Nov 28, 2023 Board of Aldermen

IF YOU PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TWO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE PROBLEM.

MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

BEST PRESENT, MAYOR PRO.

TIM BRINSON HERE.

UH, ALDERMAN, YOU HAVE A PROPERLY NOTICED AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU.

[3. Approve Agenda. ]

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[Consent Agenda ]

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE? THE BOARD MAYOR PRO TEM.

UM, I'D LIKE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IN THE DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, SAY AYE.

A AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MAY RESIDENT ROLL CALL.

UH, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU HAVE A ROLL CALL, VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.

[8. Conduct a Public Hearing on Amending the 2020 and 2021 Annual Action Plans for the Community Development Block Grant Program. ]

ITEM EIGHT ON THE AGENDA IS CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDING THE 2020 AND 2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLANS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

UH, DEJA .

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

TONIGHT I WILL BE PRESENTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND 2021.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT.

BEGINNING WITH THE DEFINITION AND PURPOSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, EACH YEAR WE SUBMIT AN ANNUAL ACTION PLAN TO HUD THAT ENTAILS OUR CDBG ACTIVITIES.

UM, THE ALLOCATION WE RECEIVE WITH HUD AND HOW WE INTEND TO SPEND THE FUNDING AND WHAT ACTIVITIES WE INTEND TO DO.

A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT IS TRIGGERED WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE PURPOSE, SCOPE, LOCATION, OR BENEFICIARIES OF AN ACTIVITY.

I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO PROPOSE A CHANGE TO THE 2020 AND 2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.

IN THE 2020 AND 2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WE STATED THAT FUNDS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO BEGIN REHAB WORK TO A RENTAL TO A HOUSE THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT ON THE MARKET AS RENTAL PROPERTY FOR A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILY.

[00:05:01]

IT SKIPPED A SLIDE HERE, LET ME GO BACK.

THE CALLS FOR TONIGHT'S AMENDMENT.

ACCORDING TO NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY STATUTE ONE 60 A FIVE 12, IT STATES THE POWERS OF A COMMISSION.

A REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PERMANENTLY ACT AS A LANDLORD.

THIS STATUTE PROHIBITED WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY LISTED IN OUR 2020 AND 2021 CDBG ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.

IN THAT PLAN, WE STATED, I'M SORRY, I'M CORRECT, CORRECTING MYSELF HERE.

IN THAT PLAN, WE STATED THAT WE WOULD GIVE FUNDS TO THE COMMISSION TO REHAB A HOME TO BE BROUGHT ON THE MARKET FOR RENTAL PROPERTY FOR A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILY.

AS SAID, THE UM, STATUTE CONFLICTS WITH WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY STATED.

WE ARE PROPOSING A, AN AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND 2021 PLAN.

UM, WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WILL DONATE THE HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN REHABILITATED TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO NOW SELL TO A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILY.

WE WOULD GO IN THE INTEGRATED DISBURSEMENT AND INFORMATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS IDIS.

THIS IS WHERE WE GO IN AND SUBMIT ALL OF OUR ANNUAL ACTION PLANS.

WE WOULD GO INTO THIS SYSTEM AND NOW CHANGE THE LANGUAGE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021.

THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE LINE ITEM BUDGET.

HERE'S A LOOK AT THE HOUSE THAT WAS REHABILITATED.

6 0 2 GASTON BOULEVARD.

THE HOUSE PREVIOUSLY SAT WHERE THE NEW STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER IS CURRENTLY BEING CONSTRUCTED.

I'LL PAUSE AND GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO LOOK AT THE HOME.

THE HOUSE WAS RELOCATED FROM 6 0 2 GASTON BOULEVARD TO NINE 11 EUBANK STREET IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.

IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ENTERED A CONTRACT WITH ED MUMFORD TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION.

THAT WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.

HERE'S THE LOOK AT THE HOME.

NOW.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HOME IS READY FOR A FAMILY TO MOVE IN.

IT IS LOCATED AT NINE 11 UBANK STREET.

IN SUMMARY, THE AMENDMENT TONIGHT SIMPLY CALLS FOR A CHANGE OF THE LANGUAGE WITH THE NEW PROJECT DESCRIPTION, THE PLANS HAVE PREVIOUSLY ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY HUD, SO WE ARE NOT CHANGING ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE PLAN.

WE ARE SIMPLY DONATING THE PROPERTY FROM THE RE.

THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS DONATING THE PROPERTY TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO NOW SELL THE HOME TO A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILY.

NEXT STEPS.

THE REQUIRED DISPLAY PERIOD OF 30 DAYS ENDS ON DECEMBER THE 11TH.

A RESOLUTION WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE YOU ALL ON DECEMBER THE 12TH.

TO ADOPT THE AMENDMENTS, WE PRESENT AND ADOPT THE AMENDMENTS IN SEPARATE MEETINGS TO SATISFY THE 30 DAY DISPLAY PERIOD REQUIREMENT.

THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR NOW FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.

THE CELL OF THE HOUSE.

UM, I THINK YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION THAT THE MONEY WILL BE RETURNED.

A PORTION OF IT.

OF ALL OF IT? YES.

MOST OF IT.

UM, THERE MAY BE SOME FEES THAT HABITAT CAN, ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE INVESTED INTO THE PROPERTY THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE BACK TO THEM.

HOWEVER, THE, THE FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE CDBG BANK FOR US TO CONTINUE DOING MORE CDBG ACTIVITIES.

NOW, THE MONEY THAT'S COMING BACK IN, WILL IT BE UNDER SCRUTINY? USING THAT MONEY WILL BE, WHEN I SAY SCRUTINY, IT HAS TO QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THE PROGRAMS OR YOU CAN JUST USE IT IN ANY AREA? YOU CAN, YOU CAN USE IT IN ANY ELIGIBLE CDBG ACTIVITY.

