[1 . Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Odham. Pledge of Allegiance.]
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GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 24TH, 2023 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.IF YOU WOULD PLEASE BOW WITH ME FOR A QUICK WORD OF PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TOGETHER TONIGHT TO DO YOUR WORK.
DEAR LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE US WISDOM AND GUIDANCE, AND WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE PLEASING TO YOU.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, ALLEGIANCE 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.
ADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN PRI.
UH, BOARD ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO
[3. Approve Agenda.]
APPROVE THE AGENDA.UH, WE HAVE HAD A REQUEST FROM STAFF TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER 22.
UH, THAT WILL BE ON OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY CHANGES OR ADDENDUMS TO THE AGENDA, MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
[Consent Agenda]
UM, NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.ANY CHANGES WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAYOR, I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD A, A QUICK QUESTION, UM, WITH REGARDS TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS ESTABLISHING NEXT YEAR'S, UM, BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE.
UM, IS THERE ANY INTEREST OTHER THAN MYSELF TO ESTABLISH WORK SESSIONS AS PART OF THIS MEETING SCHEDULE? ANYONE ELSE? I MEAN, I'M INTERESTED IN IT, BUT I'M NOT PREPARED TO SAY YOU OR NATE AT ANY DATES, I GUESS
SO AT, AT ANY TIME WE CAN HAVE THEM.
WE USED TO HAVE 'EM ON THE, THE SCHEDULE.
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD RUN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE THERE WASN'T NECESSARILY A TOPIC TO DISCUSS.
AND BEING THAT WE HAD CALLED FOR THE MEETING, THERE WERE SOME LEGALITIES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IN ORDER TO ESSENTIALLY CANCEL THAT MEETING.
SO WE WENT WITH THE OPTION OF JUST CALLING FOR THE WORK SESSION WHEN WE NEEDED 'EM.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT AT ANY POINT IN TIME THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD WANTS TO, WANTS TO MEET.
TO YOUR POINT, ALDERMAN PRO, I MEAN, WE HAVE ONE IN FEBRUARY AND TWO IN MAY.
SO WE HAVE, THOSE ARE ALL BUDGET, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WELL, THOSE ARE FOCUSED ON THE BUDGET.
BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER MATTERS AND ISSUES THAT COME UP THAT I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO, OR SHOULD BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, SO, BUT I, AGAIN, I WAS LOOKING AT POSSIBLY QUARTERLY, REGULARLY SCHEDULED QUARTERLY WORK SESSIONS.
UH, THAT'S WHY I JUST ASKED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY OTHER INTEREST OTHER THAN MY OWN INTEREST TO ESTABLISH, UH, THE, I, UH, AGAIN, I'M INTERESTED, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO PICK DATES TONIGHT.
WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
MUST HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRI.
[16. Presentation on ShotSpotter.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 16, WHICH IS A PRESENTATION ON SPOT SHOTTER.AND I BELIEVE CHIEF GALLAGHER GALLAGHER IS GONNA MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION.
UM, I FIND MYSELF IN A SITUATION IN WHICH, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR THE SAFETY OF, OF ALL WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, TO RECOMMEND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROGRAM, UM, IN TECHNOLOGY CALLED SHOT SPOTTER.
UM, OUR APPROACH TO ADDRESSING VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS BASED REALLY ON THREE PRINCIPLES, AND ONE OF WHICH IS COMMUNITY CENTRIC.
THE SECOND IS EVIDENCE-BASED, AND THE THIRD IS INTELLIGENCE LED
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WITH RESPECT TO GUN VIOLENCE.UM, WE HAVE TO LEVERAGE EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT THOSE IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PART OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED AND INTELLIGENCE LED, UH, STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE APPLIED IS UTILIZING THE DATA THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND I WENT BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF 2022, AND MYSELF AND STAFF BEGAN TO ANALYZE ALL THE DATA THAT WE HAD IN THE ENTIRE CITY WITH RESPECT TO ALL BALLISTIC OR, OR FIREARM OR GUN RELATED INCIDENCES.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO OBJECTIVELY LOOK AT WHAT IT WAS WE DID HAVE IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING WHERE AND TO WHAT EXTENT DO WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH, UH, GUN VIOLENCE AND WHAT WE FOUND.
AND IF, UH, IF YOU BEAR WITH ME ONE SECOND.
UM, WE FOUND THAT THE LOCATION IN WHICH I HAVE PROVIDED ON THE SCREEN, UM, IS THE LOCATION THAT HAD THE GREATEST PROPENSITY, THE GREATEST NUMBERS OF OBJECTIVE, UM, EVIDENCE OF INCIDENCES INVOLVING GUN VIOLENCE.
NOW THE CITY OF NEW BERN IS ROUGHLY, UH, 31,000, OR JUST NORTH OF 31,000 IN POPULATION.
WE KNOW THAT AT OUR SIZE IS ROUGHLY 30 SQUARE MILES USING JUST SIMPLE MATH, THAT THAT SHOULD BE ROUGHLY A THOUSAND PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE.
UM, IN THIS LOCATION, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY DUFFY FIELD AND CRAVEN TERRACE AND, UM, AREAS JUST SOUTH OF THAT, THERE ARE FOUR TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS LOCATION, WHICH REPRESENTS ROUGHLY 13% OF THE POPULATION.
THE REASON WHY I HAVE LIMITED THE LOCATION TO ONE SQUARE MILE IS THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF SPACE PER UNIT THAT SHOT SPOTTER OFFERS FOR EVERY ONE.
SQUARE MILE IS ANOTHER UNIT, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT PRICING IN JUST A SECOND.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER, AND AGAIN, I'M REPEATING MYSELF.
THESE ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO INCREMENTS OF ONE SQUARE MILE SHOT.
SPOTTER PROVIDES INFORMATION, UH, RELATING TO A GUNSHOT, UH, DETECTION AND THE LOCATION OF WHERE THAT GUN WAS FIRED.
IT IS INTENDED TO ALERT LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THE PRESENCE OF GUNFIRE, UM, SO THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN HAVE A QUICKER RESPONSE, UM, TO INTERVENE, UH, WHEN GUNFIRE, UM, IS SEEN.
AND I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, AND SHOT SPOTTER IS A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS AND IS CURRENTLY IN AT LEAST 90 CITIES NATIONWIDE.
THE CLOSEST CITY THAT HAS THIS PRODUCT IS GREENVILLE.
MYSELF AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS HAVE VISITED GREENVILLE AND, UM, WE HAVE OBSERVED THEIR SHOTSPOTTER PROGRAM, UM, AND WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH, UM, WHAT THAT HAS PROVIDED FOR THEIR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THEIR RESPONSE.
SO, HOW DOES SHOTS SPOTTER WORK? SHOTS SPOTTER WORKS BY, UM, IDENTIFYING THE SOUND OF GUNSHOTS, USING SENSORS THAT ARE PLACED BY THE ENGINEERS, UM, THAT WORK FOR SHOT SPOTTER.
A COMPUTER WILL TRIANGULATE THE LOCATION OF THE SHOT BASED ON, UM, THAT INFORMATION.
AND AN ACOUSTIC, UM, EXPERT WHO IS A HUMAN BEING, WILL VALIDATE THAT AS A BONAFIDE, UH, FIREARM AS OPPOSED TO THE BACKFIRING OF A VEHICLE OR FIREWORKS, FOR INSTANCE.
AND SHOT SPOTTER HAS GUARANTEED THAT THEY CAN VALIDATE THAT, UM, THAT SHOT WITHIN 60 SECONDS.
BUT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EXPERTS TODAY, THEY INDICATED THAT A MAJORITY IS LESS THAN 30 SECONDS.
THEY CAN VALIDATE AND HAVE THAT INFORMATION SET DIRECTLY, UM, TO THE PD.
THIS PROVIDES THE ALERT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HAVE SITUATIONAL
[00:10:01]
AWARENESS OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING INTO.AND WHEN I SHOW YOU SOME DATA, UM, WITH RESPECT TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS CRITICAL FOR OFFICER SAFETY.
UM, SO WITHIN MINUTES, WE KNOW WE CAN HAVE A POLICE OFFICER ON SCENE.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF SHOT SPOTTER, UM, EVIDENCE ENHANCEMENT.
THE COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE SPECIFIC TO BALLISTIC EVIDENCE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE BALLISTIC EVIDENCE IS MUCH LIKE A FINGERPRINT OR DNA NO.
EACH INDIVIDUAL FIREARM WILL HAVE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF ITS OWN, JUST LIKE A FINGERPRINT WITH BALLISTIC EVIDENCE.
AND WITH OUR ABILITY TO UPLOAD THAT BALLISTIC EVIDENCE INTO NIVAN, WE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL WHERE ELSE THAT FIREARM HAS BEEN USED ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE CAN LOCATE MORE WITNESSES QUICKER.
WE CAN ARREST AND APPREHEND, PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
WE CAN APPREHEND AND ARREST VIOLATORS QUICKER, AND WE CAN DISRUPT THE SHOOTING CYCLE FAR MORE EASIER WITH SHOT SPOTTER THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY ARE DOING.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT JUST A SECOND.
SPOTTER, UH, PROGRAMS AND THE, UH, DESIGN ALLOWS FOR THAT TECHNOLOGY TO INTEGRATE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
IN TERMS OF OUR CAD SYSTEM, OUR COMPUTER AUTOMATED DISPATCH SYSTEM AND OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT ONLY 12% OF ACTUAL GUNFIRE IS ACTUALLY REPORTED.
AND IN FACT, IN GREENVILLE, THEIR DATA SHOWS THAT IT IS ONE IN 10 SHOTS FIRED WHERE THE POLICE ARE NOTIFIED.
SO 90%, OR IF WE USE THIS A LITTLE BIT LESS, UM, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE SHOOTER ARE GOING UNREPORTED.
THAT'S A LOT OF ROUNDS THAT WE CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR.
AND WHEN I GIVE YOU THE ACTUAL DATA OF THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE, WE HAVE MULTIPLY THAT BY NINE, UH, BY 0.9, AND I THINK YOU'LL GET A, A, A STRONGER INDICATION AS TO HOW BIG THIS PROBLEM ACTUALLY IS.
SO HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF THE SAME ONE SQUARE MILE, UM, THAT I SHOWED YOU IN THE ORIGINAL, UH, UH, SLIDE.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE ARE TWO INDICATORS.
THE YELLOW DOTS ARE ALL THE CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WE'VE RESPONDED TO WHERE WE COULD NOT VALIDATE OR VERIFY THAT A FIREARM WAS ACTUALLY USED IN THAT CALL FOR SERVICE.
THE RED DOTS INDICATE THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE, WHERE WE WERE ABLE, UPON ARRIVAL TO VERIFY THAT A FIREARM HAD IN FACT BEEN USED.
YOU CAN TELL WE RESPOND TO A GREAT NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE WHERE WE HAVE NOWHERE, NO WAY OF VALIDATING IT.
AND SOME OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE RESPONSE TIME.
IN ORDER FOR US TO BE AWARE AND DISPATCH AND BE ON SCENE FOR A CASE, FIRST OF ALL, A CITIZEN HAS TO NOTIFY US WHAT IS THAT TIME DELAY.
THEN THERE IS IN PROCESSING INFORMATION THAT THE DISPATCHER IS, IS CONDUCTING PRIOR TO DISPATCH, AND THEN THERE'S THE RESPONSE TIME OVER THAT SAME PERIOD OF TIME.
