN THEY GOT THAT MERIT INCREASE, IT WOULD BE RETROACTIVE TO JANUARY 1, 4, 20 23.
WHAT WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT WITH THIS THAN ANY OTHER BUDGET YEAR WHERE A MERIT WAS INCLUDED? DOES IT NORMALLY START ON JANUARY OR JULY ON THE MERIT? MM-HMM.
UNLESS WE'RE GIVEN DIFFERENT DIRECTION BY THE BOARD.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I THINK WE CAN GET A SECOND.
IF WE TURN THAT TWO, TWO A THREE, A 3% MERIT MM-HMM.
FIRST OF ALL, DO, FIRST OF ALL, A TWO, IT IS 3% MERIT.
WHAT WAS THE TWO ON? EXCUSE ME.
2%, 3% CALL OF 2% MERIT? YEAH.
TWO IN THAT MERIT AND TO THREE TO THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, JOHNNY.
I'D LOVE TO, BUT I'M CLEARLY CONCERNED THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO PASS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTION? YES, SIR.
SO TO CLARIFY, THE 3% COLA AND 2% MERIT AT A 38 RATE, HOW MUCH COMES OUT OF FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET? WAS IT THE 5 68 NUMBER I GAVE YOU OR IS THAT, SO THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO RECALCULATE BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL 2% ON THAT.
NOW, WHAT YOU, WHEN WE ALL THAT WAS JUST, THAT WAS BASED ON 3% COLA OF $559,000 FROM FUND BALANCE.
I THINK KIM MAY HAVE SOME UPDATED NUMBERS TO SHARE FOR, FOR THE 3% AND THE 2% THAT WOULD, WITH THE 38 CENT TAX RATE, THAT WOULD, UM, BE APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION 359,827 FROM FUND BALANCE.
AND ALL OF THEM, MACKENZIE HAD ASKED PREVIOUSLY, WHAT WAS THE BALANCE IN FUND BALANCE.
SO THE LAST REPORT WAS, UM, 25 MILLION, WHICH PUTS US IN ABOUT 34%, 34, 30 5% FUND BALANCE.
SO WHAT ARE WE WORRYING ABOUT? MONEY THEN? WELL, THANK YOU.
I'LL, UM, I'LL JUST, LET ME INTERJECT OUR MACKENZIE.
WE WERE CLOSE, IF YOU RECALL, YOU WERE ON THE BOARD.
WE WERE CLOSE TO 50% FUND BALANCE WHEN HURRICANE FLORENCE CAME THROUGH AND WE GOT DOWN TO SIX OR 7% WITH JUST THE STORM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GIVING THESE PEOPLE A RAISE.
THAT'S NOT THE FUND BALANCE YOU GAVE US.
NOW THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE FEMA FUNDS, OR IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE FEMA FUNDS, OR, WE'VE NOT COLLECTED THOSE FEMA FUNDS YET.
WE HAVE NOT COLLECTED ALL OF THE FEMA FUNDS YET.
AND, AND THAT'S A, WHAT? IT'S A, I THINK ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF, 5 MILLION AT ROUGHLY.
SO IF WE GOT THAT TYPE OF MONEY BOARD, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? I KNOW YOU'RE READY TO TAKE A VOTE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE ON A 3% VOTE.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT MR. WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SO WE GOTTA VOTE ON THIS ONE FIRST.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, MS. CLERK, I HAVE A 3% COLA, 2% MERIT EFFECTIVE JULY ONE WITH A 38 CENT TAX RATE.
AND WHATEVER THE DELTA IS THAT'S NEEDED COMES OUT OF FUND BALANCE.
IS THAT THE WAY YOU UNDERSTOOD? YES, YOUR HONOR.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
WE GONNA COME BACK AND VOTE AGAIN UNTIL FOR THE THREE, THREE, RIGHT? THIS IS, IF, IF YOU VOTE ON THIS AND THIS PASSES, THEN YOU CAN MAKE ANOTHER MOTION IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANOTHER PERCENT ONTO IT.
[01:25:02]
YES.ALDERMAN ROYAL, I MEAN, PRE YES.
AND WHAT'S THE COUNT? MOTION PASSES SIX TO ONE.
AL MCKENZIE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION TO ADD ON ANOTHER PERCENT OF MERIT, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WORKING DO NO, I LIKE TO ADD, UH, 2% TO THE MERIT.
I MEAN, 1% TO IT, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT THREE.