SO, UM, ANYTHING THAT IS ELIGIBLE UNDER HOOD, YOU CAN DO VERY GOOD.

THE HOUSE LOOKS AWESOME.

IT DOES.

YES.

AND FROM WHAT I'M TOLD, UM, A FAMILY IS ACTUALLY ALREADY READY TO PURCHASE THAT HOME.

OH WOW.

THAT'S GREAT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU, UM, MS. PHILMORE TO YOU AND, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU, Y'ALL HAVE PUT INTO THE CDBG PROGRAM AND IT'S, IT, IT'S A NEED THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE AND I JUST, IT IS WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND CONTINUE THE GOOD, THE HARD WORK.

THANK YOU BOARD.

HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? ALRIGHT, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE AMENDING OF THE 2020 AND 2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLANS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT AT THIS TIME?

[00:10:03]

YOU MAY PRO 10.

IF THERE'S NO, UM, ONE COMING FORTH, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAME SIGN.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE WILL ADDRESS THIS AGAIN NEXT MEETING SO THERE'S NO ACT, OTHER ACTION NEEDED TONIGHT.

MOVING ON TO NUMBER NINE OF THE AGENDA.

[9. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Amended and Restated Full Requirements Power Sales Agreement Between the City and NCEMPA. ]

CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AMENDED AND RESTATED FULL REQUIREMENTS POWER SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND EMPA.

CHARLIE BOUCHARD.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PROAM, BRI, GOOD EVENING AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

UM, THANK YOU TONIGHT, UH, BEFORE YOU, NAMPA IS REQUESTING YOUR CONSIDERATION TOWARDS AUTHORIZING CHANGES TO OUR PURCHASE POWER SUPPLY CONTRACT.

UH, ACTUALLY OUR SALES AGREEMENT WITH, UH, NAMPA, AND I BELIEVE THESE, THESE CHANGES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT THE CITY AND OUR CUSTOMERS IN GENERAL TERMS. WE CAN NOW ADD BATTERIES TO OUR SYSTEM AND BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CONTRACT, BUT THERE ARE LIMITS TO THE AMOUNT OF BATTERIES THAT WE CAN ADD.

AND THERE ARE RULES THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW PER THIS CONTRACT AGREEMENT.

ALSO, WE CAN NOW ADD MORE GENERATION AND OR BATTERIES IF WE CHOOSE TO.

OUR SYSTEM, UH, NEW BERN'S, TOTAL COMBINED ALLOCATION AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 15.6 MEGAWATTS TO 18.2 MEGAWATTS.

THAT HAS A TOTAL POTENTIAL VALUE FOR ABOUT $55,000 A MONTH OR ABOUT $660,000 PER YEAR.

OUR TOTAL NEW ALLOCATION IS WORTH ABOUT $387,000 A MONTH OR ABOUT $4.6 MILLION A YEAR.

SO THERE'S SOME POTENTIAL, UM, BENEFIT, UM, IN THESE CONTRACTUAL CHANGES THAT, UH, WILL HELP US OUT IN THE FUTURE.

WE CAN NOW INSTALL BATTERIES AND OR GENERATORS ANYWHERE WE WANT TO ON OUR SYSTEM.

AND THE AMOUNT IS ONLY LIMITED BY THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF OUR NEW ALLOCATION, WHICH IS THE 18.2 MEGAWATTS.

IN THE PAST, GENERATORS NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED BEHIND A CUSTOMER'S METER AND THEY COULD NOT EXCEED THE CUSTOMER'S LOAD.

SO WE WERE REALLY LIMITED ON WHERE WE COULD FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT GENERATORS AND, UM, THE RIGHT TYPE OF LOAD THAT WOULD SUPPORT THOSE GENERATORS.

NOW WE CAN, WE CAN PUT 'EM ANYWHERE WE WANT TO ON OUR SYSTEM, WHATEVER'S BEST FOR THE UTILITY, WHATEVER'S BEST FOR THE SYSTEM, WHATEVER'S BEST FOR OUR CUSTOMER.

SO THAT'S WITHIN OUR TOTAL CONTROL.

AND FINALLY, UH, WITHIN THESE CHANGES, THERE'S NEW DEFINITIONS AND TERMS THAT, UM, INTRODUCE, UM, THE TERM AND THE CONCEPT OF LARGE INTERRUPTIBLE LOADS.

THESE ARE CUSTOMERS IN EXCESS OF ONE MEGAWATTS.

THEY'RE BIG LARGE CUSTOMERS.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY CUSTOMERS LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW HERE IN NEW BERN.

AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT, IT, IT PUTS LIMITATIONS, IT PUTS RULES IN PLACE SO THAT THESE CUSTOMERS HAVE RULES TO FOLLOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO INTENTIONALLY INTERRUPT ONE MEGAWATTS OF LOAD OR MORE FOR THE SAKE OF AVOIDING COSTS OF THEIR POWER SUPPLY.

UM, SO IN THE FUTURE, I'LL BE GIVING SOME THOUGHT TOWARDS, UM, DEVELOPING A RATE SO THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING AVAILABLE THAT WE CAN OFFER A CUSTOMER IF SOMEONE OF THAT SIZE OR TO COME IN AND WE'RE PREPARED TO, UM, TO HAVE A SERVICE AVAILABLE TO OFFER THEM.

SO I'LL BE GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO THAT.

UM, OVERALL I THINK THE CHANGES ARE GOOD.

UM, HOWEVER, IT MAY RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR GENERATION FLEET AND OUR ABILITY TO OPTIMIZE, UH, THE FULL COST OF THAT, UM, COST AVOIDANCE THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE.

