Jul 25, 2023 Board of Aldermen

BOARD, IF YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.

IF THERE'S NONE, ANY CHANGES, MAKE THE MOTION.

WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

A PRESENTATION BY OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE TO USE KAFER PARK FOR SUMMER COLLEGE BASEBALL.

ANY OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT IS

[Consent Agenda]

THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, SIR.

MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AS IS ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.

[7. Presentation by Old North State League to Use Kafer Park for Summer College Baseball.]

MR. HUGHES.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ALDERMAN.

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, ALEC ARD WITH THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE, APPROACHED THE CITY ABOUT, UH, THEIR INTEREST IN POSSIBLY BRINGING, UH, A TEAM, UH, WITH THE OLD DOOR STATE LEAGUE TO NEWBURN.

AND SO MR. ARD IS HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THAT.

MAYOR, CITY MANAGER FOR DERMAN.

APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

UH, MY NAME IS ALEC ARD AND MY FAMILY, UH, THIS IS MY FATHER.

WE OWN THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING A COLLEGE SUMMER BASEBALL LEAGUE BACK TO UBER.

UM, SO I'LL GO THROUGH PRETTY BRIEFLY, UH, THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION AND, AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS.

SO THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE IS CURRENTLY THE FOURTH LARGEST COLLEGIATE SUMMER WOOD BAT LEAGUE IN THE COUNTRY.

UM, IT'S MADE UP OF 16 TEAMS GOING INTO 2024, BUT THE NEWEST ADDITION OF JACKSONVILLE, UH, WE HAVE TEAMS IN ELIZABETH CITY, BRUNSWICK COUNTY, UM, KINSTON, HENDERSONVILLE, RALEIGH PINEVILLE, AND A LIST OF OTHERS.

OUR SEASON RUNS FROM LATE MAY TO, UM, LATE JULY, AND TEAMS TYPICALLY PLAY 20 TO 25 HOME GAMES EACH YEAR AND ARE MADE UP OF COLLEGE PLAYERS.

UH, FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE 60 TO 70% OF OUR PLAYERS COME WITHIN 30 OR 45 MILES OF THEIR HOME CITY.

UH, BUT WE HAVE HOST FAMILIES

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IN PLACE TO TAKE OUT-OF-STATE PLAYERS AS WELL.

UH, JUST A COUPLE PICTURES.

UM, BOGEY BALLPARK IS IN PINEHURST.

THAT'S ONE OF OUR MORE SUCCESSFUL TEAMS, UM, WHERE MY FAMILY ACTUALLY OWNS THAT TEAM.

AND WE BUILT A STADIUM THERE LAST YEAR.

TRENDWAY PARK IS, UH, OWNED TO THE SANFORD SPINNERS, UM, A A FORMER MILL LEAGUE TEAM THAT WE KIND OF REVAMPED AND, AND MADE A COLLEGE SUMMER LEAGUE TEAM.

HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF THE CURRENT BALLPARKS AROUND THE LEAGUE.

UH, JP REAL STADIUM IN BAYVILLE, BERKELEY MILLS PARK, WHICH IS A MILL LEAGUE THAT'S IN HENDERSONVILLE AND JACKIES PARK, NEW STADIUM THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN PINEVILLE.

THE BIG THING ABOUT WHY WE WANT TO COME TO NEW BERN IS NEW BERN IS A, A MARKET, UH, A SIMILAR MARKET WHERE WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST.

THIS HAS A GREAT POPULATION, BUT HAS A, UH, VERY STRONG TOURIST DRAW AS WELL.

UM, THERE'S A DEEP HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN NEWBURG, UH, AND, AND SPECIFICALLY CAPER PARK.

AND SO WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN THE PAST, THAT RICH HISTORY HAS NOT ONLY ALLOWED THOSE TEAMS TO BE SUCCESSFUL 'CAUSE THE TALENT IS STILL IN THE AREA, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A TON OF COMMUNITY SPORT BEHIND IT.

UM, WHEN WE CREATED THE LEAGUE BACK FIVE YEARS AGO TOGETHER, I WAS PLAYING MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AT THE TIME, UM, AND I INJURED MY WRIST AND I WAS IN MICHIGAN.

SO WE DROVE HOME, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND WE, WE CRAFTED THE IDEA OF THE LEAGUE OVER A PHONE CALL AND OBVIOUSLY EXPANDED UPON NOW, BUT THE BIG THING WAS WE WANTED TO GET BASEBALL BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AROUND NORTH CAROLINA.

I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT MINOR LEAGUE AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAVE DONE A NOT A GOOD JOB AT EXPANDING THE GAME.

THEY, THEY'VE MADE THE GAME SMALLER IN COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY AROUND NORTH CAROLINA.