SO TO GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12 MONTHS OF 2022 AND ALMOST NINE FULL MONTHS OF 2023.
WE RECOVERED, LEMME MAKE SURE I GET MY 21 FIREARMS INVOLVED.
IN SOME CRIMINALITY, WE RECOVERED MORE FIREARMS, BUT IF THEY WERE NOT RELATED TO ANY CRIME OR AN ARREST, IT IS NOT DICTATED ON THIS SPREADSHEET OR THE, THIS, UM, DIS MAP, NOR DOES IT INVOLVE THE SUICIDE CASES WE WENT TO.
THESE ARE ALL FIREARMS, UM, INVOLVED IN SOME
[00:15:01]
CRIMINALITY.DURING THAT SAME TIMEFRAME, EIGHT INDIVIDUALS SUSTAINED INJURIES, UH, INVOLVING GUNFIRE.
WE RESPONDED TO THREE CASES INVOLVING HOMICIDE, THE DEATH OF A HUMAN BEING BY WAY OF A FIREARM.
ONE OF THOSE DEATHS WAS JULY 4TH OF THIS YEAR, A 19 MONTH OLD CHILD NAMED NEILY SHEP DOCK.
SO THIS WILL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF ROUNDS THAT WE DO KNOW AND CAN VERIFY THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THIS ONE SQUARE MILE OF THE 38 CALLS WHERE WE ACTUALLY RECOVERED SHELL CASINGS, 329 SHELL CASINGS WERE RECOVERED, AND ONE INCIDENT THERE WERE 51 SHOTS FIRED IN THAT ONE INCIDENT.
THAT'S MULTIPLE PEOPLE SHOOTING FIREARMS AND LIKELY SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER, JUST USING SIMPLE MATH.
THAT IS 8.6 SHOTS PER INCIDENT.
NOW UNDERSTAND THIS REPRESENTS ONLY 12% OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY OCCURRED IF WE USE THE STATISTICS.
SO WE KNOW THAT NUMBER IS GREATLY INCREASED.
WHEN I SAY THAT WE NEED TO BE EVIDENCE-BASED AND INTELLIGENCE LED IN HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE.
PART OF THAT IS WHERE ARE WE DEPLOYING OUR STAFF? 'CAUSE THESE NUMBERS DICTATE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE OUR STAFF.
NOWHERE IN THE CITY IS THERE MORE POLICE PRESENCE THAN IN THIS ONE SQUARE MILE.
AND I WOULD OFFER TO ANYBODY TO TELL ME THAT THAT'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DEPLOY YOUR RESOURCES.
'CAUSE YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PRESENCE IN THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST VIOLENCE.
ONE OF THE, UH, OUTCOMES OF HAVING A POLICE OFFICER NEARBY IS THE FACT THAT OUR RESPONSE TIME FOR ALL GUN RELATED INCIDENCES IS JUST SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE MINUTE.
THAT'S ONE MINUTE AFTER THE CALL HAS BEEN DISPATCHED TO THE POLICE.
SO HOW MANY MINUTES DOES IT CONSTITUTE BETWEEN THE TIME THE SHOT WAS FIRED AND THE TIME THE OFFICER IS RESPONDING? EVEN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF BEING ABLE TO RESPOND IN JUST SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE MINUTE, OUR SUCCESS RATE IS NOT WHERE I WOULD WANT IT TO BE.
SUNDAY NIGHT, A POLICE OFFICER HEARD GUNFIRE NEAR, UH, RALEIGH AVENUE.
WE WERE ABLE TO APPREHEND A SUBJECT WHO WAS 14 YEARS OLD AND IN POSSESSION OF A AR 15, WHICH IS, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT AR 15 IS, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE AN M 16.
IT FIRES A 5.56 ROUND, WHICH IS THE SAME THING THAT OUR MILITARY IS USING.
WE WERE THERE PRESENT WHEN THOSE SHOTS WERE FIRED.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO RELY ON THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A CITIZEN WHO COULD CONTACT US.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, NOBODY WAS HURT.
SO THE WHAT DOES THAT COST? SO THE COST OF SHOT SPOTTER, UM, AND WE DO BENEFIT THERE IS A BENEFIT FOR US BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT'S LESS THAN 50,000 BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY'S LESS THAN 50,000.
SHOT SPOTTER HAS A PROGRAM THAT WOULD, UM, ALLOW US TO UTILIZE THIS EQUIPMENT, UM, FOR JUST SOUTH OF $50,000 A YEAR TO BE EXACT $49,500.
THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL $16,800 THAT IS NEEDED TO INTEGRATE THE SHOTSPOTTER PROGRAM WITH OUR TYLER TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS OUR, UM, UH, CAD SYSTEM.
SO THAT INITIAL COST IS $66,300, AND THEN EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER, IT IS 49,500 BUCKS.
I OFTEN USE THE TERMINOLOGY, RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS $50,000 A YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE IS.
[00:20:01]
COSTS ROUGHLY $38 A UNIT.WE SAVE LIVES EVERY DAY FOR $38.
IF WE CAN STOP ONE DEATH, IT'S WELL WORTH 50,000 BUCKS.
IN MY VIEW, MY RESPONSIBILITY AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFICERS THAT WEAR THIS UNIFORM IS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE ASKED FOR SHOT SPOTTER AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MONIES ARE TIGHT.
UH, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE IT, BUT IF WE DO, UM, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE OR HAVE QUESTIONS.
ALDER MCKENZIE, WHEN YOU, UM, VISIT GREENVILLE, UH, WHAT DID YOU LEARN THAT WHEN THE SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED FOR, WHAT DID THEY DO DIFFERENT TO BE ABLE TO RETRIEVE, UM, THE SUSPECT AND THE QUICKNESS YOU USE ONE MINUTE AND A MILE APART.
WHAT DID THEY DO DIFFERENT ONCE THE SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED THAT YOU LEARNED THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO US? I DID NOT ASK THAT QUESTION, SO I CAN'T, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY LEARNED.
ANECDOTALLY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE ABILITY TO BE ON SCENE FASTER, UH, CERTAINLY IS A BENEFIT.
I THINK THERE IS ANOTHER BENEFIT WHEN THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO FIRE OFF ROUNDS WITH IMPUNITY.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT INTERRUPTING THE, UH, GUN VIOLENCE, UM,
AND SO THERE MAY BE A DETERRENT FACTOR FOR MANY WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT PULL THE TRIGGER IF THEY KNOW THAT THE MOMENT THEY PULL THE TRIGGER, THE CALVARY'S COMING.
SO THAT'S JUST AN ANECDOTAL RESPONSE TO, TO YOUR QUESTION.
WHEN THIS SYSTEM IS INSTALLED, IS IT MORE THAN ONE SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE IN GREENVILLE? GREENVILLE ACTUALLY HAS TWO SY.
THEY HAVE TWO SQUARE MILES, ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE ONE AND A HALF SQUARE MILES.
YOU CAN BUY IT IN A HALF SQUARE MILE INCREMENTS AS WELL.
DO THEY HAVE A SUBSTATION NEARBY THIS SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY? DO THEY HAVE A SUBSTATION IN PLACE THERE? NO, SHOTSPOTTER DATA GOES DIRECTLY TO THEIR COMMUNICATION CENTER AND IT'S DISPATCHED OUT OF THE COMMUNICATION CENTER.
I I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ADDED A SUBSTATION ANYWHERE IN OTHER THAN THEIR MAIN, UH, POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
I MIGHT BE WRONG, UH, ALDERMAN, BUT I I I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS, MA'AM, TO PAY FOR THIS.
WOULD IT COME FROM YOUR BUDGET? UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT, UH, UH, UH, SEEKING GRANTS.
UH, WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR THIS? UM, I DO HAVE A STRATEGY.
I WOULD PREFER TO ALLOW THE, UH, CITY MANAGER, UM, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF HOW THAT DECISION'S GONNA BE MADE.
I DON'T WANT TO, UM, GET OUT IN FRONT OF THAT, BUT I DO HAVE A STRATEGY IN TERMS OF, OF FINDING ADDITIONAL MEANS OF, OF PAYING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO YOU HAVE SPOKE WITH HIM ALREADY? UH, THAT'S TO COME THE STRATEGY, THE DE THE DECISION IS TO COME.
AND, AND SO ALDER MCKENZIE, UM, I THINK ALDERMAN ASTRO IS THE ONE THAT HAD REQUESTED THIS, THIS PRESENTATION FOR SHOTSPOTTER.
THIS HAS, UH, COME UP IN PREVIOUS BUDGETS, I THINK LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND, AND, UM, BASED ON PRIORITIES THAT WE HAD, POLICE DEPARTMENT RANK OF IMPORTANCE, IT DID NOT GET FUNDED THIS YEAR.
UM, IF THIS IS FUNDED, WE STILL HAVE TO REMEMBER, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT, I THINK IT WAS FIVE YEARS ON THIS CONTRACT.
SO THOSE FIVE ADDITIONAL YEARS OF FUNDING FOR THAT, THE CHIEF HAS SHARED WITH ME THAT, UH, IF THIS IS FUNDED, UH, INITIALLY HIS GOAL WOULD BE TO SEEK SPONSORSHIPS, UH, FROM VARIOUS ENTITIES.
AND CHIEF, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO THE STRATEGY THAT GREENVILLE HAS UTILIZED WAS TO GO TO THOSE STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
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TO SEEK ASSISTANCE, AND THEY HAVE SOUGHT ASSISTANCE FROM THEIR LOCAL HOSPITAL, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.UM, I BELIEVE ECU AT ONE POINT WAS A, UM, AND MAYBE STILL IS A SPONSOR, UM, UH, STAKEHOLDER THAT IS OFFSETTING THEIR COST.
AND I HAVE IDENTIFIED THREE STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I WOULD RATHER NOT MENTION THEM UNTIL THEY, UNTIL I HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH 'EM.
BUT THERE ARE THREE STAKEHOLDERS THAT I BELIEVE WOULD BE WILLING, UM, TO ASSIST US IN THIS.
UM, I THINK IT'S TO USE RETURN ON INVESTMENT AGAIN, THAT THIS BENEFITS THEM AS WELL.
THE PROGRAM, UH, WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR BRINGING IT FORTH IS SAVING LIVES OF HUMANS, WHICH IS A VERY GOOD THING.
AND NOW I FEEL VERY STRONG ABOUT THAT.
UM, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THERE THAT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT TO SEE THE DIRECTIONS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO TAKE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND I THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WOULD YOU PLEASE GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT HAD THE YELLOW PENS AND THE RED PENS ON IT? YEAH, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE ARE ALL THOSE PENS THAT ARE IN YELLOW REPORTED GUNFIRE OR REPORTED A CRIME WITH A GUN.
IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF, OF, OF CALLS FOR SERVICE.
MOST OF THEM WOULD BE, I HEAR GUNFIRE.
AND THE VICINITY OF, BUT YOU COULD NEVER, NEVER RECOVER A WEAPON OR FIND OUT ANYTHING FURTHER ABOUT IT.
ON, ON SHOT, IS IT SHOT SPOTTER? YES, SIR.
HOW CLOSE DOES IT GET TO THE REPORTED GUNFIRE? I THINK THE RADIUS IS 21 FEET.
I MIGHT BE OFF BY A FEW FEET, BUT NO MORE THAN 21 FEET.
SO THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN ME AND THE MAYOR.
