[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 27TH, 2023 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.
THE PRAYER TONIGHT IS GOING BE COORDINATED BY ALDERMAN ASTER.
AS ALWAYS, I TRY TO GET THIS IN EMPLOYEE TO LEAD US IN PRAYER.
AND TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BRENDA BLANCO, OUR CITY CLERK, AND A 22 YEAR EMPLOYEE WITH THE CITY OF NEW BERN TO LEAD US IN PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU WITH GRATITUDE FOR ANOTHER DAY OF LIFE.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE YOUR HANDS AND FEET, SHARING YOUR LOVE AND COMPASSION, AND SERVING OTHERS.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WE ASK FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE.
WE ASK THAT THEY WORK IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE THEY ARE CALLED TO SERVE.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU POUR OUT YOUR FAVOR AND PROTECTION OVER THE CITY, EVERY CITIZEN, EVERY EMPLOYEE, AND EVERY LEADER.
IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND WHILE WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE COMPLY OF OUR COUNTRY.
TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[3. Approve Agenda. ]
OKAY.HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE AGENDA? IF SO, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.
WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS SECOND.
[Consent Agenda ]
UH, CONSENT AGENDA'S.IT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, SORRY.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS SECOND.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH DERMAN PRILL.
[11. Update on FEMA Projects. ]
TO ITEM NUMBER 11, MR. HUGHES UPDATE ON FEMA PROJECTS.AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK GEORGE CHILDS TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE OUR GUEST TONIGHT.
UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS AND REQUEST TO THE BOARD AND MAYOR TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR FEMA CAT A AND CAT B PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS IT RELATES TO HURRICANE FLORENCE.
THOUGHT IT'S BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS COME AND GET THE PRESENTATION OF HOW WE STARTED AND WHERE WE ARE WITH CERTAIN PROJECTS AND HOW WE'RE LOOKING TO FINISH THESE PROJECTS.
UM, CERTAINLY THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AND, AND I'LL BE, UH, AVAILABLE ALSO.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE LUKE BAKER, WHO IS, UH, THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR TRC COMPANIES, FORMERLY DRAPER AND ASSOCIATES, THE, UH, ENGINEERING FIRM THAT WE'VE UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE FEMA PROJECT.
UM, AND HE'LL GIVE US A PRESENTATION, UM, WITH SOME OVERALL FACTS AND STATUS ON BASINS AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CAT, A, CAT D.
I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE DANNY MEADOWS, WHO IS, UH, A CONSULTANT WITH TRC ALSO, WHO'S ALSO AVAILABLE TONIGHT.
SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TONIGHT.
SPEAK AND, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE BEEN PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE FEMA RECOVERY PROJECTS FOR TRC FOR THE LAST ABOUT YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, I'VE REALLY BEEN INVOLVED WITH PROJECT SORT OF SINCE THE INITIAL KICKOFF BACK IN 2020.
UM, SO SORT OF JUST GIVE SOME, SOME INFORMATION OF, OF HOW OUR PROCESS REALLY WORKED.
I KIND OF WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING AND, AND REALLY SORT OF GIVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE STARTED.
SO, UM, BACK IN 20 18, 19, FEMA BEGAN, UH, REALLY SORT OF AN INITIAL, UH, INITIAL FIELD ASSESSMENT OF, UM, REALLY SPOT LOCATIONS AND, AND SMALL PORTIONS OF THE CITY DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE SCALE OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS IN YOUR DRAIN OF SYSTEM.
SO THEY, THEY REALLY KIND OF WENT TO THESE AREAS THAT WERE KNOWN TO BE THE WORST BASED ON PUBLIC STAFF INPUT OR, UM, JUST GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
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AND, AND REALLY USED THAT INFORMATION TO EXTRAPOLATE A GENERAL ALLOCATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY'S 80 MILES WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE.SO ONCE THEY COMPLETED THAT INITIAL FIELD ASSESSMENT, UM, WE CAME IN IN JANUARY OF 2020 AND BEGAN A, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE FIELD ASSESSMENT.
UM, SO THAT CONSISTED OF REALLY JUST A FIELD INVESTIGATION OF ALL 80 MILES OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT ANY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ACTIVELY MAINTAINED, SO THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR, YOUR PIPES CULVERTS, UM, ROADSIDE DITCHES, STREAMS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO SOME SORT OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE OR RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
IT'S NOT AS, UM, IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE LARGE MORE NATURAL STREAMS, WETLAND AREAS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO THAT FIELD ASSESSMENT REALLY CONTINUED THROUGH THE SPRING OF 2020.
UM, AND DURING THAT PROCESS, WE HAD AN INITIAL PHASE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S WE'LL CALL CATEGORY D, WHICH IS YOUR PERMANENT DAMAGES TO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN FINALLY, CATEGORY A, WHICH IS ANY DEBRIS WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE ANY SEDIMENT, TREES, DOWN DEBRIS, UM, TIRES, CARS, VINYL SIDING.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT, WE PROBABLY SAW IT.
UM, SO AFTER THAT INITIAL FIELD ASSESSMENT, WE BEGAN A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PHASE.
SO THAT WAS REALLY TO IDENTIFY, UM, ANY SORT OF STAKEHOLDERS OR, OR PERMITTING ISSUES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS UPFRONT.
UM, SO THAT WE HAD AN, A BASIC UNDERSTANDING WITH THOSE AGENCIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IT WAS ALSO TO UNDERSTAND GENERAL ACCESS CONSTRAINTS.
ARE THERE OVERHEAD UTILITIES IN THE AREA? ARE THESE DAMAGES OR DEBRIS IN WHAT OLDER LOCATIONS IN THE CITY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ACTIVE EASEMENTS WHERE WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO TRY TO GET IN? AND THEN REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT SORT OF ENGINEERING SCOPE OF SERVICES ARE GONNA BE REQUIRED FOR EACH OF THESE.
IS IT AS SIMPLE AS JUST A DETAIL AND, AND AN AERIAL, OR IS IT MORE INVASIVE WHERE WE HAVE TO GO FROM SURVEY ALL THE WAY THROUGH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING? UM, LASTLY, OR, OR KIND OF AT THE END OF THE PERMANENT DAMAGE ASPECT IS REALLY JUST A REVIEW OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.
SO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PRE-DISASTER CONDITION WAS VERSUS WHAT THE POST-DISASTER CONDITION WAS.
AND IF THERE'S ANY ELEMENTS THAT, UM, REALLY CONTRADICT THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE SEEING AT IN THE POST-DISASTER PHASE IS, UH, DISASTER RELATED.
SO KIND OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT AS A CASE STUDY IS THE, THE RED ROBIN TRENT ROAD PROJECT.
SO THIS WAS UPFRONT IDENTIFIED AS A CRITICAL PROJECT FOR THE CITY.
UM, WHEN WE DID THIS KIND OF UP UPFRONT, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION REVIEW, WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME EXISTING EROSION ON THAT BANK, UM, FROM THE GOOGLE STREET VIEW PRIOR TO HURRICANE FLORENCE.
AND SO WE KIND OF IDENTIFIED THAT.
BUT THIS BEING A CRITICAL PROJECT FOR THE CITY, WE KIND OF PUSHED FORWARD TO TRY AND GET THIS THROUGH THE, THE, THE FEMA PROCESSES.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THEY DID ALSO DO THIS KIND OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REVIEW AND IDENTIFIED THAT THIS AREA HAD SOME PRE-DISASTER CONDITION AND, UM, WE WERE LIMITED IN HOW MUCH REPAIR WE COULD PHYSICALLY DO BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH ANOTHER, ANOTHER MEANS, BUT THIS KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU CAN RUN INTO IF YOU DON'T DO THIS UPFRONT, UM, REVIEW.
UH, FOR THE CATEGORY A WORK, WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND SORT OF BIDDABLE QUANTITIES OF, OF TREES OR SEDIMENT SO THAT WE GET A CONTRACTOR IN THERE, UM, RATHER THAN TELLING THEM, PLEASE REMOVE THIS SIZE TREE.
THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF TONNAGE OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BASE THINGS OFF OF.
AND THEN LASTLY, IT'S JUST A GENERAL COST ESTIMATION PROCESS.
THESE PROC THESE PROJECTS ARE, UM, IN THE CONSTRUCTION REALM RELATIVELY IRREGULAR.
UM, IT'S DIFFICULT TO BID A, A SMALL AREA OF EROSION VERSUS A LARGE SCALE LINEAR PIPE PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO AFTER KIND OF OUR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PHASE, AND AS WE WERE SORT OF WRAPPING THAT UP, WE BEGAN THE DEBRIS REMOVAL, UH, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
SO THE REMOVAL OF THIS DEBRIS WAS CONSIDERED THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR THE CITY, REALLY JUST TO REESTABLISH THE DRAINAGE CAPACITY OF YOUR SYSTEM.
UM, SO WE BEGAN THAT PROCESS AS WE WERE WRAPPING UP OUR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING IN APRIL OF 2020.
AND THROUGH DESIGN PERMITTED CONSTRUCTION, UM, ALL OF OUR DEBRIS REMOVAL PROJECTS ARE NOW COMPLETE AS OF DECEMBER, 2022.
AND THEN I'LL POINT OUT THAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTO, UM, OF AN AREA ON PEACE ROAD, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE TOP LEFT IS SOME SEDIMENT LOCATED IN THE CHANNEL.
AND THEN THE FINAL THING IS THAT WE'VE REMOVED THAT DEBRIS, UM, AND ALSO INSTALLED AN ACCESS ROAD TO PUBLIC WORKS TO NOW ACTIVELY MAINTAIN THIS AREA.
SO THESE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES ARE REALLY JUST EXHIBITS OF, UM, WHERE WE IDENTIFIED CATEGORY A DEBRIS THROUGHOUT EACH DRAINAGE BASIN.
THESE WILL SORT OF PROGRESS AS WE MOVE THROUGH EACH ONE.
UM, AS THESE PROJECTS WERE BID OUT, UM, I WON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON EACH ONE.
SO IN GENERAL, UM, THE RED LINE THAT YOU'RE SEEING ON YOUR, ON YOUR, UM, TV SCREENS ARE GONNA BE YOUR DRAINAGE BASIN BOUNDARIES.
ANY YELLOW YOU SEE ARE ANY DEBRIS WE IDENTIFY, UM, EITHER AS SEDIMENT OR VEGETATIVE OR OTHERWISE.
AND THEN ANY WARNINGS YOU SEE ARE, ARE PIPES THAT WE, WE JETTED.
SO THEY HAD SOME AMOUNT OF DEBRIS THAT WE CLEANED OUT.
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STOP RIGHT HERE FOR A SECOND.SO, JACK SMITH CREEK WAS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR, OUR WORST CASE SCENARIOS THAT WE SAW AS FAR AS DEBRIS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND YOU REALLY GOT A SENSE OF HOW WIDESPREAD WE LOOKED AT AREAS.
AND, UM, WHAT WE ENCOUNTERED WAS REALLY SMALL, SMALL, UM, WELL NOT RELATIVELY SMALL SPEAKING OF, UM, LOCATIONS OF DEBRIS RATHER THAN EXPANSIVE, UH, DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
SO WE, WE NOTICED THAT DEBRIS WAS COLLECTING IN LOW LINE AREAS, UM, AT, AT KEY CULVER CROSSINGS RATHER THAN CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
UM, SO HERE'S WHERE GLENBURN, RENNYS CREEK.
ONE THING I WILL POINT OUT, UH, RENNYS CREEK DOES NOT HAVE A, A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO IN THIS AREA, BECAUSE MUCH OF NIES CREEK IS HIGHLY JURISDICTIONAL, WE PERFORMED WHAT, UM, IS REALLY REGULATED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER IN DQ AS IN PLACE DEBRIS REMOVAL.
SO IN THESE AREAS, REALLY OUR, OUR CON CONTRACTORS ARE RESTRICTED TO FOOT TRAFFIC, BOAT TRAFFIC.
WE CAN'T GET HEAVY PIECES OF EQUIPMENT IN THERE.
SO THEY'LL GO IN, REMOVE THAT DEBRIS, UH, AS REASONABLE TYPICALLY BY CUTTING IT OFF AT THE OUTSIDE OF THE, THE MAIN FLOW PATH, DRAGGING IT OUT, WINCHES, UM, CUTTING UP INTO MANAGEABLE PIECES WHERE THEY CAN CARRY IT, AND THEN SECURING THAT OUTSIDE OF THE MAIN FLOW PATH SO THAT THE NEXT TIME THAT THE WATERS RISE UP, UH, RAIN COMES THROUGH THE, UH, THE DEBRIS CAN'T READILY REENTER THE CREEK.
SO, UH, HERE'S RIVERFRONT, JIMMY'S CREEK, TR RIVER, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK AND, AND, YOU KNOW, REVIEW ANY OF THESE IN MORE DETAIL AS WE WORK THROUGH, BUT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.
UM, SO KIND OF AS A, AS A SUMMARY FOR CATEGORY EIGHT, AGAIN, THESE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE.
WE'VE REMOVED THE DEBRIS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND THEN SOME, UH, THIS TABLE HERE GIVES YOU AN, UH, REALLY A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH DEBRIS WE REMOVED ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OF WHAT WE INITIALLY QUANTIFIED VERSUS WHAT WE PERFORMED BASED ON TICKETS FROM CONTRACTORS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
UM, TO PUT THIS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE EASILY TO UNDERSTAND FORMS, THAT'S ABOUT 900 DUMP TRUCKS, LOADS WORTH OF SEDIMENT, UM, ABOUT A HUNDRED LOADS OF VEGETATIVE DEBRIS, 10 MILES WORTH OF THIS IN PLACE, DEBRIS REMOVAL AND A MILE AND A HALF OF PIPES THAT WE JETTED, UM, THAT HAD SOME AMOUNT OF DEBRIS.
AND THE PHOTOS ON THE RIGHT REALLY GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT, UM, BEFORE AND AFTER LOOKS FOR IN PLACE DEBRIS REMOVAL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE, THE MAIN FLOW PATH IS CLEARED, BUT THE TREE THAT HA OVERHANGS ON THE EDGE AT THE TOP OF THE RIGHT IS, HAS BEEN CUT OFF.
AND WE'VE REMOVED THAT DEBRIS OUT OF THE, SO AFTER OUR INITIAL CATEGORY A WORK, WE REALLY MOVED INTO THE CATEGORY B WORK.
UM, THE QUARRY ONE AND QUARRY TWO PROJECTS WERE REALLY DEFINED AS OUR LITMUS TESTS OF HOW THE, HOW THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS WAS GOING TO WORK AFTER WE, UM, WERE UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RED ROBIN PROJECT, WHICH WAS A CRITICAL PROJECT FOR THE CITY.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO COMPLETE THESE FIRST TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GET REIMBURSED BEFORE WE COMPLETED ALL THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE OTHER BASINS, AND THEN ALSO COMPLETE THE THREE CRITICAL PROJECTS THAT THE CITY HAD IDENTIFIED.
SO, UM, ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN, UM, COMPLETED DESIGN BID, AS WE DISCUSSED THE RED ROBIN LANE WE'RE COMPLETING UNDER ANOTHER FUNDING PROCESS.
UM, BUT THOSE WERE OUR INITIAL CAT E EFFORTS.
UM, SO WHERE ARE WE TODAY? UH, THE REMAINING CATEGORY D BASINS, UM, ARE CURRENTLY, UH, DESIGN IS COMPLETE OF FOUR OF THE REMAINING SIX, OR ABOUT A SIX OF THE REMAINING EIGHT.
UM, AND THEN COMPLETION OF THE DESIGN ON THOSE LAST TWO BRYCE'S CREEK AND WILSON CREEK WE SHOULD HAVE COMPLETE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, REALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING PROCESS WITH THE CATEGORY D WORK IS MUCH STRICTER AND MUCH LENGTHIER THAN CATEGORY A REMOVAL.
SO, UH, VEGETATIVE DEBRIS REMOVAL IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE PROVIDED YOU NOTIFY THE AGENCIES AND, AND FOLLOWS SOME GENERAL GUIDELINES.
CATEGORY D IS MUCH STRICTER IN HOW YOU REMOVE IT OR HOW YOU REPAIR IT, QUANTIFYING HOW MUCH YOU IMPACT AND NOT GOING OVER THAT AMOUNT.
AND SO THE PROCESS OF GIVING THEM ALL THAT INFORMATION IS MUCH LONGER.
UM, THESE AGENCIES, MUCH LIKE EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY WE'VE SEEN, ARE UNDERSTAFFED.
THEY HAVE AN EXTREMELY HIGH WORKLOAD, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY AT, AT SORT OF THEIR MERCY AS TO HOW QUICKLY THEY WILL REVIEW THESE THINGS.
AND THEN LASTLY, AT A, AT A BARE MINIMUM, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS FOR THE CAT D HAVE A MINIMUM STATUTORY 90 DAY WAIT TIME.
SO FROM OUR INITIAL REQUEST TO SUBMIT A, A PACKAGE TO FINALLY POTENTIALLY HAVING SOMETHING AT HAND CAN NOT BE ANY FASTER THAN 90 DAYS.
UM, IN A LOT OF CASES BECAUSE OF THESE DELAYS, WE'VE SEEN THAT EXTENDED FROM FOUR TO TO SIX MONTHS JUST BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING DELAYS AT THE AGENCIES.
SO AGAIN, I'VE GOT A FEW EXHIBITS OF SOME CATEGORY D WORK, UM, OF WHERE WE IDENTIFIED THE CATEGORY D.
AGAIN, RED IS OUR DRAINAGE BASED IN BOUNDARY YELLOW IS OUR, OUR DAMAGES THAT WE IDENTIFIED.
REALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT IN GENERAL, WHILE WE IDENTIFIED SMALL POINT REPAIRS THAT WERE NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE DRAINAGE BASIN, UM, IN GENERAL, THE REPAIRS WERE
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NOT EXTENSIVE.SO THEY WERE MAINLY LOCATED AT OUR LOW LINE AREAS, REALLY TOWARDS THE OUTFALL OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
UM, AS WE MOVED FURTHER UPLAND, THERE WAS, THERE WAS SMALL, SMALL ISSUES AT POINT LOCATIONS, BUT NOT EXPANSIVE.
UH, AGAIN, TRENT RIVER, THIS WAS PROBABLY OUR WORST CASE SCENARIO OF WHERE WE SAW DAMAGES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AGAIN, YOU REALLY GET A SENSE OF, UM, IN SOME LOCATIONS WE HAD SMALL POINT REPAIRS, BUT IN GENERAL, UM, MOST OF OUR, OUR DAMAGES ARE REALLY LOCATED AS WE GET FURTHER DOWN, UM, FURTHER DOWN THE CREEK TOWARDS THE OUTFALL INTO THE TRIM RIVER.