AND SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TAKE WHAT THE MILL LEAGUE TEAMS DID BACK IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS AND KIND OF REVAMP IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT EXPAND UPON WHAT THEY DID AND, AND TRY TO BRING BASEBALL BACK TO SOME OF THESE FORGOTTEN BASEBALL COMMUNITIES.

UM, AND, AND NEW BERN IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.

AND SO, UM, THOSE, THOSE ARE THE FEW THINGS, UH, BRIEFLY THAT WE, WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF BRINGING A TEAM TO NEWBURG.

UM, AS, AS I TOUCHED ON, WE HAVE A LOT OF SCENARIOS AROUND THE LEAGUE WHERE WE HAVE HAD OLD, OLD BALLPARK PARTS, OLD MINOR LEAGUE PARTS THAT WE'VE RENOVATED, UH, AND BROUGHT, BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.

UH, AND SO CAPER IS THAT IS LIKE A, A A, A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO.

UH, WE, WE WANNA BRING IT BACK TO LIFE.

WE WANT TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO CAPER PARK, UM, AND REALLY REVITALIZE IT.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A MILL LEAGUE STADIUM THAT WE RENOVATED.

THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST ONE THAT WE EVER DID ACTUALLY.

HE WAS RESPONSIBLE PRETTY MUCH FOR THIS ONE, UH, BACK IN 2014.

AND THIS IS IN RAMSON, NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS OUR HOMETOWN.

UH, JUST SOME, SOME OTHER PICTURES OF, UH, STARTING CONSTRUCTION.

SO IN 2022, THE TOP PICTURE OF THAT WAS, THAT WAS OUR BA THAT WAS BOGEY BALLPARK.

THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.

AND THEN IN, UH, THE SUMMER OF 20 22, 3 MONTHS LATER, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER, THAT'S WAS BUILT IN THREE MONTHS FROM THE GROUND UP.

SO PLANTS AND INITIATIVES, WE WOULD LIKE TO HIRE A LOCAL GENERAL MANAGER, UH, WORK WITH PARSON REC, WORK WITH THE E C A B L, UM, WORK WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS TO, TO GROW BASEBALL, GROW REC, UH, RECREATION AND, AND GROW THE COMMUNITY AND HELP THE COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

UM, DRIVE ECONOMIC REVENUE TO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND, AND REALLY TRYING TO USE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT TO BE A BENEFIT BEYOND JUST THE COMMUNITY ASPECT, BUT ALSO TO THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WELL.

UH, OUR PROPOSAL IS WE WILL, UH, INVEST WHAT'S ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 250 AND $350,000 INTO RENOVATION PROJECTS AROUND THE BALLPARK.

UH, EXPANDING THE DUGOUTS, UH, FIXING THE PLAN SERVICE, PUTTING IN BULLPENS, BUILDING A GRANDSTAND, UH, BEER PATIO, EXTENDING THE OUTFIELD FENCE BACK IN CENTER FIELD.

UM, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE ALL OF OUR ESTIMATED CALLS.

WE, WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.

UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE, WE'VE BUILT PROBABLY FIVE DIFFERENT BALLPARKS IN SOME CAPACITY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN EXCHANGE WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING THAT WE WILL, UM, DO THE INVESTMENT UP FRONT ON OUR PART AND EXCHANGE.

WE'LL BE GIVEN A 10 YEAR LEASE AT A DOLLAR A YEAR, UM, AND WORK WITH THE CITY ANYTIME THAT THERE'S ANY TYPES OF EVENTS THEY'D LIKE TO HOST OUT THERE.

WORK WITH THE E C A D L ANYTIME THEY WANT TO DO STUFF.

AND REALLY JUST TRY TO REVITALIZE THE REV, REVITALIZE THE BALLPARK.

I USE THE BALLPARK FOR MORE THAN JUST COLLEGE SUMMER BASEBALL INSIDE

[00:10:01]

OF THE SUMMER.

USE IT FOR TOURNAMENTS AND, UM, DIFFERENT EVENTS TO BRING MORE PEOPLE TO NEWBURN, TO STAY IN HOTELS AND TO EAT IN RESTAURANTS.

AND REALLY USE THE BALLPARK YEAR ROUND TO DRIVE MORE ECONOMIC REVENUE TO EVERY, UH, EVERY BUSINESS IN THE AREA.

AND HERE'S, UH, SOME, SOME, UH, RENDERINGS.

UH, THESE WERE DONE PRETTY QUICKLY, SO, UM, BUT THIS IS KIND OF OUR IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO.

THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF, OF A TYPE OF GRANDSTAND THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S CALLED AN ANGULAR BUILT, UM, MITRE CUT GRANDSTAND.