IF A MILE FROM THIS UNIT AND SOMEONE FIRES A GUN, YOU CAN PUT AN OFFICER WITHIN 20, AROUND 20 FEET FROM WHERE THE SHOT WAS FIRED.
TECHNICALLY IT WOULD BE WITHIN A HALF A MILE BECAUSE IT ENCIRCLES A SQUARE MILE.
SO IT'S A HALF MILE EACH DIRECTION? YES.
SO IF, IF SOMEONE IN RANGE FIRES A SHOT, YOU CAN PUT AN OFFICER WITHIN 20 FEET OF WHERE IT WAS? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR RECOVERING EVIDENCE.
UM, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE OTHER NIGHT THAT THERE WAS THE, THE KID THAT WAS FIRING THE WEAPON, WHAT DID YOU SAY, 14 TIMES OR SO? NO, HE WAS 14 YEARS OLD.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES HE FIRED THE WEAPON? I DO NOT.
UM, HOW LONG IS YOUR, YOUR OFFICER JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE CLOSE BY AND HEARD IT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND ARRIVED IN A MINUTE'S TIME.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY IDEA IF IT WAS EVER REPORTED TO 9 1 1 OF GUNSHOTS? I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS, BUT I CAN GET YOU AN ANSWER.
IF SOMEBODY SUBSEQUENTLY MADE THAT PHONE CALL, WE, IT WOULD'VE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A BONAFIDE, UH, UM, CALL FOR SERVICE.
SO WE WOULDN'T ADD A SECOND CALL FOR SERVICE.
AND, UM, WELL, YOU JUST MENTIONED THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO PURCHASE THE, WHAT, 66, 360 $6,300 SHOT SPOT OR DEVICE, YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT YOU COULD HAVE SPONSORS TO RE DO THE RENEWAL OF $49,000? I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT I CAN MAKE A COGENT AND CHOOSING MY WORDS CORRECTLY.
I UNDERSTAND
AND THE, THE CITY OF GREENVILLE HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS GETTING SPONSORS.
THEY LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT, UM, YEAH, FROM THE GENTLEMAN I SPOKE WITH ABOUT IT, SAID THAT THEY HAVE LITTLE SPONSORS AND ACTUALLY HAVE SOME THAT WILL COMMIT FOR THE NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE, CHIEF, UM, IS, IS THE SYSTEM ROBUST ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY A DISCHARGE, SAY IN A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE OR IN A BUILDING VERSUS OUTDOORS? SO DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN INDOORS VERSUS OUTDOORS, IT WOULD LIKELY NOT BE ABLE TO PICK UP A SHOT FIRED INDOORS? PROBABLY NOT, UNLESS IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE SENSOR.
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THAT UP.I'LL, I I'M SORRY, RICK, ARE YOU SAYING WAS ARE YOU FINISHED? UH, YEAH, I, I JUST WANT A QUICK QUESTION TOO.
I UNDERSTAND ALSO THIS WILL HELP YOU DETERMINE ONCE THE SHOT IS FIRED AND THE UNIT PICKS IT UP, WHAT ACTUALLY WHAT CALIBER BULLET WAS DISCHARGED, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
CHIEF, JUST TO CLARIFY AS WELL, WILL THIS, WILL THIS BE ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN A VEHICLE BACK FIRING AND FIREWORKS AND OTHER, OTHER NOISES? YES.
AND I, I ALSO, UM, HEARD A COMMENT WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS, THAT IT CAN SPY ON OR LISTEN IN ON CONVERSATIONS.
IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THAT? THERE IS NO TRUTH TO THAT AT ALL.
THE SENSORS ARE ONLY PICKING UP THE SOUND OF GUNFIRE.
IT CANNOT PICK UP A HUMAN VOICE.
HAVE YOU HEARD THAT AS WELL? I, I, I HAVE HEARD THAT, YES.
I'D LIKE TO ADD ALSO, SAVING LIVES IS ALWAYS TOP PRIORITY.
AND, UH, I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THAT THROUGH THIS TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE DONE IS THAT IS TAUGHT WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE A PART OF THIS ONE MILE RADIUS.
I BELIEVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALSO IS KEY WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS ONE MILE RADIUS AND WE LOOK AT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.
I, I SEE HERE IN YOUR REPORT THAT YOU SAID YOU, UH, COMMUNICATED YOUR INTENT WITH THE GREATER DUFFER FIELD RESIDENTS COUNCIL TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND SEEK THEIR SUPPORT.
AND YOU SAID HERE THAT THE DISCUSSIONS WERE PRELIMINARY.
I WOULD LIKE US DEFINITELY TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN THIS ONE MILE RADIUS, GET AN UNDERSTANDING.
A LOT OF TIMES, UH, WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH, UH, CERTAIN POPULATIONS, SOMETIMES, UH, THEY FEEL PICKED ON, PICKED OUT TO BE PICKED ON, SO TO SPEAK.
AND SO, UH, BEFORE I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
I'D DEFINITELY LIKE TO, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND, AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE RECEIVING TONIGHT.
IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE, HOW HAVE YOU ALREADY ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY? HAD YOU BEEN WITH TO 'EM? TWICE? YES, BUT IT WAS ONLY THE, UH, GREATER DUFFY FIELD, UH, RESIDENCE COUNCIL.
UM, WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CRAVEN TERRACE MANAGEMENT, BUT NOT THE COMMUNITY SPECIFIC, UNLESS MEMBERS OF OF CRAVEN TERRACE ATTENDED THE, UM, DUFFY FIELD RESIDENCE COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEY MAY HAVE, UM, I CANNOT SPEAK TO MM-HMM.
HAS ANYBODY OPPOSED THE SYSTEM TO YOU? NO.
I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY ANYBODY WOULD OPPOSE TO SOMETHING THAT WOULD, COULD SAVE THEIR LIFE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, I, I'M, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT'S JUST HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WOULD BE ANYBODY IN OPPOSITION OF THIS.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS GOOD FOR, UH, THE NEWBURN POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH IS WHERE MY CONCERN'S AT, AT LEAST WHEN THEY ARRIVE, THEY KNOW THAT THEY'VE HAD GUNFIRE AND THEY CAN ARRIVE PREPARED FOR THAT.
UM, I THINK, UM, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD, UM, PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT AND TO THE AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT IS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF THIS CRIME AND GUNSHOTS AND, AND OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR LIVES.
BUT I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH, UH, ALDERMAN, UM, ROYAL, IN REFERENCE TO THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THESE AREAS.
I, I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO BE INFORMED AND, AND, AND BE AWARE OF WHAT'S COMING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY LIVE IN.
UM, I'M ALL, I'M HAVE A STRONG COMPONENT OF GETTING OUR CITIZENS INVOLVED.
NOW, SECONDLY, UM, I'M GOING TO COMMENT ON, UM, ALDERMAN ASHER'S COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE THERE'S HEAVY CRIME, YOU DON'T LIVE IN A POVERTY AREA, YOU DON'T LIVE IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA, THEN I CAN SEE WHY YOU COULD MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT.
BUT COMING FROM PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE
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AREAS, I THINK THAT THEY MAY BEG TO DIFFER WITH YOU.WELL, IF I LIVED IN THAT AREA, I WOULD WELCOME SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BUT I MEAN, THE STATEMENT YOU JUST MADE, I, I, I JUST, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT, BUT I'M ALL FOR THIS DE DEVICE, BUT I THINK OUR CITIZENS FIRST NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED, THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THOSE AREAS.
I THINK EVEN, EVEN THOUGH IT, THIS MAY BE APPROVED, BUT I STILL THINK WE NEED TO GIVE THE CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SO FORTH.
RE AND, UH, THANK YOU CHIEF FOR, UH, ALL THE INFORMATION.
I, I TOO WOULD, WOULD SUPPORT THIS.
AND, UH, BUT I GUESS IN, UH, IN THE LINE OF, UH, ALDERMAN ROYAL AND ALMAN BEST'S COMMENTS, UH, THIS IS MORE FOR THE CITY MANAGER, UH, IN TEEING THIS UP FOR A DECISION.
IS THIS, UH, SOMETHING WE WOULD CONSIDER AT THE DECEMBER BUDGET MEETING, OR IS THIS MORE A 24 OR 25 BUDGET? SO I'M, I'M GONNA DEFER THAT TO OTTOMAN AS, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I HAVE ONE QUESTION, UH, FOR THE CHIEF.
UH, CHIEF, DOES THE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, DOES THAT INCLUDE ANY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS IN THE, IF ANYTHING OCCURS TO THE SYSTEM? SHOTSPOTTER WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL THE REPAIRS, THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE COVERS, ALL OF THAT.
SO IF SOMETHING BREAKS DOWN, THEY WILL COME TO FIX IT.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I, I'M PREPARED TONIGHT TO MAKE A, UM, A MOTION THAT THE $66,300 WILL COME OUT OF MY, UM, ARP FINDING.
JUST, UH, FROM A CLERICAL MANAGERIAL STANDPOINT, IF, IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OTTOMAN ASTOR'S SUGGESTION, WE'RE ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY OBLIGATING THE CITY FOR A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR FIVE YEARS, UM, I PERSONALLY WOULD FEEL BETTER IF THAT WAS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS PUT ON OUR AGENDA FOR US TO HAVE THAT ABILITY FOR PEOPLE.
FOR FROM TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT, PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THIS, THEY'RE SEEING THE PRESENTATION.
THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT EXPECTING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TONIGHT.
AND I JUST THINK THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S VERY GRACIOUS OF YOU TO OFFER THAT MONEY.
BUT IF THE CHIEF IS NOT, I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD OF A SALESMAN HE IS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM IN, IN ACTION, BUT IF HE'S NOT ABLE TO GET SPONSORSHIPS FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY THE $50,000 A YEAR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO WE JUST NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PUT THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
AND IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC INPUT, SOME PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT AS WELL.
JUST LET US KNOW WHAT DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE US TO TAKE.
I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE THE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
UH, FIRST, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS KEY.
AND GETTING THE COMMUNITY TO BUY IN, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT, WE KNOW, UH, WE NEED IT.
WE NEED SOME BARRIERS IN PLACE.
AND OF COURSE, PROTECT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ALSO, AGAIN, AS THE MAYOR SAID, TRANSPARENCY.
AND I WOULD LOVE JUST TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THIS AND TO SUPPORT IT.
CHIEF, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THEM TO GET THE SYSTEM INSTALLED? ANY IDEAS ON THAT? ONCE WE SIGN A CONTRACT, THEY INDICATED ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS, TWO MONTHS FOR THE SYSTEM TO BE, UM, UP AND RUNNING.
SO IF WE WERE TO PUT THIS ON OUR DECEMBER MEETING, AROUND FEBRUARY WOULD BE A TIMEFRAME, IT COULD BE UP AND INSTALLED.
WOULD THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME TO INTERACT WITH THE VARIOUS GROUPS? I MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE CIRCLE THAT'S ENCLOSED, THERE'S SEVERAL MULTI-FAMILY FACILITIES, SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I HAVE A STANDING, UH, MEETING EVERY SECOND TO THURSDAY WITH THE, UM, UH, DUFFY FIELD RESIDENCE COUNCIL.
I HAVE OFFERED TO THEM THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO DO A FULL BRIEFING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM SHOTS SPOTTER WHO WOULD COME IN AND PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS NOT TECHNICAL.
IT IS, I'M JUST REGURGITATING WHAT THEY HAVE.