I'LL STOP HERE REALLY QUICK AGAIN, BECAUSE RAINY CREEK DOES NOT HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF, OF INFRASTRUCTURE OTHER THAN NATURAL STREAMS AND WETLANDS.
REALLY THE ONLY THE ONLY CUL WE'RE CROSSING IS THAT ONE AT OAKS ROAD WHERE WE, WE IDENTIFIED A SMALL SPOT OF EROSION.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, I KNOW THESE ARE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ.
I'VE INCLUDED SOME, SOME, UH, LITTLE BIT BETTER, UH, QUALITY ONES IN THE AGENDA PACKET, BUT I'VE GOT SOME ROUGH SCHEDULES OF HOW THINGS PROCEEDED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.
SO THESE FIRST COUPLE SLIDES ARE GONNA BE OUR CATEGORY A AND OUR CRITICAL CAT D PROJECTS.
AND SO REALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO CONVEY IS THAT AS THESE WORK PROGRESSED, WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS AT ONE TIME.
WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR ONE TO STOP BEFORE WE BEGIN THE NEXT PHASE.
UM, TO REALLY KIND OF CONTINUE THIS SO YOU GET A SENSE OF HOW CATEGORY IS REALLY PROCEEDING FROM JANUARY THROUGH, UM, 2021 AND BOTH OF OUR CRITICAL PROJECTS FOR CAT D AND OUR CATEGORY A WORK IS JU IS COMPLETED BY DECEMBER OF 22.
UH, AT THE END THERE IS AN UPDATE ON THE REMAINING CAT D PROJECT.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW, UM, WE BEGAN DESIGN ON THESE IN MAY OF 22, AND THEY REALLY PROGRESSED, UM, THROUGH LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR AS WE DISCUSSED, THE, THE CATEGORY D PROJECTS ARE, UM, DESIGNED IN SIX OF THE EIGHT BASINS.
UH, THE REMAINING TWO ARE ALMOST COMPLETE.
AND REALLY JUST THE PERMITTING PROCESS THAT'S THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY PREPARED TO ADVERTISE THE FIRST ONE PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, UM, AND REALLY KIND OF ADVERTISE EACH SUB SUBSEQUENT ONE THERE WITHIN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, TWO TO THREE WEEKS OF EACH OTHER, UM, TO HOPEFULLY ENGAGE CONTRACTORS, KEEP THEM LOCALLY WHILE, WHILE WORK IS ONGOING.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST KIND OF WANNA POINT OUT, YOU KNOW, THE END IS IN SIGHT.
I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE AT, HOW TO, HOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE DONE.
UM, REALLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT BEING DONE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THINGS BY THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.
SO, UM, WHILE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG ONGOING PROCESS, THE THE END IS IN SIGHT.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST KIND OF WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BENEFITS REALIZED.
SO, UM, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE CATEGORY A DEBRIS WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED, UM, WE'VE RESTORED THE CAPACITY TO YOUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
I'VE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT THERE'S BEEN A MUCH LESS, UH, CALLS FROM CONCERNED CITIZENS ABOUT DITCHES BACKING UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT.
UM, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A LARGE AMOUNT OF ACCESS ROADS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
THESE ARE NOW, UM, PUBLIC WORKS CAN ACTIVELY MAINTAIN THESE AND USE THESE TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO ACCESS THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN AREAS WHERE THEY PREVIOUSLY COULDN'T.
UM, AGAIN, ON THE CATEGORY D SIDE, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR CRITICAL REPAIRS.
UM, SO THE REMAINING LOWER PRIORITY ITEMS ARE NOT, UM, THEY'RE NOT IMPACTING YOUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE FLOODING OR FEELING, FEELING ISSUES BECAUSE OF WHAT'S REMAINING.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THE END IS IN SIGHT, SO TO SPEAK.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY AT THE POINT WHERE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR WE WOULD FEASIBLY BE DONE.
UM, SO THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
HARM MASTER, WOULD YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE? SURE.
ALMOST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT REMOVED AND ORIGINAL ESTIMATE.
SO WE COMPLETED MULTIPLE AREAS THAT WERE NOT WITHIN THE CITY DATABASE OF PUBLIC MAINTAINED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT AT THE TIME, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD A CONTRACTOR IN THE AREA, WE MOBILIZED THEM IN TO COMPLETE ADDITIONAL WORK, UM, UNDER THE SAME CONTRACT.
SO WE TRIED TO PERFORM AS MUCH AS WE PHYSICALLY COULD AND COULD IDENTIFY AND, AND JUSTIFY BEING FLORENCE RELATED.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE OUR, OUR, UH, OVERAGE IS COMING FROM.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY, WHAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT, CUBIC YARDS SEDIMENT WAS REMOVED? UH, THE, LET ME GO BACK TO THIS CA I BELIEVE I TRIED TO WRITE 'EM DOWN AS YOU WENT THROUGH 'EM, BUT YOU WERE GOING THROUGH 'EM TOO FAST.
UM, SO OVERALL IT WAS ABOUT 9,000 CUBIC YARDS OF SEDIMENT TOTAL, AND THAT'S BASED OFF OF VERIFIED SCALE TICKETS FROM THE, THE DEBRIS MONITORS.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS APPROVED BY FEMA? I DO NOT HAVE THE TOTAL NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME.
YEAH, IT WAS LIKE 320,000 CUBIC YARDS.
SO I DID DO SOME REVIEW OF THAT INITIAL WHAT THEY, UM, BASED OFF THE ALLOTMENT.
UM, AND A LOT OF THOSE AREAS, THE DEBRIS THAT THEY SAID NEEDED TO BE REMOVED
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ARE EITHER HIGHLY JURISDICTIONAL TO THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD BE RESTRICTED FROM GOING INTO THESE AREAS TO PERFORM THAT DEBRIS REMOVAL.UM, BECAUSE OF SORT OF THE LAG TIME BETWEEN FEMA'S INSPECTION IN 20 18 19 AND OF THE BEGINNING OF OUR FIELD WORK, THERE HAD BEEN SOME DEBRIS REMOVAL PERFORMED BY PUBLIC WORKS JUST AS A IMMEDIATE NEED.
AND THEN TWO, THE CONDITIONS THAT WE SAW AT THE TIME OF OUR FIELD ASSESSMENTS DIDN'T LINE UP AS GREAT WITH FEMA'S INITIAL ASSESSMENT.
THAT IS THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THEIR INITIAL ASSESSMENT IS, IS KIND OF EXTRAPOLATED ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BASED ON THE WORST POSSIBLE AREAS THAT THEY CAN PHYSICALLY SEE.
SO WHAT WE SAW AFTER OUR COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WAS THAT THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY ASSUMED BASED ON THAT WORST 20% WERE NOT INDICATIVE OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, BUT THEORETICALLY, FEMA WOULD'VE APPROVED UP TO 320,000 CUBIC YARDS OF SEDIMENT REMOVED IF WE COULD IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS AND DEFEND THEM AS, UM, FLORENCE RELATED DEBRIS POTENTIALLY.
AND SECONDLY, THIS PHOTO THAT YOU HAVE HERE TO BURN AWAY BEFORE AND TO BURN AWAY AFTER, WHERE, WHERE EXACTLY WAS THAT PHOTO TAKEN? I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT MY NOTES AND FIND WHERE THAT ONE IS.
UM, THIS BEING AN IN PLACE DEBRIS REMOVAL AREA, IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF OUR MORE JURISDICTIONAL STREAMS, UM, WHERE WE WOULD'VE BEEN RESTRICTED GETTING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IN TO PERFORM ANY SORT OF SEDIMENT REMOVAL OTHER THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, FOOT TRAFFIC, CHAINSAWS, WINCHES, THAT SORT OF MINIMALLY IN CASE OF WORK.
GEORGE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT'S TAKEN? NOT EXACTLY.
THEY VERY SIMILAR WHEN YOU 11.
I'M HAPPY TO, TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT MY RECORDS AND, AND GET YOU AN EXACT ANSWER WHERE THAT ONE'S FROM.
THAT'S THEN, UM, TRENT VILLAGE.
WHEN, WHEN IS THAT BASIN GONNA BE COMPLETED? THE TRENT RIVER BASIN IS THE NEXT BASIN TO GO OUT FOR ADVERTISEMENT AFTER JACK SMITH CREEK.
SO WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH WE WOULD, WE WOULD ADVERTISE TRENT RIVER.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE HAD THE BIG OVERRUNS ON, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT TRENT VILLAGE? I DON'T, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE NOTES.
UM, PRIMARILY THE MONEY THAT'S BEEN SPENT IN TRENT VILLAGE OR TRENT RIVER RIGHT NOW IS ON THE TRENT VILLAGE RETAINING WALL.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE CRITICAL PROJECTS.
WE HAD SOME, SOME RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES THAT WERE BEING THREATENED THAT WE HAD TO ADDRESS.
ISN'T THAT THE $900,000 THIS GEORGE? UH, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THE, THE FINAL COST OF THAT FOR THE RETAINING WALL IS A LITTLE OVER 600.
AND YOU'RE THINKING THAT WE CAN GET ON BIDS ON THAT REAL QUICK? WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT A, A MINIMUM 30 DAYS, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT VALUE.
AND THEN WE WOULD STILL BE IN OUR, OUR SORT OF WAITING ON THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO GIVE US OUR NOTICE TO PROCEED ON, WELL, IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS, WHY HAVEN'T WE PERMITTED THIS THROUGH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER? I MEAN, WE GOT $900,000 OF THE CITY'S MONEY OUT THERE THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT WELL FOR THE, THAT WE'D LIKE TO GET REIMBURSEMENT ON.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ON THE DAMAGE REPAIR SIDE, UM, WE REALLY KIND OF HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHERE, WHERE THESE IMPACTS ARE GONNA BE AND, AND PUT THEM IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE, UM, REALLY MESH WITH OUR DESIGN.
SO IN A LOT OF CASES WE HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST SOME, SOME 70% DESIGN READY IN ORDER TO BEGIN THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, IN THE EARLIER STAGES, WHILE THINGS ARE STILL MOVING AROUND AND WE'RE TRYING TO GATHER SURVEY INFORMATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT TAKES, TAKES TIME.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND IT TAKES TIME, BUT FIVE YEARS FOR A DITCH PROJECT, I MEAN, THAT'S, I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT WE COULD HAVE HAD THAT THING PERMITTED A LONG TIME AGO.
WELL, THE RIGHT ARE, DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE ANYTHING ON BIDS? NOT CURRENTLY, NO.
THE NEXT ONE TO COME OUT WOULD BE THE JACK SMITH CREEK BASIN.
UM, AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE WE'VE HAD A BID OPENING ON THE CAT A OR CAT D WORK? THE LAST CAT A AND THE LAST CAT A PROJECT I BELIEVE OPENED IN THE SPRING OF 22.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS AROUND THE TIME THAT WE WERE WORKING ON THE, THE QU ONE INQUIRY TWO, WHICH ARE SORT OF OUR LITMUS TEST PROJECTS.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO COMPLETE THOSE BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ADVERTISING ANY FURTHER.
SO WE HAVEN'T BEEN ON BIDS FOR ANYTHING SINCE SPRING OF 22.
WE WERE ACTIVELY WORKING THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE, BUT YES, WE'VE COMPLETED, WE'VE ADVERTISED OTHER PROJECTS ASIDE FROM THE TIMBER PROJECT, UM, THE RED ROBIN LANE BEING ONE OF THOSE.
UM, BUT THE LAST FEMA ONE CAME OUT IN THE SPRING ACQUAINTED ON THE CAT D UH, PROJECTS.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE COMPLETE NOW FOR THE CATEGORY? D D? YES, SIR.
SO ON CATEGORY D, WE HAVE COMPLETED, UM,
[00:25:02]
REALLY THREE OF THE FIVE, UM, CATEGORY D PROJECTS.SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, DESIGN BID CONSTRUCTED, UM, OF THE REMAINING PROJECTS, UH, THEY'LL BE DISSEMINATED INTO FOUR BIDDABLE PROJECTS DESIGNED AS COMPLETE IN THREE OF THOSE FOUR.
WE'RE JUST REALLY WORKING THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
AND THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, HAVE THEY BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE STATE FOR PAYMENT? THEY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE STATE FOR PAYMENT, I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
I THINK CURRENTLY ON THE QUARTER ONE INQUIRY TWO, UM, THOSE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, BELIEVE THEY'RE AT ABOUT 50% REIMBURSEMENT CURRENTLY.
UM, I'M WORKING WITH KIM ROSE TO, TO FINALIZE THE, THE LAST OF THE REIMBURSEMENT AND REQUIRE THAT THE TRENT VILLAGE HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED FOR, BECAUSE THAT PROJECT IS PART OF THE GREATER TRENT RIVER TRAINING BASIN.
SO WE WERE DIRECTED THAT ONCE THE TRENT RIVER BASIN WAS CONSTRUCTED, THAT THAT PROJECT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST.
HOW MANY OUTSTANDING, UM, REQUESTS FOR REIMBURSEMENTS DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? I AM NOT AWARE OF THAT NUMBER.
I'D HAVE TO, TO WORK WITH KIM ROSE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
I I JUST, I JUST THINK THIS HAS GONE ON LONG WITH US.
I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS PROJECT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS AND FOR US THE ONLY, I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T, IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT WE'VE MADE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROGRESS.
SO THAT'S, I I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT GET WRAPPED UP.
UM, AND LET'S GET THESE PROJECTS COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE SEE THE END, WE SEE THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE FINAL DAMAGE REPAIRS.
UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS DELAY IS REALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THAT INITIAL YEAR AND A HALF, UM, LAG TIME BETWEEN FEMA'S ORIGINAL ASSESSMENT, THE RFQ FOR OURS, YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEERING SERVICES CAME OUT, PROCUREMENT FOR THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE I, I UNDERSTAND IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS POST FLORENCE, UM, AFTER OUR ORIGINAL FIELD ASSESSMENT AND PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY BEEN KIND OF THIS JANUARY, 2021.
UM, SO I THINK ANOTHER THING, AND I I, I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU ARE, BUT UH, ANOTHER THING YOU YOU'RE FACING IS THIS CAP, CAP D YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU CAN GET YOUR MONEY BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD DO THIS AS A PILOT, SEE HOW IT WORKS, SEE IF THEY WILL REIMBURSE.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND, I THINK YOU'VE GOT 75%, UH, PERCENT OF CAP FEEDBACK ON, UH, ONE AND TWO, BUT YOU GOT 25% THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA REIMBURSE YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE OVERRUN THAT WE'RE TALKING.
YOU GOTTA WALK, YOU GOTTA WALK A LITTLE BIT SLOW.
WELL, WE'RE PREPARED TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PREPARED TO DEFEND THE OVERRUN.
SO WE NEED TO GET, WE NEED TO GET THAT ONE, THAT BASIN FINISHED SO WE CAN SUBMIT IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YEAH, WELL, WE, WE ARE READY TO SUBMIT, MA'AM.
UH, IF, IF TRENT RIVER IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE INVESTMENT ALREADY IN THAT RETAINING WALL, UH, WE CAN SWITCH THE ORDER OF THESE PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, TRENT RIVER DESIGN IS COMPLETE WHILE WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
IF THAT ONE IS THE NEXT ONE THAT NEEDS TO COME DOWN THE PIPE AS FAR AS A CONTRACTOR, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, INTERNALLY AND GET THAT OUT QUICKER.
WELL, I'LL LEAVE THAT AT THE FOSTER, BUT I WOULD THINK SINCE WE GOT SO MUCH MONEY INVESTED IN IT, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT ONE COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND YOU UNDERSTAND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE PERMITTING, AND LUKE TOUCHED ON THAT, THE PERMITTING ON THIS IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN CAT A.
CAT A IS MAINTENANCE, CAT B IS NOT, THEY LOOK AT THINGS A LOT HARDER AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND NO, NO EXCUSES FROM ANYONE, BUT YOU DID ALL THIS STUFF THROUGH COVID AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN GET ANYONE IN THE, IN THE OFFICES TO BEEN PERMITTING OFFICER EVEN TALK TO YOU MUCH LESS.
WE NOT LOOK AT THE SITE, THESE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT, UH, I, I THINK IT'S MOVING ALONG AND, AND I, LIKE LUKE SAID, I THINK THERE'S AN END.
AND I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IF, IF THAT'S WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, WELL, I'LL LEAVE THAT DECISION, LIKE I SAID AT THE FOSTER, BUT THAT, THAT PARTICULAR BASIN HAS BEEN ONE THAT I'VE BEEN SAYING WE NEED TO GET FINISHED FOR A LONG TIME.
CAUSE WE DO HAVE A VERY LARGE INVESTMENT IN IT.
UM, DID I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, CUZ I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS, UH, A WHILE BACK, THAT ALL OF THE CAT A WORK IS DONE.
SO THE, THE, ALL OF THE DEBRIS RULE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE.
[00:30:01]
MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS WHO, WHO'S GONNA ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DO A FOLLOW UP ON THESE PROJECTS, UH, TO, TO GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PROJECTS AS PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION OPERATION WE MADE REGULAR.UH, AND THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS STARTED BACK IN WHAT, 2021? RIGHT.
SO, AND HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN 2023, RIGHT? SO I WAS PART OF THE INITIAL FIELD ASSESSMENT FROM THE, THE REALLY ORIGINAL DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION, DEBRIS IDENTIFICATION THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
I WAS DOWN HERE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTORS, PERFORMING WEEKLY, WEEKLY INSPECTIONS AS THEY'RE REMOVING THIS DEBRIS, IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL AREAS WE NEED TO REVISIT, HAVING THEM DO THAT WORK.
UM, AND THEN REALLY LIKE AS CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED, COMPLETING ANY FURTHER WARRANTY INSPECTIONS, SO HAS ANY AREAS THAT WE SEEDED HAVE THEY ESTABLISHED OR DO WE NEED TO COME BACK AND SUPPLEMENT? IS THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ACTIVELY DOWN HERE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE PROJECTS TO, TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE GOT EVERYTHING COMPLETED AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND THEN ARE, ARE WORKING STILL WITH PUBLIC WORKS IF THERE ARE ANY LINGERING WARRANTY ITEMS. AND THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE SUPPOSE SOME AREAS WAS NOT, THE PROJECT WAS NOT COMPLETE IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
SOME OF THE DEBRIS OR WHATEVER SEDIMENT, WHATEVER WAS NOT REMOVED PROPERLY OR SHOOT SOME STUFF THAT WAS OVERLOOKED, DIDN'T GET DONE.