JUST SOME CONCLUDING THOUGHTS, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THESE, BUT, UH, I, I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, A FEW CONCERNS.

UH, OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE E C A B L, THAT'S A COMMITMENT OF MINE THAT WE'VE, AS I WAS TALKING TO THESE GUYS EARLIER, UH, FROM A, FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, THESE GUYS DON'T KNOW ME FROM ADAM, SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA TRUST ME, BUT THEY CAN TRUST THE BUSINESS.

THE GAME OF BASEBALL HAS NOT GROWN IN MY OPINION.

AND SO IT WOULD BE THE ABSOLUTE WORST THING IN THE WORLD FOR ME TO MAKE, UH, TO LOSE THE FAN BASE OF PROBABLY THE STRONGEST BASEBALL SUPPORTERS IN THE AREA.

UM, SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 'EM.

UH, WE'LL TAKE OVER UTILITIES TO THE BALLPARK.

UM, OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING WE FEEL IS VERY FAIR.

GRANGER STADIUM IN KINSTON, UM, THE DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS, THEY PAY ABOUT $65,000 A YEAR FOR THEIR BALLPARK IN A LEASE.

SO OURS WILL JUST BE ON THE FRONT END TO PUT INTO THE INVESTMENT INTO THE FIELD.

UM, AND WE WOULD WORK WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY AND ALL EVENTS THAT THE CITY WANTS TO HOST OUT THERE, UH, MORE THAN WELCOME TO, TO WORK TOGETHER AND GET THOSE SCHEDULED.

THAT'S IT.

BOARD, BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? IT'S, IS THERE, OKAY.

SORRY, GO AHEAD.

UM, ANY CONCERN ABOUT PARKING? 'CAUSE I MEAN, I SAW, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STADIUMS THAT YOU, UH, EITHER BUILT OR RENOVATED, YOU KNOW, THOSE LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE PRETTY OPEN FIELDS HERE.

YOU, UH, THIS CAER PARK IS PRETTY MUCH DOWNTOWN, AND SO THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE IS ON STREET PARKING.

UH, ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT OR ANY, UH, THING YOU THINK YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT? YEAH, I, I THINK THAT, UM, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO UTILIZE OWN, OWN STREET PARKING.

UM, I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN OTHER SCENARIOS IS USE WORK WITH OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE NEARBY AREA AND ACTUALLY GIVING THEM A REVENUE STREAM BY RENTING OUT THEIR LOTS ON GAME DAYS AND GIVING THEM SOME MONEY FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO PARK THERE.

OBVIOUSLY OUR STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING UP THEIR LOTS AND STUFF AND, AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE LEFT IN GOOD CONDITION.

BUT JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO KIND OF HELP, UH, HELP EACH OTHER OUT A LITTLE BIT.

OH, WELL, FALSE.

I GUESS THIS IS A QUESTION, UM, TO YOU.

UM, I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH FALLS HITTING PEOPLE'S HOMES AND, AND, UH, POPPING UP INTO THE CEMETERY AND ALL OF THAT, BUT, UM, IS THERE NOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW PARTICULAR AREA WAS A NETTING WAS PUT IN.

SO IS THAT WHOLE FIELD BESIDES JUST THE AREA WHERE THE STREET IS, IT'S NOT NETTED.

SO BASED ON CONCERNS, WHEN THE, UH, EASTERN CAROLINA AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE STARTED PLAYING, WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH, WITH BALLS HITTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CHURCH, SOME HOUSES BEHIND THERE.

SO WE HAD, WE INSTALLED NETTING APPROXIMATELY 35 FEET HIGH INTO, IN, INTO THE AIR TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES.

AND SINCE WE'VE INSTALLED THAT, WE'VE HAD NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER.

AND THAT'S JUST ON THE SIDE WHERE THE CHURCH AND THE HOUSES WERE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT'S IN THE OUTFIELD AREA.

NOTHING, NOTHING IN THE BEHIND THERE TO GO OVER INTO THE, AND WE TRADITIONALLY HAVEN'T HAD MANY ISSUES WITH THINGS WENT OVER INTO THE, UH, UH, CEMETERIES.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU'LL GET A POT FLY THAT HITS A, HITS SOMETHING IN THE ROAD, BUT THAT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

POT FLY HITS A CAR, UH, AND LIKE IN THE CURRENT AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH THE, UH, WITH THE CURRENT TEAMS THAT ARE PLAYING, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE COST OF, OF DAN.

SO THE AREA BY THE STREET WHERE PEOPLE'S CARS ARE APART.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT, MALL'S HITTING IN A CITIZEN'S CAR OR WHATEVER CAUSING DAMAGE OR WHATEVER.