SO ALDER MCKENZIE IS MAKING A MOTION TO ADD ANOTHER PERCENT OF MERIT TO WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SO THAT'S HOW MUCH Y'ALL LOVE YOUR EMPLOYEES MOTION TOS FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER 16? SEAL OF ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER 16? OKAY.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION APPROV A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
CONSIDER ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE MARINE FORCES' SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND CHIEF GALLAGHER GIVE OUTTA HERE.
SWEET HEARING MAYOR, YOU'LL NEED TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT WITH THE CHANGE.
ALL RIGHT, CHIEF, YOU CAN SIT TIGHT.
SO, BOARD, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT WITH THE CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS MOTION THAT WAS APPROVED.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2023.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SHOULDN'T, BUT SHOULDN'T THAT MOTION SAY AS AMENDED? YES.
YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT ALDERMAN VEST AS AMENDED YES.
AS AMENDED ALDERMAN ASTRA, ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT? I'M ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL WITH, OKAY.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTRA.
[17. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding with the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (" MARFORSOC").]
NUMBER 17, CHIEF CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF PROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MARINE FORCES SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.UH, BOARD, UM, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, FOSTER HUGHES AND MYSELF RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE, UH, MARINE CORPS SPECIAL FORCES OPERATION, UM, TO UPDATE A MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN HAD APPROVED APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO TO ALLOW THEIR STAFF TO ENGAGE IN TRAINING OPERATIONS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
OVER THE COURSE OF MY TENURE HERE IN NEW BERN, UM, THAT COMMAND HAS NOTIFIED ME, UM, AND THE CITY MANAGER THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TRAINING OPERATIONS IN NEW BERN.
THEY'VE BEEN, UM, CONSISTENT WITH THAT NOTICE.
AND, UM, THEIR TRAINING DOES NOT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, AND THERE'S NO SAFETY CONCERNS.
MYSELF AND THE CITY MANAGER, IF I COULD SPEAK FOR HIM, UM, SUPPORT THE, UH, BOARD, UH, RENEWING THAT MEMO BY MISTAKE.
DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 17? CHIEF, COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW AS TO WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF THEIR TRAINING? UH, IN NEWBERG, I HAVE, I CANNOT SPEAK TO THEIR TRAINING.
I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT THEY NOTIFY US THAT THEY WILL BE TRAINING.
THEY DO NOTIFY US WITH A POINT OF CONTACT, AND THEY DO INDICATE THAT, UH, THEIR PERSONNEL WILL NOT INTERACT WITH ANY CITIZENS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXTENT THEIR TRAINING IS.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AND PROVEN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MARINE FORCES' SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.
HAVE A MOTION A SECOND ON ITEM NUMBER 17.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KINZIE.
[18. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Submission of an Application for the 2023 Bureau of Justice Assistance Bulletproof Vest Grant.]
ITEM NUMBER 18.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR THE 2023 BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE.
GRANT, LSU AGAIN, UM, THIS GRANT HAS BEEN, UM, SOLICITED BY THE CITY OF NEW BERN, UH, FOR PROBABLY THE PAST 20 YEARS.
[01:30:01]
UM, THEY HAVE ASSISTED US IN THE PURCHASE OF OUR BALLISTIC, UH, VESTS THAT OUR OFFICERS, UH, WEAR FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.WE ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE ROUGHLY 15 VESTS, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, IF WE DO NOT OBTAIN OR SEEK THIS GRANT, UM, I WOULD BE ASKING THE, UH, CITY MANAGER TO, UM, ALLOW US TO, UH, PAY FOR ALL OF IT UPFRONT.
I THINK THIS IS A WIN-WIN FOR OUR AGENCY AND A WIN-WIN FOR THE TAXPAYER.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO BASICALLY, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE MATCH ABOUT $10,000.
IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I'LL LET MAKE A MOTION.
TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVAL, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MARINE, OH, I'M SORRY.
ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR THE 2023 BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANT BULLETPROOF VEST GRANT.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
[19. Appointment( s).]
THE ONLY ONE I'M SHOWING TONIGHT.YOU HAVE ONE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
UH, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT THAT I DON'T HAVE THE RECORD OF? UH, I WILL JUST STATE, UM, I BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM EITHER THE CLERK OR THE MANAGER ABOUT, UM, MS. THERESA LEE, UM, RESIGNING FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
HER TERM WAS SET TO EXPIRE IN AUGUST ANYWAY, UH, SO SHE DID NOT WANT TO BE REAPPOINTED, AND SHE CALLED AND TOLD ME HER LOGIC BEHIND RESIGNING EARLY, UM, WAS TO ALLOW THE, THE TRANSITION PHASE.