HOW IS THAT GONNA, WHO'S GONNA UPDATE THAT AND LET US KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF? I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY AREAS WHERE WE MISSED FLORENCE RELATED DEBRIS.
I'M HAPPY TO LOOK AT ANY ADDITIONAL AREAS, UM, THAT WE CAN DEFEND.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I'VE, I'VE WALKED THESE DITCHES PERSONALLY ALL 80 MILES TWICE.
UM, AND THEN SOME DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS, WE ACTIVELY LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL DEBRIS TO REMOVE, UM, THAT WE COULD HANG OUR HAT ON.
SO IT'S A BIT OF A, UM, A BIT OF A DEBATE IN OUR OFFICE.
SO TRC HAS TIES BACK TO TRAVELER'S INSURANCE.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE T IS SOMEWHERE WITH THAT.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT TRC STANDS FOR THE RESEARCH COMPANY, SO THEY HAVE A LARGE PORTION OF THE BUSINESS INVESTED IN, UM, AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH.
YOU MADE MENTION THAT WITH RED ROBIN LANE, THERE WAS SOME DETERMINATION OF PRE-DISASTER? YES, MA'AM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MR. HUGHES CAN TELL ME, BUT WHAT WAS THE FUNDS THAT WAS, UH, ALLOCATED FOR RED ROBIN? SO FOR RED ROBIN, OH NO, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
FOR RED ROBIN, WE'VE ALLOCATED AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS FOR THAT.
THEY DID, THEY DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE FEMA FUNDS FROM THE HURRICANE FLORENCE.
I I THOUGHT I HEARD HIM SAY THAT THERE WAS A LIMITED FUNDS IF THAT WAS JUST A REFERENCE TO A R P.
ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT YOU HAD UP THERE WAS A CATEGORY OF MISCELLANEOUS DEBRIS MM-HMM.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT, UH, MISCELLANEOUS DEBRIS CATEGORY? SURE.
SO MISCELLANEOUS DEBRIS IS REALLY JUST CLASSIFIED AS ANYTHING THAT IS NOT PURE, UH, PURE SEDIMENT OR PURE VEGETATIVE DEBRIS.
UM, A LOT OF THE OVERRUN RELATED TO THE MISCELLANEOUS DEBRIS ITEM WAS WITH SOME, WHAT WE INITIALLY THOUGHT WAS SEDIMENT REMOVAL FROM THE NORTH HILLS CANAL.
UM, WHEN WE EXCAVATED THAT MATERIAL, IT WAS HEAVILY MIXED WITH, UM, HOUSEHOLD TRASH, VINYL SIDING, TIRES, TO THE POINT THAT WE COULD NOT, UH, SEPARATE THAT MATERIAL OUT FROM THE SEDIMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE OUR, OUR HUGE OVERRUN OF, OF THAT LIGHT ITEM IS FROM, IS PRIMARILY FROM THAT DEBRIS.
BUT THAT, THAT WAS THE POINT OF MY QUESTION.
WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AREAS THEN ARE BEING USED TO DUMP AT GROUNDS.
SO THAT IN GENERAL, MISCELLANEOUS DEBRIS WAS INTENDED TO BE SEPARATED, UM, WHAT FEMALE IDENTIFIES AS HAZARDOUS DEBRIS.
UM, IT'S REALLY ANYTHING THAT'S NOT NATURAL SEDIMENT OR, OR TREES, LOGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
MAYOR, WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE THINGS ON, ON FEMA PROJECTS.
AND, AND THAT GEORGE IS GONNA TALK ABOUT, AND THIS IS ALSO GONNA GO INTO THE BP PROJECT AS WELL.
UPDATE? YES, I, I WAS GONNA PROVIDE, UH, SEVERAL ADDITIONAL ITEMS
[00:35:01]
THAT ARE COVERED UNDER THE FEMA, UM, HURRICANE FLORENCE, UH, ALLOCATIONS.UM, ONE THAT YOU SEE ONGOING RIGHT NOW IS THE BRICK REPOINTING.
UM, AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THAT COMPLETION DATE WILL COINCIDE WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE ELEVATOR ANNEX.
UM, SO WE'RE IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS, THEY SHOULD BE GETTING VERY CLOSE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE REPOINTING OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
UH, THE RE THE REPOINTING ALONE AND THE RESHAPING OF SOME MISSING, UM, WINDOW LENTILS, SOME LARGER STONES.
UM, I THINK WE'LL SEE A HUGE VALUE IN, IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, COMPLETING THAT RIGHT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, WHICH, UH, HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP SEVERAL TIMES, IS, IS THE FEMA, I MEAN, UH, THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE BP STATION.
SO FEMA HAS, UH, OBLIGATED RIGHT NOW 900, NOT $934,878 60 CENTS FOR THE BP STATION.
AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT THAT LOCATION IS CURRENTLY IN A FLOOD ZONE, UM, THE CHOICE TO LOOK FOR A CHANGE OF SCOPE WITH A POTENTIAL OTHER SITE OR OTHER POTENTIAL PROJECT FOR USE OF THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
AND WE'VE GOT FOUR THAT HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY DISCUSSED INTERNALLY, AND I BELIEVE WITH, UH, SEVERAL OF ALDERING.
AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS JUST KIND OF BRIEFLY GO OVER THOSE, UM, LOOKING FOR, I GUESS SOME DIRECTION ON WHERE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE, LIKE US TO FOCUS.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WITH THAT HAD COME UP WAS A, UM, A NEW FACILITY OR NEW STRUCTURES FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
AND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW OUR SITE FACILITATES OUR NEEDS.
UM, I, I PERSONALLY, I I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY FIND BETTER USE SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR THIS MONEY.
WE'RE NOT IN GREAT NEED OF SPACE AS OTHER, OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS OR, OR, UM, OTHER USES J GEORGE OR FALSE, REMIND ME, THAT WAS CONVERSATION WAS TO MOVE PUBLIC WORKS FROM WHERE THEY ARE TO WHERE THE WATER FACILITIES IS AND THEN MOVE PARTS AND RECREATION FROM THE GLEN BURNIE WASTE TREATMENT PLANT TO THAT.
AND, AND, AND WE'VE HAD THAT, UH, CONVERSATION INTERNALLY.
MY CONCERN WITH THAT IS DUE TO OUR CURRENT SIZE OF SITE AND SHOULD WE MOVE TO A NEW SITE TO BUILD A NEW FACILITY, I THINK WE'D BE SHORTSIGHTED TO DROP IN THE ACREAGE SIZE THAT WE CURRENTLY USE.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, UM, UTILIZE A LOT OF WHAT, WHAT RESOURCES CURRENTLY HAS AVAILABLE SHOULD THEY NEED TO EXPAND THEIR FACILITY.
UH, ALSO, UM, SO THAT, THAT WAS ONE OF, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY.
UM, THE, UH, NEXT ITEM, AND I'LL LET THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DISCUSS THIS IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE STATION FOR WEST NEWBURY.
UH, THERE WAS QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, POSSIBLY USING THESE FUNDS TO, UH, WORK A PROJECT WITH THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AS BEING PROPOSED OVER AT THE, UM, OFF THE, UH, UH, UH, 43 CONNECTOR, UH, WITH, WE HAVE ABOUT 4.3 ACRES OVER THERE.
AND THE PLANS RIGHT NOW ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT, THEY'RE LOOKING TO COMBINE BOTH THE POLICE, UH, STATION WITH THE FIRE STATION.
BUT IT IS, IT CAN BE DONE IN PHASES.
THERE'S BEEN A ONE, UH, LOCAL MUNICIPALITY THAT JUST RECENTLY BUILT A FIRE STATION.
AND THAT FIRE STATION, UH, WAS, UH, APPROXIMATELY, UM, 1400 SQUARE FEET AND IT CAME UP TO BE $7 MILLION, 14,000 SQUARE FEET.
FOUR, I'M, I'M SORRY, 14,000 SQUARE FEET.
UH, AND IF WE WERE LOOKING AT, UH, PHASING DOWN TO JUST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND SAY ABOUT 1200 SQUARE FEET, WE'D BE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION.
SO THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FROM B UH, BP BUILDING AS YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE, WILL BE VERY MINIMAL COM COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHEN MAYBE I WAS ASLEEP, BUT WHEN, WHEN DID WE TALK ABOUT ADDING A POLICE STATION TO THAT FACILITY? I'VE ALWAYS JUST HEARD OF FIRE STATION.
WE, WE, THIS BOARD, THIS CURRENT BOARD'S NOT TALKED ABOUT THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONVERSATION.
AND SO I KNOW WHEN FIRE AND POLICE GOT TOGETHER, THEY, THEY LOOKED AT A CONCEPT FOR THAT, THAT CONCEPT PLAN IS STILL BEING WORKED ON BY MBF ARCHITECTS.
UH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINAL PLAN FOR THAT YET, AND THAT'S WHY THE ASSISTANT MANAGER MADE THE COMMENTS.
SO I'M JUST, I'M CURIOUS, DERMAN ASKED HER, UM, WE IDENTIFIED
[00:40:01]
WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A NEED IN YOUR AREA ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER FOR A POLICE SUBSTATION, AND YOU HAD THE FUNDING TO DO THAT.AND I BELIEVE WE WERE TOLD THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY NEEDED.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE PROXIMITY OF THE 43 CONNECTOR DOWN MLK FROM WHERE OUR POLICE SUBSTATION IS AT THE MALL, I'M NOT SURE THAT I SEE THE NEED MYSELF.
I I, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS WOULD BE NICE IF WE BUILT A FIRE STATION AND ADDED SOME SPACE TO IT FOR OFFICE SPACE OR SOMETHING FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO GO AND DO REPORTS AND STUFF, STAY IN THEIR AREA AND HAVE A PLACE TO SIT DOWN.
UH, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS THE POLICE AND, AND, UH, FIRE SUBSTATION.
I DO RECALL, UM, A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BUILDING A, UH, A FIRE STATION AND PUT THE UPPER FLOOR AS THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER.
I KNOW THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT ONE TIME, BUT I HOW BIG OF A, HOW BIG OF A POLICE AND FIRE STATION, YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 12,000 SQUARE FEET NOW? 1200.
I I'M WONDERING IF, IF THIS WAS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT A BOND REFERENDUM.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? CAUSE THAT THING, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT DOING SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND NEXT THING I KNOW IT BALLOONED INTO SOME, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? WE WERE, I DO REMEMBER IT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I THINK IT WAS DURING A RETREAT AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT.
IT WAS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THE EXPERT IN THAT AREA AND DISCUSSED IT WITH US, DIDN'T SHE? YEAH, I RE I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER THAT.
BUT MY CONCERN IS IF YOU SAID THAT SOMEBODY'S WORKING ON A PLAN FOR THIS, UH, WE MIGHT NEED TO PUMP THE BRAKES ON THAT IF THE BOARD'S NOT SUPPORTIVE OF A PUBLIC SAFETY UNIT.
ALDERMAN BETH, THINK YOU HAD SOMETHING.
WELL, INITIALLY WHEN I WAS, I HAD, UM, SUGGESTED THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UM, I MEAN PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT TO MOVE INTO THE FACILITY.
BUT AS, UM, MR. CHILDS SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY'RE OKAY WITH WHERE THEY'RE AT, UM, WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS.
BUT MY CONCERN WAS, I, I KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING A PERMANENT FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A, A LARGE SUM OF MONEY AND YOU GOTTA WORRY ABOUT STAFFING AND YOU GOTTA WORRY ABOUT, UH, YEARLY EXPENSES.
I WASN'T SPEAKING ON THE LINE OF A PERMANENT FIRE STATION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PLANS THAT CHIEF BOARD AND, AND SOME CITY OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE, UH, PLAN FOR A PERMANENT FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT ON THE 43 CONNECTOR.
NOW I AM IN AGREEANCE WITH THAT AND I THINK THAT'S AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR THAT.
BUT MY CONCERN IS THIS, WE AS A CITY, WE GOTTA MAKE THE BEST CHOICES AND THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN TOLD BY INSTANT D O T THAT THIS PRO 43, UM, QUARTER PROJECT WAS GONNA GET STARTED AND IT'S KEEP ON BEING DELAYED OR POSTPONED.
NOW HERE WE ARE, THE LAST I HEARD IT WAS GONNA BE 2025.
AND WHO KNOWS THAT'S GONNA BE GONNA GONNA, UH, THAT PROJECT'S GONNA START AT THAT TIME.
SO I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF PROVIDING A SERVICE, A TEMPORARY FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WE HAD DISCUSSED OUT AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLAN, WE CAN BUILD STILL BUILDING IN THERE, UH, WHAT, 4,000 SQUARE FEET IF THAT 5,000, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH SPACE IT WOULD TAKE TO HOUSE A FIRE ENGINE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT, THAT SERVICE ON THE WEST END OF NEW BERN, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, NEW WE ARE GROWING, THIS CITY IS GROWING AND THE GROWTH IS ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THIS CITY AND THE WESTERN SIDE OF THIS CITY.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSING THAT HAS COME ON THE 43 55 CORRIDOR, YOU GOT LAKE TYLER THERE WITH ANOTHER PHASE OF OF HOUSING COMING.
YOU GOT WEST NEW VERN ON THE OTHER END WITH THE APARTMENTS AND THE HOUSES AND OTHER PHASES COMING.
YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT GROWTH THERE.
AND I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF THE SERVICE THAT WE RUN TO OUR CITIZENS THAT LIVE ON THE WEST END.
THE CHIEF HAS ALREADY TOLD US NUMEROUS YEARS, HE COMES BEFORE US BUDGET TIME.
HE TELLS US ABOUT THE GAP IN SERVICE, THE GAP IN RESPONSE TIME.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU ARE LOOKING AT A POSSIBILITY OF SAY TWO CALLS COME IN AT THE SAME TIME AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT
[00:45:01]
THAT, THE TIME THAT IT TAKES THAT FIRE TRUCK TO GET THERE TO SERVICE THAT CUSTOMER.I MEAN, THERE'S ALL TYPES OF, OF, OF INCIDENTS THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE, THE AVAILABILITY OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GET THERE IN TIME.
AND I, AND I DO KNOW THE CHIEF, I DON'T, CAN'T REMEMBER NOW WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT THE, THE DISTANCE OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT WITHIN A MILE RADIUS OF, OF OF, OF, UH, A PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
SO THAT WAS MY INITIAL CONCERN WAS THAT WE TAKE THIS MONEY AND USE IT TOWARDS A TEMPORARY FIRE STATION OR IF THAT, IF THE BOARD IS NOT AMENABLE TO THAT OR I DON'T KNOW HOW THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT IT, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CHIME IN ON IT.
SOME OF YOU WOULD CHIME IN ON IT TO GIVE ME YOUR, YOUR FEEDBACK ON IT.
I THINK IT THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
IF, IF THAT'S NOT THE STEPS TO TAKE, THEN, UM, MR. HUGHES, CAN'T WE TAKE THIS MONEY AND PUT IT IN A PROJECT FUND FOR A FIRE DEPARTMENT IF, IF THE BOARD SUB CHOOSES, I KNOW, I KNOW IF THE BOARD SUB CHOOSES, UM, BECAUSE THERE IS NO DELAYS IN TIME FOR USE USING THIS MONEY.
WE WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST A CHANGE AND SCOPE.
THE BOARD CAN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THE FEMA TO ESTABLISHES FOR NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR PUTTING IT IN A PROJECT FUND IN, IN TERMS OF THE TIMEFRAME, YES, WE WOULD'VE TO GET VERIFICATION FROM FEMA ON THAT.
I THINK FEMA IS, IS A REIMBURSABLE SITUATION LIKE STANLEY WHITE.
SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA GIVE US MONEY FOR US TO SET ASIDE TO SPEND IN A FUTURE DATE.
WE HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY RIGHT THEN REQUEST THE REIMBURSEMENT.
CURRENTLY FUNDS ARE OBLIGATED, NOT ALLOCATED.
WELL THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY, UH, INITIAL THOUGHT ON BARBARA, IF I MAY, I I AGREE WITH YOU.
FOR YEARS, WE, WE NEED A, WE NEEDED A FIRE STATION OUT ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
I MEAN, FOR YEARS, UM, WHEN I WAS CHIEF, I WAS TRYING TO GET A FIRE STATION OUT IN THAT AREA.
UM, THE, THE, WHAT I AM AGAINST IS I'M AGAINST SPENDING A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR A TEMPORARY HOUSE WHEN I WOULD RATHER SEE US LOOK AT BUILDING A PERMANENT HOUSE WHEN, WHEN WE'RE READY.
THE BUILDING A HOUSE IS THE EASY PART.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR $5 MILLION, 6 MILLION, 7 MILLION, I DON'T KNOW EVER WHAT IT, IT ENDS UP BEING.
THE HARD PART IS BUYING THE TWO FIRE ENGINES AND HIRING THE 15 FIREFIGHTERS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK LONG AND HARD.
I MEAN, WE CAN FINANCE THE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRE STATION AND, AND, AND IT WOULDN'T HURT OUR BUDGET AT ALL.
UH, BUT YOU CAN'T FINANCE 15 FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, SO WE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME BIG CONVERSATIONS ON, ON THAT FIRE STATION PROJECT.
I, I CONCUR WITH YOU BECAUSE WE CAN'T, AND AGAIN, WE CAN'T SIT BACK AND SAY WE GONNA BUILD A PERMANENT FIRE STATION OUT THERE CONSIDERING WE'RE SITTING BACK WAITING ON NNC D O T TO START THEIR PROJECT WITH THE 43 CORRIDOR.
HOW LONG ARE WE GONNA WAIT FOR THIS? HOW LONG ARE WE GONNA SIT BACK AND WAIT? AND, AND, AND WHEN I SAY TEMPORARY FIRE STATION, UM, I THINK ABOUT AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IF, YOU KNOW, UM, JORDAN, HIS DEPARTMENT CAN UTILIZE REFURBISH IT FOR STORAGE OR SOME OF THE PURPOSE AFTER THE PERMANENT FIRE STATION IS BILLED.
UM, BUT THAT WAS JUST MY TAKE ON IT.
I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF WE'RE PROVIDE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR OUR CITIZENS IN ALL AREAS OF THE CITY.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IF WE CONTINUES TO PUT THIS OFF, PUT IT OFF, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE, WE'RE GONNA BE 2, 4, 6 YEARS DOWN THE LINE BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT FIRST DEPARTMENT ON THAT END.
SO IF YOU KNOW, IS ANY OTHER BOARDS HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR WHAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOU FEEDBACK.
I'LL OFFER A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
I AGREE WITH, UH, ALDER MASTER THAT, UH, TH THIS IS A, A VERY, UH, SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED.
UH, THIS BOARD HAS NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AS YET.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A DECISION MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A FIRE SUBSTATION OR A FIRE POLICE SUBSTATION.