SO IS THAT A SIDE THAT I'M, THEY GONNA NET IN OR WHAT HAVE A NET INSTALLED OR WHAT ON THAT SIDE OF THIS? SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN ALL THEIR PROPOSED PLANS YET AND THEIR RENDERS OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOU'VE JUST SEEN MM-HMM.

, UH, TRADITIONALLY WHAT HAPPENS IF, IF, IF A

[00:15:01]

DRIVER OF RESIDENCE, UH, MIGHT BE, UH, A BETTER OPTION TO GET PUBLIC INPUT THAN HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING HERE IS MY OPINION.

AND, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE LIABILITY FOR THE SIX HOMES ON THE OUTFIELD? THAT'S CORRECT.

FENCE, THAT'S CORRECT.

AND OF COURSE, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE, UH, THE CITY HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE NETTING TO PREVENT THAT FROM OCCURRING IN, IN THE FUTURE.

TRUE.

I'M JUST, I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE LEAGUE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT ARE GONNA BE ACCOMMODATED AND NOT PUSHED OUT OR, UH, NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY BECAUSE OF A CONFLICT.

HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND WORK AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM? WE HAVEN'T SAT DOWN AND WORKED OUT AN AGREEMENT, BUT, UH, I DID SPEAK TODAY WITH THEM.

UM, AND, AND AS I SAID, IT WOULD BE A, A VERY, IT WOULD BE A BAD BUSINESS IDEA FOR US TO, TO NOT ACCOMMODATE, UH, SOME OF THE STRONGEST BASEBALL FANS IN THE AREA.

NOT TO MENTION IT ADDS REVENUE TO THE TEAM AS WELL.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MORE EYES THAT WE CAN TRACK THAT COME TO THAT FIELD, THE MORE THE ADVERTISEMENT ON THE OUTFIELD WALL IS WORTH AND THE MORE THAT THE CONCESSIONS WOULD DO WELL AND WHATNOT.

SO OBVIOUSLY THIS THING THAT WE'LL NEED TO WORK OUT.

'CAUSE I, I HAVEN'T YET TO SEE, UM, THE AGREEMENT THEY HAVE WITH THE CITY, BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY 100% WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT IT BECOMES A BETTER THING FOR THEM ON THE BEST.

WELL, I I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE DECISION OF THIS BOARD'S GONNA BE TONIGHT.

I KNOW IT'S JUST PRESENTATION, BUT STILL WE CAN'T VOTE ON IT.

SO, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE BOARD, UM, DECISION MAY BE, BUT ME PERSONALLY, UM HMM.

WE HAD, I I THINK THAT BEFORE WE DO MAKE A DECISION ON, UH, APPROVING THIS, THAT WE SHOULD HEAR THE VOICES OF OUR CITIZENS BECAUSE WE, WHEN WE ATTACKED, UM, UNION POINT PART, WE HAD A LOT OF CITIZENS CONCERNED.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE PLANNING ON MAYBE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, AT LEAST HEAR THE VOICES OF OUR CITIZENS BEFORE WE, WE TAKE ACTION.

WOULD THERE BE A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING? I'M SORRY? WOULD THERE BE A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING? A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED.

IT'S UP TO THE GOVERNING BOARD IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE.

I SO WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? NOT JUST DIRECTIONS TO, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

IF, IF YOU WOULD, LIKE FOR US, IF THE CITY IS INTERESTED IN ENTERING INTO, INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE, JUST DIRECTION FOR US TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT, UH, THEN WE WOULD JUST COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THAT AND THEN THE BOARD WOULD APPROVE.

OKAY, WELL I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOR NEWBURN ADDITIONAL ENTERTAINMENT.

WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO INVEST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO ONE OF OUR BALL FIELDS.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGERS DIRECTIONS, EXCUSE ME, BEFORE YOU GIVE YOUR DIRECTIONS.

UM, I, I THINK THAT, AS YOU SAY, I'M NOT AGAINST THIS, DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I THINK THIS, IT'S GREAT FOR OUR CITY.

IT'S GONNA BRING IN REVENUE AND IT'S GONNA BRING IN ENTERTAINMENT LIKE YOU SAID, BUT I JUST THINK WE NEED TO LET OUR CITIZENS HAVE A VOICE IN THIS BEFORE WE AS A BOARD GIVE DIRECTION ON HOW ON APPROVING THIS.

UM, ME PERSONALLY, UM, I THINK THIS WOULD BE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A STADIUM, YOU'RE TALKING SIZE WISE AND A STADIUM, AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD CONTRIBUTION FOR, UM, MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BUILD ABLE A STADIUM.

THEY'RE NOT BUILDING A STADIUM.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING SOME SEATS.

I THINK IF YOU WERE INNOVATION YEAH.