SO THEY ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
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WITH THEM WHETHER OR NOT I CAN GET ON THE AGENDA, BUT THEY INDICATED TO ME THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE VERY, UH, AMENABLE TO.SO I CERTAINLY CAN REACH OUT AND ASK IF WE CAN HAVE THAT OCCUR EITHER, UH, THE SECOND THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER, OR IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THAT, THAT DAY.
OR I COULD TALK WITH, UH, CURTIS TO SEE IF I GET THE OMEGA CENTER ON A DIFFERENT NIGHT.
YOU COULD, UM, ALSO, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETS HOME AND PRI I BELIEVE IT'S THE THIRD MONDAY, I THINK MAYBE.
BUT THERE'LL BE ANOTHER MEETING IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND THEN PRESERVATION MANAGEMENT AT CRAVEN TERRACE.
YOU COULD PROBABLY GET THAT FACILITY AND, AND HAVE A MEETING THERE.
SO IF, IF YOU THINK THAT NOVEMBER WOULD BE ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PUT THIS ON THE DECEMBER AGENDA.
I, I JUST WAS GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT IF YOU NEED IT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THE, UH, DISCUSSION ON SHOT SPOTTER UNTIL THE DECEMBER 12TH MEETING.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
I'LL BE ON THE DECEMBER 12TH MEETING.
[17. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Sale of 1101 Main Street.]
NUMBER 17.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 1101 MAIN STREET.
MR. HUGHES, GOOD MORNING, ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS FOR THIS PROPERTY.
CURTIS STEWART SUBMITTED A BID OF $3,000 FOR THE VACANT RESIDENTIAL LOT THAT HAS A TAX VALUE OF $6,000 ON IT.
THE BID WAS ADVERTISED, BUT NO UPSET.
THE PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE IN 2007.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.
I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 1101 MAIN STREET.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
I HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[18. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Redevelopment Commission' s Sale of 1307 Main Street.]
ITEM NUMBER 18, CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SALE OF 1307 MAIN STREET.MR. WILLIAMS, UH, MAYOR BOARD, UH, MRS. LONDON SUBMITTED AN OFFER OF $4,040 FOR THE PURCHASE OF 1307 MAIN STREET.
UH, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, UH, UNANIMOUSLY, UH, ACCEPTED HER BID.
THERE WAS NO, UM, UH, THERE, THERE WAS NO UPSET BIDS ON THAT.
AND IT'S SUBJECT TO, UH, CERTAIN RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.
UH, SHE, SHE WAS GONNA UTILIZE THAT, UH, PROPERTY TO EXPAND HER LOT SIZE.
ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SALE OF 1307 MAIN STREET.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[19. Discuss the 2023 Christmas Parade and Consider Adopting a Resolution Closing Specific Streets for the Parade.]
NUMBER 19, DISCUSSED THE 2023 CHRISTMAS PARADE AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION.CLOSING SPECIFIC STREETS, MS. WARREN.
SO, AT THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD MADE A REQUEST TO CLOSE STREETS FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, WHICH HAD HISTORICALLY BEEN ORGANIZED BY THE JCS.
UM, WE WERE RECEIVING MANY CALLS IN OUR OFFICE WANTING TO KNOW IF A PARADE WAS GOING TO OCCUR.
PEOPLE HAD BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE JCS, HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A RESPONSE.
UM, WE HAD REACHED OUT AND WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF EVENT APPLICATION REQUESTING THAT THEY WERE GONNA HOLD TO PRAY.
SO, UM, HISTORICALLY, AND WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE A CHRISTMAS PARADE, WE STARTED WORKING ON TRYING TO SEE IF WE COULD ORGANIZE ONE AND HOLD ONE.
'CAUSE WE FELT LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO NEWBURN AND TO THE CITIZENS.
AND THAT SINCE THAT EXPECTATION HAD ALREADY BEEN SET, THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO PROVIDE IT.
IT WAS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, STILL IS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT.
AND SO THAT WAS OUR, UM, REASONING BEHIND MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SOME PLANS, UM, ON HOLDING THE PARADE.
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IN FACT, YESTERDAY I HAD ONE OF THE PREVIOUS VOLUNTEERS WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE JCS, HAD WORKED WITH THEM TO ORGANIZE THE PARADE, COME BY MY OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD BE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO SEE THE PARADE HAPPEN AND THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP US OUT WITH IT.UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD ALREADY REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS TO SEE IF THERE WAS AN INTEREST TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, CIVIC GROUPS, SEVERAL, UH, LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL BANDS.
WE'D EVEN PUT IN AN APPLICATION TO THE MARINE CORPS BAND ALREADY ABOUT HAVING THEM COME PARTICIPATE.
SO WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF LEGWORK, UM, BUT BASICALLY WE ARE WAITING ON DIRECTION FROM YOU GUYS TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANTS TO PROCEED WITH.
UM, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONCERN AND, UM, REQUEST TO WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
SO I'M HERE TO HAVE DISCUSSION BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS.
A CITY SPONSOR EVENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
UM, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY PUT SOMETHING ON THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A CITY SPONSORING EVENT, IS THAT CORRECT OR INCORRECT? I WOULDN'T SAY TOTALLY BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE FOR INSTANCE, MUM THAT RECENTLY OCCURRED, UM, PARKS AND REC PUBLIC WORKS WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE LOGISTICS AND SET UP FOR THAT EVENT.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S CITY SPONSORED, WE'RE DOING MOST OF THE LEG WORK.
SAME THING WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER PARADES.
YOU HAVE PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF OUT THERE DURING THE PARADE.
YOU HAVE PUBLIC WORKS, YOU HAVE PD WHO ARE ALL WORKING TO MAKE SURE IT'S FACILITATED SAFELY.
SO I WOULDN'T SAY THAT'S TOTALLY CORRECT.
THE REASON WHY I SAID THAT THE WAY THAT I DID, BECAUSE IT COSTS MONEY TO PUT THAT ON.
WE JUST GO IN AND PUT AND DO THE SIDE WORK FOR THAT.
SO DOES STAFF LABOR ISN'T CONSIDERED THIS, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE SPENDING MONEY TO PUT IT ON.
I DON'T SEE HOW OTHER THAN OUR STAFF LABOR, WHICH IS THE NORMAL INKIND LABOR WE WOULD PROVIDE WITH ANY OTHER CITY SPONSORED EVENT.
LET, LEMME SEE IF I CAN HELP OUT.
MAYBE DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED COST, IF ANY, OF WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FROM US BEING IN CHARGE OF IT VERSUS SUPPORTING THE, THE JCS? I DON'T KNOW IF CARRIE HAS CREATED A COST.
UM, I THINK THE BIGGEST COST WOULD BE ADVERTISING.
AND WE DON'T PAY FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING.
IT'S ALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON HOW THAT'S DONE AND WORD OF MOUTH.
UM, IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO DO THIS, THE BIGGEST COST WOULD BE THE IN-KIND SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF ACTUALLY MANNING THE PARADE AND ORGANIZING IT SO THAT, UM, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THERE WOULD BE PURCHASE OF ANY MATERIALS OR, OR EQUIPMENT FOR THIS PARADE.
SO, BUT WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT, RIGHT? YES.
WOULD THERE'D BE A COST TO ENTER THE PARADE? THEY NORMALLY CHARGE FOR THE PARADE.
THEY NORMALLY DO, BUT SINCE WE'RE DOING IT THIS YEAR, FIRST TIME WE WERE NOT GOING TO INCUR ANY CHARGES.
WE WERE NOT GOING TO CHARGE ANY WHAT ABOUT YEARS TO COME? WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S, ARE WE LOOKING TO MAKE THIS A PART OF WHAT WE DO AT THE END OF THE YEAR? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TO DO? WELL, I GUESS THAT'D BE BASED ON THE DIRECTION THAT YOU GIVE US TONIGHT, BUT IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN US PUTTING ON THE FLOTILLA THAT WE DON'T CHARGE FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN, WHICH IS A BOAT PARADE.
AND SO I, I'LL, I'LL EXPAND ON THAT.
IF, IF IT'S DEEMED THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS PARADE AND, AND THAT THE CITY TAKES THE LEAD IN THIS MOVING FORWARD, YES.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE PARTICIPATION, UH, FEES AND CHARGES MOVING FORWARD.
UM, NOT LOOKING AT LARGE FEES, MINIMAL FEES, UH, TO COVER CERTAIN COSTS, LIKE IF A BAND OR SOMETHING HAS TO BE PAID TO COME IN TO PARTICIPATE.
BUT IF, IF THAT IS THE CASE AND OTHER, OTHER NONPROFITS AREN'T INTERESTED IN STEPPING IN, I'M FOR THE PARADE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO IT, IF IT'S GONNA COST US MONEY.
AND I'M ONLY ONE PERSON ON THE BOARD.
UM, I, I'M JUST SHARING MY PART ALONG WITH WAITING FOR THE VOTE TO COME THROUGH AND, UM, I'LL MAKE THE DECISION FROM THERE.
BUT I'M FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAVE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN FOR YEARS AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT CONTINUE TO GO ON.
MS. WARREN, UM, HOW MANY JCS DID YOU SAY ONE JC OR DOES, HOW MANY JCS WILL BE VOLUNTEERING TO ACTUALLY HELP WITH THIS? PER, WITH THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, THE GENTLEMAN WHO COME TO SPOKE WITH COME AND
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SPOKE WITH ME.HE'S NO LONGER PART OF THE JCS, BUT IT WOULD BE HIMSELF AND THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED WITH THEIR PARADE IN THE PAST.
SO, YEAH, I KNOW THAT PARKS AND RECS, Y'ALL DO ACTUALLY DO A LOT OF ACTIVITIES.
SO DO, ARE YOU, STAFF WISE, ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THIS? I MEAN, THIS IS ONLY TWO MONTHS AWAY STAFF WISE AND, AND WITH, I THINK THIS IS A, A, A REALLY BIG, LARGE UNDERTAKEN
UM, WELL, MOST OF THE LEG WORK WOULD BE DONE OUTTA MY OFFICE BY THE SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR.
UM, THAT PART I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE CAN ORGANIZE, UM, BEING ON GROUND THAT DAY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS, IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, IF YOU ADD IN VOLUNTEERS, I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE WE CAN DO IT.
WE PUT ON 35 DIFFERENT SPECIAL EVENTS A YEAR WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT.
SO NOT SAYING THAT NOTHING CAN NEVER HAPPEN, BUT WE DO A LOT.
SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE ON GETTING A LOT OF, OF, UH, WORK FROM YOUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO HELP AID YOU IN THIS? WELL, PREVIOUSLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS COME BEHIND THE PARADE, PICK UP BARRICADES AS PARADE WENT THROUGH MANNED BARRICADES.
SO I ALREADY SPOKE WITH GEORGE AND HE WAS ON BOARD FOR ASSISTANCE.
SO MY THING IS THE COST, THE COST OF, OF THE DIFFERENT, I SAY COMPANIES, PEOPLE FLOATS OR WHATEVER THAT'S GONNA BE WITHIN THE PARADE.
I MEAN, HOW IS THAT GONNA BE ACTUALLY ARE YOU ARE GONNA BE, YOUR OFFICE IS GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF GETTING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER? THEY WILL APPLY TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE PARADE.
AND WE'LL ORGANIZE AS WE GET IN THE APPLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE PROBABLY TALKED TO 10, 11, 12 DIFFERENT GROUPS ALREADY.