UM, BUT JUST FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I GUESS MR. TURNER, YOU CAN ANSWER THIS FOR US.
UM, IF THE BOARD MAKES AN APPOINTMENT FOR THAT SEAT BEFORE HER TERM EXPIRED, WE JUST DON'T WANNA COME BACK THE NEXT MONTH AND HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT.
CAN WE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING TO SAY, STARTING AFTER THAT CURRENT TERM EXPIRED SO WE'RE NOT FILLING A VACANT TERM FOR A MONTH AND THEN, RIGHT.
AND, AND LET'S NOT CONFUSE THE TERM OF THE CHAIRMANSHIP VERSUS THE TERM OF DECEIT, CORRECT? JUST THE TERM OF THE SEAT.
SO IF YOU WERE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE FOR A ONE MONTH TERM? CORRECT.
THEN YOU'D HAVE TO COME BACK AND REAPPOINT.
UM, AND IF YOU APPOINT IN, UH, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, IT WOULD BE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT TERM.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, HAVING THE CLERK INCLUDE THIS VACANCY IN OUR NEXT AGENDA PACKAGE, UH, FOR THE MONTH OF OUR SECOND MEETING THIS MONTH.
THAT ALLOWS US A, ALLOWS US A COUPLE WEEKS TO GET SOME FOLKS TO EXPRESS THEIR INTEREST, AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT.
WE STILL HAVE SOME TIME UNTIL THEY MEET IN AUGUST.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? OKAY.
[20. Attorney' s Report]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO ATTORNEY'S REPORT.[21. City Manager's Report]
REPORT A FEW THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON THIS THURSDAY NIGHT AT FIVE 30.WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP MS. D MEETING RIGHT HERE IN THE, IN THE COURTROOM.
SO WE WILL BE, UH, REVISITING, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE LAST MEETING AND, UH, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR THOSE PARTICIPANTS AND ANYONE WATCHING ON ROKU OR FACEBOOK OR ON CITY THREE TV, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME INTERACTIVE VOTING ON SOME POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT ONCE THIS GOVERNING BOARD DOES ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE, THAT COMMITTEE CAN HAVE KIND OF HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH SOME POTENTIAL PROJECTS TO LOOK AT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO ADD, I SAW THAT I THINK THAT'S VERY INTUITIVE AND INTERACTIVE TO GET THAT VOTING, BUT ARE WE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VOTING ACTUALLY, OR MSD TAXPAYERS, OR ARE WE JUST GONNA MAKE THIS A FREE FOR ALL FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE? SO IF, IF IT IS ON LIKE THAT, IT'S HARD TO, IT'S HARD TO TELL WHO'S GONNA DO THAT.
UH, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT DID ATTEND THE LIVE MEETING, THEY ARE MSD TAXPAYERS.
WE JUST WOULDN'T WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN THE RESULTS COME IN.
WE HAD A, UH, EL ELEVATOR MEETING TODAY WITH OUR CONTRACTOR.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY SHOULD BE FINISHED UP AS OF RIGHT NOW, BY THE END OF JULY, IF THAT IS THE CASE.
AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA KNOW MORE IN ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF, THEN THE GOAL WILL BE TO PLAN THE GRAND OPENING, UH, A LITTLE BIT BEFORE OUR FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST OF THE ELEVATOR.
UH, ALSO WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE CITY EMPLOYEE LUNCH IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW AT WEST NEWBURN RECREATION CENTER.
UH, IT'S GONNA START ABOUT 1115
[01:35:01]
AND GO TO ABOUT ONE 15.SO I'D LOVE TO SEE EVERYONE OUT THERE FOR THAT.
AND CHARLIE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME KNOW, UH, THE OTHER DAY THAT THE ELECTRIC UTILITIES RECEIVED A SAFETY AWARD.
AND SO THAT'S FOR NO LOSS, UH, WORKDAY CASES FOR 2022.
SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY DEPARTMENT FOR FORGETTING THAT AWARD.
CHARLIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS GOOD JOB.
AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TONIGHT, SIR.
[22. New Business.]
UH, MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS ALDERMAN PRI, I HAVE NOTHING.BARR ALDERMAN ROYAL, JUST MY REGULAR QUESTION.
AGAIN, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, UH, SIGN UP COMING SOON.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THE TISDALE HOUSE HAS BEEN RELOCATED AND I SAW, I BELIEVE IN YOUR REPORT REGARDING THE STREETS IN, UH, DUFFY FIELD, THAT THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING RES, UH, RESOLVED.