IF YOU WERE TO GO TO MARK MARIETTA PARK AND PUT A BASEBALL, IF YOU WERE TO DUPLICATE WHAT THEY WANT DO IN MARK MARIETTA, MR. MANAGER, I'M, I'M GUESSING IT'S GONNA BE, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE COST, IT'LL BE COSTLY, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S AN IDEAL.

IT'S, THAT WOULD BE A LARGER AREA, UH, WOULD ACCOMMODATE MARTIN RIETTA PARK FUTURE AS YOU WANT AN AMPHITHEATER.

SO, BUT STILL, THAT'S DOWN THE LINE.

I KNOW IT'S A COSTLY EFFECT FOR THEM.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT THIS, UM, TEAM IS, IS ACTUALLY WANTING TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING HERE ON THIS PRESENTATION ALL WISE.

BUT I JUST, AGAIN, I'M GONNA REITERATE, I THINK OUR CITIZENS NEED A VOICE IN THIS ALDERMAN BRESSON.

I, I THINK RATHER THAN HAVING SOMETHING AS FORMAL AS A PUBLIC HEARING, PERHAPS A TOWN HALL AND THE OMEGA CENTER FOR THE

[00:20:01]

BUT I I, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU, WHY ARE YOU JUST PINPOINTING DRIVER AND THAT AREA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL CITIZENS OF THIS, OF THIS CITY.

THAT'S THE PEOPLE'S PARK.

IT IS EVERY CITIZEN IN THIS CITY'S PARK.

I'M SAYING IT'S, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE MOST AFFECTED WITH TRAFFIC, NOISE, LIGHT, ALL OF THAT.

THAT'S WHY I SAID WARD ONE WARD WILL BE AFFECTED AS WELL.

WARD TWO AND WARD FIVE, THAT CA FOR PARK'S PROBABLY BEEN THERE A HUNDRED YEARS.

AND I, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT POSITIVE EVER SINCE IT'S BEEN THERE AS FAR AS I'VE EVER HEARD.

SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, RECOMMEND I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE IT WANTS TO SPEAK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I DEFINITELY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF CITIZENS' INPUT.

UM, JUST HAVING A VOICE.

I, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AND I CERTAINLY DO SUPPORT IT, BUT AGAIN, I STILL FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A CITIZENS' INPUT IN WHATEVER FORM THAT WE CAN GET IT IN, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH, UM, A PUBLIC HEARING OR WHETHER IT IS JUST THE TOWN HALL.

I STILL FEEL THAT THE CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN IT.

HOW ABOUT THROUGH SOCIAL? A SURVEY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA? OH, WE KNOW HOW BAD THAT THAT DOESN'T WORK.

, I JUST, UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.

IS THAT ALL YOU HAD, ALDERMAN? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, I THINK IT WAS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER.

I ALSO WANT THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR CITY.

UH, THANK YOU.

YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THAT, UH, WHAT A ALL OF US THAT'S HERE, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT NEWBURN IS A SPECIAL PLACE AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

AND, UM, I PERSONALLY, UH, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN THIS.

UH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA DO A GOOD JOB THOUGH AT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.

UM, OFTENTIMES THINGS GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT'S NOT THE FULL STORY OR IT'S, UM, NOT THE RIGHT INFORMATION.

I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER.

MY, I THINK THE, THE CONUNDRUM, A LITTLE CONUNDRUM THAT WE'RE IN IS THERE'S GONNA BE SOME QUESTIONS THAT SOME FOLKS ARE GONNA HAVE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO RIGHT NOW, SUCH AS THE NETTING ALONG LEFT FIELD LINE, UM, PARKING, YOU KNOW, DO THEY HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH SOME LOCAL PLACES NEARBY THAT THEY COULD UTILIZE THAT PARKING? THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTA GET WORKED OUT.

BUT I THINK TONIGHT IN THE SPIRIT OF THE PRESENTATION, UH, IT IS DO WE HAVE AN INTEREST IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS DISCUSSION OR DO WE NOT? AND IT SOUNDED LIKE TO ME THAT EVERYBODY IS IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DISCUSSION.

WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DECISIONS TONIGHT.

WE JUST WANT TO TELL 'EM YES, WE SUPPORT THE IDEA AND THE CONCEPT AND YES, WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEP, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.

IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT BOARD? YES.

IT'S A FAIR AS SORT ASSESSMENT WITH CITIZEN INPUT.

WITH CITIZEN INPUT.

IF NO QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, ADOPT THE 2023 CITY OF NEW BERN WATER SHORTAGE RESPONSE PLAN.

IS THAT ALL YOU NEED, MR. MANAGER? YES, SIR.

[8. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the 2023 Water Shortage Response Plan.]

TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2023 WATER SHORTAGE RESPONSE PLAN.

MR. JORDAN HUGHES.

THANK YOU MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE 2023 WATER SHORTAGE RESPONSE PLAN.

EVERY WATER SYSTEM IN NORTH CAROLINA IS REQUIRED BY GENERAL STATUTES TO PREPARE A WATER SHORTAGE RESPONSE PLAN THAT BASICALLY OUTLINES THE ACTIONS THAT THE CITY WILL TAKE IN RESPONSE TO REDUCED WATER SUPPLY.

UH, VERY FORTUNATE FOR NEW WARE GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS AND VERY DEEP GROUNDWATER WELLS.

SO THE, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE RUN INTO A SCENARIO WHERE WE HAVE TO ENACT THE WATER SHORTAGE RESPONSE PLAN IS EXTREMELY SMALL.

UM, AND THE HISTORY, WE, WE HAVE YET TO CROSS ANY OF THE THRESHOLDS IN THE PLAN WHERE WE NEED TO TAKE ANY ACTION.

AND I DON'T FORESEE THAT, UH, WITH THE WAY WE MANAGE THE AQUIFERS NOW THROUGH STATE ALLOCATION, IT WOULD BE A VERY UNLIKELY SCENARIO WHERE WE'D EVER HAVE TO ENACT THIS PLAN.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND THE PLAN HAS TO BE UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THIS YEAR, THE PLAN WAS DUE FOR UPDATE.

THE ONLY UPDATES THAT WERE MADE TO THE PLAN WERE MINOR CLERICAL REVISIONS TO, UH, EMAIL ADDRESSES WHERE WE CHANGED THE DOT, THE.ORG.GOV AND UPDATED, UH, THE CITY MANAGER FROM MR. STEVENS TO, TO MR. HUGHES.

OTHER THAN THAT, THE REST OF THE PLAN STAYS THE SAME.

IT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO N T D D E Q FOR REVIEW.

THEY'VE SENT US BACK A LETTER INDICATING IT MEETS THEIR REQUIREMENTS.

AND THE FINAL STEP TO FORMALLY, UH, GET THE, GET EVERYTHING APPROVED TO THE STATE IS FOR THE BOARD TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, SAYING THIS IS OUR PLAN FOR 2023.

BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS?

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SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.

[9. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement with Weyerhaeuser Company for Land for New Electric Substation.]

NINE, CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, MAYOR TO EXECUTE A REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY FOR LAND FOR THE NEW BERN ELECTRIC SUBSTATION.

MR. BOUCHARD, MAYOR ALDERMAN, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR TWO PARCELS OF LAND, FOUR ACRES AND TWO ACRES FOR A TOTAL OF SIX ACRES THAT WE NEED TO PURCHASE TO CONSTRUCT A NEW SUBSTATION AND A NEW INTERCONNECTION TO THE BULK ELECTRIC SYSTEM.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT TRYING TO DEVELOP FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

UM, THIS IS A BIG STEPPING STONE FOR US TO SECURE THAT PROPERTY SO THAT WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO BUILD THE SUBSTATION.

IT'LL ALLOW US TO ADD LOAD TO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM.

IT'LL ALLOW US TO, UH, CREATE THE ABILITY TO REROUTE POWER TO DISTRESSED AREAS.

AND IT'LL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO REWRAP POWER SO THAT WE CAN DO MUCH NEEDED MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION, AND TESTING OF THE SYSTEM.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NONE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH WAREHOUSER COMPANY FOR LAND FOR A NEW ELECTRICAL LAND FOR A MUCH NEEDED NEW ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION.

SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

HAVE A ROLL CALL.

STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST, ALDERMAN BEST, YES.

MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER

[10. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Letter of Agreement with Weyerhaeuser for Easement Rights.]

10, I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE LAST ONE.

CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH WEYERHAEUSER FOR EASEMENT RIGHTS.

MR. BOUCHARD AND THESE EASEMENTS WILL TIE THIS SUBSTATION TO THE BULK ELECTRIC SYSTEM TOGETHER, ALONG WITH OUR ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

IT'S ABOUT 20, ALMOST 23 ACRES OF EASEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO ACQUIRE.

AND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON THOSE EASEMENT AGREEMENTS TONIGHT.

BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 10? YES.

MR. BACHAR WAREHOUSER WOULDN'T GIVE US AN EASEMENT? NO, MA'AM.

WITHOUT COST, SINCE WE'RE PURCHASING THE, THE OTHER SIX ACRES.

CORRECT.

I JUST HAD TO ASK, I KNOW , I ASKED TOO.

WOW.

THAT'S, THAT'S OKAY.

I DID.