THREE BANDS, CIVIC GROUPS SUCH AS SHRINERS.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL REACH OUT TO US WANTING TO KNOW, IS THERE A PARADE? CAN WE REGISTER TO BE A PARTICIPANT? SO, UH, HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA
LOOKING THROUGH WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE, WHO ORGANIZE THEIR CHRISTMAS PARADE, THEY HAVE LANGUAGE IN THEIR APPLICATION THAT RESERVES THE RIGHT, THAT THEY DENY ANYONE THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
THERE IS LANGUAGE IN SOME OF THEIR APPLICATIONS.
SO, UM, PLACES LIKE BURLINGTON HOPE MILLS, UM, THEY HAD THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN FAMILY FRIENDLY.
HUH? IT HAS TO BE FAMILY FRIENDLY.
IT HAS TO BE A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT.
THE, THE GOAL OF THIS PARADE WOULD BE FAMILY FRIENDLY WITH A CHRISTMAS THEME FOR ENTRIES, UH, AND APPROPRIATE CHRISTMAS DRESS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PARADE.
CARRIE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS OR NOT, BUT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO ANALYZE THE, THE NUMBER OF PARKS AND RECREATION VERSUS PUBLIC WORK STAFF THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THE DAY OF THE PARADE? UM, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO THE WEEDS YET OF THAT.
UM, HISTORICALLY WE'VE HAD FOUR PARKS AND RECREATION PARKS AND GROUND STAFF.
THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT FOUR PUBLIC WORK STAFF AND THEN TWO OF OUR MAIN ADMIN STAFF THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST.
UM, WE WOULD PROBABLY UP THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN ADD IN ANY VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD BE ASSISTING ALL BREON.
IT, YOU GUYS HAVE ADDRESSED TWO OUT OF MY THREE ISSUES ALREADY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT.
'CAUSE WE HAD A ENTRY LAST YEAR THAT WAS NOT.
AND, UM, THE FACT THAT IT'S GONNA HAVE A COST ON, UH, THE CITY AND TO THE STAFF BASICALLY IN HUMAN CAPITAL.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ASK, UH, ATTORNEY MOSLEY TO BACK ME UP ON THIS IS, UH, FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUE.
WE CAN'T RESTRICT ANY POLITICAL SPEECH.
UH, MEANING, YOU KNOW, TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUT UP A PALESTINIAN FLAG, AN
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ISRAELI FLAG, UKRAINIAN FLAG, CONFEDERATE FLAG, BLACK LIVES MATTER FLAG BECAUSE THE CITY IS RUNNING IT.WE CANNOT RESTRICT ANY OF THAT.
SO I WILL TELL YOU, I, I WANT TO SEE A PARADE.
I WANT TO SEE THE MARCHING BANDS.
AND SO I AM ALL FOR THE CITY BEING A BRIDGE THIS YEAR.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT IF, IF WE APPROVE THE CITY TO RUN IT THIS YEAR, I DON'T THINK THE CITY IS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO RECRUIT A, UH, CIVIC ORGANIZATION OR A NON-PROFIT TO RUN IT IN THE FUTURE FOR ALL OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.
'CAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP, UH, TRY TO KEEP THE MODEL OF EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER HERE AND ALL OF THAT'S ANTITHETICAL TO OUR HOMETOWN AND TO, UH, A CHRISTMAS PARADE.
BUT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY NO.
BUT A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION DOES.
I, I REMEMBER, BRENT, TO YOUR POINT, I HAVE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH SOME NONPROFITS THAT WHILE THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TACKLE THAT THIS YEAR, THERE IS INTEREST IN FUTURE YEARS OF, OF, OF CERTAIN GROUPS TAKING THE LEAD IN THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
AND I, AND I REALIZE WE'RE SMALL TOWN, YOU KNOW, BUT MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IS NOT RUN BY NEW YORK CITY AND THE TOURNAMENT OF ROSES IS NOT RUN BY PASADENA.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S BETTER SUITED FOR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, BUT I'M ALL FOR, JUST LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID, I'M ALL FOR THE CITY RUNNING IT THIS YEAR BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE IS GONNA DO IT.
MCKENZIE, I AGREE WITH YOU AND I AGREE WITH ALL AND INVEST.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TAXING THE STAFF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CAPACITY IS OR WORKERS, I DON'T KNOW THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE HOLIDAYS IS COMING UP AND, UM, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANY EMPLOYEES.
UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THE STAFF AND HAVE THEM READY TO GO AND WE HAVE ENOUGH.
BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN WE HAVE, UM, A CATASTROPHIC OR SOMETHING MAJOR HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO PULL PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO COME IN TO HELP OUT.
AND I GUESS THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, DO BETTER AND, UH, WORK SMARTER AND KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES HAPPY THAT WE CAN GROW OUR CITY.
'CAUSE WE ARE GROWING RAPIDLY VERY, VERY FAST AND IT'S VERY HARD TO TRY TO KEEP UP.
BUT THAT'S JUST MY TAKE MR. HUGHES.
UH, SO, SO CARRIE, UH, I WANT TO SEE IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THE QUESTION.
DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A, A PLAN IN PLACE? YOU, YOU MENTIONED 38 SPECIAL EVENTS A YEAR.
UH, DO YOU ROTATE STAFF FOR THOSE THINGS? CAN YOU, OR HOW DO YOU SCHEDULE YOUR STAFF? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? ANY? UM, STARTING LAST YEAR WITH OUR PARKS AND GROUND STAFF, I DID DO A YEAR OUT OF ALL OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AND THEY ROTATE AND SIGN UP FOR THE ONES THAT THEY WANT TO WORK.
SO THEY'RE WORKING MAYBE ONE EVERY THREE OR FOUR EVENTS OTHER THAN OUR BIG THINGS LIKE 4TH OF JULY, NEW YEAR'S EVE BLOCK PARTY FEST THAT EVERYBODY'S, UM, REQUIRED TO ATTEND.
UM, AND THEN SOME OF THE RECREATION STAFF I'VE WORKED AT THIS PAST YEAR WHERE I'VE BEEN USING SPECIAL EVENT ASSISTANCE TO HELP THE SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR RUN EVENTS.
SO RECREATION STAFF DO NOT HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO LIKE MOVIES AND DEPART CONCERTS.
UM, THEY HAVE NOT WORKED ANY OF THOSE THIS YEAR.
AND AND DO YOU RECRUIT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL? YES.
PUBLIC WORKS IS USUALLY A BIG HELP, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO CERTAIN EVENTS, HELPING US PUT OUT BARRICADES, SIGNAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT IF WE NEED IT.
CARRIE, A QUESTION AS FAR AS THE, THE LABORER THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED, MAY, MAYBE I'M, MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING.
SO THE ONLY THING I THINK ADDITIONALLY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO THIS YEAR IS THE ACTUAL MANAGEMENT OF THE PROCESS OF APPLICATIONS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT WOULD BE WORKING THE PARADE AS WE NORMALLY WOULD, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, I, I, I AGREE WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.
UM, I THINK IF THE CITY DOESN'T DO IT THIS YEAR, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAVE A PARADE IN FULL TRANSPARENCY.
UM, THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, THE PARADE HAS BEEN LACKING.
HOW MANY ENTRANCES WERE LAST YEAR? LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS 38
[01:00:01]
ENTRIES.AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S EVER PARTICIPATED OR BEEN TO THE TRENT WOODS PARADE, BUT THEY HAVE I THINK A HUNDRED PLUS AT LEAST.
UM, SO IT'S A, IT IS A HUGE PARADE.
AND THEN TOWN OF TRENT WOODS, THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
UM, SO, SO THERE'S A, A GREAT PARADE.
BUT I MEAN, WE'RE IN NEW BERN, THAT'S TRENT WOODS.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE GO BACK AND FORTH.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF NEWBURN DIDN'T HAVE A PARADE, BUT I DO THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A NONPROFIT, UM, BECAUSE THE JCS USED TO HISTORICALLY USE THIS AS A FUNDRAISER.
UM, THE PROBLEM IS, IS I THINK THE JCS OF NEW BERN IS NO MORE.
I DON'T THINK THERE IS A GROUP ANYMORE.
AND IT'S BEEN, THERE WAS A, A YOUNG LADY, I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME, BUT, UH, I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH HER.
SHE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND EVER SINCE SHE PASSED AWAY, THE, THE ORGANIZATION JUST WASN'T THERE.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT SHORT NOTICE AND THE CITY'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD PULL IT OFF AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THE PERSON THAT COORDINATES THIS HERE, UM, WHEN THEY COME BEFORE US AND GIVE US A PLAN, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THIS, UH, YOU JUST FOR SO RUNNING WITH IT YOURSELF, YOU'RE TAKING IT TO YOU TO, TO, UM, BE THE FRONT PERSON FOR IT.
ME BEING DIRECTOR, I WOULD BE THE FRONT PERSON, BUT MY SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IN CHARGE OF APPLICATIONS PROCESSING, JUST LIKE SHE DOES WITH ANY OTHER EVENTS THAT WE HAVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL I, CARRIE, I JUST DON'T WANT YOUR STAFF TO BE OVERWORKED.
THAT'S THE MAIN PRIORITY FOR ME.
AND, UM, SECONDLY, AS ALDERMAN, UH, BRINSON MENTIONED ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, NOW
RIGHT, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN IT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE FIRST AMENDMENT CONSTRAINS THE GOVERNMENT FROM DISCRIMINATING IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPEECH.
SO WE CAN IMPOSE REASONABLE GUIDELINES THAT ARE OBJECTIVE, THAT DON'T DISCRIMINATE BASED ON VIEWPOINT OR POLITICAL IDEOLOGY.
UM, CERTAINLY IF THERE ARE ATTIRE RESTRICTIONS OR THEME RESTRICTIONS, THOSE WILL BE OBJECTIVE STANDARDS THAT THE CITY CAN IMPOSE.
AND IF APPLICANT FAILS TO MEET THOSE CRITERIA, THAT APPLICATION CAN BE DENIED.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
AND THIS IS 2023 CHRISTMAS PARADE THAT THE, UH, WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO CLOSE SPECIFIC STREETS FOR THE 2023 CHRISTMAS PARADE.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.
[20. Consider Adopting a Resolution in Support of the FY2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to Fund Automated External Defibrillators.]
20, CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE FFY 2023 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND AE DS CHIEF GALLAGHER.UM, WE HAD A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE, UM, THIS GRANT, UM, TO PURCHASE AEDS TO BECOME PART OF THE NEW BERN MEDICAL RESPONSE SYSTEM.
I'VE OFTEN SAID, RARELY WILL YOU SEE A FIRE TRUCK OR AN AMBULANCE PATROLLING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU WILL SEE A POLICE OFFICER AND THE ABILITY TO BRING, UM, ON STATION AAED WITH PERSONS THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM, UM, A MEDICAL EMERGENCY WHERE THIS WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO SAVE A LIFE IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE WERE WILLING TO LEVERAGE.
AND WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GRANTED THE, UM, THE MONIES.
UM, INITIALLY WE WERE LOOKING AT EIGHT AEDS.
UM, HOWEVER, WE REALIZED THAT WE COULD, IF WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 176 OF OUR OWN DOLLARS, WE COULD PURCHASE YET A NINTH, AED.
SO WE FELT THAT THE INVESTMENT OF $176 WAS WELL WORTH THE EXPENDITURE OF ONE ADDITIONAL AED.