UH, AND UNTIL WE HAVE THAT DECISION, UM, AND THAT COMMITMENT, UM,
[00:50:03]
WE'RE KIND OF SPINNING THE WHEELS.UM, THE, THE NEXT COMMENT IS, IS REALLY A RHETORICAL QUESTION, SO I DON'T EXPECT ANYBODY TO ANSWER IT.
BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT APPARENTLY THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR MANY YEARS, I'M LOOKING AT THE FOUR COLLEAGUES SITTING UP HERE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR MANY YEARS.
SO OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER FOR MANY YEARS.
WHY HASN'T THAT DECISION BEEN MADE YEARS AGO? AND AGAIN, IT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION.
YOU DON'T REALLY EXPECT AN ANSWER.
WELL, I I'LL GIVE YOU ONE, I DON'T MIND, I DON'T MIND SHARING MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU.
ALDERMAN ASKED HER AND I HAVE HAD, UH, QUITE THE DEBATE OVER THIS TOPIC, UH, BACK WHEN HE WAS THE CHIEF, AS, AS I HAVE WITH UH, CHIEF BOYD, UM, DERMAN BEST MENTIONS THE 43 CONNECTOR.
DERMAN ASTOR HAD PROPOSED, AND CORRECT ME IF I SAY ANYTHING WRONG, ALDERMAN ASTOR HAD PROPOSED A PARCEL THAT WAS NEAR, I THINK IT'S FAITH CHURCH ON MLK, UM, THAT WOULD SERVICE REALLY WARD SIX AT THE TIME, UH, BUT NOT GIVE A LOT OF SERVICE OVER TO ALDERMAN BESTUS AREA.
AND OF COURSE, WITH THE 43 CONNECTOR COMING THROUGH, WE LOOKED AT IT, I THINK AUER HAS COMMITTED TO GIVE US PROPERTY TO BUILD A FIRE STATION.
SO OF COURSE PROPERTY ACQUISITION IS, IS ZERO AT THAT POINT.
SO WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND THE IDEA WAS TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO SERVICE AREAS AND PUT THE STATION IN THE MIDDLE THAT, YOU KNOW, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
IF THE 43 CONNECTOR NEVER HAPPENS, UM, I THINK AN ARGUMENT COULD PROBABLY BE MADE THAT YOU WOULD NEED TWO FIRE STATIONS POTENTIALLY.
THE SECOND THING IS, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH AND, AND WHAT ALDERMAN BEST IS SAYING IS, I THINK WE COULD JUST TAKE SOME OF THIS FUND FUNDING, BUILD A TEMPORARY STATION.
BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN HAVE A TEMPORARY STATION, BUT UNLESS YOU MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO PUT THE FIRE FIREMAN THERE TO MAN IT, WE'RE BASICALLY IN THE SAME CONUNDRUM WE WOULD BE IN IF WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND BUILD A PERMIT FIRE STATION.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, AND THIS IS A SUGGESTION THAT I WOULD MAKE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT US TO GET IN NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER THE SAME POSITION WE WERE IN WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT AUTO INVEST MENTIONED.
LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT THE VALUE TAX VALUATION OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN.
AND LET'S FIGURE OUT, KIM, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU'RE QUICK ENOUGH TO TELL ME THIS, BUT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, I'M ESTIMATING THAT'S THREE AND A HALF TO 4 CENTS ON OUR NEW CURRENT TAX RATE THAT IT WOULD GENERATE.
I THINK IT WAS 380 OR 400,000, 71,000, FOUR 70.
OKAY, SO 2 CENTS ON THE TAX RATE WOULD GIVE US CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT MAY BE CLOSE TO WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE FIRE STATION.
SO HOW MUCH GROWTH, INCREMENTAL GROWTH DO WE NEED IN OUR TAX BASE TO GENERATE THAT EXTRA MILLION DOLLARS IN AVALOR REVENUE? AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, WE COULD SET SOME THRESHOLDS TO SAY WHEN THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS KICK IN.
CAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THE CITY GROWS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GROWTH GOING ON IN DERMAN, ASHER'S WARD, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY SET FUNDING ASIDE TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS.
AND WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO FROM A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE IS FIGURE OUT WHERE THOSE THRESHOLDS ARE.
AND ONCE WE HIT THAT THRESHOLD, THEN WE KNOW WE NEED TO START ALLOCATING AND SETTING MONEY ASIDE TO PAY FOR THIS IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S WHAT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE.
AND AS YOU SAID WITH THE GROWTH COMES, RESIDENTS COMES HOW HOUSING, SO THAT RIGHT THERE IS A POTENTIAL GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE.
SO WE STILL, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE RIGHT, WE NEED TO REALLY SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THIS AND GET ALL THE, THE, THE PROS AND CONS AND THE INFORMATION TOGETHER ON THIS BECAUSE I JUST SEE IT AS WE, WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
I IF THEY COME HERE AND CHOOSE NEW BERN AS THEIR HOME AS A RESIDENT AND THEN THEY'RE IN A AREA THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROTECTION AND, AND THE EMERGENCY, UH, MANAGEMENT SERVICES THAT THEY NEED, I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM.
OR MCKENZIE, UM, IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, WE ALL NEED TO SIT DOWN TO LOOK AT COST ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OUT THROUGH THE WHOLE ENTIRE CITY, UH, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A GOOD SERVICE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU LOOKING AT TAXES, THINGS THAT FOLKS DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT WHEN YOU ARE RENDERING A GOOD SERVICE, THINGS GO UP, THINGS COST MORE MONEY.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF STREETS RIGHT NOW OUT THROUGH THE WHOLE ENTIRE CITY THAT NEEDS REPAIR.
[00:55:01]
LOOK AT THAT COST ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BUILD AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE WANT TO SELL.HOW MUCH MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM ALL THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
SO WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND GET THE NUMBERS TOGETHER TO FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES IN THE DIRECTION WE ARE GOING TO TAKE TO TACKLE THE SITUATION.
AND I THINK ONCE THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT PART THERE IS GETTING A COST OF WHAT EVERYTHING IS GONNA COST AND WHAT IS PRIORITY TO THE CITY.
AND WE CAN MOVE ON AND DEFINE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO FIRST.
MAYOR, AND TO ALDER MCKENZIE'S POINT, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE UNDERTAKING A STRATEGIC PLAN THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK OUR FIRST SESSIONS ARE GONNA BE STARTING WITH THE FULL BOARD IN AUGUST AND THESE ARE THE EXACT DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE HELD, UH, TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE WE GONNA TACKLE? HOW ARE WE GONNA FUND THOSE THINGS? AND REALLY THE PRIORITIES THAT THIS BOARD HAS MOVING FORWARD.
YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY POINT WAS TO ASK IF IT WAS STILL IN THE BUDGET THAT WE PASSED.
AND UM, JUST AS FAR AS I KNOW, BEING ON THE MPO BOARD FOR, UH, THE 43 CONNECTOR, IT IS FUNDED.
UH, I KNOW IT WAS FUNDED BEFORE, BUT THAT WAS WHEN D O T WAS, UH, THOUGHT THEY WERE FLUSHED WITH CASH AND THEN RAN OUTTA MONEY AND SO THAT WAS THE DELAY.
BUT, UH, THE LATEST, UH, ST THE LATEST STOP THAT WE HAVE STILL HAS IT IN THERE.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE, UH, PROPERTY ACQUISITION PHASE AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND IT'S STILL ON TRACK TO BE 2025.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT CONVERSATIONS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SOLVE IT TONIGHT, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE, UM, AT A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, TO ALDERMAN PEARL'S, UH, POINT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US NEW FOLKS HAVE ASKED FOR.
UH, SO I THINK I I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, UH, COMING UP IN AUGUST.
AND, AND YES, I MEAN I THINK WE NEED A, A NEW FIRE STATION.
IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF, AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT, UH, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
BUT I DO WANT TO HEAR, I HEARD GEORGE SAY FOUR, WE'VE ONLY MADE IT THROUGH TWO.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE OTHER TWO
WELL THIS, THIS WAS NOT INTENTIONAL, UM, TO PUT, TO PUT PARKS AND REC BEHIND THE FIRE STATION, BUT UH, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT FELL OUT THIS EVENING IN OUR DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, CARRIE WILL COME UP AND DISCUSS TWO ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POTENTIAL, POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR THE USE OF THIS MONEY.
UM, ONE BEING A NEW, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION, GROUND MAINTENANCE DIVISION, UH, FACILITY.
AND THEN ALSO THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER AT MARK MAR THAT PARK.
AND I'LL LET CARRIE DISCUSS THOSE WITH YOU.
HOW ARE Y'ALL? UM, SO THE BUILDING OF A NEW PARKS AND RECREATION GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UM, HIGHER, HIGHLY DESIRABLE BY MY STAFF.
CURRENTLY, THE LOCATION IS NOT IDEAL.
UM, LACK OF SPACE, THEREFORE WORK AS WELL AS STORAGE FOR EQUIPMENT TO KEEP IT OUT TO ELEMENTS TO WEATHER.
MOST OF OUR, UH, EQUIPMENT RIGHT NOW IS STORED OUTSIDE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE AN UNDERCOVER SHELTERS OR ANYTHING THAT'S INCLUDING OUR MOBILE STAGE.
UM, LAWN MOWERS, UM, SKID STEER, OTHER HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
UM, SO THAT PROJECT, LIKE I SAY, IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE.
AND JUST, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE CURRENT LOCATION IS AT THE GLEN BURNIE WASTE TREATMENT PLANT.
SO YEAH, I'M SURE PARTS AND RECREATION DOESN'T LIKE IT BEING THERE.
I WOULDN'T LIKE IT BEING THERE, SO, YEAH, AND I MEAN, I KNOW EVERYBODY'S SEEN SOME OF THE WORK WE PROVIDE OUT OF THAT BUILDING.
THEY BUILT ALL THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS THERE AND WE'RE VERY LIMITED ON SPACE.
WE HAVE TO CLEAR OUT OUR WHOLE SHOP JUST TO CONSTRUCT THOSE ITEMS. UM, SO LIKE I SAID, IT IS AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY THE AMPHITHEATER, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALSO A DESIRABLE, UM, PROJECT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SEE.
AND BRENDA HAS A HANDOUT WITH SOME EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT AMPHITHEATERS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DONE.
UM, SOME OF THEM HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN BUILT, SOME ARE CONCEPT PLANS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I'LL LET Y'ALL THANK YOU.
BUT WHENEVER WE DID THE MASTER PLAN FOR MARTIN MARIETTA IN 2018, IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT A, UM, 5,000 SEAT AMPHITHEATER WOULD BE DESIRABLE OUT THERE.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THE COST ESTIMATE ON,
[01:00:01]
UH, AMPHITHEATER OF THAT SIZE WOULD BE AROUND A MILLION DOLLARS.SO, UM, WE'RE VERY MUCH IN PRELIMINARY STAGES WITH AMPHITHEATER INFORMATION.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WE WOULD NEED TO THINK ABOUT AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, UM, FROM THE CITY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND AS Y'ALL LOOKED AT THE EXAMPLES FOR THE ONES I'VE PROVIDED, I'VE GOT SOME IN THERE THAT ARE 300 SEATING CAPACITY, ALL THE WAY UP TO 7,500 SEATING CAPACITY.
UM, SOME ARE MANAGED IN-HOUSE BY THE MUNICIPALITY.
OTHERS ARE, UH, LEASED OUT TO, UM, PROMOTERS TO RUN AND CONTRACTED OUT WITH THEM LIKE LIVE NATION AND OTHER GROUPS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO AS FAR AS A 5,000 SEAT FACILITY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, SOME OF THE NEEDS, OF COURSE WE'D HAVE SITE PREP, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF THAT.
UM, THE UTILITY NEEDS FOR ELECTRICAL WATER TO ACCOMMODATE 5,000 SEATS, WE WOULD NEED AROUND 60 STYLES, RESTROOM FACILITIES.
AND THAT COULD EITHER BE PERMANENT OR A COMBINATION OF PERMANENT AND PORTA JOHNS.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT LEAST, UH, 60,000 SQUARE FEET OF LOAN SEATING TO ACCOMMODATE 5,000 PEOPLE.
THAT'S AT 12 SQUARE FEET PER SEAT.
UM, PARKING FOR 2,500, UH, VEHICLES OR EITHER TRANSPORTATION TO SHUTTLE IN PEOPLE FROM OFF OUTSIDE AREAS, UM, TO VEHICLE PARKING STAFF, PARKING AREAS FOR FOOD TRUCKS IF WE WANT TO HAVE FOOD VENDORS OUT THERE AND ELECTRICAL FOR THOSE.
UM, OF COURSE IT'S ALL GOTTA BE ADA ACCESSIBLE, SO THAT'S GOTTA BE THOUGHT ABOUT AND PUT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE AREA WHERE THE VAN COMES IN, THEY LOAD IN, THEY'RE CHANGING FACILITIES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 10,000 SQUARE FEET THERE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT INTERNET, WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL UTILITIES FOR THAT.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE'VE GATHERED.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS IT BEING A REVENUE GENERATOR, UM, WE COULD LOOK AT DOING ENTERPRISE FUND FOR THAT.
UM, OF COURSE THAT WOULD, UH, REQUIRE INCREASED STAFFING.
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STAFF WITH EXPERIENCE RUNNING VENUES LIKE THAT.
UM, BEING FAMILIAR WITH AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT, UM, AND LIGHTS.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE PREMIUM FEES TO HELP COVER THE COST FOR OPS OPERATIONS.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OFFER THESE, UH, CONCERTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AT A MINIMAL COST.
WE WOULD HAVE TO BE, UM, CHARGING PREMIUM COSTS FOR THAT.
AND THEN TO GET THE PERFORMERS IN TO ACCOMMODATE A STADIUM LIKE THAT OR A AMPHITHEATER.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT 25, 70 $5,000 TO GET BANDS LIKE THAT TO COME IN.
UM, WAIT A MINUTE, CARRIE, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
LET ME INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE THROWING OUT SOME BIG NUMBERS HERE.
I WAS, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IF WE LEASE THIS THING TO A PROMOTER, LIKE I THINK THEY'RE CALLED LIVE NATION, THIS IS ONE OF 'EM THAT'S AROUND, I THINK THEY DO WALNUT CREEK AND THEY'RE ALSO DOWN IN WILMINGTON, THAT THEY PAY US RENT FOR THE FACILITY, PLUS THEY PAY US A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR EVERY TICKET SOLD, PLUS THEY PAY US A PERCENTAGE OF THE CONCESSIONS.
THAT'S IF YOU DO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR VENUE MANAGEMENT.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE THE WAY, I MEAN, I'M NOT IN, I WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR AT ALL OF HIRING STAFFING TO TRY TO FIND THE GRATEFUL DEAD TO COME TO NEW BERN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, WE NEED TO LEAVE THAT TO, TO THE EXPERTS THAT DO THIS FOR A LIVING.
UH, WELL I WAS JUST GIVING YOU OPTIONS BASED ON YEAH, WHAT IT COULD GO EITHER WAY.
SO TELL ME, UM, DID YOU TALK TO ANY OF ANYBODY ABOUT, UM, HOW MUCH THEY, ARE THEY THEY LEASE IT FOR, TO EITHER LIVE NATION OR WHAT OTHER PROMOTERS? BECAUSE THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
THEY TAKE CARE OF ALL THE STAFFING, THEY TAKE CARE OF ALL THE BOOKINGS, THEY DO EVERYTHING.
AN EMPLOYEE AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES ARE CONCERNED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO DID YOU TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT THAT? WE REACHED OUT TO WILMINGTON.
THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT AMPHITHEATERS.
[01:05:01]
HAVE ONE THAT, AND IT'S IN THE SLIDE OR THE PAPER PACKET I GAVE YOU.THEY HAVE ONE FACILITY THAT HAS 1200 SEATING CAPACITY AND THEN THEY HAVE ONE THAT'S 7,500.
UM, THE 1,201 INITIALLY, THE FIRST 10 YEARS THEY RAN IT IN HOUSE AND THEN THEY, UM, CONTRACTED IT OUT WITH LIVE NATION TO DO ALL THE SERVICES.
UM, THE 7,500 C CAPACITY ONE, THEY ACTUALLY WORK WITH LIVE NATION TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THAT ONE.
AND LIVE NATION DOES HANDLE ALL OF THE VENUE MANAGEMENT FOR IT AS WELL.
SO WHAT DOES THE CITY OF WILMINGTON GET OUT OF IT? THEY DO GET A PERCENTAGE OFF OF, UM, TICKET SALES CONCESSIONS AS WELL AS A, UM, FRONT RENTAL FEE FOR THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEY HAVE A AND YOU HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW MUCH SOME OF THAT MONEY MIGHT BE? I HAVE SOME OF IT THEY MADE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT HERE.
WE HAVE BEEN PUT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TRUE OR NOT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S IN THE 50, $60,000 A YEAR RANGE OR SOMETHING.
IS THAT SOUND RIGHT? FOSTER? I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT WAS AROUND A HUNDRED.
I I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.
UH, WHAT WE SAW WITH, WITH SOME OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT, THAT WILMINGTON HAD HAD SIGNED WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR VENUE OPERATOR WAS IT WAS A QUARTERLY LEASE THAT WAS PAID FOR EACH FACILITY.
THEN BASICALLY THEY PAID $2 PER TICKET ON EVERY, FOR EVERY CONCERT TICKET THAT WAS SOLD.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE PERCENTAGE, LIKE, LIKE CARRIE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, OF COURSE WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS IF ANY, UM, ANY VENUE OPERATORS HAVE VETTED THE EASTERN PART OF NORTH CAROLINA SPECIFICALLY OUR AREA YET.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT STAFF HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET UP WITH THE MAIN PERSON THAT THAT'S OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA WITH, UM, SOME OF THESE COMPANIES TO JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL PLANS NEW BERN HAS AND IF THEY WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST AND THEN GOING FROM THERE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF INTEREST AND WHAT, WHAT COULD REALISTICALLY BE WORKED OUT BEFORE WE WERE TO RELEASE AN RFP FOR THIS.
SO THEORETICALLY, IF THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US, AND WE'LL JUST SPLIT IT AND SAY $75,000 A YEAR TO RENT THE FACILITY PLUS $2 A TICKET AT 7,500.
WHAT THAT'S 15, $15,000 A CONCERT? CORRECT.
IF WE DO 5,000 SEATS PLUS, WELL THAT'S $10,000 A CONCERT IF THEY SELL 'EM OUT AND THEIR GOAL IS TO SELL 'EM OUT CUZ THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UH, PERCENTAGE OF CONCESSIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I MEAN THIS, THIS COULD ACTUALLY TURN INTO A REVENUE MAKER FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURY AND SOME, AND, AND I CAN PROMISE YOU IF YOU BUILD A AMPHITHEATER, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME OUT CLOSE BY AND BUILD A HOTEL AND SOME RESTAURANTS CLOSE TO IT.