UM, IN GENERAL TERMS, OUR FLEET IS 25 TO 30 YEARS OLD AND IN MANY CASES SOME OF THESE UNITS ARE BEYOND THEIR SERVICEABLE LIFE AND WE'RE HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME KEEPING THEM RUNNING.

UM, TOTAL, WE HAVE ABOUT 26 GENERATING UNITS OUT THERE, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO OUR TOTAL ALLOCATION.

EIGHT UNITS ARE OWNED BY THE UTILITY, 18 ARE OWNED BY OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE, UM, KEEPING ALL THESE UNITS UP AND RUNNING, UM, WITHIN AN HOUR'S NOTICE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

UM, FROM A BUDGETARY PERSPECTIVE, REPLACING THE COST OF OUR, OUR GENERATION IS ABOUT $20 MILLION.

HOWEVER, DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS MATTER, UM, I'D LIKE TO COME BACK LATER DURING OUR WORKSHOP TIME PERIOD AND FURTHER DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, OUR GENERATION AND REALLY FOCUS TONIGHT ON JUST APPROVING

[00:15:01]

THESE, UM, CHANGES TO OUR CONTRACT.

AND WE'RE WORRY ABOUT OPTIMIZING THOSE CHANGES LATER.

UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

CHARLIE.

YOU SAID WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN ALLOCATION OF 15 MEGAWATTS, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND HOW MANY ARE WE ACTUALLY, HOW MANY OF THAT 15 MEGAWATTS ARE WE ACTUALLY USING? ARE UTILIZING NEW, THE UTILITY OWNS AND OPERATES ABOUT FIVE MEGAWATTS.

THE REST IS ALL OWNED BY CUSTOMERS.

ON A GOOD MONTH, WE'RE DISPATCHING ABOUT SEVEN.

THE, THE 18 CUSTOMERS, I THINK YOU SAID THAT ARE CUT, HAVE CUSTOMER OWNED GENERATION, ARE THEY PARTICIPATING IN LOAD MANAGEMENT? THAT IS A FORM OF LOAD MANAGEMENT.

THAT'S, UH, THE MOST, UM, IT FITS THEIR SIZE AND THE SCALE OF THEIR OPERATION.

THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T BENEFIT FROM, UM, THERMOSTAT OR NOT THERMOSTAT, BUT AC CONTROL AND HOT WATER CONTROL.

UM, BUT THAT IS A FORM OF LOAD MANAGEMENT.

SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IF MY UNDERSTANDING LOAD MANAGEMENT CORRECTLY, IS WHEN SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER YOU GET THIS MAGIC THOUGHT THAT A LOAD MANAGEMENT'S GETTING READY TO OCCUR.

BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG SECRET.

SOMETIMES IT'S, AND YOU ACTUALLY CAN TURN ON YOUR GENERATORS AND DISCONNECT SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES FROM THE UTILITY AND PROVIDE POWER BY GENERATION AND THAT SAVES EVERYBODY A LOT OF MONEY.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

UM, THEY'RE NOT ACT ACTUALLY DISCONNECTED.

THEY'RE RUNNING IN PARALLEL.

UM, WITH THE UTILITY AND WITH THE GENERATOR.

AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL RATE DESIGNED, WE CALLED OUR COINCIDENT PEAK RATE, AND, UM, THEY AVOID CHARGES COST DURING THAT ONE PEAK HOUR DURING THAT MONTH.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PEAK HOUR IS GONNA BE AND OR THE DAY IT OCCURS UNTIL AFTER THE MONTH HAS ENDED.

SO WE'RE CHASING THIS PEAK CONSTANTLY.

I MEAN, YOU COULD ALMOST PREDICT LIKE TONIGHT MIGHT BE A NIGHT SINCE IT'S GONNA BE SO COLD, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, WELL, WE ONLY A COUPLE DAYS LEFT IN THE MONTH, SO, UM, YEAH.

WE'LL HEDGE.

BUT I, AND I, YOU MAY HAVE EXPLAINED THIS AND YOU MAY HAVE ANSWERED THIS, BUT I'M NOT SURE AS IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR ANSWER.

UM, LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S A LARGE BUSINESS OUT THERE THAT HAS ITS OWN GENERATORS.

DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO TURN THAT GENERATOR ON DURING PEAK LOAD MANAGEMENT? IN, IN SOME CASES, NOT ALL.

IN THE CASES WHERE WE OWN THE GENERATOR, WHERE THE UTILITY OWNS THE GENERATOR, WE CAN SEND THE CONTROL SIGNAL TO THAT GENERATOR TO START OR STOP IT.

THERE ARE LIMITATIONS WITH THE TELEMETRY.

IN CASES WHERE CUSTOMERS OWNED THE GENERATOR, ALL WE CAN DO IS, IS ADVISE THE CUSTOMER AND SEND THEM A SIGNAL.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU RUN TODAY.

AND SOMETIMES THEY DO AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.

AND, UH, WOULDN'T THEY SAVE 'EM A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THEIR UTILITY BILL? ABSOLUTELY.

AND WHEN THEY DON'T HIT THE PEAK, THEY LET US KNOW AND WE TALK ABOUT IT.

UM, HOW WE BUY OUR WHOLESALE POWER.

AND SOME OF IT'S, SO IF THESE PRIVATELY OWNED GENERATORS, THESE COMPANIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN GENERATORS SOMEHOW ANOTHER MAYBE RECEIVED OR WHERE IT GOT EDUCATED OR SOMETHING ON HOW THIS WORKS, AND WE TOOK CONTROL OF THOSE 18 GENERATORS, IT IT WOULD SAVE EVERYBODY IN THE CITY ELECTRIC SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE CUSTOMER, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

I I, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I THINK THERE'S A, THERE'S A PHILOSOPHY CHANGE THAT OCCURS WITH THESE NEW TERMS THAT WE CAN ROLL THE COST AVOIDANCE BENEFIT AND SPREAD THAT OUT TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS RATHER THAN LIMITING IT TO CERTAIN CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE GENERATION AT THEIR SITE.