SO WE, WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM GEORGE CHOWS TODAY.
HE MAY HAVE SENT IT TO ALL THE GOVERNING BOARD ON AN EMAIL.
THE GRAVEL OVER THERE ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE BASICALLY, UM, UM, WHAT'S THE MILL, MILL MILLED DOWN.
AND SO THE MILLING COMPANY IS GONNA BE COMING IN RIGHT AFTER THE 4TH OF JULY TO MILL THAT.
THEN THE PAVING COMPANY IS GONNA COME IN AND TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE WEEKS BEFORE THAT PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED.
BUT I BELIEVE PUBLIC WORKS IS GONNA BE SPENDING TIME OVER THERE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE PAVERS COME TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THERE ARE NO, UM, NO HOLES OR ANYTHING, OR ANY DEPRESSIONS IN THE CURRENT GRAVEL.
SO, SO THE, ANY OF ANYONE DRIVING VEHICLES WILL AT LEAST TRY TO HAVE AS SMOOTH AS RIGHT AS POSSIBLE IN THAT INTERIM TIME.
FINALLY, UM, I WANT TO MAKE A MENTION OF MR. I BELIEVE IT'S SAYING PAUL VILLE ON SECOND AVENUE, THAT WE DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO HELP HIM, TO ASSIST HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
AND I KNOW WE SAID WE WAS GONNA SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO MAKE ALL OF US AWARE OF HIS SITUATION, BUT DEFINITELY LET'S MOVE ON THAT.
UM, THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS I'D LIKE TO THANK THE NEWBURN ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT FOR FINISHING THE MESS THAT THE STATE D O T MADE AT THE ENTRANCE OF TONA BY RELOCATING AND INSTALLING SOME NEW LAND POST.
ORMAN BEST, UM, FOSTER, I THOUGHT THE EMAIL THAT I RECEIVED THAT, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO WORK WITH THE PAVERS TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET THIS PAVED STARTED SOONER.
UM, IS, IS THAT WHAT WE'LL, WE'LL LET GEORGE COME UP.
UM, AND TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID, SO WE'VE GOT SECTIONS IN DUFFY FIELD THAT HAVE STILL EXISTING ASPHALTS THAT ARE GONNA BE, NEED TO, TO BE MILLED OFF BEFORE WE COME IN AND RESURFACE, UNFORTUNATELY, THE DISC DISC CONTRACTOR AND THE, THE OTHER BIDDERS WE HAD UTILIZED THE SAME MILLING SUBCONTRACTOR.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S PREDICATING THE, THE SET TIMEFRAME, THEIR TENTATIVE DATE.
RIGHT NOW, WHEN I SAY TENTATIVE THEIR SCHEDULED DATE, IT'S A WEEK AFTER JULY 4TH.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY'RE GONNA LOOK TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET A DAY.
CAUSE THE ONLY THING IT'S GONNA TAKE US DAY OF MILLING IN THERE TO GET IT DONE IF THEY GET A FREE DAY TO GET 'EM DOWN HERE.
AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME ADDITIONAL MOBILIZATION FEES IF WE CAN ACCELERATE THEM INTO THE AREA.
AND I JUST HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION.
BUT WHATEVER, WE'RE WORKING TO TRY TO GET 'EM HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, CHIEF GALLINGER, UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING OR RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR ANYTHING ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
SO I WAS WONDERING HOW IS THAT GONNA BE ORGANIZED THIS YEAR AND CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE INFORMATION ON THAT? IT'S COMING UP SOON.
I MEAN, ISN'T IT THE FIRST TUESDAY IN AUGUST? YES, WE HAVE, UM, AND LET ME, UM, VERIFY THE EMAIL STRING.
OUR PLAN IS TO IMPLEMENT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THE SAME WAY WE DID LAST YEAR.
UM, AND PART OF THAT IS TO COMMUNICATE WITH, LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR WITH, WITH ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO DETERMINE, UM, OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS HOW MANY WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WANTS TO HAVE THEIR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT AT THEIR LOCATION.
WELL, AND THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW IN THE PAST IS THERE ANY WAY
[01:40:01]
THE, THE PLEASANT HILL AREA, THEY'RE WANTING TO HAVE THEIR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AT THE PLEASANT HILL, UM, PARK.SO, UM, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD GET A SIGN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT ERECTED DURING THE PARK SO THAT THE CITIZENS CAN SEE THE TIME TO DATE AND EVERYTHING THERE FOR THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION? YES.