UH, UM, I I I THINK WE NEED TO, TO INVESTIGATE IT.
IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE, UM, FEMA FUNDS, BUILD SOMETHING AND MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT.
SO THERE'S A PRETTY WIDE ARRANGE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO BUILT THE ONE AT GOOSE CREEK, BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BUILD OUR IT'S NOT BILL YET.
SO 800 CAPACITY AT $4 MILLION.
AND THEN MONTROSE COLORADO BUILT A 5,700 CAPACITY AT 2.8 MILLION.
NOW THAT COULD HAVE BEEN 10 YEARS AGO.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
LIKE THE BARROW COUNTY, IT'S THE SECOND TO THE LAST PAGE.
IS THERE A WAY TO CAUSE THE THOUGHT ALL ALONG WHEN WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS IS MAKING IT EXPANDABLE.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA START DAY ONE AND GO IN AND PUT 5,000 SEATS IN.
I MEAN, YOU CAN GO IN AND PUT SOME COVERED SEATS OR SOME SEATS UP FRONT AND THEN HAVE GRASSY AREA BEHIND IT LIKE THEY DO AT WALNUT CREEK AND SELL LOANS.
AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK IN AND ADD MORE SEATS.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS CAN WE LOOK AT POTENTIALLY UTILIZING THIS FEMA FUNDING TO DO SOME SITE PREP SITE WORK AND POTENTIALLY PUT A COMPLEX THERE THAT WOULD ACCOMPANY AND SUPPORT THE AMPHITHEATER THAT YOU COULD PUT YOUR GROUNDS CREW THERE AS WELL.
LIKE THE BARROW COUNTY FOR EXAMPLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS, IT'S PROBABLY RESTROOMS THAT'S BEHIND HERE, BUT I'M JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.
THERE'S A STRUCTURE THERE ON THE GENERAL SITE THAT YOU COULD MAYBE UTILIZE THAT FOR.
CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUFF THAT'S GOTTA BE DONE.
DO YOU DO THAT WITH SOME FEMA MONEY AND BUILD YOUR GROUNDS CREW SHELTER OR STRUCTURE THERE AND THEN BE ABLE TO BUILD THE AMPHITHEATER?
[01:10:01]
THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT.I THINK SOME OF THE GROUNDWORK CERTAINLY COULD BE DONE BY FORCED LABOR, YOU KNOW, AND FOSTERS CONFIRMED THAT.
BUT I WILL ALSO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE 2018 MASTER PLAN FOR THE MARTIN MARIETTA PARK INCLUDED AN AMPUTEE, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FEMA FUNDS, WHATEVER WE REBUILDS GOTTA BE OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LOCATION MAR MARIETTA AND MAKE SURE ALREADY DONE IT.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S NOT, BUT WOULD THAT AREA ACCOMMODATE A MAINTENANCE GROUNDS FACILITY AS WELL AS AMPHITHEATER AS WELL AS PARK WILL LIKE IT WILL.
IT WILL, I CAN TELL YOU I'M NOT A ENGINEER, BUT I CAN GOTTA TELL YOU IT WILL HOLD ON THAT.
HOW, HOW IS THAT WHEN IT FLOODED DURING FLORENCE? I DON'T, HOW IS IT NOT OUT OF A FLOOD AREA? IT FLOODED DURING FLORENCE.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF MARK MARION PARK FLOODED THE, THE ENTRANCE.
DID THE AREA, UM, WHERE THE AMPHITHEATER IS AND THERE'S A HIGH AREA ON THERE, DID NOT FLOOD.
SO, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK UP THE FLOOD ZONE MAPS AND IT SHOWS MARK MARIETTA PARK AND WHAT'S IN A FLOOD ZONE AND WHAT IS NOT.
CAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOME AREAS OVER THAT DID FLOOD.
NOW, CARRIE, DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT YOU WERE, AT FIRST YOU WERE SAYING BY PARKS AND RECS YOUR DEPARTMENT TO, FOR A FACILITY THERE THAT WOULD HOUSE THE EMPLOYEES AND WELL ALSO BE AN AREA FOR YOUR STORAGE? FOR WHAT? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THE LAST PART.
WHEN YOU FIRST, UH, MENTIONED THE PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT, YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT YOUR SPACE AND YOUR STORAGE MM-HMM.
SO WITH THAT, WERE YOU ALSO SPEAKING OF ADDING A BUILDING WHERE YOU COULD HOUSE THE EMPLOYEES FOR THE PARKS AND RECS? YES.
THAT WOULD BE HOUSING THE EMPLOYEES, THEIR INDOOR WORK SPACE AS WELL AS OUTDOOR STORAGE SPACE.
SO AS, AS THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, THE BARROW COUNTY, WAS THAT THE ONE YOU WAS LOOKING AT? YEAH.
NOW JUST AS A THOUGHT, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN, YOU GOT THE PARTS AND RECS APARTMENT THERE.
YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR BUILDING THERE AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR EMPATHY THERE.
UM, THAT JUST ME MAKES MORE SENSE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN AMPHITHEATER.
MY MY FAULT WITH THAT ALSO IS WHEN YOU GO OUT AND YOU TRY TO SELL NAMING RIGHTS TO GET PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THAT MM-HMM.
WILL YOU GIVE US A MILLION DOLLARS? PUT YOUR NAME ON IT.
I THINK YOU COULD GET US A WHOLE LOT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD TO GET SOME INCOME THAT WAY, CARRIE? MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S INITIALLY WHERE THE AMPHITHEATER WAS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU PLAN ON BUILDING THE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PARK FOR PARKS AND REC.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED A LOCATION OH, OKAY.
FOR THE PARKS AND REC RECREATION MAINTENANCE SHOP.
BUT I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT, THAT THAT PART THERE OVER AT GLENBURN.
BUT I I I, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE PART THAT WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE PARKS AND REC FOR THE VEHICLES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THERE.
BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO THE RIGHT WHEN YOU COME IN, IT'S, I THINK IT'S BLOCKED OFF NOW.
I DON'T KNOW THE, THE, THE SPACE THAT IT IS BACK THEN, BUT IT'S A PRETTY LARGE AREA.
IT'S A LITTLE LAKE BACK THERE.
SO, YEAH, I I THINK THE NEXT STEP THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO HAVE CARRIE OR FOSTER TO TALK TO SOME OF THE PROMOTERS.
IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE CALLED? YOU KNOW, LIKE LIVE NATION? I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE OTHER ONE.
AND, UM, SEE IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN COMING TO NEW BERN, AND IF THEY ARE, WHAT, WHAT CAN THEY PROVIDE US? YOU KNOW, I I THINK NAMING RIGHTS IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM GETTING NAMING RIGHTS FOR SUCH A FACILITY.
AND I THINK THE OTHER THING IS IS THAT, IS, IS COREY ON THE PHONE? I THINK I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM COREY, COREY TO SEE IF, UM, IF HE THINKS CHANGING THE SCOPE OF WORK, WOULD
YOU FOUR PROJECTS, IS THERE ONE MORE? AND SO ONE, ONE OTHER PROJECT THAT, THAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AS A POSSIBILITY OF
[01:15:01]
CAN YOU USE FEMA FUNDS TO REHAB HOUSES LIKE IN THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY.AND, AND, AND COREY SPAULDING, WHO IS OUR CONSULTANT THAT HELPED US THROUGH THE FEMA PROCESS, HE'S ON THE LINE AS WELL.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT THIS TODAY.
THE BIGGEST, THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT PROJECTS MUST BE LOCATED OUT OF THE FLOOD ZONE.
SO THAT MAY NOT QUALIFY, BUT, BUT COREY, IF YOU, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXPAND ON ANYTHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
ARE YOU MUTED? LET ME ADD, I LOOK FORWARD TO US, UM, DIGGING DEEPER IN OUR STRATEGIC YES, I CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
DID YOU HEAR THE QUESTION? I BELIEVE THE, UH, QUESTION WAS THAT, UM, IS THE MARTIN MARIETTA PARK, UH, ACCEPTABLE FOR A SCOPE OF WORK CHANGE, UM, FOR THE FEMA FUNDING FOR THE BP BUILDING? WAS THAT THE QUESTION? I, I, I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING HIM.
COREY, UH, WHAT THE QUESTION IS THAT I HAD WAS, UM, USING THE BP FUNDING AND DOING A CHANGE, A SCOPE OF WORK TO SUPPORT AN AMPHITHEATER, UH, DO YOU SEE ANY DIFFICULTIES IN DOING THAT AND, AND DOING AND HAVING THAT REQUEST MADE THROUGH FEMA? I, UH, DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.
AND WE ACTUALLY, UH, REVIEWED THE LOCATION AND, UH, IT APPEARED TO BE, UH, ACCEPTABLE AND OUTSIDE OF THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA AND ANY OF THE NORMAL PROBLEMS THAT YOU WOULD, UM, COME ACROSS WITH FEMA FOR A TAN SCOPE OF WORK DIDN'T APPEAR TO, UH, UM, BE, UH, UM, IMPACTED AT THAT LOCATION.
SO IT DOES APPEAR TO BE ACCEPTABLE.
YOU WANT ME TO ASK THE SECOND QUESTION ABOUT REHABBING? COREY, IF YOU CAN STILL HEAR ME? THE NEXT QUESTION IS, CAN THIS FEMA FUNDS BE USED TO REHAB, UM, HOMES IN NEW BERN? YOU HAVE, UM, ALL KINDS OF, UH, PROBLEMS WITH THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE TRANSFERRING, UM, PUBLIC FUNDING TO PRIVATE HOMES, WHICH, UH, ALTHOUGH I'VE NEVER, UH, HAD THAT QUESTION ASKED OF ME, I, I DON'T THINK, UH, THAT YOU CAN DO THAT.
YOU HAVE ALL KINDS OF INSURANCE IMPLICATIONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO, UH, PROVIDE INSURANCE, UH, ON THE FACILITIES.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRANSFERRING MONEY FROM, UM, CITY OWNED, UH, UH, PROPERTY, I GUESS TO, UH, TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, UH, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S ALLOWED, BUT, UM, I, I WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY RESEARCH THAT.
I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IT'S, UH, THAT IT'S NOT, IF, IF THE CITY OWNED THE BUILDINGS, IT WOULD BE FINE.
AND FROM THE LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH THAT WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS, I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH AS WELL.
IF ANY OF THE FUNDS ARE USED TO REFURB, UH, HOME, AND THEN THE CITY SELLS THE HOME, UM, WOULDN'T WE HAVE TO RETURN THOSE FUNDS TO, UH, FEMA? I, I KNOW AT A POINT IN TIME PREVIOUS TO THIS, WE HAD, UH, DISCUSSED, UM, UH, BUILDING HOMES, UH, FOR, UM, I GUESS LOW INCOME, UH, IN, IN NEW BERN.
AND THEN, UH, UH, SELLING THE HOMES, UH, TO, UH, THOSE, UH, THOSE PEOPLE THAT THE HOMES WERE BUILT FOR.
AND, UH, ONCE YOU, UH, TRANSFER THE, UH, UH, THE TITLE, UH, THE MONEY HAS TO BE, UH, UH, RECOUPED AND SENT BACK TO FEMA.
SO I GUESS IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT IF IT'S A PUBLIC BUILDING, WHETHER IT'S A FIRE STATION, WHETHER IT'S A PARKS AND REC OFFICE OR AN AMPHITHEATER, IF IT'S A PUBLIC BUILDING OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD ZONE AND IT MEETS THE FEMA CRITERIA, WE SHOULD BE OKAY GOING WITH A CHANGE ORDER OR CHANGE OF SCOPE OF WORK.
IS THAT FAIR, CORY? UM, YOU, UH, HIT ALMOST ALL THE CRITERIA ON THE HEAD.
UH, AND, UH, IT, IT'S BASICALLY, UH, YOU CAN USE AN ALTERNATE PROJECT FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL WOULD, UH, BEST BENEFIT, UH, THE, THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
UH, BUT IT, UH, IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO, TO NEW BERN OWNED, UH, PROJECTS.
SO, UH, MR. HUGHES IS THISTHE, UH, A POINT OF DISCUSSION WHEN WE HAVE OUR STRATEGIC FIVE YEAR PLAN? ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS AS WELL.
WE TALKING SOME NUMBERS HERE, BIG NUMBERS HERE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW SURE.
WHEN YOU'RE GONNA PLAN ON HAVING YOUR PLAN AND STUFF IN PLACE, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE ON THIS.
WE, WHATEVER WE DO WITH THESE FUND, WITH THIS FUNDING, WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
[01:20:01]
FEMA'S ATTENTION AND WE HAVE THE STATE'S ATTENTION, AND WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS MONEY ON, WHETHER, WHATEVER WE DO WITH IT, WE NEED TO MAKE THE DECISION AND, AND MOVE ON IT QUICKLY.ALMAN ROYO, YOU WERE SAYING SOMETHING BEFORE CORY GOT LINE.
UH, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND THE STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING AND THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND, AND PERHAPS GET A BETTER VIEW OF, UH, WHERE WE NEED TO, UH, SPEND THE MONEY.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION TOO, MS. CARRIE, UM, GOING FORWARD, IF WE COULD, UH, HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT WE COULD VIEW THAT OUR VIEWS, UH, OUR CITIZENS AT HOME COULD VIEW ALONG WITH THOSE THAT ARE IN THE ROOM HERE, SO THAT ALL OF US AS CITIZENS, WE COULD GET, UH, A VIEWING OF WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL MCKENZIE AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DISCUSSION WE ARE HAVING NOW.
SO WE ARE GONNA GIVE, THE BOARD IS GONNA GIVE THE MANAGERS DIRECTION TO BRING THE INFORMATION BACK TO US.
ARE WE GONNA DO IT IN THE PLANNING STAGE WITH THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN? SO THAT'S WHEN THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE, CORRECT? I I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
IT'S GONNA KICK OFF IN AUGUST.
AND I'M ALSO HEARING FROM ALDERMAN AS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO MONTHS THAT WE WANT TO WAIT TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
CAUSE IF IT, IF WE DISCUSS, IF WE START DISCUSSING AN AMPHITHEATER IN AUGUST AT A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, IT MAY BE TWO OR THREE MONTHS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY MAKE THE DECISION THAT WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S JUST MORE TIME THAT WE'RE SPENDING WITH THE FEMA MONEY SITTING OUT THERE.
YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR THE SCOPE OF WORK TO BE APPROVED FOR THE STANLEY WHITE CENTER? WELL, THAT'S WHY I WAS GOING WELL, WELL, EVERY YEAR, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, IT, IT, IT IS JUST IN, IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE ON WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO DO, BUILD THE BUILDING BACK OR CHANGE THE SCOPE OF WORK TO, UM, BUILD ANOTHER, DO ANOTHER PROJECT IN THE CITY, WHATEVER THAT PROJECT IS, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO GET CORY WORKING ON IT AND GET IT SUBMITTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING IN WHICH DIRECTION ARE WE GONNA GIVE HIM NOW, ARE WE GONNA WAIT LATER THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE BOARD IS GONNA MAKE A DECISION THAT WE CAN DO IT EARLIER BEFORE AUGUST TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY.
JOHNNY RAY, I, I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO BEFORE WE CAN MAKE A DECISION IS WE NEED TO GET SOME MORE FACTS.
AND, AND THESE FACTS NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, GATHERED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN DETERMINE WHICH DIRECTION WE'RE GOING TO GO.
WE NEED TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS GONNA BE A MONEY MAKER FOR US OR A, A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY THROWN INTO MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.
WELL, I'M, I'M THINKING, UH, CARRIE DID, DID YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, TO ANY OF THESE OTHER CITIES AND ASK IF THIS WAS, IF THIS WAS A, A MONEY MAKER OR REVENUE MAKER FOR THEM? I HAVE NOT.
WILMINGTON WAS THE ONLY ONE WE WERE ABLE TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM IN SHORT TIME.
UM, WE TRIED REACHING OUT TO A COUPLE OTHERS TODAY, BUT COULDN'T GET ANY RESPONSES.
SO THAT IS MY CONVERSATION, IS TO HAVE THE MANAGER, WE GIVE HIM DIRECTION TO GO AHEAD AND BRING BACK BEFORE THE BOARD, THEN A DECISION IS MADE.
THEREFORE WE KNOW, LIKE YOU JUST SAID, IF IT'S A MONEY MAKER OR NOT.
SO THEREFORE, AS A BOARD, COLLECTIVELY, WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
I SECOND THAT ALL REMEMBER, IT'S, WE DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE REAL WHY WE, YEAH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOTION.
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME IS WE NEED TO HAVE A WORK SESSION NEXT MONTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION TO DO THAT, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT.
SO I WAS GOING TO, I WAS GONNA RIGHT HERE SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'VE HEARD FOUR PROJECTS.
IS THIS WHAT STAFF WOULD VIEW AS FOR TOP PRIORITY PROJECTS? OR IS THIS JUST BASED OFF OF FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE GATHERED FROM THE BOARD THROUGH CONVERSATION? OH, A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
AND COULD WE COME UP WITH SOME MORE PROJECTS? ABSOLUTELY, WE COULD.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS, IS AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CONSOLIDATING SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS INTO A LARGER BUILDING.
AND SO DOES, DOES THAT INCLUDE REHABBING ONE OF OUR EXISTING LARGER BUILDINGS TO, TO ADD ON SPACE? BUT THAT, THAT, THAT COULD BE A PROJECT AS WELL.
AND THEN SELLING SOME REAL ESTATE ON MCKENZIE.
[01:25:02]
LET'S LOOK AT THE MAIN PRIORITY RIGHT NOW THAT WE REALLY NEED MORE SO THAN ANYTHING ELSE.UM, AND BRING BACK TO THE BOARD TO MAKE THAT ALONG WITH YOUR REQUEST, WHICH WILL BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY TO LOOK AT THAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD.
NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, WE WANT TO HAVE, BUT WE REALLY NEED MORE SO THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
I, AMPHITHEATER SOUNDS GREAT TO ME.
I LOVE THE IDEA, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE NEEDS OF THIS CITY.
AND SO WITH YOU AND THE BOARD COLLECTIVELY MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND THE FINANCE LADY THAT CAN COUNT, UH, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE CAN AFFORD.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT BOARD? UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF, OF DISCUSSION.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF, OF, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE GATHERED BEFORE WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GIVEN HIM DIRECTIONS TO DO TO, TO GATHER THAT INFORMATION, TO BRING BACK WHERE WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION.