UM, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE US AN EASEMENT THAT, THAT'S ALL.

MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH WEYERHAEUSER FOR EASEMENT RIGHTS.

SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.

[11. Consider Adopting an Ordinance Amending the 2019 Electric Improvements Fund.]

11.

CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2019 ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENTS FUND.

MS. OSRAM, THE ORDINANCE AMENDS THE 2019 ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.

FUND RECOGNIZE A $87,000 $87,183 REDUCTION IN APPROPRIATION FROM THE GOLDEN LEAF GRANT.

GOLDEN LEAF APPROVED $320,000 IN FUNDING FOR THE UTILITIES DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PROJECT.

THE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN EXPENDITURES REIMBURSED IN THE AMOUNT OF $232,817.

SINCE THE GRANT HAS BEEN CLOSED, THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE REDUCED BY THIS DIFFERENCE.

THIS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 11.

IF QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2019 ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENTS FUND.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.

[00:30:01]

[12. Appointment(s).]

YOU.

ITEM NUMBER 12 IS APPOINTMENTS.

UH, ALDERMAN ROYAL, I SHOW THAT YOU HAVE ONE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.

I DO.

I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT LOOKING FOR MY PAPER, MS. KATHLEEN MARTY, UH, TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO SERVE THE UNEXPIRED TERM FOR MR. PETER DILLON TO COMPLETE HIS TERM BOARD.

HAVE QUESTIONS OR IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? SECOND.

I HAVE A SECOND BY ALMAN BRINSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? LET, LET ME ADD TO THAT ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. BRENDAN LOFTON AS THE ULTIMATE ALTERNATE TO REPLACE MS. KATHLEEN MARTY TO, UH, SERVE IN ABSENT OF THE REGULAR MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.

ALSO, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.

HONOR, BRINSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? MS. CLARK, ARE YOU CLEAR ON THOSE TWO? YES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.

NEXT.

UM, HONOR, MCKENZIE'S NOT HERE.

ALMAN.

BRISON, YOU HAVE AN OPENING FOR P AND Z, PLAINTIFF AND ZONING? YES.

I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, MS. KELLY KAISER.

I SENT HER, UH, RESUME OUT TO YOU YESTERDAY.

HAVE A MOTION.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

A SECOND.

ALL INVEST.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

A AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.

SHE'S APPROVED AND, UH, WE HAVE THE TWO VACANCIES ON THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

WELL, ACTUALLY ONE VACANCY AND, UM, ONE THAT IS UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE ALDERMAN ROYAL EXPRESS.

SOME CONCERN THAT, UH, OR SHE WOULD DESIRE TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS AUGUST THE EIGHTH.

AND THEN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING IS AUGUST THE NINTH.

THE BOARD WANTS TO WAIT UNTIL THEN.

WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.

I DO HAVE TWO MEMBERS THAT'S OUT, SO THAT'S FINE.

YEAH.

WELL I GUESS IT WOULD BE, UH, FAIR TO GIVE THOSE TWO BOARD MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THIS AND, OKAY, SO THIS WILL BE AT THE AUGUST 8TH, EIGHTH MEETING.

CORRECT.

SO WE'LL HAVE THE CLERK, UM, READY AND PREPARED FOR THE DECISION THAT WE MAKE THAT NIGHT.

SO THE NEXT MORNING SHE CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT CALL SO THEY CAN BE PREPARED.

SO WHOEVER THAT IS THAT WE END UP CHOOSING.

DID I MISS ANY APPOINTMENTS FROM ANYONE? OKAY.

[14. City Manager' s Report.]

YOU.

CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.

I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON.

UH, THIS PAST FRIDAY, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT HAD THEIR ANNUAL, UM, BATTLE OF THE BADGES.

254 PINTS OF BLOOD WERE COLLECTED.

THEIR GOAL WAS 250.

THE WINNING DEPARTMENT WAS FIRE RESCUE.

THEY, THEY GOT THE MOST PLEDGES.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO FIRE, RESCUE AND CHIEF BOYD.

THE STANDING WHITE RECREATION CENTER GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 4TH ON THIRD AVENUE AT 11:00 AM UH, AFTER THE CEREMONY, WE WILL PROVIDE A LIGHT LUNCH.

SO WE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT AND, AND ENJOY THOSE ACTIVITIES.

ALSO, THE DUFFY FIELD PAVING PROJECT LAST WEEK, UH, UH, CONTRACTORS MILLED THE ROADS IN DUFFY FIELD.

THIS WEEK.

THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE FINE GRADING.

THEY FINISH THE FINE GRADING THIS AFTERNOON, TOMORROW MORNING THE PAVING STARTS AND SO THE PAVING OF THOSE ROADS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE DAY ON THURSDAY.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROJECT FINALLY TAKING PLACE.