AND, UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THESE BY PLACING THESE IN PATROL VEHICLES AND HAVING THEM, UM, READY FOR USE.
OUR STAFF IS ALREADY TRAINED ON AEDS.
UM, WE ARE ALREADY CERTIFIED IN ITS USE AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, BEING ABLE
[01:05:01]
TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN THIS CAPACITY.CHIEF, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I KNOW THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DISPATCHED ON LEVEL ONE MEDICAL CALLS.
DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GET THOSE CALLS AS WELL? UH, UH, YES.
UH, WE CAN GO AND CERTAINLY DO CPR IN SOME OF THE, UH, FIRST AID OPTIONS, UM, UNTIL, UM, ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SHOWS UP.
UM, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE, ARE, ARE NOT CAPABLE OF RESUSCITATING SOMEBODY WHO'S HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
THE, THE REASON I WAS ASKING IS YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT THAT USUALLY THE AMBULANCE IS AT THE AMBULANCE STATION AND THE FIRETRUCK'S AT THE FIRE STATION, YOU GUYS ARE OUT COM YOU KNOW, POLICING THE COMMUNITY.
IF SOMEONE'S HAVING A HEART ATTACK ACROSS THE STREET AND THERE'S A PATROL CAR THERE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE COMMUNICATION, THAT YOU HAVE THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND THERE'S SOMEBODY THERE THAT HAS A NEED THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN THE CAR.
SO AS LONG AS WE CAN MAKE THAT CONNECTION, I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT INVESTMENT PERSONALLY.
WELL, THE, THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS THE DISPATCHERS WORK FOR US THERE.
UM, WHO HAS THE AEDS GRANT BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE FY 2023 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.
[21 . Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for Fiscal Year 2023-24.]
ITEM NUMBER 21 IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2324.MS. OSTROM, UH, THIS BUS, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, APPROPRIATE $32,820 FROM THE AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE OF $362,093 AND 65 CENTS FROM, UM, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UM, IT ALSO RECOGNIZES $14,179 AND JAG FUNDS TO SECURE THE AEDS REFERENCED IN ITEM 20 AND THE ADDITIONAL 1200 IN FUNDING FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM AS IDENTIFIED IN ITEM 11 AND THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, IT INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL 1200 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTENDANCE AT THE TRAFFIC SAFETY CONFERENCE.
THE PREVIOUS AMOUNT WAS APPROVED AUGUST 22ND FOR $25,000 TOTAL TOTALING 26,200 FOR THIS AWARD BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 21? I WILL MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO ADOPT A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR TWO, 2023 DASH 24.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
UH, IF YOU REMIND, UH, REMEMBER WE'RE GONNA SKIP AND TABLE ITEM NUMBER 22, SO
[23. Appointment( s).]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPOINTMENTS.UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? OKAY.
[24. Attorney' s Report.]
REPORT.[25. City Manager's Report.]
MANAGER'S REPORT.UM, AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON, UH, SOME POTENTIAL PROJECTS FOR A CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE BP PROJECT.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING.
ALSO AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION ON STORMWATER PROJECTS AND FUNDING, UH, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND, AND WHAT, UH, GRANTS HAVE BEEN, UH, APPLIED FOR AND, AND FUNDS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE FOR, FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO BE BID OUT OR BEING BID OUT AT THIS TIME.
ALSO, WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE STANDING WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE CONTRACTOR, UH, THIS MORNING.
THEY HAVE MADE A REQUEST TO BE ABLE TO START POURING CONCRETE ON SITE AT 4:00 AM THIS FRIDAY.
UM, THEY HAVE A, A LARGE PORE OF, OF, OF THE FOOTERS FOR THE FOUNDATION.
IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD WEATHER DAY.
AND SO THEY'VE MADE THAT REQUEST.
I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
[01:10:01]
PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL.ALSO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE MSD COMMITTEE.
CURRENTLY WE'VE RECEIVED 23 APPLICATIONS.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE GOAL IS TO, UM, ANY APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVE BY NOVEMBER 3RD, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND COMPILE THAT, SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE, TO THE BOARD AT LEAST BY NOVEMBER 14TH.
UH, AND THEN THE GOAL WILL BE FOR THE BOARD TO, TO, UM, HAVE A VOTE FOR THE COMMITTEE ON NOVEMBER 28TH.
NOW, WE'LL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE ONLINE FORM WHEN PEOPLE HAVE FILLED THAT OUT.
UH, THEY HAVE GOTTEN A, A RECEIPT SAYING THAT, UH, THAT THEIR FORM HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.
HOWEVER, THERE'S BEEN AN ISSUE.
THE CLERK HAS NOT RECEIVED THOSE.
SO WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO FOLKS AND SENT LETTERS.
WE'VE DONE SOME FOLLOW UP LETTERS AS WELL.
ONE WENT OUT LAST WEEK, UM, TO INFORM, UH, FOLKS.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET EVERYONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN THIS.
SO WE, WE, WE WILL HAVE A FEW MORE WEEKS TO, TO VET THAT.
WHAT IS IT, AN EMAIL THAT COMES TO THE CLERK WHEN SOMEONE FILLS IT OUT? IT IS.
AND SO WITH OUR WEBSITE REVISED, THERE'S SOME, SOME ISSUE WITH THAT.
WE, WE'VE UPLOADED APDF FILE, SO THEY CAN JUST DOWNLOAD THAT FORM, FILL IT OUT, AND BRING IT IN TO THE CLERK, OR THEY CAN EMAIL IT TO THE CLERK ALONG WITH THE APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UH, QUESTION ON THE, THE BP, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BRING BACK ALTERNATIVES ON HOW TO SPEND THE MONEY.
MY QUESTION IS ON THE, THE BUILDING ITSELF, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE DEMOLISHED.
THE BUILDING IS GOING TO, WELL, THE FIRST STEP WILL BE TO, UH, ANY, ANY ABATEMENTS THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE.
IF THERE'S ANY ASBESTOS, CLEAN THAT UP, THEN TEAR THE BUILDING DOWN AND THEN BASICALLY GRASP, GRASP THE LOT.
SO IS THERE ANY DIRECTION YOU NEED FROM THE BOARD? BECAUSE THAT'S GOTTA BE DONE REGARDLESS.
THAT, THAT'S GOTTA BE DONE REGARDLESS.
AND SO FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR THAT.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR A MANAGER, MR. BRION? IT, UM, GOING BACK TO THE, UH, EXCEPTION FOR STANLEY WHITE.
SO IN, SO IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, UM, SECTION 26 DASH 71, ARTICLE FIVE, IT DOES SAY THAT ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH MUNICIPAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MAY TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:00 PM AND 7:00 AM ON WEEKDAYS AND SATURDAY.
SO THIS, THIS IS ALLOWED FOR THIS.
SO, BUT I DO WANT THE BOARD TO BE AWARE OF THIS CITY VERSUS COMMERCIAL.
ONE, ONE MORE, ONE MORE THING, MAYOR.
ALSO, OUR GOAL, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SINCE THE LAST BUDGET PROCESS, WAS TO START THIS BUDGET PROCESS A LITTLE SOONER.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT, UH, THE BOARD APPROVE A BUDGET WORK SESSION FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12TH AT 3:00 PM THAT'S THE SAME DAY OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR BOARD MEETING IN DECEMBER.
THE GOAL WOULD BE TO GO, UH, FROM THREE TO NO LATER THAN FIVE OR FIVE 30.
AND AT THAT POINT, UH, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IS GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF THE CURRENT BUDGET, WHERE WE STAND WITH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, TALK ABOUT GENERAL EXPECTATIONS AND TIMELINES OF THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR FY 25.
ALSO TO GET FEEDBACK ON POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND TIE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING IN AS WELL, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THINGS UPFRONT, SUCH AS COLAS, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET INTO FEBRUARY, THAT'S WHEN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL BE MAKING PRESENTATIONS AND GOING FROM THERE.
SO THE GOAL IS TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHAT, WHAT'S THE BOARD'S DESIRE.
SO, SO THAT'S AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT THAT IS ON ON TUESDAY.
SO ARE YOU STILL GONNA HOST WHERE THE BOARD CAN MEET AND JUST, UH, HAVE A A, A MEET AND GREET? ARE YOU GONNA DO THAT FIRST? ARE YOU GONNA DO THAT AFTER? HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO THAT? A MEET AND GREET? YES.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO GET EXCITED AND SAY, YES, LET'S DO THAT.
YEAH, WE CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT DO, WHAT IS THE CONSISTS OF THE BOARD.
YOU COULD DO A POTLUCK AND EVERYBODY BRING SOMETHING.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA BRING? UH, I'M GONNA BRING, UH, SOME ORANGES AND APPLES.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE IF THE BOARD SO DESIRES TO DO THAT AT THREE O'CLOCK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, MS. BARBARA? WHAT DO YOU THINK, MS. ROYAL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE MAIN COOK, RIGHT? DEC.
SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE OUR, UH, WE GONNA HAVE OUR MR. HUGHES FROM THREE TO FIVE 30.
IT'LL BE THE ACTUAL, UM, SESSION, OUR WORK SESSION.
AND THEN, SO FROM FIVE 30 TO SIX, WE GOT TO WOO DOWN SOME FOOD
[01:15:01]
THEN GO.FROM 12, WELL, NO, NOT 12, BUT, UM, MAYBE FROM ONE TO TWO.
GET A CHANCE TO MEET EVERYBODY.
KNOW EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
YEAH, BUT I DON'T WANNA BRING NO POTLUCK.
WOULD THAT BE TOO CUMBERSOME TO DO? UM, WHAT DID YOU SAY? THREE? FROM ONE TO THREE? YEAH, WE COULD DO IT AT ANY TIME.
THE GOAL WOULD BE TO DO IT ON THE 12TH, ONE TO THREE, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND COME BACK AT FIVE, AT SIX, AT SIX O'CLOCK.
I MEAN, I JUST ASSUME DO IT FROM THREE TO FIVE 30 AND THEN WOKE OUT AND I, OR WELL, THEN WE WAIT A MINUTE.
CAN DO THE WORK SESSION, THE, UM, BUDGET SESSION FROM FIVE 30 TO SIX TO FIVE
FIVE 30 TO FIVE FROM FIVE 30 TO FIVE, UH, 10 MINUTES BEFORE SIX.
SO, SO LET ME, LEMME TRY TO UNPACK THIS.
SO I THINK SOME ON THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE GET TOGETHER FOR THE HOLIDAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMING HERE ON DECEMBER THE 12TH AT 3:00 PM FOR BUDGET WORKSHOP.
RIGHT? THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME IN BETWEEN THE MEETING AND OUR BOARD MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE AT SIX O'CLOCK THAT NIGHT.
SO MIGHT I SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE THE WORK SESSION AT 2:00 PM TO ALLOW ENOUGH TIME.
THAT WAY YOU'VE GOT AN HOUR AND A HALF OR TWO HOURS FOR DINNER AND SOCIALIZING BEFORE THE 6:00 PM MEETING.
HOW DID THAT SOUND? SO FROM TWO TO THREE, YOU, YOU STILL GOT ONE HOUR? WELL, THE, THE, I THINK YOUR MANAGER WAS PROJECTING THE MEETING WAS GONNA TAKE ABOUT TWO HOURS FOR THE WORK SESSION FROM THREE TO FIVE.
SO IF, IF THE BOARD WOULD EVEN TWO TO FOUR 30, YOU'D HAVE AN HOUR AND A HALF.