SO, UM, BUT THAT TRANSITION PERIOD OF HOW WE GO ABOUT THAT IS WHERE I NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME AND MORE THOUGHT AND DISCUSS WITH YOU IN MORE DETAIL DURING THE WORKSHOP AND, AND SEE WHERE YOUR THOUGHTS MAY LIE.

AM I ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION? I, I, I THINK SO.

, SO THIS IS A LITTLE, LITTLE COMPLICATED.

YOU GOTTA BE AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER LIKE YOU TO UNDERSTAND.

IT'S VERY, VERY COMPLEX.

WE TRYING TO SIMPLIFY IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHEN NOT, UM, DIMINISH THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.

SO IS, SO WHEN WITH THE CHANGE OF THIS, UM, CONTRACT, THIS IS GONNA BE A ENERGY EFFICIENT SAVINGS FOR ALL CUSTOMERS THAT DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN GENERATORS? OR IS THIS JUST THIS CON THIS CONTRACT ONLY AFFECTS OUR,

[00:20:01]

IT DOESN'T DIRECTLY IMPACT THE RETAIL SIDE.

THERE ARE CHANGES IN HERE THAT, THAT WE MAY BE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND EXTEND FUTURE BENEFITS TO OUR RETAIL CUSTOMERS, BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.

SO THIS IS JUST FOCUSING ON THE LARGER BUSINESSES? NO, IT'S JUST FOCUSING ON OUR, OUR PURCHASING AGREEMENT.

I MEAN, NOW IT'S JUST FOCUSING ON OUR PURCHASING AGREEMENT, THE POWER THAT WE BUY THAT WE SELL TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

REGARDLESS OF WHOMEVER HAVE THEIR OWN GENERATOR, WHATEVER.

CORRECT.

IT DOESN'T IMPACT ANYBODY THAT OWNS A GENERATOR OR DOESN'T OWN A GENERATOR.

CHARLIE, THIS SUBSTATION THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT BUILDING YES, SIR.

THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON NOW FOR A WHILE, WILL IT HAVE FULL OR GENERATION GENERATORS THERE AS WELL? AND WOULD IT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE GRID? NO, IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE GRID.

UM, MY MY THOUGHT IS THAT, UM, IF WE, IF WE CAN COME UP WITH THE FUNDING, THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT LOCATION TO ADD MORE GENERATION.

SO YEAH.

ONE GENERATOR COULD TAKE CARE OF, OF HUNDREDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

RATHER, RIGHT NOW I'M RUNNING AROUND THE, THE TERRITORY TRYING TO SERVICE 26 GENERATORS AND KEEP 'EM ALL RUNNING AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

SO CONSOLIDATING THEM INTO ONE LOCATION BEHIND ONE CONTROL SYSTEM CERTAINLY HAS ITS ADVANTAGES.

IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE MORE, UM, WELL RELIABLE AND MORE EFFICIENT TO AVOID OUR COSTS.

WELL, I CERTAINLY TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT AND IF YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THIS, I'M CERTAINLY ALL IN FAVOR OF IT.

YES, SIR.

I WAS GONNA SAY THE VERY SAME THING.

UM, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS WHAT WE NEED MOVING FORWARD? ? YES.

THIS, THIS INTO THE FUTURE? WE BENEFIT FROM THIS? I I DON'T OPPOSE THIS AT ALL.

I WOULD SAY SO IF I DID, OKAY, WELL, ARE YOU THE EXPERT? SO I RELY ON YOU , CAN WE RELY ON YOU? BECAUSE IF, IF WE NEVER, IF WE NEVER USE OUR 19 MEGAWATTS, CAN WE SELL IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE? YES, YOU CAN.

WOW.

REALLY? UM, AND THERE IN SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE, UM, I I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A SALES AGREEMENT, IT'S A LEASE AGREEMENT.

I THINK WHEN I LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE HISTORY, NEW BERN HAS LEASED SOME, UM, GENERATION ALLOCATION FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES.

UM, BUT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU GIVE IT UP RIGHT NOW.

IT'S, UH, WORTH ABOUT ALMOST $5 MILLION A YEAR TO US.

SO, UM, JUST GOTTA BE SMART AND TRY TO TAKE A COMPLETE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SO, UM, CHARLIE, AT OUR BUDGET, UM, RE MEETING OF RETREAT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION FOR US THAN, THAT'S MY INTENT IS THAT I HAVE A LITTLE MORE FOCUS, GET A LITTLE MORE GRANULAR ON, ON HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND THIS ISSUE, WHERE MY THOUGHTS ARE AT AND WHERE, UM, HOW THAT MAY IMPACT OUR, OUR FINANCES AND OUR STRATEGIC PLANS.

WHAT ABOUT OUR GRANT? HAVE YOU WE DIDN'T, WE WERE NOT SELECTED.

UM, THAT'S A GUT WRENCHING, UM, THING FOR ME TO SAY.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, UM, WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO REAPPLY.

UM, I ASSUME YOU WANT ME TO REAPPLY, SO I'M GOING FORWARD WITH THAT.

THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS, UM, ALREADY ANNOUNCED THE SCHEDULE, UH, WHICH I HAVE TO START ON, UM, WRITING SOME THINGS, UM, IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

SOME THINGS ARE DUE IN JANUARY.

FINAL APPLICATION I THINK IS DUE IN, IN APRIL AWARD IS PROBABLY NEXT SUMMER.