SO, SO IS THE BOARD OPPOSED TO TAKE THE FOUR PROJECTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED TONIGHT AND HAVING STAFF GET MORE DETAIL FROM A FIRE STATION TO ANR SO WE CAN MAKE SOME EDUCATED DECISIONS? IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? AND THE PARKS AND RICK'S FACILITY? CORRECT.
WHAT IS IS, WHAT IS THE FOURTH? YEAH, BECAUSE THE HOU THE HOUSING, BUT I MEAN, BUT BUT HE, THE, THE JOB INDICATED THAT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC.
SO, SO, UM, WE'RE WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THREE PROJECT PROJECTS.
THREE, ACTUALLY, THAT'S CORRECT.
CAUSE THE PUBLIC WORKS, THE PUBLIC WORKS DID NOT NEED ADDITIONAL SPACE.
SO BASICALLY WE'RE DETERMINING WHETHER WE WANT TO INVEST THIS FEMA MONEY IN A FIRE STATION, A TEMPORARY FIRE STATION, OR AN AMPHITHEATER SLASH PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITY.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY COULD BE VIEWED AS ONE.
WELL, ARE WE TALKING TEMPORARY FIRE STATION? CAUSE I, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF SPENDING MONEY ON A TEMPORARY BUILDING BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GONNA VACATE THE BUILDING AND WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT? YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED THAT.
IT CAN BE, IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A COMMITMENT TO, TO A FIRE, FIRE SUBSTATION FIRE STATION, LET'S MAKE THAT COMMITMENT, MOVE FORWARD.
KEEP IN MIND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 900 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS WITH A PROJECT LIKE A FIRE SUBSTATION, AN AMPHITHEATER, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE A CLOSE SECOND.
A, A BUILDING FOR RECREATION OFFICES AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT.
UM, SAY THIRD, THE BULK OF THAT FEMA MUDDY IS GONNA BE BE USED FOR ENGINEERING STUDIES, ARCHITECTS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF THAT HAS TO BE DONE UPFRONT.
FOSTER WITH THAT IN MIND, WHERE'S THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND BEFORE WE CAN GET REIMBURSED? WE DON'T HAVE IT.
WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THAT AND THEN BE REIMBURSED AS FEMA WOULD ALLOW US.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE WOULD BE DEPLETING SURPLUS.
WE WOULD'VE TO PULL FROM FUND BALANCE.
THIS NO, YOU'RE, THAT'S WAY DOWN THE ROAD.
BOBBY, YOU'RE LOOKING NECESSARILY AT AN AMPHITHEATER AS BEING A PROFIT MAKING.
I GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA FIND OUT THEY'RE NOT PROFIT MAKING.
BUT DON'T KEEP HAMMERING AWAY ON THIS IS GONNA BE THE, THE PANACEA FOR NEWBURN.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE MONEY FLOWING INTO OUR COFFER.
DON'T, YOU'RE, YOU'RE IMAGINING STUFF AND YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE NOT SAID ANYTHING LIKE THAT TIME.
YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEING A PROFIT CENTER AND IT, WE DON'T.
AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT IT'S NOT, WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU FROM THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE LOOKED INTO, WHEN YOU START SELLING, WHEN YOU START LEASING A BUILDING OUT FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR AND $2 PER TICKET AS WELL AS CONCESSIONS AND STUFF, IT IS, IT, IT CAN BE A MONEY REVENUE GENERATION IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
WE HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER OR NOT THIS MARKET CAN, CAN SUPPORT.
WELL THAT'S CO'S EXACTLY THE REASON WHY I ASKED FOSTER TO CALL LIVE NATION TO SEE IF WE HAVE A MARKET HERE OR NOT.
UM, I I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE A COMMENT.
I'M GONNA GIVE IT ALL AND BEST.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UP HERE IS AN EXPERT AT AN AMPHITHEATER OR MARKETING.
UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL CONCERTS AT MEOLA THAT HAVE SOLD OUT IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
UM, THERE WASN'T 5,000 PEOPLE, UH, BUT THERE WAS A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE.
SO THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE FROM ALL OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA THAT CAME THERE TO, TO THOSE EVENTS THAT I WAS PERSONALLY AT.
SO I DO KNOW, AND I, IF YOU ALL DON'T HEAR IT AND YOU'RE NOT LISTENING, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS CONVERSATION IN THIS COMMUNITY ABOUT THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO DO AND ACTIVITIES AND YOUTH AND THINGS LIKE
[01:30:01]
THAT.AND THIS COULD BE ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES ALDERMAN BEST FOSTER CARE AMPHITHEATER OPERATION BE SET UP AS A ENTERPRISE FUND.
IT COULD BE SET UP AS THAT ALDERMAN BEST MR. HUGHES.
CAN I, JORDAN, WILL YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION.
I LIKE AN AMPHITHEATER AS MUCH AS THE NEXT GUY I GUESS, BUT YES MA'AM.
WHAT I WANNA ASK YOU, IS THIS, AT YOUR FACILITY, AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, DON'T YOU HAVE SOME BAYS OUT THERE ALREADY THAT YOU'RE USING FOR STORAGE OR WHATEVER? YES MA'AM.
WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, STORAGE SHELTERS AND EQUIPMENT BAYS THAT HOUSE MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, UH, OKAY.
IS THERE WHERE, UH, ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE CAN BE ADDED ON TO WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE THERE TO, TO TEMPORARILY BUILD A FIRE, A TEMPORARY FIRE STATION? IS IT A METAL BAYS THAT YOU HAVE IT IN A CURRENT CONFIGURATION? PROBABLY BE DIFFICULT TO ADD ON TO THE EXISTING BUILDINGS.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE, UH, A LOT OF ACREAGE THAT SITS OUTSIDE OF THE EXISTING FACILITIES THAT WOULD, UH, COULD BE USED FOR REALLY ANY CITY FUNCTION.
UM, THERE IS ROUGHLY A 55 ACRES AVAILABLE, UH, THAT WE HAVEN'T UTILIZED.
A LOT OF THAT IS WOODED AND A LOT OF THAT IS REALLY UNUSABLE.
BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A, YOU KNOW, A A SOLID SEVEN OR EIGHT ACRES OF OF UPLANDS THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING FACILITY THAT COULD BE UTILIZED FOR ADDITIONAL CITY FUNCTION IF A TEMPORARY FIRE DEPARTMENT IS PUT THERE, ISN'T IT WHERE YOU COULD UTILIZE THAT BUILDING IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR YOU? THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, IT COULD REFURBISH FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
I I'M SURE IF THERE'S AN EMPTY METAL BUILDING THERE, WE WOULD FIND A USE FOR IT.
I, WE'VE ESTABLISHED WE'RE GIVEN STAFF DIRECTION TO LOOK AT THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, BUT, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED A DEADLINE.
UM, THE 11TH MEETING DATE, THE 11TH OF JULY LOOKS LIKE A VERY BUSY MEETING.
I THINK IT'S A LITTLE TOO SOON.
UM, IF AUGUST IS TOO LATE, IS THE 25TH OF JULY MEETING TOO LATE? AND SO AGAIN, I COME BACK TO WE NEED TO HAVE A WORK SESSION IF, IF THAT IS TOO LATE.
GOOD TASK IS GOOD WITHOUT A DEADLINE.
FOSTER IS STAFF GONNA HAVE TIME TO COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THREE WEEKS? I THINK WE COULD GET SOME GOOD INFORMATION WITHIN THREE WEEKS.
WE MAY NOT HAVE EVERYTHING WE WANT.
I KNOW THAT STAFF HAS, HAS, HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE PROMOTERS AND THERE, THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF PHONE TAGGED ON THAT, BUT I THINK THREE WEEKS WE COULD HAVE, UH, SOME GOOD INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD.
WELL, BUT THAT'S JUST ON THE AMPHITHEATER.
WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE NEEDED ON A FIRE AND SUBSTATION.
THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FIRE OR POLICE SUBSTATION, WHICH IS A BOARD DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE.
UM, AND THAT DECISION HASN'T BEEN MADE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA PLAY A GUESSING GAME.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO DOUBLE WORK LOOKING AT BOTH OPTIONS.
UM, A A RECREATION BUILDING, AGAIN, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF SIZE? SO MARVIN'S ALREADY GAVE US, IT'S A LOT, LOT OF INFORMATION THAT HAS TO BE COMPILED MM-HMM.
AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU, YOU WE'RE LUCKY WE'RE TALKING.
I, THERE'S NO, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MAGIC DEADLINE OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BY AUGUST, UNLESS I'M MISTAKEN.
UM, I, I JUST WANT TO SEE THAT WE DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY AND NOT RUSH INTO SOMETHING AND MAKE A HASTY DECISION.
UNLESS SOMEBODY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE UNDER THE CLOCK ON UTILIZING, UM, OR, OR MAKING A DECISION SO THAT WE CAN START SPENDING FUND BALANCE MONEY TO DO ALL THE PRELIMINARY WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
AND THEN WHAT A YEAR FROM NOW OR MORE WE'LL GET REIMBURSED.
IT, IT, IT, IT'LL REALLY ALL DEPEND ON FEMA.
WE'LL, WE'LL, I I SAY THIS TO YOU, OTTOMAN PRILL, UM, LET ME REPORT BACK AT OUR MEETING ON JULY 11TH.
THAT'LL GIVE ME TIME TO GET WITH STAFF.
WE, WE'VE GOT A HOLIDAY, UH, PERIOD THAT'S GETTING READY TO COME UP.
I CAN GET WITH THEM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD AND I SHOULD HAVE A BETTER TIMEFRAME TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND REPORT THAT.
AND IT, IT MAY BE IN THE FORM OF A WORK, A WORKSHOP OR IT COULD BE, UM, AT ANOTHER BOARD MEETING COMING UP.
SO AT THE JULY 11TH MEETING, YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THE TIMEFRAME TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
[01:35:02]
OKAY.ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS ITEM? ALRIGHT, THANKS STAFF FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
[12. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract for the Northwest Interceptor Rehabilitation Phase II Projects. ]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12.CONSIDER DOCUMENT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE NORTHWEST INTERCEPTOR REHABILITATION PROJECT, PHASE TWO.
JORDAN, I BELIEVE THIS IS YOUR PRESENTATION, SIR.
COURT MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU WITH ITEM NUMBER 12, THIS RECOMMENDATION TO TENTATIVELY AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR, UH, THE PHASE TWO OF OUR NORTHWEST, UH, INTERCEPTOR REHABILITATION PROJECT TO IN SITU YOU FORM TECHNOLOGIES.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
THIS PROJECT SOME OF OUR, OUR VETERAN MEMBERS MAY REMEMBER.
THIS IS A PROJECT WE IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO.
WE HAD A MAJOR SEWER COLLAPSE ALONG GLEN BURNIE ON, ON THE NORTHWEST INTERCEPTOR.
AS PART OF REPAIRING THAT WE DID SOME CLOSED CIRCUIT TV WORK AT THE WHOLE INTERCEPTOR AND FOUND A LOT OF DETERIORATED CONCRETE IN THE TOP OF THE PIPELINE.
SO OUR HYDROGEN SULFIDE GAS IN THE SEWER SYSTEM HAD DETERIORATED THE, THE, UH, THE CEMENT IN THE CONCRETE WHERE WE HAD A LOT OF EXPOSED AGGREGATE.
UH, BASICALLY THE STRUCTURAL INTERROGATOR OF THE PIPE IS GREATLY DIMINISHED FROM WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
SO, UH, WE IMPLEMENTED PHASE ONE.
WE LINED ABOUT 3000 FEET OF THE MOST CRITICAL, WHICH WAS THE FIRST 3000 FOOT AS YOU COME DOWN GLEN BURNIE.
AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE OTHER, THE REMAINING SECTIONS.
WE'VE HAD ONE ADDITIONAL SEWER COLLAPSE, UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS RIGHT AT THE TREATMENT PLANT.
WE WERE ABLE TO MOBILIZE AND TAKE CARE OF THAT A FEW YEARS BACK.
UM, WHAT WE, THE THE PHASE TWO PROJECT WILL LINE ABOUT 2000 FOOT OF 36 INCH CONCRETE PIPE THROUGH SOME OF THE HARDEST TO REACH SECTIONS.
SO THESE ARE AREAS THAT ARE DETERIORATED IN VERY SWAMPY AREAS THAT IF WE WERE TO HAVE A COLLAPSE ON THIS PORTION OF THE PIPELINE, IT'D BE VERY DIFFICULT AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO GET IN THERE AND MAKE THE REPAIRS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THIS PORTION OF THE PROJECT DONE AND THEN CONTINUE TO MONITOR BEFORE WE PULL THE TRIGGER ON PHASE THREE.
ANY REASON OR JUST COINCIDENCE THAT BOTH OF THESE CONTRACTORS ARE OUT OF MISSOURI? I THINK ONE IS A PARENT COMPANY OF THE ONE'S A SPINOFF OF THE OTHER ONES I THINK IN SITU FORM TECHNOLOGIES WAS THE ORIGINAL COMPANY.
I THINK A FEW EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, A DECADE AGO, YOU KNOW, CREATED A KIND OF A, A SUBSIDY OF THAT.
UM, THEY, THEY WERE LITERALLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM EACH OTHER IN MISSOURI ONE'S, ONE'S IN JAMES CITY, ONE'S IN NEWPORT TYPE OF SITUATION.
SO IS THIS A SPECIALTY TYPE PROJECT THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND OUR AREA DOES? WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE LOCAL CONTRACTS FAIRLY LOCAL.
WE HAVE CONTRACTORS ON, YOU KNOW, CLOSER TO NORTH CAROLINA, CLOSER TO EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
UNFORTUNATELY, NOBODY'S INTERESTED.
THERE'S A TON OF WORK OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF ARP FUNDED PROJECTS NATIONWIDE.
WE HAD TO BID IT TWICE, UH, JUST TO GET THE TWO BIDDERS THAT WE GOT.
AND THESE, THESE PRICES ARE, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WE SAW IN, IN PHASE ONE.
THESE PRICES ARE ABOUT TWICE WHAT OUR ESTIMATE WAS FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO THIS TYPE OF WORK BEING SPECIALIZED AND THIS BEING, UH, NOT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT OF THE LINING WORLD, THIS IS GONNA BE A EXPENSIVE PROJECT TO GET DONE.
SO JORDAN, IS THIS, UM, A PROJECT THAT YOU CAN MAYBE POSSIBLY GET GRANT MONEY FROM NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT? VERY GOOD QUESTION.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE WITH THIS PROJECT THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT A $230,000 DIRECT APPROPRIATION FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA ARRP FUND.
SO THEY, UH, THEY ALLOCATED SOME MONEY FOR WATER WASTEWATER REPAIR.
A LOT OF IT WENT INTO A, A GRANT PROGRAM WHERE YOU'VE GOTTA APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS.
WE ARE INELIGIBLE FOR APPLYING FOR THOSE GRANTS.
HOWEVER, WE VERY, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO GET A DIRECT APPROPRIATION OF $230,000 TO HELP OUT WITH THIS.
SO, SO IT, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
IT, IT GOES A LONG WAY IN HELPING US WITH THE PROJECT.
ANYONE ELSE? SO YOU'RE, YOU ARE TELLING US THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT TAKES PRESIDENT'S OVER THE OTHER, WELL THIS IS PHASE TWO OF IT, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
SO YOU ALREADY COMPLETED PHASE ONE, PLACE TWO? YES, MA'AM.
SO IS THERE PHASE THREE THERE? THERE WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'LL, WE'LL PICK UP WHERE THIS ONE STOPS, ABOUT ANOTHER 3,500 LINEAR FEET.
THAT'LL COME OUT OF TRAPPERS TRAIL, CROSS OAKS ROAD AND RUN DOWN GLEN BURNIE DRIVE TO THE TREATMENT PLANT THAT PIPELINE, THAT PORTION OF THE PIPELINE'S IN THE BEST CONDITION OF THE ENTIRE RUN.
UM, AND IT'S THE EASIEST TO ACCESS.
SO IF WE WERE TO HAVE A PROBLEM TOMORROW MORNING ON THAT SECTION, ON THE PHASE THREE SECTION, IT'D BE A LITTLE EASIER TO MOBILIZE A CREW THERE, MAKE A REPAIR WHERE TH THIS PORTION OF THE PHASE TWO PORTION REALLY RUNS CROSS COUNTRY BEHIND THE D O T YARD ON GLEN BURNEY THROUGH THE SWAMP COMES OUT THE BACK OF TRAPPER TRAIL.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THIS PIPELINE STABILIZED BEFORE WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM THAT MAKES IT, AND, UH, PRESENTS US WITH A VERY DIFFICULT REPAIR.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TRY TO, IF, IF THERE'S STILL AVAILABLE,
[01:40:01]
UM, A R P FUNDS OUT THERE THAT MAYBE NO ONE HAS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE LOOKED INTO IT, GIVE ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL FUNDING? WE'RE ALWAYS, YES MA'AM.WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO BRING, UH, GRANT FUNDS OR, OR OTHER, OTHER FUNDING SOURCES IN TO TRY TO MINIMIZE OUR FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, WITH ALL OF THE STATE LEVEL A RRP FUNDS ALL THE MONEY THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO THE STATE, WHETHER IT'S BEEN THROUGH ARP OR FROM THE BILL FUNDING THAT'S COMING OUT, UM, THEY VERY EFFICIENTLY RUN IT THROUGH A SINGLE PROGRAM THAT THE STATE ALREADY HAS SET UP, UM, THROUGH THE DRINKING, UH, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
SO THE NORTH CAROLINA ALREADY HAD A VERY GOOD APPLICATION PROCESS AND SCORING SYSTEM FOR RANKING PROJECTS AND FIGURING OUT WHO GETS MONEY.
UM, SO ALL THAT FEDERAL MONEY IS ROUTED IN NORTH CAROLINA ROUTED THROUGH THAT, THAT SAME APPLICATION PROCESS.
WE ARE INELIGIBLE FOR APPLYING FOR THOSE FUNDS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY ALL THE MONEY COMING IN, WE REALLY CAN'T, WE DON'T HAVE A STAB AT THAT, BUT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, WE, WE ARE CON UH, IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH GOLD LEAF.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY, UH, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF SOME PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS AND WE'VE GOT A FEW FEELERS OUT THERE WITH THEM.
UH, WE, WE GOT A LITTLE WAYS IN A RECENT ROUND OF FUNDING AND, AND THEY DECIDED, DECIDED OUR PROJECT WAS, WASN'T SELECTED, BUT INVITE US TO COME BACK FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF APPLICATIONS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK WHERE WE CAN, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT FOR NEW BERN TO GET OUR HANDS ON ANY OF THE, THE GRANT MONEY.
SO LET ME ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION.