ALRIGHT, WELL I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN THAT WE DO A BUDGET WORK SESSION ON DECEMBER 12TH AT 2:00 PM EXCUSE ME.
WHAT ABOUT POTLUCK OR CITY SPONSORS? THAT'S ON AT, AT CITY HALL.
THAT WOULD BE ON THAT MOTION AGAIN, SIR.
SO I, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONDUCT A BUDGET WORK SESSION ON DECEMBER 12TH AT THREE, AT 2:00 PM AT CITY HALL.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED A MOTION FROM
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK YOU HAVE A QUESTION FROM TWO TO WHAT TIME DID YOU SAY I I DID NOT, UH, WE NORMALLY DO NOT ADD AN END TIME.
AN EXPIRATION? WELL, WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING.
WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING THAT NIGHT AT SIX O'CLOCK.
SO WHERE DOES THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION COME IN? WE'LL, WE'LL RECOMMEND DOING THAT AFTER THE WORK SESSION.
SO NOT PART OF THE WORK SESSION, CORRECT? YOU WON'T CORRECT.
WON'T BE DURING THE WORK SESSIONS? CORRECT.
SO THAT MEANS WE'LL HAVE TO NOTICE THAT, THAT YOU'LL ALL BE TOGETHER, BUT THERE WILL NOT BE BUSINESS DISCUSSED.
IT WILL JUST BE A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.
OR YOU COULD JUST NOT ADJOURN THE WORK SESSION AND ADJOURN IT AFTER THE DINNER.
'CAUSE THE FOOD IS PART OF THE WORK.
LET'S JUST LET THE CITY MANAGER WORK IT OUT.
WE'LL WALK IT OUT ON THE AGENDA.
THE CLERK AND I, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION OF IT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, THEIR MOTION HAS TO BE SPECIFIC.
IF WE'RE GOING TO, SO THE MOTION IS TO HAVE A WORK SESSION AT TWO 12 OR 1212 AT 2:00 PM AT CITY HALL.
WHAT WE DO FROM THAT POINT UNTIL SIX O'CLOCK IS UP TO THE BOARD ON HOW WE HANDLE THAT.
IF WE WANT TO STAY IN SESSION AND EAT AND THEN ADJOURN AFTER THAT, WE CAN DO THAT.
IF THE BOARD DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO ADVERTISE THAT IT'S A POTLUCK DINNER, THEN WE CAN GIVE THAT DIRECTION.
IS THAT FAIR, MS. ATTORNEY? THE ONLY CONCERN IS IF YOU DESIRE TO LEAVE CITY HALL AND YOU HAVE NO ADJOIN, ADJOURN THE MEETING, THEN THAT CREATES A COMPLICATION.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THIS LEAVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SAY AYE.
MAYOR, ONE FINAL THING, UM, JUST REMIND EVERYONE, THE HALLOWEEN PRESCHOOL PARADE WILL BE THIS FRIDAY AT NINE 30.
UM, KIDS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT WILL MEET AT, UH, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CHELSEA RESTAURANT.
SO THEY'LL GO DOWN MIDDLE STREET TO SOUTH FRONT STREET TO UNION POINT PARK WHERE PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, AND SEVERAL OTHER NONPROFITS WILL BE DOWN THERE, UM, GIVING OUT, UH,
[01:20:01]
TRICKS AND TREATS AND ALL KINDS OF GOOD THINGS.SO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
MAYOR PROTON BRISSON, ARE YOU GONNA BE AROUND FRIDAY MORNING? YES.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING OFFICIAL, BUT HISTORICALLY THE MAYOR HAS WALKED AND UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES, I HAVE A CONFERENCE CALL THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF.
SO WHAT, WHAT TIME DID YOU SAY? NINE 30.
YOU JUST HAVE TO WEAR A COSTUME.
UM, AND NOT THE ONE YOU'RE WEARING NOW.
I'LL, I'LL DRESS UP LIKE THE MAYOR
ANYTHING ELSE MR. HUGHES? NO, SIR.
[26. New Business.]
ALL RIGHT.LET'S GO TO NEW BUSINESS, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.
UM, SOME OF THIS WILL BE FAMILIAR TO YOU, BUT TWO WEEKS AGO, UH, I ATTENDED THE CIVIL MILITARY COMMUNITY COUNCIL AT CHERRY POINT.
UH, SECOND LAW DEPUTY COMMANDER EMPHASIZED THAT, UH, SIX OF THE 12 F 30 FIVES FOR THEIR FIRST SQUADRON HAD ARRIVED.
AND THE SECOND SQUADRON WOULD BE ARRIVING BY THE SPRING, AND THEY WOULD HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX SQUADRONS BY 2028 THAT TRANSLATE.
AND THEY WILL HAVE A, UM, SQUADRON OF UABS BY NEXT FALL AS WELL.
THE CHERRY POINT BASE COMMANDER REMINDED EVERYONE THAT BY 2030, BASICALLY THE END OF THAT, UH, GROWTH, THE END STRENGTH WOULD INCREASE BY 1500 ACTIVE DUTY AND ABOUT 300 CIVILIANS FOR FRC EAST.
THEN, UM, THE FRC EAST DEPUTY COMMANDER STATED THEY'RE STARTING JOB FAIRS AND HIRING ACTIONS TO START FILL THE FILLING THOSE CIVILIAN JOBS.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER, THEIR MEDIAN SALARY IS 72,000.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UH, FILLING THOSE.
AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO THE ANNOUNCEMENT, IF YOU MISSED IT, THAT GLOBAL TRANSPORT, KINSTON IS RECEIVING $300 MILLION IN THIS YEAR'S NORTH CAROLINA STATE BUDGET TO BUILD A HANGAR.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IS FRC EAST WILL LEASE THIS HANGAR AT $15 MILLION PER YEAR IN ORDER TO EXPAND THEIR C ONE 30 MAINTENANCE.
UH, AND AT THE EASTERN CAROLINA COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT I ATTENDED LAST WEEK, THE DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBAL TRANSPORT, KINSTON STATED FRCS CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 90 EMPLOYEES WORKING ON ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT.
BUT THE C ONE 30 EXPANSION WOULD BRING CONSIDERABLY MORE JOBS.
I HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY THE NUMBER, BUT IT IS IN THE HUNDREDS.
UH, SO ONCE AGAIN, I EMPHASIZE TO YOU AND TO OUR CITIZENS THAT NEW BERN WILL MAKE A GREAT BEDROOM COMMUNITY BETWEEN THE GLOBAL TRANSPORT, KINSTON AND CHERRY POINT FOR THOSE THAT, UH, WORK FOR FRC EAST.
AND THEN FROM THE MPO SIDE, I'VE GIVEN YOU ALL A FLYER FROM THE ECC TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE I 42 AND US 70 COMMITTEE HANDED OUT, BASICALLY SHOWING THE STATUS OF THE HIGHWAY FROM JOHNSTON COUNTY, CLAYTON AREA, UH, TO ALL THE WAY TO CARTER COUNTY DOWN IN MOORHEAD CITY.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THOSE PROJECTS ARE BROKEN DOWN.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, THAT CARTS ARE, UH, COUNTY BUS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS GOING TO HAVE ABOUT A $250,000 SHORTFALL.
AND THE REASON WHY THAT IS, IS BECAUSE THE CENSUS SHOWED NEWBURN AS A METROPOLITAN TO BE LESS THAN 50,000 PEOPLE.
AND SO THEY ARE LOSING THE URBAN PART OF THEIR FUNDING.
UH, SO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, THE COUNTY'S TRYING TO WORK OUT OPTIONS, BUT WE MAY END UP LOSING PARTS OF EITHER THE FIXED ROUTE OR THE ON DEMAND SYSTEM UNLESS THEY FIND ANOTHER SOURCE FOR THE FUNDING.
UH, JUST TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.
AND THEN, UH, THIS BEING THE, UH, LAST MEETING BEFORE VETERAN'S DAY, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A RUNDOWN AND I'LL PASS THESE ON TO COLLEEN.
BUT THESE ARE NOT CITY LED EVENTS, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON FOR OUR VETERANS.
UH, NOVEMBER 2ND THROUGH THE FIFTH, THE WALL THAT HEAL, WE'LL BE AT WALTER B. JONES PARK IN HAVELOCK.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THEY CAME HERE TO LAWSON CREEK PARK A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
WELL, THEY'RE BACK AND THEY'RE DOWN AT HAVELOCK.
IF YOU WANT TO GO VISIT OR KNOW OF ANY, UH, VIETNAM VETERANS THAT YOU CAN TAKE THERE.
NOVEMBER 8TH IS THE THIRD ANNUAL VETERANS DAY JOB FAIR THAT IS AT THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY FROM 11 TO THREE.
NOVEMBER 8TH, UH, NOVEMBER 9TH IS THE EIGHTH ANNUAL CRAVEN COUNTY VETERAN STAND DOWN.
UH, THEY WILL HAVE OVER 50 SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ATTENDANCE FROM BOTH THE VA AND THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS.
AMONG OTHERS THAT STAND DOWN IS NINE TO ONE, AGAIN AT THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY.
[01:25:01]
AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 11TH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, MARCH FOR THE 22.I THINK THIS IS THEIR FOURTH YEAR.
UH, THEY'LL BE MARCHING BACK FROM MAYSVILLE OR POLLOCKS VILLE OR FRESHWATER BREWERY AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SIGN UP AND JOIN THAT, THAT MARCH.
LASTLY, THE VETERANS COUNCIL OF CRAVEN COUNTY VETERANS DAY LUNCHEON WILL BE AT 11:00 AM AT TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH AS USUAL.
AND PRESENTATIONS WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE VETERAN OF THE YEAR AND THE VETERAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT, UH, FOR CRAVEN COUNTY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, CITY MANAGER AND PUBLIC WORKS AND MR. WILLIAMS FOR, UM, THE, UM, EVERGREEN, UM, CEMETERY, THE FENCE AND IN THE BACK AND FOR GETTING ALL THAT DEBRIS AND EVERYTHING TAKEN DOWN.
IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD, UM, IN THE CEMETERY NOW.
AND, BUT I DO HAVE ONE OTHER REQUEST.
UM, IF YOU CAN GO OVER AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT EVERGREEN CEMETERY AND THE FENCING THAT'S ALONG THE LINE OF WHERE THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES ARE.
IF Y'ALL CAN POSSIBLY GO OVER AND CLEAN THAT FENCE, UH, AMEND THAT FENCE, PAINT THAT FENCE SO THAT THE WHOLE FENCING IN THAT CEMETERY WOULD BE ONE COLOR, UM, AND BE UNIFORM.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR, FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT THE, BUT THE CEMETERY IS, IS BEGINNING TO LOOK MUCH BETTER THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAVE.
BEST, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
UH, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE, WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH, WITH THE FENCE ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
SO IT'S VERY SENSITIVE DEALING WITH THAT.
SO, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE STAFF AND PROBABLY HAVE TO CONTRACT, UH, TO GET A FENCE COMPANY OUT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL PUT ATTENTION TO THAT.
HONOR MCKENZIE, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MANAGER AND THE CHIEF FOR HAVING HIS MEN TO COME OUT LAST NIGHT TO, UH, CALL THE STATE'S, UH, MEETING.
AND, UH, ALSO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING VERY INFORMATIVE AND SHARING INFORMATION WITH THE CITIZENS.