UM, THE GOOD, THE OTHER GOOD NEWS OF THAT IS THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RELEASE FUNDING FOR BOTH 2020 FOUR'S ALLOCATION AND 2020 FIVE'S ALLOCATION.

SO I THINK THIS ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO GET ALL THE MONEY ON THE STREET WITH THIS, UM, GROUP.

SO, UM, PRAY FOR ME THAT, YOU KNOW, , I CAN GET IT DONE.

UM, FATHER MCKINSEY, YOU HAD A QUESTION? YES.

CHARLIE, THE BATTERIES THAT YOU'RE PURCHASING, UM, WHAT IS THE, UH, G OF THOSE BATTERIES? UH, RIGHT NOW I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THE PURCHASE OF ANY BATTERIES, BUT IF WE WERE, UM, TYPICAL LIFE IS, UM, I I WOULD PROBABLY SAY EIGHT TO 10 YEARS WITH SOME DEGRADATION, UM, ALONG THE WAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UNLESS THERE'S OTHER FACTORS FOR ME FOR US TO CONSIDER, I WOULD ALWAYS RECOMMEND GENERATION OVER BATTERIES.

UH, I THINK IT'S A BETTER INVESTMENT AND, AND MORE RELIABLE.

MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AMENDED AND RESTATED FULL REQUIREMENTS POWER SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND N-C-E-M-P.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. BIARD? IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

I MAKE A

[00:25:01]

A SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL THE ROLE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.

ALDERMAN ROYAL, YES.

ALDERMAN ASTER? YES.

ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.

[10. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with Trader Construction for Phase One of the Duffyfield Stormwater Enhancement Project. ]

ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10, CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRADER CONSTRUCTION FOR PHASE ONE OF THE DUFFY FIELD STORMWATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.

UH, MR. GEORGE GILES.

GOOD EVENING BOARD MAYOR.

THIS AS KNOW WE'VE GOT ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE, FOR THE DUFFY FIELD STORMWATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A COMPLETION OF PHASE ONE.

UH, WE ORIGINALLY BID THIS PROJECT ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, UM, RECEIVING NOT ENOUGH BIDS TO OPEN WE REBID AND FOR AN OPENING DATE ON OCTOBER 19TH, 2023.

AT THAT TIME, WE RECEIVED ONE BID FROM TRADER CONSTRUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,698,490.

UM, THIS, THIS WORK WILL INCLUDE THE COMPLETION OF THE LIFT STATION PUMPS, GENERATORS, ELECTRICAL PANELS, AND THE FORCE MAIN TO THE, TO THE OUTLET STRUCTURE.

UM, WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING IS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO TRADER CONSTRUCTION IN THAT AMOUNT.

AND JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, THIS MONEY HAS, UH, WHERE THIS HAS BEEN FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY UNDER THEIR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DISASTER AND RELIEF MITIGATION GRANT.

SO WE GOT ALL THE FUNDS FOR THIS? YES, MA'AM.

OKAY, GREAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GLAD TO SEE IT.

WE'RE HIRING LOCAL CONTRACTORS TOO, AND THAT MAKES IT NICE.

MAYOR I OR MAYOR PRO TIM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DOCK THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRADED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR PHASE ONE OF THE DUFFER FIELD STORM WATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.

SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ITEM NUMBER 10.

MADAM CLERK, IF YOU PLEASE CALL A ROLL START WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.

MAYOR PROTE BRINSON? YES.

AND I THINK I SAW MAYOR ODOM.

I WILL PASS THE GAVEL OVER TO THE MAYOR.

THAT'S A YES FOR ME.

I BELIEVE WE ARE, WE ARE ALL NUMBER 11 APPOINTMENTS.

[11. Appointment(s). ]

DO WE HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? I I DON'T THINK WE DO.

UM, BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS, COULD WE CHAT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT SO WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT MEETING ON HOW WE'RE GONNA PROCESS THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE MSD? I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT DURING THE MANAGER'S REPORT.

[12. Attorney's Report. ]

ATTORNEY'S REPORT.

NOTHING REPORT TONIGHT.

MAYOR,

[13. City Manager's Report. ]

SEE MANAGER'S REPORT? YES, SIR.

TWO THINGS TO COVER THIS EVENING.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT, UH, TO HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THEIR OCTOBER MEETING MOVING FORWARD.

UH, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE AGENDA INFORMATION, MEETING NOTICES AND, AND, UH, MEETING, UH, MINUTES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR PREVIOUS MEETINGS.

UM, UH, WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN THE, THE, THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THERE WAS JUST A MISCOMMUNICATION.

UM, UH, HE HAD NO IDEA THAT THE, THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED THAT, BUT HE'S CORRECTED THAT AND SO YOU SHOULD BE RECEIVING THAT MOVING FORWARD.

UM, THE CITY CLERK PUT AT YOUR, IN FRONT OF YOU THE MSD PACKET, UH, THAT HAS ALL THE APPLICATIONS FOR EVERYONE THAT IS APPLIED.

UH, AND IT'S ALSO BROKEN DOWN BY THE SEATS.

AND SO WE'VE GOT LARGE PROPERTY, RESTAURANT, HOSPITALITY, HOTEL BED, BREAKFAST, ENTERTAINMENT, RETAIL SERVICE, AND THEN THE RESIDENCE.

AND SO YOU'VE GOT A FEW WEEKS THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS, ANALYZE, UM, ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS.

UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK STAFF ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, UH, ABOUT THIS.

AND PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS ON, ON YOUR VOTING WOULD BE TO TAKE, UM, EACH SEAT, EACH INDIVIDUAL SEAT AND VOTE ON THAT BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE LISTED ALL OF THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS PER SEAT.

AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT SEVERAL APPLICANTS QUALIFIED FOR MULTIPLE SEATS.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL PEOPLE ON DIFFERENT BALLOTS.

[00:30:01]

IF YOU'LL APPOINT ONE OF THOSE JUST MOVING FORWARD, WE JUST STRIKE THAT NAME ON FUTURE BALLOTS.

SO THAT LIST WOULD SHRINK A LITTLE BIT.

IF, IF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WILL PROBABLY BE THE EASIEST WAY FOR THE BOARD TO DO THIS.

BUT HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE TO DO, DO THE VOTING ON THAT IN, IN TWO WEEKS IS IS UP TO YOU.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THAT? I JUST WANTED US TO ENSURE THAT IT IS GONNA BE A PRETTY ARDUOUS PROCESS TO FILL ALL THE SEATS.

I WANNA MAKE SURE WE WERE PREPARED BEFORE THAT NIGHT SO WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE

[14. New Business. ]

TO KNOW.

SOME OF YOU SENIOR FOLKS, CORRECT ME, BUT MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT THE CLERK, UM, HAS A PORTAL AND TRIES TO ATTRACT AND COLLECT NAMES AND PASS THEM ON.

NEW BUSINESS.

STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.

I JUST HAVE ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING UP FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION.

UM, IT'S REALLY A QUESTION, I GUESS MORE FOR THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY.

UM, WE FOUND A SITUATION NOW FOR, UM, AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHERE ALDER MCKINSEY HAS A NOMINATION FOR A PLANNING BOARD POSITION.

UM, DURING THIS TIMEFRAME, THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE TERM HAS EXPIRED, UM, CON IT CONTINUES ON IN THAT POSITION.

I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, UM, WITH THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S TECHNICALLY THERE TERM HAS ENDED, BUT ACCORDING TO OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY.

AND I'M NOT PICKING ON ALT MCKENZIE, I MEAN, ANY OF US COULD FIND OURSELVES INTO THIS, THIS POSITION.

MY CONCERN IS ARE WE RISKING POTENTIAL LAWSUIT BEING BROUGHT AGAINST THE CITY? AND, AND I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF AN ENTITY SUCH AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR A ZONING HEARING BOARD, OR ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SPECIALTY.

I THINK THE ZONING BOARD WHERE, BECAUSE THEY ARE A QUASI TRADITIONAL ENTITY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKES DECISIONS INVOLVING DEVELOPMENTS WHERE YOU'RE DEALING WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MONEY, YOU KNOW, BE POTENTIALLY BEING INVESTED OR MAYBE NOT IF THEY DON'T GET THE VOTES TO APPROVE A PROJECT , IS THERE A RISK THAT SAY AN APPLICANT'S ATTORNEY COULD SUE THE CITY BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'VE ALLOWED AN INDIVIDUAL TO CONTINUE ON IN A POSITION WHERE THEIR TERM IS OFFICIALLY EXPIRED.

BUT ADMINISTRATIVELY WE ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE AND THEY'RE MAKING VOTES THAT IMPACT APPLICANTS.

SO IT'S KIND OF A GENERAL QUESTION, BUT I THINK DEPENDING ON YOUR ANSWER, I MIGHT FOLLOW UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION.

Y YES SIR.

UM, IT IS, IT IS COMMON ACROSS THE STATE THAT, UM, ANY EVERY APPOINTED BOARD PERSON SERVES UNTIL THEIR SUCCESSOR HAS BEEN APPOINTED.

AND THAT'S LARGELY FOR THIS REASON.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T FILL A SEAT AND IF YOU, IF THE RULE WERE ANY OTHERWISE, YOU COULD END UP NOT HAVING A QUORUM AND NOT HAVING A BOARD.

SO IT IS NOT UNCOMMON, UM, TO BE IN THE SITUATION.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE LONGER IT, IT PERSISTS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT NOT THE BEST PRACTICE.

BUT IF A PERSON CAN'T BE FOUND, THEN THAT'S WHY THAT PERSON MUST STAY AND SERVE BECAUSE THERE'S SIMPLY NO REPLACEMENT.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT YOUR, UH, CUSTOM IS IN TRYING TO FIND APPOINTMENTS IF YOU'RE TRYING TO STICK TO YOUR OWN WARD OR NOT, BUT WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN'T PULL SOMEONE FROM OUR OWN WARD, IT MAKES SENSE TO ME TO OPEN IT UP MORE BROADLY SO THAT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS WE FIND A REPLACEMENT.

AND MAYBE YOU DO THAT AMONG YOURSELVES AND I'M NOT AWARE OF IT.

WELL, AND AND THAT'S WHAT MY SUGGESTION WAS GOING TO BE, IS THAT, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, JUST USING UM, ALDER MCKENZIE'S SITUATION WHERE HE'S BEEN UNABLE TO FIND SOMEONE THAT HE FELT COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING, UM, AND, AND I'D SAY WE'RE INTO, YOU KNOW, MONTH TWO OR THREE AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, IS THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT ADDRESSING OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO GIVE THE, THE ALDERMAN A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME, WHATEVER THAT IS, TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS.

BUT AT SOME POINT THEN IT'S OPENED UP TO THE FULL BOARD TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY OR PEOPLE THAT ULTIMATELY THE BOARD WOULD, UM, CHOOSE FROM.

AND

[00:35:01]

MY IMPRESSION WAS ALSO THAT AMONG YOURSELVES YOU MIGHT SHARE AND PITCH EACH OTHER POTENTIAL NOMINEES.

YES, SIR.

SO I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS HAPPENING BY DEFAULT, UNLESS I'M JUST OUTTA THE LOOP.

NO, YOU ARE CORRECT.