WHEN WE PURCHASE THOSE SIGNS, WE HAVE TO PURCHASE THEM IN GROUPS OF FIVE.
SO WE CERTAINLY CAN PURCHASE THOSE.
UM, WE, WE DO HAVE THE FUNDING TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
THE ONE THING I WILL MAKE NOTICE IS MOST, IF NOT ALL OF OUR RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE HERE DOWNTOWN, BUT WE WILL HAVE PERSONNEL THAT, THAT CAN SUPPORT A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT ANYWHERE.
THE IMPORTANT PIECE TO KNOW ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS IT'S A COMMUNITY, UM, CENTRIC EVENT.
SO ANY COMMUNITY CAN HAVE ONE.
AND, UM, ANY COMMUNITY THAT WILL HAVE ONE, WE WILL CERTAINLY DO WHAT WE CAN, UM, TO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION THERE TO SUPPORT THAT COMMUNITY'S UM, INITIATIVE.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I BROUGHT IT TO YOU, YOUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE IT WAS FOR THE SIGN PURPOSE WE FOR SIGN.
AND I THINK I HAD ONE OTHER THING WRONG.
UM, YES, IT WAS, I HAD, UM, I WAS CONTACT BY A MEMBER OF THE, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CUR, UH, CULTURE CENTER.
THEY'RE, UM, WANTING, UM, FOSTER, THEY'RE WANTING TO, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE CONTACTED YOU, BUT I SUGGESTED YOU KNOW THEM CONTACTING YOU AS WELL.
UM, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN THE BUILDING, THEY'RE BEHIND THE OLD FARMER'S MUSEUM AND THEY'RE WANTING TO STAY IN THAT BUILDING.
SO THEY DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS SOMETHING WHERE THEY COULD LEASE THAT BUILDING, UM, OR IF THEY CAN RENT THAT BUILDING OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, UM, THEY CAN DO TO POSSIBLY OBTAIN THAT BUILDING.
SO, CAUSE THEY WANT TO REMAIN THERE.
SO, SO WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST REALLY TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, THE MOST RECENT PROPOSAL WE GOT FROM THEM WAS APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO.
UH, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE CONVERSATION HAS STOPPED.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A, A MAJORITY THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING THAT UP.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE DIRECTION, UH, REGARDING THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO ADDRESS IT AGAIN.
WELL, UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE INDIVIDUAL'S NAME IF YOU CONTACT HER AND, UM, THEN, I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO THE BOARD.
MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE, SEE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE BOARD WANTS TO SELL THIS PROPERTY OR IF, OR IF THE CITY WANTED TO KEEP THIS PROPERTY OR SELL THIS PROPERTY.
SO I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION ON THEN THAT CAN COME BACK TO THE BOARD AT A LATER TIME.
UM, I KNOW WE SPOKE A LITTLE ON, UH, MR. HUGHES.
WE SPOKE A LITTLE IN THIS BOARD OF, UH, SOMEWHAT ABOUT THE FEMA FUNDING, UM, FOR THE BP STATION MM-HMM.
SO THE BOARD HASN'T VETTED ANYTHING.
THERE HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION ABOUT USING THOSE FUNDS FOR, UM, THE ANTI THEATER AT MARK MARIETTA PARK.
OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT NO DIRECTION ON ANYTHING LIKE THAT YET.
UH, YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ME THE OTHER DAY ABOUT USING THOSE FUNDS FOR, FOR A, A FIRE STATION.
I'VE, I'VE HAD SOME GENERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CONSULTANT, UM, UM, AND THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE NO, NO DIRECTION.
WELL, I'LL JUST MAY MENTION TO THIS BOARD, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FUNDING IS WHAT, $955,000, MAYBE A MILLION UP TO A MILLION, UM, TO BE ALLOCATED FOR THE, TO START THE PROCESS.
UH, I KNOW WE ARE ALREADY IN THE, UM, PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE, A FIRE STATION ON THE 40 43 WEST END, UH, NEW BERN.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BUILD THE, UM, BOARD FEELS ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD UTILIZATION OF THAT MONEY BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY NEED A FIRE STATION ON THE WEST END.
WE GOT ALL THIS BUILDING THAT'S COMING.
WE ARE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, RECEIVING ADDITIONAL, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING, UM, REQUEST FOR BUILDERS TO COME IN AND BUILD ON THE WEST END.