WOULDN'T THIS BE CONSIDERED AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE IF, IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED, IT
IF, IF WE WERE TO HAVE, WE, WE OPERATE A COLLECTION SYSTEM PERMIT THAT'S ISSUED UNDER THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CONDITION THAT PERMIT NEW BEEN, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THESE PIPE PIPELINES AND MAKING SURE WE DO NOT HAVE FAILURES.
SO YES, IT IS, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE, WE TAKE CARE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T CREATE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
JORDAN, IS IT FAIR THAT THE BIG MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE IS USUALLY UNDER REGIONALIZATION? I MEAN, WE HAD A, A MEETING, I GUESS IT WAS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO NOW WITH I THINK IT WAS RIVER BEND AND POLLOCKS FIELD AND TRENTON, AND WE WERE LOOKING TO GET OTHER SMALLER TOWNSHIPS TO COME TOGETHER SO WE COULD GET FUNDING.
THERE ARE SEVERAL BUCKETS THEY KIND OF ESTABLISHED, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY SPLIT UP THE, THE INITIAL ROUND OF ARP FUNDING.
I THINK SOME OF THE BILL FUNDING WILL DO THE SAME THAT THEY'RE, YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE REGIONALIZATION, SO THEY PUT A LOT OF MONEY TOWARDS THAT.
IF YOU COME UP WITH A REAL GOOD REGIONALIZATION PROJECT, UM, THAT HAD A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF, OF GETTING FUNDED.
UM, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, REAL GOOD LIKELIHOODS OF GETTING FUNDED.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAY, IT ALL ROLLS BACK TO THE INITIAL APPLICATION PROCESS.
JUST SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE APPLICATION WE DON'T QUALIFY FOR.
SO WE'RE KIND OF INELIGIBLE FOR THIS.
IT'S A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 12.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD ANY COMMENTS, ANY OTHER MEMBERS.
UM, MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE NORTHWEST INTERCEPTOR REHABILITATION PHASE TWO PROJECT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[13. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Contract with TRC Engineers for On-Call Engineering Services. ]
ITEM NUMBER 13, CONSIDER DOCUMENT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRC ENGINEERS FOR ON-CALL ENGINEERING SERVICES.EVENING MAYOR ALDERMAN, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS FOR CONSIDERATION IS A PROFICIENT ENGINEERING CONTRACT.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS FROM SIX QUALIFIED FIRMS. WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THIS AS AN ON-CALL ASPECT FOR BIDDING CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT.
AND THE PERIOD WILL BE FOR INITIALLY THREE YEARS WITH POSSIBLE ONE YEAR EXTENSION IF NEEDED.
UM, YOU HAVE THE SCORING SHEET OF ALL THE REVIEWERS.
WE HAD FIVE STAFF MEMBERS HELPING THE REVIEW PROCESS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO KEEP IT EQUAL.
AND TRC ENGINEERS WAS THE TOP RATED FIRM.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE ON THAT BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS THAT SAME MR. FOSTER? THIS IS NOT A NEW PROCESS FOR THE CITY, IS IT? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DONE THIS TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
UM, AND THE MAIN REASON THIS IS BEING DONE IS BECAUSE OF THE GRANT PROJECTS THAT WE WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY IN HOUSE TO MANAGE SOME OF THESE.
SO LOOKING AT GETTING AFFIRMED TO MANAGE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
[01:45:01]
FIELD STORMWATER PROJECT, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY A $6 MILLION PROJECT.IS THIS TRC THE SAME ENGINEERING FIRM THAT IS DOING OUR FEMA STUFF? YES, SIR.
AND THEY WOULD JUST BE BROUGHT IN ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WE HAVE FUNDING OF THE BUDGET TO COVER THIS.
SO, SO IF, IF WE CAN, IF WE, UM, SELECT THIS SERVICE AND THIS COMPANY AND THREE YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THAT CONTRACT IS UP, UM, AND WE DECIDE TO HIRE THEM BACK, THEN WE CAN, IT'LL BE COVERED BY GRANT THEN IS THERE GONNA BE AN ONGOING GRANT SERVICE THAT'S, THAT WILL PROVIDE THE PAYMENT TO THIS COMPANY, THE EXPENSE TO THIS COMPANY? WELL, FOR THE DURATION OF THIS POST-CONTRACT, IT WOULD BE COVERED BY A GRANT FUND.
SO REALLY MOVING FORWARD, IF WE DECIDED TO ENTER INTO ANOTHER AGREEMENT WITH THIS, THIS FIRM OR ANY OTHER ONE, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO, FOR A GRANT TO COVER THAT.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEKING THIS SERVICE THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE IT COORDINATES WITH THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE ALREADY PROVIDING? NO, THEY'RE CURRENTLY PROVIDING SERVICES, UM, WITH THE CATEGORY A AND D, FEMA CLEAN OUT PROCESS.
SO TRC AND CHRIS, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS A LARGER FIRM.
THEY'VE GOT A VARIETY OF DIVISIONS THAT DEAL WITH A VARIETY OF THINGS.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE THE SAME.
AND DANNY, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME STAFF THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING OUR CAT A AND CAT D PROJECTS.
IT MAY BE A DIFFERENT ENTITY FROM THAT.
PLC HAS ALL MANNER OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENGINEERS, UH, STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL, AND, AND BASICALLY WHAT WHAT THIS IS, AND I I CAN'T HEAR REAL GOOD, BUT IT'S PHONE CALL.
THERE'S NO COST TO YOU UNLESS SOMETHING POPS UP AND, AND WHAT AN ONCALL, UH, CONTRACT BASICALLY IS.
IT, IT KIND OF HELPS YOU IF YOU'RE IN A, IN A BIND AND YOU NEED SOMETHING PRETTY QUICK, THEN YOU CALL THIS ENGINEER AND THEY'LL COME IN AND DO THE WORK FOR YOU AND THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GONNA CHARGE YOU IS IS THAT TIME.
BUT UH, AS FAR AS THE COMPANY, UH, PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE GAMUT OF, OF THE ENGINEERING CIVIL AND, AND STRUCTURAL AND, AND ALL, UH, UH, WE'RE OUT OF, UH, ACTUALLY OUT OF, UH, CARRY.
SO WE HAVE OFFICES ALL OVER THE, ALL OVER THE WORLD AS A MATTER OF FACT.
BUT, UH, ALL MCKENZIE, NO, DANNY ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
SO FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, UM, WOULDN'T A CITY ENGINEER BE ABLE TO PINPOINT SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS? YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS GONNA BE A ONCALL SERVICE, BUT SHOULDN'T A CITY ENGINEER BE ABLE TO PINPOINT SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE TO SELECT WHOMEVER THE ENGINEER COMPANY THAT WE NEED TO HIRE AT THE TIME? I MEAN, I KNOW WE DON'T, DO WE HAVE A CITY ENGINEER ON STAFF NOW AS IT IS? NO.
SO JORDAN, JORDAN HUGHES SERVES AS OUR CITY ENGINEER.
AND, AND ONE, ONE THING I WANT YOU TO KNOW, JORDAN HUGHES ALSO RUNS THE WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
SO ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE RUN INTO WITH THE VARIETY OF FEMA PROJECTS AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROJECTS IS, UH, STRETCHING STAFF TO WHERE THEY CAN'T CONCENTRATE ON CERTAIN THINGS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING TO LOOK TO CONTRACT OUT CERTAIN THINGS SO WE CAN KIND OF REIGN THESE PROJECTS IN AND GET 'EM COMPLETED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT AND I'M GLAD I ASKED THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY MORE BURDEN OR STRESS OR EXTRA WORK ON OUR EMPLOYEES.
WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS? I MEAN, IS IT GONNA BE YOUR DECISION AS TO WHEN TRC WOULD BE BROUGHT IN, ASSUMING THEY GET APPOINTED THIS EVENING, UH, STA STAFF THAT ARE WORKING ON WHATEVER PROJECTS WOULD BRING IT TO MY ATTENTION AND LET ME KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD NEED SOMEONE.
AND BASICALLY COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WOULD BE THE MAIN ONES THAT WOULD BE, UH, LOOKING AT THESE PROJECTS AND LETTING US KNOW WHAT HELP THEY NEED.
ARE YOU ANTICIPATING THAT THIS FIRM'S SERVICES ARE DEED CURRENTLY WITH ANY PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ONGOING? I BELIEVE THAT, I BELIEVE WITH OUR CURRENT W FIELD STORMWATER PROJECT, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE USED THE MOST.
WHICH IS ABOUT READY TO TAKE PLACE.
PHASE TWO AND THREE, UH, THE STORMWATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT
[01:50:01]
DOWN THERE IN DOUG FIELD, UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO PUT THE CONTRACT OUT FOR BID IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS AND THAT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ASPECT WILL BE NEEDED FOR THAT PROJECT.SO IF WE DON'T BRING A FIRM ON OR DON'T HAVE A FIRM THAT WE CAN CALL IN, THEN THINGS ARE GONNA SLOW DOWN.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT IT.
UM, WHEN, WHEN WE WROTE THE, THE TWO GRANTS THOUGH, WE HAD RECEIVED A 4.5 MILLION GRANT, A 2.5 MILLION GRANT, SO TO SPEAK.
CAUSE WE, WE, WE'VE SEEN WITH, WITH SOME OF THE BIG FUNDS THAT WE'VE HAD, THAT INTERNAL STAFF HAS HAD SOME STRUGGLES TO TRY TO MANAGE THESE PROJECTS INTERNALLY.
WE, WE REALIZE WE NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
SO WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING GRANT FUNDS FOR A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SET OURSELVES UP TO NEED THESE OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES YES.
TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER.
I DON'T MEAN THAT TO BE A BAD THING.
THAT'S A VERY, ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD THING FOR THE CITY.
THE FACT THAT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE AND BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING GRANT FUNDS.
IF THERE'S, GO RIGHT AHEAD MA'AM.
IF THERE'S NO MORE, UM, QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DISCUSSION, I LIKE MAKE A MOTION.
I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRC ENGINEERS FOR ON-CALL ENGINEERING SERVICES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTER.
[14. Consider Adopting a Resolution Amending the Classification Pay Plan for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. ]
ITEM NUMBER 14, CONSIDER DOCUMENT RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324.MS. HAYES, GOOD EVENING MAYOR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ON JUNE 13TH, I CAME BEFORE YOU AND YOU APPROVED THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324.
THAT PAY PLAN ONLY INCORPORATED POSITION, TITLE CHANGES, RECLASSIFICATION AND ONE NEW POSITION THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET.
SO SUBSEQUENT TO YOU APPROVING THAT CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN, YOU ALSO APPROVED A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT EFFECTIVE JULY ONE OF THIS YEAR.
SO I'M BACK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH A REVISED PAY PLAN ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE REVISED PAY PLAN THAT INCORPORATES THE 3% COST OF LIVING.
SO SIMPLY WHAT WE DID WAS TOOK THE RANGES AND SHIFTED THEM UP BY 3%.
SO THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT TO CONSIDER.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS LIKE MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HAVE ADOPT A RESOLUTION.
AMENDING CLASSIFICATION, PAY PLAN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH DERMAN KINZIE.
[15. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the West New Bern Water System Improvements Project Fund. ]
ITEM NUMBER 15, CONSIDER ING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE WEST NEW BERN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND.UH, MS. OSTROM, THIS ORDINANCE AMENDS THE WEST NEW BERN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND BY 88,500 UH, DOLLARS.
UM, FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE WATER FUND TO THE PROJECT FUND TO COVER ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING COSTS.
UM, SO I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE, OR ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE WEST NEW BERN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
WHAT WAS THAT? I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU DID IT THE LAST PART YOU SAID.
SO I JUST ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE FOR THE WATER WEST NEW BERN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FUND.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE WEST NEW BERN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUND? SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN.
[01:55:01]
ODOM.[16.Consider Adopting the Final Budget Ordinance Amendment for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. ]
THANK YOU.ITEM NUMBER 16, CONSIDER ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2223.
KIM, MY ONLY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU SURE THIS IS THE FINAL ONE? IT HAS TO BE.
UM, THE ATTACHMENT THAT'S ON THERE, I'LL GO BRIEFLY OVER IT.
WE ARE, UM, FOR GENERAL FUND A TOTAL NET REDUCTION IN APPROPRIATIONS OF $49,000.
THERE IS INCREASE OF $1,200 FOR MSD, WHICH WAS UM, HANGING TAGS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THE WATER FUND NET DIFFERENCE, UH, FOR APPROPRIATIONS IS ZERO.
WE'RE JUST MOVING A THOUSAND DOLLARS BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
UM, THE SEWER FUND IS A NET REDUCTION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 9 590 $6,000.
AND THE ELECTRIC FUND IS A REDUCTION NET REDUCTION OF $587,000.
THE EMPLOYEE'S BENEFIT INSURANCE FUND HAS A NET INCREASE OF $600,000 IN APPROPRIATIONS AND IT WAS DUE TO HIGH CLAIM COSTS.
AND, UM, THE SOLID WASTE FUND HAS A NET INCREASE OF APPROPRIATIONS OF $285,000.
AND THAT WAS FOR THE GFL CONTRACT.
UM, SECTION TWO, THE ESTIMATED REVENUES WE HAVE, UM, ADDED BACK TO FUND BALANCE.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT FOR GENERAL FUND FOR THIS IS ABOUT $395,000.
AND THE UM, MSD AN ADDITIONAL UM, INCREASE IN REVENUES WAS 1200 FOR PARKING FEES.
THE SEWER FUND, UM, 590, A DECREASE OF $596,000.
AND THAT WAS, UM, DUE TO OVER ESTIMATE IN THE, INTO THE REVENUES FOR ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT.
THE ELECTRIC FUND HAS ANOTHER AMOUNT OF $587,000, BUT UM, WE ARE REDUCING FUND BALANCE BY 2.8 MILLION, 2,853,000 FOR THE ELECTRIC FUND.
THE EMPLOYEES BENEFIT INSURANCE FUND IS, UM, OFFSET THAT $600,000 OFFSET BY INCREASED REVENUES OF 268,000.
SO WE'RE APPROPRIATING 332,000 FROM FUND BALANCE AND THE SOLID WASTE FUND IS, UM, REDUCING FUND BALANCE BY 285,000.
HAVE QUESTIONS MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET ORDINANCE, AMENDMENT, AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I JUST CHUCKLED CAUSE THAT WAS A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY AND A WHOLE LOT OF NUMBERS AND IT WENT REALLY, REALLY QUICK.
SO YOU CAN TELL WE'RE GETTING LATER IN THE MEETING SO
THAT MEANS THAT WE TRUST OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.
WHAT THE QUESTION OF TRUST? WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS THERE.
UM, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRINSON.
[17. Appointment(s). ]
THANK YOU.ITEM NUMBER 17 IS APPOINTMENTS.
UM, THERE'S A LITANY OF THESE.
I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THEM ON THE AGENDA PACKAGE.
UH, FIRST ONE WE HAVE OTTOMAN ROYAL, YOU HAVE AN OPENING FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
STILL SEEKING THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND LET ME ADD IF THERE IS ANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO MIGHT KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO'S INTERESTED, IF YOU'LL FORWARD ME THE INFORMATION, PLEASE.
UM, ALSO WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, WE RECEIVED FROM BRENDA THAT THERE ARE TWO ALTERNATE CANDIDATES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
SO THAT ACTION COULD BE TAKEN TONIGHT IF WE WANTED TO.
THAT'S, UH, THAT IS THE NEXT PAGE AND PAGE ONE 15 FOR THOSE FOLLOWING ALONG.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE MIKE DUFFY AND KATHLEEN MARTY, UH, THEIR TERMS ARE UP JUNE 30 OF THIS YEAR.
UH, THEY'RE BOTH ALTERNATES AND THEY'RE BOTH ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT FOR THREE YEAR TERM.
SO THAT'S OPEN TO ANYONE IF YOU WANTED
[02:00:01]
TO MAKE THAT MOTION.WELL, NOBODY HAS ANY OBJECTIONS.
UM, I'LL MAKE A, A MOTION THAT WE REAPPOINT MIKE DUFFY AND KATHLEEN MORTY TO CONTINUE A, IN THEIR ALTERNATE POSITIONS FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2023.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, ANY DISCUSSION? MORE OF A QUESTION? SURE.
UM, SINCE WE'RE APPOINTING THESE, REAPPOINTING THEM TO ALTERNATE POSITIONS, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO APPOINT ONE OF THEM IN ALDERMAN ROYAL'S POSITION? SHOULD THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO DO THAT? THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I MEAN, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY ENOUGH TO IMAN ROYAL.
GIVEN THAT INFORMATION FOR ME TO FOLLOW UP, CAN WE, YOU WANT TABLE? YES, PLEASE.
I'LL WITHDRAW THE MOTION IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK ON TALK TO BOTH OF THOSE.
YOU GOOD WITH THAT, MR. ATTORNEY? YES, SIR.
THAT MOTION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
SO, UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ONE, ALDERMAN ROYAL, YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE HPC HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION THAT IS CURRENTLY HELD BY RUTH COX.
HER TERM HAS EXPIRED AND SHE IS INELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
I HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED THAT PERSON.
IF THE BOARD IS AWARE OF SOMEONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SERVE, PLEASE NOTIFY ME.
UH, GREGORY RUSH'S TERM ON HPC IS EXPIRED ON JUNE 30.
UH, HE IS ELIGIBLE FOR RE APPOINTMENT AND DESIRES TO CONTINUE SERVING.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, FOR MR. RUSH TO BE REAPPOINTED TO THEIR HPC BOARD.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR MR. RUSH.
I GOT, I GOT A SECOND FROM ALL APPROVE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, MR. RUSH IS REAPPOINTED ALDER MCKENZIE, YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE PLAINTIFF AND ZONING BOARD.
RAYMOND LAYTON'S TERM, UH, IS UP JUNE 30 AND HE IS INELIGIBLE.
DO YOU HAVE ANYONE FOR THAT YET? I DO NOT, SIR.
YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR PLAINTIFF AND ZONING BOARD AS WELL.
PAT DOCKERY'S TERM IS UP AND HE IS INELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT THAT DEFER THE NEXT ONE.
THE NEXT ONE ARE THREE APPOINTMENTS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD THAT'S OPEN FOR ANYONE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE TONIGHT? MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT MR. MARK DEVANEY AND MR. KEN DOUB, UM, BE APPOINTED TO THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
LET'S DO THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
HE HAD, UM, EXPRESSED INTEREST, UM, LAST YEAR, UM, TO BE APPOINTED TO EITHER THE, UH, I THINK THE PLANNING AND ZONING OR TO THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
UH, SO I'M JUST MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE, UM, ALLOW HIM TO GET STARTED IN SERVICE TO THE CITY THROUGH THE, UH, THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
I HAVE A MOTION FOR MARK DEVANEY FOR CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
SECOND, THE SECOND ALDERMAN ROYAL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND THEN YOUR SECOND ONE, SIR.