NORMALLY THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND ANYONE THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE TASKS.

MM-HMM.

AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE NOW.

THE MAYOR AND I HAD A DISCUSSION, UH, I THINK THE LAST MEETING THAT WE MAY, MAY HAVE TO DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND THE RIGHT PERSON.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

NORMALLY ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WOULD SUGGEST SOMEONE THAT CAN SET IT AND, AND DO THE JOB AND DO IT WELL.

QUICK QUESTION FOR THE CLERK.

DO WE HAVE ANY PENDING APPLICATIONS? I THINK IT'S PLAINTIFF IN ZONING IS THE ONE YOU HAVE AN OPENING FOR.

WE DO HAVE ONE, BUT THAT APPLICANT, UM, IS NOT AN IDEAL APPLICANT BECAUSE THEIR SPOUSE SERVES ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.

MM.

THAT'S NOT PERFECT.

SO YEAH, BECAUSE ONE COULD BE REMANDED TO THE OTHER.

RIGHT.

THAT'S THAT, THAT'S NOT PERFECT.

THAT'S THE WHOLE, YEAH.

SO, SO MAYBE WE COULD IMPLORE COLLEEN TO SHARE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE HAVE OPENINGS.

PEOPLE CAN APPLY, SHE CAN PUT THE LINK ON THERE AND THEN MAYBE THAT WILL REFRESH SOME INTEREST.

POSSIBLY.

WE, I THOUGHT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JOHNNY'S WARD DOES IT? NO, IT DOESN'T.

NO, NO.

YOU OPEN SOMEBODY OUTSIDE THE AWARD.

YES, INDEED.

I'LL TALK TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING THEN THAT, THAT CAN DO THE JOB.

WE, WE ALSO JUST GRADUATED A NEW BERN 1 0 1 CLASS.

GOOD IDEA.

BUT ONLY HALF OF 'EM ARE CITIZENS, SO WE GOTTA REMEMBER THAT TOO.

SO, BUT THAT IS A, A LONG LIST OF POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND TO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ISN'T IT? THIS IS ALREADY ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT IT IS.

BUT AND FACEBOOK.

AND FACEBOOK AND EVERYTHING.

THE APPLICATION, THE PRO, WELL THE ONLY TIME IS, ISN'T IT THE APPLICATION, THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND EVERYTHING IS ALREADY ON OUR WEBSITE.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS HAS BEEN ON THE WEBSITE.

BUT I THINK IT'S NOW BEEN PULLED MOMENTARILY.

I THINK, I THINK THERE IS AN APPLICATION THAT COULD BE DOWNLOADED AND AND SUBMITTED TO THE CLERK, RIGHT? YES.

UM, WE, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE, THE ONLINE APPLICATION PORTION OF THAT.

AND SO, AND FACEBOOK'S ONLY GONNA SHOW UP WHEN WE POST IT.

MM-HMM.

SO IT'S NOT A CONSTANT UNLESS THE, THE THREAD IS PINNED, WHICH WE NORMALLY DON'T DO THAT UNLESS IT'S AN EMERGENCY TYPE SITUATION.

SO PROBABLY JUST SOME MARKETING AGAIN THAT WE HAVE SOME OPENINGS WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

BUT WHERE IS, WHERE IS THE APPLICATION LOCATED COLLEEN, ON THE WEBSITE SO CITIZENS CAN KNOW PLEASE.

UNDER OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PAGE, WHICH IS UNDER THE, UM, BOARD OF ALDERMAN'S PAGE ON THE WEBSITE, UM, AT THE TOP OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PAGE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT AN APPLICATION TO SERVE ON ANY OF OUR BOARDS.

AND THEN THERE'S A MORE SPECIFIC ONE THAT WE CREATED FOR THE MSD BOARD THAT ASKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT QUESTION.

UM, SO BOTH OF THOSE FORMS ARE LOCATED RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.

IT'S THE FIRST THING YOU SEE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

SO I, I THINK TO OTTMAN PEARL'S QUESTION, THE, THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS TO FEEL FREE TO PITCH, UM, CANDIDATES AMONG YOURSELVES TO HELP FILL SEATS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

IT, IT CERTAINLY IS THE BEST PRACTICE TO HAVE A PERSON QUEUED UP TO FILL THAT SEAT AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERM.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THE BEST PRACTICE ROLLING OVER 2, 3, 4, 5 MONTHS DOES NOT GONNA CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA CAUSE ME TO LOSE ANY SLEEP WHATSOEVER.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE BEST PRACTICE.

AND THAT'S JUST WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION HERE TRYING BECAUSE IN THE PAST WE HAVE RUN INTO THAT SITUATION HAVING THE WRONG PERSON IN PLACE.

YES, SIR.

AND THAT'S NOT, I, I'M NOT, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ANYMORE.

AND IT'S NEVER HAPPENED TO ME, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CITY.

I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER.

ALDERMAN MCKENZIE? NOTHING SIR.

ALDERMAN PR, ALDERMAN ROYAL, NOTHING TONIGHT, SIR ALDERMAN AS NOTHING TONIGHT, SIR.

ALDERMAN BEST, UM, NOTHING.

ALDERMAN BRISSON, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UH, 10 DAYS AGO I ATTENDED OUR QUARTERLY MPO BOARD MEETING, UH, AND N-C-D-O-T GAVE US AN UPDATE ON ROADS, SO I'LL JUST KEEP PASSING THOSE ALONG.

UH, THE HAVELOCK BYPASS IS ON TRACK STILL TO OPEN THE SUMMER

[00:40:01]

OF 2024.

THEY'RE COMPLETE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TIE-INS TO HIGHWAY 70 AT BOTH ENDS OF THAT BYPASS.

SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA SEE, UH, TRAFFIC IMPACTS NOW DOWN IN, UH, HAVELOCK IF YOU DECIDE TO GO SOUTH.

UH, THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE JAMES CITY WORK IS ON TRACK, UH, TO BE COMPLETED SUMMER OF 2025.

SO WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO ON THAT ONE, BUT MOST OF THE UTILITY WORK IS COMPLETE NOW.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE IMPACTS TO TRAFFIC, UH, ONCE THAT UTILITY WORK IS DONE.

GREAT.

SO GREAT.

UH, YEAH, I MEAN CITIZENS ARE GONNA BE IMPACTED BY THAT.

YOU CAN SIGN UP, UH, FOR NOTIFICATIONS ON THE N-C-D-O-T WEBSITE, UH, PARTICULARLY TO THAT, UM, PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY AND THEY WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL.

THEY'LL SEND YOU TEXTS OF THOSE CLOSURES.

I KNOW THAT, UH, MYSELF AND ALSO COLLEEN AND THE MPO SHARE ALL OF THOSE ON OUR, UH, FACEBOOK PAGE.

SO IF THAT'S HOW YOU GET 'EM, YOU CAN GET 'EM DIRECTLY IF YOU PREFER.

UH, THEN THE LAST THING I HAVE ON NOVEMBER 30TH.

SO THURSDAY, UH, CRAVEN, PAMLICO ANIMAL SHELTER WILL CELEBRATE SHELTER PETS DAY WITH AN EVENT STARTING AT NINE UNTIL 10 30.

UH, IF YOU RECALL A SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WE PASSED A PROCLAMATION, UH, ANNOUNCING, UH, SHELTER PETS DAY AND PROCLAIMING THAT.

AND THEY WILL ALSO HAVE A PET ADOPTION FEE REDUCTION DURING THAT TIME.

SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A NEW PET, UH, AGAIN, IT'S A 10 TO 15 YEAR COMMITMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST THINK ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU PICK ONE UP FOR CHRISTMAS.

BUT, UH, IF, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PET, THAT'S THE PLACE TO BE ON THURSDAY.

THAT'S ALL.

DID YOU HAVE THE RATE? I DID NOT HAVE THE RATE.

IT IS A REDUCED RATE.

THAT'S ALL I'M AWARE.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE.

SO YOU CAN CALL THEM.

'CAUSE I'M, I WAS INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY GETTING A DOG, BUT HE'S GOTTA BE FRIENDLY WITH MY CAT DO.

IF NOT, HE'S GOTTA GO.

SO UNDERSTOOD .

SO, SO COME DOWN, COME ON DOWN THURSDAY NINE AND I'M SURE THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE TOUR OR YOU CAN GO EARLIER, BUT, UH, IT'S REDUCED RATE ON THURSDAY.

OKAY, GOOD.

SPAYED OR NEUTERED OR ANY SHOTS.

AND THEY, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT IF IT HASN'T BEEN DONE ALREADY.

I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN RAISING MONEY TO KEEP 'EM AFLOAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO THE SHELTER ANIMALS SO THAT YOU GET A PET THAT IS ADOPTION READY, UH, AS THEY CALL IT.

BUT, UH, UH, IT DEPENDS ON THE PARTICULAR PET AS WELL.

VERY GOOD.

IS THAT ALL YOU HAD, SIR? THAT'S ALL I HAD SIR.

UM, JUST TWO THINGS FROM ME.

UM, ALDERMAN ROYAL AND MYSELF ATTENDED THE GIVING TUESDAY EVENT TODAY AT UNION POINT PARK.

UM, GIVING TUESDAYS A, I THINK IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY WHERE NONPROFITS ARE OUT LOOKING FOR DONATIONS TO HELP DO WHAT THEY DO.

AND I WAS ABLE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH 'EM AND I JUST EXPRESSED, YOU KNOW, HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE MANY NON-PROFITS.

UM, COMMISSIONER BUER, I DON'T KNOW IF, WERE YOU THERE WHEN HE SPOKE BECAUSE HE, HE MENTIONED THE NUMBER OF NONPROFITS IN CRAVEN COUNTY.

I WANNA SAY HE SAID 600, WHICH WAS JUST AMAZING TO ME.

BUT THERE, THERE'S A LOT HERE IN THE CITY AND THEY DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK.

SO APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

AND THEN, UM, MR. HUGHES, I GOT AN EMAIL TODAY, UM, ACTUALLY VERY RECENT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AT THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING.

DID YOU GET THAT EMAIL AS WELL? I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.

UM, I THINK I TOLD YOU I WAS THINKING IT WAS AROUND 5,000.

IT WAS 4,900 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING FRIDAY NIGHT.

SO IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT AND I THINK THERE WAS 4,400 THAT ATTENDED THE AIR SHOW.

THAT WAS THE NEXT DAY.

SO VERY, VERY GOOD INFORMATION.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS COMING UP HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW, CITY OF NEWBURN, SOCIAL MEDIA, BERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT, UH, PUT ON ANY GREAT EVENTS.

SO.

UH, DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT? NO SIR, MA'AM.

BUT I HAVE A QUESTION, JUDGE.

SURE.

I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A RESOLUTION TO DOT FOR OLD AIRPORT ROAD ON, ON THE NEXT, IT'S ON THE DECEMBER 12TH AGENDA.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

AND ALDERMAN ASKED, I DID SEND YOU A EMAIL WITH REGARDS TO THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT WIDE, THEY'RE NOT WIDELY.

THEY JUST WANT TO ADD SOME TURNING LANES.

TURNING LANES.

IT'S THE WAY I READ IT.

IS THAT THE WAY YOU UNDERSTAND? YES.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT.

IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? WE ADJOURN.