SO WE ARE GONNA NEED THE FIRE STATION THERE.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF THE BOARD, IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS THAT HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO,
[01:45:02]
BUT JUST A QUESTION, THE HOW SOON SHOULD WE SUBMIT A STATEMENT OF WORK, YOU KNOW, CUZ WE ARE GOING TO, OR CHANGE OF WORK OR CHANGE OF SCOPE, SORRY.CHANGE THE SCOPE WITH A CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS.
AND, AND, AND JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE UM, STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOME RENDERINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHATEVER FEMA WOULD, WOULD REQUEST.
AND THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER, OTHER THINGS THAT THEY WOULD REQUEST OF US.
SO WE'RE GONNA, ONCE WE GET DIRECTION ON HOW THE BOARD WOULD LIKE FOR US TO GO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET SOME WORK ON SOME PLANNING.
BUT I, I GUESS THE NATURE OF MY QUESTION THOUGH IS FEMA BEING A BUREAUCRACY MM-HMM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LITERALLY SPENT ALMOST FIVE YEARS DEALING WITH THIS PROJECT, AND JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE ALLOCATED THOSE FUNDS FOR US.
UM, IN TWO MEETINGS, I THINK IN A WORKSHOP AND ONE MEETING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER, BUT THAT, THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT.
SO NOW DECISION SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
DID YOU KNOW, I THINK A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO I ASKED ABOUT THE AMPUTEE AND WE WERE GONNA GET SOME PROS AND CONS.
AND I WAS THINKING THAT SOMETHING, BUILDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD CREATE A, SOME FUNDS FOR THE CITY WOULD GENERATE FUNDS FOR THE CITY.
SO WHEN DO YOU THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT REPORT? UH, I THINK WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING IN A FEW WEEKS ON THAT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN QUITE BUSY DEALING WITH THIS BUDGET.
UH, AND AS WE TALKED AT ONE OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE AMPUTEE THAT, THAT CONTRACT THEIR OPERATIONS OUT TO SEE EXACTLY HOW THEY DO IT AND WHAT THEIR CONTRACTS LOOK LIKE.
AND SO WE'VE RECEIVED SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO YEAH, I THINK WE CAN HAVE STAFF PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
WHEN YOU SAY A FEW WEEKS, CAN WE MOVE THAT TO TWO WEEKS? I THINK WE CAN.
SO IF WE CAN GET DONE ON OUR NEXT AGENDA, UM, MAYBE, MAYBE WE JUST HAVE THE LINE ITEM TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO UTILIZE THE FEMA FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED OR WHATEVER THE TERMINOLOGY IS.
AND THEN, UM, YOU CAN HAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER IN THERE THAT WE CAN REVIEW.
AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON A FIRE STATION, UM, WE CAN HAVE THAT TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
AND IF THERE'S ANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE BOARD THINKS WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING TO USE THAT FUNDING FOR, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
I, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A, A TOUGH MEETING TONIGHT, BUT, UM, IF, IF YOU TAKE A MILLION DOLLARS OF THE FEMA MONEY AND BUILD A FIRE STATION, I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT A FIRE STATION'S PROBABLY GONNA COST FIVE TO 10 MILLION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUBSTATION OR WHAT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING, BUT IT, IT, YOU'RE PROBABLY IN THE RANGE.
5 MILLION AND THEN ABOUT A MILLION DOLLAR OPERATING COST.
SO BASED OFF OF OUR NEW 38 CENT TAX REVENUE RATE THAT WE APPROVED TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT, I'M GUESSING FOUR, THREE TO 4 CENTS.
THREE TO 4 CENTS ON THE TAX RATE.
UM, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, UM, OBVIOUSLY COVER IN FUTURE BUDGETS.
NOW WE COULD START BUILDING THE FIRE SAFE, START THE PROCESS TONIGHT, AND IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE BUILT FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
BUT AS WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD, WE CONTINUE TO ADD, EVENTUALLY IT'S GONNA CATCH UP WITH US.
AND I THINK WHAT ALDERMAN GRILL WAS BRINGING UP TONIGHT IS THAT'S SOMEWHAT WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, IT'S, UH, FOR OUR THREE NEW MEMBERS, UM, WELCOME, UH, YOU KNOW, NOW HOW TOUGH IT IS TO, TO DO THIS AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
AND, UM, AS YOU CAN TELL, YOU DON'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT YOU ALWAYS TRY TO DO WHAT'S BEST.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION IF YOU'RE AMENABLE TO THAT, HAVE BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT IT IN OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.