UH, WE RECEIVED FROM BRENDA THIS AFTERNOON.
I BELIEVE THAT A MR. KEN DOW, UH, HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BEING APPOINTED TO THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD AS WELL.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE, UM, NOMINATE HIM FOR THAT POSITION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT'S AN AYE FOR ME.
UM, NEXT ONE IS THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UH, YOU SEE THAT IN THE PACKAGE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY LISTED IN OUR AGENDA THAT WE WOULD DISCUSS THIS IN AUGUST, BUT IT'S JUST THERE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE FOR THAT ROLE.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT? SO, SO GIVE A NAME TONIGHT OF A RECRUIT.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANYONE YOU WANNA SUBMIT TONIGHT, WE CAN, BUT I THINK, UH, WHAT WE DISCUSSED THE LAST MEETING, ATTORNEY CAN CORRECT ME.
MS. LEE HAS, UH, RESIGNED AND HER TERM IS NOT UP.
SO IF WE WERE THEORETICALLY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TONIGHT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO REAPPOINT THAT AT THE END OF THAT TERM.
[02:05:01]
WE MAKE THAT IN THE NEXT MEETING.NOW, ALL, UM, COMMISSIONER TABARI WALLACE IS UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT AND HE IS STILL IN THE SEAT, SO I'M SURE IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO DO THAT WE COULD JUST CONTINUE AND HE COULD CONTINUE TO SERVE.
HAS ANYBODY DISCUSSED IT WITH HIM? UH, I HAVE AND HE, HE WANTS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE.
WELL, I HAVE A NAME I WANT TO GO IN TONIGHT.
UH, HIS NAME IS JIMMY DILL HUNT.
AND HE TURNED HIS RESUME INTO BRENDA TODAY.
SO, SO BRENDA, YOU RECEIVED TWO RESUMES FROM MR. JIMMY DI HUNT? NO, I ONLY RECEIVED THE ONE THAT YOU SUBMITTED.
CUZ I WAS GONNA SUBMIT, UM, FOR RECOMMENDATION MR. JIMMY DILL HUNT AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE, I BELIEVE TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST, UM, TO SERVE AS WELL.
SO THE BOARD NOW HAS JIMMY DI HUNT, UM, MS. CAROL BECKTON.
AND REMIND ME WHO THE, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE FIRST NAME.
WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, RESUME FROM HER AS WELL.
SO THAT'S THE ONES WE HAVE NOW.
SO WE'LL MAKE THAT ACTUAL ACTION AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IF EVERYONE IS GOOD WITH THAT.
CAN YOU LIST THE NAMES AGAIN? I KNOW YOU SAID MR. JIMMY DELLA HUNT, MS. CAROL BETON AND AGAPE ADAMS. I DID NOT, I DON'T BELIEVE I RECEIVED A COPY OF THAT RESUME.
DID I? WHEN DID YOU SEND IT OUT? I CAN PUSH IT OUT AGAIN, BUT IT WENT TO THE WHOLE BOARD.
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT ONE EITHER, BUT I GET A LOT OF EMAILS, SO I WASN'T GONNA EXPOSE MYSELF.
UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM.
DID I MISS ANY FROM ANYONE? ALL
[18. Attorney' s Report.]
RIGHT.[19. City Manager's Report. ]
NOT MAYOR.CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TWO ITEMS FOR YOU.
UH, ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, UH, WE HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THE INTERNAL STAFF.
WE ARE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, PROJECT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT OUR CONSULTANT WANTED TO DO WAS HAVE A MEETING WITH THE MANAGER, THE MAYOR, AND AT LEAST TWO GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO, TO BE A PART OF THE PLANNING OF THIS BEFORE THE ENTIRE BOARD GETS TOGETHER.
SO, UM, IF, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DETERMINE TO, TO ALMAN THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME MEETINGS, UH, IN ADVANCE FOR THE PLANNING, WE WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO DO THAT.
WHAT DAY AND TIME? DON'T HAVE DAYS AND TIMES YET.
WE'LL BASICALLY BE WORKING WITH YOUR SCHEDULE ON OKAY.
HOW SOON DO THEY WANNA DO THIS? UH, I THINK WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS OR SO.
AFTER THE HOLIDAY AT SOME POINT.
UM, CAN I MAKE THIS SUGGESTION? HOW ABOUT, UH, IF WE GET, ARE WE WAITING ON THEM TO GIVE DATES OR US TO GIVE DATES? WE NEED YOUR INTEREST AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL GET BRENDA TO WORK, WORK UP THE SCHEDULE AND SEES SEE WHAT THE AVAILABILITY IS.
FIRST OF ALL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE INTEREST TO SIT IN ON THAT MEETING? WHEN IS THE MEETING AGAIN? WE, WE DON'T KNOW YET.
SO IT'S, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A MATTER OF IF YOU HAVE INTEREST, THEN WE'RE GONNA DETERMINE WHEN DID YOU SAY WHEN OR WHAT, WHAT IS THE, OH, SORRY.
SO THIS IS FOR OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
UH, OUR, OUR CONSULTANT WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH THE, THE MANAGER, THE MAYOR, AND AT LEAST TWO GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS.
JUST TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO GET OUT OF THIS.
UH, JUST GET, GET YOUR FEEDBACK, THAT'D BE INTEREST.
ANYONE ELSE? I'D BE INTERESTED.
OTTOMAN ROYAL DERMAN BRINSON AU.
SO, UM, I TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S DO THIS.
UM, EVERYBODY IS OBVIOUSLY GONNA HAVE INPUT TO PROVIDE WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU MY SCHEDULE'S GONNA BE VERY TIGHT FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
SO HOW ABOUT IF I CIRCULATE MY AVAILABILITY TO THE CLERK AND THEN SHE CAN CIRCULATE THAT THROUGH THE BOARD AND THE FIRST TWO THAT RESPOND ARE IN, I'M RESPONDING.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL, WE'LL GO THAT ROUTE.
AND, AND THE GOAL IS, UH, AT SOME POINT IN AUGUST TO TO HAVE A, A, A WORK SESSION THAT IS AT LEAST A DAY IN DURATION.
UM, SO BRENDA'S GONNA BE AFTER, AFTER THE HOLIDAY.
BRENDA'S GONNA BE REACHING OUT FOR AVAILABILITY ON THAT, AND THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA KICK THIS PROCESS OFF.
AND I'LL ALSO THROW THIS OUT THERE.
IF THERE'S THREE OTHERS THAT WANNA MEET WITH THEM, I CAN MEET WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY IF, IF NEED BE.
UH, ONLY OTHER THING FOR YOU TONIGHT IS AS A REMINDER, THE 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY IS COMING UP.
SO CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED NEXT TUESDAY.
WE WILL BE OFFERING THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT LAWSON CREEK PARK.
THAT EVENT STARTS, I BELIEVE, AT 5:30 PM WE'LL HAVE MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT FOOD VENDORS.
FIREWORKS WILL START AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15 PM AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THEM FROM THE MAJORITY OF, UH, OF LOCATIONS ALONG THE WATER IN THE CITY.
SO HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE HOLIDAY.
[02:10:01]
LET'S MOVE[20. New Business. ]
ON TO NEW BUSINESS OTTOMAN PRE, UM, I HAVE ONE ITEM.I THINK EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, THE QUESTERS VOLUNTEER GROUP.
UM, THEY DO WORK OVER AT CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY.
UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY, SOME OF THE WORK INVOLVES RESTORATION OF THE, UH, THE MARKERS AND THE GRAVESTONES.
TYPICALLY, WHAT THEY END UP HAVING TO DO, UH, IS BRING AN OUTSIDE COMPANY IN TO, UH, MAKE THOSE KIND OF REPAIRS.
WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, UM, HAVE ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS, MR. JOHN BARNES, ATTEND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAMS THAT ARE UP IN PENNSYLVANIA.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT HE WOULD BE DOING IS, UM, ACTING AS A KIND OF A TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAM.
SO HE WOULD GO TO THESE, UM, THESE COURSES TO LEARN THE PROCESS AND WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, THEN HE COULD COME BACK AND TRAIN OTHER MEMBERS OF THE QUESTER ORGANIZATION, UM, IN THE KIND OF REPAIR AND RESTORATION WORK.
UM, AND IN ESSENCE, TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS THEY CAN IN HOUSE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO BRING IN, UM, CONTRACTORS FROM OUTSIDE.
THE COST FOR THESE PROGRAMS, UH, FOR THE, UH, TUITION MATERIALS, UH, AND SUPPLIES THAT ARE NEEDED ALONG WITH JUST TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR MR. BARNES TO ATTEND THESE IS $2,860.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A MOTION THAT, UM, ARPA FUNDS BE MADE AVAILABLE, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,860 FOR MR. BARNES TO ATTEND THIS PROGRAM.
WHAT FUNDS? WHAT'S THAT? WHAT FUNDS? AR.
AR OH A DO WE HAVE ANY LEFT? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? PROVIDED HE HAS SOME FUNDS.
ALDERMAN PR HAS APPROXIMATELY, AS OF RIGHT NOW, $13,000 AVAILABLE IN FUNDS.
SO WE HAVE A SECOND? YES, SIR.
SECOND BY, UH, AUTOMASTER? YES, SIR.
UM, I GUESS I KNOW THERE'S RESTRICTIONS WITH ALL THAT, SO STAFF IS GOOD WITH THAT ALLOCATION.
SO JUST, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, THIS IS REIMBURSABLE.
SO THEY'LL BASICALLY PAY FOR THEIR TRIP AND THEN THEY'LL JUST SUBMIT THAT INFORMATION TO THE CITY AND THEY'LL BE REIMBURSED.
UM, EVERYONE CLEAR ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, THE INFAMOUS QUESTION.
THE STREETS IN DUCKETT FIELD, MR. CHILDS.
UH, THE STREETS ARE STILL ON TRACK FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 10TH FOR THE MILLING CONTRACTOR TO MOVE IN WITH THE PAVING CONTRACTOR.
WHAT WAS THAT DATE AGAIN? FOR JULY 10TH JULY.
MS. UH, ALDERMAN RO, MAY I IMPOSE ON YOUR TIME? PLEASE DO.
SINCE WE HAVE MR. CHILDS HERE AND I'LL HAVE TO BRING HIM BACK.
UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING PHONE CALLS AND FROM CITIZENS, UM, THAT LIVE ON LINCOLN STREET.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, THE STREET WAS ALREADY IN BAD SHAPE, AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC THAT'S BEEN COMING THROUGH THERE BECAUSE OF THIS PAVING PROJECT HAS BEEN, UM, OWNED FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT WE HAVEN'T PAVED THE STREETS OVER THERE IN DUFFY FIELD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF LINCOLN STREET CAN BE PUT, I I'M MAKING A SUGGESTION HERE AND I KNOW IT HAS TO BE APPROVED OR WHATEVER, BUT IF LINCOLN STREET COULD BE, UH, PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2324 PAVING PROJECT, WE CAN CERTAINLY EVALUATE IT INCLUDED THEN.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT SOME, SOME SIDE ROADS OF SUB COLLECTOR ROADS IN THAT AREA.
THANK YOU, MR. THAT ALL RIGHT.
ALDERMAN NASTER? NOTHING DENIED, SIR.
ALDER MCKENZIE? NOT TONIGHT, SIR.
UM, I HAD ONE QUESTION TO THE, I GUESS, CITY MANAGER, UM, MR. HUGHES.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME, UH, WHY, WHAT EXPLANATION DID, UM, THE CITY RECEIVED THE REASON WHY THE, UH, RURAL TRANSFORMATION GRANT WAS DENIED? WE HAVE, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO, UM, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO FIND OUT.
WE'VE YET TO HEAR A COMMENT FROM THEM.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR.
WE'LL GET AN, WE'LL GET AN ANSWER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
[02:15:01]
WE'LL KEEP HOUNDING THEM UNTIL WE GET ONE.SO THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE AN ANSWER FOR DENIAL OR TO TAKE A GRANT OR
SOME, SOME ORGANIZATIONS WILL TELL YOU I SCORED ON POINTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN US ANYTHING YET.
I REMEMBER, UH, IT'S SINCE THE LAST MEETING I ATTENDED THE, UH, WOMEN'S VETERANS LUNCHEON.
IT WAS GOOD TO, UH, LISTEN TO SOME OF THOSE, UH, STORIES THAT THEY HAD, UH, AND CELEBRATING THEIR VETERAN STATUS.
ALSO ATTENDED ON THE BOARD'S BEHALF, THE MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS EAST CHANGE COMMAND AT CAMP LEJEUNE.
UH, THAT COMMAND BASICALLY RANGES FROM, UM, UH, HERE ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA TO GEORGIA.
AND SO, UH, VERY MUCH MARINE FOCUSED.
ALSO, UH, MADE REMARKS AT THE FOOD BANK FUNDRAISER LAST WEEK.
UH, AND HAPPY TO REPORT AT LEAST WHAT WAS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN.
THEY, UH, RAISED MORE THAN $75,000.
UM, BUT I WAS TOLD BY THE DIRECTOR AFTERWARDS THAT THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT DID NOT WANT TO GET RECOGNIZED.
SO THERE WERE SOME CHECKS HANDED IN AFTERWARDS AS WELL.
SO THEY, IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR THEM, AND, UH, GLAD TO SEE THAT THEY'RE MOVING INTO THEIR, UH, NEW FACILITY ON RED ROBIN AND HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE CAPACITY, UH, AND CAPABILITIES THAN THEY HAD, THAN WHEN WE WENT THROUGH, UH, BOTH FLORENCE AND WITH COVID.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, UH, TODAY'S MY ANNIVERSARY, SO I'D LIKE TO WISH MY WIFE A 31ST ANNIVERSARY.
IS THAT ALL, SIR? THAT IS ALL.
UM, I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA MENTION AGAIN THE, THE STREET LIGHTING ON IAN STREET.
THAT IS A EXTREMELY DARK STREET.
I CONTINUE TO GET CONCERNS ABOUT THAT NEXT TO TRYING PALACE.
AND THEY CAN'T GET TO 'EM BECAUSE OF THE TREES, BUT THAT'S, UH, THERE'S A, A PUBLIC PARKING LOT THAT'S ACROSS THE STREET AND IT'S, UH, IT'S PRETTY DANGEROUS.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE THAT EVALUATED, PLEASE.
AND THEN, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR YOU, MR. HUGHES OR MR. CHILDS THE SIDEWALK, THE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE IS TAKING PLACE DOWNTOWN.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT STARTED, UM, NOW IT STOPPED.
I RECEIVED THREE OR FOUR PHONE CALLS FROM BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN.
UM, THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THAT.
AND NOW THERE'S NO WORK BEING DONE AND THE SIDEWALKS ARE BLOCKED.
SO WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND? YES.
SEE, THE FIBER INSTALLER SEGRE WAS ACTUALLY THE ONE PERFORMING THE WORK, AND THEY HAD RECEIVED AN ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT AFTER MONTHS OF GOING THROUGH IT AND THROUGH HPC ON HOW THIS WOULD, WOULD BE INSTALLED.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED WHEN THEY MOBILIZED TO START THEIR WORK.
SO WE COULD NOT HAVE A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING TO GO OVER THE STIPULATIONS OF THAT ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE MET WITH THEM ON SITE NOW.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY, THEY'VE ALTERED THEIR PLANS A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'LL LIMIT THE CURRENT IMPACT.
SO AFTER THE AREAS THAT THEY'VE GOT PULLED FOR FIBER, THEY'RE GONNA CLOSE THOSE UP AND THEY WILL NOT RETURN FOR SOME TIME IF THEY ELECT TO DO THE BACK END OF THE FIBER.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TOMORROW, UM, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE INSTALLER TO PUT THE CA THE PAVERS BACK HAUL, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF THE PEPSI STORES, TO, SO WE'LL START RESTORING THE SIDEWALK TO PRIOR, PRIOR CONSTRUCTION.
AND THERE'S ALSO, UM, IN FRONT OF TOM'S COINS AND ANTIQUES, THERE'S A BIG SECTION THAT THEY'VE GOT BLOCKED OFF.
SO DO WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE NOW TO WHERE JUST ANYBODY CAN'T COME DOWNTOWN AND START TEARING UP THE, OR ANYWHERE IN THE CITY? AS FAR AS THAT GOES? WE, WE HAVE TO, BY GENERAL STATUTE, ALLOW CERTAIN UTILITIES, UM, ACCESS TO OUR RIGHT WAY.
WITH THAT, THOUGH, WE, UM, HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND REQUIREMENTS TO HOW THEY DO THEIR WORK IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IN THIS CASE, SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE SO MANY, UM, PROPOSED FIBER OR UTILITIES DOWNTOWN AND THROUGH HBC'S APPROVAL, ANY HANDHOLD.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE PLASTIC LIDS ON THE SIDEWALKS, ANY PLACE THAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE CALL AN IMPROVED SIDEWALK WITHIN THE MSD, SO THE PAVERS WE'RE REQUIRING THEM TO HAVE, THE ACTUAL LID IS GONNA BE BELOW THE PAVERS.
SO THAT IS, IS REQUIRING SOME ADDITIONAL WORK.
WHAT WE WERE AFRAID OF WITH, WITH ALL THE NEW FIBER COMPANIES COMING IN, OUR ENTIRE IMPROVED SECTION OF SIDEWALKS ARE GONNA BE NOTHING BUT PLASTIC LIDS.
AND THIS WAS A WAY TO REGULATE THAT APPEARANCE AND THAT THAT WAS ALSO A PART OF THE HPC APPROVAL.
AND, AND WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING THIS WAY.
[02:20:01]
WE WERE WE'LL TAKEN BACK FROM THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN APPEARED.YEAH, I THINK THEY, I THINK THEY CAME IN ON CAMP WEEKEND WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF PARENTS DROPPING KIDS OFF AT THE CAMPS AND YEAH, IT WAS A MESS.
[21. Closed Session. ]
ALRIGHT.UH, I DO KNOW WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION TO CONDUCT THE, UM, SIX MONTH REVIEW FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION FOR? NOT THAT I'M AWARE, MAYOR, THAT'S, UH, PURSUANT TO 1 43 3 18 11 A SIX.
NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND? SHALL GO? HAVE A MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF GOING TO CLOSED SESSION? SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE IN CLOSED SESSION.
IS THERE ANY MORE BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE NEW BOARD OF ALDERMAN THIS EVENING? IF NOT, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
HAVE A MOTION ALDERMAN APPROVE.