ALSO, WE HAVE TWO STORMWATER PROJECTS GOING ON ON TRENT ROAD.

UM, MOBILIZATION WILL BE OCCURRING THIS WEEK WITH, WITH, UH, WORK TO COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER.

AND THE LAST THING I HAVE FOR YOU IS LAST YEAR OUR FINANCE, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, ASKED THAT WE HAVE AN AUDIT COMMITTEE THAT CONSISTED LAST YEAR OF THE MAYOR, ALDERMAN BRINSON AND ALDERMAN BEST.

AND, UH, OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE BASICALLY, UH, LOOKED AT A VARIETY OF, UH, DOCUMENTS AS THE STAFF PREPARED FOR THE ANNUAL AUDIT.

WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON OUR CURRENT AUDIT NOW, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO, UM, RECONSTITUTE THAT COMMITTEE.

SO IF THE, IF THE SAME INDIVIDUALS HAVE AN INTEREST OR IF THE MAYOR WOULD LIKE TO, UH, DETERMINE WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO APPOINT NEW FOLKS, THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HEAR.

YOU SAID IT WAS THE THREE OF US LAST YEAR? YES.

YOU ALDERMAN BEST AND, AND DERMAN.

BRENTON.

WOULD YOU TWO LIKE TO DO IT AGAIN? I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE SOMEONE ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER AN OPPORTUNITY.

I WAS GONNA SAY THE SAME THING, SIR.

WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE TO SERVE ON THE AUDIT

[00:35:01]

COMMITTEE? GO DOING .

I WILL.

ALDERMAN ROYAL ALDERMAN BRISSON.

AND WHEN DO YOU NEED TO KNOW? UM, AND WE CAN, WE CAN WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.

I THINK IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND PENCIL THOSE TWO IN.

AND IF ALDERMAN KINZIE OR ALDERMAN PRILL WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY PLACE, THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO.

IF NOT, THEN I'LL, I'LL SIR.

I THINK OUR FIRST MEETING WILL BE HELD ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, SO THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT, SIR.

UM, MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS FOR THE BOARD.

[15. New Business]

ALDERMAN BRISON.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

MR. MERRI.

ALDERMAN BESS? YES, I DO.

UM, I JUST WANT TO ASK THE, NO, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU TO, TO YOU MR. WILLIAMS. AND I'M ASSUMING PARKS AND RECS AND PUBLIC WORKS THAT WENT OVER AND DID A OUTSTANDING JOB AT, UM, EVERGREEN CEMETERY, UH, FOR THE CLEANUP.

JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, WHAT DEPARTMENTS WERE INVOLVED? IT WAS THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.

PUBLIC WORKS.

UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

UM, AND SECONDLY, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.

UM, I GOT A CALL FROM A CITIZEN THAT WANTS TO KNOW, I GUESS THIS WOULD, IT'S BASICALLY AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.

UM, THEY WERE SAYING THAT ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS GOT A LOT OF STUFF OUT ON THE SIDE OF THEIR HOUSE AND EVERY TIME THEY COME HOME THEY'RE SMELLING MOLD AND MILDEW.

AND WAS THAT, UH, A RISK FACTOR? I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MOLD AND MILDEW ACTUALLY WHAT I CAN WHEN IT'S OUT IN THE OPEN AIR AS OPPOSED TO ENCLOSED IN A BUILDING OR WHATEVER.

I CAN GET THE INFORMATION FROM YOU SHORTLY AND THEN WE'LL PASS THAT ON TO OUR ABATEMENT.

THE SERVICES.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ALDERMAN STER.

YES, MAYOR.

I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY REMIND EVERYONE THAT'S TRAVELING OVER IN THE JAMES CITY AREA, THIS CONSTRUCTION WORK OVER THERE IS REALLY GETTING HAZARDOUS.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, OF, UH, TRAFFIC BACKS UP EASILY AND THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EVERYWHERE THEY PUT THE PIPES UNDERNEATH THE HIGHWAY, SOME HUGE BUMPS IN THE ROAD THAT THEY PAVED OVER AND DIDN'T FILL 'EM, EVIDENTLY ALL THE WAY UP BEFORE THEY PAVED THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE, THEY'RE PRETTY BAD.

UH, SO JUST BE CAREFUL IF YOU'RE IN THAT AREA.

AND OTHER THAN THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING A VERY SHORT MEETING TONIGHT AS I GET TO GO HOME AND CELEBRATE MY WIFE AND I'S 43RD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

ALTMAN, OTTOMAN ROYAL.

I HAVE NOTHING.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? NO, SIR.

IF NOT, I ENTER.

TURN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOVE.

HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND YOUR DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.