AND, UH, CHIEF, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUYS COMING OUT, BEING VERY INFORMATIVE, SHARING SOME VERY GOOD INFORMATION.
AND, UH, DO I OWE YOU ANYTHING FOR THAT? YOU, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN SO VERY MUCH.
AND JUDGE, WE THANK YOU FOR HAVING YOU TONIGHT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, SIR.
UM, CHIEF WILLIAMS, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF THE, THE SMALL HOMES CURRENTLY? THEY HAVE, UH, WE, WE'VE HAD JORDAN HUGHES AND THEY'VE, UH, THEY HAVE A CONTRACTOR WHO ACTUALLY, THEY, THEY BIDED IT OUT AND ONE SINGLE CONTRACTOR, IT WAS, IT WAS BIDDED INDIVIDUALLY.
EACH HOUSE WAS BIDED INDIVIDUALLY, AND ONE CONTRACTOR ACTUALLY WON THE BID OF EACH OTHER HOUSES.
SO, UH, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, FINALIZING THE CONTRACT WITH THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN CONSTRUCTION MAY START? I DON'T HAVE THE DATE.
UM, NOW LAST THING I HAVE IS WHEN SOMETIME HERE IN THE REAL NEAR FUTURE, THIS BOARD IS GOING TO NEED TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING FOR ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
WE, UH, I I REPRESENT BLUE WATER RISE, AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, OF, UH, YOUNG FAMILIES OUT THERE THAT HAVE CHILDREN.
AND I'M GETTING TELEPHONE CALLS ALL THE TIME.
OR IF I'M IN OUR MEETINGS DOWN THERE, IF SOME OF THE THINGS IS WE NEED SOMETHING, WE NEED MORE TO DO, SOMETHING TO DO FOR KIDS, I DIDN'T REALLY PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO IT.
I MEAN, I HAD IT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.
FOSTER YOU AND I DISCUSSED IT, MARRIAGE AND I DISCUSSED IT.
BUT UNTIL A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN MY DAUGHTER ARRIVED WITH OUR GRANDCHILD THAT'S, UM, SEVEN YEARS OLD, LAUREN SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO ON SATURDAY? I, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
THERE IS, I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A SEVEN YEAR OLD ON SATURDAY IN NEWBURG? YEAH.
UM, SHE STARTED INFORMING ME OF ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU CAN DO IN HER COMMUNITY AND, UH, THIS SET UP FOR WEEKENDS AND STUFF FOR KIDS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER TRY TO CONVINCE SOMEONE
[01:30:01]
TO COME TO NEW BERN AND BUILD A BOWLING ALLEY OR A TRAMPOLINE PARK OR SOMETHING FOR KIDS TO DO IF THEY REALIZE THAT THERE'S NOTHING HERE.I, I, I MEAN, PERSONALLY, I THINK A BOWLING ALLEY WOULD BE A BIG HIT IN NEW BERN.
YOU KNOW, THERE USED TO BE ONE HERE YEARS AGO AND THERE WAS A SEVERAL LEAGUES, A LOT OF MY FIREMEN BOWLED IN LEAGUES.
AND I THINK WHEN THE BOWLING ALLEY CLOSED UP, THEY ALL, IF I'M NOT BADLY MISTAKEN, HE EITHER HAD TO GO TO GREENVILLE, A BOWL AND OR JACKSONVILLE, ONE OR THE OTHER.
BUT IT, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE PROACTIVE IN TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO COME TO NEWBURN AND BUILD SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES.
IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A, IT'D HAVE TO BE A MONEYMAKING THING FOR SOMEBODY BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NOTHING HERE TO DO.
SO ALDERMAN, UH, ASKED HER JUST, JUST FOR THAT POINT, UH, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS ARE ALSO FINISHING UP ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
UH, AND I, I'D LIKE TO HOPE THAT THE PRESENTATION WILL BE IN DECEMBER, IF NOT THEN THE 1ST OF JANUARY TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION.
BUT IN THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENT ON IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU REFERRED TO.
UM, NOW NEWBURN HAS A LOT OF REALLY GREAT PARKS, A LOT OF NICE PLAYGROUNDS, BUT WE'RE REFERRING TO ACTUALLY ACTIVITIES, THINGS LIKE TRAMPOLINE PARK, BUT, BUT OF THE VARIETY OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL THING THAT MOST CITIES GET INTO, RIGHT.
SO, SO YES, WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND UH, WE THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY A NEED FOR THAT IN NEWBURN.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
AND SO HOPE TO BRING SOME INFORMATION BACK TO THE BOARD ON THAT SOON.
YEAH, WE JUST CERTAINLY NEED SOMETHING.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IF A KID PLAYS ALL DAY, HE SLEEPS ALL NIGHT.
SO I, I THINK PART OF THAT AUTO MASTERS GOT TO DO WITH, UM, WE HAD A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, UM, SHE WAS MAKING STRIDES, SHE MOVED ON TO A DIFFERENT JOB.
WE HIRED SOMEONE DIFFERENT AND THEN WE HAD THE HURRICANE COME THROUGH AND THAT COMMUNITY SLASH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER JOB SHIFTED A LOT MORE TOWARD THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WITH RESILIENCY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WITH CHRIS ON BOARD NOW, I THINK HE CAN DO A GOOD JOB AT SELLING NEW BERN, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT POSITION IS.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE ALL HEARD IT THAT NEW BERN'S JUST A SLEEPY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AND FOLKS IN THE THAT INDUSTRY PROBABLY HAVE HEARD THAT TOO.
AND THEY PROBABLY THINK, WELL, WHY AM I GONNA GO SPEND, YOU KNOW, A MILLION, $2 MILLION ON A TRAMPOLINE PARK? 'CAUSE IT'S A BUNCH OF RETIREES THERE.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA JUMP ON A TRAMPOLINE.
BUT IF WE GET THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER, UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY GO OUT AND HELP, YOU KNOW, TELL THE STORY OF NEWMAN AND RECRUITS SOME THOSE BUSINESSES HERE.
AND TO ADD TO THAT, MAYOR, UM, CHRIS HAS BEEN WORKING ON COMMUNITY INVENTORY, NOT ONLY OF BUSINESSES IN ALL OF THE WARDS, ALSO VACANT PARTIALS AND, AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO, TO HAVE A ONE STOP SHOP ON OUR WEBSITE AND WORK WITH THE LOCAL, UH, DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO PUSH THOSE PROPERTIES.
THE GOAL IS TO ADD MORE, MORE, MORE RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS AND THINGS TO OUR CITY THAT, THAT WE CAN, UH, WHERE WE HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE ACCESS TO NOW, THANKS TO, UH, C ONE A AND THE TDA AND, AND THE AIRPORT IS PLACER AI, WHICH GIVES US ACTUAL INFORMATION ON, UH, VISITOR COUNTS.
UH, AND GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, I PUT THIS IN THE WEEKLY REPORT DURING FEST.
60,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THAT EVENT.
OVER THOSE TWO DAYS, WE HAVE INFORMATION ON TRAFFIC COUNTS FOR MOST OF THE MAJOR ROADS, CARS THAT DRIVE BY, UH, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND WITH THAT, WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT SOME OF THE PLACES, WHAT SOME OF THE RETAIL BUSINESSES LIKE WALMART, SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS, WHAT THEIR VISITOR COUNTS ARE JUST BY THE TRACKING ON YOUR APPS, ON YOUR CELL PHONE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMMONPLACE.
IT TAKES PLACE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF DEVELOPERS LOOK AT AS WELL.
SO NEW BERN HAS A LOT OF GREAT POTENTIAL.
OUR POPULATION, UH, IS SMALL FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HEAR TRADER JOE'S, TRADER JOE'S, TRADER JOE'S.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE POPULATION, UH, WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS TO FOR TRACK.
BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, UH, OTHER RETAIL BUSINESSES THAT WE'D LIKE TO BRING TO NEWIN FOR OUR CITIZENS.
I KNOW, I JUST, TODAY MY WIFE IS ASKING ME, KIDS ARE COMING THIS WEEKEND.
YOU NEED TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL HIM.
I MEAN, I WAS ONLINE LOOKING UP FESTIVALS AND ACTIVITIES IN THE, YOU KNOW, FOR A SATURDAY AND FOUND THE PEMBROKE.
DIDN'T THE PEMBROKE HAVE A FESTIVAL OR SOMETHING THIS WEEKEND? COMMUNITY.
[01:35:01]
THERE YOU GO.THERE'S NOTHING OTHER THAN TAKING TO A KID TO A MOVIE AND THEY AIN'T WANT TO GO TO MOVIES ALL THE TIME.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO GO PLAY IN THE PARK.
WE, WE DO THE PARK ALL THE TIME, BUT GOT BOWLING ALLEY.
BUT SATURDAY IS VERY BOWLING ALLEY.
WHERE'S THE BOWLING? I'M NOT BOWLING ALLEY, BUT SKIING RING.
THIS UNFORTUNATELY, MY LITTLE ONE DON'T LIKE TO SKATE.
UH, HALLOWEEN DOWNTOWN, WE SHUT DOWN THE STREETS.
YEAH, WELL STILL WE NEED, WE NEED SOMETHING.
WE NEED SOME PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO COME IN HERE AND DO SOMETHING LIKE A BOWLING ALLEY OR A TRAMPOLINE PARK OR WHATEVER.
I THINK, I THINK JCPENNEY VACANT LOCATION WOULD BE A GREAT SPOT AT THE MALL.
ALDERMAN FRILL JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND COMMEND CITY STAFF ON A, A JOB.
I THINK IT, IT APPEARED TO BE A, A VERY HUGE SUCCESS.
UH, JUST HAVE, UH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, I KNOW STAFF WAS OUT WORKING THE COMMUNITY ADDRESSING SOME VIOLATIONS OF ORDINANCES WITH THESE VAPE SHOPS, UM, AND THE LIGHTS THAT ARE ILLEGALLY AROUND THE WINDOWS.
UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE US AN UPDATE.
IF NOT, IF YOU COULD GET US ONE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, THIS PAST WEEK, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF BUILDING INSPECTORS, AS WELL AS NEWBURN PD AND THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, MADE VISITS TO ALL OF THE VAPE SHOPS.
UH, AND ALSO FIRE RESCUE WAS THERE AS WELL TO LOOK AT ANY POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS ON THE BUILDING CODE FIRE CODE, UH, VERIFYING THAT THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE SIGN ORDINANCE.
UM, SEVERAL OF THE, THE, UH, THE SHOPS, UH, ARE IN AN ABATEMENT PERIOD WHERE THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAKE CORRECTIONS ON THAT.
AND SO WE WILL GET YOU AN UPDATE.
YEAH, BECAUSE THE, UM, AND THIS IS NOT JUST VAPE SHOPS.
IF RESTAURANTS WANNA START PUTTING ILLEGAL LIGHTS IN THEIR WINDOWS, WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THAT TOO.
BUT THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS VAPE SHOPS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE IN VIOLATION AND, UM, YOU CAN TELL WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS COMMUNITY PARTNERS THEY ARE WHEN THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE THOSE DOWN AND THEY LEAVE 'EM UP.
AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, YOU CAN GO BY THE ONE BY GROVER SEA FIELDS AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE COUNTY FAIR IS IN TOWN.
SO, UH, ANYTHING ELSE? DO WE NEED A CLOSE SESSION? NO SIR.
UH, IF NOT, I TURN, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE ADJOURNED.