EVERYBODY GOOD WITH, SO WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE TIME, WELL, I GUESS WE'LL DISCUSSING AT THAT POINT, AND I WAS JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHAT WAS THE TIMEFRAME FOR SPENDING THOSE FEMA FUNDS FOR THAT, FOR, FOR THE CHANGE SCOPE OF WORK? YES.
I, I'LL HAVE TO TALK WITH THE CONSULTANT.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A, A TIMEFRAME.
BECAUSE IF THEY PUT US THROUGH ANOTHER PROCESS, THE TIME KIND OF STOPS.
AND, AND IF IT MEANS, UM, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'LL TAKE A YEAR AND A YEAR AND A HALF OR WHATEVER, WHO KNOWS, IT MAY TAKE TWO, BUT, AND WE HAVE TO RAISE THE TAXES AT THAT POINT, SOME CENTS TO SUPPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT ON THE WEST END OF NEW BRUN, WHICH OUR CITIZENS NEEDS.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WAGES RAISING THE TAX IN SOME SENSE.
AND I DON'T THINK THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE OUT THERE ON THE WEST END WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RAISING THE TAXES A COUPLE CENTS.
JUST, JUST KEEP TO SUPPORT THEIR, WELL, WELL, TO SUPPORT A FIRE DEPARTMENT, JUST KEEP IN MIND IT'S GONNA BE ALL THE CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT'S GONNA BE BACK.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M JUST SPEAKING
[01:50:01]
FOR ON BEHALF OF THE WEST END RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR A FIRE STATION OUT THERE.I WANTED TO MAKE MENTION THAT FATHER TULLEY FROM ST.
PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH WILL BE, UM, MOVING FROM THE AREA TO THE HOLLY SPRINGS AREA NEAR RALEIGH.
FATHER TULLEY HAS BEEN IN OUR CITY FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.
HE'S BEEN A STAPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE WAS VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH BADGE FAITH AND COMMUNITY FUND DAY, UH, AMONG COUNTLESS PROJECTS.
UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT WOULD LIKE TO SAY FAREWELL, THERE'S AN EVENT THIS SUNDAY AT 3:00 PM IN THE FAMILY LIFE CENTER AT ST.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I WILL NOT, AND I'VE LET THEM KNOW THAT, UH, I RECEIVED THE EMAIL, I THINK IT WAS ALMOST BY ACCIDENT YESTERDAY, BUT, UH, I HAVE A PREVIOUS OBLIGATION ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
WOULD YOU PLEASE EMAIL AT LEAST ME A A LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR CELL PHONE NUMBERS? SOME I, SOME OF 'EM I'M, I'M MISSING DON'T HAVE.
THEN I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATED LIST.
I CAN SEND IT OUT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD.
UM, WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK, UH, GEORGE CHILES AND PUBLIC WORKS AND, UH, AVERY WITH THE, UH, STORMWATER SECTION FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN KINGS ROW AND THE DRAINAGE.
THEY ARE, UH, VERY PLEASED, UH, WITH THE PROGRESS MADE THERE.
AND THEN ON MAY 31ST, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT CHERRY POINT FOR MOST OF THE DAY.
THE NAVAL HEALTH CLINIC, UH, CHANGED COMMAND.
AND THEN THAT AFTERNOON I WITNESSED THE VERY FIRST F 35 TO ARRIVE AT CHERRY POINT.
WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE, THE CITY IS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GONNA GET SIX MORE SQUADRONS THERE, UH, OF F 35, WHICH MEANS 3000 MORE MARINES, UH, THERE.
SO CHERRY POINT HAS BOTTOMED OUT WITH THEIR TRANSITION.
THEY, THEY'VE REACHED THE BOTTOM OF, UH, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND NUMBERS THAT THEY HAVE THERE, SO THEY'RE GONNA INCREASE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, THEN ON JUNE 8TH, I HAD A GREAT TOWN HALL.
MY THANKS TO THE, UH, MAYOR, THE MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR ATTENDING, UH, OR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UH, WE HAD OVER 20 FOLKS, UH, SHOW UP AT, AT BITES ON A BOARD AND, AND HAD A GREAT EVENT, UH, GREAT DISCUSSIONS THERE.
AND THEN, UH, TWO ITEMS IN THE FUTURE.
JUNE 16TH, THERE'S A WOMEN'S VETERANS RESOURCE EVENT, UH, EIGHT 30 TO ONE 30 IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THERE'S A LUNCHEON ALSO, BUT I'M TOLD IT'S ALREADY SOLD OUT.
BUT, UH, FOR WOMEN VETERANS, UH, WHO HAVE OFTEN BEEN, UH, MARGINALIZED OR IGNORED, THERE'S A RESOURCE EVENT JUST FOR THEM, UH, AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, JUNE 16TH.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I, I STARTED SENDING EMAILS OUT TODAY TO THOSE THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST TO ME ON THE, UH, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE.
I ALSO SENT IT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS IN CASE SOMEBODY HAD TALKED TO THEM.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GET ALL OF THE RESUMES AND INTERESTS OF THOSE THAT ARE, WANT TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
AND THEN I'LL PRESENT THOSE TO THE BOARD FOR, UH, NOMINATION AND APPROVAL AT OUR JULY 11TH MEETING.
SO, UH, DEADLINE BASICALLY IS JULY 11TH.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR, THAT'S OKAY.
UH, AL MCKENZIE, YOU WERE OUT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING UNDER NEW BUSINESS? NO, I DON'T.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL COMMEND THE, UH, THE BOARD FOR, UM, THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, AS I MENTIONED JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, IT'S, IT'S NOT EASY.
UH, IT'S, IT'S EASIER IF YOU HAVE MORE REVENUE THAN YOU DO EXPENSES, WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR CITY.
AS I MENTIONED IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, UM, THE MORE NEW BUSINESSES AND NEW RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE COME ADD TO OUR TAX BASE, WHICH HELPS SPREAD THAT BURDEN AROUND.
UM, JUST TO COMMENT ON THE PROCESS, MR. HUGHES, UM, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, THE PROCESS HANDLED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY NEXT YEAR.
UM, I KNOW THAT DEPENDING ON, UH, WHO HAS SAT IN YOUR SEAT, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FLAVOR.
UM, I, I, THIS IS, I'M SPEAKING FOR ME, AND THEN THE REST OF THE BOARD CAN CHIME IN IF YOU FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
BUT, UH, I THINK YOU, WE NEED TO HAVE A PRELIMINARY BUDGET MEETING PROBABLY IN DECEMBER, I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, UH, FOR US TO REVIEW HOW, UM, SOME OF THE REVENUES ARE COMING IN VERSUS WHAT'S ANTICIPATED AS WELL AS THE EXPENDITURES AND GET PREPARED EARLIER FOR THE BUDGET SEASON.
AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN
[01:55:01]
FRONT OF US SO WE HAVE TIME TO REVIEW THAT BEFORE WE START OUR WORK SESSIONS.UH, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS FIRST TIME YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS, TO TRY TO TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION IN WHILE YOU'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A LIVE MEETING.
SO IF WE COULD GET THE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN ADVANCE OF HAVING THE WORK SESSIONS, I THINK WE COULD ALL DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK AND THOSE MEETINGS COULD FLOW BETTER.
AND THEN THE LAST COMMENT REGARDING THAT IS TYPICALLY OR HISTORICALLY WE HAVE HAD A RETREAT EACH YEAR AND THAT HAS SORT OF SET THE TONE OR THE, THE, IT'S GIVEN STAFF AT LEAST SOME IDEAS DIRECTIONALLY ON WHERE THE BOARD WANTS TO GO WITH DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THEN THAT WOULD HELP YOU WHEN YOU'RE CRAFTING YOUR BUDGET BEFORE IT GETS PRESENTED TO US.
SO THAT'S SOME THINGS THAT, UH, THAT I WANTED TO MENTION.
THE, UH, THE NEXT AND LAST ITEM I HAVE IS, UM, HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT IT'S TIME FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S SIX MONTH REVIEW AGAIN.
UM, LAST TIME WE DID WHAT WE HAD HISTORICALLY DONE WITH A SURVEY MONKEY THAT SENT OUT TO THE BOARD, ALL THOSE RESULTS GET COMPILED AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING TO REVIEW THOSE.
UH, IS ANYONE OPPOSED TO THAT PROCESS OR WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT? OKAY.
I WILL, UH, WORK ON GETTING THAT SENT OUT TO THE BOARD, UH, TO GATHER YOUR RESULTS.
AND IF WE DON'T FEEL LIKE TWO WEEKS IS ENOUGH TIME, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS DO IT THE FIRST MEETING OF JULY.
BUT I KNOW THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE PETITION OF CITIZENS AND HISTORICALLY, SOMETIMES THOSE MEETINGS LAST LONGER.
SO DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? UH, NO SIR.
ANYTHING ELSE COME BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT NOT TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.